House, Techno | Boys Noize – Go Hard EP
Posted by Spice on June 25, 2013
Is there anyone out there quite like Boys Noize? With his latest EP, the aptly titled Go Hard, the talented Mr. Ridha once again proves that he’s pretty much in a league of his own. His high octane brand of acid house is present in each of the five new tracks debuted yesterday (with the possible exception of “Starwin,” which is replete with acidy squelches but ultimately a buoyant disco confection), but the more remarkable feat is the level of versatility he displays. The EP veers from ominous and consummately analogue (“Inhale/Exhale”) to techno meets trap with notes of hardstyle (the titular “Go Hard”) to the aforementioned “Starwin,” which sounds like something Madeon might make after watching the full Discovery video and then sucking down a bunch of nitrous. “Excuse Me” (escoooooz me) and “Push Em Up” are both hard-nosed dance floor jams that are impossible not to move to. Go Hard is well worth the cost of an iTunes download — in the grand Boys Noize tradition, it manages to be dark, fun, energetic and fresh all at once.
iTunes: Boys Noize – Go Hard EP
Events | Governor’s Island June – July Schedule
Posted by Middy on June 5, 2013
We already told you what went down this past memorial day at the opening of Governor’s Island when Hardwell, Dyro, Audien and Henrix came to town. The schedule for the rest of the summer is starting to fill in with Made Event and RPM throwing some outstanding parties throughout June, July and August. In June, the Bingo Players will lead a show with Tritonal, Bassjackers and MAJK and Benny Benassi will bring Madeon, Congorock & more. Highlights of July include a stacked July 4th weekend with shows every night from the likes of Dirty South, Chuckie & Gregori Klosman & Gareth Emery, while Laidback Luke will bring his Super You & Me show to the Island. You can see the full schedule below with ticket links for each show. More shows TBA, so stay tuned for that.
June 16th: Bingo Players (3-hours), Tritonal, Bassjackers, MAJK (Sold Out)
June 23rd: Benny Benassi, Congorock, Madeon + more TBA Tickets
July 4th: Dirty Dutch: Chuckie, Gregori Klosman + more TBA Tickets
July 5th: Victor Calderone Tickets
July 6th: Gareth Emery, Michael Woods, Ben Gold, Blake Jarrell Tickets
July 7th: Dirty South, Deniz Koyu, Michael Brun, Those Usual Suspects Tickets
July 13th: Infected Mushroom Tickets
July 14th: Super You & Me: Laidback Luke, Moska, Adventure, Carnage, Gina Turner Tickets
DJ-Set, House | Weekend Mixes 3/15/13
Posted by Middy on March 15, 2013
It is St. Patty’s Day weekend, so go out, wear green and wake up someplace you regret. We start off with the much talked about triple J mix from Madeon that features 39 songs in 30 minutes including the live mix of “The City” this week’s episode of the drop that features a guest mix from Felguk. Next up is this week’s episode of The Drop that features a guest mix from Felguk. Norin & Rad get you ready for Miami with their hour long mix with a mix of tracks from Anjunabeats Volume 10 and other favorites of theirs. Adrien Mezsi provides us with his Mezsed Up podcast that starts out with the brand new DubVision remix of “I Could Be The One” from Nicky Romero & Avicii and has a guest mix from Digital Lab, who is hot on the heals of the release of “Hit It“. After the jump we have mixes from N3AKO, Michael Woods, The Disco Fries, Arty and Gabriel & Dresden.
Albums, Events, Featured | Snowglobe Music Festival Recap
Posted by CHAZZZ on January 11, 2013
Photo: Chromeo at 12:00 12/31/2012 | Credit: Drew Levin
RECAP VIDEOS: Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3
Being from Colorado I went into SnowGlobe Music Festival in South Lake Tahoe, CA a bit cocky thinking it would be impossible for me to get cold but the first day proved me wrong. Despite being bundled up in huge down jackets, the entire crowd was amped and ready to rage. We got a late start to the first day and walked-in mid set with the crowd in full force already with Minnesota throwing down. With constant top-notch releases from Minnesota all year I was really excited to see him live and he didn’t disappoint. Next up was the first night headliner, Wiz Khalifa. I was following Wiz’s Tweet’s and Instagram’s and he was not ready for the cold but he didn’t let it hold him back. The crowd exploded as he opened with Black and Yellow and he kept the energy the entire time playing all his big hits. The stage set-up was incredible and watching Wiz live surrounded by massive pine trees and snow coming down was surreal. Wiz ended earlier than the schedule indicated and we rushed to the shuttles because we had to make it back for the after party. The after party that night was what I was most excited for because Seven Lions was the headliner. Kill Paris was slotted to play before Seven Lions but unfortunatly he got stuck in Indiana and wasn’t able to make it. The set up in the hotel was one of the most awkward setups I’ve ever seen, it felt like high school prom gone EDM but that wasn’t going to hold us back. Seven Lions was without a doubt the best performance of the night and he will soon be at all major festivals. One of my favorite songs ever is his Florence and the Machine – Cosmic Love Remix and he dropped a great version of it and I guarantee anyone who didn’t know who he was before the show was googling him immediately after. He exceeded my expectations and make sure to add him to your “MUST SEE” list.
Hit “Read More” for more pictures!
Drum & Bass, Electro-House, House | Madeon – The City EP
Posted by Spice on October 9, 2012
Madeon’s The City EP dropped yesterday, bringing us original and extended mixes of the titular track, a live version of “Icarus,” and some very fresh DnB remixes to boot. If you never once thought that Madeon’s distinctive brand of nu-disco would lend itself well to drum n’ bass — well, you’re not alone. I approached these remixes (specifically, Netsky’s remix of “Finale” and Fred V & Grafix’s remix of “Icarus”) with a fair degree of skepticism and found myself utterly blown away. Netsky achieves the impossible (in my humble opinion) and actually improves upon “Finale,” finding a way to milk even more drama out a track that’s already chock full of adrenaline. I always found the original unsatisfyingly brief, so I really appreciate the way Netsky draws out each build and adds new color by way of some wonderfully different chord progressions. Exeter duo Fred V & Grafix likewise breathe new life into an old favorite; they dexterously manipulate the tempo of the now-familiar “Icarus” and layer in fast, choppy breakbeats, which (perhaps surprisingly) have the effect of magnifying the punchy, bright synths we all know and love. In all, this is a tight and very savvy release from our favorite little Frenchman who continues to prove that he’s got this game on lock.
Beatport: Madeon – The City EP
Albums, Electronic, Pop | Ellie Goulding – Halcyon (Album Review)
Posted by Spice on October 9, 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VjPABmvlfY
Over the past three years, Ellie Goulding has achieved an extraordinary level of fame and recognition, even as she has maintained a foothold outside of the full-bore pop mainstream. Sure, it’s basically impossible to listen top 40 radio these days without hearing the synthy intro to the belatedly popular “Lights,” but there remains something sufficiently quirky and offbeat about Ellie — her distinctively elfin timber, perhaps, or her often dark arrangements, or her affinity for unlikely (but uncanny) melodies, or the fact that she’s the undisputed remix darling of the underground. In other words, she’s managed to steer clear of Carly Rae territory, even as she has built an increasingly high profile for herself.
In Halcyon, the British songstress may be playing for the now-considerable audience who will purchase her material by default, but it is clear that the album is first and foremost the fulfillment of an intensely personal and specific vision. Accordingly, there are moments of sheer, sparkling brilliance — and also a few misfires. The overall vibe is haunting, gothic, and at times ragged, ranging from heavy and driving to delicate and stripped down, but never do we lose sight of the looming emotional matter that served as Ellie’s inspiration. And this is where the album falters — certain tracks simply begin to feel roundabout or redundant, especially as we move through the ballad-heavy second half, where Halcyon starts to seem like a synthed-up 21 with slightly less lyrical depth.
But when Ellie shines, she truly shines. The jangly (if rather abstruse) “Anything Could Happen,” released well in advance of the album, is a fresh and unlikely anthem. “My Blood” is a bona fide showstopper — Ellie’s birdlike voice is simultaneously fragile and powerful, undergirded by a thumping bassline and carrying us through a terrifically stratospheric chorus that will give just about any music fan chills. The dubsteppy “Figure 8,” produced by recent OWSLA signees MONSTA, exists at the catchiest possible intersection of electronic music and pop. The ethereal and slightly more upbeat “Atlantis” is beautifully (and eerily) arranged. And Calvin Harris brings his user-friendly dance cred to “I Need Your Love,” coming soon to every single fratty bar near you. In all, Ellie may have moved in a more self consciously artistic direction on Halcyon, but her ability to weave catchy, interesting melodies with lush electronic arrangements is as on display as ever.
Rating: 3.5/5
Note: Bonus track “Stay Awake,” produced by Madeon, is only available on physical editions purchased at Tesco in the UK. Check it out here.
iTunes: Ellie Goulding – Halcyon
House, Videos | EDM Video Roundup – September
Posted by Middy on October 4, 2012
After doing a roundup for August, we are back to give you the best EDM videos from September. We start off with the video for Madeon’s “The City” that involves an intense chalk fight between two sides in an abandoned factory area. This video must have been a blast to be in and really needs to be recreated in real life. It emulated the colorful twists of Madeon’s nu-disco sound. We continue after the jump with more from Lazy Rich & Chris Lake, David Guetta, Deadmau5, Thomas Gold & more.