pAbove Beyond showcase the newest addition to their electronic music family with Anjunadeep:01. This new mix series highlights tracks and artists from their sub label of the same name, the deep and progressive house branch to their more ubiquitous Anjunabeats brand. As with their long-running Anjunabeats mix series, this one is elevated from the trappings of being just a label sampler by two important points. /p pThe first is that even though it’s still in a growing phase, Anjunadeep as a label already sports a solid roster of producers with some very promising and compelling tracks. Rising newcomers 16 Bit Lolitas and Jaytech are featured prominently on this two-disc set, but there are more gems to mine in the list of less recognizable artists.
(More about ‘Music Review: Above Beyond - iAnjunadeep:01/i’…)
pMusic has the power to elevate and to push us out the front door and through hard times because it knows we must endure. The bass, the drums, the guitar, the vocals, the keys, the passion, the fucking sounds mdash; they know we must survive and carry on. Art exists so that there can be more art./p pIn the case of In-Flight Safety, such a warm shove out into the snow is what I feel I owe them thanks for. /p pSpiritually stagnant, drained, and down as I was to start 2009, this Halifax based four piece came out of seclusion in Nova Scotia with a plan and an album that seemed destined to open my curtains and let the light in.
(More about ‘Music Review: In-Flight Safety - iWe Are An Empire, My Dear/i’…)
p p Just a day after an interview with Chris Brown’s father appeared on People.com, the magazine has published an interview with Rihanna’s father, Ronald Fenty. /pp/p p /ppFenty reportedly told the magazine that when he first heard about her alleged altercation with Chris Brown, I didn’t believe it. I know my daughter, he said, adding about Brown, You think you know somebody, but you really don’t. /ppThe alleged incident took place before the Grammy Awards last Sunday. Brown was arrested and released on bail; Rihanna is reportedly cooperating with police. /ppAt some point, she will speak out, he added. I hope she will stand up for women all over the world.
(More about ‘Rihanna’s Father Speaks: ‘I Hope She Will Stand Up For Women All Over The World”…)
Born in Mexico City, this multi-talented artist currently makes his home in Los Angeles, California. Creative and always cutting edge, Beto Hale is an artist but he is more than that. He's a writer, producer, and father trying to make a living in a field we creative types dream about. His songwriting is excellent and the guy is a monster on the drums. Here is what Beto had to say:
We've played in several bands together a few years back in Colorado, how did you get started playing music?
Yes! I had a lot of fun playing with you!
In terms of my beginnings: I listened to the Beatles when I was eight and that was it! I started learning all their songs on the drums and then on guitar and piano.
(More about ‘A Conversation With Up and Coming Los Angeles Producer and Musician Beto Hale’…)
Pacha’s New York chief Eddie Dean chatted to Skrufff recently about the impact of the credit crunch and revealed that the Manhattan superclub is increasingly cutting DJ fees to balance the books. “DJ fees are really coming under scrutiny,” Eddie confirmed. “Certain DJs that have a proven track record can still demand a good price but other DJs either have to come down or you have to pass because you just can’t afford to pay them based on their history. In the past you could say, вЂ?well, we can pay the extra 5k (US$5,000) because we know we will be packed out’. Now, that isn’t always the case. You have to be very cautious, if you misjudge a DJ’s value you could get hurt.
(More about ‘International News: Pacha NYC cut DJ fees in face of credit crunch’…)
The opening line of Ally Kerr’s second album, Off The Radar (Much Obliged Records, 2008) gives a tantalizing taste of the thinking person’s pop craft that is to follow. The line comes from “Could Have Been A Contender” and it opens with, ‘he sits and smiles at his big CV thinking he’s just the knees of some bee’.
Scotland is a land that has already brought us Belle and Sebastian, Arab Strap, Teenage Fanclub, Franz Ferdinand, The Goldenhour, John Martyn, Idlewild, Daniel Wylie, and a whole host of other artists that literally ooze song writing talent.
The Jonas Brothers are three guys who shouldn’t have any trouble finding themselves a Valentine. While, Kevin Jonas and Joe Jonas still appear to be going strong with their respective ladies, it appears that young Nick is once again single.
Kevin is currently linked to hometown girl Danielle Deleasa (they both grew up in Wyckoff, New Jersey), and Joe is dating “Push” star Camilla Belle. Both had “no comment” about their dating lives when asked by a fan on “The Insider” on Thursday night if they were dating anyone. Meanwhile, 16-year-old Nick, who had been most recently rumored to be dating “Wizards of Waverly Place” star Selena Gomez, replied that these days he’s single.
Hubby and I are huge Johnny Cash fans, and there has been much heated discussion in our house about this newly released collection of classic Johnny Cash songs remixed by artists such as Alabama 3 (think Sopranos theme), Count de Money, Snoop Dogg's new QDT team, and Pete Rock. Since our musical tastes vary widely (dance, blues, hip hop, classic rock, punk, rockabilly, country, Motown, Stax,….) but we tend to like "original" sound, we really weren't sure about this.
(More about ‘Music Review: Various Artists - Johnny Cash Remixed‘…)
Just one day after London’s long-running nightclub the End shut its doors for the last time, former End programmers Ajay Jayaram and Ryan Ashmore announced details of their own ambitious party: a Friday night event at London Bridge’s Arches called вЂ?We Fear Silence’. Gilles Peterson, Ben Watt’s Buzzin Fly, James Holden’s Border Community and drum & bass collective A Bunch of Cuts are amongst promoters following the duo from the End to the Arches, which is twice the size of their former West End home. “With the whole venue opened up, we could do parties for up to 1800 people, but we will be starting up with space for around 1200,” says Ryan.
(More about ‘International News: The End promoters reveal next step’…)
Promoters behind Ministry Of Sound’s new New York weekly night at Mansion (the venue that was formerly Crobar and has just been renamed M2) have revealed that they’ll be prioritising bottle service over dancing, to differentiate themselves from rival superclub Pacha New York. “We do not have a dancefloor, and that makes a huge difference. It’s more about table service, sitting, more about entertainment, production, aerialists, and performers,” Mansion chief Mark Baker told Blackbook writer Stephen Lewis. “I also think that the average age of our client here is slightly older than they have at Pacha. Pacha is definitely a legitimate DJ-driven music venue,” he added.
(More about ‘International News: Ministry Of Sound open ‘mature’ New York club’…)