Goodbye MOvember

So here in Canada, and in a few other Countries as well, there is a program called MOvember.  It runs for the month of November and encourages men to grow a moustache, starting clean shaven on the 1st of November, for the whole month in an effort to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer. Its a pretty bad ass cancer that in Canada alone will affect 25,000 men this year. Seriously nasty stuff.  This was my 2nd year being involved and my team was able to, between 4 of us, raise nearly $3,000 simply by making ourselves look ridiculous with a moustache for the month.  So in honour of the pain in the ass (literally) that is both prostate cancer AND growing a moustache for a month, I present you my first post for today.  Its deep 'n sexy and by the fantastic Nina Kraviz. A Russian club promoter turned DJ/producer/vocalist, from what I can tell this chick does it all and does it all very well.  I've been bopping to this one for a little while now, hope you enjoy the kind of creepy vocals about the "killing jar"

Nina Kraviz - Pain In The Ass

And this one I came across last week, a remix from NiCe7.  What I have heard from them in the past I generally like and this is no different.  I would hardly call it ground breaking territory as it sounds pretty dated back to the mid 90s or so, but I don't mind. A good track i a good track, and it gets me movin. :)

Tahloula - We Play House(NiCe7 Remix)

limitless

Heard a few really great remixes of this James Blake guys stuff.  This is actually a cover of a Feist (yup Toronto again!) track and the remix is by Daniel Bortz.  Its rainy and gross here today and I'm sitting here at my desk trying to get a bunch of personal paperwork crap done before work... Its kind of  a perfect rainy day song.. i think its the piano.  I feel like i should be looking out of a window in some old European Capital or something.

James Blake - Limit To Yor Love(DB Edit)

Continuing with the piano melancholy-deepness is Sarp Yilmaz from Istanbul. If you get the chance the video for this makes me laugh cuz its synced up with that famous scene from The Graduate.

Sarp Yilmaz - My Baby Got To Go(Santos Resiak Remix)

back to the future

Its way back playback time again! I was listening to a new set by Art Department this week and they played this track, which TOTALLY brought me back.  I had never known who it was that did the song, but I always loved it.  Its Green Velvet! cool.  Originally released in 1995, I had it as part of an old Mark Farina set from the 90's and I played the hell out of it. So as I get ready to go do a little couch shopping on this cool, crisp Toronto Monday... I'll be bopping to this in my head.

Green Velvet - Thoughts

hung over, Grey Cup Sunday

Today is the 99th Grey Cup.  For those of you from other Countries, thats the Championship game in the Canadian Football League.  I'm pretty hung over after a great night out dancing at Mr.Big with some friends but still contemplating making the journey down to the pub to watch the game at a party my friend Andrei throws every year.  After, of course, I cure this hangover via my headphones with a healthy dose of Toronto's own Art Department.  I'd been digging their sound for a while and heard a few remixes, and THEN i found out its Kenny frickin Glasgow and Jonny White. I wondered where Kenny Glasgow had disappeared to... He went from being on the flyer of every single party that was thrown in this city to just not being around.  Well, this is what hes been up to.  You can't rightly post part 1 and not post part 2 ... even though the first 2+ mins of part 2 are a little weird and for some reason remind me of  the theme from Halloween(ish), except for the plucky bass.  Stick it out though, as the gays have been saying for a year now, it gets better.

Art Department - Tell me Why (part1)

Art Department - Tell Me Why (part 2)

..And all that jazz!

I just got home from working a private function at the restaurant where I work, which featured a live (fantastic) jazz band, they were just jamming for the whole shift. If everyone's life were full of live, free-form jazz at their place of employment, the World WOULD be a better place.  Live is important because it brings me great joy to see the faces of jazz musicians.  They are unlike any other, and have somehow perfected what I call "Jazz Face".  Its kind of a cross between a comedic "orgasm" face, and what one might presume to be the look you would have on your face if you just poo'd in your pants.  It really cements the whole live feel for me, and I took great pleasure in the Jazz Faces this afternoon!  First track up is a guy... err young man we shall call him, Nicolas Jaar(he's only 21 and been releasing music since he was 14!).  The more I learn about and more importantly, hear from this incredibly talented producer, the more I am in love.  It's not a brand new track but still, pretty awesome.  His edit of one of my favorite songs, Nina Simone's "feelin' good".

Nicolas Jaar - Nicos feelin' good

There was considerable debate amongst a few of my friends how it was, exactly, that we came across this next one. But it turns out that our friend Gary had a DJ friend visiting from Barcelona and she dropped it while she was here in Toronto playing at Comfort Zone.  Its got a little sexy vocal to it and just makes me wanna dance around my house with a duster in hand.  You know... to keep the place clean.

Miguel Campbell - Something Special

And finally I've been meaning to post this one for a little bit but what can I say, I get distracted.  One of the new musical loves for me this year has been Fritz Kalbrenner. You wanna talk about a great album to go for a very long bike ride to?  His album " Here Today Gone Tomorrow", is just that.  This track isnt from that album, infact, its not even produced by him! but he is featured on it as a vocalist.  And its very much in his style.  His label mate at Suol Records, Trickski invited him to guest on his album "Unreality", which got a TERRIBLE review on Resident Advisor, but I actually quite enjoy it. Hope you do too.

Trickski feat. Fritz Kalkbrenner - Without You

Dead Poet's Society for the Dancefloor

umm so remember in "Dead Poet's Society" when the class have that beautiful moment of rebellion and unification and recite a Walt Whitman poem? No? K, well re-watch(or just plain watch) the movie.. I think I'm going to have to re-watch it because it's been over 10 years and I need a refresher.  But when I heard this track pop up in a set  it reeeeally took me back. Its by Pan-Pot, who are this pretty cool duo from Berlin who apparently love cookware, and Walt Whitman.

Pan-Pot - Captain, My Captain(Rodriguez jr. Remix)

You'd think after the amount of dance music I've listened to I would be used to the ludicrous lengths of some of the intros before the song really gets going. Well, I'm not. I know why it's there.  And I fully am ok with like 45 seconds to a minute of oonts oonts oonts until the trak gets going so the dj can cue everything up blah blah ya I get it... but Carl Craig. You sir have just pushed me over the edge. 5 minutes and 45 seconds. Are you kiddin' me?! Lucky for you, you're Carl Craig, and that as usual this remix is pretty killer. So be warned, this one is over 10 minutes long but theres nothing all that cool going on until 5:45. Dude from Hot Chip's voice... love it.

Hot Chip - One Life Stand(Carl Craig Remix)

Also I just have to mention how friggin' cool it is to look at the stats when you operate a blog.  As my mother could attest to, I am a geek for statistics. So seeing everyday that I get 4 hits from Russia, and The Netherlands and Germany etc etc its pretty awesome. Also that close to 70% of those people are Mac users.. well my heart swells a little. :)  So, thanks subscribers! :)

something to Think About..(it)

keeping up with posting everyday caught up with me apparently! work and life can sometimes be damned inconveniences.  But here we are again with a day off and time to get caught up on things, I've decided to do the fun stuff first(posting here) and leaving the not so fun stuff for later(cleaning the floors & bathroom).

Its the second time this track and these artists have appeared on the Mooonboots, well sort of.  See the track IS featured in the Matthew Dear set, and I quite enjoy it.  I know I've heard it before and now that I know who the track is by and who its remixed by I'm pretty sure Maceo Plex played it here in Toronto at Wrongbar back in September.

Martin Dawson feat. Nicholas Ryan Gant - Think About It (Maceo Plex remix)

I'm sure a lot of people know the Solomun remix of Around by Noir & Haze, and with good reason. Its gorgeous. I came across a new remix of it done by Subb-an.  As the story goes it was meant to be kind of a white label for a few select people(ie: Noir, Subb-an and some friends), but they gave it out to a few others.  Next thing you know Seth Troxler & Jamie Jones drop it at the DC10 closing party in Ibiza and apparently they got bombarded with demands to release it. So here she is.

Noir & Haze - Around (Subb-an remix)

Now what am I gonna make for dinner?

baked.

I'm fairly certain everyone in the World knows the song "White Horse" by Laidback. You know, "if you want it right. Ride the white horse" with a big heavy funky bassline. Its dirty. Its about heroin and sex and probably other things too but what shocked the Hell out of me about a year ago was learning that Laidback were two white guys from Denmark who were producing this amazing hard funk/cool dance stuff in the early 80s. WHAT?!?! White guys made that music?!?! Mad props to Denmark for that one.  So when I came across  a Soul Clap remix of another Laidback track called "Bakerman" I had to have it.  Also of note, the video for Bakerman's original release in 1989 was directed by Lars Von Triers, and its rather hilarious. Check it out.

Laidback - Bakerman (Soul Clap remix)

SUNday

It was an absolutely gorgeous November day here in Toronto... a rather shocking 14 degrees! So keeping it short 'n sweet.

I don't really think Paul McCartney needs much of an introduction. This is from his "Wings" days and its been given a nice little downtempo-disco'd up vibe courtesy of Jimi Bazzouka. Perfect for chillin on a Sunday for those of you that are.

Paul McCartney - Let 'em In (Jimi Bazzouka edit)


And here's a set I've been loving this past week or so. My friend Josh sent this over and at first I didnt even bother to give it a listen.  I figured a 2 and a half hour Matthew Dear set would be likely a little bit too abrasive for me at the moment...but wow.  Its gorgeous melodic and deep. just how i like it.. and the last hour gets a little harder. Its kind of perfect to just have thumping along in the background while you're working away on something. Recorded live from the Electric Pickle in Miami(best club name I've heard in a while!!) on October 22nd, so pretty current.

Matthew Dear Live @ The Electric Pickle, Miami (22-10-11)

mind blowing musical trajectories.

So i told myself yesterday that maybe I wouldn't post anything on the weekend, but its my day off today and theres just too much great music in the World.  Like actually have you ever thought about all the songs you know, or better still: all the music you hear out at a club that you DON'T know.. then you start looking into who those artists are, and who the remixers are and blah blah blah all of a sudden your mind is blown. Well mine is anyway. I bet if every person in the world listened to music nonstop for a year there would still be music that some of us haven't heard.... yup blown again.

On that note, heres some maybe you haven't heard! If you're lucky maybe it will blow your mind.

This one is from defected Records, arguably one of the most important House labels out there and a pretty iconic name in dance music.  Joris Voorn's stuff that I've heard was usually a bit more tech sounding than this but i like it. It reminds me of "dj you've got my love" by richard dinsdale which, I also love and coincidentally, is also a defected track.

Arthur Baker feat Jimmy Somerville - I Believe In Love (Joris Voorn vocal mix)

I was totally going to post another track here but I had my iTunes playing as I wrote this and ever notice how with good quality headphones on you pick up so much more in tracks than you do when its just playing on a system(unless its a great system..)?  Its full of these fantastic weird little noises, but doesn't come off sounding too busy...dig it.

Johnwaynes feat. Stee Downes - Belong To Me (Original mix)

Ever wonder what would happen if you locked Prince, Peter Gabriel & Cassius(who I LOVE) into a recording studio and told them they couldn't come out until they produced something together? I have... and then I heard this and realized someone already had that idea too and actually did it!-And yes that "A" is supposed to be a capital... he's French.

SebastiAn feat. Mayer Hawthorne - Love In Motion

YAY Weekend!

Hey there Friday, how are you?  It's been way too long.  Since I'm a waiter and my restaurant of employ is open on weekends the weekend doesn't mean as much to me in the usual regard as it does for most of the rest of the population.  But it does mean clubs are open for business, which means I might just be out dancing.  This weekend I plan on checking out "Main Street House" @ Fly nightclub on Saturday. Fly is a gay bar which usually plays circuit/tribal stuff which isn't really my cup of tea. It's lowest common denominator dance music as far as I'm concerned(Dance Music for Dummies?). But every now and then they do these nights where they bring in some house & tech djs to shake things up a little but and show the gays what dance music is supposed to be all about.- Hallelujah!
This weekend its Addy, Ticky Ty & Chris Ink. dope lineup for sure.

But enough about talking about music. What's that quote:"dancing about architecture"? ya, "talking about music is like dancing about architecture." love it.  So I've made a new musical pal in Leeds, UK who seems to be able to have his hands on music well ahead of the release date, take for example the new Maya Jane Coles EP that Marko sent me this morning.  Its due out in December, and if you like her stuff you'll love this. Here is a sample of what you'll find there (also notice I figured out how to post links embedded in text-yup I'm that new to this..):

Maya Jane Coles - Cutting It Fine

Btw- I went to see Maya Jane Coles here a little while ago at Wrongbar, and shes about the size of a feather... but she did turn out a pretty sweet nice of tunes, and i LOVE her productions so far.

If you want something with a bit more bite for your weekend, like I do, try this sucka on for size.  I'm not shy about my love for Green Velvet, and Quentin Harris, well he's a legend. This is the best remix I've heard of this track which i already loved. BONUS!

Green Velvet feat Russoul - Millie Vanillie (Quentin Harris Dub)

Happy Dancing y'all. Also, check out Marko's blog. its listed here in the ones I follow.

Critics.. don't you love 'em?

I just got in from a rather wacky night at work; I'm a waiter and I frequently have wacky nights so its no bigs, just a couple interesting tables.. one of which got me on the gin....lemme tell you somethin'.  Hendricks, neat, is god damn delicious! Who knew?! So now i feel like dancing.. and those of you that know me, know that is hardly a newsflash.  For the past 4 or  5 months when that mood hits I've had one solid go-to-guy: Maceo Plex a.k.a Eric Estornel a.k.a Maetrik. Everything he touches is gold. Including his new track "Stop Your Hate".  Apparently he has had enough of shitty reviewers. Can't say as I blame him, with some of the remixes and productions he's had out this past year, dancefloors everywhere should be shaking the man's hand. Heres why.

Maceo Plex - Stop Your Hate (Original mix)

Maceo Plex - Falling


I don't really know jack about this next guy. And this is all I've heard from him. But its a fun house track with a great, laid back old school vibe to it. A fun easy-breezy tune that really ought to put a smile on your face :) As if Maceo didn't look after that already..

Bubba - Dance With Me

vacation time?

As i sit at my desk, fully mowin' hard on the best omelette of life(leek, cream cheese and smoked salmon- smoked by my friend Josh's dad!) and listen to the timeless classic "beau mot plage" by isolee, I realize that I really should be on vacation, say in the South of France, eating this omelette.  Surely it would be more delicious, non? but that ain't happenin. But if I were sitting on a boardwalk in St-Tropez this is probably what I would be listening to.

Martin Dawson - Is This Goodbye (Tale Of Us remix)


but lets be honest...If I've just gone all the way to France for a damn omelette, I'm somewhat obliged to visit the White Isle... that's Ibiza, rookie. Ibiza is that hedonistic place you've been hearing about since you discovered House music... where all the top clubs and DJs in the world are, oh and it sits in the middle of the sea between Spain & Africa. Oh ya, and all the people are beautiful. damn Spaniards.  When I was in Ibiza last year this was the song that was on repeat on my iPod, and it will always remind me of the Sun setting on Sa Trinxa beach bar. *tear*

A:xus - Suite Disappointment (Pete Heller vocal mix)

Harvest Moon(boots)- its Monday.. and I'm already over it.

Not like I had a stressful weekend or anything, far from it in fact. But man, sometimes you wake up and think that it would be okay to just stay in bed all day. And its actually my day off.. I miss the time when having a day off meant you did nothing, instead of used it to do the stuff you didnt do during the rest of the week.  Maybe this'll put me in a better mood? A gorgeous, sun-soaked, chilled cover version of Neil Young's Harvest Moon, done by California's "Poolside".  A duo whose poolside based recording studio is turning out lots of this..

Poolside - Harvest Moon (Neil Young cover)


K so that didnt exactly get me in a better mood, or rather even resolved to just deal with the day but maybe this will? Jarvis Cocker, in my mind, is one of the great geniuses of our time. A modern David Bowie, with more tongue-in-cheek, anti-establishment, slippery vocals than you can shake a stick at.  From when he was Pulp's front man to his more recent work as a solo artist, nobody can touch the Jarv.  Im waiting (rather impatiently) for the day either his solo tour or the Pulp reunion tour come my way!  But in the meantime here are two rather shining examples of his solo work.

Jarvis Cocker - Running The World

Jarvis Cocker - I Never Said I Was Deep



That actually did help shake it :) thanks Jarv.  but now i need some sexy beats to get me going. Its time for a lil way back, playback action.  Now I know a lot of people that love this song... and I know a lot of people that hate this song. I fuckin love it. I know its got that stupid bit nearer the end with the talking.. but i don't care.  It takes me back to Halifax, Nova Scotia and the house scene of the late 90s early 00s(i refuse to call them the naughties... its dumb.). It reminds me of guys like Fat Devin and the other great DJs that were throwing great parties back then. Or just dancing around my livingroom with Tams. *sigh* nostalgia achieved.

Armand Van Helden - Flowerz

Pisces loves Aquarius

So maybe its because I was born on the cusp of two signs(Aquarius & Pisces- but all Pisces y'all) but damn I love me some Aquarius. Especially Aquarius Heaven. He's this Caribbean dude now based out of Paris. Not Paris, Ontario or Paris, Texas... Paris, France.
He started out as a vocalist doing dancehall & reggae stuff but found electronic music when he moved to France and I am so glad he did. He and his producer, dOP make some pretty intense sounds, fuelled by a kind of minimal, hip-hop vibe, coupled with these vocals that are so rough and vulnerable sounding ..Instant fan.

Aquarius Heaven - Universe

Aquarius Heaven - Can't Buy Love

the jump off

So its post #1. I figure since I'm living in Toronto, why not start things off with a lil local flava.  It seems like at least once a month I found out about some new fantastic performer, producer or record label and oh, ya, they are from Toronto. It really feels like we've got something special going on here right now, like Montreal with all those Indie bands, house(or dance music producers in general) are killing it out of Toronto right now! So ya, good on ya! and even better for me. I get to go out and hear great new tunes on a regular basis...and now I get to share it with you.. whoever you are, that might follow this thing.

So first off, really I have no choice but to start with Azari & III (pronounced "third"). the Jamie Jones remix of their track "Hungry for the power" isn't really a party starter... it's a party destroyer! Nathan Barato dropped this sucker at Comfort Zone about a month ago and I (as well as everyone else who was there) actually hit the roof. if you've never been it has a low ceiling.

Azari & III Hungry For The Power (Jamie Jones Ridge Street Remix)



Next up is a guy I've heard a lot of lately but didnt really know anything about him.. and ya.. he's from Toronto too. James Teej. He runs a label called My Favourite Robot, and also releases under that name too.

My Favourite Robot - Forest Fires

I am still not totally convinced that this is going to actually work and that the songs are actually there...