the little (motor city) drum(mer boy) Ensemble. para pa pum pum

Ooof what a weekend.  Hosted my 3rd Annual tree trimming extravaganza at my place which took most of my attention last week getting the house ready, but happy to be back with a new post.  Most people that love dance people know they owe something to Detroit.  But how about Stuttgart?  When I first heard this guys work I loved it.. and as I usually do, started looking into who he was and didn't really bother to think about where he was from because it was clearly Detroit.  Ooops. As it turns out a more appropriate name may have been the Autobahn Drum Ensemble, but I guess the geography of it all doesn't really matter.  He also feels he owes something to Detroit and his adopted name is merely an homage to one of the birthplaces of the music he loves... after all it does sound more like it came out of Chicago or Detroit than Stuttgart or Berlin!

Motor City Drum Ensemble - L.O.V.E.

Motor City Drum Ensemble - Raw Cuts #3

Good ol' Cocoon does it again! Whether they put out a stompy banging techno track or something as pretty as this next one, such an amazing catalogue of music!  Came across this on a compilation album by Robag Wruhme, ya I know.. say that 3 times fast, but i've been listening to it quite a lot :)

Kollektiv Turmstrasse - Dead Room

speed of sound

I have a lot of music on this hard drive... And it seems like since I started this blog its growing exponentially. To the point that my other half is concerned over the processing speeds of our dearly beloved iMac.  So I'm trying to slow down my err consumption, a bit, and it has also made me realize so much music I have, I hear it a couple times and its lost in a sea of others.  So for the next little bit I'm going to dedicate myself to re-exploring my hard drive in search of lost and somewhat forgotten gems. For instance, this post. A track I was introduced to by a DJ friend of mine in London, Tom Davey.  If you're in blighty check 'em out! meanwhile..

Four Tet - Angel Echoes (Caribou Remix)

I'm not sure where this one came from, but H.O.S.H if i am not mistaken is one of the residents of Panoramma bar in Berlin, which I am way past due for a visit. I could do without the little rap bit nearer the end, but I love Queen, and its such a classic bassline....

H.O.S.H - Another One Bites The Booty

Aging gracefully

As I have mentioned before, I'm a waiter. I work at a cute little neighbourhood Bistro in a nice part of town.  We have a lot of older rich ladies as customers.  Last night I was marveling at this table of 7 Jewish ladies in their 50s who were waiting for the guest of honour, the birthday girl, with such baited breath I thought  Barbara Streissand might come in. Their level of excitement was oddly palpable, and when she finally arrived she was this tiny , stick-thin woman in her 50s with impeccable hair and skin so tight you could train a gymnast on it.  Every time I looked at her face I was actually surprised by the effort people go through to make themselves look THAT fake.  And I wondered if when I get old and saggy if its something I would ever consider.. you know; a tuck here, a lift there.  Whatever happened to getting old gracefully? Being older but still looking fabulous without all that stuff in your face.
So heres a marriage of the two. I heard him play this track last time he was here in Toronto, a few years ago.  Grace Jones, the epitome of looking amazing at whatever age shes at now.. saw a live performance on line a few weeks ago and shes still AMAZING! And then theres Danny.. who, if you have never had the pleasure of making his acquaintance, and as much as I like 'em, has a fair bit of filler in those cheeks!

Its a long mix and the first few minutes kinda drag on... but again, its Danny.. get used to him dragging on.

Grace Jones & Tricky - Cradle To Grave (Danny Tenaglia White Label Mix)

This one I was sent last week from a friend of mine and i love it! Lots of layers of stuff happening around a nice steady rhythm. Thanks Michael!  I don't really know anything about the artist, and Last.fm and Google weren't a whole heap of help tracking anything down.. but great track :)

Henry Saiz & Pional - Uroboros (Original Mix)

Techno? Tech Yes!

Along with a couple of my boys last night, I went to check out this techno party at this solid concrete block called the Polish Combatants Hall.  Essentially it was a Polish community centre complete with little old ladies picking up empty beer bottles and probably wondering what the hell this noise they were listening to was, and if it was a sure sign of the impending Apocalypse.  Started out ok, nice vibe, fun mixed crowd, then it got better and better before ending pretty promptly at 5am.  Heard some new local talent (DJ Howie-i think- was quite fun). It was totally a throw back to the 90s rave feel and I loved it... a sucker for nostalgia. Highlight of the night totally goes to whoever it was that dropped this new remix of, what in my mind, is a classic. Detroit Grand Pubahs track "Sandwiches".  Its absolutely ridiculous vocals are something really that always make me smile. So thanks for the new mix mister Marc Romboy! here she is

Detroit Grand Pubahs - Sandwiches (Marc Romboy's Systematic Soul Remix)

And just because I had so much fun listening to some stompy friggin techno last night... few people stomp it as well as Adam Beyer.  Its a track from a few years ago but it will definitely scratch my techno itch :)

Adam Beyer - A Walking Contradiction (Joseph Capriati Remix)

technological marvels

Today as I sat on one of Toronto's brand new Subway cars for the first time, returning from some Christmas shopping there was an elderly fellow beside me, I didn't really notice him at first.  I continued carrying on about my business playing with my iPhone (skipping to a point in a set i wanted to hear.. adjusting volume etc) and I realize that this fella beside me is VERY intently watching my every move and everything my phone does.  So i flipped through some screens and things so he could see, and I sneak a little look and hes totally smiling at my phone. It kinda made me chuckle a little bit and to think about the things this guy has probably seen in his life(he was around 80) and now to see a phone do the things our phones can do now, it was obvious he was having a moment to himself as the display continued for several minutes.

Anyhoo, kinda harking back to the post i made the other day about the top live acts and whatnot. Martin Buttrich, who ranked in at the #8 spot, will be here in Toronto for New Years Day.  His set at CZ a few months ago was so dynamic and interesting that i can honestly say it was unlike anything i've heard in a club before and I have spoken with several others who have corroborated this fact.  Add to it the guy has been producing tracks for Timo Maas(over 100) and Loco Dice and others for years, nominated for a Grammy.... basically if you're in Toronto on NYD you better be at CZ(bringing in an extra sound system for it too!) cuz this guy will bring you such an inventive sound and vibe.. its all encompassing. I've felt it with other DJs when they were really on but Martin is also producing a vast portion of his set live, so I have come to learn. So here is some Martin Buttrich to wet your appetite for what is sure to be a party to remember! -And my last time on a dancefloor for several months as I am having knee surgery a week later.... Out with a bang? Don't mind if I do!

Martin Buttrich - Hamuda (Original Mix)

Martin Buttrich - Hunter (Original Mix)

Top of the Top

So I guess I was right on the money last week when I mentioned that Jamie Jones and Seth Troxler are ruling the World. The Resident Advisor Top 100 DJs list was released today: #1 Jamie Jones #2 Seth Troxler. The rest of the list you'll see here at the end of this article and a few of the names you'll recognize from remixes and productions associated with the blog: Resident Advisor Top 100 DJ Poll Results.  They have also released their top 20 "live acts". So i'm not a producer.. or a DJ and I know theres a difference obviously, but the live acts listed here.. well I dunno. for example, when I cast my vote in the top DJs poll I put Martin Buttrich in. His set at CZ here in Toronto in August was absolutely stunning(hes also coming back for a NewYears Day party and im THRILLED!) -but here we find him listed as Live. i dunno.. I do not dispute at all the greatness of some of these acts i just never knew that some of them were live. I guess that is open to interpretation: Resident Advisor Top 20 Live Acts Poll Results

Moving swiftly on.. You know that little sort of "ping" sound sonar makes? i love it. and I'm incredibly happy people put it in the odd track here and there. This is one that i've been listening to a fair bit lately and also... when is it summer? cuz this track is so chilled n groovey it makes me wanna be on a beach or at least a patio in the hot summer sun

Lee M Kelsall - On The Road (Matt Fear Remix)

Tupac Lives.. sort of..

Solomun, he of that fabulous remix of "Around" by Noir, has a new EP out.  Three tracks, but one stands out from the rest.  I listened once, and I knew that I knew the hook in the song from somewhere but I couldn't place it. A second listen... its Tupac.  And I'm not exactly what I would call a Tupac fan... I respect his work but just never really got into it.  Anyhoo here he is sampled from some sort of out-take in relation to his song "Fame" hope you like it too

Solomun - Something We All Adore

MURK Monday

If you like dance music, which is why I assume you are here, you probably know MURK productions whether you know you do or not.  And since they keep creeping into my life one way or another for the past few weeks its time to celebrate with MURK Monday. So I'll start the ball rolling with a lil intro. MURK is basically Ralph Falcon and Oscar G, also Funky Green Dogs, Liberty City and the list goes on... but its basically those two guys a couple Cubanos from Miami.  Hell, they even did remixes for Madonna's "Fever" in 1992..  Ok Papi? now lets dance :)

Its also wayback playback Monday, so why not kill two birds with one.. song? This is a remix from the maestro, Mr Danny Tenaglia. Ya-Ya I know a lot of people that hate on Danny...whatever. I like em.  Hes unlike any other personality involved in this scene and I think it should be celebrated...

MURK presents Liberty City - Some Lovin' (Danny Tenaglia New Hook Mix)

I have this beautiful little music swap going on with my buddy Josh. Its been running for years and between the two of us, we've managed to furnish each others hard drives with some pretty awesome tunes.  Its like back in the day when you'd make mixtapes for your friends with stuff you recorded off the radio...(I'm not the only one right?) only evolved. So he sent me a new mix yesterday and POP! theres MURK again.. Also, they seem to have this branding obsession. If MURK is involved in a product it seems to say so somewhere at least once in the title or via a "presents" sub header or something.. good for them for getting their name out there. A little dedication for this post.. it goes out to my favourite rookie who i also know has a love for MURK

Intruder feat. Jei (A MURK Production) - Amame (Long Ass Mix)

dream a little dream... of techno

I had the CRAZIEST dream last night! This big giant abandoned building in the centre of a busy city had been taken over by this enterprising young man and he turned it into some sort of ..laser tag.. but instead of laser tag people used theses intricate hand signals -like sign language- as weapons in this war games kinda scenario.  Only, somehow these intricate hand signals were actually killing people. But only in this building... mostly occupied by junkies and street kids. And I was a journalist sent in on the story.  I woke up out of the dream at least 3 times and still went back into it when i fell back asleep! that never happens.  Well not to me anyway.  Coincidentally, I had my iPhone on shuffle yesterday and this track from a few months ago by Toronto's own Carlo Lio(who by the way is amazing..) popped on.  Guess what its called....

Carlo Lio - Stuck In A Dream

Jamies Jones & Seth Troxler are pretty much the squirrels of my World right now. Why? Because... Who runs the World? Squirrels! Exactly.  For reals though everything I hear from these guys, whether its a set or a remix is awesome.. plus they look like they have a LOT of fun when they're DJing.  Fingers crossed for a Toronto visit this year.  If you watch a video of Seth Troxler and he doesn't bust out the ever so classic "index finger whirlwind" dance move then something is wrong.  Anyhoo, I heard this track in one of their sets and I liked it.  Bless the Germans for their synth-pop.

Sono - Take Control (Extended Mix)

chop chop

With all the attention in the past few months on Wall Street and Big Business and their nasty habits, and with the relative demise this past week of the occupy movement here in Toronto, and a messier take-down in LA, this track from tech giants Tiefschwarz was pretty perfectly timed.  Though don't expect the usual glitchy sounds and electro funny-business with this one... its been remixed by Solomun.  So it doesn't exactly sound like Tiefschwarz, even the original is kind of a departure from what I would say is their signature style but ho hum, thats evolution baby!

Tiefschwarz - Corporate Butcher (Solomun Remix)

I feel like if James brown needed to step it up a notch.. wait a minute, did I just actually ponder James Brown stepping it up a notch?  I did, and I apologize.  Clearly there is no way he could step it up any more notches than he already did... especially since he's dead. But say he wanted a new intro track for his live show.... ya, somethin' for the kids. I think he might choose something maybe like this?

Butch - Drummers Drama (Original Mix)