Yes, it’s my birthday today, Happy 39th Birthday, old man!
The Cake Is A Lie? It’s from Portal (game), as is that picture, sequal coming soon…
April 9, 2010
April 2, 2010
March 30, 2010
Seth Troxler – Boogybytes Vol.05 Mix CD [BPitch Control]
Seth Troxler – Boogybytes Vol.05 Mix CD [BPitch Control]
01. Seth Troxler – Intro / Ryan Crosson – Amb 1
02. The Royal We – Party Guilt (Dinky Arp-A-Pella)
03. Luciano – Fran Left Home / Mike Shannon – Sweet A Pella
04. Craig Smith & The Revenge – The Soul Part II
05. Baeka – Right At It
06. Dinky (Feat. Update) – Westoid
07. N/A (Feat. Rosina) – Fables And Fairytales (Deniz Kurtel Remix)
08. Spektrum – Freakbox (Richie Hawtin Uncontrolled Edit)
09. Alexi Delano – Molar One
10. Jabberjaw – The Connie Shake
11. Heartthrob – Signs (Thrill Cosby AKA Seth Troxler Remix)
12. Birds And Souls – Birds And Souls
13. Roman Flügel – Stricher
14. Fever Ray – Seven (Seth Troxler Remix)
15. Kiki – Cinema Obscura *
16. Nicolas Jaar – Time for Us
I’ve been listening to this mix CD non stop since I got it. It’s awesome, hits all the right spots for me, a great flow of interesting, varied, melodic, memorable house/techno and minimal sounds, with an enjoyable darkness.
Check out this review of the CD with audio clips on ResidentAdvisor.
* One of my new fave tracks featured in this mix: Kiki – Cinema Obscura, is unreleased, but BPitch Control have made it available for free download, a 128K MP3 here. A really nice moody track with an off beat snare drum hit, creepy strings and memorable piano chords.
I’m looking forward to hearing Seth Troxler DJ here in Sydney, hoping he plays a nice variety of stuff, he’s known for his eclectic taste, bouncing from old-school house and techno to current minimal to disco to synthetic/pop weirdness.
He’s playing this coming Friday 2nd April (Good ‘Voodoo’ Friday) at the AGWA Yacht Club party. Cruising Sydney Harbour on the MV Starship from 2.30pm. Tickets and info here. The party also features international guests Paul Woolford in the main room with Seth, and Mark E on the roof top disco, presented by Co-Op.
For those not familiar with Seth Troxler. He’s a twenty something, Kalamazoo, Michigan / Detroit DJ and producer now living in Berlin. Is in the group Visionquest with Ryan Crosson and Lee Curtiss. His minimal, house/techno productions and remixes have been released on excellent labels such as: Crosstown Rebels, BPitch Control, Wagon Repair, Spectral Sound, Circus Company, Wolf+Lamb, Minus, and Items & Things to name a few.
I like his music it has darkness and deepness but with a unique phonk and wonk to it. His ‘Sexplosion’ release as Sex Trothler (sic) on Wagon Repair is one of my faves. Check out his music…
More data:
http://www.myspace.com/sethtroxler
http://www.bpitchcontrol.de/
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Seth%20Troxler
Here’s a crazy interview with him last week, from WMC 2010 (Winter Music Conference – Miami), he’s a bit of a character…
A proper Q&A with him from WMC 2010.
A preview of the new Deetron & Seth Troxler – Each Step EP he mentions…
March 24, 2010
April / Comedy / Music
So the Sydney Comedy Festival for 2010 is coming up, it’s on 19th April – 9th May, with a heap of international, national and local comedic performers, at various venues around Sydney. Go here for more info:
http://www.sydneycomedyfest.com.au
Joanne and I are going to see these guy’s stand-up shows:
Jeremy Hotz
Eddie Ifft
Russell Kane
Tom Green
We’ve seen Jeremy and Eddie a couple of times, and always enjoy their show, very different styles, both very funny. I’m scared and exited about seeing Tom Green for the first time live, we’ve got front row seats. Russell we saw recently on a Melbourne Comedy Festival Gala TV show and thought he was very funny, keen to check him out live. Hoping Arj Barker announces some shows soon. Might see if we can get to one of the Cracker Night events too.
Not many of our friends seem to share our enthusiasm for live stand-up comedians, but we love it, laughing till we hurt, great stress relief.
April is going to be a crazy busy month for us, on top of those comedic outings, music wise we’re also going out to see Seth Troxler, Agoria, and Redshape [Live]. If Chymera wasn’t on the same night as Agoria we would probably go to see him too.
Derrick May is also coming to Australia in April, but, is only playing one gig Alchemy in Melbourne, annoyed about that, keen to see him play again.
*UPDATE* Just announced! Derrick May (5 Hour Set) @ Picnic Presents… – 202 : Sunday 18th April (4pm-Midnight)
Speaking of Detroit techno, last night Claude Young announced he’s also playing in Australia in April at Every Picture Tells A Story, but looks like he’s not playing anywhere else, and it’s a super short visit downunder, damn!
There are heaps of other tech-house internationals on in April too, but I’m going to be a lot more selective as to who I see this year.
We’re also having an 80’s flash back in April, going to see Tears For Fears and Spandau Ballet together live in concert.
May starts off busy with the Creamfields festival at the Entertainment Quarter on the 1st with some tasty old-school techno names: Dave Clarke, Steve Rachmad, Green Velvet plus Joris Voorn and a whole heap more. Hoping for a dedicated techno area to keep ‘that’ crowd well away.
I think after all this, we’ll be content to stay home for months and save $ for our next Europe trip later this year, looking forward to getting crazy with our Sydney friends living in Berlin and London.
March 22, 2010
R18+ Video game rating… Great news!
An R18+ video games rating/classification is a step closer to being introduced in Australia, following the resignation of South Australian Attorney-General Michael Atkinson, the only AG against it.
This is excellent news! No more banned games, no more games with disturbing/violent content getting into the hands of kids, many games rated R18+ overseas got a MA15+ rating here. No more modified games, where the developers had to modify content in order to get the current maximum MA15+ rating to allow it for sale.
Australia is currently one of the few advanced countries in the world without the R18+ rating/classification for video games.
Read more on www.news.com.au.
*UPDATE* : New Attorney-General supports R18+ game rating! Read more on www.smh.com.au
March 19, 2010
Donnacha Costello – Before We Say Goodbye LP [Poker Flat Recordings]
Donnacha Costello – Before We Say Goodbye LP [Poker Flat Recordings]
There are some really nice sounds on this album, “Leaving Berlin” is my fave track, followed closely by “Roll It On”, the beatless tracks “Last Train Home” and “The Tug” are really nice too. I’m a big fan of Donnacha Costello, he makes excellent deep, minimal, techno music with emotive melodic sounds, melancholic moods, and memorable synthetic parts.
Check out this great feature on his studio and music production from ResidentAdviser:
Machine love: Donnacha Costello
I’m impressed he has a Synclavier, he puts it to good use on this album.
Oh, for those who are not familiar, the NED (New England Digital) – Synclavier was a keyboard and rack system that was a FM synthesizer, sampler, and developed into a multi-track audio hard-disk recording and sequencing system. It even allowed you to change the tempo and not pitch (or vice versa) of audio files in real time. Stuff we can do easily inside a laptop now, but the Synclavier came out in the mid-late 1970’s and cost 200k-500k! Not long after, the Fairlight – CMI came along to compete with it, I’m sure you’ve heard of that one. Only the big names in music got to play with these in the 1980s. Check out the notable Synclavier users listed on the wiki:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synclavier
I love this great photo of producer Trevor Horn at his SARM West studio in the 1980s, you can see a Synclavier system on the right.
Speaking of the Fairlight, they are building a limited run of new CMI 30A units, to celebrate it’s 30th anniversary, you can put in your order for one at the link below… Grab me one too.
http://www.fairlightinstruments.com.au/
Back to Donnacha Costello, check out his music…
More data:
http://www.myspace.com/donnachacostello
http://www.minimise.com
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Donnacha+Costello
March 18, 2010
Edge Of Motion – Craze
Edge Of Motion – Craze [Motionz Beyond EP] Djax-Up-Beats 1992
Here’s an old track I came across on YouTube, that reminds me of Adelaide. The early techno sounds that inspired me, heard mixed up by HMC, and played on Georgie Knight’s – Dreaming Daisies radio show in the early 1990’s. I’m really impressed with the amount of early techno/electronic music people have posted up on YouTube.
March 17, 2010
Hello!
Hello, wow, it’s March already… Life goes by faster the older you get, I’m sure of it. I hope you’re all well and all is going well.
It’s been a long time since I’ve blogged any thoughts and comments here about all the music I’ve been listening to, and club/music events I’ve got out to, and continue to get out to.
I have trouble synchronising my spare time, energy, motivation and enthusiasm I think, well, that’s my excuse. Or maybe I’m just really busy, or maybe just lazy.
The truth is, work is all work no play these days, it’s brain numbing. Nights at home are spent chilling, enjoying all the wonderful TV shows discovered via channel BT with Joanne, that’s become a passion.
It’s not all TV at home though, I’m often on the PC, seeking out music, messing around with Ableton Live (never seem to progress beyond initial track ideas, but it’s fun), or spending time killing enemies inside FPS PC games, it should probably be a concern how much enjoyment I get from that. I’ll have a chat about FPS PC games soon, I must get around to installing and playing Bioshock 2 soon.
Weekends are usually always busy for us, eating out, catching up with friends and family, seeing movies, clubbing, partying, recovering. There are also the weekends where I love to just relax and do as little as possible, but it’s the busy weekends that are the most memorable and rewarding. You certainly appreciate weekends more when you work full time.
So, the blog is being neglected. I’m starting to think it would be better if I just posted up smaller, shorter, quicker things here more often than doing what I have been, which is these grand plans to write up lengthy, detailed reviews/posts with lists of tracks spotted in DJs sets. I start writing them, but they never get finished, so they’re never posted. I have a drafts folder full of them. I’m not sure there would be any benefit finishing them and posting them now, unless you really want to know the names of a bunch of tracks Joris Voorn played at Nevermind in February 2009, wow that was more than a year ago.
As suggested by James from the SydneyLovesTechno blog, I also wanted to write up a follow up on 2009, my best (and worst) of 2009 club/music wise, with charts etc. But now that we’re well into 2010, wondering if it’s still worth doing.
On that point, something that has become very clear to me, is that the most enjoyable and inspiring music things I’ve seen and experienced out over recent years have all been live performances, people playing their own music live with laptops, hardware, instruments etc. Mathew Jonson, Laurent Garnier, John Tejada, Alex Smoke, HMC, Robert Babicz, Orbital, Depeche Mode all come to mind.
I’m just not hearing or seeing anything that interesting in DJ sets these days, I’m not being inspired but a set of music. Considering all the hardware, controllers, software around these days for DJs to use, you would think there would be a lot of cool and interesting stuff happening. Perhaps all this future DJing technology just isn’t being used within the genres of music I like. Techno isn’t technology music anymore? I don’t believe that. What’s Richie Hawtin up to? Perhaps it’s because the music isn’t as good/interesting to me anymore…
Music is still a big passion. Listening to it is a big part of my life. I’m always seeking new stuff out, collecting music, buying stuff on Beatport, downloading podcasts and DJ mixes. Or having musical trips down memory lane via YouTube clips. It’s always nice to have new stuff to listen to on my iPod on my public transport travels during the working week. I love my iPod I use it every single day.
A lot of the time at home I feel like I spend more time organising my digital music collection, than actually using it to mix with. Every weekend I think about recording some DJ mixes, but it never seems to happen, I never find the time. I can’t believe I managed to record a 2 hour mix/DJ set for my Internet radio show, every single week in years gone by. I really would love to do some more DJ mixes.
The sounds? To be honest, I’m not really hearing much unique, inspirational, special, memorable new music within the techno, tech-house, minimal, and deep-house genres I like. I had a brief love affair with nu-disco, but it’s not exciting me as much anymore. Perhaps I’ve been into it all for too long. There’s just too much stuff sounding all the same/heard it all before, too much music trying to fit in, not enough stuff pushing forward into new directions. Is it because anyone with a computer and some music software can churn out tracks now?
But it’s not all bad, it’s the rare gems I come across that keep me interested in seeking out more music, but you don’t come across them us much anymore. I’m hard to please. I’ll post up a list of music I’ve been enjoying recently, shortly.
So, like I said, I think I’ll post up shorter things more often from now on… He says after posting this essay… /me rolls eyes.
Anyway, enough dribble, hello, I’m still here, more soon.
February 1, 2010
Party! Party! Party! : Sydney : February 2010 – March 2010
Club nights/events with international techno, minimal, tech-house, deep-house, house DJ/live acts performing in Sydney…
I made it out to the red ones. Thoughts and comments to be posted soon.
FEBRUARY 2010…
06.02.10 : Sasse, Dave DK @ Co-Op – Civic Underground
07.02.10 : Dave DK @ Spice – Home – Terrace
07.02.10 : Sasse @ Aprés – Tillbury Hotel
13.02.10 : Trus’me @ People Must Jam – The Manhattan Lounge (Formerly Wine Banq)
13.02.10 : Ewan Pearson @ House Inspection – Civic Underground
14.02.10 : Trus’me @ Spice – Home – Terrace
18-21.02.10 : Orbital [Live], Gui Boratto [Live], Vincenzo, Luna City Express + More @ Playground Weekender 2010 – Del Rio Resort (Wisemans Ferry)
20.02.10 : Steve Lawler @ Forbidden @ Swerve Present… – The Arthouse
21.02.10 : Vincenzo @ Spice – Home – Terrace
23.02.10 : Orbital [Live] @ PGW & Sydney Old-School Present – The Forum
26.02.10 : Charles Webster @ The Civic Presents… – Civic Underground
27.02.10 : Marco Resmann, Simon Baker @ Top Notch – Home – Terrace
27.02.10 : Gui Boratto [Live] @ Chinese Laundry (Garden Bar Afternoon)
27.02.10 : John Digweed, Way Out West [Live] @ One Night Only – Tank
28.02.10 : Luna City Express @ Bunker – Bunker Bar **
MARCH 2010…
04.03.10 : Booka Shade [Live] @ Future Sideshow – Metro
05.03.10 : Simon Baker @ Shurg – Civic Underground
05.03.10 : Sven Vath, Dubfire @ Future Sideshow – Metro
06.03.10 : Jus-Ed @ Mad Racket – Marrickville Bowlo
06.03.10 : Optimo @ HaHa Industries – Warehouse
06.03.10 : Vincenzo @ Reckless Republic Presents… – Civic
06.03.10 : Kazu Kimura @ The Club Club – Chinese Laundry
06.03.10 : Sven Vath, Dubfire, Booka Shade [Live], John Digweed + More @ Future Music Festival 2010 – Royal Randwick Racecourse
06.03.10 : Dusty Kid, Carl Cox + More @ Mardi Gras Party – Hordern Pavilion
07.03.10 : Vincenzo, Simon Baker + More @ Spice – Home – Terrace
13.03.10 : Shackleton [Live] @ Index – Civic Underground
13.03.10 : Dominik Eulberg, Tobias Becker @ Deep As Fu*k – Kompakt 3 (Sydney Harbour Cruise) – MV ? ++
13.03.10 : Dominik Eulberg, Tobias Becker @ Deep As Fu*k – Kompakt 3 After Party – Good God Small Club ++
14.03.10 : Subb-An, Kevin Griffiths @ Bunker – Bunker Bar **
14.03.10 : Greg Wilson, Horse Meat Disco, Golden Bug @ Picnic & Dan Cares Presents… – 202 Broadway
20.03.10 : Tim Green @ Top Notch – Home – Terrace
20.03.10 : John Daly @ Co-Op – Civic Underground
27.03.10 : Nima Gorji @ Hopped Scotch Presents… Tribalism – Civic Underground
28.03.10 : Tiger Stripes @ Spice – Home – Terrace
++ Dominik Eulberg has cancelled his Australian tour, ear problems?
** The Cross/Bourbon/Bunker venue was damaged by roof collapse/heavy rain on Sat 13th Feb, expect events at the venue to be cancelled. I heard it’s probably not going to be open again until next year.
January 31, 2010
Party! Party! Party! : January 2010
Club nights/events with international techno, minimal, tech-house, deep-house, house DJ/live acts in Sydney…
I made it out to the red ones, thoughts and comments posted soon.
JANUARY 2010…
01.01.10 : Ripperton, Matthias Meyer @ Spice Afloat NYD – MV Lady Rose (Sydney Harbour Cruise)
01.01.10 : Tiefschwarz (Ali Schwarz), Christian Burkhardt, Malente, Derrick Carter + More @ Space Ibizia 20th Birthday Australia – Entertainment Quarter Moore Park
01.01.10 : Arnaud Le Texier @ Bunker NYD – Bunker Bar
01.01.10 : Tiefschwarz (Ali Schwarz) @ Favela
03.01.10 : Pepe Bradock @ Aprés – Tillbury Hotel
07.01.10 : Danny Tenaglia @ One Night Only – Nevermind
09.01.10 : Claude Von Stroke @ Top Notch – Home Rooftop Terrace (Noon – 10pm)
10.01.10 : Pepe Bradock, Matthias Meyer, Theo Parrish, Brennan Green, + More @ Days Like This – Entertainment Quarter Moore Park
10.01.10 : Christian Burkhardt, Matthias Meyer @ Spice – Kings Cross Hotel
10.01.10 : Claude Von Stroke @ Bunker – Bunker Bar
10.01.10 : Hauke Freer (Session Victim) @ Aprés – Tillbury Hotel
14.01.10 : Severed Heads [Live], Stephen Mallinder (Cabaret Voltaire) @ Sydney Festival – Beck’s Festival Bar – Hyde Park Barricks
14.01.10 : Theo Parrish @ Niche Productions Pres. Mayer Hawthorne – The Basement
15.01.10 : Philogresz [Live] + More @ MITC & TECHnique Present EveryOne – Broadway 202
16.01.10 : Hauke Freer (Session Victim) @ Half Mad / Late Night Shuffle – Good God Small Club
16.01.10 : Gabriel Ananda Vs Marcel Janovsky, Boris Brejcha, Solead @ Decompression / SubSonic Music Festival After Party – Civic Hotel
17.01.10 : Brennan Green @ Bunker – Bunker Bar
22.01.10 : Trevor Jackson, Aeroplane (DJ Set) @ Sydney Festival – Beck’s Festival Bar – Hyde Park Barricks
23.01.10 : Grandmaster Flash + More @ Sydney Festival – Beck’s Festival Bar – Hyde Park Barricks
23.01.10 : Sebo K @ LadyLux – LadyLux
23.01.10 : Miguel Migs @ Zeta Bar
23.01.10 : Shit Robot @ Deep Impressions / On The Fly – Good God Small Club
24.01.10 : Sebo K @ Bunker – Bunker Bar
26.01.10 : Ben Watt, Dixon + More @ We Love Agwa Yacht Club – MV Starship
26.01.10 : Ben Watt, Dixon @ We Love Agwa Yacht Club After Party – Helm Bar
29.01.10 : TBA (Trevor Jackson ?) @ Future Classic – Civic Social Club – Civic Underground
30.01.10 : Recloose @ Becks Bar Mad Racket – Sydney – Festival Becks Bar
30.01.10 : Robert Babicz [Live], Namito, Mic Newman @ Shrug – Civic Underground
31.01.10 : Robert Babicz [Live], Namito, Mic Newman @ Spice – Home – Terrace
31.01.10 : Javier Logares @ Bunker – Bunker Bar