All Entries in the "btb FRIENDS" Category

In Demand: balErik

Erik (balErik) Molthe has been one of the leading DJ`s in the Oslo underground house scene since he began DJing in 2001. For years his dedication for hunting tracks has been in full use by Desyn Masiello as A&R for Alternative Route.

Now as partner in his own label, Discoteca Music, he has begun producing his own tracks with partner Vadim Yershov. They are proving to be quite a successful duo, recently releasing an EP on Plastic City and they have a few in the pipeline for Discoteca later this year, including ‘Do Your Dance` and ‘Everybody`; both very funky grooves perfect for the dance floor.

I have been listening to everything Discoteca from before the label even started, so it`s been nice to see the progression in sound from all the members. Erik has really been catching my ear lately. His ‘We Love Space` mix received loads of play and this In Demand mix is my new favorite, a sexy blend of classic tracks and new upbeat house bombs, exactly what I want to hear on a dance floor.

Download (left-click and unzip):
balErik – In Demand – January 2010

I`m really happy that I have been able to book Erik for the Audio Tonic night at 360 this Friday January 29th. Now all the Discoteca members will have played the most beautiful venue in Dubai!

This year is starting off well for Erik, but stay tuned for even more mixes, tracks, parties and exciting new projects which are making this pale blue eyed Norwegian very much In Demand!

Inside the IM with balErik & littlemissbluedress

In Demand: Sebastian Davidson

This past October I went to Amsterdam for their annual dance event. It was an amazing week; there is so much passion for electronic music that is emitted from the Dutch people.

Many talented producers and DJ`s have sprouted from the Netherlands over the years, including Groningen`s Sebastian Davidson. With over 60 productions to date on Beatport, many of which have been major deep house hits, his tracks have become a mainstay in DJ bags around the world. His remixes have been signed to major labels, including his remix of Eelke Kliejn`s `Luigi`s Magic Mushroom`, which is out now on the Global Underground 2010 compilation.

With a new artist album in the works and gigs taking him around the world, including Audio Tonic at 360 Dubai, which he will be headlining for an encore appearance this Friday January 15th, Sebastian is definitely proving he is In Demand!

Inside the IM with Sebastian Davidson & littlemissbluedress

While Sebastian and I were talking after his gig in Amsterdam I had the idea of him creating an exclusive mix solely of his own productions and remixes. I have so much respect for artists that are able to do this. With such a large discography of tracks for him to choose from, I knew something special would be created.

Sebastian took his most meaningful tracks from 2007 to 2009 and blended a very special mix indeed! It`s full of deep funky grooves start to finish, as Sebastian would say `keep it deep!`

Download (left-click and unzip):
Sebastian Davidson – In Demand – January 2010

Holologic 3.0

I knew it would take something rather monumental for me to get back on the horse and start another Holologic after it’s been-what, over a year?

While I was blown away by the hospitality of Moalla Amine and his friends in Tunisia, the 48 hour JFK-Tunisia-JFK run just didn’t afford me the ability to gain as much of a sense for the country and it’s people as I would have liked. I hope to find a way, as times goes on, to articulate the frenetic reality of the trips in which the time spent flying outweighs the time spent on the ground in the destination city. Although commonplace for most DJs at the top of their game, I found that nearly everyone I interacted with in the “real world” made no secret of the sheer lunacy they felt these endeavors represented.

Luckily for me, my 6 days in Costa Rica were nothing short of epic. In every way I could have wanted the trip to excel, it did. And with the exception of the nearly three hour set I played at Vertigo in San Jose, the trip’s success was 100% due to the truly outstanding job my good friend (and now Latin American manager) Francis Vincent did of putting together an amazing party and comprehensive sampling of the, food, sights, and people that Costa Rica has to offer.

It began the morning of Thursday, November 19th when, after rolling over to turn off my alarm clock and reminding myself I was going to sleep in Costa-fucking-Rica that evening, the Today Show on NBC told me to expect massive delays and cancellations due to an FAA computer error that was wreaking havoc on the country’s airports. Subsequently, I checked into my Delta flight that connected to San Jose through Atlanta online and was alerted that while my flight had been cancelled, they’d taken the liberty of booking me on something that left the following day”¦at 6:10am”¦.out of Newark.

A quick call to an outsourced customer service representative who’d clearly never found himself in a position such as mine was of little help. My only hope, he said, of getting to Atlanta was to tear-ass to the airport and hope the flight scheduled to depart at 12:48pm was delayed significantly enough for me to be allowed to board. The time was now 11:47am and Newark, on a good day, was 35 minutes and $80 away by cab. I’m a big fan of the “Where there’s a will there’s a way” mentality and didn’t want to accept that I was going to lose a night of my vacation to some nebulous computer problem. I ran down the street, grabbed the first cab I saw and was off.

From the back seat of the cab I looped my mom in on what was afoot as she was the only one on earth who’d send flight status text updates my entire ride to the airport. While the flight was ultimately bumped back to 1:15pm, the cab didn’t arrive until 12:49pm. I walked to the check-in desk, and waited patiently(on the outside) to speak to a lady in a bright red, ill-fitting and entirely out of uniform Delta T-shirt. In my experience, when the shit hits the fan, the airlines put all hands on deck and bring out the more executive staff from the back offices to lend a hand. I’ve seen these individuals make far more industrious moves with regards to rebooking flights, surprise upgrades and, at worst, tempering the bad hand you’ve been dealt with a reasonable consolation. What also added to my optimism was the fact that I overheard her mention Continental. Continental is the only airline with direct service to San Jose out of the New York area and despite being my first choice for the trip, was significantly undercut by Delta’s rate. Long story short, she put me on Continental 1796 with service to San Jose and I settled into a 4.5 hour wait at the airport without a charger or my Macbook.

Any packing checklist worth its salt should include your laptop’s power cord no matter how obvious you think it’ll seem to you at the time. What led insult to injury, in my case, was that my list DID include the power cord and my (also forgotten) hair product. But when a man named Tom with a thick Indian accent tells you to “run,” certain things, like the aforementioned items and the list on which they were written, quickly pale in significance to passport, wallet and CDs. The important thing, I kept telling myself as I tried to occupy my time with phone calls and blackberry messages, was that I was going to sleep in Costa-fucking-Rica”¦

For the most part, the flight was uneventful, although it’s never a good sign when the man sitting at the end of your row goes to the bathroom for 30 minutes and leaves a bag overflowing with cold medication and prescriptions written in Spanish wide open on his seat. Props to “Johnny” from Continental for hooking up a few Coronas gratis AND for having an apron that reflected his namesake in cursive over the image of a vintage airplane in the background.

Costa Rican customs took a decidedly forward approach to going through my bags when I arrived. Although I panicked a bit when they laid out my headphones and gigantic CD booklet, the real alarm set in when they found a pocket full of Holosound business cards rubber-banded together in my carry-on. Generally, I’m low-key about travelling without a work-visa and, if there is a perk about not being universally recognized for your craft, it’s that this is a generally safe predisposition to have. In addition to being safe, it’s also one mandated by necessity, as a work visa requires additional money being spent on your behalf by the promoter. In my music career, I’ve been way more prone to role the dice at customs than lose a gig on account of the extra $ and hassle acquiring a temporary work visa represents. Apparently, this time, they thought I had something far sketchier than dance music in my luggage and upon finding I was not importing drugs or exotic reptiles they let me through.

Like clockwork, my man Francis was waiting for me as soon as I exited the airport and we took off to the Barcelo San Jose Palacio where I was going to be staying. We threw my bags in the room and went out to sample some local Cervezas. Essentially there are three main beers brewed in Costa Rica: Imperial, Pilsen & Bavaria. Imperial is awesome and seems to be the beer most sold around the country. Pilsen is also tasty but a bit lighter in color and taste. Bavaria is gross. I guess there are different versions of Bavaria and it’s marketed to an older demographic, but if you ask me, Bavaria blows.

The next day, Friday, I spent mostly getting music and samples together in my hotel room. Francis had to work and I was more than content to rest a bit and get situated. At one hour behind EST, travel from NYC requires little adjustment to your circadian rhythm and for a place that feels a world away, Costa Rica isn’t tough to get used to.

At around 4pm Francis grabbed me and we headed to the airport to pick up the Li twins, Ann and Joy, who were also Francis’ guests and would be our company for the next 5 nights. He brought us to a local restaurant at the top of a mountain overlooking the entire San Jose basin with amazing steak, plantains, rice and beans and Chilean wine.

Saturday morning, Francis arrived at the hotel in his third car of the trip, a turbo-diesel Jeep Wrangler that would serve as our vehicle for the afternoon. We picked up a friend of his and began a 45-minute, off-road ascent up one of the many mountains surrounding San Jose. As we reached the top of the road, it was hard to tell whether a heavy fog was rolling in or if we’d driven into the belly of a cloud. The hills were extremely lush and although I’d seen several cattle on the drive up, the summit offered a pleasant view of a horse grazing beside some cows that were lying down-presumably as a result of the dense fog/cloud we all found ourselves in.

Finding myself surrounded by extremely green valleys and forests, in the company of cows and at least one horse, I remembered-and strongly disagreed with-disparaging comments friends had made about my spending time in San Jose. This wasn’t “just another dirty city” as they’d suggested and while the beaches and jungles of Costa Rica do offer an even richer sampling of what the country has to offer-I live in New York and this shit was fantastic!

Saturday Night: Game Time. Francis and the Li’s swung by my hotel room, just as I was exiting the shower, I ran through some T-Shirt options and we were out the door. We ate at a local Italian spot that was really fantastic and I settled into a responsibly paced, yet comprehensive, assessment of Imperial. We hit up a small local bar where we were the only gringos to be found, and after about an hour, shoved off for Vertigo.

Vertigo is gorgeous, and I really take my hat off to the owners and management for putting together a venue with as much class as the custom-built Gary Stewart Audio system that drives it. The party was held in The Den which, on paper, is the more intimate of the two spaces within the club. The only blemish on my New York City DJ resume is not having had the chance to play at Cielo and I’m confident that this was as close an analog as I’ve found in my travels. The booth was raised about 6 inches, sat squarely in the center of the main floor and really felt like a part of the dance-floor. Urbanettv.com was there to film the night from 3 angles and record all the audio-it’s really a pleasure to concentrate on just playing music and not having to record it as well. Everything about the club and the night ran exceptionally smoothly and professionally. Beautiful chandeliers were the icing on the aesthetic cake of the room”¦.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Holosound – Live @ Vertigo – San Jose, Costa Rica – November 21, 2009

The next day, an overstuffed Jeep Wrangler showed up at the hotel, ready for the 4.5 hour journey to the Guana Caste province. As we headed west out of the city, I was thankful Francis had strongly recommended not engaging in any after-party festivities the night before.

Andy Newland warned me before going to Tunisia that the drivers were pretty crazy, but Costa Rica is no slouch in the “unorthodox” driving category either. We dodged mopeds, motorcycles, tourist busses and occasional livestock as we wound our way across the country.

The weather, for the first time since I’d arrived, was sunny and with every moment that passed, it seemed the temperature climbed another degree. Almost halfway (2 hours) through our journey we stopped for an amazing breakfast of scrambled eggs, tortillas, rice and beans and some plantains and salsa for good measure. The restaurant also had some gorgeous parrots on their property and a somewhat disarming 6ft Jesus head sculpture.

Roughly 30 minutes after breakfast (which was at 2pm) the combination of our collectively full bellies and the concurrent increasing of temperature and humidity forced a decision to remove the soft-top from the Jeep. With the sun bearing down and wind in our hair we soldiered on across the plains and finally arrived at our hotel with about an hour of sunlight left to spare.

After checking in at the hotel, we grabbed bathing suits and headed for Francis’ beach club. An absolutely top-of-the-line resort nestled in a beautiful cove with tiny islands dotting the horizon, this place did not mess around in any way. We hit the Spa for a steam and a Jacuzzi and then I disappeared to sneak a glimpse of sunset by the beach in this idyllic locale. Francis ordered some sushi that was as good as anything I’ve had in the states and threw a Margharita Pizza on top to level things out.

That night Francis and I left the girls at the hotel and had our one and only guys’-night-out of the trip. We took the Jeep down to the beach during low tide and did donuts for a few minutes before off-roading up to the back entrance of the casino in the aforementioned resort. At the roulette table we met a bunch of people who had just seen their friends (one of whom was a pro baseball player for the Mets) tie the knot. We had a few drinks and talked some shit about the Yankees but ultimately my dwindling luck, coupled with a growing hunger led to our departing in search of some late night eats. We found what we were looking for in “Pollo Alhondra #2″ the only 24 hour food joint in the area. After annihilating a few chicken breasts and some tortilla chips with hot sauce (what?!) we sojourned home.

By now it was Monday and I was staring down the barrel of just two more nights in this paradise. I asked Francis if we could engage in the one activity I’d always associated with a trip to Costa Rica, Zip Lines. Known locally as the “Canopy,” the Zip Lines happened to be located about 45 minutes up an off-road trail into the mountains and away from the beach. We dropped the girls off at a beach and headed into the hills. It must have been clear how much I enjoyed our previous off-road activities because as soon as the cement under the tires disappeared Francis threw on the emergency brake and told me to “hop over.”

The level to which one can enjoy driving another man’s car is linearly related to the temperament of the car’s owner while it is being done. I like to think that I was doing a pretty solid job on my own, but having Francis snapping pics and taking in the scenery without a care in the world certainly added to my enjoyment. Just as we saw signs announcing the Canopy lay a couple hundred yards away, Francis told me there was a surprise down the road a few more yards. As we rounded the corner a river appeared that ran directly across the trail and, after 2.5 seconds of encouragement, made short work of splashing across it”¦three times before pulling into the Canopy site.

Some brief highlights of the Zip Line/Canopy experience: sweating profusely as we hiked from jump site to jump site, marveling at how the gigantic metal platforms were physically put so high in the trees, laughing with the guides as my hands shook so badly I could barely keep water in the cone shaped water cups long enough to bring it to my lips, tasting white chocolate covered coffee beans and finally walking into the Spider Monkey Jungle, seeing the monkeys and then being told there was a cost to continue seeing the monkeys and then deciding we’d seen enough of them and leaving.

Francis barreled down the mountain trail that’d taken me about 45 minutes to ascend in about 25 minutes-a fact that might have made me think to question my earlier pace a bit more were I not having the time of my life standing on the two back seats and “surfing” the Jeep while he did so.

We grabbed the girls at the beach and headed to what was described to me as the best Seafood in the area. A lofty mark to hit I thought, but upon looking down at a marvelously tender and juicy filet of Mahi Mahi glistening in garlic butter I started to think they might be on to something. A mound of rice, an ice cold Pilsen and 3 tiny islands spotting the horizon made for one of the simplest and yet most enjoyable meals of the trip. As the sun went down and we told the Mariachi band “No Gracias” for the third time, I knew I’d be sitting in front of a keyboard sometime soon and trying to share the experience with my friends.

Our last night at the beach involved sangria, pizza and an ill-intentioned tortilla chip that took out the bottom (and fake) half of my front left tooth. At first I thought the salsa had “rocks” in it (and declared it pretty loudly for an outdoor restaurant) but after deducing that the shocked looks I was receiving from my company at the dinner table were probably due to something aside from award winning charm, I realized what had really happened. If I was going to lose half of a tooth that had been replaced years ago-this was the place to do it.

We woke up the next day to Francis, our fearless leader, in a bad way. “You’re gonna have to drive bro” he told me before slumping into the passenger seat. We sped off to the infirmary at the resort where the doctor, upon hearing that he’d spent the last few days with “friends from New York,” returned with a mask and gloves on because of “Gripe A” known to English speakers as Swine Flu. They gave him some Tylenol and sent him back to us while we waited at the pool. We ordered some food, chilled out, and Francis found a day bed to crash out on. After an hour and a half he was up and insisting he drive us the entire way home. 5 hours, 4 milkshakes and 1 speeding ticket later we pulled into the Barcelo San Jose Palacio. I raced to take a shower before we all joined some friends for my last meal at a local Churrascaria.

While it’s always nice to have never-ending amounts of meat piled onto your plate until you say “stop,” the dinner drove home an important point to remember whenever you’re eating anywhere: just because it’s the most expensive doesn’t mean it’s the best. I’d now been to several different parts of the country and eaten by the side of the road, at the beach, on mountain tops and mom-and-pop Italian spots and seen just how far a smile and a couple thousand Colones could go”¦and, let me tell you, they can go pretty damn far towards having an unforgettable time.

The next morning, as had become the ritual, Francis picked me up at my hotel. This time our exploits were markedly less exciting. We swung by the “Super Mega” on the way to the airport and I grabbed more of the white-chocolate covered coffee beans I’d first tried at the Canopy to share with my friends and family back home. We spoke pointedly of the need for a Spanish Holosound press kit and hit up the Delta drop-off at departures. I lengthened “bro” into “brother,” when thanking Francis from the bottom of my heart for an amazing experience and believed him when he told me we’d do it again soon.  With memories like this, I really hope so.

And for those who’ve made it this far, here’s a little post Holoday treat.  Hope you had a great one.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Holosound – Happy Holodays – 2009-2010

Jacob Henry bringthebeats exclusive

Since I’ve been working in the scene more I’ve been lucky enough to receive a lot of emails from really nice people with really great music inside. This is how I was introduced to Jacob Henry. I could sense from his first email that Jacob was genuine, so I’ve paid close attention to everything he’s sent and I’ve taken the time to listen to all of his sets.

Jacob fell in love with house music after listening to music from acts such as Chicane, BT and Robert Miles. He is now DJing his own style of very melodic house, which he showcases on his radio show ‘Silk Royal Showcase‘ which airs every third Tuesday of the month on Proton Radio.

On top of DJing he is a producer and a label manager for Silk Royal Records, which is focused on giving the dance floor atmospheric, yet energetic house music. Recent releases such as those from PROFF and Solarity do just that, so I expect to hear a lot of great new stuff from Silk Royal in the future!

Jacob has put together a very smooth set representative of his melodic sound. Turn it on and turn it up; I think you’ll enjoy it!

Download (left-click and unzip):
Jacob Henry – bringthebeats – December 2009

Lukas Greenberg – Prisoner With A Key

My introduction to Lukas Greenburg happened last year at 360 when he graced us with his very deep sultry house, a beautiful style to be enjoyed in the open air of our favorite venue. Even though it was my first time listening to Lukas, he is definitely not new to the house music scene. He got his start in his native Germany way back in the early 90′s as a hip hop DJ, and has since transitioned to house.

Lukas is equality, if not better known for his production work. He has had countless remixes and originals released on top labels such as Plastic City, and his own label Synphon Records. Lukas received some major attention worldwide after his first CD ‘Rhode Stories‘ was released in 2007. He has returned exactly two years later with his second album ‘Prisoner With A Key‘, which builds on the elements he created in his debut.

In the short time that I have been listening to Lukas’ work, I have noticed an incredible consistency within his sound… its poetry. He selects each beat with precision; often with vocals to tell a story with each track. When Lukas first heard Nica Brooke he knew she was the perfect voice to bring his stories to life. It’s a beautiful union that creates very soulful, jazzy grooves.

While listening to ‘Prisoner With A Key’, put yourself in a sexy lounge atmosphere while sipping a cocktail, unwind and listen to the story unfold. You can hear track clips or better yet, purchase a copy at www.plasticcity.de.

And download his most recent promo mix, it’s GREAT too!

Download (left-click and unzip):
Lukas Greenberg – soulfood mix – September 2009

INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND v6… when Fridays are awesome

It always begins with a sluggish Monday morning. The vertex of my unrest and underlying discontent. I spend my weekdays in a constant state of confusion, plugged into the hive. I resign to my cubicle at work. And pace myself with promises of breaking free at the end of the week. I share this feeling with all youth born into a ruptured world, where what we want is often overshadowed by what we’re told we should want and do.

Come the glorious awaited weekend, and I know that I’ve been out and about enough that the patina of Big-DJ-Big-Club nights has worn off for me. I want to have something different please. Call it an electronic meditation, a worm in my head, or just a fresh party philosophy. I want off the beaten track.

INTIMATE & UNDERGROUND events at Toika are my pursuit of a special musical experience. Where the typical sounds resonating through my city are drowned by an emerging, persistent counterculture. On August 2, btb delivered the sixth in the I&U series, the much anticipated return of the DJ that crystallized the I&U vibe and began a movement.

Ricky Ryan is this guy from Argentina, with longish black hair and incredible cheekbones. He is a DJ, a music man, and a key part of my curriculum in the progressive house music experience. At I&U v6, Ricky created an ambience on the dance floor that had every foot tapping, spinning and sliding; a fitting and much-needed follow-up to v5.

Once again, the btb crew set out to prove that we understand what our friends are looking for, and this is reflected in the essentials of our nouveau nites. From the perfect EQ on the mixer, the headliner talent, to the trend-setting “btb fans” – our goal is to be entrenched in all the ingredients that make memorable everlasting experiences. We’ve been transmitting these signals for seven years now, can you hear us?

I hope this feeling spills over to the next I&U this Friday with Luke Fair. To prepare for it, feast on Ricky’s latest series inspired by his jaw-dropping sets at Toika. The first a melodic trip for the Cool Podcast; the second, some deep, clubby funk for Austral Mixing; and part three, a digital trek through Ricky’s production mind for the Ready Mix Sessions.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Rick Ryan – www.coolpodcast.com.br – October 2009 – Part 1
Rick Ryan – www.australmixing.com – October 2009 – Part 2
Rick Ryan – www.readymixrecords.com – October 2009 – Part 3

The LocALe – Corey Dawkins

Barney and I like to engage in heated discussions about the local house scene. And I maintain that he hasn’t heard the best of Toronto yet! So, you can imagine my glee when we (finally) got this column to showcase Toronto’s fertile musical stomping ground – because now you’ll all know.

Here’s a bit about my DJ of choice for Real Music mini-vacations. A fixture on the scene since the late ’90s, Corey Dawkins‘ got gigs peppered all over the City, and is one of those rare DJs that has managed to keep the airwaves consistently fresh and relevant. His sets transcend genre and can take dance floors from afro-latin house, to neo-soul, to R&B, and back to house again.

We’re having brunch at Fran’s and Corey says, “A DJ is kinda like a preacher speaking to a multitude of people. A preacher reaches people through words, we do it through music. And my message is all about the feeling – I want to elevate people through music”. I dig it.

Corey Dawkins’ dopetastic DJ stylings are my regular auditory fix, and when I can’t find him at the turntables, I’ve got his monthly deephouse playlists on the ipod to keep me satisfied. Feast your ears on his latest: a non-linear journey to the deep side, a special concoction for bringthebeats.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Corey Dawkins – Deephouse Session – September 2009

Download. Play. And tell me what you think.

In Demand: Out To Lunch

People come together to share the things they love, for most of us its music, for many more its food. Well these boys from Lithuania have combined the two, deciding that lunch time is the best time to discuss music, hence the name ‘Out To Lunch‘.

At only 18 years old this pair is taking over the Lithuanian electronic scene and is also testing the waters in the UK, where Kaspius is currently studying and Jokubas will move to next year after he finishes… highschool! To think of how much I have grown in this scene in the past decade makes me excited to think of where these guys could be 10 years from now.

With regular gigs across Lithuania, their radio show on Proton ‘Bed & Breakfast‘ and a new label in the works, a bright future is definitely in store for ‘Out to Lunch’.  And they’re always deeeeeep, just like we love it.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Out To Lunch – In Demand – August 2009

It’s my second ever tag team Inside the IM and what a perfect duo to have on the wire together.  Jokubas and Kaspius are fresh, fun, incredibly young and talented.

Inside the IM with Out to Lunch & littlemissbluedress

Night Drive Music w/ Raxon

Hopefully by now you have learned all about my time in Dubai, it will be a year since I moved here this August. This being my second time to relocate to another country made it a little easier to know what to expect.

Dubai and Tokyo are worlds apart so of course adjusting to a new city and country always has challenges but for me the most important thing is to build new friendships where ever I am. This always takes time and so that I expected. What I didn’t expect was to find such a solid group of people that are as dedicated to the same music as I am. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together.

One person who I have had many amazing nights sharing the music with is Raxon. I was introduced to Raxon as he is one of the residents at 360, and arguably the best. He is completely in tune with the sounds we love and he is also a super fun guy to party with. Just keep him away from the tequila shots, he tends to disappear after too many, haha.

His live sets, whether it’s at 360 or behind the decks in his apartment, consistently impress me. This past weekend we had an after party at his place where he ended up spinning until 6:30am. He kept us energized and dancing right ’til the sun came up (I’m always amazed we can party that long without party prescriptions).

Unfortunately we will have to find a new place to after party because he has moved to his home town Abu Dhabi, where he has his new studio. Maybe I should get some decks for my new apartment… hmmmm.

Anyway, on top of DJing Raxon has committed himself to his production work and is now totally addicted to his studio equipment. He has had several remix projects, such as Steve Mill’s ‘Mind Music’, which will be released on Dyami Records this August and Yohan Esprada’s ‘Sly’, which was released on Next Dimension Music this past July and is already the top download for the label . Check it on Beatport, its incredible!

Raxon is currently concentrating on producing originals; his first EP ‘The Mission’ was released on Night Drive Music today. So far it’s getting a lot of positive feedback from the likes of Scope, Ricky Ryan, Tom Morgan and Spirit Catcher who did their own remix of it. To celebrate this release Raxon put together a finely mixed set full of incredible new material. Raxon really wowed me with this one, I think it’s his best work yet and an indication that amazing things are to come from him!

Download (left-click and unzip):
Raxon – Night Drive Music Promo – July 2009

Audio Tonic at 360 review – 2008-09

Since moving to Dubai I have been happily surprised by the house music scene that is continuing to grow here. Of course one of the biggest reasons I love partying in Dubai is 360, which has become the weekly refuge for me and an amazing group of passionate house music lovers.

Now that the season has come to an end, because of the crazy desert heat, I want to share my feelings about the place I hate saying good bye to for three whole months.

My introduction to 360 came after meeting Mike Bufton, who immediately recognized our shared passion and allowed me to help out with his Audio Tonic Friday’s by booking some of my favorite DJ’s. I have never found a place where week after week I’m so excited to hear who is going to take over the decks. The Audio Tonic sound has been right in line with what we have been promoting on bringthebeats, so that makes me even happier.

After going over the DJ bookings with Mike and seeing so many great names on the list, I immediately had full trust in him. If there was a name on there that I didn’t know, I should have. People have come to realize that even if they’re not familiar with the name of the DJ (most don’t), they can be sure they’re going to hear only quality Audio Tonic sounds at 360. Building that kind of trust with a crowd is a great accomplishment, something we hope to see grow in the years to come.

I’m always looking for fresh new talent, so being a part of Audio Tonic has given me an outlet for that. In this past year I think my knowledge of the music and the people who make it has expanded a great deal.

I was introduced to many talented DJ’s and producers at 360 this season, but a few really made a lasting impression on me. Like Scope, the amazing Irish producer who was nominated for Beatport’s Best Deep House Artist of the year. And Dido and Miki, the incredible Macedonian duo of Latenta Project. After hearing both of these acts for the first time I knew I wanted to hear more. Leaving with a huge smile on my face, I felt as satisfied as a shopaholic who just finished a huge shopping spree (I often have that feeling too ).

We all loved Scope and Latenta Project so much we brought them back for encores. Other acts that came back on multiple occasions were Spirit Catcher, a live act from Belgium who always shake up the dance floor, as well as Steve Mill, who I managed to miss all three times he was booked… ahhh!!!

It’s so hard to say which party or set was the best because there were so many, but the ones that really stand out for me were, of course, the ones I had a hand in creating. The first being when Luke Fair came in February. Everything flawlessly came together that night. The dance floor was packed by 7pm, right in time for Luke to take to the decks and Radio 1 airwaves.

The thing that is difficult for a lot of DJ’s is playing to a crowd of people that are usually already drunk by 7pm… lol. The sun has just gone down and the evening is getting started, so the set can’t be too hard, but it also can’t be too soft or people won’t get the energy they need to carry them deep into the night. Playing that time slot can be challenging, but Luke read the crowd perfectly. He created madness on the dance floor that hasn’t often been replicated. I can’t wait till we bring him back again!

Another very memorable night for me was my second booking,  Gabriel Sordo. After having heard so many of Gaby’s mixes I was dying to hear him live. His set grew in energy with incredible build ups and a solid beat that had the crowd sweating like crazy. Gaby can perfectly adapt his sound to any atmosphere, which was very obvious from how he controlled the dance floor that night. Bringing him back to 360 next season is a must!

My final booking for the season was my good friend Fountain from Amsterdam. After knowing him for three years and never hearing him play live, you can imagine how excited I was. Although it wasn’t a very busy night, I think the people who were there loved his set, I know I did. I think Fountain would be perfect for a return; however, next time we should maybe have him play later in the evening so that he can play those heavy bombs he keeps stashed away for the perfect moment.

I think next season there are some DJ’s that were booked for the 7 to 10 to warm up that should come back to close out the party instead. An excellent choice for that would be Tom Morgan . Tom’s dedication to finding new music is always on display; his sets are consistently stacked with the best new beats of the moment. I’d love to hear Tom close out the night on an incredible high.

Other highlights of the season include Jody Wisternoff, who played one of my favorite sets; Sebastian Davidson who had me running straight back up the stairs, skipping my bathroom breaks because each track was so great; Add2Basket because he deserves to play to a packed dance floor; Daniel Kyo because I only heard the last hour of his set and it left me wanting so much more; Acos Coolkas because I loved watching his animated energy behind the decks; and Dana Bergquist and Neil Quigley who both need a second chance to get into the 360 groove.

What is so great about the 360 crew is that every event the resident DJ’s hold their own against these international talents, sometimes playing sets that outshine the guest. Michael Daniel and JC have played some incredible sunset sessions and between Mr Mr, Vas Floyd, and Raxon, the night always ends with some of the best music of the day.

I’m really looking forward to seeing so many of my favorite DJs come back again next year and to invite some new ones as well. If possible my top picks for next season would be  Ricky Ryan, Kosmas Epsilon, Lucas Abadi,  Holsound, Eelke Kleijn, bal Erik, Paul Trelles, Hernan Cerbello and Naveen G. Hehe, I want all the bringthebeats favs on the 360 bill!

I can’t wait for out 360 reunion this fall. Until then I leave you with one of the most memorable guest sets of the season from Latenta Project’s second Audio Tonic appearance in May and Raxon’s Audio Tonic 3rd Anniversary mix that totally proves that our residents are the absolute best!

Download (left-click and unzip):
Latenta Project – Live at 360, Dubai – May 29, 2009 – Part 1
Latenta Project – Live at 360, Dubai – May 29, 2009 – Part 2
Latenta Project – Live at 360, Dubai – May 29, 2009 – Part 3
Latenta Project – Live at 360, Dubai – May 29, 2009 – Part 4
Latenta Project – Live at 360, Dubai – May 29, 2009 – Part 5

Download (left-click and unzip):
Raxon – Audio Tonic 3rd Anniversary Mix

And please check out from on my favorite pics from the 360 season.  Have a great summer everyone, Lisa.

In Demand: Kosmas Epsilon

Kosmas Epsilon is definitely not new to the world of house music. His tracks have been a permanent fixture in the CD bags of every major DJ for quite sometime now.

I came to known of Kosmas through his work with Somnus Corp, producing some incredible tracks like ‘Metal Bronco’ and ‘Buenos Tiempos’. These are the tracks that really got me listening. He also has productions signed to some of the best labels out there including Renaissance, Global Underground, Alternative Route and his own label, Epsilon Trax.

When he’s not in the studio he’s touring the globe. From Mexico to Russia, Kosmas is proving to be a truly In Demand talent!

After hearing so many incredible productions you wonder if it’s possible that he can be an equally masterful DJ. Well after listening to these mixes, I would have to say yes!

This is one long set of full on energy all the way through. Techy house blended with some groovy baselines, instrumental tones and atmospheric highs that would be perfect for any dance floor.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Kosmas Epsilon – In Demand – June 2009 – Part 1
Kosmas Epsilon – In Demand – June 2009 – Part 2

And don’t forget to check out my online chat with this really cool guy / DJ and producer:
Inside the IM with Kosmas Epsilon & littlemissbluedress

Raxon’s Beats 4 Breakfast – Volume 1

My addiction to house music started in late 1999. Around the same time, on the other side of the world in Dubai, Raxon was also discovering the same addiction. Now almost a decade later, we realize our tastes have grown in the same direction.

In 2005 Raxon decided to take his passion to the next level and start DJing. He started playing at house parties, which soon developed into getting gigs at some of Dubai’s coolest clubs.

Now you can find him regularly at 360 where he has warmed up for some extremely talented acts including Spirit Catcher and Jody Wisternoff. He recently played after Sebastian Davidson, which was a very hard act to follow, but he kept the momentum going well into the night.

On top of DJing he is now concentrating on productions, such a remix of Vas Floyd’s ’Kiss the World’ which you can now find on Beatport.

bringthebeats is all about finding new talent and that’s why I am happy to introduce you to one of Dubai’s rising stars. This mix is deep and refreshing; I didn’t even recognize one track!

I look forward to hearing a lot more of Raxon very soon!

Download (left-click and unzip):
Raxon’s Beats 4 Breakfast – Volume 1

Scope for Best Deep House Artist – Beatport Music Awards 2009

One thing I have really loved since joining the Audio Tonic crew at 360 is getting introduced to DJs that I have never heard of before, but who are seriously talented, successful and should be introduced to all of you.

One such DJ/producer is Ric McClelland, aka Scope. Ric comes from Belfast in Northern Ireland where he holds a residency at the popular club Yello. He also plays regularly all over the globe including once in Toronto last year.

What really makes a DJ receive proper recognition these days is their production and nobody’s singles have made more people take notice this past year than Scope’s.

With a steady stream of much sought after tracks Scope’s sound is reaching audiences all over the world. His debut release ‘Strung Out’ was picked up by Urbantorque in 2007 and now only two years later he has a most impressive discography that has lead him to a Beatport nomination for ‘Best Deep House DJ of 2009′. He’s sharing this recognition with the likes of production veterans Milton Jackson, Jimpster and Kevin Yost; this is a huge honour up for Ric!

Show your support for Scope and help him bring home this award, click the banner below and submit your vote:

The set that he performed at 360 was brilliant!  I’m glad that he has passed it onto me so you can see what our Audio Tonic nights are all about. Listening to it again was even better the second time!

Download (left-click and unzip):
Scope – Live @ Audio Tonic, Dubai – November 7, 2008 – Part 1
Scope – Live @ Audio Tonic, Dubai – November 7, 2008 – Part 2
Scope – Live @ Audio Tonic, Dubai – November 7, 2008 – Part 3

I can’t wait to hear what he will play April 10th when he returns to 360. If anyone wants to fly to Dubai to check him and 360 out you are more then welcome. The weather is going to be gorgeous and so will the music!

Spirit Catcher – Shakemaker Mix – December 2008

During my time in Tokyo I had many memorable nights out. One of the most memorable was at AgeHa, Asia’s largest nightclub. What made the night so enjoyable was the live set performed by Spirit Catcher. Although it was only about an hour long, it was one of the best sets I heard throughout my entire time in Japan.

This duo from Belgium has been consistently releasing quality productions that have been played by DJs the world over. Jean Vanesse, the production wizard with a degree in music production, and Thomas Sohet, equally masterful in the studio, who lends his vocals to some of their tracks, brought amazing energy to the over 1000 people who flooded the dance floor that night.

The entire hour was exclusively their own production. Tom was doing vocals and playing the keyboard, while Jean was mixing; both were creating and mixing their own music live. I have never seen this done before, and in such a lively way! Their energy poured into the crowd, it was amazing.

Ever since this most memorable event, I have been eager to get a set of theirs to share with the bringthebeats crew. But Tom and Jean are so busy these days, touring the world with their live act and playing DJ sets; and when they aren’t on the road, they are in the studio creating more spectacular tracks.

So you can imagine that when I finally found this mix in my inbox, I was thrilled. It’s smoothly blended with a jazzy, funky tech-house feel. I’m sure it will lift your spirit!

Download (left-click and unzip):
Spirit Catcher – Shakemaker Mix – December 2008

Here is some Spirit Catcher trivia for you…

Where did they meet? Was it on the Internet like so many do these days? Was it at a music conference? Nope, it was in university where they both studied music production.

While many of their peers continued on to create scores for movies or compose tracks for commercials, Tom and Jean decided to use their musical prowess for what they love and do best, house music. Good choice guys!

Do you know where they got their name from? Why Spirit Catcher? Are they trying to steal your spirit? Of course not, the name has nothing to do with this.

When they were surfing the net one day they came across an image, of a statue, which really caught their eye. Funny enough, this sculpture sits high about Barrie, Ontario, not far from Toronto, and yes it’s called a Spirit Catcher. They liked it so much they decided to use it as their name and logo.

So an unlikely Canadian sculpture, that was originally built for Expo ‘86, is now representing these Belgium boys worldwide. I knew they had great taste.

In Demand: Latenta Project

One of my main goals after moving to Dubai was to get involved in what I love the most, house music. Being that the country is fairly young and everything is still being developed I thought it would be a good time to get involved when everything is fresh.

I immediately discovered that clubbing here is much different from what I am used to. There are no clubs open past 3am, there is only one vice, alcohol, which is used in over abundance because of that fact (buying a 5L bottle of Belvedere vodka is very common).

And people are always dressing to impress… high heals; dresses and collared shirts are the norm. Of course I like to dress up from time to time but to do it all the time is a drag. I’ve almost had to buy an entire new wardrobe since coming here!

So with all these changes to cope with I continued my search for what’s really most important to me, good quality house music.

My search ended when I found 360. Located on the waters off of the Jumeriah Beach Hotel, with stunning views of the only 7 star hotel in the world, the Burj Al Arab, 360 is one of the nicest places I have ever partied at. In the open summer air people flock to this place because of its beauty. For me, it has the added bonus of being the primary spot for the best beats you’ll find in the country.

Thanks to the guys at Audio Tonic, I have found my new home away from home. I was so happy to find people with the same style and appreciation for the music as my own, in an atmosphere where high heels or flips flops are acceptable.

Beginning at 4pm the sunset sessions start with nice, chilled out vocal beats. Once the sun has gone down the party really starts to take off… at 7pm when Michael Bufton goes live to air on Radio 1. Week after week I have been impressed with the DJs they’ve booked to play this literal circle in the sea.

One such set was from the duo of Dimce and Miki, the Macedonian boys of Latenta Project. All night long they shared the decks playing the perfect style that bringthebeats knows and loves so much. I recognized a few tracks that I have heard Luke Fair spin, so it was no surprise to me that they opened up for him at his recent gig in Bulgaria.

A most perfect opening act imo. This duo knows how to set the stage for a headliner or to be the headliner themselves. I will be very happy when they return to close the party at 360 at the end of June and after a long break, I knew Latenta Project would be the perfect act for my next In Demand.

Inside the IM with Latenta Project and littlemissbluedress

Their exclusive mix is a perfect blend of re-edited tracks and solid selections from some of the best producers of the moment. Enjoy!

In Demand: Hernan Cerbello

I’m sure you know by now that we love South American sounds. Just like there are undiscovered species in the Amazon, there are many undiscovered Djs and producers from our Latin lands. So if you haven’t already heard of Argentina’s Hernan Cerbello, then it’s time you discover his talent.

After deciding five years ago to make music his profession, Hernan has been very busy. With regular gigs at some of Latin America’s best clubs and productions steadily streaming out of his studio, Hernan is continually spreading the sounds we love so much. With his first compilation CD to be released this month on Baroque Records I’m sure we will be hearing even more from Hernan very soon.

But of course you don’t have to wait to hear one of his mixes; Hernan has prepared a fresh In Demand for bringthebeats. This is the first studio mix I have heard from Hernan and I am very impressed. It takes off almost instantly and continues with a very smooth beat full of every genre your ears desire, including a fantastic track from Kosmas Epsilon & Somnus Corp.

Download (left-click and unzip):
Hernan Cerbello – In Demand – May 2008

If you are curious about the best places to party in Brazil and Argentina, the downsides to a country with so much talent or you just want to know more about Hernan Cerbello, please continuing reading…

Inside the IM with Hernan Cerbello and littlemissbluedress