Seth’s Picks of the Week 07-02-2009

07-02-picks

The upload this week was out of this world. A cursory browsing session yielded 18 strong contenders for the top 10. I can only imagine what I would have found had I really dug. I remember the days of struggling to come up with 10 tracks for the section I used to do for our old newsletter. I made it a point not to constantly feature the same labels or artists, which could complicate things on a slow week. Those days are long gone….

This week, I was able to mix all 10 tracks together :) The image above with all the album art and the list below with the track descriptions correspond to the track list of the mix so you can follow along. I hope you enjoy these tracks as much as I do.

1. FantaC (Original Mix) - Shamanah - Frisky Records. No surprise here - a great track from Frisky Records.

2. Liquid Sky (Original Mix) - bSound - Aenaria Chill. bSound will keep you moving with rumbling bass lines and airy synths.

3. Bass Reflex (Original Mix) - Stefano Patarnello - Mini Bomb Records. Straight ahead and techy.

4. Magnetic Field (Original Mix) - Rutilance - Music Taste Records. (Warning - Cheesy Track Description) You’ll get zapped by the envelope filters surrounding this magnetic field. But it’s worth it…

5. Aganes Blue (Original Mix) - Itamar Sagi - Ovum Recordings. This track from RV office favorite Ovum Recordings doesn’t move around too much but is a great transitional track. It will keep the crowd going until you drop it and come back swinging.

6. Stoppage Time (Danton Eeprom Conversion Version) - Guy Gerber - Bedrock. Funky.

7. Ground Swell (Francesco Pico Remix) - Matt Rowan, Robbie Low - Proton Music. The Original Mix and three remixes are all great. No dead weight on this release from Proton.

8. Bruise (Original Mix) - Diogo Ribeiro - 24 Hours Records. This is the first release from 24 Hours to hit the RV Shop. If Bruise is any indication of what’s to come, expect big things.

9. Vengeance! (Original Mix) - Oliver Nickels - Aurora Music. One big rolling hook with loads of good minimal things happening in the background.

10. Casa Del Mar (Original) - DJ Paul - Kansak Recordings. I try to keep things fresh from week to week, but this track was too good to leave out. Kansak strikes again!

 
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Tight Mix - Marcin Czubala: Mobilee Podcast 006

Eddie B is back again to deliver the goods for your listening pleasure ;)

Here’s a mix by Marcin Czubala. It’s the 6th installment of the Mobilee Records podcast, and it’s outstanding!

I read up a bit on Marcin because I did not know much about him. He’s got a strong background in classical music. Of course, it seems every DJ says this, but in Marcin’s case, it’s true. From 1991 through 1994, he performed in over 300 concerts and played with the renowned Polish composer and conductor, Krzysztof Penderecki.

In Marcin’s bio, his personal style is described as, “grounded in minimal house and techno” while bearing “his unmistakable signature: slinky, bouncy, and full of mystery and seduction.” As you listen to this mix, you’ll come to understand the description.

…in any case, I’ll quit writing so you can click the play icon below and enjoy some dope tunes!

Eddie B

 
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Should Your Label Use a Distributor or a Delivery Service?

In my experience with Resonant Vibes, I’ve come across many of you independent label managers who are working tirelessly to push your music. Depending on how long you’ve been at it, you may have wrestled with the decision of whether or not to work with a distributor or a delivery service. I don’t have a definitive opinion on this important matter, but I can offer you some insights from the perspective of a download store manager.
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The first thing I want to do in this post is to explain the general ways in which you (the independent label manager) can distribute your music. (Forgive me if this seems pedantic; some of you already know this stuff, but others may not.) One way for you to get your music sold to consumers is to deal directly with an electronic music download store (like RV). This means you’ll sign a License Agreement of sorts with the store, and they will sell your music and send you royalty statements and payments on some periodic basis. A second way you can get your music sold to consumers is by dealing with a digital distributor, i.e. a middle man. They will charge you various fees, and in exchange they will deal on your behalf with the myriad download stores. Of course, the benefit of dealing with distributors is they will save you the hassle of working with many stores - i.e. the hassle of working with many different sets of delivery specs, many different royalty statements, etc. The third way you can get your music sold to consumers is by working with a delivery platform service. These guys are kind of like quasi-distributors; they give you a technical platform that makes it much easier for you to deliver music to many different stores. The key difference, however, is that unlike a distributor, the platform service will not negotiate contracts on your behalf with the stores - i.e. your label will remain in “contractual privity” with the store.
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Ok, so that basically covers your three options for getting your music to consumers. (Of course, you could always sell it directly from your label’s website, but chances are you’ll reach a very limited number of consumers if you do that.) …so which of these three options is your best move? Read the rest of this entry »


Adam Beyer Plays “Billie Jean” at Awakenings Festival

I just picked this up on Twitter…Adam Beyer played “Billie Jean” as his last track at the Awakenings festival. Respect.

Eddie B


MSTRKRFT Live in Louisville 06-26-09

Louisville played host to MSTRKRFT Thursday night. Louisville you say? That was my reaction as well. It turns out that the management of 4th Street Live made an arrangement with Bacardi to become a stop on their B-Live tour route. (4th Street Live is a section of downtown which, on the weekends and for special events, is closed off to traffic, allowing the intoxicated masses to roam freely betwixt bars and clubs without fear of being run down. This also allows the occasional stage to be erected.) I wasn’t sure how MSTRKRFT would be received. 4th Street Live is, among other things, the site of the wildly successful “Hot Country Nights” concert series. Skepticism of a successful outcome was in effect. As you can see from the video, I shouldn’t have worried.

MSTRKRFT 4th Street Live 6-25-09 from Resonant Vibes on Vimeo.

MSTRKRFT in the RV Network. (<— Pssst… Free Mixes. Go Get ‘Em.)


Rest in Peace Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson

Today has turned out to be a sad day. The world has lost Michael Jackson, and I’m feeling a maelstrom of emotions.

Aside from the fact that, in my opinion, Thriller is the best album ever recorded…aside from the fact that Mike was a divinely talented musician…aside from the fact that he entertained the world for decades…aside from the fact that I can remember being six years old and breakdancing to Thriller in my parents’ basement…aside from all of that, Mike helped define a time.

I’m listening to “Human Nature” as I write this, and I’m remembering a time in the 80s when Mike was the most popular person on the planet. I remember the way people were dressing, the movies we were watching, the cars people were driving, and the myriad other things that belong to a time that has now so clearly passed and that will never be repeated.

Mike represents something to me beyond amazing music and incredible dance moves, and his death is a reminder that every moment of life is precious. It makes me realize how connected all of us are who are sharing the small sliver of space and time called our lifetimes.

My kids will never know a world where Mike is moonwalking and where people are wearing shimmering gloves and red jackets to imitate him…but his music (and with it, the unique spirit of a time I shared) will be around for as long as civilization endures.

Rest in peace Mike. This world will miss you.

Eddie B


Gallery: Josh Wink’s Ovum Party @ Boulevard in Barcelona

I’m a bit late on posting this gallery for you to check out due to a few unforeseen technical difficulties in Spain, which also put the brakes on the coverage of Sonar that I was hoping to do.
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I did however manage to get to Josh Wink’s Ovum Records party that Wednesday where I met some cool people heard plenty of great tunes… my only grumble was that there wasn’t enough bass!
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Enjoy :)


Seth’s Picks of the Week 06-20-2009

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I don’t think this post needs much of an introduction. These tracks are new to the site and caught my ear. The mix at the bottom of the page features the first seven tracks in the order listed. The omission of the last three tracks is not indicative of the quality (or lack thereof) of those tracks, but of my inability to work them into a cohesive mix with the others. It’s a mini-mix, roughly 15 minutes and featuring around 2 minutes of each song, but should give you an idea of what’s going on.

1. Blossom (Original Mix) Aes Dana - Nice and laid back. Lots of atmospheres and moods on this release. I had a hard time picking one track from it. A variety of great tunes to cue up, sit back and get lost in your favorite chair. ;)

2. Inspiring Cooperation (Lenny Barnes House Mix) 1st Class - This track just has a good feeling to it.

3. Cannibal’s Island (Original Mix) Sven Jozwiak - Good minimal track, but not so minimal that it sounds like a click track.

4. ALFAMA (Original Mix) Oliver Deutschmann - Oliver Deutschmann scores. Deep, spacious techno.

5. Driven (Original Mix) Leo Leal & Royal Dance - One of my top two of the bunch. The aptly named track really makes you want to move and then drops into a section that reminds me of Radiohead. Could you ask for more?

6. Tec 506 (Original Mix) Ilias Katelanos - I dare you to not like this track.

7. Illusions (Original Mix) Dockoff - This is the other of my top two from this bunch. I can imagine this one getting all kinds of action, and would love to hear it on a big system. KansaK is on it.

8. Sixes and Nines (Original Mix) Josiah Burke - I’m really not sure why I like this one, but I do.

9. Passin Planet (Original Mix) Kimmy Baxter - The melodic start to this track is misleading. Much grit follows.

10. Flowing feat Alex (Phrakture’s Liquid DnB Remix) Rosenfeld - This is the kind of drum and bass that I talked about in my post about LTJ Bukem. It has some space, cool vocal backgrounds, and isn’t overbearing.

 
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Deep House Cat Show - Episode 52

Deep House Cat ShowA while back, I stumbled onto a nice podcast for deep house fans. It’s called the Deep House Cat Show, and it’s hosted by DJ philE out of Chicago. I sought this show out because I wanted to make my incoming music more diverse. I’m getting loads of techno and progressive house these days, and I wanted to sprinkle in some quality deep house.
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I’ve posted episode 52 of the Deep House Cat Show here for your listening pleasure. It’s two hours long, and it actually has some tracks that I wouldn’t categorize as pure deep house, but it’s all good…click the play icon below and Enjoy ;)
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For those interested, I’ve posted a tracklist for this mix below.
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1. Intro
2. Tony Lionni - Found A Place - OSTGUT TON
3. Chez Damier - Help Myself (Carl Craig Reconstruction) - K7!
4. Adam Jace - Do U Wanna (Go Deep) - THUG
5. Itamar Sagi - Black Gold - BE AS ONE
6. Hösh - Steppenwolf (Jerome Sydenham’s Blacktro Dub) - DIYNAMIC
7. Two Armadillos - Patience - DESSOUS
8. Soultourist - Coming Soon - DRUMPOET
9. The Craftsmen - Estrella (Richard Earnshaw’s Deep String Remix) - DUFF NOTE
10. Jay Tripwire - Carbonite Freeze - CONYA
11. Nikola Gala - Blueberry - PLASTIC CITY
12. Marcelo Cruz , Joe Rizla & Justin Imperiale - Yemaya - Deepnsound
13. Yotam Avni Presents Robert Owens - New World (Remix) -
14. Sheharzad - Yalla Yalla (Henrik Schwarz Remix) - Fine art Recordings
15. Geoffrey Oryema - Piri Wango Iya (Boddhi Satva’s Ancestral Soulstrumental) - gotsoul
16. Madioko N Rafika - Ellelli (Kalabrese Remix) - Innervisions
17. Dual City - Afridub - Tonality Records
18. Roland Clark - Connection (Dj Garphie Think House Instrumental) - Home
19. Alex Finkin And Reverend P Feat. Jocelyn Mathieu - Those Days Are Gone (Animal House Club Mix Instrumental) - Vega Records
20. Alex Finkin And Reverend P Feat. Jocelyn Mathieu - Those Days Are Gone (Animal House Vocal Mix) - Vega Records
21. Cerrone & Jamie Lewis - Not Too Shabby (Jamie Lewis Instrumental Mix) - Purple Music
22. Cerrone & Jamie Lewis - Not Too Shabby (Jamie Lewis Vocal Mix) - Purple Music
23. Jill Scott - Street Life (Scott Wozniak Remix)
24. Jake Childs - The Underground (Inland Knights Remix) - Dust Traxx Chicago
25. Nightrhymes - Chicago (Club Mix) - Reelgroove
26. Tortured Soul - Home To You (Quentin Harris Vocal Mix) - TSTC Records
27. Rickert & Vesely - Shizouka Mood - SOBRA Recordings
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Eddie B
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Tony Lionni RA Podcast

Tony Lionni RA 157It’s Saturday so I figured it would be cool to share another nice mix with you.
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This one comes from Tony Lionni, and it’s the 157th episode of the Resident Advisor podcast. RA just keeps getting the job done, week after week.
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I checked in on the RA forums, and it seems there are some mixed feelings about this episode, but I’ve been digging it for the past few weeks. It’s original, and it takes some interesting artistic twists.
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If you’re not familiar with Tony Lionni, he’s a house and techno producer. He was born in Liverpool, and he’s living in Berlin now (of course). His roots are actually in hip hop and funk, but he’s been producing electronic music like a man possessed for the past year or so. He’s already had releases on labels like Versatile, Aesthetic Audio, Wave, Mule, and Figure.
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For those interested, I’ve posted a tracklist for this mix below.
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1. “Mystery of Nazerus” - Marco Bernardi
2. “Sleeper” - Jimpster
3. “Where Are You Now” - Andre Lodemann
4. “The Brain” - Tony Lionni
5. “Letting Go” - The Chain
6. “The Chain” - Geo
7. “Hot Knives” - Slam
8. “Rizer” - Kalva and Paul Thomas
9. “BX3″ - Len Faki
10. “Astroblack” - Tony Lionni
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So, with no further delay, click the play icon below and Enjoy!
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Eddie B
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