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rv_cast 018 Mixed by Limaçon

Mixes | From the mind of Sam | 01/31/2010

rv_cast 018 Mixed by Limaçon | The Resonant Vibes Electronic Music Podcast This edition of the podcast is from San Francisco based producer and DJ Limaçon.
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He’s just released his first full-length album called Tarry Not on Noah Pred’s label Thoughless Music. It’s an interesting spin on the developing West Coast techno sound which, to me, seems to have it’s roots in deep house before being sprinkled with a hint of late 90’s progressive and given a twist of fresh minimal-techyness.
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What can you expect from Tarry Not then? Well, I think it’s an album which has an emphasis on slightly dark yet funky synths which that are paired with tight drum programming and intelligent sequencing. It’s fresh and catchy, and worth a listen.
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Check out the interview and track list after the jump. (more…)

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Sam’s Picks # 01 – January 29, 2010

Mixes | From the mind of Sam | 01/30/2010

SG_picksThe regular readers of our blog will know that Seth, our content manager, does a sterling job of publishing a weekly top picks. His posts always get a lot of reads (and listens) as he includes a mini-mix of his picks with the post.
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As of late I know it’s been hard for him to continue the tradition of weekly posts as his other work load has increased. His posts are always well considered, (in fact almost obsessed on), and he always showcases top notch tunes from the shop. I know that it takes him a good deal of time to put together the mix in addition to writing his post, coming up with a nice array of covers, and meticulously linking to each artist, label and track he features. As you can imagine it’s a lot of work and takes a long time.
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You might be asking what’s my point? Well, this is the first in a new series of my picks from the site. I’m equally as busy as Seth, but I probably have a slight edge on him when it comes to putting together a mix… as I only need to find the time to go hunting for tunes and then hit record as I give them a spin.
. All of the tunes are fresh and I enjoyed downloading them and then playing them straight away, recording the set as I went along. As most DJs will tell you there's something a bit special about playing new tunes... I think that's the addiction getting it's fix right there!
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Conversely, it can throw you a curve ball as you don’t actually know the tunes inside out. Occasionally the 2-minute preview isn’t enough to expose a dodgy vocal drop, or the track that decides to switch to an off-beat in the mix out section. Anyway, I was sipping on a little Old Forester and enjoying my newly revised home studio so times were good. Here’s the track list:
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1. Diego Celi - Choronzon (Original Mix) [Mindsounds]
2. Andri – Spacers Case (Digital Exclusive) [Cityfox]
3. Haze – Oh My Dog (Original Mix) [Dialtone Records]
4. Andri – Tschege (Original Mix) [Cityfox]
5. Simon Garcia – Raw War (Original Mix) [Dieb Audio]
6. Haze – Politiks (Original Mix) [Dialtone Records]
7. Helge Kuhl – About Guitars and Heroes (Original Mix) [Paintwork]
8. Bukaddor & Fishbeck – Rolling Stoned (Original Mix) [My Best Friend / MBF]
8. Hector Couto – Friction (Original Mix) [Definition Records]
10.Pirahnahead – Self Conscience (Original Mix) [Third Ear Recordings]
11. Arnaud Le Texier – You Know (You know Emmanuel Ternois WTF remix (digital only)) [Safari Electronique]
12. Steve Parker – Mexilhao remix by Handycraft (Original Mix) [Weave Music]
13. Paul Kalkbrenner – Torted (Original Mix) [BPitch Control]
14. Paul Kalkbrenner – Bengang (Original Mix) [BPitch Control]
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Unfortunately, what you won’t get for this series picks—which you get from Seth—is the nice commentary, the 30 deep links into the site, or even a weekly episode. I’m going to do them as often as I can, which might be once a week or once a month. I don’t know as it really depends how busy I am.
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Click this link to visit my network profile page where you should be able to launch the tracks on the mix straight into the media player. Not the same as deep linking, but easy enough!
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The Resonant Vibes Podcast will also continue so this series is in addition to the rv_cast. The next episode has been turned and will be podcast soon. I hope you enjoy the mix.
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Classic Track with Thought-Provoking Lyrics

Musings | From the mind of Eddie |

No matter how many blog posts I write, I will always have more to say about my ever deepening appreciation for electronic music…
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Just recently, I found myself listening to a classic track, Humate’s remix of the track “Ruhe,” originally by Schiller. I first heard this track nearly a decade ago — damn, where has the time gone! — on Danny Tenaglia’s Global Underground London CD. This track has always touched me. (If you haven’t heard it, press play below, close your eyes, and enjoy.)
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The lyrics are in German, so I never knew what they meant. But I always had the sense they were expressing something meaningful, and I recently received a translation (thanks to my man Ingo Vogelmann)…
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So what are the lyrics, and what do they mean? Well, the lyrics are as follows:
“Ruhe, das höchste Glück auf Erden…
Kommt oft nur durch Einsamkeit in das Herz.”
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The English translation for the lyrics is,
“Peace, the greatest joy on Earth…
Very often comes into heart through loneliness”
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What’s also quite interesting is that Ingo told me these lyrics are an excerpt from a beautiful poem, the words of which are as follows (with the English translation in bold): (more…)


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David Guetta’s “Sexy Chick” – Dance Music at My Gym?

Musings | From the mind of Eddie | 01/29/2010

At my gym (where I found myself pretty much everyday last year), they keep the radio set on a local station that plays a ceaseless stream of top-20 commercial tunes, on repeat. I usually bring my headphones to spare my ears the anguish of the full-frontal radio candy assault. However, I occasionally forget my headphones or don’t use them (because I failed to charge my iPod battery or something like that). On the occasions where I’m subjected to the “gym songs,” I have to fight against a small part of myself…a part of me that starts wondering, “Why do the masses spend their time listening to this rubbish when there’s an endless supply of incredible, original music coming out every week?” I actually told one of the guys who works at the gym that I was going to start wearing a t-shirt that says, “Why are the same whack-ass tunes always playing at this gym?” …of course, I realize these thoughts are not coming from a good place in me; it’s just hard to suppress them sometimes. Fortunately, I can vent about this to you, my fellow lovers of real, quality tunes ;)
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In addition to just wanting to vent a bit, I mention all of the above to describe the context in which I heard David Guetta’s song “Sexy Chick” (real title, “Sexy Bitch”), featuring Akon. I started hearing this song in the gym, and it struck me because it’s dance music (though the folks at my gym don’t realize it). (You can check out the video for the song below.)

My reaction to hearing this song was one of mixed feelings. On the one hand, it was just another gym song in my mind. On the other hand, I was happy to hear dance music being foisted upon the masses. In writing this post, I ended up listening to the song a few times, and my final take on it is that I’m cool with it ;) I think it’s good overall to have dance music (in whatever form) reaching stations like the one my gym plays.
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On a slightly different note, I’ve always found it interesting to observe and study the evolution of musical forms…jazz, classical music, hip hop, and dance music. While hip hop and pop still seem to have a stronghold on the American psyche at the moment, dance music is certainly making an impact on these genres in interesting ways…often in subtle ways that the masses are missing.
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EB


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The A&R Guy – Funny (But Explicit) Video

General | From the mind of Eddie | 01/27/2010

Well, I’m breaking with tradition here a bit and walking on the wild side by posting a video that has some explicit dialogue. I’m hopeful that this won’t offend any of you blog readers. This video made its way around our office after being found on a message board. I’m posting it to give you an inside look at some RV office humor…after all, our blog is supposed to be our way of keeping it real with you, right?
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DISCLAIMER: If videos with profanity offend you, don’t watch this one. On the other hand, if you’ve got relatively thick skin and want to see a funny skit about the music industry, click play immediately.
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Miguel Migs: Exclusive RV Interview

Interview | From the mind of Eddie | 01/15/2010

Miguel Migs

This interview with Miguel Migs has special significance for me…for a number of reasons…I can still remember when I bought a set of turntables, 10 years ago or so. The first record I picked out was Nude Dimensions, Vol. 3., featuring a track by Miguel. I can also remember being moved by his mixes, like Nude Tempo One, which still may be my favorite deep/soulful house mix of all time. In this interview, Miguel says he tries to inspire a “positive memorable feeling” in people with his music. I can say he’s certainly done that for me!

Q: I think it’s safe to say you’re one of the best-known deep house artists in the world. What do you see as being the key factors to your success? Is it your work ethic or maybe natural talent, good fortune, or a certain personality trait?
A: I’m not exactly sure…maybe a little bit of everything you just mentioned. Also, staying consistent through the years plays a part, and that shows in the music. Staying true to doing what you feel shows in your music and vibe, and that’s genuine. Some artists seem to be more interested in just following what’s trendy rather than what they feel.

Q: Which period of your electronic music career so far has been the most fun? Was it the early days (the mid nineties) when you first started producing? Or was it possibly around the turn of the millennium when you mixed the sensational Nude Tempo One release, or maybe when you started your Salted Music label?
A: I guess the most fun for me would be the 90s. The economy was healthy, and that was pre-9/11. I think people were a little less stressed in general, or at least I know I was…less responsibility, just having fun, playing music and experimenting with electronic production…plus there was more feeling and emotion in the music in my opinion, and there was more excitement at the parties, and more of an open minded diverse communal vibe to it all.

Q: What made you focus on the genre of deep house? How does the music make you feel when you’re producing, DJ-ing, or listening to it?
A: The feeling of it all is what inspired me, and I was drawn to the soulful side of things. I always have been no matter what kind of music it is, and I love all styles of music. I didn’t really plan on being so involved with house music. I was playing live music in bands but became really attracted to writing and producing soulful dance music in the studio. It all sort of progressed from there, and I sort of just dove into it. If I’m working on something, I usually give it all my focus and energy, and somehow I managed to stick with it.

Q: As a follow up on the previous question, how do you want people to feel when they’re listening to your music? Are you trying to evoke a particular physical, mental, or even spiritual response?
A: Music is amazing in that it can be so powerful with creating memories and triggering all kinds of emotions. When I’m creating music, I’m simply doing what I feel, and it’s coming from somewhere pure, so my goal is for people to connect and identify with the music on a deeper level. I prefer to inspire a positive memorable feeling rather than just a night out of getting wasted and partying at the club…I mean, there is room for it all and a time and place for everything, and I love and listen to all kinds of music, but I gravitate towards the soulful side of things.

Q: There’s something especially natural and fitting about the combination of your productions with the vocals of Lisa Shaw. How did your artistic chemistry with her develop?
A: We met over 10 years ago and connected right away. We are great friends and connect on musical ideas fairly easily, so it’s pretty stress free when we collaborate on a song. She is always a joy to work with as we both have a focused work ethic and similar taste in music…and she is a great person along with being super talented, which makes it even more enjoyable to work with her.

Q: In some contexts, you’ve gone by the moniker “Petalpusher.” Does the term have any particular meaning? What’s its origin?
A: That was the name I used on my first release with Naked Music back around 1998 or ‘99. I had finished a song called “Breakin It Down” featuring the vocal talents of Ledisi. At that same time Naked Music was in the making so they wanted to pick up the song and use it as their first release… I wanted to use another name besides Miguel Migs, and “Petalpusher” came about spontaneously, partly to do with the artwork for the single. Petal referring to the petal from a flower.

Q: What do you want your musical legacy to be?
A: I just love writing and creating music, and I will continue to do so as long as there is someone out there who enjoys listening to it!


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Limaçon – Tarry Not on Thoughtless Music

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of Sean | 01/14/2010

Tarry Not album art

It’s been a long while since I’ve posted anything on the Resonant Vibes blog. There’s a ton of reasons (and excuses) for why that is, but at the moment tapping away on my keys to wring out another review just feels right. To be honest, I don’t get all that eager banging out online reviews ad infinitum regardless of how much I like the site (and I like RV way more than most). However, in the 22 years I’ve been pimping other folks’ music I’ve learned that the alloted amount of special full lengths per annum is only a scant pair or trio. And when one of those albums ends up falling into my lap I still find it is my civic duty to gush endlessly at as many outlets as will have me. It’s a good thing most sane and responsible people in this industry don’t like me otherwise you’d have to hear way more about how awesome the new album Tarry Not is from NorCal producer/DJ Limaçon on Toronto based Thoughtless Music.

I live out West, in fact I actually live quite near Limaçon’s adopted hometown of Santa Rosa, CA so in many ways I can relate to where he’s coming from in terms of musical influences on this album. What I know is that it is easy to fall into either of the pitfalls of the all-encompassing San Francisco scene, which looms so near. Will it be the mellow house grooves of the past decade or the more current minimal trends that have swept the region? Tarry Not successful splits the middle of the two camps because Limaçon (aka Chris Lee) -in true outsider fashion- appears to owe no allegiance to either, instead borrowing liberally from both. It is a surprising move, especially considering his minimal leaning track record, but album cuts like “Labels”, “Shaken”, and “Sans Rip” are ass-shakingly funky in an old West Coast house kind of way. Of course that’s just my opinion, but I also feel that this album is an adequate evolution of the San Francisco techno scene – moving the general flow away from what detractors have labelled as a “proggy afterparty haze of sound collisions” back into the world of floor friendly house music -with a strong emphasis on MUSIC.

It’s quite refreshing to hear full-fledged melodies based in some sort of logical modality for a change out here at the far western outposts and if there’s nothing more to this album than this it would be enough to consider it noteworthy. Thankfully, Lee makes more than just funky basslines and clever melodies which helps his first album transcend the aforementioned trappings of the San Francisco scene. On Tarry Not he creates quality tracks and then strings them together into a sequence that works well allowing the tension and individual character of the compositions create a definite path for the album to flow through. This fusion of elements and flow is what makes the album one of the bright spots in 2010 (thus far).

Of course, this is all just one guy’s opinion….


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Gadi Mizrahi of Wolf + Lamb: RV Interview

Interview | From the mind of Seth |

gadi_interview

Seth: (After some chitchat) Want to get down to it and jump to interview mode?

Gadi Mizrahi: Sure.

Seth: Let’s start by talking a little about the reason we’re chatting. I loved your set/podcast from Bar 13 WLP 90. Can you tell me about what was going on that night?

Gadi: It was a sunset party on a roof in Manhattan.

Seth: What was the crowd like that night?

Gadi: The usual W+L following, with some city folk. Funny story… I followed someone who was playing tech-house which is usually the story. So when I start playing really SLOW, the crowd usually feels strange for a few minutes but that’s kinda my whole MO – take people for a ride.

Seth: So in this instance, Wicked Game was setting the mood and acting a bit like a palate cleanser? Hitting the resest button?

Gadi: EXACTLY the term i use as well. I do that every time I DJ. Some people really appreciate it, some don’t.

Seth: Do you pick your first track based on where the other DJ has been or where you’re headed for the night?

Gadi: I usually try to take in the city I’m in and the crowd I’m playing for and what the crowd has been reacting to (from the previous dj’s). I think the first 2-3 tracks are the most important to set a different tone and usually those are the ones on my mind the 2-3 hours leading to my set time.

Seth: And after that I would assume, especially based on the night in question, everything pretty much falls into place. Once you’re in the pocket, do you steer, does the crowd steer you, or is it a combination? Does it depend on the crowd?

Gadi: Yeah, i start off steering them, then I take cues from the crowd

Seth: Some DJs/producers/labels ect. seem to think only in terms of “electronic or not electronic”. You don’t strike me as one of those people. What are some of your favorite bands/artists?

Gadi: I’m really into J Dilla. Ever since my girlfriend made that podcast WLP091 I’ve been getting super inspired by that sound. I’ve been trying to make that type of shit lately…just to try something new

Seth: Any other influences creeping in or are you pretty focused right now?

Gadi: This band called “Electric Wire Hussle” just came out with an R&B type funk album that’s off the meter.

Seth: Nice. I’ll have to check into that.

Gadi: I live in Williamsburg, the hub of indie rock but i never hear anything from that genre that blows my mind…strange. I mean, I love the simplicity (more…)


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Remixed at 16:05 – Strong Techno Release

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of Eddie | 01/13/2010

Remixed at 16:05

There are so many quality releases hitting the site these days, I felt obliged to blog about at least one of them. The release I chose is called Remixed at 16:05, and it comes from the label 1605 Music Therapy. There are ten tracks on this release from the artists Umek, Loco & Jam, Miniminds, Dyno, Psycatron, Vladimir, Alex Long, Fergie, Ignas, Kastis Torrau, and Donatello, and every track is solid.

I actually hadn’t heard of the label 1605 Music Therapy, but I found out (by doing a bit of online research) that it’s Umek’s label. On the 1605 website, they give an interesting quote to convey the spirit of the label: “Created from collective vibe, stuffed with technology, open to your mood, effective on sucking it in. It makes you feel above, between, inside-extremely you. This feeling is based on 1605 Music Therapy. It helps to enjoy life. Period.” Interesting, right?

Remixed at 16:05 was featured on our site last week, and the first thing that caught my attention was the artwork. (See above.) There’s something funny to me about the creature depicted on the cover – the bow tie and jacket accompanying such deformed, odd-looking hands and feet…good stuff!

After being enticed by the artwork, I loaded the full album into our media player to check it out. (If you haven’t already done so, I recommend that you do the same thing now by clicking here.) The first track that plays is the Loco & Jam remix of “Destructible Environment,” and it’s a real head pounder. This track got my attention, and the rest of the album kept it from straying. This is my kinda techno – twisted stuff.

We’ve got tons of other great new stuff hitting our site and a whole new selection of labels joining our roster. I’ll let Seth, our Content Manager, fill you in on that…just stay tuned!

Eddie B


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2009 Year in Review – Seth’s Favorite Mixes

Musings | From the mind of Seth | 01/12/2010

When I started down the 2009 recap path, I knew I wanted to do tracks and mixes. I thought about artists, labels, cover art, track titles, most obscure film stars used in track titles, best use of scantly clad women… you get the picture. At the end of the day, I spend the most time listening to tracks and mixes, and those are the areas on which I decided to focus. As with my 2009 tracks post, this isn’t a “best of” list. These are the mixes that knocked me out the most and spent the most time pushing that little bar across the top of iTunes. The mixes appear in no particular order.
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patrice_and_nunoI have to start with this one as I’ve yet to get my hands on a mix from Mr. Baumel that I haven’t liked. I usually like them a great deal. This is a live set from Patrice and Nuno (dos Santos) recorded in Amsterdam on the first of August, 2009. I asked Pat for a tracklist, to which he replied, “I don’t have a tracklist for the mix, it’s a live mix, some of the records are Nuno’s and i don’t know all of them.” The continuity of this mix is outrageous, and I can imagine mixes of similar quality (when you’re fortunate enough to find one) being scrutinized and prepared for weeks. The fact that half of the outfit isn’t even sure what records were played indicates that this was not gone over with a fine-tooth comb before hand, which makes it all the more impressive. I think these are two DJs who have a wide range of tastes, a depth of knowledge about music, and the ability to work together to the extent that real energy and improvisation are no strangers to their sets. As your attorney, I advise you to listen to anything these two have put out.

heidi_and_sethAs luck would have it, Heidi and Seth Troxler both put out some of my favorite mixes of the year so the picture to your right works perfectly for this post. As Heidi is on top, we’ll start with her In New DJs We Trust show from the first of May 2009. I’m a big fan of INDWT and I listen to the show each month, so this was not an easy decision to make. I knew one of her shows was going to be on the list, but which one??? Well, this one. The tracklist is great, and a guest mix from Damian Lazarus… Come on. This mix has Visionquest, Jamie Jones, the first track in Lazarus’ set is ridiculous, and he also throws in a song that has a little nod to Nick Cave. All in all, a great two hours of music.

And now, our friend Mr. Troxler, who, with a little help from Heidi, is putting a new spin on the concept of tenting. I’ve heard several of Seth’s shows from the past year, but my favorite is his set from NYC’s Electric Zoo. The recording I have is not of the best quality and there are a few obvious technical glitches, but none of it detracts from the fun, grooving feel of this set. He had a few hours early in the day, and he used them well. I still listen to this set at least once every week or so, and I would probably listen to it more often if I didn’t dedicate the majority of my listening time to things related to the site. The man can cover some sonic ground and keep the wheels on the cart. For those of you who haven’t heard the mix, I won’t ruin it for you. Know that there are great songs and one big surprise around the 1 hour 20 minute mark. I was surprised anyway. In an awesome “holy shit, that’s…!” kind of way.

gadiNext on the list, Gadi Mizrahi’s rooftop set from Bar 13 in Manhattan which turned into W+L Podcast 90. This one gets your attention from the start. I caught up with Gadi to talk about this set, but it turned into a full-blown interview, and I’ve decided to publish it soon as a separate post. For our purposes, I’ll just talk about the mix. It’s deep and sexy and full of soul. There you go.

“The music that inspires the visuals of Spectral designer, Michael Cina.  An all-vinyl mix of Spectral/Ghostly tracks.” This bit of information pulled from the mix description in iTunes is pretty much the only thing I can find about my next pick: GhostlyCast #25: Michael Cina – Waves of Seeing. I’ve found a wealth of information about Michael and his accomplishments as an artist and designer. However, I’ve turned up little (more…)

 
icon for podpress  Patrice Bäumel & Nuno dos Santos @ 360 Solo - Trouw - Amsterdam 08-01-2009: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
icon for podpress  Heidi with Damian Lazarus - In New DJs We Trust 05-01-09: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
icon for podpress  Seth Troxler Electric Zoo 09-05-2009: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
icon for podpress  WLP090 Gadi Mizrahi, Sunset, Bar 13 Rooftop: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

 
icon for podpress  GhostlyCast #25: Michael Cina - Waves of Seeing: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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