Recommendations and Reviews « The Resonant Vibes Electronic Music Blog

STS9 “AD Explorata” Album Review and US Tour!

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of johng | 03/09/2010

I have mentioned STS9 to the Resonant Vibes community many times and would like to do so once again. The band has constantly been pushing the boundaries of live music since they came on the scene back around 1999! This past fall they once again took their sound in a different direction with the release of the new album “AD Explorata” which merges many organic and acoustic elements with hard driving calculated and electronic segments. The result is an album that creates flowing moments of peaceful bliss sandwiched between periods of chaotic tension! It is a sonic explosion of unique sounds and textures, that take you on a giant wave through all types of moods. In the past the band has made albums that stick to a certain motif, whether it was raw funkier song structures (Interplanetary Escape Vehicle) or intensely eerie electronic driven pieces (Artifact) there was always a common element to the albums. This album is very different from the band’s previous work. The music is extremely diverse and focuses on melting all the things that have made STS9 so unique into 12 well placed tracks!
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Simply put “AD Explorata” is a fantastic accomplishment and the result is an album that is just as suitable for a long scenic drive as it is for a house party. The music is so easy to grasp, yet still very fresh and exciting, to the point that it will keep your attention for many years to come. Do yourself a favor and pick this album up as soon as you can!
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STS9 is also currently on the last leg of a large US tour, with both Two Fresh and Ana Sia, who are part of STS9’s 1320 Records, tearing it up as supporting acts for the band! They have pretty much covered every region in the country from West Coast and East Coast to the Mid-West and South! I had the pleasure of catching the band for their 3 night run in Denver, Colorado during NYE and I can not stress enough that this is a band you must experience live! On stage is where STS9 is truly at home and they have spent years perfecting their performances. It is a massive production with a phenomenal light show and it will leave you utterly speechless by what you just witnessed. Below is a complete list of the band’s remaining tour schedule. I highly suggest you purchase a ticket because the band is absolutely on fire right now!

Mar 10 2010	The Music Farm	CHARLESTON, South Carolina

Mar 11 2010	Amos’ Southend	CHARLOTTE, North Carolina

Mar 12 2010	The Norva	NORFOLK, Virginia

Mar 13 2010	9:30 Club	WASHINGTON, Washington DC

Mar 14 2010	9:30 Club	WASHINGTON, Washington DC

Mar 17 2010	Mr Smalls Theatre	PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania

Mar 18 2010	Madison Theatre	COVINGTON, Kentucky

Mar 19 2010	The Pageant	ST. LOUIS, Missouri

Mar 20 2010	The Pageant	ST. LOUIS, Missouri

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John “The Grizz” Grisanti

Tags: 1320 Records, AD Explorata, Ana Sia, Sound Tribe Sector 9, STS9, Two Fresh
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rv_cast – One of the Best Dance Music Podcasts

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of Eddie | 02/10/2010

I’ve been meaning to write a post for some time now to make the bold, unbiased claim that I think RV has one of the best dance music podcasts available today! Seriously, I don’t know if you’ve been tuning in, but the rv_cast has featured some killer episodes…all underground and all fresh.

I felt the need to write this post because I want to help get the word out. The rv_cast is not as visible as some of the other dance music podcasts, but I think we’re gradually appearing on more people’s radars. Sam has been the brains and muscle behind the podcast, arranging for guest mixes and contributing a mix or two of his own. He’s seen to it that we stay true to the music, offering an original, intelligent series of mixes for folks who appreciate the real stuff.

I’d prefer that you not take my word for it on this one. I encourage you to check out a few rv_cast episodes. For example, check out rv_cast 013, mixed by Estroe. I’ve listened to this one countless times, and it just keeps getting better. Estroe laid down a sophisticated set of tracks and blended them together perfectly.

Another rv_cast episode that’s really worth checking out is the one from Jason Patrick. This guy has skillz. I gained real respect for Jason after hearing him play live at the Varsity All Stars 2009 party (headlined by Anja Schneider). His rv_cast mix is a finely crafted work with a perfect flow – a true specimen of aural artistry.

I’ll briefly discuss one more rv_cast episode here…the one from Alland Byallo. I think this episode was a sort of breakout mix for us, and it will certainly rewire your brain if you listen to it intently. Alland’s mix is one of those that you can have fun studying and analyzing…really focusing on the transitions. It’s intelligent, crisp, and clean. Great stuff!

There hasn’t been a bad rv_cast episode yet. I would write about all of the episodes here, but I don’t want to overwhelm you with recommendations. I do, however, have to give a few other honorable mentions here…you should definitely check out the episodes by Sam (of course!), Savas Pascalidis, Angel Alanis, and Naveen G. They’re all hot to death!

Enjoy these existing rv_cast episode, and keep an eye out for new ones coming soon!

Eddie B

Tags: Angel Alanis, Estroe, Jason Patrick, Jim Masters, Naveen G, rv_cast, Sam Gracie, Savas Pascalidis
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Roman Azzaro – Get the Curse 085

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of Eddie | 02/07/2010

While there are many sources for getting dance music online, I only turn to a few on a regular basis. The Get the Curse podcast is certainly one of my regular, trusted sources. These guys just keep serving up the goods!

I wanted to write this blog post to give props the Get the Curse crew, and I figured I should also pick out a good mix to give you a sample of what they’re up to. There are so many quality mixes in the Get the Curse archives, I had some trouble handpicking one…but I eventually decided to highlight episode 085, from Roman Azzaro.

I poked around online, and it was difficult to find a lot of information about Roman. From what I gathered, he’s based in Paris, and he’s firmly rooted in the Parisian underground scene…the sort of DJ in town that those in the know know about. He is part of the crew running the upstart label, Coton Tige, which has (more…)

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Tags: Coton Tige, Get the Curse Podcast, GTC085, Roman Azzaro, Techno
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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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Remixed at 16:05 – Strong Techno Release

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

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

Tags: 1605 Music Therapy, Alex Long, Donatello, Dyno, Ignas, Kastis Torrau, Loco & Jam, Miniminds, Psycatron, Remixed at 16:05, Umek
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Seth’s Picks of the Week – 28th of December 2009

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of Seth | 12/28/2009

This will be my last top 10 of 2009. There are some great tracks coming out to wrap up 2009, and I’m already seeing some things that I’m certain will make the cut in ‘10. Have a wonderful new year!

1. Druckpegel (Original Mix) – Mikdat vs. Afrilounge – Kassette. Druckpegel just works for me. Straight ahead and plays well with others.

2. Perfect Fever (Original Mix) – Jota Wagner – Beat Code. Perfect Fever is a fun one. I enjoy the contrast between the whimsical feel of the lead synth line and its somewhat gritty tonality.

3. The Right Time (Original Mix) – Mark Henning – Hypercolour. Hands down my favorite of the week. Rick James’ crazy ass talking about, believe it or not, kinky women combined with great production by Mark Henning. I wouldn’t change a thing about this track.

4. Murex (Phonogenic Remix) – Erich Bogatzky – Dieb Audio. It’s those synths I’m always on about… again. I can’t help it.

5. Out Run (Original Mix) – Lucio Aquilina – Hideout. Talk about smooth…

6. Beauty On Water (Original Mix) – Gaspard De La Vega & Jenius – Perplex. It’s the synths again, though this time around they’re a bit more in your face.

7. Nuit Blanche (Original Mix) – Jay Sustain – BWG Records. Just this man’s opinion, but Nuit Blanche is the best track from BWG I’ve heard in a long time. Definitely give it a listen.

8. Cochlea (From Karaoke To Stardom Remix) – Kleinschmager Audio – Dekadent Schallplatten. Dekadent is a new label to RV and a welcomed addition. What a great release.

9. Wallpaper (Original Mix) – SQL – Microtonal Records. SQL has been seeing a good deal of action on the blog and in the shop. Not at all surprising…

10. Rat (Original Mix) – Michele Faneschi – Travel Records. I wasn’t familiar with Travel Records until I heard Rat. They’re on the Radar.

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Tags: Recommendations, Seth's Picks, Staff Picks, Top Ten
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Seth’s Picks of the Week – 19th of December 2009

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of Seth | 12/19/2009

We’ve had our hands more than full at RV over the past weeks, and these posts have been somewhat skimpy as a result. This week, I carved out the time to put the mix together. I think it’s nice to be able to listen to the music as the post is being read. Granted, it probably shouldn’t take 30 minutes to read it, but that’s what tabs are for. And speaking of the mix, I could have carved out a little more time to do it, so you’ll have to forgive a few less than smooth transitions.

1. Promised Land (NTFO Remix) – Moonbeam – Beef Records. What a stellar release. The remixes are all unique and range from around 122 to 130 BPM. Each of these would fit into so many sets…

2. Hafenstrasse (Original Mix) – Gorge & Nick Curly – Systematic. This baby is funky.

3. This Feeling (Steve Bug Remix) – Ribn – Mild Pitch. It’s probably no surprise that Steve Bug is cranking out some quality music.

4. Human League (Original Mix) – Sendos Fuera – Tokyo Red Recordings. I’m clearly hooked on this label. I haven’t gone back to count how many of their tracks have been featured in these posts, but looking at all the releases from Tokyo Red, I saw lots of familiar covers. Great track!

5. Quantum Physics (Original Mix) – Gavin Herlihy – Resopal Schallware. Ahh, Resopal Schallware. Just weird enough to walk the line between interesting and ridiculous.

6. Drama Society (Almodrama) – Drama Society, Vladislav Delay – Drama Society. This is the first release on Drama Society. Good start.

7. Deconstructed (Original Mix) – Alex & Filip – Mirabilis Records. Mirabilis is another label that continues to put out consistently good music. The latest from Alex & Filip is no exception. Deconstructed builds and builds and could destroy a dancefloor.

8. Get Up And Lie (Original Mix) – Brwn Shoes – My Little Dog. A track from My Little Dog almost made the list last week, but this week, Get Up and Lie was an easy choice.

9. Backroom (Original Mix) – Deepchild – Trapez. As if I needed another reason to love Trapez… Also, there’s a track on this release called Death Panel My Ass Ms Palin.

10. It is L8 (Original Mix) – LeRon & Yves Eaux – Little Mountain Recordings. Yep.

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Tags: Recommendations, Seth's Picks, Staff Picks, Top Ten
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Seth’s Picks of the Week – 13th of December 2009

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of Seth | 12/13/2009

1. We met at the Party (Original Mix) – Ricardo Tobar – Traum Schallplatten. I’ve found that with electronic music, the titles of songs rarely reflect the mood of the song. Honestly, I think most of them are arbitrarily chosen. I’m always pleased to find one that fits (especially when it’s a good song).

2. Cake (Sheehan & Clausen Sweet Chocolate Remix) – Matthew Burton – Elite Records. The congas/bongos have something weird going on here, and I like it.

3. Connection (Kiki’s Vinyl Remix) – AGF / Delay – BPitch Control. Kiki. Come on. This guy can’t put a foot wrong.

4. Tabla Rehab (Original) – Spoonkat – Urbansound Records. Big bass, big beats, and some fun bullhorn gibberish.

5. First Journey (Original Mix) – Lain Christoph – Sintope Digital. First Journey eases back into the pocket and grooves.

6. 61 Paths to Find ur Lover (Original Mix) – Till Von Sein - Dirt Crew Recordings. Despite the bastardization of the English language, I can’t help but like this song. I hope that when you find “ur” lover, he or she smacks you, you start typing “your” in emails and text messages, and you live happily ever after.

7. Cuidado Con El Perro (Original Mix) – Honeyeaters – Alma Soul Music. Ohh the bass. The way it rolls – it makes me think of Dragnet on acid.

8. Sabbat (Original Mix) – Flow – Beat Code. Wild indeed….

9. Russian Fisherman (Citzen Kain & Phuture Traxx Remix) – Irregular Synth & Drifting Beat – Panormus Music. Straight up sweet sweet techno.

10. Big City Abyss (Original Mix) – Thor De Force – Nublu Records. This is big brassy track but the melody isn’t lost.

Tags: Recommendations, Seth's Picks, Staff Picks, Top Ten
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EOTO Live at The Hideaway Saloon in Louisville, KY

Recommendations and Reviews | From the mind of johng | 12/09/2009

I know I have talked about EOTO a bunch on the Resonant Vibes blog but I wanted to once again share my thoughts about Michael Travis and Jason Hann’s performance two nights ago at The Hideaway Saloon in Louisville, KY. First of all I may have never in my life seen a venue more packed beyond capacity then The Hideaway Saloon was the other night. The bar is pretty much, as the name indicates, hidden away in an alley right off Bardstown Road which is the hip party street in Louisville. It has a very small stage, which is only elevated about a foot off the floor, situated directly to your right when you enter the door. The inside is laid out like an old shotgun house with a long bar lining the right hand side of the club’s back half and a dance floor that is probably no bigger than a king bed right up front near the stage. It goes without saying it is a very intimate place to see any performer! Talking to Michael Travis before the show he indicated it was ridiculously silly they were playing a show at this bar! Don’t get me wrong, I love the Hideaway and it was evident that EOTO does too! The place is just way too small for them these days, and as I suspected people came out in numbers, jam packing themselves like sardines into the club. There was such an overflow that even the steps through the alley were shoulder to shoulder crowded with late-night concert goers. Yet no one really seemed to be all that uncomfortable and the energy was just insane!
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On EOTO’s website it indicated the show was to start at 10pm, but in true late night concert fashion the guys did not take the stage till about 11:30-12am. I should also mention there is absolutely no type of back-stage area, so in order to even get to the stage both Michael and Jason had to traverse the sea of people and literally climb over their equipment before getting situated. For about 1.5 hours the guys played a crazy hot set of sheer 100% improvised electro & dub-step oriented tunes that melted some serious face! They literally did not stop for the entire set with each song bleeding into the next like a great DJ mix. By the end of the first set the venue had already turned into a messy sweat box and it felt amazing to step outside in the brisk December cold. One thing that I love about EOTO is the genuine appreciation they have for their fans and their ability to interact with them. As usual Jason was just hanging out in the crowd, right around the stage and was talking to anyone who came up to him. He is one nicest people you will ever meet. I have said it before and I’ll say it again, EOTO is not looking for fame or fortune. They simply want to make Electronic Dance Music their own way and put on a great party!
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