Hi there folks, I’m not quite sure about how many of you recognize my name, THENINJAASSASSINATOROFDOOM – but I’m the owner of the former blog “Gobananaz!” which made up quite a stir. The blog is gone now, but if any of my ex-readers are hanging here, this is a holla to you guys.
I’m back here at HMWL to once in a while post about some of the stuff that I like! As you know, HMWL is a 100% legal blog which renders me unable to run things the same way I formerly did, but I’ll try to do it the best I can
Let’s do this then. I’m pretty keen to introduce the latest installment of a label that has released very uninteresting things for the last ten or so releases (with the exception of the Pan-Pot – Confronted EP). Regardless of what your attitude towards Mobilee is today, this latest release by Dan Curtin triggered me in a positive way. Some hardcore fans might hate on the Madskillz remix, but I find it appealing since it somehow differs from the regular dutch sound that Anton Pieete and the whole 2000 and one gang has been doing lately. The release is a teaser for the upcoming Dan Curtin album that is due to come out soon, whether or not to be excited? That is the question. Since the “Others” release on mobilee last year I haven’t been to excited by Dan’s work, but this just might change things.
Lets move on to what I’ve been listening to while I was writing this: a live set by Swedish “Sasse” in Sydney, Australia. This is a pretty melodic yourney for those of you who enjoy it.
With this redundantly large image I would like to introduce D-Nox. Yes, folks, it is him. The Man, The Myth, The king of progressive house! This guy’s been around forever, and with his own two hands (often plus Beckers’ two) influenced the house scene dramatically, by almost literally spraying beautifully deep and well-produced tracks all over us. And we love it. This chap has been spinning records since 1992, and owns and administrates Sprout Records and the sub-label Plastik Park. Alongside he’s constantly touring the world, playing on all continents (incl. Antarctica). Lucky for us, he had some spare time, which he spent on a couple of Swedish bloggers. Lovely!
HMWL: First of all, congratulations to you for the dominant position you’ve put yourself in, in the progressive house scene. Also, you’ve released tracks on practically all the most prominent progressive house labels in the world. How did you do it? What is driving you? D-Nox: Thanks for your kind words. Well, I don’t think that far but I appreciate all of the amazing feedback from all around the world.What drives me is my love to electronic music. I am infected with that virus since my first techno party in 1991. I love the energy and the suprising moments of this music. That I can’t find in any other music. I was DJing before I discovered electronic music, it was a logical consequence for me to continue DJing electronic music. But in same point I wanted to get out of my local dj position and this is when I decided to produce music. In Beckers I found the perfect partner. We’ve been writing music since 2004, and again, all what happened since then was never really planned. It just happened.
HMWL: Please guide us through the general workflow of making a track. What gear do you use? D-Nox: There is no general workflow. We work on the groove first. Kick, hats, claps, snares. Then we get into the sounds, like bassline, hooklines. We look for samples which we think makes the track different, and in the end when we have all together, I arrange the basic structure of the track: intro, main part with break or no break and outro. After that we work on modulations, effects and all the details, and after that we mix and master. We work with Cubase and Ableton, plus tons of plug-ins and mastering tools. We have outboard gear but we don’t use it often. It depends on mood and situation.
HMWL: You team up a lot with Beckers when producing and DJ:ing, how did you guys meet? D-Nox: I always work with him. We met about 10 years ago. We became friends and the producing part came later.
HMWL: You have played in, more or less, every country on the planet. Do you have any favorite club or country? Any on your wish list? Unfortunately, I haven’t made it to all the 220 countries in this world but I have seen a lot, yes. I have been on every continent and I have seen some amazing places. I love South America and also Mexico. Australia is amazing. Israel too. There are so many wonderful parties everywhere. Not all of them are good but I am lucky to have played at many great parties and places. On my wishlist are countries like Costa Rica, Guatemala, New Zealand or Indonesia
HMWL: Name your best 5 tracks ever; tracks that has inspired you, been played on constant repeat, or just flipped a dance floor upside down. D-Nox:
01. Vapour space – Gravitational arch of 10
05. and at least 5000 other monster tracks which have done a lot to me
06. Beckers – Switch (because it was something like a breakthrough for me and Beckers)
HMWL: What’s next in 2010 for D-Nox? After lots of traveling, I wanna go back to the studio in March. Again I will be traveling a lot. My schedule is already fully booked. Also, there is the soccer worldcup in 2010.
People this weekend we in Sweden’s southern region will get a nice visit from DrumcodesNihad Tule on the phenomenal Club Frekvens in Lund, on Saturday 6 March.
Nihad Tule has around ten major drops to look back at, and the world’s elite DJs frequently play his tracks.
Today we bring you you the song Chess that sends Ritchie Hawtin himself stagediving
Alf Tumble is “that Swedish dude” known to produce soulful grooves of such funky calibre that would make Stevie Wonder himself go break-dancing. As one half of the SUMO duo, he’s been deliviering funky, soulful, afro-latin tracks by the dozen since early 1999. Sumo steadily evolved into Bangana, that strips down the music to the essential parts, cutting out all the vocal involvment and rather introducing dark drums and comsic synthesisiers.
Alf just droped us a “back to the deepest roots” re-rub of a disco tune by Tanita Tikaram. Pure ear candy remake of another forever classic. Big up!
Tanita Tikaram – Twist In My Sobriety (Alf Tumble Re-Dress)
The remix is here to celebrate Alf being off alchohol and coffee for three weeks. I wish him all the luck, but bet my whole 12″ collection he won’t last until end of april (Swedish Valborg
Snake Sedrick is a busy and very experienced man! He’s been producing top notch progressive house in his studio in Hungary since the age of fast tracker (good times!), as well as running both both record labels Tilth Music and Tilth Music Limited and the DJ booking agency Tilth DJ Agency which rosters Add2basket and Jay Lumen among others. Luckily, HMWL got a chance to talk both music and business with the good man, over a cup of coffee (i.e. Jonas was drinking coffee while mailing).
HMWL: You produce some of the most captivating progressive grooves available, gorgeously moody and thick. How do you do it?
Snake Sedrick: Well, its really nice to hear. Glad you like it! But tell you the truth, i am trying to change my style. I did progressive house for long long years, but the last 1.5 -2 years is different. I turning more to Tech house, i try to follow the trends a little bit. I have a big secret, i started another project beside „Snake Sedrick” but i cant tell you, what is the name of this project, maybe later. But its already really successful!
HMWL: How and when did you start making progressive house music?
Snake: Ugh, i started 14 years before. Around 1995-96. First i just simple listened and love this music, later i get a computer from my Daddy, and i started to produce music. It was a hard period of my life because there wasnt so great softwares like these days… These days much easier to make quality music like 10-14 years before.
HMWL: You are one of the main braines of the successful Tilth Music (both a record label and DJ’s agency), which rosters a lot of greatness. Could you tell us a bit about that? How did you start with the administrative side in house music?
Snake: Of course. Tilth Music and Tilth Music limited are my labels. Tilth Music is mostly for progressive and melodic sound, but it changed a bit now. Tilth Music limited is for tech house, and groovie stuff. I am focusing more now on Tilth Music limited, a lot great music will come out this year. Tilth dj’s agency is another thing. Its our management for bookings. I am one of the artists beside Jay Lumen & Add 2 Basket, and Peter is our agent actually. We had a lot of bookings in the past 2 years. I played 13 countries in 2 years. But we can make it better and better.
HMWL: I’ve heard great stuff about the scene in Hungary, but never had the chance to go there myself. I’m curious, could you tell us a bit about the progressive house scene in Hungary?
Snake: Well, its sad to tell but its not that strong actually. The economic crisis is strong here… and sadly it killed some good clubs and events. Of course we still have nice places for underground music but not that much. Hungary is a really small country, we have 7-8 big clubs and lot of small clubs too. We have big festivals in the summer, what are really crowded, people come from abroad to visit these festivals. We have some nice website for the underground music which is great thing! They make articles, interveiws, and share mixes… its very important!
HMWL: Name your top 5 tracks at the moment.
Snake: Its hard to say J Let me tell you some of my favourite artists, Coyu, Edu Imbernon, Vick Echo, Jay Lumen, Ramon Tapia, Oliver Klein, Nikitin & Semikashev ect ect.
HMWL: When playing in a club, do you prefer to play a live or a DJ set?
Actually i play on cdj’s. But i think ableton set is much interesting and there is lot of more function to make a set more interesting. Shortly i will play live too.
HMWL: Any wise words for all house youngsters out there?
Snake: The quality is much important like the quantity!
HMWL: Thanks a lot! Been a pleasure!
Snake: Thanks too
Snake was also kind enough to share a brilliant and absolutely stunning tech house set with us. Enjoy!
Ben Watt and Tracey Thorn are best known by the group name Everything But The Girl. The duo was producing experimental jazzy electronica until the huge breakthrough in 1994. The 1994 album Almplified Heart sailed off to the top of the charts mainly thanks to the hit single Missing. The Tod Terry’s club remix is a pure nostalgic trip for anyone who was part of the electronic scene back in the mid-nineties.
Today, 16 years later, we are still receiving Missing bootlegs.
Here is a fresh one by Australian Team Wing. Cool guitar interpretation, the only thing I don’t quite get is that damn horn during the last few minutes.
Vocals by lovely Tracey Thorn who will be releasing a new solo album “Love and its opposite” on Ben Watt’s own Strange Feeling Records May the 17th. I’m looking forward already.
The new Freerange release features a remix from hot topic Massimo Di Lena. With this track and a new one on the latest “Love letters from Oslo” comp. this guy is on fire. Not to mention his widly charted ibiza hit Delirious featuring vocals from Eddie Murphy’s Delirious. Plenty support for this sweaty number!
These two guys were one of the reasons that I started listening to House, we all remember Ibiza classic “Side A or Love Story” which took our hearts by storm. And also rocked onto the commercial track lists all over the world.
Layo and Matthew has since released a series of songs. But unfortunately not received the same response on its release. It does not mean that they have made bad music of these guys are cruel and know what they are doing.
Here, in collaboration with Nic Fanciulli, we have a proof of their worth.
Guy J is one of those magic artists, who has no upper limit on the impact and production quality of their tracks. They are very few, and Guy J is most certainly one of them. The demand of his productions has increased exponentially over time; after releasing a string of killer singles, Guy J released his first full-lengther ‘Esperanza’ on John Digweed’s legendary Bedrock Records in 2008, which took the progressive house, and techno, communities with storm. Not strange, as ‘Esperanza’ has an absolutely stunningly beautiful and warm sound, yet powerful, and new details is discovered each time you listen. The tracks thus please both a dancefloor crowd, as well as a couch listener. Guy J is currently touring the world. HMWL met up with him electronically a week ago.
HMWL: You have a very warm and unique sound, with an aura of freshness. How was your sound developed?
Guy J: I started producing very early and it took me time to find my sound, I’m still developing it . I used to do in the beginning lots and lots of trax with totaly different sound and by time it all went to one direction.
HMWL: When performing in a club, would you prefer DJ:ing or doing a live set? Any magic tricks up your sleeve when performing?
Guy J: I play mostly with Ableton it’s not a live set yet , it’s on the border of calling it a live set. I enjoy both sometimes I miss cd’s. It’s not like playing with Vinyls but have different feeling from using a computer.
HMWL: You’re in the roster of the legendary Bedrock record label. How do you feel about releasing your first full-length album there?
Guy J: It was big achievement for me to have my album in Bedrock Records. It’s a label that I used to admire for a long time and to have my name there between some great artists it’s a magic.
HMWL: You?ve spun the world?what has been the best club you?ve played at ever?
Guy J: There is a lot of great clubs but ill pick one is “Pacha” Buenos aires , can’t wait to go back.
HMWL: What is next for Guy J in 2010?
Guy J: My second album for Bedrock is in progress , and finished some remixes for Jori Hulkkonen , for Sahar Z & GuyMantzur and for Faith Rec., all should come out very soon
