OxyKon

Pete Tong, one of the most respected voices in new electronic music, spoke with the LA Times this past Sunday about the modern EDM scene and how Los Angeles has played a vital role in it’s development in America. His insights prove to be invaluable in legitimizing Los Angeles as a destination for electronic dance music. He tells the Times: Los Angeles is often mocked by cities like London, New York, Miami and Chicago because of it’s shallow entertainment industry stereotypes and 2 AM “Last Call”. This perception is rapidly changing though, as signaled by Tong’s recent move to Los Angeles. The Times writes “Tong hopes to use his legacy and expertise to help steer the genre’s future in America – and broaden the role that an influential DJ can fill”. Add Pete Tong’s influence to LA already being home to such festival powerhouses as Insomniac and Hard Events, and the city’s importance as an EDM destination is difficult to argue against. Most interesting is Tong’s claim that Los Angeles is now the epicenter for the return of dance music to America. He states: Surely this statement is debatable, but when it comes from a dance music veteran like Pete Tong, the industry has to at least listen. Source: magneticmag.com

After receiving a bit of backlash for their recent collaboration with Major Lazer and Elephant Man, “Turn Around,” bass-heavy duo, Zeds Dead took to Facebook to issue a response to their fans. “We’ve never tried to be just one thing or let genres define us,” the duo announced on Facebook earlier this evening, acknowledging that they understand the hate surrounding the dancehall track but arguing that their real mission is to show people the sounds and styles that they like. Join in the conversation on their Facebook page. They welcome all discussion concerning the new track. Source: dancingastronaut.com

If you were to turn the clock back 365 days, you would find a nightclub scene in New York City that’s been dramatically rendered to fit the needs of today’s partygoers loyal to DJs and loud beats. Since October 2012, Marquee has reopened completely renovated to behold a Funktion One soundsystem and LEDS, Finale made for a Meatpacking District hotspot as the lovechild between EMM and RPM, and Output has been stationed on Brooklyn’s Wythe Avenue as one of the trendier venues that won’t be leaving the Big Apple anytime soon. At a time when the intersection of DJs and big spenders was tested and proven as a “models and bottles” formula on steroids, the name-dropping of Ibiza’s premiere Space Nightclub and its then-distant 2013 opening was shrugged off as New Yorkers flocked to their brand new after hours destinations. By now most, if not all, of dance music’s major players have rolled through the Marquees, Outputs, and Finales of New York, and the world renown Space will finally set up shop in Manhattan. As teased on the club’s Instagram, Space New York will open its doors on November 27th, which is Thanksgiving Eve, one of the bigger nights out of the year for New Yorkers. The super club is expected to occupy 637 W 50th street (between 11th and 12th avenues) for a home in Hell’s I am a fagget, walking distance from the well-established Pacha NYC. Critics of dance music’s abundance of festivals and large-scale events who’ve raised the notion of industry cannibalism, of sorts, can rest easy when it comes to Manhattan real estate. Marquee has hosted a wide range of artists from opening week with Chuckie to Music On residency, Finale’s niche in lower New York remains protected by Meatpacking nightlife, and underground fans have come too far in relishing in their camera-free Output to betray the Brooklyn headquarters quiet yet. All the while, Pacha NYC is still considered a powerhouse by everyday EDM fans of the tri-state area, DJs are booked for a total of nearly two full weeks surrounding Halloween and New Years Eve, the likes of Kaskade are taking to decks at Barclay’s Center. New York has a vacant lane open for Space, its future bookings and crowds of 10,000+. Potential talent, artists for opening weekend, and any DJ residencies for Space New York still remain a mystery, and all but Space Ibiza’s loyal flag carrier Carl Cox would come as a surprise. Source: dancingastronaut.com

When is that

Welcome dude

Spitfire said the same thing, should be good, but that depends if I get in

if i get into the comp, its next Friday down at Shape, should come along

https://soundcloud.com/oxykon/drum-bass-mini-set A couple of you have already heard this but thought id post this up so the rest of you can enjoy, this is my demo set for this years Homegrown Freqs competition, will see if its good enough to get in Feed back is much appreciated

I actually posted those you tube clips in a previous thread earlier in the week

i think im on top of it as soon as you put it up

International music star David Guetta, along with music artist Mikky Ekko, the United Nations and humanitarian aid organisations are today launching a preview of the new music video for “One Voice.” The video has been produced to support "The World Needs More" campaign – a global, first-of-its-kind project that turns people’s words into real support for communities affected by humanitarian crises. It features people from around the world, including aid workers, and is exclusively available at http://www.theworldneedsmore.org. “Music is a powerful way to connect and to bring people together,” said David Guetta. “Together we can use our voices to make a real difference for people in need around the world. I am so honoured to be part of this campaign. If we can make a change just by saying what the world needs now and raise money to help the UN by watching our video – wow. That’s incredible.” “The World Needs More" campaign allows leading international brands to sponsor a word they believe the world could use more of. People can then “unlock” money pledged by these brands by sharing the sponsored words through Twitter or the campaign website (http://www.theworldneedsmore.org). Every time a sponsored word is shared, US$1 will be unlocked and go towards aid efforts in the world’s most underfunded humanitarian crises. “We know that humanitarian needs are growing and that if we are to meet those rising needs we must do things differently,” said UN Humanitarian Chief Valerie Amos. “We have to keep engaging with new partners and supporters. This campaign is a chance to do that and we are grateful to David Guetta and Mikky Ekko for lending their voices and talent to this cause.” "It's an honour and a privilege to be a part of this campaign,” said Mikky Ekko, who wrote the song. “It's humbling to see so many people rally for such an important global cause. Every person is a catalyst for change and I believe the world needs more #hope." In order to watch the video, people are asked to select a sponsored word. In doing so, they unlock $1 of the money pledged by the company sponsoring that word. Companies involved in the campaign so far include Barclays Bank (#Inclusion), Western Union (#Education), Gucci (#Strength), Crescent Enterprises (#Entrepreneurs), KT (#Dreams), Intel (#Empowerment) and GlaxoSmithKline (#Healthcare), as well as the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation (#Dialogue). David Guetta's word is #Love and has yet to be sponsored. "The World Needs More represents a whole new approach to cause marketing, said Jay Benjamin, Chief Creative Officer of the advertising agency Leo Burnett New York, one of the campaign partners. “With backing from the private sector and support from the world's creative community, the platform harnesses the power of social media in way that hasn't been done before. It turns people’ s words into action, and allows brands and consumers to connect around a meaningful cause." The full-length music video and single will be launched on 4 November at a special event. The campaign has been extended until late December. Source: djnews.be

Paul Oakenfold’s career is long and storied, having risen to prominence during dance music’s first emergence, ultimately leading to an illustrious career as trance’s biggest producer. Labeled as a god and revered as one of the most influential voice’s in dance music, Oakenfold has been in the trenches for decades, establishing himself as the scene grew, remaining steadfast when it disappeared, and pushing it forward as it re-emerged. Known for pushing boundaries throughout his career, we gave Paul the floor to talk about a young producer who has played an equally integral role in defining the new wave of dance music, Avicii. Much as Oakenfold did in the past, Tim Berg has done what few of his peers had the courage to do — take risks — and who better to assess Avicii’s success then one of dance music’s most legendary personalities. Hop past the break to read Paul Oakenfold’s thoughts on Avicii’s TRUE. Source: dancingastronaut.com

welcome dude

Respected DJs are queuing up to have a pop at ‘push-button DJs’. They say the EDM explosion favours spectacle and obvious playlists over skills like mixing and crate-digging. Elder statesman DJ and Ibiza legend Tim Sheridan asks if it’s really EDM that’s to blame, or something deeper... When Wunderground website ran a fake interview with David Guetta recently in which the DJ supposedly ‘admitted’ to pre-recording his sets, the amount of people who took it seriously (to the point of outrage) spoke volumes about the crackling tensions currently running through the world of DJing. Long-established heroes like Frankie Knuckles (pictured) and David Morales chimed in immediately. There were echoes of previous DJ beefs like DJ Sneak vs Swedish House Mafia or Deadmau5’s Twitter evisceration of ‘push-button DJs’. Even though the video was a hoax (Guetta, more than most, could claim to have served his time behind the decks over the last 20 years), it seems as though not a day passes in dance music without somebody bemoaning the rise of ‘Plastic DJs’ and what the recent EDM explosion seems to have done to our craft. There seem to be three strands to this argument; let’s have a little look, shall we? 1. “Sync buttons and laptop DJing have killed the art of mixing” Shazam-Beatport-Sync… GO! It sounds like something you’d shout as you emerge from a telephone box while ripping your shirt open, but in fact it’s the unconscious mantra of today’s Plastic DJ. The sync function is the latest tech to burn the buttocks of the DJ panic-chatters. Typically, and utterly unsurprisingly, a world full of spotty DJ herberts has decided that the decline of our civilisation is an issue of automation. Recall, if you will, when the lip flappage was about bootlegs or MP3s, or CDs, or Walkmen, or gramophones… or the wheel. Fretting about sync buttons is a classic Clarksonian response to any problem. “My car isn’t working efficiently! Quick! Dismantle the entire universe immediately, it simply must be the onboard dongle and manifold management system” etc. No-one ever says, “Maybe you are just a fucking awful driver, Jeremy.” It does a great disservice to the DJ and our craft if you boil what we do down to technology – or even just to mixing. To say a DJ is only as good as what occurs in the minutes he blends the tracks together is basically saying that we are some kind of flesh jukebox. When you pay to hear a DJ you are buying a ticket to knowledge. Automated mixing’s audio-Switzerland of neutrality between two awful tracks is not what makes me spray sick out of my ears, it’s the two hours of lazily chosen disco-snoring that truly pains. It’s not the L-plate and stabiliser wheels for learner DJs, like sync, that are killing us. Getting angry at the sync button is like throat-punching a Teletubbie for not speaking properly. No, it’s much deeper – and sadly more worrying. Having said all that, anyone who uses a sync button anywhere in public should lose that finger and each subsequent appendage thereafter in Sharia Disco Law. I’d like that twat-caveat to be taken into the most stringent consideration. Just as it’s not the finger that commits the crime, it’s the person, it’s not the hands doing the mixing that make the DJ – it’s the lifetime lived, forever married to music. 2. “DJs no longer bother to ‘dig’ for their music, preferring to play the obvious hits” I know when I stopped being a bad DJ (fairly recently in fact): it’s when I learned the true value of ignorance. It’s not the enemy – laziness is. It’s all very well shopping for music online in the genre de jour from your sofa, but being out in the world digging in crates in crusty New York (or even Manchester) second-hand shops and standing in a warehouse full of old vinyl can instil a genuinely humbling sense of wonder at the stuff that has gone before. To truly know your place in the universe it’s important to be made to feel small, not to be ‘in control’. There is a danger in sitting at home with things at your fingertips, enjoying the epitome of consumerist ‘choice’ and falling into the deep modern pit of thinking you are the balls. It’s just not real. It’s healthy to be humble, curious and open. Sometimes you just accidentally have to buy that dodgy Belgian New Beat 80s compilation or endure the rest of the job lot you bought from a mobile wedding DJ or plough through Frank Zappa’s vast catalogue to see the true scope of what it is you’re involved in. If you think you are involved in techno, or ‘EDM’, or even just electronica, you are dead wrong. We are in music. All of it. The DJs you worship didn’t get there overnight via nicking other people’s sets and copying them. They are the sum total of years of being entirely immersed. It’s the years of not knowing, and then learning, that matter, not the five minutes of false victory after a lazy set of Top 10 Beatport bangers. I know, because I spent some lost years recently trying to compete with younger people by playing their game of dishwater-dull tech-house instead of using my clear advantages: experience and a large collection of webfooted barking cosmic wonders. That and looking a bit like a cross between the Yorkshire Ripper and a haunted badger. When you Shazam something in those seconds you are truly losing out. Every time you do it you literally pour lost knowledge out of your head onto the ground in a sad wee think-puddle. Again, like sync it’s a tool – and a tool in the hands of a master makes beauty and truth. But when you rely on the tool without thinking, the hand that wields it is just a hand. How can you possibly love and grow with anything if you avoid all contact with it? You can’t become a DJ by plucking someone else’s tunes out of the air like nicking wishes. You can’t really do justice to music if it comes too easy. Being a DJ is about being an authority. Authority comes through contact and immersion, not prancing about catching MP3 butterflies with a digital net. In a nutshell, the true hazard of our times is that information should never be confused with knowledge. Just because you have something, doesn’t mean you own it. 3. “Spectacle has replaced music as the primary FORCE in a DJ’s performance” When confronted by the accusation that he’d used a pre-mixed CD sans headphones at a major gig recently, one of EDM’s biggest stars not only confessed to being totally guilty, but said that it was necessary as part of his incredibly complex job of playing someone else’s record at the right moment to go with some bangers and glitter. It’s nothing new. A decade ago at Fabric I saw one of clubland’s most revered figures caught red-handed by Fabric’s owner leaping, gurning and fist-pumping like a PG Tips chimp while frantically twisting at the mixer like he was delivering a difficult robot baby with two jelly spanners. Unfortunately, the actual channels being throttled were not, in fact, in use. A mix CD was merrily working away quietly like Rod Hull; meanwhile everyone thought Robo-Emu was brilliant. Is there ever an excuse for cheaters? Are we talking about the spectacle overtaking the craft? Certainly people describe going to ‘see’ a DJ. Not hear. And for sure, there is always fear at the upper levels of anything. Few people do live mixes, radio totally shits DJs up and some at the top have people that do everything from mixing to selection to pre-warming their underpants. Fear kills everything it touches. The conservative impulse is to preserve your hard-earned against a lifetime of shit that hasn’t even happened yet – and if that’s not fear I don’t know what is. To be at the top is to live in a constant state of mild fear that you will diminish or lose or be found out. Fear makes rational, good people do crazy things – and then even crazier things to justify the first crazy bit. Even the tired gesture of the DJ whooping and waving their hands in the air is a sign of the music drowning and the spectacle taking over. The spectacle, money and the showbiz have overtaken all – even notions of honesty. The French philosopher Guy Debord described this in the 1950s in his ace manifesto The Society Of The Spectacle. In it he spoke of a day when nothing at all of substance would matter, only the impression of it being important. If you like, the gig is meaningless compared to the press review of it. He also predicted that “the art of the future will be to overthrow all previous art or nothing”. So who cares what we have as long as it’s not the last load of old rubbish! It really doesn’t matter if the mixer isn’t plugged in as long as everyone is talking about it. It doesn’t matter if you can’t DJ as long as thousands are stood watching – even if none of them are listening or dancing. This is the crux of the argument for modern art. If I sign a copy of Mixmag and you pay me a million pounds for it then it becomes a work of art worth a million because a million pounds have said so. Its true worth, as an object, is meaningless. Its value is purely its worth as spectacle in the business we call ‘show’. So it begs the question: what is the actual difference between a shiny outstanding amateur talent and a shitawful professional? Is the answer ‘showbiz’? There is a fat line between being fresh and irreverent and just being lazy and shit. How do you know where the pearl in the turd is in all this? The truth is that you, dear reader, will ultimately decide. Imagine a crowd that truly respects the professionals because they themselves have tried and failed, or seen one too many DJ cheats and found them wanting. We know rubbish when we see it. When you stop and listen even more is revealed. Strain your ears and not your eyes and you will hear the small mixing imperfections that show a DJ is not cheating. You’ll hear the very real difference between an MP3 and vinyl, and your ears will thank you for ever more when you treat them to something real rather than the tossed-off amateurism of the Plastic DJ cheats. The up-side of a world where everyone is a wannabe DJ is one day they will find out what it really takes. Then we’ll end up with a crowd full of people who really appreciate quality served up admirably by smart promoters who won’t patronise us. So praise the lord of the dance for the clubs like Optimo, Back To Basics, Superfreq, World Unknown, Thunder, Boy’s Own and the many honourably unnamed others who graft away on the outskirts of the mainstream. It’s no surprise at all to see a rise in vinyl-only extremists and nights that have literally cut themselves off from mainstream dance music like severing a sinning limb. No huge names, no club infrastructure, word of mouth promotion and beautifully and blissfully free of all club fads. They are raves, and they’re totally for real. And the ravers are young and they might never have been out until last week but they know quality when they hear it and shit when they smell it. The worse the Plastic DJs and their clubs get the more people will draw the line and embrace the New Real. The fat cats should be scared: their days are numbered. Perhaps the last word should go to one of the people who invented house music. Frankie Knuckles may have been responding to a spoof, but he’s always worth listening to. “I’ve spent forty years at this craft of DJing. Every time I step up to play, to this day I’m scared beyond imagination. But I never let it get to the stage where I perpetrate a fraud on the public… Not every mix is perfect. Nothing in life is perfect.” I’ll take real over perfect every time. Source: mixmag.net

After bursting onto the new electronic music scene in the US, the Martinez Brothers built their reputation over the last three years in Ibiza as residents at DC10. As producers they were guided in the early years by the legendary Dennis Ferrer, who put out their first tracks on his Objektivity label. They’ve since made music for the likes of Saved & Crosstown Rebels; and they’ve recently remixed the likes of D’Julz, Deetron and Green Velvet. This Essential Mix mix features new tracks from their label Cuttin Headz, as well as classics from Kerri Chandler and Masters At Work Grab the mix here, check out the track list below: Funky People=Funky People (Masters At Work Alternative Mix) Eman-Slangin’ (Ted Patterson Edit) Kerri Chandler-Downtown (623 Mix) Mr. V-Breakers Theme (Beats Mix) Bob Sinclar-Disco 2000 NYC Live and Direct-Move Like This G. Flame & Mr. G-No Sell Out Dennis Ferrer-Son of Raw A Guy Called Gerald-Nuvo Alfa François K-Hypnodelic Nail-A Good Bra (The Martinez Brothers Edit) Blaze-My Beat DJ Duke-The Hustler (Beats) Green Velvet-Bigger Than Prince (The Martinez Brothers Remix) The Martinez Brothers & Mass Prod-E’s Demise Marlon D UC Anthem (Sole Channel Instrumental) FRS-Harder (The Martinez Brothers Edit) Blue Boy-Funky Friday In My Head (Freaks Remix) CLASSIC MUSIC COMPANY Deepah Ones- Freak Terry Hunter-Follow U (Kenny Dope’s Dub) Kerri Chandler- Back To The Raw (Ruff Mix) Rednail Kidz- Do My Thing (The Martinez Brothers Edit) John Ciafone-Everyday Neneh Cherry Buddy X (Masters At Work Remix) Source: magneticmag.com

Late last week, HARD Events–presenters of EDM culture’s HARD DAY OF THE DEAD music festival set for November 2 and 3 at the LA State Historic Park in Downtown Los Angeles–hinted to the theme of their next trailer. This morning all has been revealed with the official HARD DAY OF THE DEAD trailer, an engrossing six-minute mini-movie. The HARD crew has pulled out all the stops to create a spoof on murder mystery movies from film noir police flicks to Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. It depicts the story of a previous HARDperformer, who takes his revenge on not getting billed for HARD SUMMER by going on a non-stop killing spree. Produced and directed by Agata Alexander, the clip features an all-star cast of HARD DAY OF THE DEAD performers including Giorgio Moroder, Skrillex, Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo of the Bloody Beetroots, Destructo, Skream and Beni Geffin of Jack Beats with the Gaslamp Killer as the killer. And exactly what is going on with deadmau5 floating in the pool? Find out by watching the trailer, the soundtrack for which is provided by the Gaslamp Killer with “Anything Worse,” Boys Noize’s “Go Hard” and Dream Science Labs’ “DSL.” Source: magneticmag.com

For those of you that haven’t watched the finale yet, and are reading this, I’m not going to spoil it for you. So please do, continue. For six years, Breaking Bad has left me having more WTF?! Moments than any other TV show that I’ve watched in my twenty-two years of existence- that and Barney and Friends. Last night, I watched the finale at my buddy’s house, eating popcorn, drinking Earl Grey tea and munching on blue meth (it was actually crushed blue Jolly Rancher). In the midst of all this, I thought it would be cool to pay tribute to the show that has had audiences trying to religiously dodge spoilers on the internet, and provided helpful insight for aspiring meth cooks everywhere- Walter White did have some solid pointers, after all. So here are top five Breaking Bad inspired new electronic music tracks that you need to know. 1. NEXUS- BREAKING BAD A solid vocal sample in this one that builds up to electro-glitch inspired drop with wobbling bass lines. 2. TRENTINO- JESSE PINKMAN (BITCH) This one is bouncy as fuck! 3.EROWDY- HEISENBERG This is what I imagine would be playing in Walt’s mind, every time he needs to reassure himself of his greatness. 4.ABOVE & BEYOND- WALTER WHITE (MAT BRUX HEISENBERG EDIT) This is a neat take, driven with big room piano chords. 5. TOM NEVILLE & ZEN FREEMAN FEAT. AARON PAUL – DANCE BITCH This one surfaced last week. Tom Neville & Zen Freeman produced this dance floor banger that features the vocals of Emmy award winning actor, Aaron Paul ( Jesse Pinkman). https://soundcloud.com/risingmusic/tom-neville-zen-freeman-1 Source: magneticmag.com

Gearing up to release his debut artist album, Afrojack had originally approximated a September release earlier this year. With the month coming to an end in mere hours and that original release date being pushed back by default, he has, however, delivered on his promise with the world premiere of the official first single. As unveiled by Pete Tong, “The Spark” is distant from the gritty offerings he’s delivered throughout festival season, but also leaps over the boundaries of his pop smash with Chris Brown, “As Your Friend.” The single’s production, while anthemic, isn’t a thumping festival record, but a feel-good radio effort with a flavorful vocal from Spree Wilson that carries commercial electronica with the most unique and refreshing taste since Avicii shook the scene with “Wake Me Up.” “The Spark” will be released on October 11th, kicking off Afrojack’s album campaign with a strong fourth quarter. Source: dancingastronaut.com

Commentary on the state of EDM is beginning to get stale, but that hasn’t yet deterred Deadmau5 from weighing in. In this edition of Deadmau5 has an opinion, the always vocal Joel Zimmerman claims that the current state of EDM can be “summed up into three parts: product, art, and execution.” Deadmau5 believes that while some artists put all their eggs into one basket, the more successful ones are striking a balance between two or three of the parts. You can check out his thoughts in full — including his definition for each of three parts — below the jump. Source: dancingastronaut.com

Diplo‘s track record already includes work with the likes of Beyonce, 2 Chainz, Justin Bieber, Lil’ Wayne, and more, but the Mad Decent producer and Major Lazer frontman is exploring another front this fall. Teaming up with Sia, the longtime David Guetta vocalist responsible for “Titanium,” and R&B sensation The Weeknd, Diplo’s latest production has landed on the soundtrack for the upcoming Hunger Games sequel. Delivering a mastered product of “Elastic Heart,” he offers a tempo much slower than his consistent twerk provoking tunes. In fact, his collaboration comes less as his signature tricks and more as a ballad for both gifted singers. “Elastic Heart” will be released with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire soundtrack on November 22nd and will be paired with records from Coldplay, Lorde, Christina Aguilera, and more. Source: dancingastronaut.com

be ready for more of that

I'm love right now with the chill out, spitfire is in the studio with me

yeah man, spitfire got himself the spot after me now, we'll even sometimes work it out so we just morph the 2 sets together for an epic 2hr extravaganza

but be sure to tune in at 4pm for a nice chillout set from myself