Maceo Plex’s DJ-Kicks is out this week. Grab a free track, see tour dates, and order the album at http://www.dj-kicks.com/maceoplex

Beatport will have a single featuring both “Galactic Cinema” and another DJ-Kicks exclusive track “Mind on Fire” on April 15th. The full DJ-Kicks mix comes out April 29th/30th.

]]> http://www.dj-kicks.com/maya-jane-coles-wins-again-at-wmc/feed/ 0 http://www.dj-kicks.com/maceo-plex-mixes-first-dj-kicks-of-2013/ http://www.dj-kicks.com/maceo-plex-mixes-first-dj-kicks-of-2013/#comments Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:17:02 +0000 Stephen http://www.dj-kicks.com/?p=1775 With 2012 ranking as one of the most fertile years so far in DJ-Kicks history, we're eager to get started with what is already looking like another packed year for the series. We're pleased to announce that Maceo Plex is taking the reins for a fantastic mix, due at the end of April. Maceo's mix aims to highlight the sounds that he believes represent the future of electronic music. To do so, he's dug deep in his vinyl collection for an impeccable selection of tracks with a timeless sound, spanning the last 20 years of dance music, none of which are currently available digitally outside of the DJ-Kicks mix. Many of the tracks appear as exclusive edits by Maceo himself, adding to the overall freshness of the mix. DJ-Kicks will be released April 29th (April 30th in the US) on CD, 2xLP (w/ CD included), and digital download. For full release info (and audio coming soon), keep an eye on http://www.dj-kicks.com/maceoplex. Track list: 1. Monsters From ID / Spatial Lobe 2. Voice Stealer / Evaluation 3. Stingray313 / Defect 4. Mathias Schaffhäuser / Nice To Meet You (Maceo Plex Remix) 5. TV Baby / New York Is Alright (Black Spun Minimal Dub) 6. Maceo Plex & Mark O'Sullivan / When It All Comes To This 7. Lab Insect aka Nomenklatür / Oh Happy Day (Maceo Plex Edit) 8. Kimbu Kimra / Raise The Dead (Love From San Francisco Dub) 9. Mattski / Escapism (Maceo Plex Conversation Remix) 10. Eric Volta / Rez-Shifter (Maceo Plex Remix) 11. Visnadi / Racing Tracks (Indianapolis Drive Mix / Maceo Plex Edit) 12. Maceo Plex / Galactic Cinema (DJ-Kicks) 13. Move D / Sandmann (Maetrik Treatment) 14. Zeta Reticula & Freaks / Creep (Maetrik Fusion Edit) 15. Jaydee / Payback (Maceo Plex Remix) 16. S.A.M. / Nangijala (Maceo Plex Reggae Edit) 17. Turner / Multiorgel (Schneider TM Mix) 18. Maceo Plex / Mind On Fire Read more... →]]>

With 2012 ranking as one of the most fertile years so far in DJ-Kicks history, we’re eager to get started with what is already looking like another packed year for the series. We’re pleased to announce that Maceo Plex is taking the reins for a fantastic mix, due at the end of April.

Maceo’s mix aims to highlight the sounds that he believes represent the future of electronic music. To do so, he’s dug deep in his vinyl collection for an impeccable selection of tracks with a timeless sound, spanning the last 20 years of dance music, none of which are currently available digitally outside of the DJ-Kicks mix. Many of the tracks appear as exclusive edits by Maceo himself, adding to the overall freshness of the mix.

DJ-Kicks will be released April 29th (April 30th in the US) on CD, 2xLP (w/ CD included), and digital download. For full release info (and audio coming soon), keep an eye on http://www.dj-kicks.com/maceoplex.

Track list:

1. Monsters From ID / Spatial Lobe
2. Voice Stealer / Evaluation
3. Stingray313 / Defect
4. Mathias Schaffhäuser / Nice To Meet You (Maceo Plex Remix)
5. TV Baby  / New York Is Alright (Black Spun Minimal Dub)
6. Maceo Plex & Mark O’Sullivan / When It All Comes To This
7. Lab Insect aka Nomenklatür / Oh Happy Day (Maceo Plex Edit)
8. Kimbu Kimra / Raise The Dead (Love From San Francisco Dub)
9. Mattski / Escapism (Maceo Plex Conversation Remix)
10. Eric Volta / Rez-Shifter (Maceo Plex Remix)
11. Visnadi / Racing Tracks (Indianapolis Drive Mix / Maceo Plex Edit)
12. Maceo Plex / Galactic Cinema (DJ-Kicks)
13. Move D / Sandmann (Maetrik Treatment)
14. Zeta Reticula & Freaks / Creep (Maetrik Fusion Edit)
15. Jaydee / Payback (Maceo Plex Remix)
16. S.A.M. / Nangijala (Maceo Plex Reggae Edit)
17. Turner / Multiorgel (Schneider TM Mix)
18. Maceo Plex / Mind On Fire

HALA’s fantastic DJ-Kicks mix is out now. Here are some places to grab it:
iTunes • !K7 store • Amazon • Boomkat

As we continue to celebrate 27 years of !K7 Records, we’ve partnered with the good folks at Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival to help curate an line-up featuring some of our favorite musicians. The festival takes place in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (N. 6th St. to be precise) Friday and Saturday November 9th & 10th. Our stage will be on Friday the 9th at Music Hall of Williamsburg (66 North 6th St.) and will feature the amazing talents of Photek and Gold Panda, both of whom have released incredible DJ-Kicks mixes themselves, as well as a DJ set from The Rapture, Baltimore’s master DJ / Producer Karizma, San Francisco’s Grenier (who has several tracks on Photek’s DJ-Kicks as DJG) and Brooklyn’s own DJ Still Life. Things are kicking off at 9:00 and going way late, so come through and party with us!

Single day and double day tickets are still available, and give you access to all participating Festival venues for the day of your ticket. The full festival line-up is available at http://bemf.meanredproductions.com, and set times for the DJ-Kicks stage are below.

9pm-10pm – Grenier
10pm-11pm – Karizma
12am-1am – Vito & Druzzi (The Rapture)
1am-2am- Photek
2am-3am – Gold Panda
3am-4am – DJ Still Life

Limited edition Hercules And Love Affair t-shirt w/ advance album download

We’ve already posted a couple of times about the 27!K7 Exclusives series, which has included tracks from DJ-Kicks alums Apparat, Wolf + Lamb & Soul Clap, Motor City Drum Ensemble and Hercules And Love Affair. We thought you’d be excited to hear that not only are those tracks receiving a limited vinyl release, but the collection will also include a USB card loaded with every single DJ-Kicks mixes !K7 has released in its entirety. That’s close to two full days of classic electronic music in one shot! In addition, the 27!K7 Exclusives box set will include all eight exclusive tracks from the series, special anniversary slipmats, and a limited edition poster. Copies of the box are limited to 500 worldwide.

Pre-orders 27!K7 Exclusives Featuring All 41 DJ-Kicks titles

Digitalism’s swaggering and exclusive-filled DJ-Kicks provided the soundtrack to many a sweaty dance party this summer. Having hit some of the hottest festival stages this summer, this German duo is taking back to the road for a string of more intimate DJ engagements. Expect to hear some of the new tracks featured on their DJ-Kicks, floor-tested gems from their crates, and likely some surprises. Their excellent DJ-Kicks mix is out now!

8/31 – Paris, Fance: Social Club
9/2 – Chicago, IL: North Coast Festival Afterparty
9/5 – Santa Ana, CA: Yost Theater
9/6 – Las Vegas, NV: Surrender
9/7 – San Francisco, CA: Ruby Skye
9/8 – San Diego, CA: Voyeur
9/12 – Scottsdale, AZ: Wild Knight
9/13 – Denver, CO: Cervantes
9/14 – Albuquerque, NM: The Drop
9/15 – San Juan, PR: Panamerican Pier Complex
9/21 – New York, NY: Webster Hall
9/22 – Toronto, ON: Chroma
9/28 – Beijing, China: Lantern Club
9/29 – Shanghai: Club Ibiza
10/5 – Akasaka, Japan: Blitz
10/6 – Osaka, Japan: Vision
10/7 – Osaka, Japan: Onzieme
10/8 – Tokyo, Japan: Club Quattro

It’s official. After an epic year full of amazing mixes, Hercules And Love Affair will be mixing the last DJ-Kicks of 2012. And what a way to go out. Drawing inspiration from his earliest experiences at warehouse parties, the classic sound of 90′s house, and even the unique spirituality of the nightclubbing experience, front man Andy Butler has created a timeless mix that pulses with energy and excitement. Hercules And Love Affair’s DJ-Kicks will be released October 29th on CD, vinyl, and digital download. Tracklist below.

1. Mankind – Don’t Keep Me Waiting
2. Rhythm Mode:D – Can You Feel It (Reach To The Top)
3. Hercules And Love Affair – Release Me (DJ-Kicks) *
4. Fax Yourself – Strut Your Techno Stuff
5. Klubb Kidz – Don’t Want To Hurt You (Skool Flava Dub)
6. Solution – Feels So Right
7. DJ Duke Presents Freedom – Love Don’t Come Easy (Power Dub)
8. Cloud 9 – Do You Want Me
9. Mark Imperial – The Acieed That Ate New York
10. In flagranti – Magojiro
11. Haze Factory – A Bit Of Redemption *
12. Fierce Ruling Diva – Allemaal, Allemaal!
13. Jump Chico Slamm – Feel Free
14. Z.A.M. – Africa Freedom (Johannesburg Dub Mix)

* = DJ-Kicks Exclusive

We’re pretty sure that if the need ever were to arise, A-Trak could always fall back on a career as a writer. From his tour diaries to his writing in the mainstream press, he excels at getting to the heart of the matter, and doing so in an entertaining fashion. It’s fitting, then, that his two cents on the Deadmau5 / “All we do is press play” debacle are the first on the subject that we’ve chosen to share. Check out his thoughtful piece on Huffington Post.

A-Track: Don’t Push My Buttons

Digitalism – Simply Dead by digitalism_official

When speaking with Jens Moelle and İsmail Tüfekçi, the two men behind Digitalism, we learned that they’re really quite big fans of DJ-Kicks. Perhaps their love of the series explains why they dug so deep for their own mix, blessing us with a heap of exclusive, unreleased Digitalism material, as well as a new edit, a new remix, two “club weapons” which have appeared in their sets for years but have yet to see an official release, and of course a connoisseur’s selection of tracks that give a window into their “sonic universe.”

We thought it was only fair to match the duo’s generosity and offer a brand new track to download. Grab “A New Drug” below, and check out the full album tracklist. Digitalism’s DJ-Kicks will be available July 10th on CD, LP & digital download, and the group will be touring internationally in support of the release.

Tracklist

Okay, seriously, is anything going to slow this girl down? Barely a fortnight after the release of he DJ-Kicks mix (which happens to be receiving rave reviews, thank you) the London producer already has a new brand new remix to offer, and it’s a banger. Head over to XLR8R for the download, and don’t miss Maya on tour all year (like we said, she never stops!).

We managed to grab some time out of Maya’s insane schedule to speak in London about the mix, and her philosophy on making music. Check out the video (directed by Giorgio Gremigni) below, and below that you can grab an exclusive new Maya production from the mix. The whole mix is available from fine retailers worldwide.

Photek’s masterful DJ-Kicks mix is out this week in North America, and is currently charting on the iTunes Electronic chart. He’ll be hitting the road for a string of dates in the US to celebrate the release, including major electronic music festivals Together Boston, Symbiosis Fest, and the mighty DEMF. Having caught a taste in Austin, we’re sure you won’t want to miss the chance to see this man take to the decks!

4/5/12 – Washington, DC: U Street Music Hall (w/ Dieselboy)
4/6/12 – New York, NY: Cameo Gallery
4/7/12 – Boston, MA: Together Festival
4/20/12 – Charlotte, NC: The Fillmore
4/27/12 – Denver, CO: Beta

5/4/12 – Burnaby, BC: Venue TBA
5/18/12 – Pyramid Lake, NV: Symbiosis Fest
5/26/12 – Detroit, MI: DEMF

6/8/12 – San Francisco, CA: 1015

Watching Photek in his studio is a bit like watching a master chef in the kitchen. We were lucky enough to drop in to his Los Angeles home base to chat about his massive DJ-Kicks mix, his first live show DJing with Peshay, and the inspiration behind the titles for some of the exclusive Photek tracks that appear on the mix. DJ-Kicks is out now everyone but the US, where it comes out on April 3rd.

The SXSW / WMC one-two punch always makes for an interesting March. After rocking out on one of the best sound systems in Austin w/ Photek & Apparat, the DJ-Kicks crew are headed to Miami, where ascendant UK DJ/Producer Maya Jane Coles (whose Kicks mix drops mid-April) will be joining DJ-Kicks veterans Wolf + Lamb and Soul Clap, and many other fine artists for an all-day affair at Last Resort. After that, Maya will be headed to the Ultra Music Festival for another set in the evening. Here’s to a never ending party!

The party will be free and won’t require a badge, so come one come all. In addition to the headliners, we also have a several special guests lined up, including artists who appear on Photek’s mix. We’re looking forward to starting the week of music off on the right foot with all our friends, and hope to see you there!

Apparat’s DJ-Kicks is available now, and Photek’s mix will be released April 3rd, followed by a mix from Maya Jane Coles on April 17th.

To say Maya Jane Coles had a big year in 2011 would be an incredible understatement. In the space of twelve months, the 24 year old East Londoner went from a hotly tipped favorite of house music connoisseurs to, well, pretty much taking over the world. It is our extreme pleasure to announce that her first commercially available DJ mix is coming this year, in the form of a DJ-Kicks mix in April.

“I wanted this mix to showcase my diversity,” she says. “I don’t just do one thing and I wanted it to reflect that. Most of the mixes I’ve put out there so far have been house-based, but I also produce stuff under the Nocturnal Sunshine moniker, which is more two-step/bass influenced stuff. This mix evolved into something that wasn’t just four-to-the-floor.”

See below for the full tracklist, and keep up with Maya on Facebook & Twitter for latest news, tour dates, and more than likely your first taste of her DJ-Kicks mix.

1. Deft – Loqux & Past
2. Kris Wadsworth – Mainline (Jimmy Edgar Remix)
3. Chasing Kurt – Money
4. Bozzwell – In My Cocoon (Original Mix)
5. Larse – Karoo (Original)
6. Milscot feat. Angela Sheik – All Alone (Domyan Just Slow Remix)
7. Adam Stacks – Hey Love (Original)
8. Phil Kieran & White Noise Sound – Never Believed
9. Sigward – Nuerd (Original Mix)
10. Maya Jane Coles – Not Listening (DJ-KICKS) *
11. Virgo Four – It’s A Crime (Caribou Remix)
12. Roberto Bardini – Hate Me (Muteoscillator Fairy Tall Remix)
13. Tripmastaz – Guess Who
14. Standard Fair – Little Helper 16-3
15. Nocturnal Sunshine – Meant To Be *
16. Zenker Brothers – Berg 10 (Original Mix)
17. Last Magpie – No More Stories
18. Zoe Zoe – Church
19. Gerry Read – Roomland (Youandewan Remix)
20. T. Williams – Analog Tour
21. Marcel Dettmann – Translation Two
22. Claro Intelecto – Hunter’s Rocket To The Sky

* = DJ-Kicks exclusive

It’s not easy to keep the information that one of the foremost legends of electronic music will be making a new contribution to the DJ-Kicks series under wraps. In fact, the underground has been buzzing since a new Photek track popped up on the tracklist for the DJ-Kicks Exclusives collection more than a month ago. So while the identity of the first artists to create a DJ-Kicks in 2012 might not exactly be a secret, we finally have the juicy details for you.

This is one for the ages, folks. With four exclusive new Photek tracks, as well as contributions from some of the pillars of the current bass music scene, including Pinch, Boddika, Sepalcure & others (full tracklist below), this is a mix that we’ll be listening to for a long time to come. You can hear the track “Fountainhead,” a collaboration w/ Kuru, below. Make sure you’re connected w/ Photek on his Twitter & Facebook for further developments. 2012 is going to be an incredible year, and we’re just getting started.

Photek’s DJ-Kicks will be released April 3rd in the US, March 26th everywhere else.

Photek & Kuru – Fountainhead (DJ-Kicks) by !K7 Records

One of the most enjoyable parts of assembling the DJ-Kicks series is being able to hear the exclusive new track (or tracks, as the case my be) from the compiling artist. Each new volume contains at least one piece of music not available anywhere else, from the elite list of artists who have contributed to the series.  Six years ago, we collected DJ-Kicks tracks from artists including Kruder & Dorfmeister, Carl Craig, Thievery Corporation and others on the first collection of DJ-Kicks Exclusives. In 2012, we’ll be collecting exclusive tracks from the most recent mixes, spanning the last five years.

The new volume of DJ-Kicks The Exclusives (out in February) will feature music only available on DJ-Kicks mixes from the likes of Gold Panda, Juan MacLean, Four Tet, Hot Chip, and more.  Despite the eclectic list of contributing artists, the standard of quality for the music they have made for their mixes speaks for itself, and the tracks complement each other for a cohesive listen in their full un-mixed format.

2012 also marks 27 years of !K7 Records as a company, we we’ll be celebrating both the label and the DJ-Kicks series all year long with a series of events, projects, and special promotions.  We hope you can join the celebration!

Tracklist:

1. Four Tet – Pockets
2. Henrik Schwarz – Imagination Limitation
3. Hot Chip – My Piano
4. Chromeo – I Can’t Tell You Why
5. The Juan MacLean – Feel So Good
6. Holden – Triangle Folds
7. Kode9 – You Don’t Wash (Dub)
8. Apparat – Sayulita
9. Soul Clap – Lonely C feat. Charles Levine
10. Motor City Drum Ensemble – L.O.V.E.
11. Scuba – M.A.R.S.
12. Gold Panda – An Iceberg Hurled Northward Through Clouds
13. Photek & Kuru – Fountainhead

Brooklyn / Berlin producer Machinedrum (who also happens to be 1/2 of Hotflush’s Sepalcure) is responsible for one of our favorite records of the year so far, Room(s) on Planet Mu.  His remix of Scuba’s DJ-Kicks exclusive track “M.A.R.S.” exemplifies a lot of what we love about that album: breakneck drum programming, syncopated keyboard stabs, and swirling atmospheric textures.  DJ-Kicks is out this week, and we’re pretty thrilled with the reviews so far.

Scuba- M.A.R.S. (Machinedrum Remix) by !K7 Records

Sometimes when it rains, it pours. Having just shared an excellent new Addison Groove track from Scuba’s DJ-Kicks, we now present a remix of Gold Panda’s DJ-Kicks exclusive track “An Iceberg Hurled Northward Through Clouds” courtesy of buzzing duo Peaking Lights. With tunes like this, it can go ahead and rain all week…

An Iceberg Hurled Northward Through Clouds (Peaking Lights Vocal Remix) by Gold Panda

After setting the UK bass scene on fire with the ubiquitous track “Footcrab” on Loefah’s Swamp 81 label, producer Addison Groove has been closely watched by in-the-know fans of forward-thinking electronic music.  The new track “An We Drop,” excluisve to Hotflush boss Scuba’s DJ-Kicks diverges slightly from the overt footwork influence of early releases, but still packs plenty of dancefloor thump.  “For me, ‘An We Drop’ is one of the key tracks [on the mix],” Scuba explains. “It’s a fusion of two things, that urban, UK kind of sound, and something more techno. It sums up what the mix and my music is about.”

Addison Groove – An We Drop (Scuba DJ-Kicks Exclusive) by !K7 Records

Gold Panda is currently gearing up for a dense (seven cities and seven days!) week long tour of the states, culminating with a performance at Moog Fest in Ashville, NC.  Panda’s live sets, full of triggered samples and his keen ear for melody, are not to be missed.  His DJ-Kicks mix comes out shortly after the tour, on November 8th.  You can pre-order the mix now, via iTunes.

10-24 Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex
10-25 San Francisco, CA – The Independent
10-26 Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
10-27 Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig
10-28 Chicago, IL – The Empty Bottle
10-29 New York, NY – Good Units
10-30 Asheville, NC – Moog Fest

One half of heralded production outfit Instra:mental, Alex Green’s “Boddika” alter ego has been responsible for a growing number of go-to tracks, popping up on mixes from many of the heavyweights of bass music.  “Acid Battery,” an new track exclusive to Sucba’s DJ-Kicks is, as the title suggests, indebted to classic acid house, but sidesteps a retrogressive mind set with a state of the art production aesthetic.  Like Scuba’s mix itself, the track elegantly straddles the line between techno and bass music, sitting comfortably next to of-the-moment sounds from a host of amazing production talent.

Acid Battery by Boddika

The rise of digital DJing over the past decade (the ability to manipulate digital files in the same way that a DJ using turntables would) has done much for the accessibility of the once insular world of DJing.  Products like Final Scratch, Serato, Traktor & Ableton Live have, in different ways, made it increasingly easy for those without high-end professional equipment (or enormous vinyl collections) to create DJ mixes, edits, blends etc.  The populist thrust of these developments has opened the door to scores of new enthusiasts, sometimes to the chagrin of those who learned the artform in times when the barriers to entry were much higher.

Today, Serato takes another step towards opening the field with DJ Intro, a free, entry level software aimed at “Music Enthusiasts” (read: those who might not self apply the term “DJ” just yet).  Unlike previous editions of Serato, DJ Intro doesn’t require proprietary hardware in order to function.  This move has earned Serato praise for increased accessibility, though in order to utilize many of the key performance functions (blending, crossfading, tempo adjustments) a USB controller still appears to be necessary (currently a number of models from Vestax and Numark are supported).

Will DJ Intro inspire a new wave of would be DJs to join the party?  There will likely be some impact, though the software’s reliance on a controller (as opposed to the ability to control everything within the computer) will probably leave some on the sidelines.  Choosing and committing to a controller can be daunting for an armchair enthusiast, especially since there doesn’t seem to be an industry standard comparable to the Technic 1200 turntable or Pioneer CDJ 1000 yet.

Had a chance to play around with DJ Intro?  Happy about the increased accessibility of DJ features such as mixing, looping, effects, samples?  Worried that more DJs will only mean an overall decline in the quality of the artform?  Let us know what you think in the comments.

Gold Panda created quite a stir on the internet yesterday when he shared his exclusive DJ-Kicks track, “An Iceberg Hurled Northward Through Clouds.”  The new track opens his mix, an uncommon move, though a great one, as it sets the tone for the mix.  Hear it on our Soundcloud below, and look for DJ-Kicks out October 31st (November 8th in the US).

Update: the track can now be downloaded at: http://www.dj-kicks.com/goldpanda-exclusive/

Gold Panda- An Iceberg Hurled Northward Through Clouds (DJ-Kicks) by !K7 Records

Pitchfork reports that international man about town and DFA mainstay Juan MacLean has released a new track, titled “Everybody Get Close,” from a digital release of the same title, out November 8th.  Trademark vintage synths and a great processed vocal make this one a winner.  Download the track from Pitchfork.

With the Motor City Drum Ensemble DJ-Kicks receiving rave reviews across the board and the just-announced Scuba mix stirring up heavy anticipation, closing out the year with a new mix from UK breakthrough producer Gold Panda almost feels like a victory lap, but it’s more than that.  Though not a ‘DJ’ per se, Panda (birth name Derwin Panda) has dug deep to assemble a stirring and of-the-moment mix featuring recognized masters like Ramadanman and Zomby as well as some less familiar names which none the less deliver the goods (full tracklist below).  The mix also features an exclusive new Gold Panda track, “An Iceberg Hurtled Northward Through Clouds,” which opens the mix.  DJ-Kicks will be released internationally on October 31st, with a US release one week later on November 8th.  Gold Panda will also be touring the UK & the United States in October; tour dates below.

Tracklisting

1.    Gold Panda  – An Iceberg Hurtled Northward Through Clouds (DJ-Kicks)
2.    Melchior & Pronsato – Puerto Rican Girls
3.    Bok Bok – Charisma Theme
4.    Drexciya – Andreaen Sand Dunes
5.    Muslimgauze – Uzi Mahmood 8
6.    Pawel – Coke
7.    Ramadanman – Revenue (Untold Remix)
8.    SND – Palo Alto
9.    Zomby – Godzilla
10.  Closer Musik – Maria
11.  Gold Panda – Back Home
12.  Christopher Rau – Do Little
13.  Jan Jelinek – If’s, And’s And But’s
14.  Nao Tokui – Monolith
15.  Sigha – Shake
16.  Opiate – Amstel
17.  2562 – Dinosaur
18.  Matthewdavid – Like You Mean It
19.  Brainiac – The Turnover
20.  LV & Untold – Beacon
21.  Autistici – Heated Dust On A Sunlit Window
22.  Giuseppe Ielasi – 2

Gold Panda On Tour

10-05 Bristol, England – Thekla
10-06 London, England – Koko
10-07 Leeds, England – Brudenell Social Club
10-08 Glasgow, Scotland – King Tut’s
10-24 Los Angeles, CA – Echoplex
10-25 San Francisco, CA – The Independent
10-26 Seattle, WA – The Crocodile
10-27 Ann Arbor, MI – Blind Pig
10-28 Chicago, IL – The Empty Bottle
10-29 New York, NY – Good Units
10-30 Asheville, NC – Moog Festival

Paul Rose, a/k/a Scuba, the mastermind behind the incredibly well curated Hotflush label, has been enlisted to mix the latest in the DJ-Kicks series, due late October of this year.   Featuring a healthy helping of exclusives from his camp including new music from Addison Groove & Boddika, the mix treads the line between the UK bass music scene in which Scuba came up, and the techno sounds dominant in his current home of Berlin, creating a new sound in the process.  See below for the full tracklist.

The eclectic and personal DJ-Kicks mix from Cologne’s Danilo Plessow, a/k/a Motor City Drum Ensemble has inspired praise for its adventurous tracklist and meticulous mixing.  Primarily known as a producer, we were interested in how the process of making a mix different from his approach to his studio recording.  Motor City Drum Ensemble’s DJ-Kicks is out now.

What equipment did you use to make the DJ-Kicks mix?  Are the tools different than what you use for your live DJ gigs, or productions?

Definitely. In the beginning I started the classic way and tried to mix with turntables, but then decided to record all the tracks and try something new. It was the first time I used Abelton for a mix. A lot of the tracks I chose were really not made to be beatmatched. But that was part of what I wanted to do on this mix – make mixes that are totally not expected.

Many listeners have praised the cohesiveness of the mix given the eclectic track list.  Did keeping the transitions smooth limit your selection at all?  Were there tracks you would have liked to include, but passed on due to difficulty in mixing them?

No. A large part of this comes down to hours spent on moving tiny little bits around in Ableton. Without the help of my good friend Jennifer Cardini, who already had some years’ experience with Ableton, this would have been a nightmare for me. I cant thank her enough!

Were there tracks which you would have liked to include (or did include in early versions of the mix) which proved difficult to license?

This was the hardest part. I think there are 5 different versions of this DJ mix, all with different tracks which we couldn’t license. I’m very happy about the final one though, a lot of effort was taken to include some stuff that was really hard to get a hold of.

Did the exclusive track L.O.V.E. develop once the mix had started to take shape, or was it produced independently of the mix?

I knew in which direction I wanted to go. I definitely didn’t want to do a 4 to the floor classic house thing, but something more song-orientated. The track itself was done in some night sessions around the same time as the first few versions of the mix were created, but as usual not finished until some hours before the final deadline haha.

Do you have a favorite DJ mix of all time?

One mix I always return to, whether I feel sad or full of joy, a mix that is guaranteed to move me is one of Theo Parrish`s first demo mixes I think.  It’s called “Methods of Movement” and I’ve probably heard it more than any other mix.

Motor City Drum Ensemble- L.O.V.E. – Kyle Hall Remix by !K7 Records

1. L.O.V.E. – Radio Edit
2. L.O.V.E. – Extended Version
3. L.O.V.E. – Kyle Hall Remix
4. L.O.V.E. – Wolfgang Voigt Remix
5. L.O.V.E. – Smallpeople Remix
6. Basement L.O.V.E.

Get the vinyl at WordAndSound or the digital bundle exclusively on Junodownload

After the initial excitement, then the wondering about when it would materialize, and the eventual deflation, the reality of a Burial DJ-Kicks doesn’t seem to be any closer.  So it was a bit of a mixed blessing to see this morning that Flying Lotus had posted a track he claimed was intended for the still-absent mix.  It stings a bit to be reminded of the amazing potential such a mix would have, especially given the quality of a track like this.  But of course the fact that we’re able to get a window into what could have been is pretty thrilling.  Enjoy the music, and who knows, maybe someday there will be something to actually put into one of these empty bags…

Flying Lotus – buriedMIX2 //burial dj kicks??’08 by Flyinglotus

Philippe Sarde- Le Cortège Et Course (Motor City Drum Ensemble Re-Edit) by !K7 Records

Motor City Drum Ensemble- L.O.V.E. (DJ-Kicks exclusive) by !K7 Records

With so many quality entries, the selection process ran a bit long, but in the end we all came to an agreement. Congrats to Davide from Sedma, whose winning mix incorporated everything from Chromeo covering The Eagles, to Michael Henderson, to Bill Cosby. Stream the winning mix below, and check out the top five finalists over at Soul Clap’s Mixcloud page.

We’d also like to send a valentine shout-out to all the DJs who channeled their feelings into these mixes, may your hearts not be lonely for long!

Mixtape For the Brokenhearted Competition

Even the brokenhearted love a good mix contest.  We’ve teamed up with the folks at Beatport & Mixcloud to put together a competition for everyone out there whose love affair with the one’s and two’s has been going more smoothly at times than their personal lives.  We’re looking for 20-30 minute mixes with that theme in mind, starting and ending with the !K7 track of your choice.  The winner will receive a spot in Soul Clap’s excellent podcast series, a $200 voucher to Beatport, Native Instruments Maschine, & more.  Submissions have already started rolling in, so get mixing!

Prizes

• winning mix featured in Soul Clap’s Podcast
• mix a future !K7 compilation to be released on Beatport.com.
• receive a $200 Beatport music voucher.
• receive Native Instrument’s Maschine.
• receive !K7 merchandise.

Instructions

• Create your best 20-30 minute mixtape for the brokenhearted starting and ending with your favorite !K7 tracks.
• Name your Cloudcast “!K7 & Beatport’s Mixtape for the Brokenhearted Competition”.
• Upload it to Mixcloud and tag it “!K7 And Beatport Competition” – be sure to tag it correctly, otherwise it may get missed.
• Include the competition cover art – click here to download.
• Your entry needs to include a full track list to be considered.
• Deadline: May 10th

Judging

• Entrants will be judged on factors including (but not limited to) number of plays, favorites, positive feedback, tune selection, originality, technical ability and overall best reflection of a “mixtape for the brokenhearted”.
• !K7 & Soul Clap will select the final winner to be announced June 1st, 2011.

As savvy Facebook users may have noticed last week, Stuttgart’s Danilo Plessow, better known as Motor City Drum Ensemble, will be mixing the next edition of DJ-Kicks, due for a July release.  The mix features Plessow’s expert selections from a wide array of genres (“A classic Dj kicks, not just a house mix,” he says), including free jazz, cosmic disco, and afrobeat, with dedicated sequences of tracks giving the nod to classic Chicago house and a short list of the masters of production over the last several decades.  Get a look the tracklist below, and look for some tasty tidbits coming soon right here!

1. Sun Ra – Door To The Cosmos
2. Electric Wire Hustle – Again (Scratch 22 Remix)
3. Rhythm & Sound – Mango Drive
4. Tony Allen – Ariya
5. Peven Everett – Stuck (Original)
6. Bad Jazz Troupe – Breakdown Treat – Dusty Rework (MCDE Edit)
7. Mr. Fingers – The Juice
8. Rick “Poppa” Howard – Can Your Love Find It’s Way (Club Vocal)
9. Stone – Girl I Like The Way That You Move (Dub)
10. Fred P – On This Vibe
11. Creative Swing Alliance – Don’t Forget Your Keyz
12. Geraldo Pino & The Heartbeats – Black Woman Experience
13. Philippe Sarde – Le Cortège Et Course
14. Robert Hood – The Pace
15. Loose Joints – Pop Your Funk (Vocal Version)
16. Arts & Crafts – I’ve Been Searching (Walter Gibbons 12” Mix)
17. Motor City Drum Ensemble – L.O.V.E. (DJ-Kicks)
18. Aphex Twin – Actium
19. Recloose – Cardiology (Isolée Mix)
20. Latecomer – Cosmic Cart
21. Timo Lassy – African Rumble
22. James Mason – Sweet Power, Your Embrace

all the pics are posted weekly on the band’s flickr and tour videos are going between Soul Clap’s youtube () and Gadi’s: www.youtube.com/user/doublestandardvideos

April 01 : SQ Club, Poznan, PL
April 02 : Watergate, Berlin, DE
April 08 : Arma 17, Moscow, RU
April 09 : London, UK
April 10 : Mint, Leeds, UK
April 15 : Ego, Hamburg, Germany
April 16 : Social Club, Paris, FR
April 21 : Lux, Lisbon, PT
April 23 : Libertine Supersport, Brussels, BE
April 29 : K4, Ljubljana, Sl
April 30 : Trouw, Amsterdam, NL
May 01 : Spektrum, Manchester, UK
May 06 : U Street Music Hall, Washington, US
May 08 : Cielo, New York, US
May 12 : Fivesixty, Vancouver, CA
May 13 : Chop Suey, Seattle, US
May 14 : Public Works, San Francisco, US
May 15 : Standard Downtown Rooftop, Los Angeles, US
May 20 : Smart Bar, Chicago, US
May 22 : Footwork, Toronto, CA
May 27 : Convadonga, Mexico City, MX
May 29 : DEMF, Detroit, US

A group effort shot in Vancouver, director Dan Hellmann’s video utilizes spontenaety, a beautiful cityscape, and creative costuming to capture the feeling of being alone, even when you’re surrounded by people. Congrats to Dan, and again to everyone who worked hard to share their vision inspired by the music. Read Dan’s account of putting the video together below.

The video is a collaboration by a group of friends. Inspired by the loneliness of the song, we filmed the story of a man trapped in routine longing for connection with the world around him.

It was filmed in downtown Vancouver over five nights from midnight to 4AM with a Canon 7D. While many shots were planned out, there were some unexpected surprises such as the shots with the police and the car accident.

Although we wanted to show our character as vulnerable, it was important for us to approach the video with a sense of humour. We had a lot of fun shooting the club scene where we tried to capture the feeling of a night out – the random interactions with people at the bar and getting lost on a dance floor.

We were happy that our final product connected the mood of Lonely C with the story we wanted to tell.

Dan Hellmann
Kelvin Beaudette
Claire Beaudette
James Hutchison

“I made this video by coincidence. Long story short just a week before the video competition, I found video footage from 1997 which was made in a little Russian town called Stavropol (All shoots were made in Stavropol’s first night club). After that I saw information about the contest and I thought that everything happens for a reason. I did a little montage, & it started to look like story about dancer who always surrounded by people but for some reason feels lonely inside.” -Sergey

We produced the video over a few chilly February nights in Boston. We shot it on a DSLR camera with available light. I was the writer/director, Mark Beninati was our star and co-producer, the talented Jenna Zagoren designed the set and costumes for the party scene.

The idea for the video I think came directly from imagining Lonely C the character. What immediately sprang to mind was the image of the reclusive producer, more comfortable in the confines of his home studio than on the very dance floor for which he makes music. Despite his introversion, Lonely C yearns for the sweaty, rhythmic connection of the dance floor; every nuance of his artistic output indicates it.

At some point it occurred to me that it might be interesting to take Big L’s translation “the studio is the lab” (Ebonics, 1998) literally. Instead of a studio (synths, mpc’s etc) Lonely C would channel his passion, angst, ambition, and frustration into a small home chemistry kit, the product of which he would inadvertently ingest and thus be imbued with an uncontrollable impulse to dance and connect with the world around him. To connect in that sweaty, rhythmic manner that his initial reclusive disposition kept at such a distance.

We had a blast making the video. Big up to Soul Clap and Wolf + Lamb for making such a silky smooth track and big thanks to all who came out to get glittered up and party!

-Gabe

CONTENTed FILMS is NEIL DOWLING, an Irish writer and director and NILS CLAUSS a German cinematographer & director with a background in photography and graphic design.

The video shoot took place on a small farm in Jeollabuk-do province, South Korea in February 2011. The storyline was conceived in response to the song lyrics which tell of an unrequited love or a longing that can’t be satisfied or consummated. We came up with the concept of a brother and sister who are twins who have grown up lived and worked together on their parents’ small farm. They are confused and disturbed by the fact that their closeness has developed into a kind of sexual longing that they know they must hide away deep inside.

The video was executed by CONTENTed FILMS as a two man project, shot on location with a cast of solely non-professional actors. Thanks so much to the Kim family for their hospitality and their participation, not to mention their patience.

CONTENTed FILMS are open to interesting new projects, especially for clients who would be interested in Asian visuals or themes for music videos, commercials or other projects.

For more information please check out CONTENTed FILMS’ company website: http://www.contented.ie. Further you can follow Nils Clauss through http://www.nilsclauss.com or http://www.vimeo.com/nilsclauss/videos.

We’ll start things off with a video from NYC’s Jeremy Teicher & Jeremie Duval.  Check out their amazing live action / animation video, and see below for more information on the directors.  Look for the subsequent finalists on the DJ-Kicks blog this week, with the final winner announced next week. Major thanks to everyone who took the time to submit such quality work!

This ‘Lonely C’ video, directed by Jeremy Teicher and Jeremie Duval, pulls inspiration from the song’s robotic vibe to tell a love story about a girl who loses touch with reality and transforms into something new. Her transformation begins to affect the world around her as she pulls her boyfriend down into the world of disco…

The video was shot in Brooklyn and lower Manhattan on a Canon 60D and animated in Flash. Jeremy has directed numerous music videos under the pseudonym “BemusedFrog” and Jeremie has recently worked as an animator for Cartoon Network’s “Superjail.” Check out their other work at http://www.vimeo.com/jeremyteicher and http://www.jeremieduval.com. Both Jeremy/ie’s live in the NYC area and are down to work on interesting new projects. Get in touch!

Wolf + Lamb & Soul Clap roll deep, as it were. Their collaborative DJ-Kicks mix features no less than ten exclusive tracks, all comprised of material from their close-knit extended circle of friends and family. Leading up to the release of the mix, we decided to connect the dots, picking the brains of the talent behind the exclusive tracks on the mix. In this edition we spoke with Voices of Black, Providence, RI via Teaneck, NJ’s denizens of funk fazed beats with damaged soul to spare. Their track “Fridays With Her” features on the first EP of DJ-Kicks exclusives. Both EPs, as well as the full mix are out now.

Both W+L & SC refer to this mix as a family affair.  How did you first get involved with the guys, and how does your sound relate to theirs?

Jules: Baba goes to school with Nicolas Jaar, and he brought us in to the Marcy one day in the summer. We played the guys some of our tracks and vibed out. It was an ill session, we got along really well, felt a good vibe and continued to stay in touch and send music. We then sent a bulk of songs which would be developed into Plastic Dolls and we officially became part of family.

Baba: I think whats relatable [to their sound] is our aim to try to go as far outside of the box, yet still keep the people moving, or at least nodding their head.

Was this piece of music made specifically for this mix?  If so, was there an effort to tailor it to a certain aesthetic at all?

“Fridays With Her” wasn’t actually composed for this specific mix. If anything, it was somewhat of a continuation of the ideas we were exploring on Plastic Dolls. In fact we weren’t aware of the DJ-Kicks mix until they told us that the track was gonna be on it.

Is there a specific piece of gear that you couldn’t live without?

SP-606 sampler. It’s where it all started.

Do you have a favorite entry in the DJ-Kicks series?

Jules: Hot Chip… I have honestly only heard the more recent ones, Chromeo, Apparat, and Hot Chip but Eli from Soul Clap has sent me a bunch.

If you were a pro wrestler what would your signature move be?

Baba: Definitely the Mongolian Chop. its deadly…

Jules: When I was a youth I was fascinated by the Power Bomb. I still am.

Wolf + Lamb & Soul Clap roll deep, as it were. Their collaborative DJ-Kicks mix features no less than ten exclusive tracks, all comprised of material from their close-knit extended circle of friends and family. Leading up to the release of the mix, we decided to connect the dots, picking the brains of the talent behind the exclusive tracks on the mix. In this edition we spoke with Tanner Ross, the Berklee-educated producer and member of supergroup SECT (along with Soul Clap’s Eli & Charlie, and Sergio Santos). His track “Goodbye Summer” and SECT’s “In The Park” are two of the highlights of the first EP of DJ-Kicks exclusives. Both EPs are out now.

Both W+L & SC refer to this mix as a family affair.  How did you first get involved with the guys, and how does your sound relate to theirs?

I lived with Charlie from SC for about 3 years and during that time we developed a really amazing musical relationship and naturally I became friends with everyone else that led to me being a part of the family. :0)

Was this piece of music made specifically for this mix?  If so, was there an effort to tailor it to a certain aesthetic at all?

This specific track was made just for fun and I sent it to SC as soon as I finished it. During the time I sent it they were working on the mix and it fit the vibe perfectly.

Is there a specific piece of gear that you couldn’t live without?

My laptop because if I didnt have that id be SOL.

Do you have a favorite entry in the DJ-Kicks series?

Vikter Duplaix for sure. I grew up outside of Philadelphia so that sort of sound really hits close to home for me.

If you were a pro wrestler what would your signature move be?

Im afraid I can not answer this question…If I gave away my signature move, then everyone would know and try to counter me!

Wolf + Lamb & Soul Clap roll deep, as it were.  Their collaborative DJ-Kicks mix features no less than ten exclusive tracks, all comprised of material from their close-knit extended circle of friends and family.  Leading up to the release of the mix, we decided to connect the dots, picking the brains of the talent behind the exclusive tracks on the mix.  In this edition we spoke with Nick DeBruyn and Greg Paulus, the Brooklyn duo together known as No Regular Play.  Their track “Takin’ U Back” is on the second EP of DJ-Kicks exclusives, out March 1st.  The first EP is out now.

Both W+L & SC refer to this mix as a family affair. How did you first get involved with the guys, and how does your sound relate to theirs?

We met Zev and Gadi in Brooklyn, going to their parties and subsequently sending them music. Eventually everything aligned and we all became close friends very quickly, hanging out and working on music constantly. Then Charlie and Eli sent Zev and Gadi some tunes that blew us all away. They started hanging at the Marcy as much as possible and we all became close- throwing parties, playing and producing together. I think the six of us were all moving toward a very similar sound due to our common backgrounds in hip-hop, R&B etc. and were hearing music in the same way. All of our individual takes on dance music just seemed to naturally fit together the more we produced and shared music.

Was this piece of music made specifically for this mix? If so, was there an effort to tailor it to a certain aesthetic at all?

Yes, the track was made specifically for the mix, but not tailored for it. We didn’t know what the mix was going to sound like, but knew it would include tracks from everyone in the Wolf + Lamb family.

Is there a specific piece of gear that you couldn’t live without?

Juno 106

Do you have a favorite entry in the DJ-Kicks series?

Juan MacLean and Stacey Pullen.

If you were a pro wrestler what would your signature move be?

Probably the avalanche frankensteiner, popularized initially by Frank Steiner, perfected by Rey Mysterioso. One of the best finishing moves in all of wrestling.

Wolf + Lamb & Soul Clap roll deep, as it were.  Their collaborative DJ-Kicks mix features no less than ten exclusive tracks, all comprised of material from their close-knit extended circle of friends and family.  Leading up to the release of the mix, we decided to connect the dots, picking the brains of the talent behind the exclusive tracks on the mix.  In this edition we spoke with classically trained guitarist turned producer Slow Hands, whose “Fast Tongue” put him on the map via W+L’s Significant Others EP.

Both W+L & SC refer to this mix as a family affair. How did you first get involved with the guys, and how does your sound relate to theirs?

Gadi and Zev were introduced to me through a common friend, a week later they introduced me to Clap (who they had just recently met).

The family shares a lot of music, so i think that we all have a lot of similar tastes. But it’s our differences in taste that really push the family forward. A lot of times one of the members will play a track, and someone else in the family will dislike it, then a month later your will see them play and they drop that track. The best thing about a family is you learn things from one another and things change, moments like a change in opinion and taste are a perfect example of this, and what W+L as a label is all about.

Was this piece of music made specifically for this mix? If so, was there an effort to tailor it to a certain aesthetic at all?

Yes, it was. I wanted it to be a sort of follow up to the first single I did for W+L, “Fast Tongue.” Some guitar, a crooning vocal, a kick drum . . . done ; ) I did want it to have a traditional disco bass line, and lay it under something funky, yet more somber than most traditional disco, that was the plan of attack.

Is there a specific piece of gear that you couldn’t live without?

My guitars!

Do you have a favorite entry in the DJ-Kicks series?

Aside from W+L vs. SC?! : ) Four Tet, and Erlend Oye . . . and of course K&D

If you were a pro wrestler what would your signature move be?

Oh boy, my parents never let me watch wrestling growing up (hippies). Suppose it would have to be something that fit with the Slow Hands moniker, huh? [Wikipedias "wrestling moves"] . . .

I suppose the High Knee is most fitting, no? But if i had a more violent (and reptilian) themed moniker i would definitely want the Dragon Screw Legwhip!

Should report child abuse, never realized how much my parents kept from me!

Soul Clap feat. Charles Levine- Lonely C (Video Edit) From: DJ-Kicks by !K7 Records

Calling all video nuts! Think you got enough cool to produce the official music video for Soul Clap’s latest “Lonely C”? Then this challenge is for you! Presented by !K7 Records this music video contest will be accompanying the forthcoming Wolf + Lamb vs Soul Clap DJ-Kicks CD. The winner will collect $2500 and their name in lights (well not literal lights, but you get our drift!).

Wolf + Lamb and Soul Clap, two of the most exciting DJ duos of recent times have joined musical forces to bring a special episode of !K7′s DJ Kicks compilation out in March 2011. The contest to produce the official video for the futuristic deep disco gem, ‘Lonely C’ by Soul Clap feat. Charles Levine, begins on February 1st, 2011 so get working on your entry now! The contest is free and open to any artist from any medium that can be recorded on video. The winning video will be blasted to the world, gaining international exposure for the producer + their pockets will be lined with a $2500 cash prize. Upon registering to the contest, you will receive the lyrics and a copy of a video edit of the song. Completed entries must be uploaded in HD by February 28th 2011. The winning video will be announced on the official album release date.

“Whether you’re fresh to the scene or have been dancing for a decade, we’ve all turned to the disco for solace and we’ve all been Lonely C, at least for a night — here’s the opportunity to tell your story” Zev (Wolf + Lamb)

FULL CONTEST INFO & ENTRY FORM HERE

ENTRY DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 28TH 2011
Winning Video Award:

• $2,500 Cash Prize
• International Exposure as the Official Album Video
• An Opportunity to Produce the Next Soul Clap / W+L Video
• A Chance to Shoot the Forthcoming Tour with the Artists

Our friends at Bass Ache got psyched about the forthcoming Wolf + Lamb / Soul Clap DJ-Kicks and ran a couple of questions by the guys.  Check out a bit of their conversation below, and head to Bass Ache for the full interview & review.

How and where was the mix recorded?

This mix was made on the couch in our Miami house, during breaks between playing ping-pong and swimming.

Four DJ’s making one mix CD is quite unique, how did you find that experience?

So much of what we do is collaborative anyway, from productions to label experiences to cooking dinner, we’ve all been working together for almost 2 years and that made it really natural to pull everything together. We know each others strengths and weaknesses so each of us took on rolls: writing new tracks, compiling music from friends, mixing, editing and mastering. Then once we got in the ring, Gadi gave Charlie a pile driver and Eli had to retaliate by hitting Zev in the head with a steel chair. Blood was flying everywhere!

Full interview & review available at Bass Ache.

It’s true!  We’ve enlisted the many talented gents of Brooklyn’s Wolf + Lamb and Boston’s Soul Clap collectives for a communal love fest’s worth of amazing music that is sure to get your new year off on the good foot.  As Soul Clap’s twitter says, “slow and sexy wins the race,” but when you’re this immersed in amorous audio, we’re all winners, don’t you think?  The mix is a family affair in every way, with all of the tracks supplied by friends and family of the illustrious DJ duos, and what’s more it features a whopping NINE EXCLUSIVE TRACKS.  So you know you’re getting something special.  Check out the full track list below, and look for some choice bits of music to be making their way onto places like our Soundcloud very soon….

1. Greg Paulus – My Man’s Gone Now (Intro)
2. Greg Paulus – Yellow Sky
3. Tanner Ross – Goodbye, Summer
4. Deniz Kurtel & Wolf + Lamb – Love Triangle Interlude
5. Double Hill – Everytime I Go
6. Charles Levine, Deniz Kurtel & Gadi Mizrahi – Stay Home
7. Michael J. Collins – You Lose Interlude
8. Greg Paulus – Suchashame (Soul Clap Remix)
9. Deniz Kurtel & Gadi Mizrahi feat. Camburn – Crank It Up
10. Eli Gold – Throw That Interlude
11. Soul Clap – 3 Wheel E-Motion
12. Lee Curtiss – South Aphrika
13. Soul Clap feat. Charles Levine – Lonely C
14. H-Foundation feat. Aion – Tonight (Wolf + Lamb Remix)
15. Eli Gold – Slow Down Interlude
16. Nicolas Jaar – Don’t Believe The Hype
17. SECT feat. Ben Westbeech – In The Park
18. Slow Hands – Rough Patch
19. Nicolas Jaar – Can’t See What Is Burning There
20. No Regular Play – Takin’ U Back
21. DJ Harvey Presents Locussolus – Next To You (Soul Clap Remix)
22. Wolf + Lamb feat. Smirk – Therapist
23. Zev feat. Greg Paulus – We All
24. Seuil & Le Loup – Nautil Us
25. Gadi Mizrahi – I’ll Set Your House
26. Benoit & Sergio – Walk And Talk
27. Voices Of Black – Fridays With Her

08. James Holden – DJ Kicks [!K7]
Border Community’s dedication to the dreamier side of dance music isn’t that far off from the Kosmische strains of Can and Neu!, and so it came as no small surprise when label boss embraced the sound wholly on his DJ-Kicks mix. What was surprising, however, was how well it all sounded when mixed up by his expert hand. Hard techno vet James Ruskin melted into the off-kilter electro of Legowelt; Caribou slid gently into BC’s Luke Abbott; the weirdo electronica of Ursula Bogner sounded right at home next to avant drone builder Eric Copeland. It might not have been trance, but it’d still put you in one.
– Todd L. Burns

14: Apparat – DJ-Kicks [!K7]
Apparat is most assuredly not a DJ, but he has enough experience with music to know how to properly fake it. What made his entry into K7′s DJ-Kicks series so compelling, however, was how easily he seemed to present tracks that felt like Apparat. Ripperton’s warm pads, Ramadanman’s shifty riddims, Oval’s glitch experiments: Despite not being a DJ, Apparat achieved in his first try what others work years to cultivate. His DJ-Kicks was a mix that could have only come from one single artist, a superb encapsulation of his sound world.
– Todd L. Burns

Read the full Interview on www.datatransmission.co.uk

Wrapping up our series of posts on the tracks that appear on Apparat’s DJ-Kicks mix, here are two more of the tracks in their original form.  It’s especially illuminating to hear how “Rushed” was used, since it works as more of a texture than a stand alone track.  Three of the exclusive pieces from the mix (two by Apparat and one by Telefon Tel Aviv) are also available now on the “Sayulita EP.”

69- “Rushed”

One of the producers I liked back in the ’90s that I still love is Carl Craig, which is why I included Rushed by 69. I used to play this track all the time when I DJ-ed. It’s a link to what I was doing when I was 21 and I’d just moved to Berlin. I’d got tired of crazy rave parties and I wanted something a bit more cerebral.

Tim Hecker- “Borderlands”

I really like ambient music such as Borderlands by Tim Hecker. It’s a kind of drone, but it’s so beautiful, really epic. I wanted to put more of this kind of thing on the record – see Tim Hecker’s track “Dungeoneering” – but I wanted to keep a flow as well, so I put it at the end as a kind of fade out. It’s a great ending.

Following up on the first segment, Apparat gives an in-depth look at where he was coming from when selecting certain tracks for his DJ-Kicks mix.

Ramadanman- “Tempest”

I’ve been on tour with Modeselektor recently. They introduced me to dubstep and to Ramadanman as well. They invited him to a party in Berlin and I met him there. It’s not really dubstep, even though it comes from that universe. I love “Tempest.” There’s some techno in there, but not techno that a techno producer would make. He’s coming at it with a fresh mind and the result is something unique. It’s really cool. Here’s a mix that Ramadanman did for Mary Anne Hobbs earlier this year.

Thom Yorke- “Harrowdown Hill”

I got into guitar music via bands such as Godspeed You Black Emperor, and through them to Radiohead, who are a big influence for me. Something like that had to be on the mix and one of my favorites is “Harrowdown Hill” by Thom Yorke. It’s a great track that slots in nicely beside electronic music because it’s got a repetitive feel. It’s about David Kelly, a scientist who questioned the basis of the Iraq war. He committed suicide in 2003 in murky circumstances. Some people think he was murdered. That’s what the song is about. The video is excellent.

Joy Orbison- “The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow”

Joy Orbison is such a talented guy. He keeps on making winners. His track “The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow” is the perfect introduction to my own track “Sayulita.” I’m not a regular DJ and whenever I try to make a mix I find it hard to include my own music because it never seems to fit. But “Sayulita” completely fits with the Joy Orbison track. I haven’t made a straight dance track for a long time, so it was a happy accident.

http://pitchfork.com/news/40516-5-10-15-20-apparat/
The Berlin-based producer sat down with Pitchfork recently to speak about the music that influenced him most at five year intervals over the course of his life.  If you’re familiar with Apparat’s music, some of the choices (Radiohead, Boards Of Canada) may not come as a huge surprise, but the vignettes about how he got into electronic music in general, the influence of the musical life of his father, and the scenes of life in East Germany make for an illuminating read.  Check out the whole article here, and don’t forget to check out his amazing DJ-Kicks mix, which is out this week.

The best DJ mixes reflect not only on the taste of their creators, but also on a general feeling, an aesthetic, perhaps a specific scene, inspiration, or moment in time.  Taken with Apparat’s DJ-KiCKS as we are, we asked him if he could give us a bit more background on where he was coming from when selecting certain tracks.  His characteristically thoughtful answers are below, with another batch of track discussions coming soon.

The idea behind the mix is that it’s all very current. Three or four years ago I got a little bored of electronic music, but there are a lot of exciting artists around at the moment. The mix is kind of an overview of what’s happening right now.

Telefon Tel Aviv- “Lengthening Shadows”

I’ve known these guys for a long time. They make such beautiful music. Sadly, Charlie Cooper died at the beginning of last year. This is the first track that Joshua Eustis has made since then. I think he was wondering whether he would carry on the Telefon Tel Aviv name. I asked him if there was anything he could give me for the album. He made me this track and said he’d like it to be as Telefon Tel Aviv. It’s very poignant.

Scorn- “Falling (Autechre FR 13 Remix)”

Scorn are an electronic project from two former members of Napalm Death. This Autechre remix is superb. I discovered Autechre’s second album, Amber, in 1994 when I was 17. It was a really important moment in my life. I was a techno kid listening to banging club music in old military bunkers. Autechre opened my mind to a different type of electronic music. It was really melodic, but also industrial with all these weird noises.

Born Ruffians- I Need a Life (Four Tet Remix)

This remix is barely recognizable from the original. I wanted to include some tracks with an organic feel, because that’s where my music is at the moment. It starts with an arpeggio that sounds like it was played by hand, very human. All his music has this shakiness that sounds like a person made it, which I love. The track before it, the Autechre one, is very computerized, so it makes a nice contrast. It’s like the sun rising.

http://www.apparat-djkicks.com

Named after the Mexican town where Sascha Ring, b/k/a Apparat, recently decamped to record forthcoming material, “Sayulita” is his exclusive contribution to his DJ-KiCKS mix; a 130bpm track that he admits contains the elements he was embracing at the time. Harnessing the shaky, organic percussion, big hoover like bass sounds and the erratic guitar chops that cut through the rising pads it blends somewhat brilliantly with Joy Orbison’s “The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow” on the mix but also manages to stand up to repeated listens on its own; fully blossoming into a somewhat angular exercise in where Ring is at right now sonically – complete with curved reverb tails across the snare drums while the low end chomps at the bit behind it.

VCR (Four Tet Remix) www.pinboardblog.com by PinBoardBlog.com

Four Tet has always been a formidable force as a remix artist, frequently injecting a new degree of beauty and introspection to the tracks he chooses.  His Born Ruffians remix which appears on the Apparat DJ-Kicks is a high water mark, and this re-working of the already reflective xx material is a thing of beauty as well.  (via FACT)

TIM HECKER – APONDALIFA (SIDE A) by ROOM40

Tim Hecker takes a distinct approach to electronic music production, favoring evocative, sometimes dissonant soundscapes over traditional arrangements.  The above track is the A-side to a new work titled “Apondalifa.”  His gorgeous “Borderlands” is the perfect closer to Apparat’s DJ-Kicks. (via Pitchfork)