Ultra Music Festival 2011

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Electronic France

France is home to many world renowned electronic music artists such as Justice, Yelle, Digitalism, Télépopmusic and the legendary Daft Punk. 

Another day of bouncing around iTunes recommendations led me to Chateau Flight of Versatile Records.  The duo comprised of Gilbert Cohen aka Gilb’R and I:Cube have been producing music together since the mid-90's.

"Their Chateau Flight journey according to I:Cube follows 'no system, [has] no formula, [and is] always a bit different…' Not the worst take if you want yourself and your listeners kept on your toes. Continuously playing versatile DJ sets from Brooklyn to Bombay and back again, you can catch [them] playing heavy techno and house sets as often as free-spirited dance music affairs...According to music journalist wisdom, Gilb’r is simply what they call a DJ’s DJ."

Dj sets by chateauflight

Dirty Vegas, NEW Release!

The British trio made a splash into the music world with the release of their self-titled debut album in 2002 and the hit single "Days Go By."  The band comprised of Ben Harris and Paul Harris on instruments/production and Steve Smith on vocals released their second album titled "One" in the fall of 2003. "One" was much more mellow and rock influenced than "Dirty Vegas," which had much funkier flavor with house inspired beats.

TODAY, marks the release of Dirty Vegas' third album, "Electric Love."  This is definitely a return to their dance music inspired rock roots in the likes of Cut Copy, Passion Pit and MGMT...or perhaps I should say they are in the likes of Dirty Vegas.  Tomorrow they will kick off a US Tour in New York at the Mercury Lounge at 9:30pm (21+).

My Summer Playlist

It's that time of year, when all I can think about are those warm summer days just around the corner.  Spring is a time for new beginnings and I'm ready to give my iTunes a lift by finding some new songs for my Summer Playlist.

Track #1 has already been designated for "Don't Ditch" by Tiësto & Marcel Woods on the recently released Club Life Volume 1 - Las Vegas
Tiësto & Marcel Woods - Don't Ditch (Original Mix) by Carol May

Track #2 goes to Yelle for "Le grand saut" off her new album, Safari Disco Club
Yelle - Le Grand Saut by FrenchForTheVan

Looking forward to discovery mad new artists and albums - Stayed tuned for the rest of my Summer Playlist picks over the next few weeks!

Moguai, A German Powerhouse

With a career dating back to 1994, German DJ Andre Tegeler or better known as Moguai has exploded in the electroni cmusic scene over the last year.  His debut album WE AR LYVE was the first non-Deadmau5 album released on Mau5trap Recordings. 

"With recent release on the UK's Skint label, Steve Angello's SIZE records and more penciled releases on Mau5trap and the revitalization of the Punx label, 2011 will surely solidify his reputation as molten-hot property." - http://moguai.com/index.php

Below is a clip of Moguai and Sofi demoing his new track at a beach party in Miami during this year's Winter Music Conference!

Dubstep by Dub Stopped

Was browsing blogger and cam across Dub Stopped.  If you're into dubstep music you should definitely check it out; a lot of dope videos.

Found Eskmo in one of Dub Stopped's posts.

Canadian Invasion

As I was walking around Ultra on Saturday I was handed a CD with a business card that read "Y Afterhours - Christian J."  I'd never heard of either but hung onto it to see if the mix was any good.  I finally got around to listening to it this weekend and it looks like I got to make a trip up to Edmonton to Y Afterhours cause Christian J kills it.   The mix was used as a promotional tool for the Canada vs. Miami after party at Nowhere Lounge hosted by Y Afterhours.  I highly recommend checking out his Soundcloud.

Here's the mix:
Christian j - HOT 107 MIX - y afterhours by christian j

Ultra Madness

So I went to Ultra Music Festival in Maimi last week and the only words I can come up to describe it are massive party.  Ultra took the city by storm with pre-parties and after parties throughout Miami and Miami Beach. The night I arrived (Thursday) I went to a Pacha party sponsored by Beatport at the W Hotel right on South Beach.  The party was free but the price to pay was in the drinks-you could expect to pay $8 and up for a splash of liquor in your cranberry juice.  Fedde Le Grand headlined filling not only the beach but the boardwalk with dancing fans. 

Friday was the offical start of Ultra, artists included:Avicii, Sander Kleinberg, Jes, BT, Roger Sanchez, Carl Cox, Loco Dice, STS9, CSS, Duran, Duran, Pendulum and Tiesto.  It was a nice slow warm up to the weekend.  The festival had a total of 8 stages setup throughout Bicentennial Park.

Saturday was when the festival really heated up with a noticable increase in attendance and security. Deadmau5 headlined on the mainstage, which brought out a slew of Deadmau5 heads in the crowd.  His set had a lot of energy but he never really dropped a hard beat-there was buildup for a weak delivery.  The highlight of the day was hands down the Carl Cox Tent, which hosted Yousef, Steve Aoki, Afrojack, Fedde Le Grand, Moby and of course Carl Cox.  Moby's set almost blew the roof off with by far the most energetic crowd of the entire weekend.  The Live Stage brought in several electronic rock bands like Cut Copy, Boys Noize, Empire of the Sun, and Simian Mobile Disco.

After two days off dancing my ass off I got to a later start on Sunday and arrived around 6pm, just in time to see Steve Aoki's set on the Live Stage while Will.I.Am played radio hits on the Main Stage.  Aoki killed it and had everyone jumping up and down before Crystal Castles set which followed him.  Crystal Castles had incredible energy but had some sound issues with the microphones.  The Chemical Brothers closed the Festival on the Main Stage and absolutely killed it-I couldn't think of a better pair to end the weekend then the two of them.  Not only was the music selection on poitn but the visuals/video were sick and unique to each song.

Young Brit to Storm the Electronic Music World?

Skimming through the electronic music section of iTunes, a frequent occurance for me, I noticed an unfamiliar name in the No.1 album spot - James Blake...?  After previewing his album I immediately fell for his electronic, R&B infused rhythms that effortlessly seem to sit at the crossroads of old school rhythm and blues and contemporary electronic rock.  Definitely a distinct sound and refreshing to see at the top over played out artists like LMFAO.  Blake's smooth music makes you melt into a tranquility.  He has been outrageously successful in his native UK and it will be interesting to see where his career in the US takes him; will he start a new crave for calm, soothing rhythms among American electronic music fans?  Here is a video of his single "The Wilhelm Scream"



Below is "Klavierwerke," from his EP released September 30, 2010

James Blake - Klavierwerke (128) by factmag

The Chemical Brothers hit the Film Industry

A new film to feature a full score by The Chemical Brothers is scheduled to open in movie theaters on April 8th.  Directed by Joe Wright (The Soloist, Pride & Prejudice and Atonement) the movie, titled Hanna, tells the story of a teenage girl that battles for her life and is woven with elements of dark fairy tales.
Hanna (played by Academy Award nominee Saoirse Ronan of Atonement, also directed by Joe Wright) is 16 years old. She is bright, inquisitive, and a devoted daughter. Uniquely, she has the strength, the stamina, and the smarts of a solider; these come from being raised by her widowed father Erik (Eric Bana), an ex-CIA man, in the wilds of North Finland.


Upcoming events to see The Chemical Brothers LIVE include:

March 27 - Ultra Music Festival in Miami, FLORIDA
April 9 - Foro Alterno in Guadalajara, MEXICO
April 11 - Foro Corona in MexicoCity, MEXICO
April 15 - Coachella in Indio, CALIFORNIA
April 29 - Mega Space in Santa Luzia, BRAZIL
April 30 - Fazenda Maeda in São Paulo, BRAZIL

Ultra Music Festival - 16 days!

Phase three of the Ultra line up was released yesterday!
Here are all the additions:

FRIDAY, MARCH 25

HEINEKEN DOME
SANDER KLEINENBERG
PORTER ROBINSON
SULTAN & NED SHEPARD
STEVE DUDA
RENATO RATTIER
FERRIS
LEO JANIERO
--------------------

SATURDAY, MARCH 26

HEINEKEN DOME
AVICII
BART B. MORE
DARREN EMERSON
NORMAN DORAY
EDDIE THONEICK
CONGOROCK
CLASSIXX
DIRTY VEGAS DJ SET
NICKY ROMERO
--------------------

SUNDAY, MARCH 27

HEINEKEN DOME
JORIS VOORN
UMEK
ZEDS DEAD
HARVARD BASS
AUTO EROTIQUE
D CUP
SHIT ROBOT
MISS NINE
SYDNEY BLU
ZEDD
BIG FAT FROG
SAVOY
--------------------

FRIDAY, MARCH 25

UMF RADIO STAGE
BT
DJ ICEY
KRAFTY KUTS
BABY ANNE
JES LIVE
PROXXY & LANTERN
STORM & JOHNNY DANGEROUSLY
BASS NACHO & MC MR. MONSTER
DMP
KCIS
SOUL IN THE MACHINE
RYAN NATHAN
MIKO FRANCONI
DJ MLE
GILLIGAN
TOM LAROC
NADIA NITRO
NAPALM
STEVE CHRISTMAS
DUME

LIVE VISUAL ART
PSYBERPIXIE

PERFORMANCE ART
CIRC X
---------------------

SATURDAY, MARCH 26

UMF RADIO STAGE
AFROBETA
GOLDFISH LIVE
TRITONAL
FLASH BROTHERS LIVE
NOEL SANGER
KINESIS
GEORGE MOREL
TELEKINETIC WALRUS
IDEAL & J-BREAK
JIMMIE PAGE
DJ SYRENA
NUTRITIOUS
HEATHER HOLIDAY
ERIC LOBE
LAURA OF MIAMI
DJ INDIGO
PEDRO M
IVAN D
MIAMI HOUSE PROJECT
DANNY B
DJ KIETO
DAVID MARQUEZ
JESSE PEREZ
LARRY BAAAAM!
VON UKUF

LIVE VISUAL ART
PSYBERPIXIE

PERFORMANCE ART
CIRC X
-------------------

SUNDAY, MARCH 27

UMF RADIO STAGE
RIOTGEAR
DENNIS SEBAYAN
JASON DANIEL
NATE CAMPBELL
PANICBOMBER
ROD B
ALEKSUS SANCHEZ
RHOAN TROY
DAVID SOLANO
DAMAGED GOODS
MIDNIGHT CONSPIRACY
CHRISTOPHER JAMES & JOSH WETHERINGTON
KENTSOUNDZ
RICHARD WEBER
IMMORTAL
THOMAS HAVEN
ALEX POXADA
OVERDOSE
PAUL CAMPBELL
DJ CHRISTI 10HAGEN
T.I.M.E.

LIVE VISUAL ART
PSYBERPIXIE

PERFORMANCE ART
CIRC X
----------------------

FRIDAY, MARCH 25

ECO VILLAGE
ALEXANDRE MARC aka SPINFANTASTIC
ASTARI NIGHT LIVE
MISTAKEN APE LIVE
RICHARD FRAIOLI
DJ PAT PAT
DJ DRAGON
DJ EL NINO
TURNET & HEIT
SANEDRACHUNTER
APOLLO VENDETTA
JOSH ABRAMS
DJ SEOUL
JEFF RETRO
JAMES DEMON
CHILLY
DANI LEHMAN
SCARLETT CASANOVA
FLY ID
TORI MORENO & MIGUEL GARJI
JAMES NAO
LOCKLEAR
DABURA

LIVE VISUAL ART
LAURENCE GARTEL & VJ COZER

PERFORMANCE ART
AIRNADETTE & KERRY TICE

ART INSTALLATIONS
AS1 & PENELOPE FOX
----------------------

SATURDAY, MARCH 26

ECO VILLAGE
RABBIT
BATJUICE
LIGHTFIELD
ERAN HERSH & DARMON
TARA BROOKS
CARLOS MENDOZA
EVOLV3
BRIAN DAWE
DJ VAHID & PARSA
DJ TSUNAMI
DEREK RYAN
RUN SEVIM RUN
GYPSY
STEVE WALKER
JEFF THOMPSON
JOSE MATA

TRANCE MIAMI PSYCHEDELIC SUNSET
ROE REVOLUTION
TRANSOVERLOAD LIVE
KINETIC ORIGINS OF RHYTHM
THIRD EAR SYNDROME LIVE
ELNADIV AKA ORBIT
JENN MARTINELLO
ARICULA
FADERS
GREEN APPLE
MAN MACHINE
PSY-FI
SHAKA-B
PSYEV
ROBOTEARS
DANCING ZOMBIES
AARON FRACTALTRIBE
KNOB

LIVE VISUAL ART
LAURENCE GARTEL & VJ COZER

PERFORMANCE ART
AIRNADETTE & KERRY TICE

ART INSTALLATIONS
AS1 & PENELOPE FOX
---------------------

SUNDAY, MARCH 27

ECO VILLAGE
ANDROID CARTEL
EC TWINS
GUSTAVO CAROLE
DEEP THERAPY
FLYNN NOLAN
STELLAR
DANI DEAHL
RYAN MORALES
MYKRIS
RENEGADES OF FUNK
MICHAEL JAMES
JEREMIAH GREEN
NIMA NASSERI
DJ MIKI MAYHEM
SOUNDUO
HICCUPS
DJ OMAR DIAZ
DJ SHALOMAR
SAFARII
CAITLIN MCGRATH
VIDA
DJ EXCEED
DIMZYNN
DEVICERATT

LIVE VISUAL ART
LAURENCE GARTEL & VJ COZER

PERFORMANCE ART
AIRNADETTE & KERRY TICE

ART INSTALLATIONS
AS1 & PENELOPE FOX

Ed Banger Artists

French artist Breakbot of Ed Banger Records is featured on a new album released last month titled Let the Children Techno (Compiled and mixed by Busy P and DJ Mehdi).  The track is kind of a throwback with a chill funky groove-just the perfect kind of music to ring in the spring.  Since he just released an album last year, it will probably be several months before we see another one-hopefully he's got some more projects in the works for the near future.

Breakbot - shades of black (extrait) by breakbot ed banger

Breakbot is currently touring around Europe and has a couple shows scheduled for Japan but no U.S. plans in the near future. It has been over a year since he last appeared at Terminal 5 with Justice, who is also in the works of producing a new album since mid-2010.  They set the bar pretty high with the release of Cross in 2007 and have fan base anxiously awaiting the arrival of some new tracks, but for the meantime....

Justice - Genesis by enol87

Giorgio Moroder

Yesterday, after a long day at work and then rehearsal, I was ready for a chill night celebrating my friend's birthday.  We went over to her uncles apartment downtown near the Williamsburg Bridge.  His apartment is one of those at street level with it's own private entrance, which leads into a large open living room filled with a few large paintings on one wall and directly opposite stood two large bookshelves full of records and various stereo equipment. He's the kind of guy that really appreciates a wide range of music and knows a lot about electronic music in particular.  He played several albums while we were over ranging from Madonna, to Kraftwerk to Giorgio Moroder whom I hadn't heard of before.  Morodor of course is famously known for his synthesizer work in the 70's and 80's and on songs such as "Flashdance...What A Feeling," "On the Radio" and "Call Me" by Blondie.  He is award studded with 3 Oscars, 4 Golden Globes and 3 Grammies.  Below is E=MC2 composed with 25 computerized synthesizers, 4 computerized keyboards, 3 micro-computers, plus electronic percussion, drums and vocals.

E=MC2 (Giorgio Moroder Remix) by Mr. 101


Here's a mix with Donna Summer
Giorgio Moroder vs Donna Summer - Chasing The Love Redroche Bootleg by redroche

Global Dance Festival

Looks like Miami won't be the only city to see a massive 3 day electronic music festival in 2011.  The Triad Dragons of Denver, CO will be producing it's annual festival for the 8th time this year.  Like Ultra, Global started as a one day event and gathered an overwhelming following that lead to the expansion of the festival to 2 days last summer.  This summer Global will be held on July 14th-16th at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Golden, CO just 15 minutes west of Denver.  The outdoor venue is nestled amongst massive red colored rocks (hence the name) which provide for amazing natural acoustics.  Last year over 17,000 people attended Global from all over the world, will the record be broken this year?

Below is an early promotion Triad Dragons are running from Facebook for the highly anticipated event!
"Get on the Global Dance Mobile VIP list now!!! Text TRIAD to 46786 on your cellphone. You'll need to get the original text or a global dance membership card to buy the limited EXCLUSIVE GLOBAL DANCE MEMBERS PRESALES that will start this week at two denver outlets! Otherwise, you'll have to wait until April 15th for the public onsale."

The festival will also hit the road this summer stopping in Athens, Greece; Kansas City, MO; and Detroit, MI

Moby's New Album!

Moby, 44, broke out into the music scene in the early 90's by creating hypnotic dance and ambient electronic music. Go, his first single to reach the masses opened the gates for his 1999 album, “Play,” which went multi-platinum popularizing electronica in the U.S. and across the globe.  Moby describes his upcoming album, "Destroyed," as "broken down melodic electronic music for empty cities at 2 a.m." The scheduled release is to hit stores mid-May.

The inspiration:
"so, the title: 'destroyed'. i was in laguardia airport and my flight was delayed and i was wandering around and i saw a small sign that said 'unattended luggage will be destroyed', but the sign only fit one word at a time so i waited until it read 'destroyed' and i took a picture and somehow the picture and the title make sense to me when i listen to the music on the album and when i look at the other pictures in the book and yes this is a huge long run on sentence about the title and cover image of the book and album but i like run on sentences because they remind me of 'a prayer for owen meany' by john irving." - Moby Feb. 15, 2011

Be the One is the first single to be released off "Destroyed"

Be The One from Moby on Vimeo.

The World's Most Famous Outdoor Electronic Music Festival

Ultra Music Festival in Miami, part of the Winter Music Conference, will be a 3 day long event this year and is over 95% sold out!  What began as a one day event in 1999 has grown into an international destination for electronic music lovers everywhere.  The first two years the festival was held on South Beach but due to tremendous growth in attendance, relocated to Bayfront Park for 2001 and then again changed location in 2005 to the present day site of Bicentennial Park.  The festival is one of the highest grossing of its kind in the world. Thousands of spring breakers and music lovers will gather from March 25-27th to celebrate an array of electronic music artists ranging from Deadmau5 to Duran Duran.  The first official Ultra commercial for Ultra3 showcases the major talent hitting this year's stages, which is sure to set a new precedence for music festivals everywhere.