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Posts Tagged ‘Leomeo Carandang’
June 10, 2013 | 
Author With heaps of heavenly house productions well & truly rocking all over our world, it looks like brevity will be the name of the game for our latest newsletter as our jukebox journey jets through a marvellous mix of podcast & track picks, short shouting sounds from some true global giants as well more modest music makers, movers & shakers, making for a super speed selection of the latest shimmering summer sounds for you to savour.
Having been out of circulation for much of March, April & May, we had to hit the ground running to catch-up on the mounds of music the missed, while scoring a line under these lost opportunities, rather propelling the latest productions around, our previous newsletter volume has very much given us food for thought on a revised format. So, finding ourselves actually ahead of the game for once, this latest edition brings you bang up to June date with a pack of prolific podcasts & a truck full of terrific tracks, we sticking with the short shouting style so as to share the sizable selection of fantastic summer sounds at our fingertips.
So let’s crack on and head to the first of a score or more of sounds, summer very much in focus as we marvel at a mound of Matinee mixes from this global clubbing giant’s all-star resident D.J.’s. Indeed, with editions stretching back months & over fifteen between March & now to choose from, including the hot off the press podcast from Takers, lifted from their performance at last weekend’s Sumer Festival in Barcelona, we can’t think of a better way to serenade an already scorching summer season just started that sending you to Matinee World’s Soundcoud site at https://soundcloud.com/matineegroup/ and leave you to go selecting.
Next and to a summer festival fella in GSP, Mr Spiliopoulos resident in Athens but XLsior Mykonos’ regular summer season resident D.J., although having spread his wings considerably in the last couple of years, George has landed gigs across Europe including for WE in Madrid, while London is a favourite destination for him, Gigolo having added him as a resident and Beyond welcoming him with open arms whenever he is in the capital, like this coming Sunday. Indeed, it is his last beyond podcast that we propel, one you can download by hitting on http://orangenation.podomatic.com/entry/2013-06-06T14_45_21-07_00, while his latest pressing is for Gusman Magazine & also a worthwhile addition to your collection by going to https://soundcloud.com/gusmen-music/exclusive-gusmen-podcast-by-2
Onwards and heading to the other side of the world, down under in fact, we find one Alex Taylor (aka Taylor Square), he without doubt one of the country’s biggest shining scene stars, playing all the major parties in his homeland Sydney as well as the other vast expanses of this colossal country. However, now is about the time this amiable Antipodean thinks about hitting the mile high club for his annual away days in Ibiza & London, times that are hugely inspiring for Alex, not least that he hooks up with flocks of friends including Peyton, with whom he recorded the towering track “Run Away With You” (more on that in a mo) while podcast wise, it is his latest release, a pulsating peak time production to mark his appearance at Sydney’s “Superstar Wild” party & one we absolutely love, as we are sure you will too by heading to https://soundcloud.com/alex-taylor/superstar-wild-peak-time-podcast.
So to “Run Away With You” a track that was released in original form over a year ago, but for some unknown reason, flew right under our musical radar, while a good fifteen months on & our Italian Stallion, Pagano, has pushed this terrific track into our full focus with his rip roaring remix. And what an amazing job he has done, he a tough tech edge to both the intro and the exit, as well as running his pumping progressive sound through the rest of the track, cleverly highlighting Peyton’s base-lines to brilliant effect. Indeed, such is the phenomenal force of this vivacious version, out on Beatport at http://beatport.com/track/run-away-with-you-pagano-remix/4445641, it swept straight to our coveted “Track of The Week” spot within hours of its release, and one which we predict is destined for even dizzier heights, so one very much to watch as well as listen to.
And with “Run Away With You” effectively running away with our last “Track of The Week” slot, we couldn’t let this music newsletter moment pas without giving the original a mention too, the prolifically powerful vocalist Peyton Christopher & Australian D.J./producer Alex Taylor, better known on the circuit as Taylor Square, the duo responsible for this phenomenal original production, their 2012 release available to stream & download at https://soundcloud.com/alex-taylor/taylor-square-peyton-runaway. Described as “…a sexy, melodic groove that takes you around the world and back again in just over 7 minutes, with absolutely no jet-lag!…” it certainly lives up to that billing, while the video the guys put together to go with the track is simply (& hilariously) superb, need we say more?!
Okay, time for a sharp intake of breath as we run through a string of sounds & links, Rich B’s “Strut Your Funky Stuff” podcast up on iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/strut-your-funky-stuff-ep/id650359402, French fancy Cyril G’s latest pressing also worthy of your collection by hitting on https://soundcloud.com/djcyrilg/dj-cyril-g-right-in-the-eyes, a switch of tracks finding a marvellous mix by Manuel Carranco of Lisa Stansfield’s single “People Hold On”, out at https://soundcloud.com/manuelcarranco/lisa-stansfield-people-hold-on, while you can’t get much bigger than Aviciii at the moment, his name spread across events right across the world, while his much awaited “Levels” podcast is finally now out on iTunes at https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/avicii-levels-podcast/id445221220?ls=1, the equally excellent Scandinavian Sami Kiveri also sending us skyward with his fabulous new podcast production, “Helsinki To London”, just out at http://djsamikiiveri.podomatic.com/entry/2013-06-09T05_18_42-07_00, we rounding off this streak through sounds shout with another London production, Milano based Nunzio Da Vinci’s podcast from his set at the Joiners Arms well worth a listen at https://soundcloud.com/nunziodavinci/joiners-arms-nunzio-da-vinci.
Slowing the pace a little, it’s our “Podcast Of The Week” selection from last week we head to now, well we say podcast, it’s actually three, our choice having gone to our Premier Protégé Player, Adam Turner, both his “Room Service” & Jemmone” pressings immensely impressing us, his style of sound suiting us right down to the ground, while he caught a stride on us when, as we were literally posting our feature on these to mixes, he released another, one again lifted from his radio show for online DAB station, Jemmone” so while it was first that Room Service mix we wanted to again share, as we do right here, out at https://soundcloud.com/clubroomservice/room-service-vol-12-adam-turner, as well as that Jemmone pressing from May at https://soundcloud.com/adamturnermusic/adam-turner-in-the-mix-jemm, we now find ourselves in house music heaven for a third time, as his latest Jemmone gem is on the verge of release, that naughty Mr Turner terrifically taunting us with a two minute teaser at https://soundcloud.com/adamturnermusic/in-the-mix-jemm-one-25-05-13-1, this indent insight giving us a captivating clue that this next compilation will be every bit as brilliant as his last, while watch this space for news on Adam’s new track production “Keep On Rising”, coming up soon.
So while on the subject of Room Service, with no less than sixteen podcast production volumes under their belt, the likes of Pagano, Hifi Sean, Kris Di Angelis & Matt Bogard found in the mix, the music is totally top draw, very much like it is every Thursday night at Maibella, so if you haven’t made that trip to Greek St yet, then why not a take a trip into the Service style of sounds now at https://soundcloud.com/clubroomservice. And while we may be playing on a sticking wicket putting them together, Gigolo also have a collection of compilations, the latest lifted from their “Cover Star” showing at Shadow Lounge, resident young blood Adam Watts the music mixer, this ninth release well worth a listen by heading to https://soundcloud.com/gigolo-disco-9/dj-adam-watts-gigolo-cover, while for more published Gigolo podcasts, simply add the number (i.e. 1 to 8) to the following link, https://soundcloud.com/gigolo-disco-.
Right, onto some mini track mentions with a real European come international flavour, our first jet-setter being Steven Redant, he very much jetting around the world as well as setting the standard of late, a schedule that his seen him switch from land to sea trading La Demence in Brussels for the club’s cruise across the Med, while much has happened in between gigs taking him around Europe in what is a virtually unstoppable whirlwind of a world he lives within. So, when you consider the studio pressings coming off the Redant production line, it beggars belief just how he gets the time, although he does & to great effect, as having sent us into a heavenly house music hurricane with “Acid Rain”, we have now gone galactic with his mix of Kat Deluna’s “Stars”, https://soundcloud.com/stevenredant/kat-deluna-stars-steven-redant steering you to sheer Steven sublimity.
Now to Jean Philips, a D.J./producer with probably the recent accent more on the producing, a feverish few days having seen no less than six recording releases & productions, including the latest volume in a podcast series that has had us hooked from the start, Jean’s “Best Sexy House” series showing all sides to his genre versatility, the switch between deep & vocal house something he achieves with both ease & excellence. However, what Mr Philips has done with his rework on the Andhim vs. Destiny’s Child “Say My Name Always Like This” is combine & create deep & vocal house to enthralling effect, the result an awesomely atmospheric track that has transfixed us so much, it could be our next “Track of The Week”, one you simply have to select by hitting on https://soundcloud.com/jeanphilips/andhim-v-destinys-child-say-my.
From Cologne we head to Milan and to studio production supremo Danny Verde, the hallowed recording home turf for this towering talent and one that has been pretty active of late, despite Danny’s exhausting trans Atlantic schedule which has seen him bounce back & forth between Italy & Miami, New York & Montreal, while he has not long landed back from a mini tour of brazil. But despite this jet-lag sapping of his energy, Danny has plenty in reserve to ensure every bit of spare time is spent in his beloved recording studio, yet another pressing off the Verde production line seeing him release his official remix of The Wanted’s “Chasing The Sun”, his preview out at https://soundcloud.com/dannyverde/the-wanted-chasing-the-sun while the full version is also available in amongst a selection of other remixes at https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/chasing-the-sun-remixes/id539065970, Danny’s full club version straight from the Verde version top draw & destined for dynamic dancefloor heights we are sure.
And completing our towering track foursome is Parisian pal Leomeo who, like Steven & Danny, spends most of his weekend’s living out of his travelling suitcase, a schedule that sees him star right around Europe, across in Asia and up & down the America’s, while we will have the great pleasure of his company right here in London towards the end of this month when he plays for Room Service then headlines the Hustlaball party two days later. However, it is his phenomenal private edit production that we are concentrating on for now, this resplendent re-work of Depeche Mode’s “Soothe My Soul” simply superb and so much so it is easily into contention for an upcoming “Track of The Week” selection, while you can stream & download to your absolute pleasure at https://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/soothe-my-soul-leomeo-private.
Now to another whistle-stop podcast pick paragraph, the adorably huggable Andrei Stan first up with his latest promo mix one packed with pumping progressive & tribal beats that he say’s “…will keep you dancing…” by going to http://djandrei1.podomatic.com/entry/2013-04-18T02_27_56-07_00, while Lee Harris gets on the As One In the Park promo trail, his devotion to this full-on festival from a couple of weekend’s ago, out on his Soundcloud site at https://soundcloud.com/asoneinthepark/lee-harris-as-one-in-the-park & one to treasure for more reasons than one. Then there is Brent Nicholls, who has marked the return to the scene of fabulously porn-tastic party PLAY>TIME, his appearance at the re-launch at Colosseum last month marked with this podcast promo up at http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/playtime-returns/, while previous PLAY>TIME resident, although now playing for the opposition, Zach Burns, is also on the club promo trail, his set showing at Scream in Paris just two days ago preluded by his pumping “House Sessions 34” podcast which, as all the others in the series, is a worthy collection addition, http://djburns.podomatic.com/entry/2013-06-04T20_58_11-07_00 the stream/download link. And as if that were enough, vivacious Venezuelan Eduardo de La Torre gets in on the promo act, devoting his latest podcast to the white isle and with the Ibiza summer season launching today, seems an appropriate entry here & one you can grab by going to http://djdelatorre.podomatic.com/entry/2013-06-05T14_28_51-07_00, while it’s an absolute pleasure to polish off this podcast paragraph with a prolific live production from the superstar that is Tom Stephan (aka Superchumbo), his recent set at NYC club XL a real stormer & a stream away on his Soundcloud site at https://soundcloud.com/tomstephan/rc-49-live-from-xl-nyc
On the homeward straight now, out final three mini mention focuses on tracks in the mix, Nick Tcherniak having eluded our 2013 newsletters thus far but proves an excellent entry with his latest release, a collaboration with Rodrigo Moranto & featuring the vocal infusions of the one & only Andrea Drudikova, very much transporting us into the Tcherniak melodic deep house world that evokes the halcyon days of Trade, this latest music mix very much bringing back brilliant Memories of Nick’s many morning’s of scintillating set showings. And if you have been immersed in an afterhours experience before, a listen to this tremendous track at https://soundcloud.com/nicktcherniak/nick-tcherniak-rodrigo-2 will, like it has us, transfer you right back to the brilliances of those magical moments.
Talking of deep house and a guy that is not only an exemplary exponent of this musical genre, but has often accompanied Mr Tcherniak on the decks at Barcode Vauxhall back in the day when it was wonderful, we turn to Hifi Sean for our penultimate pick, a towering talent in many ways, a long list of achievements in a career in music that has seen him play his part in the success of Scottish band, the Soup Dragons, while leaving that behind, has carved an equally considerable presence behind the D.J. decks, his in demand services seeing him “…tourette…” across Europe & more notably in The States, San Francisco & Texas regular returns for Sean. However, with his recent recoding success with the track “Up Yours”, a collaboration with fellow D.J./Producer Severino, our Mr Hifi’s dips into the studio may be more measured, but the results are pretty spectacular, not least with his last solo production, a re-work of Aretha Franklin’s “Rock A` Lott” which while was released back in December hit our musical radar only a few days ago, although how glad we are it has, as we just love what Sean has done here, a click on https://soundcloud.com/hifi-sean/sets/aretha-franklin-rock-a-lott showing you why, while the accompanying video is equally enthralling.
To our final entrant, Ivan Gomez proving a wonderful way to round up this latest newsletter volume, not least with a whole raft of recordings that continue to rock our world, his January release “To the Sky” having just been put up onto Beatport at http://beatport.com/track/2-the-sky-original-mix/4047556, while we purposefully point to his collaboration with Micky Friedman on the exceptional “Never Let the Party End” as our parting pick, as with music like this we certainly don’t want to let our music newsletter party end either, Ivan & Micky mixing what can only be described as a dancefloor dream, a pumping progressive, tribal & tech track that is sure to make it huge this summer, having just gotten its full release two days ago, a preview stream at https://soundcloud.com/ivangomezmusic/ivan-gomez-micky-friedmann-never-let-party-stop-guareber-recordings, while the full version is up to download at http://beatport.com/release/never-let-the-party-stop/1094734 and is more than worth the small price you pay for what is a pumping & pulsating production of prolific proportions.
So, that’s just about it for this volume, although the music keeps coming, as we are already beginning to compile 2013 newsletter number six, Elof de Neve looking like being a feature, while Adam Turner’s new track has been earmarked too. But before all that comes our new “Podcast & Track of The Week” feature, Matinee playing a huge role in our selections, very much pointing to a summer full of shimmering sunshine sounds in Spain, while with the sun struggling to put its hat on here in the capital, we hope that our champion choices here bringing some sunshine into your musical lives, each entrant proving that “Misc Is The Answer!” (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Music | 
Tags: Adam Turner, Alex Taylor, Andrei Stan, Avicii, Brent Nicholls, Danny Verde, Eduardo de La Torre, Gigolo, GSP, Hifi Sean, Ivan Gomez, Jean Philips, Lee Harris, Leomeo, Leomeo Carandang, Matinee, Micky Freidman, Nick Tcherniak, Pagano, Peyton, Peyton Christopher, Room Ssrvice, Severino, Steven Redant, Tom Stephan, Zach Burns | 
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Scoring a line under the music missed since our last newsletter in January, we rather look to now and, in mini mention form, rattle through a small selection of our website promoted podcast picks, also bringing you lots of hot of the press releases from some of the biggest names on the clubbing scene, sharing download, stream & YouTube links, before sharing snippets from our most recent podcast & track of the week choice features.
Having been pretty much out of music newsletter writing action for close on four months, there was an initial temptation to try & fill the void with a colossal catch-up, although having been there before, in 2012 to be exact, we thought rather to draw a line under a tumultuous ill heath period in our lives and rather wipe the proverbial slate clean. So, in a no-nonsense mini mention form across just four paragraphs, we first select a small handful of promoted “Podcast Picks” from our supports section, then look a string of latest releases & hot off the press productions, while we do take a little look back to some recent podcast & track of the week choices, sharing snippets of our full length features, before rounding off with a couple of newsworthy releases due out in June.
Right, let’s get on with it and head first to a small selection from the ten “Podcast Picks” promotional banners on our website, London wise, Pier Morrocco having produced a corker of a compilation to mark his appearance at the As One In the Park festival, so one worthy of a pace in our collection by going to http://piermorrocco.podomatic.com/entry/2013-04-30T07_22_02-07_00, while a second of six Londoner’s we are specifically support is The Oli, his podcasts never failing to hit our house music heavenly mark, his latest offering simply entitled “Fire” doing just that and indicative of his superb sets at a so called venue, streaming just a click away at. http://theoli.podomatic.com/entry/2013-05-11T14_28_19-07_00. Then we come to our internationally based podcast producers, Eduardo de La Torre a regular feature in our supports section, his “On The Mix” series of compilations far too good to avoid inclusion each & every month, his May mix proving just why we do and one you can grab by going to https://soundcloud.com/dj-edu-de-la-torre/may-dj-edu-de-la-torre#play our second shout going to Jean Philips who also has a regular monthly mix series, his “Sexy Deep House” podcasts proving popular in our hearing house and scores more, so much so that he has scooped our “Podcast of The Week” slot before now, his May mix, out now at https://soundcloud.com/jeanphilips, every inch a worthy addition to your collection. In terms of others we specially support, London based Zach Burns & his Gadio mix and Brent Nicholls & his “Phat & Funky Vol. 2” are joined by Oliver Mohns & his “Papa” promo production, Elof de Neve, Leomeo and Done & Dusted, all who are included here, getting mentions later on in this newsletter, while for all these specially supported podcast picks of ours, simply hit on the banners right here on our website.
Now onto those promised latest new & hot off the press releases a handful of podcasts covered here, Tim Jones & Teddy Paris both previous entrants into our specialist supports section and both with new releases out in the last week, Tim’s part of his ongoing series & up at https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/rise-and-shine-house-music-mix/id202345051, while Mr Paris’s podcast can be found by going to https://soundcloud.com/teddy23/sets/spring-sessions-1#play, each full of fresh new sounds for the spring & summer. Next is another mini mention for Brent Nicholls, who’s feverish activity we always have trouble keeping up with, he hitting us just in the last few days with his recording from the recent Delice Dream festival, one which is a possible “Podcast of The Week” contender, so well worth an advance listen at Brent Nicholls (Podcast) http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/delice-dream-2013/, while Mola Mesut (aka Mr Mola), who also played at the festival, also has a hot off the press podcast that is brimming with beach & sun inspired sounds, his “Best Of” mix simply superb and so another contender, a click on http://djmistermola.podomatic.com/entry/2013-05-21T15_46_13-07_00 hinting just why. Now to our Parisian pal Leomeo, who we promised a mention and who featured large at the recent Hustlaball party in Brussels, the event kicking off the city’s Gay Pride weekend, this podcast, presented by Tony English (who also played at the party), the third in our three contenders for this week’s Podcast top spot, but one you can grab for yourselves now by going to https://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/la-demence-meets-hustlaball#play. Plus we did also promise to give our brilliant Belgian beatmaster a mention, like Leomeo, he a regular entrant into our special podcast supports section, his collection of compilations up to volume 36 which is devoted to his recent appearance at the Gay Marvellous Island festival in Paris, out at https://soundcloud.com/elofdeneve/elof-de-neve-vol-36-2013-gay-marvellous-island-festival and a magnificent mix that echoes his superb sets not just here, but at all the clubs he plays across the globe, while we finish our mini podcast mentions with another globetrotter, the towering talent that is Taito Tikaro who, along with his studio recording partner, Flavio Zarza, has laid down a sequence of twenty four tracks into back-to-back compilation collection that marks Taito’s appearance at the four day Matinee festival in Las Vegas and is a must for you collection by going to Taito’s Soundcloud set site at https://soundcloud.com/taitotikaro/sets.
Onto a handful of hot new tracks now and we start here where we finished off last, with Taito Tikaro & Flavio Zarza, who have treated us to two new tunes released within two days of each other and both featuring the vocals of Estela Martin, “Tierra del Sueno” out at direct link https://soundcloud.com/taitotikaro/tikaroflavioestelamatinee/s-5NX6k#play & “The Secret Key of Life” up at https://soundcloud.com/taitotikaro/tikaroestelaflaviosecret#play, both sure to play a part in Taito’s La Vegas set on Saturday, while Leomeo also makes a second appearance into this newsletter, his new track, “That Power” falling under our release radar as this Parisian producer published it a couple of weeks ago, but one we love and reckon it is destined for heady heights if Leomeo unwraps it from his “Private Edit” package which you can stream at https://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/that-power-leomeo-private-edit.To Danny Verde now and a D.J./Producer of prolific production proportions, his seemingly unstoppable energy seeing him switch from the schedule of live sets, to his hallowed Holab recording studio with consummate ease, meaning that in the three months we have been off musical newsletter line, we nearly missed out on a resplendent re-work of David Tort’s own remix of the Ultra Nate vs. Norman Doray smash, “Automatic” which is set to become our next “Track of The Week”, while you can stream/listen now, by hitting on direct link https://soundcloud.com/dannyverde/ultranate-vs-norman-doray. Onwards and to two producers that are featured in our special tracks support section, Guy Scheiman & Ivan Gomez, both pretty active in the recording studio, Guy choosing Jason Derulo’s release, “The Other Side” to remix, the single suiting Mr Scheiman’s style of sound superbly, a click on https://soundcloud.com/guyscheiman/jason-derulo-the-other-side-edit#play showing just what a splendid selection our impressive Israeli has made, while we look to Ivan Gomez for our penultimate mini track mention, his first release of 2013, “The Sky”, issued on his Soundcloud site in January, out again at https://soundcloud.com/ivangomezmusic/ivan-gomez-2-the-sky-preview-2013-guareber-recordings to mark its release on Beatport a couple of weeks ago. Finally for here and finishing on a high note, it’s to global clubbing giant Matinee we head in celebrating a scintillating Spring this brilliant brand has had around the world, while their summer season in both Barcelona & Ibiza is about to start, this track oozing both spring & summer sunshine sounds from start to finish, so a great way to round up our track mini mentions, https://soundcloud.com/matineegroup/takers-run-away-feat-cassie#play the place to head for a piece of Matinee house heaven.
Moving to some more marvellous music and all magnificent enough to make both our “Podcast & Track of The Week” positions over the last two weeks, the names in the frames being Alan X & Louis Lennon, the playing partnership known as Done & Dusted for their “Summer Sessions” podcast, Steve Pitron for his latest compilation production, “As One In The Park” and to Danny Verde, Guy Scheiman & Steven Redant, the trio landing our “Track of The Week” slot two ago as The Bent Collective combo, while Mr Redant repeated to track top slot with his “Hurricane” mix of Alexis Jordan’s latest single. So while you can see both our last two weeks features in full length glory at http://discomatt.com/web/?p=7624 & http://discomatt.com/web/?p=7703, here are some selective snippets covering each of the four, Done & Dusted charting two weeks ago, we saying at the time “…while we don’t benefit from a full podcast playlist, our attention is grabbed along the way by a smattering of familiar tunes, some classics remixed, while it’s the pace of the beats, those vocal infusions & the quality of the production that ultimately kept us hooked from minute one to sixty seven…” http://audio-orgy.com/ the place to go to download, while you can stream the mix via http://mixcloud.com/donedusted50, the Bent Collective track in the same feature, we extolling “…what it reflects in its production & sound, is the style of all three contributors combined, definite flecks of Danny Verde in the beats & twisting of the vocals, while the euphoric undertones that then explode into intermixed tech tones throughout the rest of the re-work are symptomatic of both Steven Redant’s & Guy Scheiman’s styles of sound…” their version of “I Could Be The One”, out on Beatport at http://.beatport.com/search?query=Avicii+vs+Nicky+Romero+I+Could+Be+The+One+Bent+Collective+Remix as well as on all three’s Soundcloud sites. Then this week, it was Steve Pitron who scooped the podcast position, this one of scores of serenading sentences, “…But back to this stunning session and one which is a special release for the upcoming As One In the Park festival where Mr Pitron will play and one that has all the hallmarks of being a clubbing calendar colossus, this mix matching up to the might of the meet every inch of the way, the popularity of a Pitron podcast once again seeing this latest release storm to the top of the Podomatic dance chart, while with over well over 2000 plays in just over a day…” this the all important link to add it to your collection, http://stevepitronsessions.podomatic.com, while that Steven Redant remix of “Acid Rain” was most deserved of its lofty place as our “Track of The Week”, this just some of what we had to say in its praise, “…his full-on club version, one that is sheer house music heaven & in a storming “Hurricane” style sort of way at that, one which, given its considerable dancefloor creditability we can easily picture making it big in clubs such as Beyond, Muccassassina, Red & Blue, La Demence & Scream…”, a transportation to any of these dancefloor’s a mere click away at https://soundcloud.com/stevenredant/alexis-jordan-acid-rain-steven.
Well, on the newsletter home straight now and to those upcoming releases, Ivan Gomez getting his second mention, this time for his track collaboration with D.J./Producer Micky Friedman, their track “Never Let the Party Stop” due for worldwide release on Guareber Recordings on 7th June, while you can grab a sneak preview of this predicted smash now, by going to http://soundcloud.com/guareber-recordings/ivan-gomez-micky-friedmann-1, while Italian remixing star Ralphi Rosario has finalised his remix of the Up Yours duo’s (Hifi Sean & Severino) track production “London”, a full Beatport download release due out in early June, while you can stream it now via this Youtube video
we loving the musical magic Mr Rosario has woven into this track. But we are likely to be even more impressed with the upcoming track release from our Belgian beatmaster, Elof de Neve, “Attitude” also due out in early June, we keeping our eyes firmly peeled on https://soundcloud.com/elofdeneve, while it looks like Taito Tikaro will push out excitement levels to the max when the 2K13 remix of his own classic track “Shine On Me” gets its official release next month, while it looks like he has already secured our next “Track of The Week” slot, as a preview is already out and its absolutely amazing, a click on https://soundcloud.com/taitotikaro/tikaroflavioferranjlouisclarenceshineonme2k13rmx revealing just how much.
So, that’s about it and while we have been missing on the music newsletter front since January, we reckon with a lucky for some thirteen podcasts & an equally numbered thirteen track inclusions, we reckon we have made up for lost time, while hoping you will agree that, in the heavenly hands of all these dynamic D.J.’s & prolific producers, “Music Is The Answer”. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Music | Tags: Alan X, Brent Nicholls, Danny Verde, Done & Dusted, Eduardo, Elof De Neve, Flavio Zarza, Guy Scheiman, Hifi Sean, Ivan Gomez, Jean Philips, Leomeo, Leomeo Carandang, Louis Lennon, Matinee, Mola Mesut, Mr Mola, Pier Morrocco, Ralphi Rosario, Severino, Steven Redant, Taito Tikaro, Teddy Paris, The Oli, Tim Jones, Tony English | No Comments »
Wiping the seventh month slate clean, we signal a new dawn in our music newsletters, the first in a continuous volume series that, each week, promotes the podcast picks & tracks in the mix, including those promoted our website and other movers & shakers that have been rocking our weekly world, all that along with our podcast & track of the week choices, direct download/stream links & video clips included, meaning its “music is the answer” all the way.
In a week that has proved our most musically momentous & emotionally enthralling ever, it seemed wholly appropriate to re-engage in one of the most prolific passions in our life and wax lyrically about this majestic medium. However, with our last newsletter now over seven months old, there is much music making we have missed in that time, although we are not planning or proposing a comprehensive catch up, rather to wipe that slate clean but with an eye to sharing some of the bigger pieces of podcast & tracks news now we are back in the music newsletter driving seat. Plus, to keep the momentum going, we are sticking to a simple & straight forward new volume series, which we are calling “Podcast Picks & Tracks In The Mix” which will gather up some of those momentous music moments of the year as well as the more recent production picks from both our website & those that have been rocking our weekly world.
So let’s get to it and start with the most momentous musical masterpiece of 2012 so far and one released just seven days ago, Steve Pitron’s “WE Formula 2 Part 1” podcast having completely consumed us, like no other before it, this marking his fifth release of 2012, a year which in many respects we would rather forget. But true to form throughout this tough twelfth 21st century annual, Mr Pitron has come up trumps in making our bad times good through his magnificent music making and if there was the most phenomenal positive we can draw from our troubled toils, it is exactly this. Plus, in this latest podcast, phenomenal is exactly the word to describe this Pitron production, the terrific twists & turns between full on tech and vocal injections, perhaps challenging the tastes of some of his following faithful, does for us display Steve’s dynamic dexterity in all aspects of track spotting, selecting, moulding & mixing that make him a master of his art in our books. And over 9000 downloads, plus the number one spot in the Podomatic chart, speak spectacular volumes, while given the indelible impression this podcast has made on us, we naturally devoted a special review feature, “Pole Position Production” which tells you the story of how this colossal compilation has consumed us, one worth reading at http://discomatt.com/web/?p=6033, while we can say no more than we have there apart from, get this stunning Steve set of sounds into your collection by pressing the “WE Formula 2 Part 1” download button at http://stevepitronsessions.podomatic.com, while it enters its eighth day as our “Podcast Of The Week” for a second seven day term in a row.
Now we go into the podcast mix, as we head to the other picks on our website, a more appropriate position in this newsletter for the next marvellous music maker we couldn’t think of, as coming second only to Steve Pitron is an accolade we can easily award to a young man that pretty much instantaneously impressed us to the extent that we propelled him as our so called “premier protégé player”, a position Zach Burns continues to hold. And with a developing vocation behind the decks that has grown in both stature & size, regular residencies here in London including with club nights Gigolo, PLAY>TIME & Popcorn, he holds down a Saturday slot with The Edge and, on top of that has been part of playing proceedings at CasaLatina, Matinee, D.J’s At Work & The Hoxton Pony. But our brilliant Mr Burns has also played over on the continent, representing Gigolo in Germany & starring for Paris club Scream, all this hinting to even greater gigs to come as we close in on 2013. However it’s his podcast productions we hone in on here, Zach as adept in compiling a compilation as selecting sounds for a set, his series of “House Sessions” podcasts the prolific proof of this particular pudding, while like many of his contemporary D.J. compatriots, he also releases recordings of his live sets which are also testament to this terrific man’s talents. So, having made our “Podcast of The Week” slot on a few occasions while we have been off newsletter air, it comes easy to catapult his compositions here, a simple click on http://djburns.podomatic.com/ bringing you straight to his latest monthly release, while a visit to http://soundcloud.com/djzachburns taps you into those live recordings, his last PLAY>TIME set one not to be missed.
Keeping to the “in the mix” philosophy of this new newsletter series, we head out internationally now but not that far, landing on Belgium and an impressive individual for whom 2012 could not have been more polar than ours, the year one that Elof de Neve will remember for a long time to come, as his D.J’ing career has gone stratospheric. From the solid base of one of his home country’s biggest club brands, Red & Blue, Elof has spring boarded across Europe throughout 2012, Matinee appearances in Amsterdam, Barcelona & Paris adding to guest slots at Milan’s The Farm, Super Heroes in Cologne & Propaganda in Berlin to mention a few, while he was in the thick of the ES Collection “Get It One” world tour, played at pride events including Antwerp, Lisbon & Sitges, all this while cementing that base back home in Belgium. And it is back home where Elof will be next weekend when Red & Blue mark their 15th anniversary, we crossing fingers that he will lay down a new podcast to mark the occasion, no doubt filled with all the uplifting & euphoric vocal house that benchmarks the beats in his bag and score the sounds selections in his sets, these sounds often comparing him to our first newsletter inclusion, this comparison quantified in the quality of Mr de Neve’s compilations, the latest of which was devoted to club brand Propaganda and is tanked with terrific tracks, while there are plenty more to pleasure your play button by heading to http://soundcloud.com/elofdeneve where the wonderful musical mixing world of this genial gent from Gent is your oyster.
Right, time for a track mention, although with so many towering tunes to choose from in the last few months we head for a heavenly highlight from Spanish star of the international stage that will quite possibly be our producer of the year, as Taito Tikaro has scored successive sweet spot goals on us throughout 2012, “Lady Luck” the first, “Lift Me Up” another, more recently, indeed as recent as the last few weeks, his interpretations Florence & the Machine’s “Spectrum” and as recent as the last three weeks, Albert Neve’s “She Loves”, while there are plenty of other tremendous track treats in Taito’s trunk of tunes. However it is his own production that we pluck out from his prolific pack to focus on here, “My World”
featuring the vocals of Vanessa Klein, the lyrics of the song still erupting our emotions & tumbling those trademark tears some four/five months after first tuning into this towering track on Steve Pitron’s “Summer 2012 Part One” podcast and one that has been trading 2012 track of the year top spot with “Take Me Higher” since, Taito’s talent for the swooning & zooming sounds to stir our senses peppering all his productions but impressively indented on this incredible incarnation of his. Will it make it to the treasured top slot?, well it has stiff competition not least from another which we will be including a little later, along with that Rony Seilkaly stunner we have already mentioned, but Mr Tikaro has every chance of lifting not one, but two DM trophies this year.
Back to podcast productions, back to London and back to a website inclusion that has, like all the former three in this newsletter, scooped our “podcast of the week”, but not just that, achieving the as yet unprecedented accolade of staying at our effective number one slot for three weeks in a row. And this was not only richly deserved by the quality of the production but the resplendent return to music making by one Mikey D, his podcast production absence of over fourteen months, “Heavy Baby” somehow sending this scene favourite star into semi retirement, although with a demanding day job taking up most if not all of his spare time, the previous regular resident inclusions at Beyond become nothing short of barren, while the heavier direction of his music marked just the occasional appearance for sister brand Later. Yet while, if we are honest, the former Dower compilation delivery failed to float our boat anywhere near as much as “Lose Control” did, in “House Music All Night Long”, Mikey has struck gold, neatly bridging the gap between his two other podcasts, a delightful dollop of classics remixed balancing tech & vocal infusions, while floor filler favourites “Let The Sunshine In” & “Naturally” are heavenly highlights. Plus with returns to gigs behind the decks of Beyond, Later & PLAY>TIME, we felt his inclusion here, on top of devoting a special feature to him, “Delectable Dower Delivery” a worthy read at http://discomatt.com/web/?p=6000 , very much deserved, as is this marvellous mix into your collection by pointing yourselves at his podcast page, http://mikeyd.podomatic.com or selecting his soundcloud site at http://souncloud.com/mikedower and, like the compilation title, play Mikey’s house music all night long.
Jumping back internationally we only have to take a short trip across the channel to the French capital to find a D.J/Producer that, while he resides in Paris, is quite often jet setting around the globe to star in all sorts of club events & happenings, destinations Leomeo Carandang has touched extending to all five continents, just these last handful of weeks he back not too far from his birthplace of the Philippines, only yesterday playing at Singapore club Taboo, while a vacation in Vietnam has been a much needed & welcome break from what is always a hectic schedule in the life of Leomeo. Indeed, of the fifty two weekends in a year, he is away from home for a good 80 % of those, his gig tours & travels as close as Marseille & St Tropez to as far as Montreal & Sydney, the latter marked with one of his most recent mixes from his short tour there which including a gig at the city’s Extra Dirty club and is the one we currently feature on our website. However, the Leomeo production story extends much further than that, a sizeable chunk of his time during the week being spent in the recording studio, his most prominent production since the superb track “The Sound Of C”, one which was remixed by a number of others including Superchumbo, is “Do U Feel It”, while a simultaneous production “Give Me Luv” is nipping at the former’s heels, these two releases on top of what is probably our favourite of his tracks, that being “The Bomb” which within a very short space of time has been remixed no less than six times. But with over 70 podcasts & tracks to choose from, Leoemo literally spoils you at his soundcloud site, well worth a visit by clicking on http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/.
Now it’s time to mop up the rest of our website podcast picks, Brent Nicholls having turned to twitter to market his mixes, a visit to http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/2012/11/19/follow-me-on-twitter-download-exclusive-podcasts/ telling you more, while The Oli takes us back to 2004 for his “A Moment Of Orange History” podcast which proves a superbly sentimental step back in time, so worth grabbing at http://theoli.podomatic.com/entry/2012-11-18T15_03_13-08_00 so as to sink into what is an exceptional example of Mr Bell’s brilliant beats. Then we come to what we call our “movers & shakers”, those latest podcast productions that have pricked up our ears, London based Tim Jones doing just that with his intriguingly titled “D.J’ing For Dummies” compilation, he summarising it as “…an hour of house music tracks from my box…”, a click on http://riseandshine.podomatic.com/entry/2012-11-22T07_23_03-08_00 proving that he has, as he stated on his podcast page, mixed for your pleasure, while our other mover & shaker from the capital this week is Jamie Hammond & his spontaneous set piece experiment which came out of a sleepless night, that finding resonance with us as we too have been suffering from sleep shortage and this affinity made us listen to & be impressed by his effort at http://d-jamie.podomatic.com/entry/2012-11-21T22_11_29-08_00. Internationally we have two “movers & shakers” too, the first one we have been wanting to include for a long time, Ludoladiva posting on our Facebook each & every time he makes a mix, his upcoming gigs for Matinee warranting our promotion, Ludo inviting you to join his session by going to http://facebook.com/events/450106361703958/ while the actual podcast promo is up at http://soundcloud.com/ludoladiva/ludoladiva-matinee-promo-part1-december-2012. And last, but by no means least, is Greek guy GSP, another who regularly shares his productions through our social networking connections, his relatively new “Energy” series very much on our favourites list, he having been one of our “movers & shakers” for a rolling few weeks, his latest “Vol 3” a surefire fabulous addition to your collection by hitting on http://djgsp.podomatic.com/entry/2012-11-20T10_23_06-08_00.
So with our podcast picks done for this time, it’s down to that other track mention we hinted to earlier to finish off this first volume in our own new series of music newsletters and fulfils our promise to include our “track of the week” which, in one of the most momentous musical weeks we have endured & enjoyed, could have gone to any one of a dozen or so choices. But while many trademark tears & emotional eruptions came from all the tracks in our selection pool, it was “Beautiful Mind” which spilled more sentiment than any other, actually stopping us in our working tracks when we first heard it on Tuesday. Indeed, with a compelling connection to our “podcast of the week” choice in that Steve Pitron’s “WE Formula 2 Part 1” production was the introductory source, after sinking into this terrifically moving track masterpiece, we sought out the exact version from Mr Pitron’s podcast, first falling on the Chucky, Ortzy & Nico Hamuy remix
which while not the version we were hunting for, sourced the official video which began the equally moving story of this marvellous few minutes of music, the filming of the artist, Keemo, on his bike the first emotional erupter, the Catalonian film location connection anther catalyst the lyrics, as they played out on the video, completing the tear tumbling picture. Then came the story of why Steve included the track on his podcast, which gave it even more providence to make it to our “track of the week” pick, it having also made it into both his & Max Sanna’s sets during their ClubNation back-to-back performance at Lo-Profile last night, all meaning that, like our other track focus here, “My World”, “Beautiful Lie” looks destined for year-end greatness, while with a host of remixes out there, plus that illusive inclusion on the Pitron podcast still to come our way (hang on a second, here it is)
watch this space for a special feature on this & a handful of others that will be vying for that top track of 2012 trophy spot.
Well that’s just about it for our first music newsletter in months, but we promise it won’t be even weeks before the second volume in this new series, the emphasis switching from podcasts to tracks and to those producers on our website, the likes of which are Danny Verde, Ivan Gomez, Guy Scheiman, Javier Medina and, naturally, Taito Tikaro, while a couple of podcast “movers & shakers” will get a look in too. However with all that to come, in the meantime we hope you connect with our above choices, all which, for us, go to prove that “Music Is The Answer” (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Music | Tags: Brent Nicholls, Elof De Neve, GSP, Jamie Hammond, Leomeo, Leomeo Carandang, Ludodiva, Mikey D, Steve Pitron, Taito Tikaro, Tim Jones, Zach Burns | No Comments »
From prolific to protégé players, 2011 has proven an interesting podcast production playground, some new faces making it big, while a flood of familiar ones captivated us with their compilations. But the choices have been made & from a listing that reads like who’s who, we have chopped our champions down to just ten. But who & what made it into our Podcast chart of the year?
Compilation Chart
There is no doubting the prolific nature of podcast production in 2011, the plethora of music newsletters we produced, just a small indication of how busy some of the players that have made it into our chart this year have been. Then when we look down our exceptional eight producers that make up the tremendous ten podcasts come compilations , we see a handful of notable names that popped up in our chart last year, while 2011 has also very much been about us promoting our protégé players, whether they be based here in London, or across further reaches of the globe. So while this second part of our 2011 music review is very much about the podcasts, it is also about the producers, whether prolific in their production or simply part of the protégé player list that we hold so dear. But like the tracks review before it, this podcast reflection of 2011 saw us whittle a list of over thirty compilations to just ten, each one getting their own special mention in a music newsletter style format with those all important purchase point, podcast page or soundcloud site link, we taking a brief moment to encourage you to support each & every D.J./Producer & the tracks they use for promotional purposes or otherwise, by buying through legitimate channels such as Beatport & iTunes.
Barca Boy
So let’s get straight to it and to the first of our exceptional eight whose year was quite stand-out compared to the last, not least as he landed a major contract with one of the biggest clubbing brands on the globe, Javier Medina securing his place with Matinee Group, this step change in his career seeing him start the year playing in front of capacity crowds in New York, while he was an intrinsic feature in the massive Circuit Festival in his home city of Barcelona, a 12 day event that took place in August. Add to that trips right across Europe for the brand, as well as projects away from matinee, including a guest appearance right here in London for Lovechild’s “Birthday” bash and 2011 has seen our brilliant Barca boy do plenty of travelling, while also continuing his residencies at home, including that for Dboy.
So, it comes as no surprise that his studio work has been playing second fiddle to his live performances, although Javier has been no slouch this year, amassing no less than 6 compilations along with three tracks, one with our Parisian pal Leomeo (more on that shortly), while his remix of Pagano’s “Perfect World” was among our favourites of 2011. However it’s podcasts we are talking here and Javier’s “Happy Tech House” release in May is the one that sees him slot into number 10 spot in our compilation chart, this “Spring” release certainly having that in its sound steps, we pretty much spinning around our study when we first listened to it, Mr Medina mixing in a string of styles that includes tech, progressive & tribal (his true love), while we are even blessed with a sprinkle of vocals, hence why we love it so much and one we are sure you will love to when you go to direct link http://soundcloud.com/javier-medina/happytechhouse2011, while volume 2, released last month is also worth a look.
Impressive Israeli
So we are motoring and to our significant seventh who slots in at number 9 in our compilation chart, although for personal reasons we wanted to pop him in a little higher, but given the competition ahead of him it was difficult. Yet, having added him to our protégé players list (Javier is on there too) following our first meet on New Year’s Day here in London, our impressive Israeli, Guy Scheiman, has been a big part of our year, joining us in Barcelona for Delice Dream, was here in London for Hustlaball & close to our bedside when we were landed in hospital and hardly a week goes by when we don’t speak on the phone or Skype. However, Guy’s year musically has been pretty good too, the two London trips huge highlights, while back home he has re-established residencies to add to those he already has and has played for big brand FFF group too, while he was also part of Tel Aviv’s gay pride event and continues to be scouted by promoters far & wide.
Lovechild Lament
But it is Mr Scheiman in the studio where we find a flurry of activity, his Soundcloud site packed with productions, whether it be track or podcast releases, meaning we would need a whole post to go through the 30 or so releases he has commissioned in 2011. But Guy made a tricky task of choosing which one to lay our Y.E. chart hat on a great deal easier when he gifted us a pulsating podcast back in October, marking the capitals’ clubbing circuit brand Lovechild landing a new home at Pulse, this mix edging out his Hustlaball devotion, as well as what is also an accomplished compilation, his “Dreams From Ibiza” podcast, which was inspired by his trip to the white isle in July. And, while we could have easily chosen our collaborative mix, “From Tel Aviv To London” as our Scheiman star here, it is the Lovechild mix that gets our vote and one you should add to your collection by going to direct link http://soundcloud.com/guyscheiman/guy-scheiman-october-2011-1 while a trip through the various sections of his Soundcloud site http://soundcloud.com/guyscheiman is also a must.
Outstanding Oli
To our superb sixth now and superb is a phrase that truly befits this tremendous talent, a chap that has played across the capitals clubbing circuit for a hefty handful of years, cutting a significant stride for brands including Later, A:M, Orange &, most recently Onyx, his ties to the Orange Group meaning that hardly a weekend goes by without The Oli featuring somewhere in their schedule. But it doesn’t stop there, as he is called upon for specialist parties too, whether they be of the Fire or Area kind, his showing for Orange at the recent Saturday night spectacular at the Brixton Electric, one of the standout sets among a large list of others we have been privileged to witness. But perhaps our most memorable moments in Oli’s musical hands have been at Beyond, he occasionally being called upon to play in the main room (he is definitely main room quality), while he personally prefers in vibe in the terrace room, a smaller space where the atmosphere is a little more edgy and allows Oli to experiment a little, mixing up firm favourites with other bootlegs & remixes that give his sets added dimension.
Brilliant Beyond Beats
And it is one of those sets to which we dedicate position 8 in our compilation chart, Oli’s podcast pressing from his performance in that Terrace room at Beyond in June, a two hour recording that does pretty much what we said just now, this music mixing maestro serving up a superb selection of samples, not least “Cross The Line”, “Esta Loca” & “Yalta Groove”, all having other tracks intertwined to give them a fresh appeal, while it also includes some of our top tracks of 2011, “Pressure”, “Enjoy The Ride” & “You Will Remember” , no’s 8, 6 & 2 respectively in our chart. Plus, as it’s a full two hours and has been lifted from Oli’s live set, you can virtually immerse yourselves in the whole Beyond experience, it very much reminding us of that actual day when we were savouring this very set standing close to Oli & the decks that were dishing out this dream of a dance session. So, to grab your piece of Oli at Beyond, head straight for http://theoli.podomatic.com/entry/2011-06-25T07_55_42-07_00 and sink into the sounds of our superb sixth.
Italian Stallion
Now we focus on our fabulous fifth, this Italian Stallion having had a stampede of a year globetrotting to all corners of the world, while also cutting a significant stride here in the capital, not least with his own club brand Deviate, which joined forces with awesome afterhours Beyond on a handful of occasions. However, breaking into the US market has probably been Pagano’s single most dynamic development, building on the successes he created during 2010, last year saw him play out in front of huge audiences in New York alone, a focus on the fab Francesco in the US’s biggest club circuit rag, Noise Magazine, an exceptional example of what sort of an impact he has made stateside. But back in Europe, we will never forget the reception he received at Delice Dream in May when a towering two hour set was culminated by the captivating crowd literally bowing at his feet & demanding more for this magnificent music maker. But whether it was the Ski Week, the Circuit Festival or Trade’s 21st birthday, our Italian Stallion was rarely out of the scene spotlight both at home & abroad, while his roots in London have seen him play out for brands including Orange & Onyx, the latter a vehicle he used to launch his new compilation back in November and marked a series of specially extended live sets that saw the place packed to the rafters each & every time.
Digital Delight
So, given the magnitude of the first, which was released just over a year ago, with “Digital Generation Vol 2” we have number 7 in our chart, like the first, packed with Pagano productions, not least his wonderful re-work of The Freemasons’ “Watchin”, along with remixes of Eva’s “Not My Daddy”, Ralph Rosario’s “Fantasia” & Bjork’s “Big Time Sensuality. But moreover, he included some of his own productions which others have remixed (an accolade indeed) including his latin cum techno track “Hispanicity”, the magnificent “Mr Magic” & “Need” a track specially commissioned for this colossal compilation which is sure to follow in the footsteps of the former which topped Beatport’s charts & was even lusted on the main dance page of iTunes (need we say more). Plus, while we have included Pagano’s 2nd prolific compilation production in our “Podcast” review, we entirely acknowledge that is is a compilation that represents a top class producer at work, meaning this is no simple download, rather a for sale copy composition which you can grab/purchase either in mixed or unmixed versions (or both) from Beatport at direct link http://www.beatport.com/release/digital-generation-volume-2-mixed-and-unmixed/740829, a sneak preview (do you really need it) available at http://soundcloud.com/pagano/digital_generation_vol_2_sampler_preview, while Pagano has started this year with the release of a rare “podcast” devoted to his club brand Deviate, that on top of a Trade “compilation” that is on its way too, the man sure to make it into our 2012 chart as our outstanding professional producer of the year, as he does here.
Captivating Celso
Onward now and to our fantastic fourth and a new entrant in 2011 on our protégé player list, Celso (aka Junior) Moura turning his talents to the decks with quite remarkable results for one so fresh to the game. Plus, given the stiff competition within the capitals clubbing circuit, which all too often for burgeoning D.J.’s is pretty much a closed shop, Celso not only got a bite at the big club cherry in the form of two spectacular showings for home-grown brand Casa Latina, his prolific performance in the main room at the “Super Carwash” event a sign things to come, he also stamped his sounds on showings for Barcode on London Pride Saturday, along with a huge handful of plays for Profile & Lo-Profile that have set Celso on the road to sure-fire success. But he finds himself benefitting from a terrific tutor who will feature higher in this chart, a mentor who’s playing pedigree along with podcast production has steered Celso superbly and while some would argue that Mr Moura’s style is similar to his master’s, the injection of Brazilian beats & other tougher tunes does stamp Celso’s own signature on his set showings.
Casa Celso Style
So given his protégé player positioning, we simply had to include him in our podcast review of 2011, his compilation created for Casa Latina’s “Super Car Wash” seeing him land position 6 in our chart, which Celso explained at the time of its release “…it includes some of my favourite tracks of the moment and takes influences from the great music coming out of Brazil & London…” the mix pitched perfectly blending those Brazilian come tribal beats with more upfront house to create a podcast worthy of its position in our chart. However, what is equally appealing to us in making this choice, is Celso’s inclusion of a handful of what we call “crowd pleasing plays”, not least a rapturous remix of the Eurythmics classic “Sweet Dreams”, making this a seventy minute mix to marvel at and one you can still grab for your collection by going to http://djjuniorspodcast.podomatic.com/. And in terms of D.J.’ing projects to come, while Celso (like many of us) balances a very busy daytime job with his love for his acquired art, showings for Profile over the NY weekend& just last Saturday seem to have secured his position as one of their favoured residents, while we predict him going places in 2012 and, as one of our few protégé players, we will be supporting him every step of the way.
Our Leo Leo
So we are half way in our podcast chart, reaching our tremendous third and yet another protégé player of ours, although this individual has experience in the D.J./Production game spanning close on 20 years, being a truly international & globetrotting guy who seems to simply go from strength to strength, 2011 proving one of his busiest years yet, hardly a weekend passing by without Leomeo playing somewhere in the world. If we were to list the clubs & the countries he has touched during the year, we would need to devote a whole post to his performances, while with each & every music newsletter we issue, our Leo Leo never fails to miss out being mentioned. Having spent a few days with our Parisian pal in his home city in February, due to his exhaustive schedule, the one thing we haven’t benefitted from in 2011, is seeing him play live, although we are hoping to make amends this year. That said, there were plenty of opportunities before us last, Leomeo playing out right across Europe and even landed here in London, taking up a guest slot for social soiree splendour Room Service, while Canada The USA, Asia & South America were a feature of his considerable clubbing event calendar.
La Leche! Lemeo
But, despite his hectic schedule, Leomeo never fails to dip into the recording studio, an equally impressive array of compilations marking his movements around the globe, we struggling to keep track of his productions. However, a glance at his Soundcloud site gives us some measure of comfort in our quest, as he has neatly arranged his productions into sections, although when deciding to chart him here, our decision on what to pick as his compilation of the year was already made. And in his “La Leche” mix, marking his superb showing for Matinee when it travelled to Paris over the Easter weekend, is a standout selection of sounds, very much mirroring his prolific performance, the emphasis here very much more on upfront house rather than the tribal intentions that are the natural roots of Leomeo’s style, one which in 2011 has seen him step firmly out of that shadow & mix in a whole load of genres in his performances & productions. So, while we have a catalogue of creative choices, it is his “La Leche” compilation at http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/la-leche-the-mix-by-dj-leomeo which takes position 5 in our podcast chart.
The Brilliant Mr Burns
Now we said this 2011 podcast review was as much about our protégé players as anything else and we arrive at our significant second in the form of the incredible Zach Burns who, had it not been for the one person above him, would have topped our chart, not least for the marches he has made during 2011, securing him as our premier protégé player of the year. From humble beginnings & showings for Heaven & Room Service, Zach has established himself as the star turn of social soiree splendour Gigolo, having been in the thick of the action since the launch back in May (more on that in a mo), while both Profile & Lo-Profile are his regular playing grounds, “Society” & “Playtime” forming part of his monthly roster, while a residency at the Edge, appearances at The Hoxton Pony & toe dips into Fire & Protocol for “Casa Latina” & “Le-Boy” also featured in his year. But it is to Lo-Profile that we draw our most memorable Zach moments, Gigolo aside, Mr Burns stepping in for an absent Mikey D & following on from Steve Pitron back in October that was very much a set & a night to remember. And, having tracked his progress, that along with his terrific talent for tantalising us with a tune, “Stupididsco 2011” became a bit of a Burns/DM anthem last year, it is no surprise to us that he has attained that premier protégé player position accolade.
Gigolo Giant
So, choosing a podcast from his fifteen productions in 2011 was a decision that we mulled over for quite some time, as his monthly “House Sessions” are equally attractive in their making, Zach changing his style to suit the time of year, as well as reflecting on some of the set showings he has made across the capital & beyond. And that style is very much upfront & disco, intermixed with more tech yet melodic music masterpieces, we very close to choosing his “House Sessions 2011 (Top 12)” as our choice pick, one which takes a track from each of the 12 monthly compilation releases to create a Burns bonanza which, from the moment we played it, we couldn’t put it down, one which appears on his Soundcloud site at http://soundcloud.com/djzachburns/dj-zach-burns-house-sessions. However, given how much he moved us with his stunning set at Gigolo’s launch, we had to place his devoted podcast, “Gigolo Promo (Disco Sessions)” into position 4 in our compilation chart of the year, a sixty minute marvel that screams disco & Zach in the groove, so one definitely for your collection by going to http://djburns.podomatic.com/entry/2011-05-11T12_00_38-07_00, while there is a full 2 hour version out too.
STEEEEEEEVE!
From our exceptional eighth we reach our phenomenal first, that word beginning with P not used lightly, while the letter P is very much relevant as (you have probably guessed already!) it is Steve Pitron that tops our compilation chart of 2011, not only that, but taking the first three places in our podcast positions, such has been the magnitude & magnificence of his mixes. But before we run down each of the three, we want to give a mention to a fourth and one we overlooked in 2010 but really caught our imagination at the time & since, as his WE Party podcast gets a posthumous mention and one that should have ranked highly then, although somehow missed the boat. And talking of boats, while 2011 was absolutely crammed with magical memories, scores of scintillating sets & outstanding outings in the hands of Mr Pitron, with the possible exception of Gay Pride at Barcode, one of our fondest outing days with the man & a compelling collection of clubbing faces, was on the Later Boat party in the summer, one of many huge 2011 highs, while he, more than many others in our lives, was right there during our lows, not least when we were landed in hospital in June.
Amazing Afterhours Accoldate
So Steve has definitely been a huge part of our 2011, as have been the three podcasts he produced, each one truly towering in their own right, meaning choosing positions 3 to 1 wasn’t easy, not least that, between them, they account for a massive 26 out of our top forty tracks of the year, each one also part of our daily playlists as we spin around London’s roads. But a decision had to be made and in at number 3 is his “Afterhours 2011” mix, one which, for us, marked his podcasts attaining a new level of excellence and packed with brilliant beats from minute one to minute one hundred & one, standout tracks definitely “Live Your Dreams”, “Bitch Lady”, “Catch”, “Stupidisco 2011”, “Music In My Soul” & “Twist In My Sobriety”, while others helped the compilation contribute an unbeatable 11 tunes to our 2011 track chart, so a worthy number 3 & one that is surely in your collection, although if not, a visit to either http://soundcloud.com/stevepitron/steve-pitron-afterhours-march or http://stevepitronsessions.podomatic.com/entry/2011-02-24T02_53_58-08_00 should seal the deal.
Summer Sizzler
Then we come to position number 2 in our chart and this was a close call, not least as this compilation includes some of our favourite tracks of 2011, two that continue to erupt emotional tears whenever we hear them, while the short & sweet nature of “Summer Vol.1” compared to ”Afterhours” is also very appealing. So, you will have gathered this is Mr Pitron’s 2nd release of 2011 and like the first, contributes a fair few tracks to our Y.E. chart, “Starry Eyed”, “Offshore”, “One Look”, “Pressure”, “Fuck the Disco”, “Stupiddisco” (again), our most emotive track of the year, “Waiting For You” and “You Will Remember” which attained number 2 spot, quite appropriate given this podcast’s position. But, with another five terrific tracks apart from these, the podcast ticks all the right boxes & one we still haven’t been able to put down and while we never thought that “Afterhours” could be bettered, Steve certainly pulled a real gem out of the bag, perhaps representative of the purple patch he found himself within at the time of its release in early May, all meaning that it richly deserves it’s 2nd place in our compilation chart and should be in your collection by going to Steve’s Souncloud site at http://soundcloud.com/stevepitron/summer-2011-v1 or Mr Pitron’s Podomatic page at http://stevepitronsessions.podomatic.com/entry/2011-05-28T12_01_35-07_00.
Pitch Perfect Pitron Production
Well we have made it to our number 1 podcast of the year in our compilation chart of 2011 and Steve scoops the prize with what we hailed upon its release as his most accomplished piece of production work to date, a simply scintillating string of towering tunes that show off Steve’s skills for mixing in different genres to create a dynamic dance journey of a podcast. Kicking off with our track number 1 of 2011, “So Much Love”, it continues on that huge high note with another 21 terrific tracks, not least “Enjoy The Ride”, “Turn It Up”, “Nimbus”, “Lift Me Up”, “You’ve Got The Love”, “Diamonds In The Sky” & “Stronger”, all that made our top forty track chart, yet with so many others to savour, some more on the progressive & tech side of Mr Pitron’s playlists, like the brilliant “Sunken Bells Of Ibiza”, “Play This Song” & “Dancing In The Dark”, this scintillating selection of styles in the form of his “Summer Vol. 2” release, does very much take you on that dance journey we mentioned and, like Vol. 1, is one we simply cannot put down. Now some may argue that is not pure Pitron, while we would say it displays his deck spinning dexterity and why he is still at the top of his game, headlining clubbing events & main rooms now as he did when he first stormed the scene. So if you haven’t yet grabbed this significant slice of Pitron perfection, then head straight to http://soundcloud.com/stevepitron/summer-2011-v2, &/or http://stevepitronsessions.podomatic.com/entry/2011-06-21T04_46_56-07_00 and see why it made it to our number 1.
Unbreakable Bond
Well that’s just about it for our compilation chart of 2011, well almost, as we couldn’t let the moment pass without a quick mention for our own podcasts, four of which were produced in 2011, although we were hoping it would have been more. Following the creation of our “Dance-tastic” series, the first release blended twenty of our top tunes of 2010, this being followed by our “Spring Bloomers” collection in what was trumpeted at the time as being “…the most anticipated marriage of musical minds since Benny & Bjorn, Lennon & McCartney…” and one where we chose the tunes & he blended them. And it worked extremely well, the next in the series “Summer Scorchers” going down a storm, even if one track ended up the root cause of our fall from grace break-up, the other protagonist possibly being our collaboration with another, creating our fourth compilation of 2011, “From Tel Aviv To London” (still available at http://soundcloud.com/guyscheiman/from-tel-aviv-to-london-disco), although plans to continue or “Dance-tastic series with our original playing partner hit the rocks, meaning both “Autumn Anthems” & “Winter Warmers” were scrapped. So, while all four of these podcast’s are right up there with the other ten in our compilation chart, given the circumstances, it didn’t feel right to rank any of them. However, we look forward to a 2012, which we have hailed as “A Year Of Reconciliation”, that marks our “Dance-tastic” series of selections with our original collaborator back in business.
Now that really is it for part two of our Music Is The Answer Special, rounding off what truly proved, musically anyway, as “The Best Year Yet”. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Music, Reviews | Tags: Celso Moura, Guy Scheiman, Javier Medina, Junior Moura, Leomeo, Leomeo Carandang, Pagano, Steve Pitron, The Oli, Zach Burns | 1 Comment »
Having been pretty all encompassing with our last few newsletters, we thought it time to divert back to our original feature format & focus on just a handful of what we have called our “Protégé Producers & Players”, a select few that are either internationally based stars that we have seen develop & progress, or fresh faced talents based here in London that we see as the new & rising stars of the scene. Now some of the inclusions will be recognised as talents as close to or at the top of their game, while others are still in that development stage, but what they all have in common is the ability to thrill us with their raw talent, along with a passion for their art. And yes, we can proudly proclaim that they are all, without question, firm friends too, we being privileged to know each & every one of them, hence why we are so proud to promote their achievements & aspirations here.
Milano Man
And we couldn’t think of a better choice to start this extended & special music feature off than Danny Verde, this magnificent Milano having had a truly yardstick year to add to the meteoric rise to the upper echelons of international D.J.’ing circuit that have made him such a draw by so many clubs & their promoters. Indeed, 2011 has seen Danny continue to forge a prolific path of performances across the globe, whether it be mixing in Mexico, spinning in Spain, or impressing in Italy, an army of adoring Latino’s not the only audiences that well & truly delight in his dextrous deliveries. The year has seen appearances for Delice Dream, those Mexican tours, trips across Europe including right here in London, regular slots at home for massive club Muccassassina, even up as far as Finland, or down to Deutschland, hardly any part of the continent untouched by his tremendous talent, while a return to The States is on the cards for next year to follow the trip this, Australia & Africa sure to come too. And such is Mr Verde’s demand, that hardly a week goes by when he is jetting off somewhere, either near to his native Milan or to distant borders. That said, there is no denying that the firm foundation behind Danny’s substantial successes across the globe is in his studio productions, a quick glance at some of his tracks speaking volumes, “Pushin To The Top”, “Let Me See Your Underwear” & “Express Yourself” three that spring to mind, while a whole raft of remixes litter his discography, for us, his re-work of the Pagano & Stewart Who creation “Trapped” right up there.
Rapturous Remix
However this year, the hallowed turf that is his Holab studio has seen the Verde remixing gear definitely hit top, first kicking off with a further re-work of “Express Yourself”, although when we realised that the “Starry Eyed” mix that Steve Pitron was treating us to in Beyond was Danny’s production, we were nothing short of speechless in just how emotionally euphoric it made us feel & how brilliant it is. But, when we enjoyed our third liaison of the year with him in Rome, we were privy to a new project involving Kelly Rowland, the result being his remix of her hit “Motivation”, although nothing could have prepared us for the news of an yet another official production, this time for Lady Gaga, one which has catapulted his name to the top of the biggest music download sites in the world, not least the US Billboard chart. And whilst we have particular affection for “Starry Eyed”, there is no denying that Danny’s version of Lady Gaga’s “You & I” is sure to attain him un-paralleled notoriety compared to the former and one which has already seen Danny plastered across the musical press both at home & abroad. And when you take a listen to the track you will understand just why, as this is undoutably one of his most accomplished productions to date (possibly his most), it blowing our mind & leaving us breathless when we heard it play in a club last Friday, so one you should definitely seek out (along with the other three of course) by selecting his soundcloud site at http://soundcloud.com/holabstudio/. Moreover, as we did today, go get Danny’s “You & I” mix from iTunes, stick it on your smart phone, MP3 player or iPod, and we can pretty much guarantee that, like us, you will become hooked to this heavenly house hit.
Barca Boy
To our second inclusion and very much a protégé of ours if ever there was one, the weight of our support being thrown behind Barcelona boy Javier Medina from the minute we saw his name emerge about eighteen months ago, although this belies his extensive experience in the D.J.’ing & production game which spans for many years. The son of a D.J., it was always going to be in Javier’s blood, although a pursuit of design would be his first career path, the creative skills that saw him take this direction soon translating into producing music, not least from inspirers such as Danny Teneglia & Herbie Hancock. So, it was no surprise that his insatiable desire to cut a considerable stride in among his music making peers saw Mr Medina shed his design coat & throw the full weight of his devotions into D.J.’ing & producing, his Barcelona base soon sprouting residencies at clubs like Dboy & Devotion, while European gigs would also soon follow in Germany, Italy & France, Australia also proving a prolific playing ground for him, ties still remaining from his short relocation down under. But cracking the international nut was a tough one, openings here in London for brands Lovechild & As One helping in that process, although it would be his homeland Spain & one of its biggest clubbing brands that would be the breakthrough Javier was looking for.
Matinee Man
The name Matinee is synonymous with Spain & with clubbing although it would be fair to say that at first glance, Mr Medina’s definite tribal & tech style of sounds didn’t much fit this global group’s music model, although with the advances competitors SuperMartXe & WE were making in 2010, a fresh injection at Matinee was required. So signing Javier to this Spanish giant was very much that move and one that would mark a massive step change in both his profile as a D.J. on the international stage and a slight shift in his style of sound, the vocal infusions that had been conspicuous by their absence in early productions of his, coming more to the fore within his performances & his podcasts. However, Javier’s musical roots do remain in the tribal & tech camps, although he is reported as calling his current direction as “…happy tech house…” explaining it as “…a hypnotising combination of groovy & percussive beats…”, a style that seems to have won him favour with Matinee and with audiences both at home & when he tours for the brand. And with his 2011 starting in the best possible way, playing live in New York, destinations including, Montreal, Moscow, Paris & Rome are just four among a long list, while he was an intrinsic part of The Circuit Festival back in Barcelona in August, that on top of a superb showing here in London in July. But it is to New York that we look & find Javier’s latest studio release, a podcast plucked from his live performance at the cities District 36 club and one reflective of Mr Medina’s music making & mastery, so one for the collection by going to http://soundcloud.com/javier-medina/tracks, not forgetting to pick up his Circuit compilation too.
Charming Chico
Now to another Latino although of the Venezuelan persuasion, Eduardo De La Torre a proud product of this South American country, although a large chunk of his life has been spent here in Europe, bouncing between Spain Germany & London, the capital being the place we first met a befriended our fellow Sagittarian and where his D.J’ing career took a huge leap, his exposure to big brand Matinee very much setting a course in his career that would lead him to laying his hat in Berlin. And it is in the German capital where Edu has really come into his own, the more relaxed feel of the city’s scene allowing him to flex his creative muscles much better than here in London, the firm foundation of a residency with Berlin’s Connection club the platform that allows Mr De La Torre to tour across Europe, Moscow a regular feature of his activity, while Cologne, Hamburg, Vienna &, of course, back to London feature, here being where he has played for clubs & events including A:M, As One, Beyond & Lovechild. That said, Berlin & Germany is his rock, as speaking the language fluently, having studied electronic music production in the city & also being intrinsically involved in the annual Salvation party which took place just last night and was one we were proud to be part of last year, means he feels right at home here, Edu completely in the thick of it all. But his talents behind the decks have also extended to stints on radio shows, his stay in Spain spurting his love for this medium, while beaming the Edu sounds through Radio Ibiza (via Berlin naturally).
Very Impressive Production
But much of his energy also goes into his productions and having formed a recording partnership & studio set up by the name of No-Scene, in the short space of time the duo have been working together, the accomplishments have been substantial, a huge highlight being their nomination to represent Switzerland in the Eurovision song contest, no mean feat when you consider that, despite its reputation, this is one of the biggest & richest music machines in Europe. That aside, a steady stream of track releases mark Edu’s production partnership, the latest being “VIP”, a pumping progressive, come electronic, tech & tribal combo that has the eastern European style of sound written all over it and has just been released on iTunes, remixes from the likes of Tony Jaguar & Andi Cowl on the cards, while Belgian beatmaster Elof De Neve is also associated with the track adding even more prominence to the production. However, for us, it is when Mr De La Torre creates his solo tracks &/or bootlegs that we see the Edu that we came to love & adore back in the days of his time in London, his re-work of Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse Of The Heart” probably one of our favourites, that underlying connection with Elof De Neve coming through quite strong and a track that we see finding favour across lots of European dancefloors with remix or re-work packages surely on their way. So we need say no more than thoroughly recommending that you select his Soundcloud site at http://soundcloud.com/eduy2k/ where you will find both tracks, while a pop to his podcast page will find full on compilations, the latest from his residency at Connection in his adopted home city.
Terrific Tel Aviv Talent
Right, moving from Berlin to Tel Aviv, one which some may find awkward but it is here where we find impressive Israeli Guy Scheiman, terrific talent both behind the decks & in the recording studio, yet one that only came to our attention this year, well New year’s Day to be exact, when he managed a feat few have achieved by playing for rival brands Salvation & Lovechild pretty much back-to-back. Having spent a short time with the man in the capitals clubbing events WE Party & Orange that followed, it became apparent that we would begin to track his playing & production progress, a further five day meet for Delice Dream in Barcelona in April cementing a friendship that has grown in stature & strength since, although we were gutted to miss his showing for Hustlaball here in June when we found ourselves in hospital rather than on the dancefloor. However, that connection we had cemented in Barcelona was manifested in the production of a podcast that was to represent a joint collaboration that, like all good friendships, had is rocky moments, while the central aim of this “From Tel Aviv To London” mix was to promote Guy as a D.J. & producer in the eyes of the European aspiration jewel he is undoubtedly aiming for, that taste of success that he achieved in London still fresh in his mind. So, having chosen tracks between us, but with Guy’s input invaluable to its release, the result is a compilation packed with sunshine sounds of the summer, heaps of Scheiman influences included, not least three of his own remix productions and what is fast becoming our track of the moment (more on that in a sec), so well worth checking out at http://soundcloud.com/guyscheiman/from-tel-aviv-to-london-disco/.
Delightful Devotion
But the Scheiman story is one that still sees his roots firmly planted at home in Israel, his daily occupation as a sports physio still very much part of his life, while he continues to hold down residencies for the city’s club Cat & Dog, appearances for massive brand FFF now also a feature and whilst many would say he probably still stands in the shadow of Israel’s biggest D.J. export, Offer Nissam, for us, Guy’s talents far outweigh his peer. So much so, we see him being our third Danny Verde in the making, a collaboration with one of the world’s most prolific club scene performance artists, Peyton, on the cards, while that goal of playing in London again is a lot closer than he realises, Guy now an international D.J. resident inclusion in Alex Erfan’s Lovechild lot with the likes of Javier Medina, Johan Khoury & Dani Toro, this neatly moving onto what is surely his best compilation to date, his devotion to Lovechild’s return to the capitals clubbing circuit at Pulse last Saturday. And in this promo mix we have a podcast that is as close to a live performance at the club that we could want, this 80 minute marvel kicking off with euphoric energy and in so doing, displaying the raw talent of this dextrous D.J., a resplendent remix of the dancefloor classic “Love On My Mind” leading onto hit after hit that finishes with that Danny Verde Lady Gaga triumph “You & I” which Guy has given his own slight re-work treatment. Now this podcast is definitely looking like being included in our top ten of the year or at least a strong contender, so it goes without saying that we recommend you add it to your collection now by going to http://soundcloud.com/guyscheiman/guy-scheiman-october-2011-1/ & while you’re at it, check out his sea of sounds via tons tracks & compilations to choose on his Soundcloud site.
Now for that track of the moment mention and one that is on our collaborative mix with Guy, but is one that has also recently found its way into the playlists of plenty of D.J.’s on the capitals clubbing circuit, not least Steve Pitron who treated us to it at Beyond & then Lo-Profile in the last two weekends. Geoff M’s “You Better” with the vivacious vocals of Dawn Tallman having been given the magical musical touch up by David Penn, is an absolute corker & has raced up our own 2011 chart, a top 40 that looks tougher to choose than ever before, although this should safely make it in, a link to its brilliant beats in full seven minute glory right here at http://youtube.com/watch?v=wRPk__KizOg.
Brilliant Brazilian
Right, back to the protégé job in hand and our next two come right here from London, although the first has his roots in Brazil, a country which has come to influence the capitals clubbing circuit in a pretty big way recently, with first The Week making a splash and then home grown brand Casa Latina making its mark and was where one Junior Moura made his club D.J.’ing debut, his main room showing for the superb “Super Car Wash” event back in July a huge highlight. However, the Junior story goes back a little further than that, as his very first appearance behind the decks was for Ku-Bar back in February, one we sadly missed as we were heading off to South Africa at the time, while more recent gigs for both Profile & Lo-Profile, for The Later Boat Party in July, as well as that unforgettable post London Pride play at Barcode Vauxhall are all stand-out stints for an individual whom we tip for further & future success. And his development couldn’t be in more capable hands, as he is one half of the relationship with scene superstar Steve Pitron, a better tutor Junior (better known as Celso) couldn’t ask for, not least that he has that wealth of talent & experience to draw upon, as well as Steve’s connections within the clubbing world & the wider music industry. However, while there is clearly a Pitron palate in Junior’s music making, his desire to strike his own style of sound also runs through his performances, that inescapable Brazilian influence coming into play, while he spends as much of the short amount of spare time he has away from his daytime job to search for new sounds in include in his sets, a devotion that is sure to pay dividends.
Casa Compilation
So given the tutorial direction Junior has received in his relatively short career to date, as well as given his hectic work ethic & schedule, it is remarkable to see that he has already produced three podcasts, two devoted to Casa Latina, so naturally leaning towards Brazilian beats for their make-up, while his first effort back in March also taking this delightful direction. But listening to all three it is clear how Junior’s talent is developing and how more accomplished his music choices are becoming, the latest devotion to Casa by far our favourite of his three compilations, as it seems to signal that style of sound step that we deluded to earlier, the influences from his tutor still apparent, but tempered in a way that reveals Junior’s composition capabilities. And it is a compilation that includes some colossal choices, not least that Danny Verde remix smash of Lady Gaga’s “You & I”, among a sea of other vocally infused tracks, with Brazilian beats as blends, Junior clearly opting for the Latin influence both with the tracks & their composers, quite rightly so for this devotion to all things Casa Latina, so one for the collection by going to http://djjuniorspodcast.podomatic.com/, while you can do no wrong by picking up the other two either. As for Junior’s D.J.’ing future, well it certainly looks bright, more Profile & Lo-Profile performances surely in the pipeline, while his Casa residency is also assured which will no doubt lead onto bigger brand inclusions and we will be right there supporting his very step in true protégé style.
Gigolo Gem
Looking to London again for our penultimate inclusion in this special music newsletter, we find Zach Burns, a D.J. talent that sprung onto the scene pretty much from nowhere, but impressed from day one, an inaugural set for Room Service quickly followed by a short stint for Heaven’s Popcorn, other brands under his belt including guest appearances for Gravity & A:M, while a recent trip down to Brighton saw him play for the official Circuit Festival pre-party alongside Matinee’s new resident Javier Medina. However, it is Profile & Lo-Profile where Zach has really found his D.J.’ing legs, he part of the Profile roving residency team along with the likes of Jamie Head, Brent Nicholls, Rob Sykes & Craig Daniels, Zach perfectly placed among his more experienced peers, yet more than capably holding his own & indeed shining in the spotlight. And he did just that two weekends ago downstairs in Lo-Profile, standing in for an absent Mikey D and following a scintillating set from Steve Pitron with an equally exceptional performance that was, once again, evidence enough for us to include him here, to rate him as one to watch among a sea of hopefuls & also ran D.J.’s of which Mr Burns is definitely not, rather a star turn for future greatness. With Gigolo boys, the Hart’s, taking him under their wing from the off, while the pressure to peform for the very first set of the clubs launch was immense, Zach pulled it off like a seasoned pro, pitching his performance perfectly and was a sparkling set that still lives vividly in our memories, not least as we have labelled one of this year’s great tracks “Stupiddisco 2011” as a Zach memory maker whenever & wherever we hear it. But with appearances for Casa Latina and now his inclusion in the resident team for new Friday night kid on the block, Le Boy, Zach is on the precipice of a huge step change in his D.J.’ing vocation which could become a career alongside the photography path he is as leading.
Outstanding October Offering
In terms of his podcast production, it is clear Zach is discernibly devoted to his art, as not a month goes by without a Burns bag of beats coming our way and not only does he set aside an immense amount of time & energy into creating the compilations, but he also takes time to post them with thoughtful explanations to their compositions, his October offering a perfect example as he is quite rightly explains that “…some people have stressed in the past that they can’t label my podcasts by the month (as he does) when I feature “some” songs that don’t fit that month of release (would be an incredible feat if each one did) but I never promote my podcasts as bursting with “fresh new music” month in, month out…” and in fairness we are glad that they don’t, as each one displays a skill that very few D.J.’s possess and that is the ability to spot a tune that befits the moment & makes plays to the audience in front of them, Zach having this skill in bountiful bundles. And this definitely translates into his live performances as well as his monthly podcasts, each one never failing to impress us with their production quality & choice tune picks, this latest instalment getting the feet tapping and the dancing heart racing right from the off, the Burns beats trademark of rhythm & bass as its foundation, but while starting very much in this vein, it soon moves into more upfront beats including a brilliant remix of a favourite of ours, “Upside Down”, while one of his inspirers, Nacho Chapado, is featured too, “The Hit Part 1” in the thick of this 63 minute marvel, the last few minutes giving way to more vocal & uplifting tones in the form of “Live Your Life” as its core, the whole podcast representing the joyful journey that we enjoy whenever we see him play live. So, go grab your slice of Mr Burns by pressing play on his podcast page at http://djburns.podomatic.com/, or simply add his whole series of releases to your collection as we have done, plus keep an eye out for this rising star of the scene as he cuts a even more significant stride in the coming months.
Parisian Pal Player & Producer
So to our final D.J./producer and, without doubt, the most established talent in our list of inclusions here, so perhaps not so much a protégé of ours but more a main player, although we couldn’t resist including him as Leomeo is undoubtedly part of this handful of terrific talents his links to one of them most notable, as studio recordings with Javier Medina form a part of this Philippine born but now French national’s resounding repertoire. But where to start in chronicling this exceptional talent’s career behind the decks is a tricky task, as we would need to devote a whole post to his achievements, although with virtually every newsletter in the last twelve including one of his compilation or track releases, it would be fair to say we have covered plenty of ground already. Therefore, focussing on the now, the last few weeks have seen the irrepressible Mr Carandang continue his globetrotting, a mini tour of northern America kicking off with a return to Montreal & the city’s Parking club, the Canadian’s welcoming him like one of their own, while just last night he has played out to audiences in San Francisco, having stopped off in New York on the way. But his beloved Paris will be calling, although hardly a weekend goes by without Leo being elsewhere, whether it be down in Nice, across in Cologne, or even further afield, his surely exhausting schedule hardly seeming to take its toll, probably helped by his rigorous fitness regime and total devotion to his art of music making & mixing which manifests itself in the never-ending podcast productions coming out of the Leomeo factory of features.
Magnificent Matinee Mix
With a musical direction that continues to keep us on our tip toes, the clear tribal influences that have earmarked much of his career behind the decks, often give way to more progressive beats, upfront house and even the odd infusion of lounge & chill-out genres that show just how accomplished & rounded is Leo’s talent to befit the occasion perfectly, he also one of those rare breed of D.J.’s that can switch his set in an instant to match the mood or direction of his dancing devotees. So, it comes as no surprise that when we look back across the last five months podcast productions we see, lounge, electronic, club, afterhours, house & underground mixes to take our pick from, although to be honest, we have ended up choosing the lot to add to our collection, as each one reflects in their own wonderful way, the towering talent before our eyes. But, if we had to lay our hat on one particular compilation, it would probably be his “Matinee Peak Time” mix, lifted from his recent performance for the brand in his home city of Paris and one that evokes lots of memories of sets we have seen him play right here in London for Lovechild & LGDF. Mind you, having spent three unforgettable days with (as we affectionately call him) our Leo Leo in the French capital earlier this year, it is this mix that gets our vote. However, his latest “Underground” offering is equally exceptional in its own delightfully different way, both available by selecting the track page at his Soundcloud site via direct link http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/tracks, this also allowing you to dig deeper into no less than five pages of Carandang compositions to choose, meaning the sound of Leomeo is your outstanding oyster.
Right, that’s about it for this special feature length look at our “Protégé Players & Producers” and with well over 20 tracks & podcasts as perfect picks, there is plenty of magnificent music to keep you occupied for hours if not days until our next newsletter underpins what has been a labour of love in this post, one that was conceived weeks ago but has, with re-found enthusiasm, at last come to fruition, leaving us to simply say, “sit back, select those sounds and let them play, as music is the answer”. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Music | Tags: Danny Verde, Eduardo de La Torre, Guy Scheiman, Javier Medina, Junior Moura, Leomeo, Leomeo Carandang, Zach Burns | 4 Comments »
Having set about catching up on lost time incurred during April & May with a series of four newsletters, for the eagle eyed in you, this fourth newsletter in that catch up series has been a long time coming, virtually two months to be exact, this in itself meaning we have catching up on catching up to do (heavens above!) . So, with our music hat firmly back on, as we get close to waving farewell to yet another month in 2011 (where is the year going?!?!), it’s time for that final chapter, as we cover off not just those music makers missing the previous three, but also bring you right up to date with the activities of some of those that did. Therefore, the term “colossal” could not be more appropriate, our most comprehensive newsletter yet pointing you towards a month that will see music come back to our core weekly postings, meaning more focuses, more special features & more newsletters.
Lecca, Lecca
So, let’s get to it and to our first catch up star Alessandro Londra, who has certainly had a busy last few months regular residencies at Rupert St, Lo-Profile, Lovechild, A:M & Barcode just a part of the picture, excursions with Alex Erfan’s loveable brand taking him as far as Istanbul & Sydney. So he can be kind of forgiven for the lack of studio work, although (like we are doing) has made up for lost ground with two recent releases. Sporting titles that couldn’t be any different, “Poison” & “Lecca Lecca” (Italian for kiss, kiss), both are representative of the Londra musical genre that has tech & progressive beats as core ingredients, these two podcasts allowing him to express his love for the tougher edged afterhours sound where he truly excels. These two mixes are certainly not mass market in appeal, but nevertheless reflect an emerging style of sound that is seeing alternative clubs sprout up right across Europe & the States, both worth a thorough investigation at http://djalessandrolondra.podomatic.com/.
Shoreditch Son
Now one of those D.J.’s that is right up there serving up what we like to call the “Shoreditch Sound”, this tech, come electro twisted vibes, is Kris Di Angelis and it would be fair to say that his decision to follow this direction with his music has paid huge dividends. From his involvement with the madcap metrosexual club Circus, through to the phenomenon that is Room Service, not to mention the magnificent Meat & the prolific Pooldisco, Kris’s year got even better when he reached an important career landmark after what can only be described as painstaking & solid hard work. And another crowning glory recently was his performance for Circus at Lovebox with an twelve piece orchestra on stage no less. So with all this going on, he would be forgiven too for not being in the recording studio, but none of it, as Mr Di Angelis has been a busy bee and with over 40 tracks, mixes & compilations to choose from, including his “Live” series of podcasts, meaning you can sink into the world of Kris & his hip hop, electro twisted, jazz funk & soul, by going to http://soundcloud.com/krisdiangelis/. Plus watch this space for news on on the return of the stylish & sophisticated “Bachelor Block Party” which Kris will be hosting at Soho house, this most talked about private Soho shindigs back for more this August Bank Holiday Monday with guest D.J.’s including scene queen Jodie Harsh & the priness of Soho, Munroe Bergdorf, both joining our Shoreditch son on the decks.
Blowing His Trumpet
While we are out Shoreditch way, we couldn’t let the moment pass without taking a brief look at super Swede Per Q.X., who, for those of you that follow these posts regularly will know, has been one of a mere handful of incredible influences on our clubbing career, residencies way back when at Barcode very much sticking in the mind, while we had one of the best New Years days in his hands in 2006. As for more recent times, there is no doubt that his intrinsic involvement with the way out & whacky Gutterslut has elevated this brand close to iconic status, Per seen by many in this alternative scene movement as a bit of a pioneer of what is now quite vogue. That said, he does show his hand back across in Vauxhall every now & then and played at uber chic private party “Up” last month, while showings for Lovechild, Queer Nation, Later and his old stomping ground, Barcode, have been recent features too. However, spreading his wings is very much reflected in his studio works of late, a recording from his live set at Ministry Of Sound high on the list, while gigs across Europe are represented by a slice from a Verona appearance among many others. And while his track “Blow Your Trumpet” very much catapulted his name right across the industry, his latest piece, “Ever Before” is right up there for us too, his long list of releases available by going to http://soundcloud.com/perqx/sets.
Right, time for a quick track interlude and one that is tipping our scales right now, but has been out there for a while, Roy Davis Jnr’s “Enjoy The Ride” is no dancefloor smash, but has considerable resonance with our rollercoaster ride experiences both on those dancefloors & elsewhere in our lives, the lyrics shouting exactly what we need to do. Having been given the James Talk & Ridney remix treatment, this immense track will be fighting for a slot in our year end top ten for sure and is available in full length glory at http://youtube.com/watch?v=yL2hBGwhc4E, while more & more D.J.’s seem to be including it in their performances & podcasts.
Gigolo Guy
Heading away from Shoreditch and more to Sydney, next up in our catch-up collective is Aussie born & bred Terry Vietheer, who has very much laid his hat here in London and to great effect, having landed guest & residency spots that include clubs Lovechild & Popcorn, as well as the recent new smash Gigolo, all three spurning compilation creations, the former following his tour with the brand to Israel, while Popcorn celebrated its 14th birthday recently, Terry in the thick of the action and marking the occasion with a mix. Then of course there is Gigolo, Terry having featured large in three of its parties already, his compilation from their “Do It” event earlier this month very representative of his & the clubs disco house sound, so well worth a listen at http://soundcloud.com/gigolo-disco/gigolo-disco-sessions-mix-5. But compilations aside, Terry is also a fine producer of tracks, alongside recording partner Chris Cooper, their recent bootleg of Annie Lennox’s “Little Bird” one of our favourites, this along with all his others & a selection of those podcasts available at http://soundcloud.com/terryvietheer/.
Man Of All Seasons
Sticking with the Sydney & Aussie theme is a new entrant to our newsletters, but a worthy addition none the less, as Alex Taylor has an international reputation that has seen him play across all corners of the world, along the way picking up awards, making appearances at parties of the biggest names in the music industry and, as a result, commanding a C.V. that reads like a who’s who of the clubbing community. Harping from Auckland in New Zealand, Alex has adopted Sydney as his home & base, but is fortunate enough to be able to escape the tardy winters in the southern hemisphere, jetting up to Ibiza & Europe for a summer season that has also seen him land in London occasionally. Indeed Mr Taylor is currently enjoying a bit of summer sun and has laid down a compilation to mark the occasion of his northern hemisphere appearance, his “European Summer Mix 2011” packed with pumping beats & summery sounds including “You’ve Got The Love” & “Stronger” (now where have we seen those?!?!) among 15 others, a compilation well worth adding to your collection via http://djalextaylor.podomatic.com/. Plus, watch this space for a focus on this man from Oz coming up, as there is so much more of this terrific talent to share.
Sorry Shoes Star
So, finding ourselves back in Europe, it’s to Germany that we head now, although interestingly it’s another Aussie that gets our attention, Sydney born & bred Mike Kelly having made Cologne his home, a brilliant base to spread his good musical word right across Europe, although such has been the success of the record label & agency business he launched, a fair chunk of Mike’s time is devoted to Sorry Shoes recordings which boasts a significant stable of artists including Oliver M, Nick Tcherniak, Steve Thomas, Hifi Sean, Guy Scheiman, Ivan Gomez & Nacho Chapado, along with fellow creator Jean Phillips. That said, Mike remains just as busy as ever live, playing across Germany and Spain, while his studio works also leave us breathless with their regularity, whether it be full-on compilations or track releases. So, with much to catch-up on in the Kelly world, the last three months alone having seen no less than seven podcasts & two track pressings, highlights for us have to be his “Bouncin” compilation, a 104 minute marvel that sends superb sparks through the soul to get your feet well & truly tapping, while for the more progressive come techno feel of the Germanic music sound, his “Late Night Steamer” mix is one to savour. However, with so much more to choose, the easiest way is to check out all nine by going to http://soundcloud.com/djmikekelly/ and watch this space for news of a new joint release of Mike’s with Nick Tcherniak’s other half Tom Marchant, featuring the vivacious vocals of Lizzie France.
Berlin Based Boy
Sticking with Germany although heading for its capital, next on our list of entrants is Eduardo De La Torre, this vivacious Venezuelan having made Berlin his home just over three years ago and hasn’t looked back, although he still draws on his experiences in both Spain & here in London, both having been bases for Edu during his D.J.’ing career. However, it is the German capital where his production work has really come alive, a studio collaboration known as, No Scene, they having risen to the heights of an entry into The Eurovision Song Contest no less, while Edu’s individual tracks & compilations continue to float our boat. Indeed, since we have been off musical air, Mr De La Torre has remained busy recording as well as playing live across Europe & at his residency spots in Berlin, a never-ending stream of sounds coming out of his stable, making picking out highlights quite tricky, although we do love his “From Berlin To Ibiza” mix which was pressed back in June, while the Ibiza theme continues with his latest podcast, both which you can grab at http://djdelatorre.podomatic.com/. However, the Ibiza theme doesn’t stop there, as No Scene have released their latest track “Step Ibiza” out on Beat port, a production labelled as progressive house but has tribal & tech intentions with uplifting flows & vocal injections that has the white isle written all over it and is sure to make the playlists of D.J.’s not just in Ibiza but right across Europe too, so one to check out at http://www.beatport.com/#track/step-ibiza-2011-original-mix/2066805.
Belgian Brilliance
Right, jumping over the border from Germany to Belgium, we find a superstar D.J. that is, for us, the Belgian equivalent to Steve Pitron, such is the terrific talent that is Elof De Neve, an incredible individual that is just as prolific in the studio as he is live. And having first seen him play at Red & Blue in Antwerp on Christmas Day last year no less, we have since been treated to further spectacular sets both back in Antwerp and across in Barcelona for the Delice Dream festival in April. And it would be fair to say that in the few short months we have been following Elof & his music, we have grown to love his sound style nearly as much as the prolific Mr Pitron, although having missed out on a further trip to Antwerp in June, we were robbed of another of his simply superb sets that he pulls out, week in week out at Red & Blue. But we fear not, as we find immediate solace in his compilation’s which give us the Elof fill we need, his aptly named “Finest Selection” series cramming our collection, each edition brimming with that uplifting & energetic sound that we have come to adore, perhaps his “The Summer Feeling Mix” tipping our scales the most. That said, we will leave it up to you to decide which one does it for you the most, by checking each & every one out at http://soundcloud.com/ElofdeNeve.
Now, it time to digress slightly for a moment, our thoughts having been sidetracked slightly when focussing on Elof, as another name always springs to mind when we think of him (apart from our Belgian boy J.d. Ceronnez of course!), Carlos Gallardo a real inspiration of Elof’s, not to mention a good friend to boot. So, it seems appropriate to include a cut of Carlos’s music right here, his “Podcast Music Mix” a nineteen minute snapshot of the sets that have made him one of the most popular Spanish D.J.’s imports London has seen, not least when he appears for the wonderful club brand WE. So, to sample some of his sounds, check out this mix at http://soundcloud.com/carlosgallardo/carlos-gallardo-podcast-music and make a date this coming Saturday (27th Aug) when he returns to headline the “Prison Of Love” event at The Coronet.
Pint Sized Powerhouse
Right, back to Belgium and to a pint sized powerhouse that has made considerable waves here in London in recent times, having first come to our attention at the ill fated Matador club that has been the cause of so much upset in our lives. However, far from upsetting us, Andrei impressed us so much back in March last year, that we have been tracking his progress since, regular returns to the capital seeing him play for brands including Beyond & A:M, along with a special party on Halloween weekend, while back home in Brussels, he cuts a considerable stride both at his regular weekly slot with popular club/bar, the Box, while the mighty La Demence draws on his considerable talents, Mr Stan playing out for each of their twice monthly parties, while he was part of their inclusion in the Delice Dream festival back in April & the cruise in July. Add to that a recent tour of Mexico and it is no wonder that we consider this young talent as part of our prestigious protégé list (one of just six), meaning we cannot recommend his studio works enough, all symptomatic of his superb showings & sets, his “promo” mixes as good as any, but his “June Pride” podcast right up there, all available at http://djandrei1.podomatic.com/.
Parisian Pal
Moving across borders again and into France, we simply couldn’t avoid a mention for our Parisian pal Leomeo Carandang, a D.J. that has been spinning sounds for as long as we have been clubbing (we are talking double years here!), this Philippine turned French national one of the most globetrotting D.J.’s we know, an exhaustive schedule seeing him jet across to The States, Canada, Australasia & all corners of Europe, as well as his adopted country of France, leaving virtually no weekend when he is not live behind the decks. Truly dedicated to his art and to pushing out his music, we simply cannot keep up with his compilation releases, part of the reason why he gets a mention so often, but moreover that we love the way he continues to evolve his sounds, tribal through trance, progressive & tech house always including an uplifting element that is proof of his popular pudding. Having missed out on meeting up with him a week ago when he played for Room Service in London, we are sure it won’t be long before we catch up with Leo again, well when he lands his feet for a while, just this weekend seeing him play across in Ibiza for one of the islands biggest events of the season. So, it comes as no surprise that he has already pressed a mix to mark the occasion, his “Sunset Terraza” compilation as good as they get and a must for your collection at http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/sunset-terraza-mix/.
Right, before we head to shores closer, it’s time for another track mention and one which is very much doing it for us at the moment, partly as it is part of a prolific podcast that we simply cannot put down. So, leaving you to guess just which “Summer” selection this comes from, we look like including it in our next autumn podcast release, David Tort’s “One Look” a tech house triumph that is no better when in the hands of Norman Doray who has remixed it to absolute perfection, a mid track snapshot a worthwhile listen at http://youtube.com/watch?v=kAlszjEQXwI, while watch for its inclusion in the next of our “Dance-tastic” podcast series.
Dynamic Dude
So, setting our sights back to blightly, it seems appropriate that we land where most ships used to before those huge iron birds took over as the main mode of intercontinental travel & transport, Portsmouth being the base for one Lee Harris, although it seems he hardly spends anytime there, well at the weekends anyway, his regular Friday residence at Onyx dragging him up to London and often seeing him party right through the rest of Saturday & Sunday with the best of us. However, this is only a small picture of Mr Harris’ performances, as he plays in Brighton every other week and also jets up to Newcastle, as well as across to Southampton, theses two port cities fulfilling monthly residences, meaning that he clearly works as hard as he plays. And that also goes for his studio creations, his compilations popping up at least every four weeks, sometimes more often, August being no exception as Lee has pressed an ep form his live “Housenation” series, as well as a compilation marking his tour of The Circuit Festival in Barcelona, the latter a collection of new & classic tracks, this & another nine of his releases available via http://lharris.libsyn.com/HouseNationUK.
The Dowser
Now, we head to the other end of the country, to Scotland & Edinburgh in fact and to a D.J. that has been skirting our newsletters for a while now but has finally gained his deserved inclusion having laid down a succession of compilations that have caught our attention. Known to his followers as “Dowser”, Michael’s background belies his base in the Scottish capital, as he has connections with The States, Germany & Ibiza, the latter two being destinations where he both played & drawn on influences for a wide range of musical styles, from hard house through electro and now to musical style which he explains as “…London Sound…”, his main inspiration for this current direction being The Sharp Boys. Holding down residencies for Edinburgh’s hotspots GHQ, The Street & Kidology, Mr Dow’s podcast releases are reflective of his appearances & his style of sound, the live recordings from GHQ slanting towards electro, while his latest offering laid down just this last weekend hits resonance with us right from the off, not least as “Enjoy The Ride” sets the scene for a score of funky & disco tainted tracks that make this a compilation to cherish and one you can grab now at http://soundcloud.com/dowzer/.
Brazilian Beats
So, having whizzed from one end of Britain to the other, we head to its capital now, although like many of our inclusions, we look to individuals whose roots are far away, the first being a Brazilian born & bred but one that has made his biggest impression right here in London. Having been spotted in a D.J. competition held in Ku Bar last year, Doug Guimares, better known on the clubbing circuit as DouGuim, has risen meteorically to the dizzy heights of residencies & guest appearances at clubs including Beyond, Casa Latina, Lovechild & Onyx, while his connections with Ku Bar remain as he heads up their weekly Monday nighter “Citric” as well as playing out at “Candy Boys” every Tuesday. Now, we focussed on Doug in our last music post back in July, just ahead of the second Casa Latina event, but simply couldn’t resist including him here too, as literally five days ago to the year marked his first ever D.J. gig, this charming young man remarking on Facebook that “…On this very same day in 2010 my status was: “See you all tonight in Manic Wednesdays @ Arch 635. The bar is open from 7pm, I will be playing from 8 – 12! The address is 15-16 Lendal Terrace / Clapham North Station.” That was my first gig and there were only 20 friends and my love in the whole place and that was it. Look where I am now, what a life change and that’s thanks to each one of you who believed and supported me throughout this journey! A massive thanks to you all, YOU ROCK!…” . And he has been no studio slouch in that short time, a total of eleven podcasts produced, the latest “Sunny Days” right up there as one of his best, as it is packed with a feel good factor that is so Doug’s style of sound, so need we say more than get yourselves onto http://douguim.podomatic.com/ now and click on that download button as we know you won’t be disappointed.
Okay, so we are nearly there, but time for another track interlude and one that caught our eyes & ears just a couple of weeks ago, although has also has seemingly been spotted by a handful of D.J.’s since, some who have included it on their latest podcast releases. And for good reason, as Mark Knight’s “The Future” follows on from his remix smash of the classic track “You’ve Got The Love”, the Florence & The Machine version the best yet, although this new track of his dips back into the Knight style of sound that tips towards tech & progressive beats with minimal vocal interventions that is much more Mark’s trademark and one well worth a listen at http://youtube.com/watch?v=mWbwQL61d-c.
Tantra Tony
Right to our final three and first to an Italian based in London, Tony Bruno having been treading the D.J.’ing boards for many a moon although having somehow missed out on an inclusion in our newsletters so far, while mini mentions in previews & reviews of his appearances for Lovechild in recent months have ensured he has not been entirely overlooked. And it has been at Alex Erfan’s clubbing brand that Tony introduced a style of sound he calls “…Tantra…”, a mix of trance to tech sounds that of very reflective on the genres he continues to play out in exceptional effect, a mix of dance ambient, tech house, techno & progressive beats that are also displayed through is series of podcast pressings, no less than nine recorded in just five months, a hefty handful of them marked as “crossover” compilations, blending beats that give them a unique flavour. However, having featured in the recent La Demence cruise, Tony has drawn influence from the brand, laying down a mix lifted from a chillout set he played during the six day Mediterranean adventure, while his latest creation, “Music For Main Floors” are two that have grabbed our attention the most, although all nine are well worth a listen at http://soundcloud.com/tonybruno/, especially, if like us, you fancy a change to the norm or like expanding your ears to a variety of aural stimulations.
Music Mentor
Now to a dynamic D.J. that has been doing it for us as long as we can remember, from the heady days of Crash, Action & PSP, through to more recent times at Lovechild, Lo-Profile & Hard On!. Brent Nicholls may have made London his home, but remains Australian through & through, his music styles as cosmopolitan as his homeland, although genres of latin & nu-funk very much a two labels he is known for the most. Having said that, virtually no style of sound has escaped the Nicholls treatment over the years, a colossal collection of compilations cramming our collection, many ranking as our all-time favourites, “Disco Electrique”, “Pervert” & “Get On “MyGayFace” right up there among a host of others that continue to fill our ears, while 2011 has already seen his “Groove” double release hit our high notes. But topping the tree this year is his “I Rock, I Sweat, I Dance” podcast, released just over a month ago, but brimming with brilliant Brent beats that include elements of disco, dance, funk, latin & tech, all rolled into 119 minutes of magnificent music that showcases his tremendous talent for stringing these differing styles together in seamless sophistication, this a well deserved addition to your collection by going to http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/2011/07/15/podcast-i-rock-i-sweat-i-dance/. Plus it seems he has been a busy bee while we have been writing about him (literally) as out has come a “mini-cast” that we haven’t listened to yet, although judging by the playlist, it looks like another Nicholls gem, so will let you know what we think in a future newsletter.
Captivating Collaboration
That said, we don’t leave Brent for our last mention, rather celebrate a little self indulgence by pushing our latest creation with him in what is becoming an emerging collaboration that we hope will continue into an annual collection of seasonal mixes. This marriage of musical minds has its roots in our last yearly round-up chart when Brent kindly offered to put together a compilation to reflect our top twenty tunes of 2010. That was back in January, since when a second creation followed, much more in the collaborative mould as, while we selected the tracks, Brent gave them his funked up twist, making what was described at the time as “…the biggest collaboration since when Benny met Bjorn and McCartney teamed up with Lennon…” a ten track triumph that was our “Spring Bloomers” podcast. So, a third was sure to follow and once again we went on the selection trail, picking off ten towering tunes to make into a new compilation for the next season in the year, although as Mr Nicholls described, “Summer Scorchers” “…had been the blender for nearly a month with one track or another sabotaging its completion…” before it finally made the grade at the end of July. However, the reaction has since been superb, messages coming in from all quarters saying, how did one person put it, “…fabulicious” it is. And we couldn’t agree more, not least that Brent has once again taken our choices, given them a little twist and crafted them into a 53 minute marvel which we think (well we would) you should be downloading & enjoying by going to http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/2011/07/30/podcast-disco-matts-summer-scorchers-2011/, while watch this space as an Autumn mix is already in mind, our selections creeping towards that ten track milestone ready for the Brent blender.
Now just quickly before we finish, we are excited to announce another collaboration in the making, as we have also teamed up with impressive Israeli, Guy Scheiman, to produce a podcast that is much more of a joint effort in terms of track choices, as the compilation will be a 50/50 split of selections and one that will give a serious nod to all things Ibiza, so keep your eyes peeled for that. Plus, why not pay clubbing website SeenQueen (http://seenqueen.com/web) a visit, as they have just updated their music page with a host of new releases, some mirroring our choices, but others very much in the music making melting pot.
So, that’s it for this final catch-up newsletter and one that will hopefully be the last of this nature, as we plan to post at least one a month from now on, all things being equal the next one out during the first week of September. In the meantime, we trust you like our choices here, leaving us to simply say “sit back, select those sounds, turn up the volume & let them play as music is the answer”. (DISCO MATT)
Posted in Music | Tags: Alessandro Londra, Alex Taylor, Andrei Stan, Brent Nicholls, Carlos Gallardo, David Tort, Eduardo de La Torre, Elof De Neve, Guy Scheiman, Kris Di Angelis, Lee Harris, Leomeo, Leomeo Carandang, Mark Knight, Michael Dow, Mike Kelly, Per QX, Roy Davis Jnr, Summer Scorchers, Terry Vietheer, The Dowser, Tony Bruno | 1 Comment »
- Wrapping Up A Wealth Of Weeks
Looking back into our archives, we cannot believe it is the beginning of May since we last posted our monthly newsletter, a short sentence (strange for us!) report that aims to look back & then look forward, although looking back across this time would perhaps take a bit more than those short sentences. But with so much activity left uncovered, we have done our best to spread our usual highlight picks across the two months, while picking on the most prominent developments during that time and when looking forward, we do so for the remainder of July, having just yesterday posted our Dance Diary, (direct link http://discomatt.com/web/2011/07/reports-july-jigs-disco-matt-dance-diary-monday-11th-july/), which tracks most of our activity for the month up till now.
So, let’s get on in usual style & run through what has happened, in this case, since the beginning of May, picking on those highlight & distinct developments.
Brilliant Beyond
REVIEWS – Having devoted so much energy to our Preview the Reviews (PTR’s), speed being the essence, we reflected in this policy during June, instigating a review of our reviews, making the boundaries much clearer & the synergy in our review reporting a little more coherent. So, in establishing three clear formats, namely, Nibble Size, Bite Size, & our Full Size reviews, our format re-gained the structure it had been missing. However during May we covered no less than 15 separate events via PTR’s while in June, just 6 were clocked up, remembering that we were out of action for close on three weeks. However, with 5 already posted for July & dates boosting that at least 12, we should be back on review track.
PREVIEWS – With just two genuine previews to count in the two months, for Lovelife the Salvation getting our attention, the rest of our activity here was accounted for by the “preview the Review” reports which were shelved in June. As we look forward, previews should become more prominent, particularly with some special events on the horizon.
http://discomatt.com/web/2011/05/preview-saviour-on-sunday-salvation-the-future-sunday-29th-may/
Massive May Meet
RECOMMENDS – Without doubt, this was our busiest & most consistent section, our Weekend Focus issues, our Best Bites & Short Shouts newsletters & our Extra Bites posts accounting for over 18 posts throughout May & June, while with 5 already chalked up for July, its business as usual, with the odd special here & there.
REPORTS – Having moved away from our PTR’s, our new weekly round-up, “That Was The Week That Was” accounted for most of our activity here, whilst monthly posts just like this one will continue to feature, as will more special scene reports.
MUSIC – With three special features devoted to star D.J.’s of the scene, Steve Pitron, Leomeo Carandang & Danny Verde, we plan to continue these into July, while three seemed to be the magic figure, as music newsletters of this number, brought us relatively up to speed. As this month progresses, we will be setting side more time to one of the most rewarding sections on our website.
Lovely Leomeo
D.J.’s – With all best plans laid to waste we only slightly accelerated our D.J. devotions & focus re-caps that we had hinted towards in our last monthly message. However, July should see a re-doubling of efforts here, as we see this avenue in our writing becoming more lucrative, while those much missed D.J. focuses will be back.
http://discomatt.com/web/2011/05/d-j-s-leomeo-carandang-focusbiog-issued-saturday-14th-may-2011/
COMING UP – Having laid down our review activity in our new(ish) Dance Diary report, much of the rest of our upcoming plans have been laid out above. However, we will be launching a new section on our website called Lists, designed as a source of important information on a wide range of venues & updated on a monthly basis, so keep your eyes peeled for our intro report coming up. Plus, we have a couple of Disco Matters features planned, while those promised cultural posts on Antwerp, Berlin & Cape Town will be forthcoming, but likely to be into August.
KEEP UP – With our Nibble Size review tweets having gained considerable kudos, these continue unabated, our “live” postings available to tune into at your will, while these & all our other activities can be followed by joining us at http://twitter.com/discomatt. Twitter aside, we also use Facebook as a major broadcast medium, so why not check our walls via our page at http://facebook.com/pages/Disco-Matt/112730602119746, or our profile at http://facebook.com/discomattlondon, where we post ALL our activity. Over & above that, you can go direct to http://discomatt.com/web and watch the home page for the latest postings.
CONTACT US – Very simply, just drop us an e-mail at matt@discomatt.com , fill in a contact form, which you can find at the bottom of our website, or send us a message via Facebook.
So that’s it for this Monthly Message catch up and with July already romping away & our finger pulled out, let’s get to it, no doubt seeing you on the dancefloors across London or catching up with you via our website &/or social network pages. (DISCO MATT)
Month Times Two
Posted in Reports | Tags: Beyond, Danny Verde, Leomeo Carandang, LoveLife, Salvation, Steve Pitron | No Comments »
Having seemingly had our musical head in the clouds over the last few weeks, it seems to have taken the serious accident we have just suffered to plant our feet back firmly on the ground and in so doing, alerting us to the realisation that we have a colossal amount of catching up to do on the composition front, many of scenes big names having laid down new compilations & tracks that fully deserve our attention. So, we have decided that, rather than look back across April May & June, we would combine this colossal catch up into four newsletter chapters, each one capturing the works & creations of those featured D.J.’s across the last three months, but also sharing with you some of the tracks that have been doing it for us during this time. With so many artists to include, the newsletters may take on a rather eclectic feel, but what they will do is bring you bang up to date & give you an incomparable wealth of choice unseen anywhere, very much hailing the rich diversity of music currently at our fingertips.
Down Under Dirty
So let’s get straight to it and to a D.J. that was subject to the second of our special music focuses and one that remains extremely busy right across the globe. Parisian pal Leomeo certainly doesn’t seem to have the word stop in his vocabulary, as he is constantly on the go, currently over in Australia & Asia on tour. Plus since we last featured him in our newsletter in March, this delectable D.J. has been no slouch in the studio, very much matching his globetrotting, which has included trips to Miami, to Moscow and plenty in between. And in typical Leomeo style, virtually every time he takes in a trip, he comes away with a compilation to mark the occasion, four noteworthy compositions being his “Miami Beach Party Mix”, his “La Leche” comp, taken from Matinee’s infamous party in Paris, his “Alimani Mix” from Moscow & the hot of the press “Extra Dirty Mix” from Sydney, all crammed with a-typical Leo tribal, tech & uplifting house that is symptomatic of his superb style, all worth grabbing by going to http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo.
However what has really grabbed our attention is his “Music For Dreams” compilation, very much a departure from the Leomeo norm and sending you on a dreamy journey filled with lounge music and electronic beats that is an absolute marvel and rivals any chill-out, lounge music album we have in our considerable collection. And as we find ourselves on our own road to repair, the soothing tones & wholesome feel of the mix has very much hit the spot, showing a side to Leomeo’s creativity that has left us truly inspired by our Parisian pal. So, if you fancy delving into the dreamy journey that this French fancy has fulfilled, then you can do no wrong by grabbing your copy of this magnificent mix at http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo/music-for-dreams-by-dj-leomeo, while the Leo story doesn’t end there, as he will be popping up in a chapter two, when we take a look at his track “The Sound Of C”.
Chris Cakes
Now stepping back across to blighty but retain an anglo French feel is Chris Brogan, a D.J. talent who first came to our attention last year and has since been bubbling around our radar, having made the odd appearance here & there. Chris was part of the team of D.J.s that celebrated Industri turning three in January, has played out at the mighty Ministry Of Sound and has also featured in gigs for fetish brand Recon as well as bear bloke night Tonker, the latter proving highly successful for Chris with a return imminent. But away from the decks and it seems Mr Brogan very much comes into his own, his music mixes never failing to hit the mark, especially when the odd gem of a track pops up to blow our minds. And in his short series of “Baby Cakes” compilations released over the last few weeks, that’s exactly what he has done, a whole collection of toe tapping & hip swaying superb sounds very much doing it for us, but two real gems in the mix being the disco drenched “To Be Real”, this incredible original updated brilliantly by the Disco Darlings, which can be found on “Baby Cakes”, while Bob Sinclair’s “Fuck The Disco” is right up there in our top twenty tunes of 2011 and finds its rightful places on “Baby Cakes 2” among plenty of other terrific tracks. Suffice to say, we reckon both mixes are worthy additions to your collection, which you can download by going to http://djchrisbrogan.podomatic.com/.
Onto our next entrant and a guy that impressed us from the minute we met him a good four years ago now, Venezuelan born boy Eduardo De La Torre having spent a short time based in London, where he managed to get noticed by Spanish clubbing brand Matinee. However, choosing to base himself in Berlin proved to be one of the best decisions in his D.J./Producing career, the city a perfect springboard across Europe and one that spurned a studio partnership (known as “no scene”) that has seen the duo’s production hit the Eurovison Song contest high notes, an accolade indeed. And with a list of track compositions that stretches into double figures, it’s their club remix of Part Of The Art’s “You Have It All” that tips our scales & is very much evocative of the sounds coming out of the German clubbing scene right now, so one well worth a listen at http://soundcloud.com/eduy2k/part-of-the-art-you-have-it, the track due for full release in the next week or so.
De La Toree Does Dutch
As for Edu & his D.J.’ing, a residency at Berlin’s Connection club keeps him busy enough, on top of the gigs across Europe, one which saw him return to London recently for the massive club combo As One, this on top of trips to Cologne, down into Switzerland as well as across to Amsterdam, Mr De La Torre wowing the crowds at the cities club FUXXX in May with his trademark progressive come tech tunes & uplifting electro beats that never fail to score sensationally. And in reflection of his rapturous reception in Amsterdam, Edu marked the occasion with a podcast that is pumping & pulsating with progressive, funky & euphoric beats that, were we able, would have us spinning around our study to the whole 63 minutes of marvellous music in the mix. Now, this is one compilation you will definitely want in your collection, so go grab it now at http://djdelatorre.podomatic.com/ and find your own spot to spin to successive slices of Edu excellence.
Now, time for a track interlude and one that looks like it will be fighting for top spot in our year end chart, the truly awesome “Stupiddisco” getting a 2011 re-work by King Richard & Danny Torrence. Featuring large on two compilations that have already ascended to the top of our pile, the track has also been played out on plenty of dancefloors across the capital in recent week & looks set to be one of those 2011 anthems that will go on & on. So, go take a listen to this towering track at http://youtube.com/watch?v=xkSvhX4TFW0 and lap up the full seven minutes of magic that make “Stupiddisco 2011” a top prize contender.
Heartening Grooves
Right, onwards to more compilations and to a D.J. that never fails to make an entry to our music newsletters and one who has, since our last report, laid down no less than five compilations, on top of continuing residencies across the capital that includes Hard On!, Lovechild, As One, Industri, Gigolo, Lo-Profile, Rupert St & Barcode Soho. We are of course talking about Brent Nicholls, this articulate Antipodean having been treading the capitals clubbing boards for many a year now and, as a result, has a wealth of experience under his belt. Ever the evolutionist, Brent was very much behind the launch of Lo-Profile’s new smash “Society”, which has seen numbers swell substantially, the Friday nighter growing in stature & popularity by the week, although not quite the same could be said about another brand launch “G&T”, a joint venture with scene queen Minty & ex Salon promoter Aubrey Dobson, that failed to ignite the Tuesday following they had hoped. But with his hands pretty full with other projects, not least maintaining tip top clubbing site SeenQueen, Mr Nicholls has plenty to keep him busy, although never too busy to create compilations that burst with a-typical Brent nu-funk, disco & uplifting beats that rank him very high in our list of favourites (yes we do have them!).
So, looking at the five mixes we have been treated to over the last three months, all were added to our collection straight away, the first being his Hard On! mix which spurned a track that made it onto our very own “Spring Bloomers” podcast (more on that in a moment), while his “Society” mix never fails to have us smiling from the off with an opening shocker of a track that simply has to be heard to be believed. Then we come to his “Groove” double volume release, each one packed full of tracks that definitely have plenty of groove in them, whether they aim for “The Heart” or “The Arse”, probably the latter standing out a bit more for us, especially after about 40 minutes in, while in his latest mix, taken from his live set at Gigolo just three weeks ago, we probably have our favourite of his for the year so far, a delightful blend of old & new that had us hooked from the start & rueing the fact that we didn’t make it to Gigolo that night. So, being pretty much spoilt for choice, why not check them all out by going to http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/ and streaming/downloading to your pleasure.
Blooming Beats
Now, we mentioned that “Spring Bloomers” podcast and one that was very much masterminded by Mr Nicholls, who creatively crafted ten tracks from our already considerable list of top 2011 tunes back in April. And there are some pretty hefty hitters on this 52 minute mix, not least the superb “People Are People” by Housequake, a take on the Depeche Mode classic, while the tough edged version of “Music In My Soul” is stand-out, as is Stefano Noferini’s “Bad Davis”, just one of a stable full of Stefano sounds that are doing it for us right now. So, taking a moment of self indulgence (why not), we cannot recommend this mix enough and one which has already seen impressive download figures, a compilation for the collection by going to http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/2011/04/10/podcast-disco-matts-spring-bloomers/.
Onwards and to a young talent that impressed us from the minute we spotted him in action for Room Service a few months ago and a name that continues to pop up on the schedules for both Profile & Lo-Profile as well as Heaven’s “Popcorn & The Hoxton Pony. Zach Burns is one of only a few from a raft of new breed D.J.’s that is not just rubbing shoulders with the D.J. scene establishment, but impressing his peers with a depth of talent that has made him stand out in the tall poppy field of protagonists playing across London’s clubbing circuit. Indeed having pretty much stole Gigolo launch party show just five weeks ago, it was no surprise that promoters David & L.A. Hart welcomed him back with open arms, Mr Burns once again proving himself as a resident worthy of his position with the likes of Guy Williams, Per Q.X., Jamie Head & Nathan Six. Indeed, Zach continues to pull a crowd at Profile too, we suspect his cute looks helping, but his capabilities behind the decks definitively delivering to superb satisfaction whenever he plays.
Gigolo Boy Wonder
But you shouldn’t take our word for it, rather pay a visit to his podcast site, one which is brimming with creative compositions, Zach certainly no slouch in the studio, having laid down no less than four mixes since we last featured him in one of our newsletters, each one bursting with Burns style beats that have disco, funky, vocal & uplifting house as his signature sound, making the choice of which mix to pick a really difficult one, as each of the four are deserved additions to your collection. However if we were to lay our hat on one, it would be his Gigolo mix and one that brings back those magical memories of his superb set at that launch party, the heady mix of classic Hed Kandi style tracks intermixed with some real scorchers, “Stupiddisco 2011” in there with loads of outstanding others that will probably see this mix make it into our top ten of the year for sure.. However, with his April, May & June sessions every bit as good in their own impressive way, you could do far worse than grabbing the lot while you can, by going to http://djburns.podomatic.com/ and soaking up some of the brilliant Burns beats.
To another new-ish kid on the D.J. clubbing scene block, we say new, but Jamie Hammond very much established himself as a force to be reckoned with last year, quickly picking up residencies at clubs including Onyx & Popcorn, as well as being spotted by Italian giant Muccassassina, this on top of a series of regular gigs on the straight clubbing scene that keep Jamie’s hand in. Very much one of those new breeds that can stand shoulder to shoulder with a whole load of peers that have been pushing the envelope for many more years, Mr Hammond’s heavenly style of progressive, tech toned, uplifting vocal & funky intentions with his music choices underpin a talent that, in our view, see’s him way underexposed on London’s gay scene, his sets surely to go down a storm anywhere, as they have in recent appearances for Spanish brand SuperMartXe. So, whilst Jamie may be continuing to fly under the radar of some of the more influential promoters in the capital, gigs for Ministry of Sound & Pacha are testament to his talents and we predict this man to really go places in the next few months.
As for his compilations, Jamie has produced three since we last took a look at him back in March, each very much purveying the progressive intentions of his music mixing, his “Spring Break” compilation very much showing the straighter side of his sound style, perhaps a reflection of the gigs he was holding down at the time. However, in “Summer Sessions Part One”, we have a mix that dips in & out of lots of house genres, from funky, to disco, to progressive & to uplifting, the combination of old & new very much a trend that Jamie had latched onto of late and one that is characteristic of the music clubbing scene right now. And he couldn’t have picked a better track to kick off this compelling compilation than a rapturous re-work of the huge “Sunday’s At Heaven”, that very much melted us to this
105 minute mix from the minute we heard it. So, with “Summer Sessions Part Two” due out soon, why not grab the first one now by going to http://d-jamie.podomatic.com/.
Right, before we hit the home straight for this first chapter in our colossal catch-up, time for another track which is very much knocking on the number one slot door in our 2011 chart. This is a track that very much sets it stool on a classic tune remixed, the Sebastian Krieg & Strobe club mix of “Twist In My Sobriety” having all the delightful depth of original by Tanita Tikaram, yet with the brilliant blend of electro beats & uplifting tones that makes it a real dancefloor delight and one that has worked like a dream for plenty of D.J.’s. Plus with a summer 2011 version due for release shortly, we are sure this track will be featuring large for a few months to come, the full length strobe club mix well worth a listen via http://youtube.com/watch?v=TIuS-9jrWkI.
On the homeward stretch for this newsletter, it’s now the turn of Nick Tcherniak to step into the musical spotlight and a deserved inclusion at that, as he is one of a rare breed of D.J.’s that not only manages to make us laugh & giggle on the dancefloor, but never fails to hit the mark with his musical mastery, his full-on tech style of sound suiting the gigs that he holds down on the scene on a regular basis. Having worked for brands that include Trade, Matinee, SuperMartXe, & DTPM, Nick is no stranger to the big clubbing stage but never shies away from the smaller style gig, such is his love for his art. And that art also extends into the recording studio, recent accomplishments with recording partner Steve Thomas including the magnificent “My People”, along with the delectable “Deep Water”, although being no slouch, can boost, just last week, two back-to-back releases that are also pure gems, “My Desire” another collaboration with Mr Thomas & featured the amazing vocals of Abigail Bailey, but for us, the outstanding of the two, Nick’s 2011 remix of one of our all-time favourite tracks, “Trapped” with the mighty Peyton on vocals. Mind you the former is not shoddy, far from it, in fact the more we listen the more we like, both surely to see huge exposure in the coming weeks, although available now , “My Desire” as a single release on download site Beatport at
https://beatport.com/en-US/html/content/release/detail/378645/my-desire, while “Trapped is part of a 33 track album “Summer Hits” in Kult Records released via https://beatport.com/en-US/html/content/release/detail/383210/Summer%20Hits%202011.
Tcherniak Triumph
But Nick’s productions don’t stop there as he is a consistent deliverer of top notch podcasts, some representing performances at clubs he plays, his recording from his set at SuperMartXe in March a really good example. while he also pops in the odd more conventional studio created compilation. Indeed, his latest offering “My Desire” leans away from the tech style we are used to seeing live, towards the tribal & trance style of his sound, for this first part at least, the title track midway through then taking you on a more tech fuelled direction, making this a very engaging 78 minute mix that showcases a broad spectrum of styles. However, it is his “Disco Tech” release from April that really hits the mark for us, a glorious gathering of tunes that is pure Tcherniak in the making, one that stands him out from the run of the mill crowd, making it to our collection the moment we heard it and a creation that will grow on you the more you listen to it. So, to grab your fill of Nick Tcherniak in the mix, go now to http://nicktcherniak.podomatic.com/ and follow our lead or take your pick.
So to our final choice for this colossal catch-up chapter and what a way to end with a towering talent that we have admired since that heady days of Crash well over ten years ago, but one who has recently come to the fore for brands such as “Meat”, “Downtown” & “Room Service”, once again opening our eyes to the excellence of Tom Stephan. Indeed, we couldn’t have been more impressed with his performance when we visited “Meat” last month, the first half of his split set very evocative of the underground style we used to enjoy at Crash, yet the second half with all its up to date additions still showing that Tom has not lost his touch in sparkling in the spotlight & turning up the heavenly house music heat. But whilst Shoreditch is his hangout home, Tom’s services remain in demand right across the globe, his pseudonym “Superchumbo” still carrying considerable weight and seeing him currently in the middle of a mini tour of the US, having played to a packed out D36 in New York just last weekend & with gigs in The Hamptons & Chicago still to come, before we see him back in London for the superb Summer Rites Remixed mini music festival in July.
Meat Main Man
However, it is the studio where Tom remains at his most accomplished, a never ending string of creations coming out wither under the “Superchumbo” label or in close association with recording partner Kris Di Angelis, it being difficult to know exactly where to start as so many of his tracks hit our musical sweet spots for one reason or another. However, when we first heard “Run The World” at Room Service a few weeks ago, we didn’t realise it was a Tom compilation until the man himself popped up to let us know, since when we have heard it hit even the Beyond dancefloor, so can see the track really going places in the next few weeks. That said, we also adore Tom’s work on track “Turn Me On”, one which will be familiar to you as soon as you hear it, while “Jerk It” is right up there too. Then there are his “Radio Chumbo” compilation mixes, No. 30 the latest & a great barometer for those of you who have not had the good fortune of seeing Tom play live, all his creations a mere click away at http://soundcloud.com/tomstephan/ and each one mentioned, contenders for your collection.
Right that it for the first of four catch up newsletters, and with a massive 32 compilations & tracks featured right here, there should be plenty for you to get your musical teeth into. However, with so much more to come, for the next chapter we hop across into Europe, looking at artists that include Steven Redant, Ivan Gomez, Mike Kelly & Danny Verde, while moving further a-field, giving Israeli Guy Scheiman a special slot. Then for our third chapter, it’s very much about Beyond, we picking up on virtually all the superstar residents & their latest works, while we will round up in pure eclectic style with our final catch up chapter. So plenty more music to come, although in the meantime we hope you like our choices here, leaving us to simply say, “….sit back & select those sounds, then turn up the volume & let them play, as music is the answer…” (DISCO MATT)
Trademark Headphones
Welcome to the second of a comprehensive catalogue of D.J. biographical style focus posts and with so many to select from the archives of our old blog pages, we will be speeding up the issues of these, intermixed with some special Music features. So, having devoted our first set to Steve Pitron, it’s now time to give Parisian based Philippino Leomeo the full DM focus treatment, we first digging back into our devotions to find the biog/focus that speaks the most volumes, we having devoted no less than four full ones in the last two years. So, given the extent of our coverage on this prolific player on the international gay clubbing circuit, not to mention some exciting news & developments, watch this space for the second in our Music Special’s, as we hone in on that news & highlight a whole raft of reports reigning rapture on this terrific talent. But first to the focus/biog……
Full Focus Issued May 2010 in advance of Leomeo’s inclusion in the huge London Global Dance Festival
So our focus goes to the drop dead gorgeous Leomeo and if there is a D.J. that is unmistakably French yet has deep veins of his global travelling running through his body, it is Leomeo, there being few that can boost both his whirlwind lifestyle and destination repertoire that has seen this very amiable and handsome young man inspired by music from a tender age, also drawing his eclectic style from experiences during his travels, especially across Asia. However, his tastes were first developed when maturity allowed a young Leomeo to explore the clubbing scene in his home city Paris, drawing influences from the legendary David Guetta & also Laurent Garnier, often observing & admiring their techniques behind the decks as he partied away in clubs like “Le Boy” and Le Palace”. So, it was inevitable that he would soon find himself spinning discs too, but in a period of his life when he decided to up sticks from France & head for the pulsating pace of Singapore, using it as a springboard to not only enrich his culture, venturing across to Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, China Vietnam & back again, a real highlight being when he played in front of 8000 revellers at Singapore’s “Nation Party”.
Strike A Pose
But Europe was always going to draw him back and at residency at “Le Bains-Douche” in Paris proved a solid base for a host of circuit parties around the continent, including dance music brand Hed Kandi, & Space Of Sound, as well as more regular gigs in both London for “Discotec” & in Rome for “Gorgeous I Am”, also making a name for himself with a full summer season in Ibiza & then fulfilling requests to play as far afield as Montreal & New York, to Moscow & Tel Aviv, with plenty of places in between, Antwerp, Barcelona, Berlin, Cologne, Madrid & Prague as well as back in Paris. Other career highlights have included his D.J.’ing presence at Kylie Minogue’s perfume launch party & the afterparty for Pierre & Giles’s 30th anniversary exhibition at “Jeu De Paume” in the French capital, not to mention a magnificent reception & amazing performance at Greenkomm’s New Year’s Eve celebration. Away from his live D.J’ing, Leomeo still cuts a stride on France’s music radio station Radio FG, his “Underground FG” show getting a twice monthly slot, receiving a healthy audience and he gets into the recording studio as much as he can as well, a whole collection of mix compilations representative of his vast array of musical styles which include electro, progressive, tribal, tech & vocal house, this talented individual often navigating through these different genres to great effect.
Dependant on where he is playing or the influences he gains from his travels , this very much dictates his style, whether it be through his “soft” , “energetic” or “pleasurable” mix series, a selection of which can be found at http://soundcloud.com/djleomeo which includes two amazing extracts from his sets playing for Matinee in Paris. But he also cuts track singles and his release “The New Sound Of C” is a fantastically uplifting & funky electro piece that is destined to be a huge dancefloor hit this spring/summer and his latest, “Give Me Love”, has already been given the remix treatment by Pagano, Aurel Devil & Javier Medina. But while Leomeo is very proud of his studio work, his insatiable appetite for travel continues to draw him out into the limelight & away from home, recent trips including to Australia for Sydney’s Mardi Gras festival, which allowed him to drop in on his beloved Singapore & Bangkok, as well as hitting the snowy slopes of Tignes for the European Gay Ski Week, playing out at the fabulous pool party and with gigs, underpinning his reputation & in demand style. (DISCO MATT)
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10 Jun 2013 | 1 Comment
Music – “Podcast Picks & Tracks In The Mix” – DM Does The Music News – Monday 10th June – 2013 Newsletter Vol. 5
With heaps of heavenly house productions well & truly rocking all over our world, it looks like brevity will be the name of the game for our latest newsletter as our jukebox journey jets through a marvellous mix of podcast & track picks, short shouting sounds from some true global ...
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26 May 2013 | 0 Comments
Music – “Podcast Picks & Tracks In the Mix” – DM Does The Music News – Sunday 26th May – 2013 Newsletter Vol. 4
Scoring a line under the music missed since our last newsletter in January, we rather look to now and, in mini mention form, rattle through a small selection of our website promoted podcast picks, also bringing you lots of hot of the press releases from some of the biggest names ...
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26 Nov 2012 | 0 Comments
Music – “Podcast Picks & Tracks In The Mix – Vol 1″ – DM Does The Music News – Sunday 25th November – Music Is The Answer Newsletter
Wiping the seventh month slate clean, we signal a new dawn in our music newsletters, the first in a continuous volume series that, each week, promotes the podcast picks & tracks in the mix, including those promoted our website and other movers & shakers that have been rocking our weekly ...
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12 Jan 2012 | 1 Comment
Music – “Best Year Yet” – 2011 Music Review – The Podcasts – Wednesday 11th January – Music Is The Answer Special Part Two
From prolific to protégé players, 2011 has proven an interesting podcast production playground, some new faces making it big, while a flood of familiar ones captivated us with their compilations. But the choices have been made & from a listing that reads like who’s who, we have chopped our champions ...
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23 Oct 2011 | 4 Comments
Music – “Protege Players & Producers” – Music Is The Answer Special Feature – Sunday 23rd October
Having been pretty all encompassing with our last few newsletters, we thought it time to divert back to our original feature format & focus on just a handful of what we have called our “Protégé Producers & Players”, a select few that are either internationally based stars that we have ...
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24 Aug 2011 | 1 Comment
Music – “Colossal Composition Catch-Up Chapter Four” – DM Does… The Music News – Tuesday 24th August
Having set about catching up on lost time incurred during April & May with a series of four newsletters, for the eagle eyed in you, this fourth newsletter in that catch up series has been a long time coming, virtually two months to be exact, this in itself meaning we ...
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12 Jul 2011 | 0 Comments
Reports – “Wrapping Up A Wealth Of Weeks” – Disco Matt’s Monthly Message – Tuesday 12th July
Wrapping Up A Wealth Of Weeks Looking back into our archives, we cannot believe it is the beginning of May since we last posted our monthly newsletter, a short sentence (strange for us!) report that aims to look back & then look forward, although looking back across this ...
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20 Jun 2011 | 0 Comments
Does…. – “Colossal Composition Catch Up – Chapter One” – DM Does The Music News – Monday 20th June – Music Newsletter
Having seemingly had our musical head in the clouds over the last few weeks, it seems to have taken the serious accident we have just suffered to plant our feet back firmly on the ground and in so doing, alerting us to the realisation that we have a colossal amount ...
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14 May 2011 | 0 Comments
D.J.’s – Leomeo Carandang – Focus/Biog – Issued Saturday 14th May 2011
Welcome to the second of a comprehensive catalogue of D.J. biographical style focus posts and with so many to select from the archives of our old blog pages, we will be speeding up the issues of these, intermixed with some special Music features. So, having devoted our first set to ...
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