With September slipping away before our very eyes, we thought it high time we delivered to on our promise to put out another music newsletter, in fact one of two this month that aim to pick up on those D.J.’s/producers that have been busy in the recording studio either pressing podcasts or serving up singles and in the process, covering those established stars along with more fresh faced talent that we feel deserve our devotions. But as we often ask you to do, we will also be including those disc spinners who have gone to the trouble to plaster our social networking walls with their productions and thus giving them an equal bite at the cherry pickings of our now notorious newsletters.

Shining Scene Star

So with this first of two September servings let’s get off to a superb start and in the hands of one Brent Nicholls we couldn’t have chosen better, as hardly a month goes by without something quite special bouncing out of the Brent blender, this one being no different and reflective of the fact that he tends to appear in our newsletters with repeated regularity. However, being pretty busy out on the scene keeps this amiable antipodeans’ hand in, regular slots for Profile & Lo-Profile, Rupert St & Hard On! recent features, while with clubbing brand Lovechild having taken a summer siesta, its return for its “Super Love” event this last Sunday saw a trio of turnouts for Mr Nicholls over the weekend, the filling in the sandwich being Hard On!, a club which Brent has been part & parcel with since its launch back in 2003. Indeed, his associations with the club has seen him travel with the brand to exploits in Manchester & over in Gran Canaria this year alone, while a further trip Spanish isle in November looks on the cards, as Hard On! will be part of the “Black & Blue” fetish weekend there, while spin off Hotwired returns to the capital next month, Brent in the thick of the action.

Sixteen Makes Eight

So, Mr Nicholls links with Hard On! go without saying and in recognition of this fabulous fetish club celebrating 8 years in erotic operation, Brent gathered together sixteen towering tunes from across its history, plugging them together into a prolific podcast that is true memory lane majesty. And from the off, especially for those of you who, like us, were around in 2003, the opener does bring those magical memories flooding back, although with tracks “The World Is Mine”, “Put Your Hands Up For Detroit”, “Enjoy The Silence”, “So Strong” & “Downpipe” this is more than just a celebration of the Hard On! sound Brent style, but a journey through some of the most iconic tracks to hit our dancefloors in these last eight years. But the Brent blender has extended to a mini-mix marking the return of Hotwired too, but the intentions of this composition are much more direct, as the combination of electro, progressive, tech, tribal & trance set the scene for this all out orgy of a club happening, the music very much matching the macho feel of this fetish frolic, one track summing it up beautifully, “Fucking House Musik” speaking all the volumes for us, as well as being a damn fine track as well. So, whether your persuasion leans towards fetish or you simply crave a terrific tune, then in “Hard On! 8” 7 “Hotwired” you have two worthy contenders for your collection, both available via multi download options including iTunes, Dropbox, Speedyshare, Mediafire, although all just a click away at http://djbrentnicholls.com/web/.

Luiggi

Now onto our first mini mention which goes to D.J. Luiggi who, it would be fair to say, came in for a bit of stick from us in our Brava review, although in fairness to this Barcelona born Spaniard, we were a bit distracted by the construction site we found both him & ourselves within. However, putting the record straight and from the feedback we got, his performance was much better than we had painted at the time and when you consider the appearances he has made across Europe, Rome’s Muccassassina, Antwerp’s Red & Blue, Lyon’s Le-Bloc & brand Deice, while regular slots in his adopted home city of Valencia remain a feature of his hectic schedule. So, having gone to press on a podcast celebrating the sunset of summer, we thought it highly appropriate that he be included in our “Indian Summer” inspired choices, Luiggi’s compilation, in his own words, sharing “…the best remixes of the greatest artists…” he adding of the mix that it is “…original & energetic…”,  a claim we completely agree with, meaning we reckon that his creation is well worth a listen by going to either his podcast page at http://djluiggi.podomatic.com/ or his soundcloud site, http://soundcloud.com/dj-luiggi-1, the latter including previous sets stretching back to 2010.

Psychedelic Sean

Right, we head back towards familiar territory with our next inclusion, Hifi Sean a dynamic D.J. that has been cutting a significant stride on the capitals clubbing scene for a while now, residencies having included Juicy, Hard On!, Barcode, & Beyond, while appearances at a long list of events mean that hardly a weekend would go by when he wasn’t spinning somewhere across London, not least having also been included in the illustrious Orange RAW team that plays out to a packed room of party people each & every Monday morning. Add to this his claim to fame a real one, in that he was part of Glasgow based group, The Soup Dragons and you soon realise that Sean’s credentials in the music world are considerable. However, like us, you would be forgiven for thinking that he has fallen off the radar across the summer, although none of it, as whilst it would be true that married life & family commitments have taken up a fair amount of his time, he has been out on the wider scene too, wider in terms of gigs in Amsterdam, Brussels & Madrid, while at this very moment he is savouring the sights & sounds on San Francisco in what has become a yearly homage for the world’s best known bear gathering, “Folsom”.

San Fran Star

So San Francisco neatly moves us to Sean’s selections, his continuing series of “Psychedelic House Music” podcasts including to devotions to the city & its music, Hifi having been in the thick of the action for the annual Pride main event, an attraction that makes London’s celebrations look like a village street party and thus meaning Sean’s inclusion in this world renowned gathering shouts significantly for his skills & in demand services. So the first of two mixes simply entitled “San Francisco 2011 – Main Event”, he explaining of his music choices, “…the focus is setting the groove and building the energy…”, something we have seen him perform on many an occasion on Beyond’s main room, while the second on his San Fran sets, “The Afterparty” is very much more akin to his prolific performances in Beyond’s chapel space where, like in this magnificent mix, he “…takes the groove deeper…”. But the Hifi inclusions don’t stop that these two, as his devotion to Amsterdam’s pride event is noteworthy too and is one of our favourites (dare we have one!) as it does exactly what it say’s on the tin, includes “…some old classics remixes, some new future classics & some of my own exclusive remixes too…”. So to grab your slice of Sean stateside & to go dutch with Hifi, simply click on http://hifiseandj.podomatic.com/ and download to your absolute joy.

Foxy Female

Our next min mention goes to D.J. Minx, our original foxy lady that impressed us so much when we heard her play for the first time at The Box in Covent Garden, that we labelled her as the female Brent Nicholls, such were the similarities to musical tastes between us three. And while we miss those fantastic Friday’s in the hands of our foxy lady, slotting into a twice monthly residency at Rupert St certainly makes up for that loss, Minx having also played out for The Shadow Lounge on opposing weekends. But her appearances don’t stop there, as a residency for hero hangout Nob in the smart set of socialising splendour that is Mayfair continues to play a part in her out there performances, while a new gig in trendy Camden Lock kicks in from this week and a new project Sam (that’s her real name) is truly excited about. So having seen her in action just this last Friday at Rupert St reminded us to push Mix’s latest mix, “Rise 2011” crammed with uplifting & happy house that rapturously represents Sam’s superb sound style and one we absolutely adore, as we are sure you will too when you go to http://djminx.podomatic.com/, while it’s well worth checking out her “Work It Out” mix which aims squarely at summer and had us clinging onto the sunshine from the start, both making our collection and helping spin rounds those London roads full of rapture.

The Face Of Trade

Now let’s take a look at another main inclusion and a D.J./Producer that has been making a marked impression on the clubbing scene for many a year, Nick Tcherniak having been involved in the music industry since the tender age of 19, his introduction to D.J.’ing soon seeing him land residencies for iconic clubs Fiction, DTPM & Discotec, while he is inextricably linked to the mother of all clubbing brands, Trade, having been labelled as “The Face Of Trade” in its earlier years, while the transformation from front of house to behind the decks fro Laurence Malice’s legendary club was always on the cards and Nick now finds himself as one of their big stars, having played out for Trade for well over a decade. But the big hitters on Nick’s C.V. don’t stop there as he has featured large for Matinee, has been welcomed as a guest for Monday morning magnificence Orange on numerous occasions, while he remains a firm favourite for followers of all things SuperMartXe, having once again wowed the crowds at the clubs “Blackout” party a couple of Saturday’s ago, the afterhours element in his club calendar also extending to A:M, Nick headlining the D.J. line-up just last weekend.

Day & Night Man

But this is only half of the terrific Tcherniak turnout, as Nick is feverishly busy in the studio when he isn’t playing out live on the scene, his regular podcast pressings backing up an impressive list of track releases, many mixed & produced with recording partner & fellow Trade D.J. resident Steve Thomas, recent triumphs including “My People”, “Deep Water” & “The Answer”, all having charted high in download charts both here & stateside. So, given the success of these tracks & the partnership with Steve, a further release was very much on the cards, “Day & Night” their latest smash and one that looks set to soar at least as high as its three predecessors and is an absolute corker, already charting well on Beatport & available for download at http://beatport.com/track/day-and-night-original-mix/2423834. Tracks aside and Nick’s podcasts never fail to hit our heavenly mark, his latest release straight out of the Tcherniak top draw and crammed full of towering deep house, tech & progressive beats that shouts out his sound style superbly, the title inspiration taken straight from his “Day & Night” tune with naturally features  within this 64 minute marvel and a compilation that went straight into our collection as soon as we, just like the first track suggests, checked it out,  so one we think you want to check out too by going to http://nicktcherniak.podomatic.com/.

Techno Tony

To another mini mention and an Italian D.J. that has made London his home, although travels back to his motherland as often as he is able, while back here in the capital he continues to experiment with a selection of sounds that range from ambient dance through to tough techno & the smoother more progressive beats that fit neatly between the two, his productions in this style very much taking you on a joyous journey. And with his latest release, “Techno Ambient Sex Mix”, Mr Bruno doesn’t disappoint, the 70 minute mix sending you immediately floating as though on a far away island and one that, for us, is right up there with the best chill-out compilations in our collection. With is skilful use of cool cuts & tougher twists, it is a mesmeric journey that will leave you both rejuvenated & fulfilled and one definitely for escaping the ravages of a hectic lifestyle, at least for the few masterful minutes. So, to track down this tremendous Tony triumph, go now to http://soundcloud.com/tonybruno/techno-ambient-sexy-mix-by and soak up the splendour of this silkiest of selections.

Legend In Our Lifetime

Right, back we head to our main contenders list and to one of the scene’s legends who has been cutting it with the best in the business for a plum period, Gonzalo Rivas having emerged playing for heavy weight brands Salvation & Trade, he proving one of the latter’s great stars in the Turnmills days when either a post Tony De Vit set or a pre Pete Wardman showing would have the place well & truly rocking. Yet, such has been the demand & diversity of this truly towering talent, that he has played at virtually every top ranking club on the capitals circuit, Mr Rivas being behind the Orange RAW room, a key player for Beyond in both its era’s, and A:M ingredient for most if not all of its history, these just a handful of a long list of bars, clubs & events that have benefitted from Gonzalo’s brilliant beats over the years. And having been around for much of his time playing out to the London scene, he never fails to disappoint us with his performances, those halcyon days of Trade living in the memory, as do our awkward encounters of Escape, to the storming sets at Beyond, a place that is as special for him as it is for us.

Cum & Penetrate

So when it comes to his podcast productions, it is no surprise that some of these major clubs are not very far away, Gonzalo continuing to draw inspiration from his regular appearances for the RAW room at Orange, along with the indelibly marked music memories from Trade, his latest offering “Cums Deeper & Penetrating” very much a blend of the two and reflective of the style of deep house music that Mr Rivas revels in. That said, we only have to look back a couple of months to find a session mixed live at Beyond for the clubs weekly showing on Gaydar Radio, showing a slightly different side to this majestic mixer’s music, those deep & funky beats still there but revved up a little to suit the Sunday morning vibe which unmistakably from this awesome afterhours. So, in these latest two podcast pressings you have two fine examples of the Rivas rhythms that continue to rocks the dancefloors across the capital, both worthy additions to your compilation collection by going to http://gonzalorivas.podomatic.com/, while his studio works also extend to the odd track here & there, meaning a visit to http://soundcloud.com/gonzalo-rivas would not a amiss either.

Hebrew Hardhitter

To our next mini mention and one for a D.J. talent who continues to float on our radar surface as well as on the capitals clubbing scene, having played out at Matinee on a couple of occasions and more recently for Bear Necessity. But it is his devotion to new brand “Furrvert” that gets our attention, Michel Mizrahi part of the package when the club launched a couple of weeks ago, he laying down a compilation mix to mark the occasion and one that is crammed full of big room beats, euro-style sounds & plenty of funk that make for a superbly sexy soundtrack that reflects the clubs image impressively. We particularly like his choice of an electro tainted remix of the club hit “Pressure” which neatly moves into an dub version what is surely a 2011 chart topper, the wonderful  “You’ve Got The Love”, while there are plenty more main room monsters on this 72 minute mix which you can grab now by going to http://michelmizrahi.podomatic.com/.

Barca Beatmaster

So to our final big hitter and one that impressed us so much when he cone over to London and played out in Beyond’s main room for the London Global Dance Festival back in May last year, that we have continued to cover his studio works ever since, even if we haven’t had the chance to see him play live. Therefore, including Barcelona based Ivan Gomez here was an easy choice for us, not least as he shares the exact same philosophy as us when he says that “…Music Is The Answer…” and his continuous creations very much echo that sentiment, as does his appearances across a host of club happenings both at home & abroad, the long list extending to the likes of Cockpit & Heroes in Cologne, Odarko & Strong in Madrid, Gay Village & Gorgeous I Am in Rome, Bubu Lounge in Sao Paulo and Fascination & Venial in Valencia, to mention just a few. However, whilst he remains pretty active out on the scene, it is Ivan’s studio productions that stand him out from the crowd, not least being an intrinsic part of the recording label Guareber, while his works often appear on Twisted & Sorry Shoes. The list of releases is so long that we would need to devote a whole post to Mr Gomez, just to include them all, although such are his achievements the topping of the prestigious US Billboard chart with his remix of Yoko Ono’s “Move On Fast” has to ranks as a major highlight in a host of other amazing accolades.

Guareber Guy

So, let’s take a moment to pick out some of those highlights and point you to Ivan’s latest creations that deserve more than a little attention, the first being his track “You Drive Me Crazy” which got its official release earlier this month, the original cut bridging genres of progressive, tribal & tech and has already been given the remix treatment by three other artists, this being no surprise as its credentials are considerable & very much represent a style of sound that is currently cutting a significant stride across the dancefloors of Europe. That said, Ivan never rests on his laurels, as a further two tracks are already in the pipeline, sneak previews of “Your Love” & “Get Well” very much from the same stable as the former and look like following it its footsteps, racing up the download charts come release day. However for us, there is no better way to sink into the magical musical world of Mr Gomez than checking out his monthly podcast productions, September’s a scorcher and truly evocative of that progressive tech & tribal blend that has Ivan’s name written all over it, so one we cannot recommend enough by going to http://soundcloud.com/ivangomezmusic & picking it out, among a host of tracks & compilations which should surely need adding to your collection.

Madrid In Ibiza

Well, we are virtually there with our choices, wrapping up with the fifth mini mention which goes to another Spaniard, this time Rafha Madrid who starred at the Cafe Ole party at Fire last weekend, he being one of the brands main residents back in Ibiza. Finding himself in the melting pot of D.J.’s in Barcelona, Rafha certainly rubs shoulders with some of the best in the business, his style of sound not too dissimilar as it intersects genres tech, tribal & progressive that seem to emanate from this part of the word and rate highly with Spanish clubbers along with their European counterparts, if not quite so here in London. That said, we are impressed enough with his compilation release “Summer Heat” to include it here, plenty of vocal injections to back up those tribal, tech & progressive beats having kept us engaged throughout the 63 minutes of this mix and one we think you will like to, by going to http://soundcloud.com/rafhamadrid/rafha-madrid-summer-heat.

Right, that’s just about it for this latest newsletter, although one that hasn’t included any of our track choices, a feature that will return in our next offering “Protégé Producers & Players” which is hot on the heels of this, one which will see coverage of stars including Danny Verde, Javier Medina & Guy Scheiman, along with recent rookies Zack Burns, Junior Moura & Norbert M. However, in the meantime we hope you like our choices here, leaving us to simply say, “sit back, select those sounds, turn up the volume and let them play, as music IS the answer”. (DISCO MATT)