Morgan Geist of Metro Area and founder of Environ Records dropped into town this weekend. We caught up with the man himself to ask a couple of questions about his dusty vinyl he doesn’t let the public see too often….Thanks again Morgan!

First track you remember got you hooked on Disco?

“Another One Bites The Dust” when I was a kid, and maybe “Disco Circus” when I got back into it through techno.

Queen – another one bites the dust

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Martin Circus – Disco Circus

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Is there a track you rely on to jack the party?

No. All parties are different. I must say Carl Craig’s remix of my own track “Detroit” seems quite reliable. Watching crowds react to it makes me really respect his understanding of dancefloor psychology.

Morgan Geist – Detroit (c2 Remix 1)

A track you love but has a habit of clearing a dance-floor?

Oddly, “Candy Man” by Mary Jane Girls. Usually this leaves me feeling the audience I’m playing for are completely and utterly dead inside.

Mary Jane Girls – Candy Man (12in Remix)

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Have you got a Guilty Pleasure track?

I’m not guilty about my pleasures – at least not the musical ones.

Finally can you think of a severely underrated tune, you think deserves more credit?

God. There are too many to list. Not as many as tracks that are overrated and deserve less credit, but still a lot.

Continue reading ‘Back of the box session with Morgan Geist’

“The unique electronic-acoustic collaboration of two internationally celebrated artists based on improvisation and raw creative live sampling.”

Amazing jam session with Bugge and Schwarz recorded at the Red Bull Music Academy yesterday. Bugge on grand piano/ Rhodes and Henrik manning the synthesizers, using Ableton live to combine the beats. A great insight to how these guys perform live, and the future progression of live dance music.

Wesseltofts harmonic chords and strong melodies are being send to his partners workstation. On the fly sampling and effective looping leads to layers and complex textures filling up the room with simple beauty. Schwarz also adds light percussion fragments, strong rhythmic patterns. The call and response feel of their mainly improvised electronic-acoustic music and ambience soundscapes keeps the listeners tension all night long. This show is an audiovisual experience with the music being perfectly underlined by a tasteful modern live-visuals performance. Exceptional!

Red Bull  Music Academy have kindly given us 2 pairs of tickets to the special one-off night at the Royal Festival Hall, bringing a host of pioneers from the worlds of experimental electronics and avant-garde music. The mighty line up includes: Carl Craig, Francesco Tristano, Moritz von Oswald, Matmos, Bugge Wesseltoft, Henrik Schwarz, and Terre Thaemlitz as DJ Sprinkles.

To win a pair of tickets we want to know the funniest thing witnessed or happened to you in a club, DJing or as a punter…stick it in the comments

Continue reading ‘RBMA & RA’

A couple from the Reverso 68 night a couple of weeks back, anyone who was there will know it was pumpin!

From their Facebook group;

“We actually managed to get organised enough to do some recording at the September Bloodbath. Unbelievable we know! Here are links for downloading and listening…”

Also don’t forget about our fantabulous warehouse mega-rave showdown with Trailer Trash this Saturday. Event details including a link to buy tickets here…” Luca C who just did a mix for us last week is also rockin that party.

In case you missed them, you needed to be quick…here is Damon’s one for now, will stick up the others later!

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Continue reading ‘Disco Bloodbath mixes’

This has to be one of my favourite tunes ever. Inspired, dark disco funk that builds to one of the best synth lines i’ve ever ever heard. Tried and tested on many floors, this is a total gem, and since it’s only ever received a fairly limited vinyl release, we’ll let you all have it. I urge you all to try an pick up a hard copy if you ever come across it. Totally awesome! 

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Continue reading ‘Padded Cell – Unknown Zone’

Finally released! Click the Picture to have a listen and pick up your copy at Phonica
“Side A features an edit/remix of a classic cosmic disco jam – namely the Brothers Johnson “Strawberry Letter 23″. Beautifully slo-mo with lush keyes, it’s a paean to the universe! On the flip “Magic” is a smooth escalating, balearic nugget with a very funky guitar lick, whilst the 12” rounds off with with “Love”, an even more balearic end of the night sort of cut that is criminally short, clocking in at 2mins12sec.”

Hate the word “dubstep”, it makes me think of cheesy electro house wobbly bottom beats. For me I like the top ends, the shuffling aspect of tunes in this dub, dub techno, dub- whatever the fuck genre…There is some great tunes out there with tones of producers creating and improvising to great effect, but in my opinion there is no one better than Burial. I have loved all of his productions, with this EP one of many highlights. His style is very crossover friendly and so a lot of people can relate to it. South London Boroughs actually reminded me of  Kenlou- the Bounce (one of my favorite tunes), when I heard it for the first time.

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Continue reading ‘Burial- South London Boroughs’

Word on the street Ricardo dropped this in Fabric the other night, such a banging tune which used to get played across the board. Great to see the jack make a comeback.

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Continue reading ‘Scotti Deep – Brooklyn Beats’

Not the best start when you turn up at 5 to be met by a big ass que…then when you get it in its way too rammed by the time you get to room one- you’ve already elbowed 10 pairs of sunglasses of the numerous Italians…  so checked out room 3 which was absolutely rockin…after an hour or so i braved it back to room 1- by this stage it had cleared up and so it began. All in all really good night here are a couple of highlights of his set/ or as close as i could get!

Continue reading ‘Ricardo Villalobos @ fabric’

A two part episode kicking off with the last ever Stink, the legendary monthly Monday night held at T Bar, hosted by Michael Mayer and Damian Lazarus just before Christmas 08, with a special “Santa” appearance by Mr C.

We then fly to Barcelona to check out the Crosstown Rebels’ residency at Liquid, one of the city’s favourite clubs. Dinky, Pier Bucci and Damian Lazarus spend the night playing under the Spanish stars to an energetic crowd on the edge of a great outdoor swimming pool.

The Final Stink & Liquid Movie

WWWWOOOOWWWW this tune is huge!!! Dark disco at its greatest!!also featured in the recent beats in space but destroyed by possibly the worst mix out I have heard.

Bell is comprised of Dan Crouch and Adrian Stephens, from Archway, North London. Crouch provides most of the musical know-how and tech savvy, with Stephens providing the “rock and roll” element, and track names. Stephens’ contribution stretches also to some impressive dance moves, hampered only by alcohol, drugs and proximity of tangled cabling and sound equipment. Always entertaining live.

You gotta check out the album Bell- Numbers

Bell- Computer (zippyshare)

“how many times must i do, what i do, what i do, what i do for you to move me!! right ..yeahhh …yeahhh”

“nice” tune still on the radar, have been hearing this out a lot recently. First heard this in T-Bar last year and it ripped the place apart. good times

Yapacc- N!ce

“It twists and turns for nearly 10 minutes, moving from mournful strings to tough beats and bass to uplifting melodic swirls and back again”

An outstanding piece of Italo from the front man of Scene-chic band Heartbreak. Released as a limited 200 press, on the outstanding Dissident Records this one is hard to find…

You might be able to find it in Piccadilly Records in Manchester or Phonica London or even here, in it’s full plastic glory.

Muravchix- Replicant’s Lament

One of the winners of the Beatport remix competition, London legendary underground disco night move across into production. Good effort.

Download

From Phonica

“After a series of releases on labels Rong, Infant and Deep Freeze, Bearfunk were quick to grab “Disco Disorder” and wasted no time in asking their studio neighbours Faze Action to step up. Their synth-bass, low slung and sleazy remix, with a dose of their trademark strings hits the spot. This sits snuggly with Ilijas original which mixes in real bass and guitar with his analog heavy funk-laden grooves.”

Ilija Rudman – Dance Disorder (Faze Action Remix)