March 5, 2010
Earlier today, French company JazzMutant released a first look video at their latest controller, the Mu. This is big news for a couple of reasons, not the least of which being that this is first JazzMutant plug-in software designed specifically for Ableton Live. There’s no set release for the Mu just yet, so for now producers and tech junkies will just have to make do drooling over this 3-minute demo clip.
A favorite of Daft Punk, JazzMutant is known not only for the quality of their products, but also for the price. Unfortunately, to use the Mu you’ll currently need one of JazzMutant’s Lemur touch-controllers, which usually cost a little over two thousand dollars. So the question for cash-strapped producers is whether or not JazzMutant will ever make their software compatible for use with more affordable touch-tech, such as Apple’s upcoming iPad. Given the iPad’s limited integration capabilities, this probably won’t happen, but it’s worth thinking about.
March 3, 2010
Last week, Native Instruments released their latest round of virtual instrument software, this time tackling the black and whites with the Scarbee Vintage Keys series. Consisting of three specialized programs, each virtual piano is available for purchase separately or as part of the collected Scarbee Vintage Keys bundle package. The new Native Instrument/Scrabee Software covers four different, but equally seminal, vintage electric pianos: the A-200, the Mark 1, the Hohner Clavinet, and the Hohner Model N Pianet. All three programs run in either the free Kontakt 4 Player or Kontakt 4.
While there aren’t many reviews out for the virtual keys yet, we can only assume that within the next few weeks the message boards will be full of both pro and negative comments. After sampling some of the audio demos available online, we can only imagine that the new Scarbee software is a godsend for producers and DJs looking to create a vintage sound without having to drop a couple hundred (or thousand) on an authentic vintage piano. The individual instrument packages are available for download for $79 a pop, or you can purchase the complete package for $169.
As if that weren’t enough virtual keys for you, next month Native Instruments will also release Alicia’s Keys, a virtual piano that recreates the wildly popular singer’s in-studio piano of choice, the Yamaha C3 Neo grand piano. The software, also by Scarbee (aka Thomas Skarbye), was created using samples of Alicia Keys actually playing her piano, so look out for a neo-soul sound on this one. Alicia’s Keys, set for release on April 1st, will retail at $119.To see a video of Alicia Keys discussing the making of Alicia’s Keys, as well as why she loves the Yamaha C3, just follow the jump.
Read more about Scarbee Vintage Keys »
Read more about Alicia’s Keys »
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February 24, 2010
Ever wonder what your wax really looks like? Well thanks to our friends at Synthgear.com, now you can know for sure. Though above image resembles a desert range more than a slice of hot wax, what you’re seeing is a vinyl groove magnified 1,000x by the University of Rochester’s electron microscope. For more incredible images like this, follow the link below.
Record Grooves Under an Electron Microscope »
February 23, 2010
Due to increased pressure by residential developers, legendary London club Ministry of Sound is in danger of being closed down forever. For those unfortunate few of you who are unfamiliar with the club, Ministry of Sound first opened it’s doors in 1991. Inspired by the Paradise Garage, the club has hosted some of the world’s finest DJs. Although M.o.S. is a bit more mainstream than other London clubs, there is no denying that the club houses what some call the greatest sound system in the world.
It would truly be a shame to see this historic venue close their doors under such trivial circumstances. We here at Dancetracks believe that while there are literally millions of apartments in the world, there is only one Ministry of Sound. As such, we encourage all of our readers to follow the link below and help save the Ministry of Sound by signing their online petition. For anybody who has ever been to the club, or for those out there who are hoping to someday bask in the glory of the Ministry’s sound system, now is the time to stand up and be counted!
SAVE MINISTRY OF SOUND »
February 22, 2010
In a field primarily dominated by his European counterparts, Japanese producer Ryo Murakami is busily giving the rest of the minimal/house community a run for their money. After only a few years on the scene, he’s been credited for crafting tracks that play like a short history of house and techno. Picking up a trick or two from the schools of minimalism and electro, Murakami makes music that is instantly recognizable and yet completely innovative. Though his DJing roots are in hip-hop, electro, and even rock, his work lends itself to a wide variety of interpretations, drawing comparisons to Chicago House, European minimalism, and the best of straight-up techno. With his first full-length set for release in 2010, Murakami is set to be one of this year’s breakout producers.
After years of quietly making moves in the Japanese club scene, Murakami was brought to the attention of a wider audience by German minimalist maestro Steve Bug. Bug first heard Murakami back in 2006, and after featuring Murakami on his Fabric 37 mix, Bug wasted no time in acquiring the rights to release his newly artist on both his Dessous and Poker Flat imprints. Since then, Murakami’s work has seen release across numerous labels: not only is he the first Japanese artist to be released on Quintessentials, but Murakami can also be found on Apt. International, Relaxine, Op.Disc, and on his own label, PAN Recordings, to name but a few. However, although it sounds like Murakami can be found almost everywhere, the producer is still considered one of the electronic world’s best kept secrets.
Before Bug heard Murakami, the Tokyo native had already founded his own label, PAN Recordings, with the help of fellow Japanese artists Sisi and DJ PI-ge. The trio worked on music that they considered to be on the cutting edge while working to expose other Japanese producers to the world at large. So far, Murakami is leading the pack, but with his profile on the rise, expect a slew of new techno talent coming out of Japan within the next few years. No longer a DJ, Murakami performs only his own music, and is constantly at work on new material, both on the road and at home. If forward-thinking reductionist electronic is his goal, then Murakami has already succeeded. His latest 12-inch release, “Just For This,” has garnered widespread praise from dance music critics across the globe, drawing comparisons to Luciano, Steve Bug, Isolée and others.
Like so many of his generation, Murakami’s first introduction to beat-driven music was through the sounds of golden-era 90s hip-hop. In a recent interview with Ibiza-Voice.com, Murakami lists Tribe Called Quest, Peanut Butter Wolf, Group Home and others among his earliest influences. After listening to a few of Murakami’s tracks, it’s abundantly clear that the producer knows his way around a hip-hop beat. However, Murakami’s compositions are much more complicated than standard hip-hop-jocking electro. Beyond paying homage to genres such as Chicago House and European Minimalism, Murakami marries the two styles, and instead of doing disservice to the either, he synthesizes a fresh sound from their respective legacies. Beyond being incredibly good, Murakami’s music reminds us that the lessons of the past will always be the key to our future.
Listen to Ryo Murakami on Dancetracks »
February 16, 2010
Twenty years ago today, seminal New York artist and social activist Keith Haring passed away after a two-year battle with AIDs. Even if you don’t recognize his name, you’ve probably seen his art. For the uninitiated, Haring was one of the most important artists to emerge from the downtown NY scene in the early 1980s, and is often referred to as a founding father of Pop Art. Born in 1958, Haring first came into the public eye alongside artists Kenny Scharf and Jean-Michel Basquiat as part of New York’s burgeoning graffiti art community. A star of the scene, Haring quickly became part of Andy Warhol’s social circle, befriending and working with artists such as Futra 2000, Madonna, Grace Jones, Yoko Ono and William Burroughs. Beyond his graffiti and subway art, Haring was a regular at underground clubs, particularly the Paradise Garage, where he could be found frequently painting the walls (and sometimes the performing artists). His work is now recognized as the visual embodiment of the club, and is still used as art for Larry Levan and Paradise Garage retrospectives and record collections.
 Haring Paints Grace Jones at the Paradise Garage, photo by Douglas Kirkland
When he wasn’t painting the Paradise Garage, Haring was known for his social activism through public works. His art was often used raise awareness about social issues such as crack-cocaine addiction, Apartheid Africa, child welfare, and AIDs. Though his work would go on to international acclaim and eventually grace the covers of the long-running Very Special Christmas series, Haring’s work never lost the spirit and unbridled energy of 1980‘s New York and the Paradise Garage. After being diagnosed with AIDs in 1988, Haring would spend the following two years working with his foundation to provide resources and raise awareness for various AIDs-and child-welfare programs. Today we take a moment to remember to raise our glasses to the memory of Keith Haring, an artist and activist who helped shape the way we see the world, both inside the Garage and out. Follow the links below to learn more about Keith Haring, and to check out the Haring Kids site, where you can create your own Keith Haring images and coloring book.
Official Keith Haring Website »
Haring Kids Interactive Art Online »
February 10, 2010
This video is too good to pass up. Taken from the 1984 documentary “I love Quincy,” we came across this clip of Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones while researching the Fairlight CVI for our series on DVJ tech.
Here, Hancock shows Quincy Jones around a Fairlight CMI, breaking down how to organize sound files and create new compositions. Keep with it through to the end and you’ll get a bit of the duo’s thoughts on computers as both tools and instruments. Living in the age of Serato and other audio software programs, it’s interesting to see how far we’ve come as far in the ways of musician/software interface, not to mention the amount of room that was required to house those vintage machines.
February 4, 2010
The Dubspot DJ Academy in NY recently resumed their course on Video-DJing, more commonly know as DVJing. After we heard the announcement, we here at dancetracks decided to dig deeper into the history of the DVJ. In the third and final part of our series, we’ll take a look at the last decade in DVJing, spotlighting the artists and tech that have been on the scene since the turn of the century.
At the end of Part Two, the Roland V5 visual synthesizer (released in 1998) had opened the door for a new wave of performance hardware built specifically for working VJs. Just three years after the V5, Roland / Edirol changed the game again, releasing the V4 video mixer in early 2001. Arguably the first of it’s kind, the V4 was a standout thanks to its built-in MIDI control, which allowed for integration with both audio and visual equipment. It wasn’t long before companies like Korg and Pioneer followed suit, releasing hardware built specifically for DVJs and video performers. Products like the Korg Kapitivator allowed DVJs to playback video samples. In recent years, Korg has also capitalized on the demand for outboard effects manipulators, releasing a line of input/output devices known as the Korg Entrancers. Among today’s most popular platforms, the Pioneer SVJ-1000 is credited for opening new creative avenues by providing DVJs with a more fluid approach to to the craft, one closer in spirit to conventional DJing. 2008 saw the release of the Roland / Ediroal V8, and Serato introduced MIDI support for the Video-SL software plug-in, causing a boom in popularity of Video-SL among DVJs. Great for amateurs and mobile VDJs alike, Virtual DJ also offers software that is compatible with any and all video files.
When it comes to the live performance, the contemporary DVJ’s set-up consists of several pieces of hardware, though it is worth noting that these are just the basic elements; with the amount of gear available today, DVJs are able to create increasingly personalized performance set-ups. Looking at the basics, most (if not all) DVJs use some sort of video mixer connected to at least two different source inputs, which generate the real-time images for the performing artist, usually done via video camera or Vsythnesizer. When it comes to playing of previously filmed or generated imagery, DVJs use DVD players, computers, or even (if they are going for a vintage feel) a VHS deck. Since they are working with video as well as audio, there is also the question of output-based visual platforms. Video projectors, LED walls, plasma screens, these are but a few of the different options for screening images. Often, it will depend on what a venue has to offer. Finally, if a DVJ is looking to add even more to their set-up, they’ll modify the video stream using some form of effects hardware like (for example) the aforementioned Korg Entrancer.
DVJing and advanced video display technology have also caused major changes to the layout of many a club and performance venue. It’s important to remember that a live show for video performers and DVJs essentially means double duty, especially in a club setting. While a normal DJ is responsible only for providing the music, allowing the club’s lighting system to set the visual atmosphere for the night, DVJs are responsible for both aural AND visual stimuli. Not only does it change the bill, but new video display technologies have changed the overall experience provided by many of the world’s most notorious nightclubs. A prime example is Club Watergate in Berlin. Rather than conventional disco lights (which require heavy staging mounts and a small network of wires and outlets), they have a low ceiling with an LED panel display that runs the length of the club (pictured above). This allows the lighting engineer, owner, or performing artist to completely change the color or mood of the club with the simple twist of a knob.
Today, established DVJs enjoy increased exposure and popularity, due primarily to the internet and the advent of social/video outlets like YouTube. Unlike video artists and DVJs of the past, today you no longer need to be present at an event to experience (on some level) a video-based performance. DVJs are present at not only electronic music festivals, but also more mainstream events such as the annual SXSW festival in Austin, Texas. London three-piece DVJ group Eclectic Method has been performed in shows with such acts as Fatboy Slim, U2, and Public Enemy. Similarly, after their remix of the film “Max Payne” attracted hollywood attention, Addictive TV was asked to create an “official remix” of the film Iron Man for Paramount in 2008, as well as one for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009. These are only two examples though, as artists like Sander Kleinenberg, Hexstatic, and Mike Helm continue to garner international acclaim for their imaginative video mixes, CD/DVD albums and live performances.
Although not a relatively new form of expression, the increased popularity and prevalence of video performance and video mixing today can be viewed as a product of a culture that grows increasingly influenced by its multimedia with each passing year. At their best, DVJs remix cultural cues that we find in everyday life, chopping up pop culture and commercial reality to create an augmented sense of the world, one we can all get down to. To many, this feels like a natural next step: computers (especially laptops), which have become so integral to the production, performance, and recording of music, can easily double as a source of visual imagery. It only makes sense that producers would look to maximize the potential of their machines. As computers and performance technology become increasingly integrated (and increasingly compact), the creative possibilities of video performance have only begun to be tapped.
February 3, 2010
This coming Friday, California’s own Dirtybird records turns five years old. To celebrate their first five, Claude VonStroke N’ Crew are throwing an all-night birthday bash at the Mezzanine club in their hometown of San Francisco. The party will be an all-star label affair, featuring performances from Justin Martin, Christian Martin, J. Philip, Worthy, and the brains behind the bird himself, Claude VonStroke.
If you can’t make it to the party, you can still get a piece of the Dirtybird cake with an all encompassing Dirtybird compilation set for release this coming April. Titled ‘Dirtybird Five’, the three disc set will feature classics, unheared remixes, and all-new Dirtybird tracks. The tracks are organized across the three discs based on era. The first disc (the past) kicks the collection off with a slew of early Dirtybird classics, charting the label’s rise to West Coast House dominance. Not for the faint of feet, Disc two (the present) is a 20-track Dirtybird Birthday Mix assembled by Justin Martin. The third and final disc (the future) features new and unreleased tracks a few Dirtybird a-listers (Vonstroke, Martin, and Sascha Braemer) as well as new tracks from label rookies Hickup, KINK, and Jacob Seville.
Once again, the party goes down this Friday, February 5th, at the Mezzanine Club in San Francisco. Doors open at 9pm and if you get there before 11 entrance is free; after that, the cost is $10 with RSVP. Dirtybird Five will be released this coming April.
RSVP for the Dirtybird 5-Year Birthday Party »
Listen to Dirtybird Records on Dancetracks »
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