Credit crunch getting you down? No cash for new tunes? We’re here to help…
Up for grabs this week are two prize packs containing: the excellent Balance 14 album mixed by Joris Voorn; the new album from Audiojack, Radio, on 2020Vision, plus a T-shirt; King Roc’s debut artist album Chapters; the new Hard Dance Awards Euphoria three-disc set, plus a T-shirt and hoodie; the Sideshow album, Admit One, on Aus Music; a CD and DVD specially created to celebrate Mulletover’s fifth birthday party this weekend; amd promotional copies of Sharam Jey’s new compilation, Classic Editions Remix Album…
And we’ve got two pairs of guest passes to give away to the next secretsundaze party on Thursday – secretsundaze & friends present Innervisions & Horsemeat Disco, featuring A Critical Mass live (that’s Ame, Dixon & Henrick Schwarz making their UK debut in this guise), then DJ sets from Ame, Dixon, Giles Smith, James Priestley, Daniele Baldelli and the Horsemeat Disco residents.
And there are two pairs of passes to Mulletover’s fifth birthday on Sunday – featuring Pedro, Rhadoo, Geddes, Simon Kurrage, Greg Wilson, Nôze, Linkwood Family and Poussez – up for grabs too. Read on to find out more about the prizes and for entry details…
Joris Voorn – Balance 14 [EQ Recordings]
Fresh on the shelves is the latest installment of the always-impressive Balance series, with Joris Voorn behind the decks. Using more than 100 tracks, Joris has constructed a multi-layered mix of some of the best tech house and minimal tracks around. Tunes from the likes of Minilogue, Goldie, Sascha Funke, Basic Channel, Dubfire, Robert Babicz, Joakim, Paul Kalkbrenner, Quiet Village, System 7, Global Communication, Silicone Soul, Radio Slave, Tricksi, Tiger Stripes and loads more get chopped together into multi-faceted mini-mixes, which then blend together to create a whole. Here’s what Joris has to say about it: “My intention while working on the mixes has not been ‘more is more’. Some of the tracks have been reduced to a two-bar loop, and with some I only used the break or the intro. The process of making this mix has been more like painting with sound rather than mixing the end of one track with the beginning of another. Working this way has been very interesting for me and made the project something very different to a conventional DJ mix. I’m sure I won’t be pleasing everyone with these mixes – some listeners will be happily or uneasily surprised – but at least it’s pushing my own boundaries in a technical, musical and artistic way.”
Balance 014 is out now on EQ Recordings. Visit www.jorisvoorn.com, www.myspace.com/jorisvoorn, www.balance-series.com and www.stomp.com.au
Audiojack – Radio [2020Vision Recordings]
Ralph Lawson’s 2020Vision drops another good’un on April 13 in the shape of Radio, the debut album from hot-to-trot duo Audiojack. Some acts take their time and build slowly, but some smash it from day one and that’s exactly what Audiojack have done. From the early success of their massive track Robot to this album, Jamie Rial and Richard Burkinshaw have created a cohesive, expertly produced album of electronic club music to be proud of. They’ve smashed the beatport download charts and populated some of the most respected record boxes in the world, with support from Sasha, Deep Dish, Carl Cox and Luciano to name a few. As well as establishing themselves as producers, the pair have also been sought-after to DJ in clubs and festivals across the globe. Since they started touring last summer, the boys have played almost 100 gigs, across 20 countries including stand-out dates such as Japan's famous Fuji Rock Festival, Avalon in Hollywood, Sydney's Chinese Laundry, Basics and Space in Ibiza. Here’s what James Zabiela has to say about them: “Audiojack make excellent electronic music for the dancefloor and 'Radio' is a testament to this. This will be the year the Audiojack.”
Radio is out on 2020Vision on April 13. Visit www.myspace.com/audiojackmusic and www.2020recordings.com
King Roc – Chapters [Process Recordings]
A couple of years ago, King Roc spoke to EQ about his plans for a hugely ambitious album project. The idea was to start with set of four collectable 12”s, each with a poster and each with its own theme. Then for the final CD, each track had to be ripped apart and thrown back together for its reappearance on the CD – so trip-hop tracks transformed into a beautiful vocal numbers, and techno tunes became lush, beatless cinematics. That final CD is Chapters, a bold and hugely imaginative album that sees Martin Dawson’s King Roc alter ego wading through a huge pool of different sounds that feeds on all of Martin’s influences – from his early life in southwest London and his new homes in Brazil and Berlin, to his remixes for the likes of Future Sound of London, New Order, S-Xpress, D-Nox and Beckers, his work alongside Giles Smith of secretsundaze fame as one half of the wildly successful techno/deep house duo Two Armadillos, and his regular DJ sets regularly in Brazil, China and Australia.
Chapters is out now on Process Recordings. Visit www.kingroc.com and www.process-recordings.com
Sideshow – Admit One [Aus Music]
Admit One, the new album from Sideshow on Will Saul’s Aus Music imprint, is a labour of love. Fin Greenall would describe himself as the engine of Sideshow, backed up by the band he has been touring with as legendary London label Ninja Tune’s singer-songwriter, Fink. During the bands downtime, they came together in his 7Dials studio in Brighton to bring us some more trademark dub-infused goodness. Says Fin: “Most of the tracks are live versions, sometimes the eighth or ninth take of tracks, because that's real. Some of the tracks on this album are just straight-up tracks, others are covers or versions of tracks I love. There are a few samples in there, yeah that bassline is the bassline from that old record – sometimes dub and the nature of dub is about paying tribute, not stealing ideas. This fine line runs throughout the history of dub and reggae, and runs through this record. When I first starting producing stuff back in the early nineties it was old dub records that acted like a text book on how to do it. Dub to me is about space, vibe, texture, it's about not thinking too hard, but feeling. Dub is like the church of music to me – a simple innocence with immense power, I hope you feel that in Admit One.”
Admit One is out now on Aus Music. Visit www.myspace.com/finkmusic and www.ausmusic.co.uk
Hard Dance Awards Euphoria
Hot on the heels of the sixth annual Hard Dance Awards comes the latest offering from Euphoria which showcases the biggest tracks of the year gone by, mixed by the winners. CD one is by best resident winner Andy Whitby. It’s his position as resident at Frantic that earned him this award for the second year running. Highlights on his disc include collaborations with – and single tracks by – Liverpool-based Klubfiller, as well as tracks from Dougal & Gammer, Amber D and Technikal. CD two is by Showtek, winner of the best DJ and best track awards. Residents at Q Dance in Holland, the Dutch brothers have created a new sound called hardstyle – an ultra-hard, but melodic European rave sound. Their disc includes tracks from Zany, Southstylers, and Technoboy. The mix also includes their winning track of 2009 Hold Us Back. CD three is by Ed Real, promoter and host of Hard Dance Awards. His disc represents the people’s choice with cuts from awards winners like Alex Kidd, Kidd Kaos, BK, and Organ Donors.
Hard Dance Awards Euphoria is out now. Visit www.ministryofsound.com
Mulletover
Easter Sunday sees London club night Mulletover celebrate its fifth birthday in style with a mighty party at a secret location. The night has gone from strength to strength, bringing together a unique blend of original and underground artists, and stamping their mark across the world, with regular fixtures in Ibiza, Croatia and London festivals including Lovebox, Eastern Electrics and TDK. For the birthday bash, the night plays host to three rooms catering for all musical tastes and desires. Mulletover welcome the young Romanian artists Pedro and Rhadoo, hotly tipped by the likes of Richie Hawtin, Luciano and Ricardo Villalobos to be the future faces of techno. Fresh and pioneering sounds are on the menu, complemented by Mulletover’s resident Geddes and his irresistible signature sound, and old friend Simon Kurrage. In room two are disco maestro Greg Wilson, Nôze and Linkwood Family stretch the musical policy to encompass the distant corners of dance music’s scope. And the final room is taken over by Artizan Music, a label and series of parties that encapsulate the lighter, soothing sound of house music. We’ve got a pair of specially created 20-minute DVDs to give away, which reveal some of the highlights from the last five years, and a special CD mixed by Geddes. These will only be available to advance ticket holders, given out on Sunday when they pick tickets up on the door.
Mulletover Fifth Birthday is on Easter Sunday from 10pm to 6am at a secret location in London. Visit www.mulletover.co.uk and www.myspace.com/mulletoverclub
Sharam Jey – Classic Editions Remix Album [Underwater]
Sharam Jey is a longstanding Underwater recording artist after numerous releases on the label over the years, culminating in 2005 with his acclaimed debut album 4 Da Loverz. Now a load of the singles from that album have been revamped with fresh new interpretations from some of today’s hottest talent. These mixes cover a wide range of styles varying from Martin Buttrich's intricate minimal composition through to all out floorshakers by the likes of John Dahlback and Alex Metric. Household names like The Glimmers and Tomas Andersson sit next to talented up-and-coming producers such as Darko Esser and Nelsen Grover. The album also includes Pete Tong favourite Shake Your… remixed by Gold Ryan and Tapesh.
Classic Editions Remix Album is out on Underwater Records on April 20. Visit www.myspace.com/sharamjey and www.underwaterrecords.com
To be in with a chance of winning all the albums, T-shirts, hoodie and DVD, just email us at win@eq-mag.co.uk telling which country Joris Voorn hails from. Mark you emails COMPETITION 2, and get your entries in by noon on Wednesday April 15. We’ll pick two winners at random and get in touch via email. Good luck.
We’ve also got two pairs of tickets up for grabs for secretsundaze & friends present Innervisions & Horse Meat Disco on Thursday. The night at The Coronet Theatre in Elephant and Castle looks like an absolute belter, as the secretsundaze boys James Priestley and Giles Smith have been approached by Innervisions to host the UK debut show of A Critical Mass. Two years in the pipeline, this is Ame, Dixon and Henrik Schwarz’s much whispered about live project which finally saw the light of day in 2008 at Popkomm in Berlin and ADE in Amsterdam. The live set-up sees all key members of the Innervisions crew play live together on Ableton Live. And after their live show, they’ll be back behind the decks, playing out till 6am. Horse Meat Disco take care of room two, with Daniele Baldelli, resident at the infamous Baia de Angeli Club and Cosmic clubs during the 70s, on hand to deliver a big dose of cosmic disco goodness. The night is also running in collaboration with Ableton, and Dixon, Ame and Henrik Schwarz will be hosting an exclusive Ableton Live workshop before the show at 10pm, looking at the brand-new, ultra-fresh versions of the software: Ableton Live 8 and Ableton Suite 8. This is an amazing opportunity to look at how these talented artists make and perform their music and a great chance to get a good look at the new Ableton software.
secretsundaze & friends present Innervisions & Horse Meat Disco is on April 9 @ The Coronet Theatre, Elephant and Castle, London from 10pm to 6am. The Ableton workshop with Dixon, Ame & Henrik Schwarz starts at 10pm. Visit www.secretsundaze.net and www.myspace.com/secretsundaze
For your chance to get hold of a pair of passes to the night, just email us at win@eq-mag.co.uk telling us the two DJs behind the secretsundaze parties. Mark you emails SECRETSUNDAZE, and get your entries in by 9am on Thursday April 9. We’ll pick two winners at random and get in touch via email. Good luck.
And we’ve already mentioned the upcoming Mulletover birthday celebrations on April 12 with Pedro and Rhadoo, Geddes, Simon Kurrage, Greg Wilson, Nôze and more. We’ve got two pairs of passes up for grabs…
For your chance to get hold of a pair of passes to the night, just email us at win@eq-mag.co.uk telling us the name of the resident DJ at Mulletover. Mark you emails MULLETOVER, and get your entries in by noon on Thursday April 9. We’ll pick two winners at random and get in touch via email. Good luck.
