Indefatigable bpm:tv bloggeuse Gosia Mrugala walks you track-by-track through the much-touted new Deadmau5release, Album Title Goes Here. Buckle up!
And we’re off …
(1) Superliminal – I don’t think an album could ask for a better opening track. I am absolutely addicted to this one, which pulled me in from the start to the last beat. One of the tracks I had on repeat while listening to the album.
(2) Channel 42 – On this one, Deadmau5 gets together with Grammy-nominated American house music wunderkind Wolfgang Gartner. It’s quite an intriguing track, but one I had to hear several times before it grew on me. It really didn’t catch my ear at first, but in time I was won over by this funky tune.
(3) The Veldt [8 minute edit] – Can’t say that I’m a big fan of this track, something I would blame on overexposure. It’s an impressive, very mellow piece, but runs on a bit longer than the style really warrants. Still, I’d say it offers plenty of remix potential: we’ve already seen what artists like Tommy Trash and Ezon have managed to come up with when they’ve jumped on this track and added their own kick.
(4) Fn Pig – A calm, mellow buildup until it hits the 2:52 mark — then it changes up. And at 3:41 it kicks in seriously. Makes me think of one of my all time Deadmau5 favourites: “Strobe.” The same kind of insouciant buildup, and a nice rhythm as you get deeper into the track.
(5) Professional Griefers – I can’t lie: I was excited to review the album knowing this track was awaiting my judgment. The verdict: A-plus-plus-plus-plus. Seriously, Deadmau5 has done a transcendent job on this one. And throwing the vocals over to Gerard Way? Perfection. The music video, by the way, is beyond-words entertaining. Check it out:
(6) Maths – Another track I was anxious to review. How else can I put it? I’m absolutely addicted to this dirty electro track! By the one-minute mark it had captured my heart and my grimy, grimy soul.
(7)There Might Be Coffee – Kinda makes me feel like I’m watching the credits of a Eighties film. Deadmau5 Presents … Flashdance! A funky beat that had me sorely tempted to grab my leg warmers, neon tights, Adidas shorts and a cut-up top. And after the workout? There might be coffee!
(8) Take Care of the Proper Paperwork – This one dragged on a bit, and kept me waiting for a drop that never quite materialized. Still, I can’t lie: I did replay it a few times. A tad repetitive maybe, but it assuaged my musical sensibilities.
(9) Closer – An intriguing opening, enough to really tweak my curiosity — and then it kicks in really nicely at the 2:18 mark. Relaxing, yet upbeat enough to keep the listener from dozing off. Consider me a fan of this one.
(10) October – With its ever-changing cadence, this is one that will satisfy just about any listener’s unique musical taste. I can see it rocking a festival crowd or being enjoyed on headphones in a more serene setting.
(11) Sleepless – Gotta say: not a big fan of the computerized vocals slapped on this track. For the first 25 seconds or so, it was all I could do not to press skip. Minus the vocals, it’s not a bad tune, and maybe a good one for chilling out at home. Can’t really imagine it being dropped at a club or a festival, though.
(12) Failbait – Um, WTF? This one caught me off-guard a little bit. We’ve got a decent EDM album here, and then suddenly: rapping. All “f*ck this” and “b*tch that.” Sorry, won’t lie to you: I didn’t even get past the one-minute mark.
(13) Telemiscommunications – Meh. For an album that starts with a boom and definitely pulls the listener in, it disappoints on the last few tracks. This one, like “Failbait,” just doesn’t feel like it belongs on the album. Instead of arriving at the end of the album wanting more, I was left feeling confused and a little ambivalent. Maybe this track will please some EDM listeners, but it was too mellow for my own tastes.
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
EDM has exploded onto the Canadian scene in the past few years, and this summer will almost certainly be remembered as a history-making moment, dominated by a series of electronic music tests that fans will be talking about for years.
Last weekend brought the inaugural VELD Music Festival and its mind-blowing lineup to Toronto’s Downsview Park, courtesy of INK Entertainment. An interesting name for a festival, no?
Veld – (noun) the open country, bearing grass, bushes, or shrubs…
The anticipation for this fest was absolutely mind-boggling, fed by a YouTube video designed to get you wanting more and the posters and billboards plastered all over the city. Happily, VELD went above and beyond expectations. I was blown away and left speechless. Just about every performance was noteworthy, but a few will stay permanently imprinted in my memory.
All praise to the brilliant Steve Aoki — a true performer. He rocked that crowd, delivering not only smashing tunes but a jaw-dropping show. From crowd-surfing in an inflatable boat to soaking the audience in champagne, he is by far one of the most commanding performers I’ve ever had the pleasure to experience.
I hadn’t had the chance before to see Krewella live, so I’m grateful to have experience their impressive performance in the Bacardi tent at VELD. The trio work harmoniously together, cranking out skin-crawlingly ecstatic tracks precision-tooled to galvanize the crowd.
Steve Angello turned in an awe-inspiring set. His music selection was absolutely infallible and kept the crowd moving in a frenzy.
VELD’s headlining acts were Deadmau5 on day one, and Avicii on day two. Deadmau5 dazzled the hometown crowd, even in the pouring rain, dropping a selection of his classic tracks along with some new beats that fell intriguingly on my music-hungry ears. But it was Avicii who surprised and impressed me, played some hard, bass-pumping stuff that left me hungry for more, even after two exhausting days.
All in all, VELD was a great success. INK did a phenomenal job with this event, and I’m excited to see what they will bring to the table in summer 2013. Till then, be sure to check out some of their other notable events, including CONTACT and Labour of Love at Toronto famed The Guvernment/Kool Haus complex.
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
So. VELD. Wow. That was just … wow. I mean, the music and the crowd and the spectacle … it was all just … you know … wow.
Screw it. There’s no easy way to describe an incredible experience like that. You know what they say about pictures and words? If you really want to know what last weekend at VELD was like, check out the massivephoto gallery posted by fearless bpm:tv bloggeuse Gosia Mrugala.
And here we go. Y’all getting sick of me talking about festivals? Well sorry, but tuff f***ing luck. Because this weekend Toronto the place in the world to be for EDM. Or any kind of music, actually.
Sure, Montreal has Osheaga happening, which promises to be nuts in its own right But Toronto is bringing the heavy, what with VELD and HARDboth going down this weekend.
What’s HARD, you ask? Just a little gathering featuring the likes of M83, Buraka Som Sistema, Austra … oh, and Justice. Sorry, let me rephrase that: JUSTICE!!!! The French icons make their looooooooooooooong-awaited return to Canada in style. Fort York is a special place to be this weekend.
And then there’s VELD, the brainchild of Canada’s own EMD titan, Deadmau5. Check out this lineup: Avicii, Kill the Noise, Mord Fustang, Bassnectar, Cosmic Gate and soooooo many others are busy tearing Toronto’s Downsview Park a new one. Rain is in the forecast for Sunday, but it’s gonna get real messy long before that. Canada, this is our weekend!
And with that, it’s on to …. THE SWEETS!
This will get your weekend going just right. A free download that hits the spot.
The second installment of Fools Gold‘s Clubhouse compilation series is just as heavy as the first. No point trying to pick a favourite: here’s the whole thing, amigos. Did I mention it’s FREE?!?
How can you not love Montreal’s Adventure Club? OK, maybe the sound is becoming just a tad predictable. But that in no way means it’s played out. And the fact that it’s free is an added attraction.
A very late-breaking edition of Sweets of the Week here, tendered with apologies: what with the jam-packed summer schedule of festivals and events, it can sometimes be tough to get the weekly playlist assembled in time for Friday. But don’t you stress — I will always provide for my homies.
This week we hear a massssssssive new big-room track from Laidback Luke, which has owned my iPod for the past couple of days, plus new stuff from Toronto’s Dzeko and Torres, Riva Starr and Butch Clancy, aaaaaand a sexy, sultry ballad from Ellie Goulding. These taste sooooo good! Have at it, kids!
What can you say about Kaskade? Complacency just isn’t a word in his vocabulary. He’s like the Energizer bunny of EDM, constantly challenging himself to create innovative music. Little wonder so many of his fellow artists rank him high on their lists of the best in the game.
Currently holding down the number 30 spot on DJ Mag’s definitive Top 100 list, Kaskade (a.k.a. Ryan Raddon) has always been a music junkie. When I got the chance to sit and chat with him at the release party in Miami for his 2010 album Dynasty, it was obvious just how much this man loves making music., and loves collaborating with other talented artists. He was full of praise for the sounds coming out of Canada, too — and had put his money where his mouth is, teaming up with Deadmau5 on the massively successful “I Remember,” and with Dragonette‘s Martina Sorbara on “Fire In Your New Shoes.”
Something else that was clear: he loves seeking out and discovering new music. I’ve often found that artists tend to stay narrowly focused on their own music, their own sound and genre. And fair enough: this is their career, after all, and you always have to look out for number one. But before they were artists, they were fans — and sometimes there’s a risk of losing touch with the passion that got them into the game in the first place. Kaskade, for his part, is still as much a fan as an artist. He talked fondly of going to the record store with friends every Tuesday (new release day!) and sitting there for hours –maybe with some adult beverages — listening to new music.
He told me he was still obsessed with finding new sounds and new artists, and wondered if fans aren’t missing out on something now that this whole part of the experience has moved from the record stores to the online world. It’s a point open to debate — I happen to agree with him strongly — but what’s enlightening here is the way he approaches music: as a listener as well as a creator.
And then there’s his ability to relate with fans. Let’s face it, a lot of artists in this genre are only around for a cup of coffee. Some even skip out on the bill. But with nine albums under his belt since 2003, Kaskade has proven his longevity. His countless world tours, singles and EP releases have confirmed him as an EDM superstar. If there’s any DJ who would be within his rights to pull a “diva” attitude, it’s this guy. Yet he’s the polar opposite: friendly, approachable and always up for a chat about new music. Very refreshing.
This, by the way, is quite possibly my favourite tour video in the history of tour videos.
Once again, I urge you to grab whatever tickets remain available for the Digital Dreams Music Festival this weekend. With a lineup that has soooo many big names, Kaskade will bring his all. His set will be one to remember — and that alone should be worth the price of admission!
In football terms, Group 2 is the UEFA EURO 2012 tournament’s “group of death,” home to global powerhouses Holland, Germany, Portugal and Denmark. In EDM terms, too, this is an impressive stable — but not quite so evenly balanced. While Portugal has a lively, up-and-coming scene and Copenhagen is known to throw down some of the best dubstep concerts, neither can match the firepower of the Dutch and German camps. Let’s break it down.
GROUP 2
Netherlands – Nicky Romero
The Oranje. Total Football. Clockwork Orange. The Dutch have, by far, the greatest collection of offensive players in the tournament — the kind of goal-scoring talents that bring the masses to the stadiums. In the EDM arena, meanwhile, the country fields a similarly formidable team. Just think on these names: Sander van Doorn, Laidback Luke,Afrojack, Sidney Samson, Fedde Le Grand, Hardwell, R3hab, Bingo Players — not to mention the former DJ Mag Top 100 winners Tiësto and Armin van Buuren. That’s one hell of a starting squad. Still, for my money it’s the kid from Amerongen, Nicky Romero, who’s the talent to watch right now. Blending the familiar Dutch and Swedish sounds, he seems to have found a foolproof way to make hits. Heavily respected in the game, as evidenced by his collaborations with David Guetta and most of the DJs on the list above, Nicky Romero is the Robin Van Persie of this tournament: coming off his best year yet, hungry and embarrassingly talented.
Germany is stacked: ATB, Paul van Dyk, Moguai, Cosmic Gate, Digitalism and Kris Menace — all household names in the EDM world. But there’s one young man from Hamburg who stands out from the pack. Alex Ridha, a.k.a. Boys Noize, has redefined techno — not just with his own innovation in the studio, but through his label Boysnoize Records (BNR), which can boast some of the biggest releases of the past five years. The one thing always synonomous with the German team is clinical finishing; the same can be justly said for this man.
Quick shout-out to Donna Summer: here’s an amazing tribute Boys Noize did for the late, great disco queen!
Style and flair. The Portuguese, much like their Brazilian brethren, are admired not just for their talent and skill, but for the elegance of their play. Fitting, then, that we should choose Buraka Som Sistema to carry the flag for Portugal in bpm:tv’s EDM Euro Cup. The group that messed with African kuduro so thoroughly that they ended up creating “progressive kudoro” is an act you don’t want to miss. While the Portuguese squad boasts boasts Cristiano Ronaldo, arguably the best player in the tournament, BSS boasts “Up All Night,” arguably the best song out there right now. Never underestimate the Portuguese. Por-Tu-GAL!
It may not be known as a hotbed for house music, but Denmark still boasts an impressive lineup of performers. Trentemoller, Daniel Kandi, Kid Massive and Noir are all the kind of big names you’re likely to see at any festival as an opening act on the main stage. But it’s Medina I’ve chosen to represent the Danes. Maybe, as a Canadian, I’m swayed by her Deadmau5 connection. But there’s just something about this woman’s angelic voice over progressive house chords that gets me every time. It’s always a treat to hear a brand new Medina track, and to look forward to what creative remixers will do once they get their hands on those vocals. Some forget that the Danes have been winners of the Euro tournament before. They may well be poised to strike gold once again — just as Medina did with “You and I.”
Canadians are more than lucky this year. Usually, festival season means having to venture to some distant location to see our favorite acts in the flesh. But not everybody can afford the cost of a trip to Coachella or Electric Daisy Carnival.
This year, happily, some of the best fests are taking place right in our own backyards. WEMF you know about already — an automatic must-see. Then we have Digital Dreams, which promises to be absolutely sick: Duck Sauce, Afrojack, Kaskade — ’nuff said. And, of course, there’s the much-publicized Full Flex Expresscross-country train tour, featuring Skrillex, Pretty Lights, Diplo and Grimes.
Also on the agenda: HARD Toronto on August4, featuring M83 and Justice along with locals Austra. Another must-see, right? But wait! Turns out the VELD Music Festival , featuring Deadmau5 and Avicii, is going down the same day. R’uh r’oh!
So Toronto goes from having no electronic festivals to having too many — a great problem to have, right? I dunno. Sure, we’ve got a large number of EDM fans in the city and province — but enough to support two festivals on the same weekend?
Granted, the music on offer isn’t exactly the same. Justice appeals to more of a rugged, indie-based crowd, while the VELD fest lineup is the definition pure EDM. (I mean, the mau5 even made a song called “The Veld.”) But for most fans, it’s not going to be a question of preferring one over the other. It’s more of a scheduling conflict that could end up costing one or the other of these fests a lot of audience — not because the promoters failed to assemble a good show, but because your average EDM fan just can’t physically be in two places at once.
I kind of think this problem sucks — but I also figure it’s better to have too much choice than too little. Either, it’s going to be a helluva festival season. A lot of people will be wearing out their summer tires that first weekend in August, shuttling between Hard and VELD. And I’ll be one of them.
Wow — feels like we haven’t had a Sweets for quite some time. First there was the whole Coachella thing, and then last week was a bit of a write-off. Time to get back into it! I’ve got a lot to catch up on, but only the newest for you. Leh-go!
Start off with a heater. Designer Drugs have been informating us for quite some time, via Twitter and Facebook, that PLS DNT STP drop some of the hardest tunez out there. So what could be better than PLS DNT STP dropping an original remix over one of DD’s bangers. This track is an anthem!
Blood Music‘s LeBreton is back at it again with his new EP Steam. Only two tracks but both of them are fresh to death. Steam chains you up in that Blood Music dungeon with maxed-out bass and a classic clap that will gnaw away at your soul. You know, in a good way. Pick it up!
Deadmau5 seems to be finding his rhythm. It have something to do with the fact that his condo is finally finished and he’s officially moved into a place that contains not only a state-of-the-art studio, but also thousands of stuffed mice. Whatever it is, the music seems to be getting better and better. This is spankin’ new and hot hot hot. Enjoy!
Shout out to thissongissick.com for releasing this ultra-exclusive new Jack Beats remix of Flux Pavilion‘s “Daydream.” Two huge names, one incredible sound.
The M Machine dropped their new EP, Metropolis, earlier this week, and they remain, as ever, blog darlings. The first track has my immediate attention — and now, with any luck, yours too.
Judging by the SoundCloud upload date, it would appear that I’m quite tardy on this one. But what the hey — I love a good deep club sound. Maya Jane Coles goes completely old school Chicago on this one, giving me a warm feeling in my special places.
Flosstradamus seem to be having a moment just now. I know that sounds outrageous to some, as they’ve been dropping bangers for a while. But it does appear that a wider public is now embracing the duo from the Windy City, and that’s nothing but good news for Floss fans everywhere.
Finalement, a brand new 50-minute mix from our favourite Frenchman, Gesaffelstein. This might sound a little off-the-wall to those of you more used to traditional EDM, but variety is the spice of life, n’est-ce pas?
As a performer, Ottawa-born/Miami-based Sydney Blu is truly hellacious: she projects so much positive energy, and vibes off the audience brilliantly. From the minute she took the stage at The Hoxton, her musical charisma enraptured the crowd. (Among them was fellow Canadian Deadmau5, who turned up to show his support.) It was an accomplished performance that kept the room in a frenzy from the first beat to the final track. This was my first chance to see Sydney Blu in person, and I can attest confidently now to her gifts, both as a producer and a performer. If you haven’t been lucky enough to catch her live on the decks, I’d recommend that you bookmark her tour dates page and make a point of turning out the next time she’s in your geographic vicinity. It’s an experience I promise you won’t forget.
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
