Dzeko & Torres @ The Hoxton, Toronto – April 27, 2013. Presented by Embrace

Reviewed by Gosia Mrugala

While I’ve had occasion to listen to buzz-worthy Toronto duo DZEKO & TORRES in the comfort of my own home, it’s a sad fact that I’ve somehow never managed to catch them live. That situation, happily, was rectified recently at The Hoxton — a local venue where they’ve built something of a name for themselves. The pair brought their trademark big-room electric sound, driving the crowd into a full-on animalistic frenzy.

I had a few moments to chat with Julian Dzeko and Luis Torres at the show, and queried them about the benefits of working as duo. Torres told me: “It’s good because you have two creative minds bringing ideas to the table. That can also be tough at times, when two different ideas clash. But we work through it till we come to a conclusion that we’re both happy with.”

It’s awe-inspiring to watch these two play live — the way they work together seamlessly, mixing, complementing each other’s musical selections and shaping the set into a satisfying whole. Their mutual passion for the music is plainly evident on stage, just as it is in their studio work.

I wrapped up the conversation by asking the boys for their opinion on the music scene in Toronto. Dzeko replied: “The scene in Toronto has been pretty big for the past 10-15 years, but it has grown a little stronger in the U.S. Here in Canada,  especially in Toronto, the music scene didn’t just begin in the past two years — but as I said, the past 10-15 years. But I would say Toronto has a strong music scene and community.”

If you’ve been missing out on Dzeko & Torres, as I was, now’s the time to change that. Keep an eye on their gig schedule and mark your calendar when they come to town

Couple of new tracks:

Hurricane (feat Sarah McLeod) – BUY IT ON BEATPORT

Down to This (with Chuckie) – BUY IT ON BEATPORT

Check out some photos from the event below. Photographer: James Nahhas (@NAHSTEE)

Special thanks to CruelTO. (Follow them on Facebook HERE.)

Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.

Posted by Gosia Mrugala

Alvaro!

It is a scientific fact: every single Dutch person is a DJ. It is required by law and tradition. If you cannot DJ, you must leave the country.

Alvaro!

Who is Alvaro? Alvaro is a Dutch person, who is a DJ, who makes house music, who will be at the Digital Dreams Music Festival this Canada Day weekend.

Alvaro!

For DD tickets and info, click on the clicky thing HERE. For the DD Facebook page, click on THIS HERE clicky thing.

Alvaro!

Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE. Alvaro!

Posted by Gosia Mrugala

Today’s new additions to the 2013 Digital Dreams Music Festival artist lineup: San Diego’s TJR (above left), whose signature sound is a self-described “brand of quirky, bouncy house that blur[s] the lines between house, techno and electro,” and Hungarian trance duo Myon & Shane 54 (above right), currently ranked 80th on the DJ Mag top 100. Look for both acts on the Dreams Stage.

‘sall for now. HERE be the link for tickets and info. HERE be the Digital Dreams Facebook.

Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.

Posted by Gosia Mrugala

Most intriguing new addition to the artist lineup for this year’s Digital Dreams Music Festival: Toronto house duo Art Department, a collaboration between legendary local DJ Kenny Glasgow and Jonny White, the mastermind behind the No. 19 label. This spring finds them wrapping up the tour for their newest album, the mix compilation Social Experiment 003. Can’t wait to see them bring it to the Echo Beach Stage on June 29!

DD tix and info: HERE. DD Facebook: HERE

Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.

Flume + EPROM @ The Hoxton, Toronto – April 4, 2013

Reviewed by Gosia Mrugala

Friday night, and the dance floor at The Hoxton was filling up rapidly, a crush of bodies thrumming with excitement and anticipation. You could feel it: the indefinable something in the air that says, “This is gonna be good.”

I’d be a liar if I said I had much prior familiarity with the music of Australian DJ/producer Flume or the artist who shared the bill with him, Portland, Oregon-based EPROM. But I can tell you that, after hearing them last week, I’ve rectified that situation. I couldn’t wait to start SoundClouding and Beatporting their stuff the minute I left the club.

EPROM is a techie terms that stands for erasable programmable read only memory — “a little memory chip thing,” he explained when we spoke after the show. When I asked him to describe his sound,  he termed it “electronic music grafted onto rap.”

I was captivated by his set. He communicated effortlessly with the crowd, hyping them into a frenzy, and his musical selection was positively orgasmic.  His passion for the job and for the music was palpable, both on stage and when we chatted later. This was his first time performing in Toronto, and when I asked for his reaction, he said: “Tonight was f*cken awesome! Super responsive crowd — everyone was giving me a really good vibe. which I feed off of when I play”

When Flume took the stage the crowd went wild, the dance floor devolving into a clusterf*ck of the musically enslaved. And the set that followed left me beyond words.

Flume describes his musical style as “experimental electronic music with a strong hip hop influence and lots of catchy melodies.” But that doesn’t do it justice. His sound that night was wonderfully grimey, with the kind of “underground” feel that is all too rare on the EDM scene nowadays. His energy, too, is awe-inspiring: when he played his track “Holding On,” the audience reaction was spine-tingling, climaxing with a burst of spontaneous applause.

Do yourself a favour and get to know these artists before they hit town again.

Special thanks to Francois and the Embrace team! Check out the Embrace Web site HERE to stay on top of upcoming events.

Some more pics from the show. All images courtesy of Embrace Presents:

Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.

Posted by Gosia Mrugala

Indefatigable bpm:tv blogger gets to know Greek-born house DJ/producer Orelse (a.k.a. Orestis Papavasiliou) — part of a new generation of rising European EDM talents.

GOSIA MRUGALA: Hey, Orelse! What have you been up to lately?

ORELSE: Hello everybody! Past two months I am always on the road, spreading my “Deep Is Love” parties along Greece. I’ve been to many places, had some great parties, met wonderful people who truly love music. Other than that, when I have time I am in my studio. Just finished a new track of mine and a remix that I am really happy about.

GOSIA: How would you describe your musical style?

ORELSE: My style is always balanced between deep, sexy sounds and groovy ones. I play everything from deep house to classic house, and sometimes a little bit of tech house with tribal elements included. I want every set I make to be like a journey. You start from somewhere and there is always a destination to reach.

GOSIA: So tell me more about “Deep Is Love.”

ORELSE: “Deep Is Love” is a track of mine that was released in 2012. It’s a deep house track that got great worldwide support, so I named my parties after it. Either way, this is the music I play and I found the title more than suitable. The “Deep Is Love” parties will soon be celebrating their one-year anniversary. We’ve been to so many places that I feel blessed. We are also starting to expand them outside Greece soon, with gigs in Europe, the USA and probably Africa as well.

GOSIA: Which producing software do you prefer?

ORELSE: I am a bit of a vintage guy to be honest. I use the old Kinetic, along with Project 6, Virsyn Tera, Darbuka and sometimes Reason. Although I always try new software, these ones just feel like home.

GOSIA: Your top 3 tracks at the moment?

ORELSE: (1) Orelse – Eye Sea You (Original Mix): This one is coming soon on Underground City Music!  |  (2) Stefano Amalfi – Tonk (Original Mix): An all-time favourite!  |  Tim Deluxe – Transformation (Original Mix): A favourite also.

GOSIA: What influences the musical selection for your live sets?

ORELSE: I don’t think there’s something standard about it. I never have a particular pattern that I should follow. I just want to have fun when I play and I am always pushing to that direction. If you have fun, then people will have a good time also, because they get your vibration and positive vibes. It’s a chemical thing like love. You give and you take back and we all get lifted along the process.

GOSIA: How do you find a balance between music and your personal life?

ORELSE: (Laughs) There is no balance, to be honest. Music is life, my mind and heart — wherever I am or whatever I’m doing are combined with it. My friends and family are good with it ! Music is personal, you know…

GOSIA: What is one hobby that your fans would be surprised to learn you enjoy?

ORELSE: I really do enjoy fishing. It feels so calm — the sea, sunset, waves are a combination that makes my mind relax. I don’t really care if I catch any fish — it’s an excuse just to be there !

GOSIA: The summer of 2012 was mind-blowing. Any predictions about summer 2013?

ORELSE: I think this summer will be even better than the previous one. New music, good people. And the Greek islands are a must destination to have a good time and expand your mind.

GOSIA:  Can you tell me about any upcoming projects or collaborations?

ORELSE: I have some new releases that will come out on Wet Recordings, Underground City, Clubshine, Avatone and other labels. Did a remix for Mikael Delta that I am really proud of and honored — it will be released probably in June. Other than that, we have a lot of parties planned in Greece, plus some surprises that will be announced soon!

GOSIA: Where do you see yourself in five years?

ORELSE: Probably in Berlin, still expanding my music and getting the Deep Is Love name out there!

KEEP TABS ON ORELSE:

Facebook  |  Twitter  |  YouTube  |  SoundCloud  |  Mixcloud  |  MySpace  |  Resident Advisor  |  Beatport  |  The DJ List  |  Top Deejays  |  Deep Is Love Events  |

Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.

Mark Mendes – Prog8: BUY IT ON BEATPORT

A much anticipated new release from Toronto-based house artist Mark Mendes, “Prog8″ is well worth the wait. Already finding its way into sets by the likes of Steve Angello and Tiësto, this is a tracks with “anthem for 2013″ written all over it in big block letters. With its heart-thumping bassline and thrilling synths, “Prog8″ is custom-built to rock crowds on main dance floors. If you want to hear a producer at the top of his melodic game, you couldn’t do any better than this. Download it forthwith!

Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.

Posted by Gosia Mrugala

Zut alors! The DIGITAL DREAMS Music Festival has added French house music maestro and all-around Gallic sex god BOB SINCLAR to its 2013 artist lineup. Magnifique!

For tix and info, CLIQUEZ ICI. For le Facebook, CLIQUEZ ICI.

Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.

Posted by Gosia Mrugala

Born in Switzerland, raised in Chile, schooled in Detroit techno: today’s new addition to the DIGITAL DREAMS Music Festival is that one-man United Nations, LUCIANO.

Looking for DD tix and info: GO HERE. To check out their Facebook thang, GO HERE.

Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.

Alex Metric – Prophecies: BUY IT ON BEATPORT

Released in December on Skrillex‘s OWSLA imprint, this electro house track starts out mellow but builds steadily to an intriguing transition. Barely a minute in, I was hooked — and so was my entire body. Everything around me vanished, and no distraction was strong enough to pull me out of the spell and back onto boringly solid ground. Yes, it’s that hypnotizing. A stellar showcase for UK producer and DJ Alex Metric‘s unique, alluring production style.

Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.