Maya Jane Coles @ The Hoxton, Toronto – April 12, 2013. Presented by Embrace & Platform
Reviewed by Gosia Mrugala
ALL PHOTOS: James Drobik
I’ve been in love with the deep house sound of UK producer/DJ Maya Jane Coles ever since I heard her Low Key EP. The title track alone was “Low Key” is all it took to get me hooked.
This is one talented and prolific young artist. In addition to the house tracks she puts out under her own name, Coles records dubstep under the alias Nocturnal Sunshine, and has teamed up with vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Lena Cullen to form the electronic dub duo She Is Danger. Little wonder Rolling Stone ranked MJC number 14 last fall on its list of the world’s 25 most influential DJs.
Coles brought her distinctive sound to The Hoxton in Toronto last Friday — and what a night it was! The lineup outside wrapped right around the building, tickets at the door sold out in a heartbeat, and the joint was quickly filled wall-to-wall. The vibe was raw and had a delicious, underground feel. Coles’ artful production and unerring musical selection had the whole crowd swaying oceanically to those sweet, deep rhythms.
Keep an eye on MJC’s touring schedule HERE, and be ready to snap up tix quick if she’s gonna be in your neighbourhood.
More photos:
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
English dubstep producer and DJ Joshua Steele (known professionally as Flux Pavilion) is one artist who — if you’ll pardon the play on the track title — really knows how to “Blow The Roof.” He’s best known for his 2011 single “Bass Cannon,” which I used as my alarm clock for quite some time. And I suspect this latest offering is going to become my new start to the day. It’s one of those tracks that will definitely “Blow The Roof” — sorry, had to go there again — off just about any club. Young Joshua’s career is in, you could say, a state of “Flux” — OK, I’ll stop now — and I am officially a fan!
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
Vive la france! bpm:tv blogger Gosia Mrugala goes tête-à-tête with Parisian producer/DJ MISS KITTIN (a.k.a. Caroline Hervé).
GOSIA MRUGALA: Hey, Caroline Hervé! what have you been up to lately?
MISS KITTIN: Playing every weekend, Christmas dinner at my place with my Parisian friends, and working on the future live show that will follow the release of my new album.
GM: Where did the name “Miss Kittin” come from?
MK: An illegal party we organized when I was at art school, in a military fort. I was asked to play in the chillout area. They needed a name for the flyer. I said “Kittin,” like “Kick into something.” It has nothing to do with “kitten.” Later on, all promoters started putting “Miss” in front, because it was more fashionable. I could never get rid of it.
GM: How would you describe your musical style?
MK: “Diverse.”
GM: Who would you say have been your biggest influences?
MK: Life in general.
GM: As in “Life is My Teacher.” What are some things you’ve learned from life?
MK: 1) Nick Curly – Underground (Dennis Ferrer Remix) | 2) George Fitzgerald – Unilateral | 3) Maxxi Soundsystem feat. Name One – Regrets We Have No Use For
GM: When you created your label Nobody’s Bizzness, you said it was about maintaining the maximum freedom with your music. How would you describe the relationship between a label and its artists, and what kind of influence do labels have on an artist’s music?
MK: I always think it’s better to be a label manager if you’re not a DJ or a musician, to avoid ego fights. I’ve seen that a lot. That’s why I don’t release other people yet, because I don’t have time to take care of them properly. I will do it when I am 100% available for them.
GM: Do you prefer playing at clubs or festivals?
MK: Both — good balance. You can experiment in clubs, and throw the big show in festivals.
GM: Any upcoming projects or collaborations in the works?
MK: My new double album [Calling From The Stars, slated for release April 22, 2013 on wSphere] a live show, a song with Acid Washed, another one with Aquarius Heaven, and more.
GM: Where do you see yourself in five years?
MK: I don’t know!
Miss Kittin’s new digital-only EP Life Is My Teacher is out now! Buy it on Beatport HERE. Buy it on iTunes HERE.
Download the single “Life Is My Teacher” for free on SoundCloud HERE.
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
The four-track Easier To Hide EP offers a tantalizing taste of Maya Janes Coles‘ much-anticipated debut album, scheduled for release in early spring spring 2013. The title track is thoroughly hypnotizing, from the alluring rhythm to her seductive vocals. I’m waiting anxiously at the very edge of my seat for the forthcoming long-player, which I’m betting will be a straight-up masterpiece from this multi-award-winning UK deep house producer. Until then, there are three more tracks on this EP, all equally worth checking out as well.
Intrepid bpm:tv blogger Gosia Mrugala says “g’day” to Aussie trance producer/DJ tyDi(a.k.a. Tyson Illingworth) in this exclusive one-on-one interview.
Gosia Mrugala: Hey, tyDi! What have you been up to lately?
tyDi: Heya! I’m just about to get on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok. My life is just constant traveling!
GM: So what was it that pulled you into the dance music scene and inspired you to pursue a career as a DJ/producer?
tyDi: The music, the rhythm, the melody, the atmosphere it creates. I fell in love with EDM when I was 15 and I’ve never looked back. I love how music can impact your life and change the way you feel. It’s really like a drug — the only drug that isn’t bad for you!
GM: “Glow In The Dark” has received a lot of praise. There’s a very strong positive, message in the lyrics. What was the inspiration for this track?
tyDi: I wrote the song with my friend Kerli. We wanted to make a song that had a positive message and could inspire people. It’s all about making the best of a situation and shining through the darkness. I knew I wanted the video to have a strong message, so I decided to build it around serious life issues that some people go through. I wanted to show that a small favour or kind gesture to someone can snowball on to others. The initial plan was to build it around the schoolyard and a high school bully, but the end result goes much further. All the characters in the video are linked by an act of kindness and positivity that carries across the various situations.
GM: Your top three tracks at the moment?
tyDi: 1. Unclubbed (feat. Sarah Howells) – Hide U | 2. Kiholm – Awaken | 3. tyDi – Fire & Load (Stripped)
GM: On December 4, you tweeted “Falling in love with the world.” What inspired you to post that?
tyDi: Every day I’m in a new city, sometimes I’ll visit four different countries in a week. I constantly meet the most amazing people who I wish I could spend more time with. It doesn’t take long to fall in love with a place or a person; it’s often hard — even heartbreaking — to meet such incredible people, to build a connection with them, and then have to say goodbye.
GM: How does the process of track selection differ between your Global Soundsystem radio show/podcast and your performances at nightclubs and festivals?
tyDi: Well, Global Soundsystem gives me an outlet for all types of music. I can play whatever I want on the radio show because I’m not worried about keeping people dancing or maintaining a level of energy. Global Soundsystem is a way for me to show people new music that they’ve probably never heard before. My live performances are more about keeping a crowd entertained and always dancing, so the track selection and set structure need to be executed carefully.
GM: What is one hobby your fans would be surprised to learn you enjoy doing?
tyDi: Surfing, maybe?
GM: What instruments can you play — and which would you say you are most talented at?
tyDi: Drums and piano, I’m OK at both of them, but drumming is probably something people would be more impressed by.
GM: The summer of 2012 was an absolutely mind-blowing time for EDM. Any predictions about what the summer of 2013 will look like?
tyDi: Not yet. But there’s plenty of big parties coming up! I’m sure I’ll be just as busy as always.
GM: Can you tell me about any upcoming projects or collaborations in the works?
tyDi: I have a collaboration with Christina Novelli that comes out on December 17. And then in January I’m releasing an EP with four new tracks: vocals from Sarah Howells, Brianna Holan and also Toni Nielson.
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
My name is Gosia and I’m an addict. My addiction: ELECTRO! And this track by Digital Freq & Pyramyth fed my addiction so euphorically. From their new EP The Astronaut, released on BugEyed Records October 1, this funky electro house track kept me on the edge of my seat while listening, changing up and leaving me wanting more. The other three tracks from their The Astronaut are equally impressive — definitely go check them out!!
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
Intrepid bpm:tv bloggeuse Gosia Mrugala dons her space suit for an otherworldly encounter with NYC techno producer BLACK ASTEROID (a.k.a. Bryan Black).
GOSIA MRUGALA: Hey, Bryan Black — what have you been up to lately?
BRYAN BLACK: I’m currently in Paris for Fashion Week. I often collaborate with designers (Rick Owens, Raf Simons) on runway music, and in return they provide inspiration for the visual identity of my musical projects. The promotional video for “Black Acid” was directed by Anna October, who is also a fashion designer. The girl in the video (Nadiia Shapoval) is a fashion model from Kiev. After Paris, I will go home to New York and finish recording my next EP.
GM: You started off as a sound engineer for Prince. What influenced you to pursue a career as a DJ/producer?
BB: I was always fascinated by electronic music. For me, electronic music has a bigger spectrum of expression and sounds than rock and roll, which is essentially limited to four traditional instruments. The first real exposure I had to pure dance music was via acid house coming from the UK back in the late 80s. So when I started making electronic music for myself, it always had some classic song structure and a strong visual identity, which I learned from growing up with Prince, Depeche Mode, etc.
GM: Tell me a little about Motor and how you went from that to Black Asteroid?
BB: Motor in the very beginning was essentially techno, but it changed and grew over time into a more of an electro act. I was also a techno head. So last year after finishing the new Motor album, I decided to get back into underground techno because that will always my favorite style music to produce.
GM: What’s the significance behind the project name “Black Asteroid”?
BB: “Black” because of Bryan Black perhaps, but not intentionally. “Asteroid” because I’m fascinated with space and astronomy. On my new EP, there is a song called “Lunar Landing.” It’s a theme that will always be present with Black Asteroid.
GM: How would you describe your musical style?
BB: Techno / experimental techno.
GM: How did you wind up with the title “Black Acid” and what influenced the production of this track?
BB: The song titles usually are chosen because they best describe in words how I think the music sounds. I try to give the music a visual identity through the titles. The main synth bass in “Black Acid” was vaguely like an acid techno sound, but it was darker and more dangerous, and thats’ probably the inspiration for the title. The production was inspired in part by Laurent Garnier‘s “Crispy Bacon,” which has all the elements that I find fascinating in techno.
GM: Who have been your biggest inspirations and what have you learned from them?
BB: Prince: Work hard. Never stop writing and performing. Believe in yourself, don’t listen to others. Nine Inch Nails: That electronic music mixed with the energy of rock is a great combination. I always admired how much soul and energy came from the early NIN albums. And sound design. Depeche Mode: Classic songwriting with well crafted synth sounds.
GM: Can you tell me of any upcoming projects or collaborations in the works?
BB: The Black Acid EP and video was just released. Next will be the Black Acid remix 12″/EP featuring Perc and a few other of my favorite techno producers. I’m also working on an EP with Dave Clarke. We finished the A-side and it sounds amazing. We don’t even have a name for the project yet, but I’m really looking forward to this release.
GM: Where do you see yourself in five years?
BB: I would hope to be doing what I am now: making techno and collaborating with people I respect from all different art mediums — fashion, film, music, art, etc.
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
Fearless bpm:tv bloggeuse Gosia Mrugala goes face-to-mask with the enigmatic Italian duo CYBERPUNKERS in this exclusive interview.
GOSIA MRUGALA: Where did you meet and how did you guys start working together?
CYBERPUNKERS: We met four years ago working on the console of the De Sade Cub of Milan, and we discovered we mutually have a very strong passion for the early cyberpunk style, the one that you can find in the Ridley Scott´s movie Blade Runner: an authentic masterpiece of 1982. Since we were DJs, we decided to create a format that could represent our personal interpretation of the style, pushing it in the current clubbing world. So the best thing to do, for us, was using masks to become two masked DJs! Obviously, we had to work hard for three years before the project could become true, but if we consider the results, we can definitely say that it was worth it!
GS: How is it working as a duo?
CPs: Playing as a duo has its advantages: the union of ideas and skills of two people … can reach the goals faster and more easily. Being a duo is important in our format, it gives us the chance to confront and have the certainty that every project is studied in detail — and also disagreements sometimes brings positive results. As you can imagine the world of a producer/DJ is not just music and clubs, it also needs constant promotion and visibility, and being a duo allows you to follow closely the work of people outside our offices, such as printing or labels’ offices, and promoters.
GS: “Give us a mask and we will tell the truth” — can you explain this notion?
CPs: The phrase is part of an aphorism by the famous Irish writer Oscar Wilde: “Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” Our interpretation is for the second part of the aphorism: When we mask ourselves we are without filters and inhibitions and we give the best we can to exhibit in the best way. Our transformation with our identity has given us the ability to be clear and stand out in a unique way. It may seem a contradiction, because who wants to mask their identity to hide his “true self” from the world? But in our case the philosophy of Oscar Wilde is ideal. We are “true” if masked, and our fans know this very well!
GM: Your top three tracks at the moment?
CPs: We’re working on a new EP with 3 tracks that at the moment are our top tracks! We will reveal only the titles: “I Will Kill You,” “Shock,” and “My Life,” and soon you will be able to listen to it.
GM: Which producing software do you prefer and why?
CPs: We began to produce using Virtual Instruments and some digital synth such as Virus or Nord Lead. Then we moved to analog synth. In our studio we use Moog Voyager, Alesis Andromeda and Dave Smith Prophet 08, adding distortion with guitar pedals. We’re really satisfied with the result … since moving to analog synth, we feel we have made a huge step forward. As for our sequencer, we use Nuendo, and for effect/eq/comp we use the classic Waves. Post production (mixing and mastering) are totally made by us, in our studio, because we never felt in tune with someone outside of our project. All our tracks are and will be done entirely by us.
GM: Vinyl, CD or MP3?
CPs: When we began our careers as DJs we used vinyl, and we’re really affectionate also now, but the convenience to bring with you CDs and a laptop has no price. The advent of MP3 has revolutionized our life as DJs, at the point that you need two USB flash drives and the evening is ready to go. We use the CDs but for most of our live performances the MP3 is the master!
GM: What has been the highlight of your career so far?
CPs: We don’t believe that we have reached the peak. Very humbly we say that work takes you up, but never enough to be at the peak! In today’s world, contaminated by the Internet and a large number of factors that make you discover new music and artists every day, we must always show true value. To fly high is fine, but with feet firmly planted on the ground.
GM: What is one hobby that your fans would be surprised to find out you enjoy?
CPs: As everybody knows, to create music is not the only thing that an artist enjoys doing: we also enjoy staying in touch with our fans using social media websites (MySpace, Facebook, Twitter …) because we love to answer directly. We are often far from Milan, so when we have free time, we spend our time with our friends and family. One possibly “surprising” hobby we enjoy is rollerblading. And of course sex, alcohol and the cyberpunk life style.
GM: Who are your biggest inspirations — and what have you learned from them?
CPs: We had different inspiration, from the Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash, Korn, Nirvana, The Offspring, System Of A Down, Depeche Mode, Massive Attack, Tricky … but also Michael Jackson (R.I.P.), and, for sure, Daft Punk, The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy. As you know all the biggest names in music can and will always teach different meanings of music!!
GM: What is one aspect about the music scene you wish could improve/change?
CPs: There is nothing to change in today’s music scene; maybe you could give more space to emerging artists. When we have our own label, we will certainly do it and it will become the strong point of the label … off to the young!
GM: Where do you see yourselves five years from now?
CPs: Good question! We’ll find out in 5 years …. we like surprises!
Love love love this track! WOLFGANG GARTNER never ceases to amaze me.
“All’s fair in love and war” – a cliché, perhaps, but one with a deep, underlying meaning, and an interesting choice for the title of this great track. “All’s fair in love and war” — meaning that love, like war, brings out both the best and the worst in people; it’s a battle of the heart and soul – a battle that cannot be controlled or contained.
“Love & War” was released yesterday on on Ultra Music. (CLICK HERE to buy it on Beatport.) I’m not sure what battles of the heart Gartner went through to bestow this panacea upon the EDM community, but I would say he won his war.
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
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.
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
