We’ve had our eye on Atlanta trapstep/soulstep crew WATCH THE DUCK since they dropped the single “Poppin’ Off” last fall. The video gives you a real feel for their blend of muscular musicality and raw showmanship.
Given the astonishing array of massive musical talents that Atlanta has produced in the recent past — OutKast, Cee-Lo and Goodie Mob, Danger Mouse, Young Jeezy, Ludacris, Waka Flocka Flama and, of course, Crunkmeister-in-chief Lil Jon — we’re inclined to lend an ear to just about anything beatwise that comes out the ATL. And Watch The Duck (better known to their mothers as Eddie Smith III, Jesse Rankins and Jonathan Wells) have definitely got the skillz to pay the billz. All three members play live instruments as well as DJing. If you want to get familiar with their soulful take on bass music, the Rub-A-Dub mixtape is the place to start:
You’ve also gotta love the touch of P-Funk flamboyance they bring to their act. Watch ‘em rock the tube socks in the new video for “Lost In It (Anatidaephobia Part 2)”
Besides which: dudes have a duck mascot, man. How hardcore is that?
Eddie, on the origin of the band’s name: “Everybody sees the duck traveling smoothly on top of the water. But nobody sees it kicking hard as hell under it, struggling to stay afloat. We would always say ‘Watch The Duck’ whenever we were in certain industry scenarios, when everyone’s your friend and is trying to be of importance. We say it to each other to kind of lighten each other’s mood.”
Download Watch The Duck’s “Girlfriend??” single for free:
This track gets a whole “Arabian nights” vibe going, and the rhythm is an obsession for me. The buildups and drops had my heart dancing in unison with the insistent drumbeat. This is one I can see creating chaos at clubs and a full-on frenzy at festivals. While the original track is more than satisfactory, it’s the Leroy Styles remix that really has me hooked. The music video (below) is a bit questionable. I was fairly mind-boggled — at least until the twist ending.
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
Benny Benassi has teamed up with fellow Italians Pink is Punk (a.k.a. Andrea and Nico) to create this raw, grimy, body-pumping track. Even after three decades on the EDM scene, Benassi’s sound and style continue to evolve — and this collab proves he’s still got it! A good track to help bring you gently back to reality after the blow-out that was New Year’s Eve. Hope everyone had wonderful and safe holidays!
Check out the video:
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.
Yet another impressive effort from progressive house power players Mat Zo & Arty. No surprise to see this crowd-pleaser released on Above & Beyond‘s always influential Anjunabeats imprint; it definitely gives one’s spirit a lift. As for the video … well, it’s unique. At the two-minute mark it practically had me on the floor laughing, caught off-guard by the sheer originality of the production. I’m not going to give anything away — just watch. You may wonder, at first: What the hell is this chick talking about? But stay with it: I promise you’ll be entertained.
Gosia Mrugala is a Toronto-based blogger and reviewer. You can read her blog HERE, and follow her on Twitter HERE.
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.
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.
New video from Kill the Noise, and it’s exactly what you’d expect from Mr. Jake Stanczak. I’ve always said that his Website is one of the best in EDM. Well, now he’s taken that attention to detail and applied it to his visuals. Seriously, this could be a movie. Sit back and get your popcorn ready. (Oh, and if you’re a youngun, viewer discretion is advised.)
Continuing with a look at some new videos, I have a treat for the trance addicts: a new one from Dennis Sheperd. This talented German has been busy these past five years establishing himself as a headliner, and his newest track — featuring vocals from Molly Bancroft — shows exactly what he’s capable of: a satisfyingly rhythmic collection of keys, melodies and just enough bass to keep that smile on your face.
The video starts off a little awkward (check out the dancers in the background!), but the strength of the song really makes this one worth putting on repeat. You’ll be able to buy it on Beatport on August 13.
At a time of year when festivals come and go like the subway, an artist really has to stand out to draw huge crowds during one of these events. Your set list, of course, is always going to be the main attraction — but a little originality in your stage presentation can go a long way.
Few events offer a more unusual or original platform than the Tomorrowlandfestival in Belgium, which just wrapped its 2012 edition. Going to Tomorrowland is like falling down Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit hole and landing in the middle of Woodstock. Inaugurated in 2005, this fest is as much about the stage and the environment as the artists who perform. Words really don’t do it justice, which is why I’ve dug deep to find a live set worth watching.
Skrillex is one of the most hotly debated artists on this site, and with good reason. But one thing is undeniable: he puts on a good show. Check out his set at Tomorrowland: it really gives you a fantastic sense of the environment. Epic!
