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News Headlines
Full On Intentions
By Systematic
Tuesday, 12th January 2010
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While the reformation of musical acts usually follows a predictable failure to live up to the chemistry that made them so potent together, Full Intention's Michael Gray and Jon Pearn return to the project which saw them Grammy nominated, with a new UK top 10 each under their belts.
Splitting in 2006 after 10 years of commercial success, Pearn's new Bodyrox project produced ubiquitous electro-house anthem 'Yeah Yeah', storming clubs and radio before hitting No.2, while Gray reached No.7 with MTV favourite 'The Weekend', as well as producing Luciana and Portobello.
But when they already had the likes of Jennifer Lopez and The Sugababes knocking on their door, why did Full Intention split in the first place?
"It's like all things, you need a break so you enjoy it even more when you go back," said Gray when we caught him in the studio finishing off the second single for their new Full Intentions label. "We felt like a factory churning out remixes and wanted to explore our own avenues and music."
Playing together at ADE 2009, for the first time in four years, on the suitably modern set-up of Ableton Live and Traktor Scratch, Gray says they have no immediate plans to return to the kind of huge vocals of old, as evidenced on new release, 'Once In A Lifetime' (out now), which, with its tracky, club-focused vibe, signals a return to their roots.
"It's different these days, a lot of records are Beatport-led so we've just gone out to make good grooves," Gray explained. "We're still going to do vocal records as that's what we love but it's time to go back to basics at the moment. We're also going to continue to do our own stuff."
Fans of their older material need not fear, however. Releasing roughly one track a month, the label will include remixes of classic Full Intention material by today's new wave of house producers. And with next single, 'I Will Follow', released in February, featuring Shena on vocal duties, it seems only a matter of time before they're back doing what they do best.
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Tiesto and Deadmau5 headline Miami
By Systematic
Tuesday, 12th January 2010
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The days of the WMC being an industry only event are long gone. Thanks in no small part to Ultra Music Festival. Now in its twelve year, Ultra sheds the pretentions of South Beach aside and serves up a two day festival of gargantuan proportions into the industrial midst of Downtown Miami.
We have been given an exclusive sneak peak at this year's line up..and its looking pretty hot. Topping the bill are trance's two battling heavyweights Tiesto and Armin Van Buuren. Elsewhere Deadmau5, The Swedish House Mafia, Carl Cox and Eric Prydz will wow the crowds.
On a more underground tip is the all new Dub & Bass arena showcasing the hottest talent from the revived drum & bass and thriving dubstep scenes. Expect everyone from scene legend LTJ Bukem to new boys Skream, Caspa and Toddla T.
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Reclaim the beats
By Systematic
Tuesday, 12th January 2010
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Sir Stephen Fry, Dame Judy Dench and Shut Up And Dance, aka PJ and Smiley, might not immediately appear to have anything in common. It's hard to imagine Sir Fry kicking the door off an empty house so that Dame Dench can wire up their soundsystem. But they are all now veritable British institutions, peculiarly English in their achievements and impossible to feel anything but the greatest affection and national pride for.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Shut Up And Dance's first release, '5678', a blistering melting pot of b-boy breaks, East End energy and soundsystem culture that still sounds excitingly raw, and launched them as pioneers in the nascent rave scene. But the story of PJ and Smiley began while they were still at school.
We started on the Heatwave system in 1986 with DJ Hype before he was called that, recalls PJ from their Hackney base, the area that's often been at the fore of their inspiration. He was the DJ, me and Smiley were rappers and Smiley's twin brother was a reggae MC. Everyone did it back then, you had Soul II Soul and Mad Hatter, but we were known for being really diverse. The rave scene came quite a bit later.
Massive hip-hop fans tired of being unable to get a record deal, they took the unheard-of step of starting up their own label.
All our friends were laughing, but we gave ourselves three months to save and press out a record. We were going round the record shops with a box full of tunes on sale or return. Then we sent it to the pirate stations and they went mad for it, so the shops were calling us, asking for more. We were blessed. After that, it was a case of keeping up with demand!
The result, as documented on 'How The East Was Won 1989-2009', is a career spanning everything from the string-laden hardcore of 'Green Man' to the gritty urban-realism of the Duran Duran sampling, 'Save It To The Mourning After'. Journeying through rave, two step, breakbeat, house, hip-hop and jungle, with plenty of toasting from the Ragga Twins, Shut Up And Dance's unique take on these sounds has remained distinctly rooted to their soundsystem upbringing.
Other people in our position might have lived off their rave days but we believe in looking forward. Because our sound is a mash-up, we can adapt to anything that's out there and make it Shut Up And Dance style, says PJ, adding that their prolific output means they've adopted many pseudonyms along the way like Hackney Soldier and Youngstar.
Included in remixed form is the chart-topping 'Raving I'm Raving', a track that provoked a bittersweet experience on its 1992 release. Replaying the melody from Marc Cohen's 'Walking In Memphis' led to record company trouble.
We were allowed to release it but only what we'd pressed so far, recalls PJ. So it shot straight into the charts at No.1. We did Top of the Pops and everything. It's a shame it went that way, but sampling back then was a new thing which nobody understood.
While labels might now have departments to deal with sample clearance, the days of the dedicated dance music producer are effectively over, according to PJ.
At the moment the music scene is on its knees. You have to be a DJ to make money because record sales aren't really there. What I like on the dubstep scene is that the kids really support it, they go out and they buy the vinyl. For that alone, I have to give them the maximum respect.
So what does he have to say to the Shut Up And Dance collectors who've suddenly seen all their rare records released on CD?
Vinyl will never lose value, he laughs. I've looked online and seen our record for ridiculous prices. I just think, good on you!
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Funky shake your groove thing
By Systematic
Wednesday, 16th September 2009
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Artist: Various Artists
Label: TensionWorks Records
Release name: In Here Right Now
File under: Techno/Hard Techno
Release date: 21-09-2009
Next up from the TensionWorks camp is a blistering 4 track ep featuring one of the best unsung hero's of techno, Mark Verbos!!!! Who's musical career spans everything from balls out warehouse techno and monster acid tracks from his Simple Answer label, to funky shake your groove thing electro. Mark has appeared on so many seminal techno labels like Drop Bass Network, Planet Rhythm, Wavescape, Djax Up Beats, and many many more!This EP comes from the more sinister side of techno with 2 tracks from Mark, which come at you with a no hold barred attitude from start to finish! Solid tight pounding grooves with moody mental synth lines that will work anyone into a frenzy!!! Break out the fire extinguishers because these tracks will set any dancefloor on fire!TensionWorks label head Nimitz drops 2 tracks that turn the heat up even more! Solid dark pounding warehouse styled grooves that have been showcased in his live act to much fanfare, so much we felt it imperative that they be released! Dark moody synths compliment punchy drum grooves that continue to build and evolveuntil they leave you begging for mercy!!!Mastered by Bobby Tense Kevorkian Mastering NYC
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Tropical House Music
By Systematic
Wednesday, 16th September 2009
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New imprint Maxi Discs continues its adventures into Tropical House Music with yet another killer release, this time put together by label boss and global jet-setting DJ Pete Herbert (Reverso 68/LSB). Pete's solo material for Maxi Discs is the first original music to be released under his own name and is inspired much more by his love of early house than his previous output. Heavily influenced by the musical direction of his DJ sets, a desire to really work the dance floor and a certain nostalgia for the house sounds of the 90s (when the site of white doves could make a grown man cry), Yo Drums is all about Pete getting back home after a long night spent driving the crowd wild and then switching on the laptop and the synths and trying t recapture the essence of that feeling in a track. And just like one of his DJ sets Yo Drums mixes elements of house, Italo and disco into aheady potion of dance floor dynamite. Remixes come from highly talented Italian producers Ajello who take things back to the halcyon days of Nu Groove while adding subtleelements of the Cosmic and Italo sounds they love so much. And last but not least, Dicky Trisco who celebrates his obsession with the early house sounds of Network and seminal UK dance acts like Nexus 21 as he dubs things out and feeds those biorhythms. Listening to the house sounds of Maxi Discs is guaranteed to release the pressure.DJ Play: Optimo DJs, Rub n Tug, Harri, Toby Tobias, The Revenge, Faze Action, H-Track, Horse Meat Disco, Makossa & Megablast, Mungolian Jetset, Prince Language, Geoffrey Mugwump, Fabrizio Mammarella, Munk, Red Rack'em, Maelstrom, Deep Party Network.DJ Reactions:'Liking it, especially the original version.' - JD Twitch (Optimo)'Y'know I love them all.' - Harri (Subculture)'Played Pete's original out and it went down an absolute stormer. Nice one.' - Toby Tobias'Loving Yo Drums will be playing this on heavy rotation. Pete Herbert never disappoints blinding.' - Faze Action'Dicky Trisco version is the one here for me. Good job.' - The Revenge'Hey there thanks for Yo Drums track..AWESOME..gonna play out this weekend and NYC all next week!' - Severino (Horse Meat Disco)'Great track ! All versions -will play in my next shows.' - Makossa & Megablast'The tracks sound great, and I'm especially loving Pete's original mix. Thanks much and I'm definitely looking forward to play them out.' - Prince Language'Really liking your original version of this, probably the most instant hitting thing I've heard from you. Summer vibes, white doves and grinning on the dancefloor. Mixes are good too, but it's the original that will do the mayhem.' - Mungolian Jetset'Original version is definitely the one for me..will play this LOADS...killer party vibe starter !!! More plzzzz.' - Geoffroy Mugwump (kompakt/cocoon/eskimo/endless flight)'I'm loving all the tracks here. The original mix is brilliant.' - Fabrizio Mammarella (Bearfunk)'Been on the original for a while!' Maelstrom'Nice package! Original is my favourite. Will play!' - Deep Party Network (Eskimo)
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Satin shines the light
By Systematic
Wednesday, 16th September 2009
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Artist: Various Artists
Label: HumDrumz Records
Release name: One Step Forward
File under: Drum & Bass/Jump Up Drum & Bass
Release date: 09-10-2009
HumDrumz Records front man Satin shines the light with the first release from the new HumDrumz Digital label. Dj Satin continues to make a big statement with with his beats. Satin rocks and rolls with a solid dubwise roller that will get your head swinging back and forth and leave your feet smoking with "One Step Foward." Expext nothing less from this stateside producer. Crs? brings mo fire with this release. "I Love You" is an instant recognizable track from Crs?. Crs? drops a heavyweight tune for the HumDrumz Digital label. Wait for the breakdowns and the firing rolling bass as "I Love You" rolls on threw. Satin & Crs? shows how the westcoast rocks, huge release from the badbwoys.
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DohZa's Dubstep Top Ten Aug 2009
By Systematic
Monday, 17th August 2009
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Marschmellow - Reel Simple.mp3
GooJah - The Difference
Data - Leaves
Subscape - Nothing Wrong.mp3
War 010 Unknown Artist - Layin' In Bed.mp3
silkie - Spark.mp3
Sukh Knight - Cheese Loueez EP
silkie - The Horizon.mp3
Hatcha vs Lost & Bare Noize - Class A EP
Synkro - Angels
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