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Tuesday

Feb072012

12th Planet: New Tour, New EP, A Boston Show & Your Chance To Win Tix

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 9:24AM

Los Angeles has become quite the hotbed for stateside dubstep these past few years. Producers from the city of angels are born by the minute, and when it comes to dubstep, the ones crafting the biggest build-ups and heaviest basslines rise quickly to the top of the pile, regardless of past experience (just look at Skrillex for the proof). 12th Planet is another example of a guy who is making moves right now, but don’t let the name fool you, this cat’s got some skin in the industry.

12th Planet began over a decade ago with the name Infiltrata. He produced drum and bass with the likes of Spor, Photek, and Temper D. Just like he has gone on to produce dubstep, the latter 3 are now making electro, movie scores, and fidget house (amongst a number of other things) respectively. Times change, but smart producers who can keep up with the joneses won’t get left behind and don’t have to change up their style too much either. Infiltrata’s earlier work had the same heavy-hitting bass and tight percussion his new 12th Planet stuff has.

So here’s the good news: 12th Planet is making a pit stop in Boston next Monday, bringing with him L.A. counterpart Flinch, along with rapidly rising producer Crizzly on opening duty. It’s an Embrace show, so not only is it going to be big (Middle East downstairs in Cambridge), but you’re going to get your usual chance to win a pair of tix too. Leave you name and email in the comments section below, and on this Friday at 9am I draw and announce the winner.

And even if you don’t win, you can still grab some free MP3’s of 12th Planet’s latest EP, used in conjunction with the End is Near tour! It includes 5 tracks, one of which has Flinch as an accomplice; this is a taste of what to expect on one of the best soundsystems in Boston. If you don’t win, you can still get tickets here.

NOTE: I will delete the comments once the contest closes, that way nobody else will see your email addresses and will remain private.

nickdawg |

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Saturday

Jan212012

Dance it Up! Upcoming Boston Events For January 2012 (Updated 1.28)

Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 1:54PM

Upcoming Events

Past Events

Did I miss anything? Email nminieri@yahoo.com if you want me to include your event, as long as it’s in the general Boston area and is catered towards dance/electronic music. I will be updating the list on Sundays and Wednesdays.

nickdawg |

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Thursday

Dec292011

Crate Exploratory: Nick's Top Dance Tracks, DJ Mixes & More For 2011

Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 9:53PM

So here we are at the tail-end of 2011. Everyone’s blogging about their “Best Of” lists from the past year, and I guess I’m no exception to this department. People seem to like reading them, so no skin off my back. There’s been several noteable events to happen this past year, specifically the rise in moombahton music at the underground level, as well as the undeniable mainstream spotlight placed firmly in the middle of dubstep. I’ve also found myself taking on a liking towards deep house (which compile several titles in this list), as well as a lot of people embracing the open-format sound of what many are now calling “bass”. (Hell, I call it “pretty good music”.)

I gave my best-of list a little bit of a twist this year by giving each cut that made it a unique category of its own (some more serious than others). And for the first time, I’m also giving honorable mention to a couple of mixes that got plenty of iPod action from me during the second half of the year, plus a “Best DJ Performance” section.

That being said, let’s dig in. My favorite electronic/dance tunes of 2011 are as follows:

BEST FUSION OF MULTIPLE GENRES: Addison Groove: Sexual

Addison Groove’s footwork-meets-dubstep formula has proven to be more than just the flavor-of-the-month in 2011. The three-minute “Sexual” (released on Loefah’s vinyl-only Swamp 81 workshop) illustrates there is plenty of room for soul and substance in a sound that everyone’s trying to duplicate now. All you need to do is hark back to juke’s inner-city Chi-town roots to see the immediate house influence; many of footwork’s faster counterparts perform the balancing act between soulful house and those 808’s-on-steroids with panache.

BEST NOSTALGIC TRIP: Lone: Blossom Quarter

“Pineapple Crush” was my favorite work of Lone’s in 2010. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I was first in line to grab his follow-up effort, “Echolocations”. Forget about the fact this guy releases like one record a year; every one of them are pretty damn good. “Blossom Quarter”, my favorite track from the EP, feels like it’s lifted straight out of 1989. A pretty good year for dance music, I might add. It comes complete with an analogue synth, a couple of drum machines, a sampler, hell maybe a 4-track for mixing it down (it even sounds a bit lo-fi, but in a good way). For all I know he may be producing on a computer, but who’s counting when heads are nodding.

BEST SONG PRODUCED BY A NEWCOMER: Migrant: Monolith

An accidental discovery found while searching junodigital.com this past spring, “Monolith” serves as a growing example of how the playing field is being leveled between long-established producers and the up-and-coming generation. Monolith is the most auspicious fusion of drum and bass, UK funky, house, and bass my ears have ever witnessed. Considering most efforts to be every sub-genre to every scene fail miserably, that’s saying something. I really wish this tune was more popular so I could’ve seen the crowd reaction when the amens drop. Usage of the amen break outside of drum and bass is hardly a new concept, yet sounds a bit refreshing when there’s extra room to breathe between those downbeats. Additionally, I also wish Migrant had more originals out there; as far as I can tell, this is his only release thus far.

MOST UNIQUE SONG: Dro Carey: Candy Red

I blogged about “Candy Red” earlier this year. This track’s unorthodox use of sampling gave me no other choice but to list it here. The whole piece is built upon tiny soulful loops; some vocal, some instrumental….some dry, some heavily filtered. I don’t think Dro Carey utilizes more than roughly 20 seconds worth of source material to manufacture the entire project. While this cadence of production is more commonplace in faster genres such as juke and various forms of techno, hearing the edits in drawn-out context gives Candy Red a life of its own.

BEST SONG FASTER THAN 150 BPM: Fresh: Gatekeeper

Forget about what the press has to say about drum and bass in 2011. It’s still here, and similar to vinyl records (which many DJ’s inside the genre still vehemently support as their media of choice), it will continue to endure, even if just in the form of a side-note. Every year a track by long-withstanding drum and bass producer DJ Fresh makes it to my best-of list; this year’s “Gatekeeper” proves 2011 to be no exception. Similar in nature to 2009’s “Heavyweights”, Gatekeeper is all about its funky breaks and its catchy rising baseline. And just as the genre label suggests, all you need are good drums and, well, good bass. Everything else is superfluous.

BEST ANTHEM: Swedish House Mafia & Knife Party: Antidote

Get two of the frontmen from Pendulum in the studio with the biggest trio in all of dance music (aside from, well, maybe the Prodigy circa 1997) and this is the result. “Antidote” was released a mere few weeks ago; we’ll be hearing about it well into 2012. Guaranteed. It may even make some lists at the end of next year for all we know, too. Axwell and Ingrosso program cinematic synths to pronounce all the breakdowns and build-ups of each section of Antidote. And Rob Swire continues to prove himself as one dance’s most versatile producers, ensuring the final product will resonate loud and clear whether you hear it on laptop speakers or on a six-figure sound system in Ibiza.

BEST SONG MORE THAN 10 MINUTES LONG: Jichael Mackson: Gedons

So I think it’s pretty safe to say Jichael Mackson’s masterpiece of the year sounds nothing like “Antidote”. There aren’t many songs outside of Goldie’s “Timeless” and Underworld’s “Juanita” that clock in at over 15 minutes yet still manage to hold my attention (AHEM, deficit disorder). “Gedons” is a different story; the hypnotic groove that runs through its veins have me sold by about the 16th bar. It’s like a dense, melancholy wooded area: navigating can be difficult, and multiple corners need be turned to stay the course. The lead melody does just this: twists and turns amongst the thick foggy wilderness that is the underlying percussive rhythm. It takes awhile to get from one side to the other, but Jackson cares little about the destination and a lot about the journey. Critics badger minimal house as being too sterile and predictable; Gedons is an example of the exact opposite.

BEST VOCALS: Julio Bashmore: Father Father

Javeon McCarthy’s soulful vocals helped edge Bashmore’s “Father Father” very slightly past “Battle For Middle You” for me. Putting a new spin on long-defunct gospel house sounds by the likes of Ron Caroll circa-1998, Bashmore adds his Bristol twist with McCarthy’s vocals to give it a fresh breath of air. Father Father doesn’t re-define music, but does a great job applying that fresh coat of varnish on that well-worn sailboat we’ve used for many, many years. Soulful vocal house is back, folks.

BEST HOUSE TRACK: Maya Jane Coles: What They Say (Dyed Soundorom Remix)

Maya is my favorite house producer at the moment; “4U”, “What They Say”, and “Hummingbird” were regular fixtures in clubs throughout the world this past year. “What They Say” is essentially 2011’s answer to the Nightcrawler’s iconic “Push That Feeling On”, and Dyed Soundorom brings out a little bit of extra groove while re-working the baseline of the original. While the original is a classic, Soundorom’s remix is even better! Plus the original was released in 2010, so it doesn’t count.

BEST REMIX: Noir & Haze: Around (Solomun Vox Remix)

To be quite honest, I initially felt Noir & Haze’s original mix of “Around” wasn’t really my cup of tea. Haze’s unmistakable vocals were, however, a major redeeming quality. Then Solomon Vox comes along, extracts said vocals from the original equation, slows things down just a touch, re-works all the pads and percussion, and ends up taking something that was once forgettable and making it one of the most universally appealing songs in all of dance music this past year. Vox didn’t just remix “Around”, he gave it the oxygen those vocal chords needed to thrive!

BEST SYNTHS: Prolix: Visualize

What I love about Prolix’s “Visualize” is the fact it rips pages from the play books of multiple drum and bass sub-genres. The compiled storyline still reads well and doesn’t sound forced or arbitrary. The synth work, more reminiscent of atmospheric jungle instead of the techstep Prolix is known for producing, is my personal highlight. The squelchy bassline has more in common with jump-up, but without sounding overly wobbly or generic. Jump up, techstep, and liquidfunk DJ’s alike played Visualize quite heavily this past year.

BEST SONG PRODUCED WITHIN A GENRE THE ARTIST IS NOT KNOWN TO PRODUCE IN: Subwave: Naked Lunch

“Naked Lunch” is an unexpected deep house gem penned by Metalheadz member Subwave. A drum and bass cohort for well beyond a decade, Subwave explored a lot of unchartered territory in the high-speed genre these past 3 years. While trance arpeggios were all the rage for him in 2010, this past year witnessed his crack at different forms of music entirely. “Naked Lunch” almost makes me forget Subwave is from Russia; it proves to me he’s taught himself enough about the musical history of both Detroit and Chicago. Not since Marcus Intalex’s “Taking Over Me” from over a decade ago have I heard house this good from someone best known as a drum and bass producer. Look out for his full-length debut next year.

BEST WEIRD TRACK: Wadsworth: Lime and Pink

I’ve always found myself attracted to Kris Wadsworth’s style of house; he hits a lot of black keys and uses percussive samples that you aren’t normally accustomed to hearing on the Beatport Top 100. He also has a knack for using atonal sounds in a creative way, creating tension (and, of course, the listener’s interest) in just the right places. “Lime and Pink” is actually a perfect title; the opposing sounds of the warm rhodes and the ice-cold, abrasive, and warbling lead act as these specific, opposite colors. Which one is pink? Maybe Joe Cabot from Reservoir Dogs can sort that one out for us.

BEST TRACK SLOWER THAN 110 BPM: Kassem Mosse: 2D

If DJ Screw were still alive and attempted to play deep house in his signature style (without the stutter-edits), it might sound something similar to Kassem Mosse’s “2D”. Dipping below the 110 bpm mark is a very uncommon practice even amongst the slowest and deepest of house rhythms, but Mosse makes it happen. You could park an SUV right between the gaping holes of those snares and kicks; Mosse prefers just to use lots of reverb instead. The video embedded above is labeled incorrectly FYI.

BEST TRACK WHERE I JUST SHUT UP AND LET THE MUSIC DO THE TALKING: Recloose & Dwele: Can’t Take It (Milton Jackson Remix)

Let’s let Milton Jackson’s masterful deep house rendition of Recloose & Dwele’s “Can’t Take It” do the talking, shall we? Words simply don’t do justice to how good it is…

BEST DUBSTEP TRACK: NERO: Me & You

Dubstep’s not my thing, but 2011 was a massive year for it (especially stateside) so I would be biased not to include at least one pick. Of all the dubstep producers enjoying mainstream success at the moment, NERO has to be my personal favorite. While “Crush On You” is a little too bubble-gum pink for my cup, and “Innocence” doesn’t qualify since it came out in 2010, my selection from them would have to be “Me And You”. I think Me And You has one of the best build-ups and drops out of anything I’ve heard this past year. The vocals are just the icing on the cake; the real substance is its energy and crossover appeal.

BEST MOOMBAHTON TRACK/BEST FREEBIE: Nadastrom: I!!

Moombahton is another topic of discussion I would probably struggle with because I admittedly don’t listen to much of it. One thing I am well aware of, however, is the fact Dave Nada and Matt Nordstrom are pretty damn good at producing the stuff. “I!!” is a cut off of their free “El Baile Diabluma” EP (Thanks, Scion). If you fancy a healthy dose of congas, energetic Baltimore Club vocals that are now enjoying a new life at a slower tempo, and a humid atmosphere ripe with the sweet smell of cumbia, this is your ticket.

Download the EP for free here.

BEST JUKE TRACK: DJ Spinn: U Don’t Need

A legendary soul musician (who I’ll leave nameless for now) gets the footwork treatment on the opening track of DJ Spinn’s “Man I Do It” EP, released back in February on Planet Mu. Three decades ago the sampled song in question did justice as a high school prom or wedding theme song. Spinn chops the source material up into tiny fragments, handpicking just the right ones to retro-fit in his frenzied and chaotic vision of what a high school prom SHOULD be!

BEST OVERALL SONG: Justin Martin & Ardalan: Lezgo

Justin Martin and Ardalan probably had no clue of the monster they were creating before “Lezgo” came out this past summer. With all of Dirtybird’s producers fully embracing the brave new world of open-format house, where trends are changing by the minute, this track speaks for the label’s ability to put virtual (and legal) happy pills in the mouth of every listener imaginable. The fact there are lyrically about seven words in Lezgo made it that much easier for everyone to scream them out when it’s broadcasted in public. Martin playing it in his own set when he came to Boston this past November was equally a highlight for me to witness. No track manages to appeal to both the gelled-up “bangers” crowd as well as the fussiest of beard-strokers like Lezgo was able to this past year, in my opinion.

BEST DJ MIX (Ableton): Claude Von Stroke’s Resident Advisor Mix

On the infamous Monday following the S&P downgrade of the U.S., the release of my favorite DJ mix of the year made me completely forget the fact my 401k got demolished in a mere 6-hour trading session! This is a mix that truly defined who Claude Von Stroke is as an artist. It’s halfway filled with dusty booty-shakers from the 1990s on labels like Dance Mania, the other half stacked with (then-unreleased) bassline workouts on his own label, Dirtybird. Bonus points for all of the tracks being remixed on-the-fly in Ableton, and even more extra credit due to the fact he compiled this session not in his studio, but rather an isolated area in northern Minnesota while on a camping trip with his fam.

Note: Resident Advisor (the host of this mix) only kept this session available online for a limited period of time. It can no longer easily be found online, but ask a friend if you want to check it out. A LOT of people downloaded this when it dropped back in August.

BEST DJ MIX (Traditional): Wheez-ie Freshmore Mix

Out of any DJ mix I downloaded this past year, the one I listened to the most was Wheez-ie’s podcast mix for Freshmore. Between semesters at Boston’s own Berklee School of Music, Wheez-ie always manages to visit his Texas hometown, hit the studio, and get back to his roots. The geo-cultural influence is quite omnipresent in his work. Tracks like his own “Big Gulp” are testament to the fact that things are always, well, bigger there. With exception to DJ Assault hitting the buttons on one remix, the remaining half hour is a relentless session of juke and breakbeat originals from the man himself. I recommend listening with shoes off (fans of his will understand).

BEST PERFORMANCE I SAW: SBTRKT @ Together Fest

While he was putting the finishing touches on his debut album, SBTRKT managed to squeeze in a quick tour this past spring. One of the stops was at the Great Scott to perform as one of the headliners for the Together 2011 Festival. It was easily the best DJ performance I witnessed this past year. Critical listeners have been shunning Ableton as a performance tool for years, citing it’s either too “flashy” or it takes the “talent” out because no beatmatching is involved. However, being able to micromanage bits and pieces of hundreds of songs, triggering each at just the right time without going overboard, takes far more skill than linear mixing, in my humble opinion. SBTRKT is one of the few people who truly utilized the capabilities of Ableton, coupled with his APC controller. Navigating his way through dozens of bass, house, soul, dubstep, and UK funky classics, there was never one point where it sounded like too much was happening all at once. And most importantly, he knew when to make people dance, when to make all the DJ’s in the room watch his every move in sheer curiosity, and when to slow things down to make everyone march over to the bar to drop their hard-earned cash on booze. Now that takes some talent, folks.

Video above is from the actual set he played FYI.

So that about sums it up, folks. Another great year in dance music. What were some of your favorites from the year? I’d love to hear in the comments section!

nickdawg |

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Friday

Dec092011

Bassic Presents Joe Nice, Moldy & Scotch 1 at Goodlife, Tonight 12.9.11

Friday, December 9, 2011 at 1:22PM

BASSIC is proud to bring back America’s original dubstep allstars JOE NICE & Selector Moldy! It’s been over a year since these two beasts have set foot in the bassment of the Goodlife bar to bring you the sounds of bass that rattles our skulls like no other!

JOE NICE (DUBWAR NYC, Gourmetbeats.com, Dataset Clothing) Baltimore
Representing Baltimore, JoeNice is universally recognized as the ambassador of the dubstep sound in North America and has been instrumental in the growth and success of dubstep for nearly a decade. In other words, he’s been playing dubstep before it was called dubstep. Joe’s monthly radio show on GourmetBeats.com was the first to feature dubstep in the states and his worldwide fan base continues to grow with his enthusiastic stage presence & live performance, upfront selection and skillful mixing. Joe’s record bag is a who’s who of dubstep… If you’ve never heard it before, chances are, you’ll hear it from Joe Nice. He is the first American-based DJ to play on London pirate radio, Rinse FM, the first American-based DJ to play the legendary DMZ bi-monthly bash and the first American-based DJ to play FWD>> @ Plastic People. A member of Electric SoundStage Radio, DataSet Clothing and resident & co-founder of the most successful dubstep party in North America, DubWar (New York City) and selected as one of URB’s NEXT 100 (in 2007), JoeNice is continually taking dubstep to the next level and beyond.

MOLDY (Heavy Pressure, Embassy Recordings)
A native of Portland, ME and seasoned inhabitant of Boston, MA and New York, NY, Moldy is widely known for his mind-bending DJ sets and deep, dark, weighty bass music productions. A “veteran of American dubstep” (flavorwire.com, 4/19/10) and “New York City dubstep pioneer” (thekronicle.com, 3/3/10) Moldy has been “quietly leading the charge of US dubstep producers since day one” (dubwarnyc.com, 5/29/10).

Scotch1 (BASSIC)
Scotch1 grew up on mix tapes ranging from Dj Hype to DJ Dan. He began playing records in 1998, and has since played shows from Boston to Bali, with countless venues and parties in between. His main rule when playing: crowd control. From low-profile mood setters, to in your face smashers, Scotch1 can keep any dance floor filled.

Good Life Bar, 28 Kingston St, Boston, Ma 21+ $5 for flight & fee

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Heyoka - Intergalactic carnival minimix by Heyoka

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Tuesday

Oct042011

IDM Producer Andrei Heyoka Returns To Music Ecology, Allston, 10.4.11

Tuesday, October 4, 2011 at 12:23PM

For those of us who were less fortunate (or too old) to make it to Burning Man last month, consider yourself lucky. You still get a chance to witness one of the most talked-about breakthrough performers flex his production muscle right in our dust-free backyard! Heyoka played at Music Ecology (Wonderbar, 186 Harvard Ave, Allston) back in March, but he’s been working on a lot of new music since then.

I’m not even going to bother trying to classify him under a single genre outside of IDM. The man dabs in everything from hip hop, downtempo, breakbeats, glitch, and of course dubstep. (Everybody’s doing dubstep, so why can’t he? Especially considering the fact he does it proper.) $10 cover.

Soundcloud mini-mix below for a taste test.

Take a gander at what the Music Ecology guys have coming up for the rest of October as well. Elements resident Lenore is playing next week, Jeff Bujak and D.V.S. closing out the month.

nickdawg |

Trus’me Live @ Secretsundaze, La Terrrazza, Sonar, Barcelona - June 2010 by trusme

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Friday

Sep162011

Tonight: GLOW Boston, Headtunes Presents Trus'Me & Bassic Presents Pangaea, 9.16.11

Friday, September 16, 2011 at 7:40AM

Gonna be a busy one tonight folks! Info about all 3 of these events below. Thanks to Matt Farina for doing a quick write-up on the Pangaea event.

***GLOW BOSTON — 18+ DANCE PARTY @ The Middle East***
——————————————————————————
electro // house // top 40 remixes
——————————————————————————
A monthly 18+ event that hosts some of Boston’s most creative talent.
——————————————————————————
FEATURING CLEVER GIRL, GLOWKIDS , FUSE w/ Early Nineties and The Motivated Sequence

*Follow us on Facebook | *Follow us on Twitter | *Visit our website:

Doors at 7:00pm, Bands begin at 7:30pm, DJs play at 9:30pm
$10 adv / $12 door

Tickets: http://bit.ly/nxLJR2
9/16/2011 @ The Middle East (downstairs), 480 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA

Supply Records and Headtunes are excited to bring you:

Trus’me

TRUSME’s musical roots trace way back to an early age where he dabbled with various instruments. He began studying production, but soon developed a love of vinyl culture, which shifted his focus towards the art of mixing and digging for unique samples.

Surrounded by the heads of Manchester and its deep routed scene his musical taste has continued to evolve, resulting in eclectic DJ sets where his passion exudes. Naturally, this diversity shines through in his production

His production is constantly compared to Moodymann and other Detroit luminaries with releases usually snatching ‘Record of the week’ in hosts of global outlets from Piccadilly Records - Manchester to Jazzy Sport – Japan. “Working Night” his debut was first championed by Gilles Peterson on BBC radio 1: “If there was ever a house record made for me, it would sound like this.”

“Working Nights” has proved a timeless debut album that is still finding devotees. This has led to an array of Trusme remixes being requested from acts such as LCD Soundsystem, Amp Fiddler, Dabrye, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Alton Miller and Anthony Shake Shakir

Trusme has also become a highly in-demand DJ and has been touring in the U.S, Europe and Australia extensively over the last two years. He has developed a reputation for thoughtful and eclectic sets, which perfectly represent his sound and open-minded musical tastes.

It’s time to catch a rising star in the making!

Opening set by: John Barera

21+, $5 before midnight / $10 after. See you on the dance floor!

Hot off the heels of his most recent release for Hemlock, Pangaea makes his return to Boston tomorrow night. If you missed him last year at Enormous Room, now’s your chance to hear in person his unique hybrid of garage & dubstep taken miles into the future.

For someone with an admittedly simple setup (according to him, just Fruity Loops, Sony Acid, and a pair of monitors), Pangaea’s new single does more than just maintain his flawless track record. ‘Hex’ on the A side is a stone cold dark-garage beast, and you can expect it to set things off big when it drops tomorrow night (crossing my fingers there). The heavy atmospherics and echoes are a familiar signature to fans of his work, but this track’s special touch are the psychotic reggae vocals which sound like they’re coming from a jammed CD player, yet with a nuance that takes a potentially annoying concept and makes it absolutely killer.

‘Fatalist’ on the flip has more of a tribal feel, with frantic congos and a warped melody that sounds like an oldskool rave lick that’s been dragged over the tarmac for a few dozen miles and then plunged under water for the remainder of the tune. The Untold-like slamming snares peppered throughout complete its edgy vibe and make this one feel right at home as a backdrop to some kind of caribbean voodoo ritual.

I copped this one the moment it came out (actually somehow 30 minutes before, if that tells you how close an eye I had on it), and it’s sure to draw a crowd for tomorrow night. The ever-solid Steppo and Damian Silva will be opening, so don’t miss out!

Also playing downstairs:

Steppo (BASSIC, LoveWaveMusic)
Damian Silva (BASSIC)

Goodlife Bar, Friday, 9/16, 9PM - 2AM, $5, 21+

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=275275462484317
http://soundcloud.com/hemlockrecordings/hek013a-pangaea-hex
http://soundcloud.com/hemlockrecordings/hek013aa-pangaea-fatalist

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Friday

Aug192011

Dubstep Pioneer MALA Takes Control of Goodlife, Tonight, 8.19.11

Friday, August 19, 2011 at 9:27AM

Image source: http://www.clashmusic.com/

Get your earplugs and drinking shoes shined up tonight and head over to Goodlife (28 Kingston St, Boston) to catch a dubstep legend take control of the decks in the basement, thanks to Bassic. Mala, one third of the Digital Mystikz and part owner of the highly revered DMZ record label, is coming to town. If you know who he is, you’ve already had your entire summer planned around this. If you haven’t, he’s kind of a big deal, and it would behoove you to get there early so you won’t be screwed when Damien comes out holding up the “we’re at capacity” sign!

Mala was making dubstep before people were calling it “dubstep”. Between 2003-05, he was very heavily involved in helping spread the sound in the UK, mainly through traditional channels. Along with partners Lofeh and Coki, they began hosting their now-legendary DMZ parties in Brixton, but promoted them mainly via word of mouth. You sort of had to be “in the know” to come check them out. The sound systems at their night were customized for maximum low end, and all of their music was played on dubplates. During that time, dubstep was evolving so rapidly that a lot of their music was never even released, so you actually had to come to the party to hear it. There was no sitting at home and listening to the songs on YouTube to make up for it…and Mala wouldn’t want it any other way. Proper exposure to these sounds is key for him.

Right now dubstep is undergoing changes in tempo, song structure, and then some, to the point where people (thankfully) aren’t even giving the sound a genre label to define it anymore. You can guarantee that Mala will continue to be at the forefront of this evolution. His back catalogue is scarce, with only a few releases each year with his labelmates, but each one is pure quality and the vast majority are only available on vinyl. Mala is not someone you get to see every day, so come down to Goodlife to check him out. It’s a guarantee he will have plenty of unreleased dubplates to play for the hardcore fans too.

Basement support: C-Dubs, Scotch 1 & Damian Silva
Upstairs: The Thickness featuring Evaredy and Frank White

Goodlife Bar, 28 Kingston St, Boston. $10. 21+

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LIVE @ SPACE JAM (NoMCversion) by Mike SkillZ

goodlife

Friday

Aug122011

Bass on a Boat: Mutiny Presents Jellyfishin Expedition, 8.12.11, Rowes Wharf

Friday, August 12, 2011 at 9:20AM

Miss your opportunity to party on a boat this summer? There are still a few chances left, one of which goes down tonight at Rhowes Wharf in downtown Boston (by the Aquarium). The Mutiny hosted a dubstep-oriented boat cruise back in June which boasted a solid turnout. Shane Burke, one of the guys behind The Mutiny, is well experienced in sound and lighting setups at parties all across New England, so you definitely won’t be disappointed here.

Tickets are still available for this!! www.mutinyevents.com
(They will stay at $25 until 12pm today, than any remaining ones will go up to $30)

Party is also 18+ FYI

Twist Of Fate-electro house sessions by TWIST OF FATE

DJ’s playing include Chrispy (a dubstep producer from the UK), Auratika, Soappy (of Tight Crew fame), Mike D, Mike Skills, and Twist of Fate. And possibly you. The first six DJ’s to show up at the pier with ticket in hand and CD’s to play on the ship’s CDJ’s get open deck 30 minute spots. No Serato/Traktor though.

nickdawg |

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Boat,

Jellyfishin,

Mutiny,

dubstep in

boat cruise,

breaks,

house,

mutiny presents

Saturday

Jul302011

15th Annual Phoenix Landing Boat Cruise, 7.31.11 @ Rowe's Wharf

Saturday, July 30, 2011 at 3:58PM

I will unfortunately be missing going to/shooting pics at the Phoenix Landing cruise this year, a summer fiasco I’ve had penciled into my calendar every year since 2006. Ah well…if you’re in town and you dig house, drum and bass, or dubstep music, I recommend checking this out. All of your favorite residents who throw events at the infamous cambridge bar will be on the decks, and tickets are still available if you call them at 617-576-6260 (or Hugh O’Neill’s, 781-338-9977). Info below, and JSB/Jeff Gil will be hosting the afterparty via The Drop at said bar! (512 Mass Ave, Cambridge)

Rowe’s Wharf is near the giant archway and the New England Aquarium. If you can’t find it, just follow the docks until you see the large line of people you probably know. Get there early, boat takes off at 6:30 sharp. Info below:

All boats depart from Rowes Wharf in Downtown Boston at 6:30 PM and return by 10:00 PM. Everyone 21 years of age or older is welcome with a valid I.D. $20 per person grants admission to cruise party as well as free admission to post party celebration at the Phoenix Landing. Tickets may be purchased in advance in-person or by phone with any major credit or debit card at the Phoenix Landing or Hugh O’Neills. Tickets purchased over the phone may be picked up at the boat the day of the event.

Music provided by resident DJs:
Casey Rankin
Crook
D-Lux
Lenore
Gil-T
JSB
Patrick Barry
Randy Deshaies
and MC Josiah Scribes

Sound & Lighting:::: True

nickdawg |

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Tuesday

Jul122011

Cops And Robbers Party At Throwed! Middle East Downstairs, 7.12.11

Tuesday, July 12, 2011 at 9:28AM

Tuesday July 12th - THROWED BOSTON (18+) DANCE PARTY

“Cops & Robbers” Party w/ DJs: E-Marce + Kevin Wang + Texas Mike

Advance Tickets
BECOME A FAN on Facebook!
Follow us on Twitter!

Dress Up Like

“Cops”
- Blue Shirt + Tie
- Blue Pants
- Fake Police Badges
- Aviator Glasses
- Fake Moustaches

“Robbers”
- Whitey Bulgar
- Striped Shirts
- Top Hat / Fedeora
- Old School Mobsters

With DJ’s
E-MARCE TEXAS MIKE
KEVIN WANG

PHOTOBOOTH PICS by: G. Kwan
PARTY PHOTOS by: Lara Callahan
PARTY PHOTOS by: James Coletta
VISUALS by: The Vjays

18+ | 9:00pm - 12:30am
480 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA

nickdawg |

Cambridge Dance Party :: 6.24.11

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throwed

Wednesday

Jun292011

Pics From Dancing on the Street and The Drop (6.26.11) Posted

Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 1:11AM

Just in case you guys haven’t seen them yet, here’s pics for the parties I was at over the weekend.

Dancing on the Street :: Cambridge :: 6.26.11

The Drop :: Phoenix Landing :: 6.26.11

Pending I don’t have to work late either night, you can find me out shooting at the Skism/Feed Me show hosted by Embrace, as well as Midweek Techno tomorrow, followed by Josiah Scribes’ b-day rager at An Tain on Thursday.

nickdawg |

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Dancing on the Street,

The Drop,

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cambridge dance party,

dancing on the block,

Bassic 4-Year Anniversary :: Goodlife :: 6.10.11

house,

phoenix landing,

the drop

Friday

Jun242011

Electro Monster Feed Me Plays Middle East w/Skism & Terravita, 6.29.11. Ticket Giveaway!

Friday, June 24, 2011 at 9:39AM

Next wednesday Embrace Boston brings another massive producer to Cambridge to work the Middle East’s subwoofers: Feed Me! Also known as Spor to drum and bass fans, as well as Jon Gooch to his parents, this guy has become very well regarded as a producer during his short, yet significant, music career of 6 years.

Feed Me’s earliest work under the “Spor” alias reaped the rewards of several very successful 12” singles and EP’s released on popular drum and bass labels such as Subtitles, Renegade Hardware, and Lifted. Thanks in no small part to Andy C’s rinsing of his tracks in the UK, as well as Evol Intent and Ewun’s support of his work on this side of the Atlantic, this guy became established very quickly. Many producers aspire to Gooch’s high level of skill in the studio.

In 2008, Deadmau5 signed him to his Mau5trap label to put out what was supposed to be a “side project” consisting of house and electro. Momentum and support was so strong for the release, which included “The Spell”, that we can pretty much call the rest history. His “Big Adventure” LP, released last year on Mau5trap, devoured the Beatport Top 100 late last year, many of its tracks becoming nightlife staples. Since then, he has released several respectable remixes for Chris Lake and Robyn, on flagship labels Nervous Records and EMI respectively.

Although Feed Me stays pretty true to his electro and house sound, culling massive drums and booming bass against piercing synths and catchy hooks, he also dabs in dubstep on occasion as well. “Strange Behaviour” on his most recent EP on Mau5trap a good example.

If just a little dubstep isn’t enough, Skism will also be there to provide support in that arena. With a wobbly, dancefloor driven sound, he is a perfect fit for a mid-summer heater and has plenty of original material to bring to the table(s). I’m personally a fan of his throwback (and Henry Rollins)-laced “Rave Review” on Never Say Die, but also be sure to check his cuts on Rottun Recordings, which event openers and local favorites Terravita also happen to be signed to.

Feed Me/Spor/Gooch has not been to New England since 2005, when he played a party in Providence with good friend and label mate Ewun/Kill The Noise. He touches down with Skism, Terravita, and Efrain Vargas at the Middle East Downstairs (472 Mass Ave) on Wednesday, June 29th. 8-12:30 PM. Facebook Invite

And here’s your chance to win a pair of tickets. As we have done in the past, leave your full name and email in the comments section below. I will draw a winner at NOON, on Tuesday June 28th. Thanks to Embrace once again, good luck and see you on the dancefloor next week.

Tickets at ticketweb.com

nickdawg |

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Wednesday

Jun152011

Bassic 4-Year Anniversary Pics From Goodlife (6.10.11) Uploaded

Wednesday, June 15, 2011 at 9:22AM

I apologize A) for these taking so long to upload, and B) not making it to/shooting the Acid/DJ Pierre party at Goodlife the following day (thanks to the monsoon-like rainstorm that kind of inconvenienced a lot of people that night). Well either way, Bassic’s party was fun, as per the course.

nickdawg |

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4-Year Anniversary,

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http://facebook.com/legacyboston
http://omrestaurant.com/
http://facebook.com/DJSK3
http://facebook.com/888life

goodlife

Wednesday

Jun082011

Legacy: The World is Ours Feat. SK3 & V.Ka$h, FREE, OM Lounge, 6.8.11

Wednesday, June 8, 2011 at 9:00AM

Music is LIFE. Rage is LOVE. The LEGACY. LIVES. FOREVER.

Fact: The supreme sound & vision rager hasn’t happened. Until now.

On Wednesday night, June 8, Boston nightlife’s ultimate dance riot lives again, at its secksy new sanctuary, OM Restaurant & Lounge (92 Winthrop St. Cambridge, overlooking Harvard Square). The hottest power jams will be heard. Dazzling visuals will be witnessed. History will be made. Shenanigans will be called. A celebration of life, unity and music will be going down wild, as we begin the new summer of LEGACY!

Your Master of Mixed Music Arts, DJ SK3 (formerly “DJ Sterling Golden”) drops your drink/dance/makeout soundtrack, a journey of over 150 years of recorded music history!

Engage in some good gettin’ down to the finest in Rock, Hip-Hop, Dubstep, House, Electro, Trance, Disco, Funk, Soul, R&B, Reggae, Dancehall, New Wave, Punk, Local Sounds, World Beats, Top 40, Modern Indie, Britpop, Goth, Industrial…AND BEYOND!!

Legacy Familia’s almighty VJ duo, v.Ka$h and VJna, will be coming at you STRONG with bangin’ vintage visuals and sinful body arts!

Indulge in OM’s signature aromatherapy cocktails, and delectable mojitos! Scandalous party photos by Derek Kouyoumjian, Boston Phoenix! Your hostess: the fabulous Zarine! Plus hot chicks & handsome lads. Bad kids doing bad things, you see.

The beautiful people @ Boston.com have named Legacy one of their “picks for places to get down,” and props from the Phoenix say it’s “one hell of a shitshow.” Come and find out why on Wednesday night, June 8, bebeh.

10PM. 21+ and straight-up FREE in this bitch. THE WORLD IS OURS!

♥ Legacy Familia

nickdawg |