Vosper - Release (Official Music Video)

Buy it on Beatport: http://www.beatport.com/release/release-ep/879946

MEANT012 - Vosper - Release EP

Supported by: Chloé, The Hacker, Ivan Smagghe, Cosmo Vitelli, Brodinski, Electric Rescue, Slam, Optimo, Matt Walsh, Daniel Avery (StopMakingMe), People Get Real, Nhar, Krikor, Pan/Tone, ...

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Music Video Credits:

Director & Creative Director :
Fred Caron, Edouard Le, Christopher Byron

D.O.P. : Jean-Francois Vezina

Editor : Christopher Byron, Edouard Le

Visual EFX : Christopher Byron, Edouard Le

Actors :
Edouard Le, Christopher Byron, Christopher Macdonald, Francis Latreille, Sofia Byron, Darien Pons, Fred Caron

Produced by Meant Records

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Follow VOSPER on facebook : http://www.facebook.com/vospermusic
Follow MEANT on facebook : http://www.facebook.com/meantrecords

Follow VOSPER on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/vospermusic
Follow MEANT on twitter: http://www.twitter.com/meantrecords

Follow VOSPER on Soundcloud : http://www.soundcloud.com/vosper
Follow MEANT on Soundcloud: http://www.soundcloud.com/meant

Website : http://www.vosper.ca
Website: http://www.meantrecords.com

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For those who missed it: VOSPER Podcast + Interview

Interview: RIVA STARR

(via rivastarr.com) "Just when you think you know Riva Starr... He’ll probably confuse you with yet another side to his musical personality. Don’t call him fickle, though. Try bored. Try excitable. Try unpredictable... And then some!

As Philippe Stark once famously said “I do not try to please everybody, I make what I can, how I can, when I can. […] I try to deserve to exist by doing my job well. I have this sickness called creativity and I exploit this sickness to offer new meaning in things to my friends. That’s it, very simple”

Riva humbly subscribes….

Driven from his Italian motherland by a compelling desire to reinvent, innovate (?) and progress (!), Riva has made London his home since 2008: A breath of freedom and fresh beats that allowed to him to wear his inspirations proudly beyond the sleeve and deep, deep, deep into the groove.

A Neapolitan cultural exile with a degree in Chinese literature; a passionate family guy who still manages to juggle a DJ schedule of over 200 international gigs a year, a label and production duties. How can you pigeonhole a man who never sits still?

From the dolce vita to Dalston, the Big Smoke’s open eared community and exciting cauldron of influences finally allowed him to truly make the records he wanted to make. In the past he’d produced house, techno, breakbeat, electro, pop, folk and everything in between. Here was the city where he could bring them together.

As the very name of his own label Snatch! suggests, Riva’s unpredictable “Magic Hat” selection keeps both him and us listeners on our toes. It’s kept him relevant, but more importantly, it’s kept him alive and kicking…

To Riva, though, he’s just doing his job, hoping to pick up new friends along the way.

It’s been like this from the very first releases. Having taken his previous guises as far as he could, his infamous debuts on Made To Play and DirtyBird were the result of anonymous MySpace demo entries. Refusing to rely on any kudos he’d developed before, Riva took a brave dive into a whole new world of beats and let the music speak for itself.

Since then he’s strutted with acts as varied as Noze and Balkan Beat Box, remixed Dennis Ferrer, Usher, Gossip and Estelle (to name a few) while future fix-ups include Fatboy Slim and Beardyman.

Never forgetting his roots, Riva records range with the wily eclecticism of all the ages; he strikes chords we can all relate to: from the DJs that have appreciated his work (from Tiesto to A-Trak, Jesse Rose to Annie Mac and Giles Peterson to David Rodigan) to you, me and everyone in between.

Throughout this mayhem, he’s been hard at work on the DJ circuit – with over 190 gigs in 2010 alone – strutting his stuff in some of the coolest venues on the planet such as Panorama Bar, Space, Womb and Fabric as well as some of the biggest festivals in the world from Fuji Rock to Global Gathering to Exit and beyond.

"His latest project, the first Snatch! WMC Compilation album, Batería Fantástica is a unique collection of exclusive & original South-American/Latin flavoured cuts hawking back to the original inspiration behind the Miami based conference... all made especially for this album by some of the coolest producers on the planet."(Resident Advisor)"

RIVA STARR PRESENTS: BATERIA FANTASTICA - MIAMI 2012 PART.1

Tracklist:
01) Riva Starr & DJ Sneak – Manduka (Riva Starr Cut)
02) Carl Cox & Jon Rundell – Caipiroska (Original Mix)
03) 2000 And One & DJ Madskillz – Los Olvidados (Original Mix)
04) Gonzalez & Gonzalo – La Fiesta (Original Mix)
05) &ME – Dios (Original Mix)

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Interview: (by Alexander Leblanc, for dukeofswabia.com)

First of all, where does the name Riva Starr come from?

DUKEOFSWABIA.COM Podcast #003 - VOSPER (+ Interview)

DUKEOFSWABIA.COM Podcast #003 - VOSPER

*see tracklist below

(via vosper.ca) "With roots firmly in the fertile ground of Dark Wave, EBM and Techno music, Vosper bring the listener to heady vistas of sound and tone. Where other groups wallow in the dank claustrophobia of retro-fetishism, Vosper's relentless enthusiasm for developing a singular musical voice, nourished on a shared past, guarantees the listener glimpses of, and participation in, the formation of a new sonic sensibility.

Formed by Montreal-based Edouard Le and Christopher Byron, the duo utilizes their own rich backgrounds to craft melancholic compositions in an analog mode for a digital age. Though both Le and Byron had previously collaborated, it wasn't until the formation of Vosper that the intangible qualities of their own musical ethos truly coalesced into an unique sonic world, coloured by visions of haunting pasts and future frontiers.

Through his involvement in various music projects, as well as djing in many cities alongside Andrew Weatherall, Green Velvet, Moby, Trentemoller, Dj Hell to name a few, and production and remix releases in multiple electronic music genres, Le has developed a deep understanding in production and remixing with a natural affinity for the dance floor.

In Christopher Byron, Le found a kindred spirit… Weaned on the sounds of new wave, alternative and industrial music, and particularly influenced by the genius of Alan Wilder, Byron's sound design skills and song-writing produce the melancholic strain that runs so deeply through Vosper.

Fuelled by an obsession for collecting vintage gear, the band's signature sound has been crafted using a select ensemble of hardware. Influenced by the music of early Human League, James Stinson, Nitzer Ebb and LFO, Le & Byron have fashioned an abrasively modern dynamic from the modes and mores of the past. Vosper is about the marriage of propulsive Teutonic beats to the melodic impulse of the Sheffieldian sound: muscular industrial-strength rhythm finding its highest expression in its companionship to the pensive and wistful despondency of memory.

Their debut release EP on highly regarded Parisian label Meant Records marks a great head start for this up and coming band."

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Interview: (by Alexander Leblanc, for dukeofswabia.com)

How did you two meet? How/Where did it all start?

Ed: "We actually met at work and happen to share the same office. With the similar interests in music and music technology, we decided to write some tracks and the studio chemistry just clicked."

Please explain the name 'Vosper' and how you came up with it.

Chris: "Vosper was the name of a ship builder in England, My Great Grandfather worked there."

Who were your early musical influences?

Chris: "I guess I would say that the bands which inspired me to start composing melodic songs were Skinny Puppy, Depeche Mode, NIN, and Front242."

Ed: "For me, the bands that lead me to Vosper was probably Human League, Dopplereffekt, Green Velvet, Anthony Rother, and Swayzak."

What is your academic background?

Chris: "Bachelor degree in Communications Studies with Specialization in sound."

Ed: "Bachelor degree in "Graphic Design."

It may be difficult to merge two minds into one. As a duo, how would you describe your "production process"?

DUKEOFSWABIA.COM Podcast #002 - AQUARIUS HEAVEN

DUKEOFSWABIA.COM Podcast #002 - AQUARIUS HEAVEN



*see Tracklist below

(via circuscompany.fr) "Aquarius Heaven might be new to the electronic music world, but he is no newcomer to the music scene as such: Aquarius Heaven, born Brian Brewster, is an ex reggae dancehall and hip hop singer. It was pure chance that Brian became involved with the electronic music scene after he moved to Paris in 2005, where he meet the Parisian electronic music trio dOP.

After spending hours in the studio with the three musicians, Brian’s musical sound was profoundly changed. Yet, we can still hear the colors of the Caribbean in his vocals, and since he is new to the genre, his music is unbound by the old rehashed sounds and limitations of the electronic music scene. All of this creates for a very interesting musical ride. It was during the Summer of 2010 when Aquarius Heaven was truly born: while recording the track “Universe,” Brian realized that he and Clement (of dOP) had the same birthday in February, so Brian created the name “Aquarius Heaven” under which to make electronic music.

This new chapter of his life was made official with the release of his track “Before U Go” on the Watergate 06 album, mixed by dOP. With the release of his first EP, titled “7 Days” (on Circus Company), Aquarius Heaven started generating buzz in the music world. Aquarius Heaven just recently released his “Can’t Buy Love” EP (on Wolf + Lamb), the single of which – paired with a dark-and-sexy music video – catapulted him into the world of music-blog buzz, before the EP was even officially released. Aquarius Heaven has only begun the journey that continues to accelerate day by day."


“Like dancehall, the electronic world has no boundaries. That’s one of the factors that I love about it, you can actually mix almost everything into it… a lot of people don’t, but I like breaking rules!” – Aquarius Heaven

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Tracklist:

Apparat - You Don´t Know Me - Octane
The subs - decontrol - Aquarius Heaven remix
Shirol - Taron Trekka
Go Away (Wareika Incandescence Resistance)
Jamie Woon - Night Air (Solomun edit)
Greenville Massive - Tone
Who's Afraid of Detroit - Claude Von Stroke
Robert Babicz - Dont look back
Pantha Du Prince - Saturn Strobe
Walk a mile in my shoes (henrik schwarz remix)

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Also, check out: Duke of Swabia Podcast #001 - LOUIE FRESCO

Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team - FABRICLIVE x MODA Mix

(via fabriclondon.com)

"Since 2009 the Sound Pellegrino label, fronted by Orgasmic and Teki Latex, who was once of French hip hop outfit TTC, has become a respected home to music that they themselves note “built itself on the ruins of loud big-beat-like fidget and overly distorted washing machine electro”. Together as a DJ team, Orgasmic and Latex perform as the Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team, a concept that enables them to warm you to their type of dance music in its optimal club setting.

It’s an outlook they’ve explored through their continuing podcast series (which, at the time of publication, is currently on its 61st instalment) as well as through the music they choose to present and release through their label. Notable recent releases on the imprint have come from Bok Bok & Tom Trago, Style of Eye, Noob and Malestrom; though the back catalogue boasts names like Para One, Bart B More, L Vis 1990, Gucci Vump, Solo and more amongst its ranks."


Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team - FABRICLIVE x MODA Mix




Tracklist:

Tone Loc - Wild thang - Delicious Vinyl
The Footclub - Driftwood (Work Remix #2) - Work
Marc Romboy, Kink - Don't Shake my tree - Ovum
Levon Vincent - Man or Misstress - Novel Sounds
Nina Kraviz - Ghetto Kraviz - Rekids
Richi Ahmed - Suck It - Hot Creations
Claude VonStroke and Jaw - Le fantôme - Dirtybird
Timbre - Mushroom - Cdr
Twilight 22 - Electric Kingdom instrumental - Vanguard
Maelstrom - Pool Chicks - Sound Pellegrino
Mikix The Cat and Dj MikeQ - Vibe - ADD Cat Records
French Fries - Yo Vogue - Dirtybird
Renaissance man - Stalker Humanoid (Dexter Remix) - Turbo Recordings
Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team - Bassface (Aquarius Heaven Remix) - Sound Pellegrino

DUKEOFSWABIA.COM Podcast #001 - LOUIE FRESCO (+ Interview)

DUKEOFSWABIA.COM Podcast #001 - LOUIE FRESCO





Biography: (via theblacklegagency)

"If we can define Louie Fresco in one word it would probably be "Versatile".

This multifaceted DJ and Producer from Mexico has single handedly put his hometown Mexicali B.C. on the map with his many original tracks and remixes.

Artists like Art Department, Maya Jane Coles, Deniz Kurtel, Mark Knight, Noir, Heidi, Solomun, Miguel Campbell, Russ Yallop, Siopis, James Teej, Flight Facilities, Tale Of Us, DJ Three, J Phlip, WildKats, The Crystal Method, Felix Da Housecat, Tommie Sunshine, Dirty Vegas, Deepgroove, Oliver Klein, NASA, John Roman, Lazaro Casanova, Larry Tee, and Junior Sanchez to name a few have played Louie's remixes and songs on many events including shows like Coachella, Winter Music Conference, Get Lost, Circoloco, and South by Southwest.

His DJing skills have earned him invites to share the stage or headline events all over the world with the most eclectic group of DJs out there. DJs like Boys Noize, Crookers, Felix Da Housecat, Steve Aoki, Marco Bailey, Desyn Masiello, Popof, NOOB, Martin Eyerer, Julian Jewell, Heidi, Damian Lazarus, Magda, Marc Houle, Pier Bucci, Uffie, Sharam, MSTRKRFT, Nic Fanciulli, M.A.N.D.Y., Justin Martin, Tiesto, Toy Selectah, Nadastrom, MightyFools, The Young Punx, Le CastleVania, Audiojack, Russ Yallop, Jamie Jones, A1 Bassline, Designer Drugs, Bird Peterson, Harvard Bass, L.A. Riots, The Crystal Method, LAZRtag, Nortec, Panoptica, Tommie Sunshine, Silver Surfer, Lee Foss, Treasure Fingers, The Rapture, DJ Bam Bam, Staccato, Lazaro Casanova, Catz N Dogz, Skrillex, The Bloody Beetroots; among others, while touring all over Mexico, USA, Canada, Spain, Poland, Germany, Netherlands and Ireland. All of these in less than 3 years.

But DJing is just his "weak side". What really makes heads turn it's his production skills. Louie started making music at the age of seventeen. 11 years and hundreds of tracks later we find that he has done (and it's doing) remixes for, originals, and song collaborations with artists such as Art Department, Etienne De Crecy, Tommie Sunshine, Peaches, Felix Da Housecat, Gtronic, Lady Gaga and Michael Bolton, Young Buck (G-Unit), Lee Foss, John Roman, Sergio Santos, Russ Yallop, Bunny Lake, Hot Pink Delorean, etc.

Interview: Anja Schneider (Mobilee Recs.)

ANJA SCHNEIDER / Mobilee records

"Anja Schneider is the Mobilee Records founder, broadcaster, internationally renowned DJ and producer once labeled a "perpetual motion machine", and one of the hardest working individuals in the business. From her beginnings in radio to the ‘Hi Five’ anniversary year of Mobilee, her ascension through the ranks has been fuelled by her strong work ethic, sharp tastemaker instinct, charming personality and innate musicality.

As a label head Anja Schneider has focused not only on discovering fresh talent, but also on cultivating and developing the Mobilee roster, pushing artists to challenge themselves and developing their careers as DJs and musicians. Under her guidance, Mobilee and its sister label Leena Music have grown into one of Berlin’s most-watched staples, with a close-knit collection of producers and musicians that carve out a distinct sound in a city teeming with electronic music.

With ears honed through years of experience, Anja Schneider’s achievements as a producer, DJ and label head are far from peaking. Her development as a one-of-a-kind artist and businesswoman is just the start of what we can expect from her evolution, as she builds Mobilee into the defining platform that stands in testament to the vision, passion, and love of music that drives her extended Mobilee team in all that they do, and all that will come."

Nov. 25, 2009 - www.mobilee-records.de/artists/anja-schneider

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Interview: (by Omar Diouf for dukeofswabia.com)


(Omar D.) So we know here at dukeofswabia.com that you love Montreal. Why is that? And how many times have you been here already?
(Anja S.) Montreal is an amazing city one of my favorite ! People and atmosphere is very inspiring. I ve benn there already 3 times and I m not getting tired to visit again.

We have interviewed Marcin Czubala earlier in 2011; he is really unbelievable. Any new babies on Mobilee for the beginning of 2012?
Yes we have Rio Schneider, 5 months old and my baby.

Could you tell us a bit more about the process of choosing new artists and signing them to the label? Do you get a lot of music sent to you?

Yes I got a lot of music and nowadays it's getting much more difficult to get new people that fit to us.
The music has to be very individual. Everything is possible and has to have an own character.
I don't want to have any copy of someone on Mobilee.

NYE 2K12 @ SAT

NOUVEL AN @ SAT from Society for Arts and Technology on Vimeo.

SLOW HANDS (Wolf & Lamb) @ Grenier de L'auberge Saint-Gabriel ! Dec. 23rd

(interview by: Omar Diouf, for Duke of Swabia.com) 


Hello Ryan , so first of all, let me tell you we are really excited to have you in Montreal !

Is it your first time coming here? How do you feel about our city?


It is my first time! which is absolutely mental, as i grew up in Vermont, only a five or so hours away! I just never really had the opportunity for some reason, but i am very excited. I have played for the same promoter (Ahmed) in Tunisia, and it was maybe the best party i have ever played my life! so my expectations are high ;) (Not to mention that i have heard you harbor some of the most beautiful women in the world! :)


I (Omar) really enjoyed your EP with Benoit & Sergio - Covers, can u tell us more about it ? And how the collaboration went down?

Haha, it was actually a birthday present i did for Gadi (w+l) a few years ago when we first met. It was a song that he loved and was playing a lot at the time, so i thought it appropriate to cover for him to play if he needed. He was so appreciative that it took him nearly two years to find a song he thought would fit, and, obviously, Benoit & Sergio provided the perfect (amazing) cover to go with it!


I was lucky to live in NYC when the Wolf & Lamb phenomenon started around 2008. How do you feel about what the label achieved in the past few years?

Wow, they have achieved an amazing amount! I mean, they hold a roster/found of some of the most successful talent of present. I just feel so fortunate to call all of those guys friends and family, and look back on all of our achievements and work towards them with an amazing amount of pride.


Can you tell us a bit more about your background? When did u start producing, why ?

I grew up in Vermont, moved to Philadelphia to attend school for classical and jazz guitar and composition. Left after a year, moved to NYC, shortly followed by Tom Croose (the other eventual half of Worst Friends), and just made music together, and solo until i met Gadi and Zev from W+L. The rest speaks for itself i think.

I began making music because it felt natural, it's really all i know how to do (aside from bartending). I am just happy people have taken a bit of notice and allow me to do this for a living now.

Which upcoming artists should we pay attention to for the upcoming year in your humble opinion? :)

Ooof! Hmmm. . . . Tom Croose, Pional, Mano Le Tough, No Regular Play, Perseus, Eddie Mars, Goldroom, Cosmic Kids, Beg To Differ, Soho 808, Alexander Holland, Pink Stallone, Turbotito, Cosmonauts . . . to name a few (and some of these boys are already quite well established)


Last but not least, anything new coming up for Slow Hands?

Lots of forthcoming remixes, originals, Worst Friends and Male Madame work . . . . time off maybe ? ;)



Thank you so much ! SEE YOU ON THE DANCEFLOOR :)



You guys know what to do :)

RSVP HERE ======> https://www.facebook.com/events/128274850619191/?ref=ts

Maya Jane Coles - Focus Now EP

There are very few artists who have made as much impact in such a short space of time as Maya Jane Coles.  At only 23 years old she has burst not only onto the House Music scene but also into dubstep with her Nocturnal Sunshine project and live electronics with She is Danger.

"Maya has sat at the top of both the Beatport and RA charts with her previous releases on Real Tone, Hypercolour and Mobilee as well as a run of remixes for Crosstown Rebels, Defected and Leftroom.  So it was a massive pleasure that Maya chose 2020Vision for her next full single release.  When we discussed the project with her we agreed it was vital to put together a single that truly reflected her diverse tastes and skills" - 2020Vision

The title track Focus Now (see clip below) is a unique work that will be hard to even categorise. Reminiscent of early Mathew Johnson records, Focus Now features delicate synth sequences weaving in and out of intricate rhythms. It sounds amazing on big systems, like at Fabric, where it was road tested by Ralph Lawson at the recent 2020Vision party.  It is one to drop at the right time to make a real change in mood and set direction.

Finger Lickin' Gold

Oh this is a MUST-attend, a do-NOT-miss, a be-there-EARLY! It is also an early candidate for Booking of the Year for this year's Duke Awards, going down at perhaps the Venue of the Year: Le Belmont.


Elephant & Castle and Black Tiger Sex Machine present :

TREASURE FINGERS [Fool’s Gold, Defected]

Throw a predrink on your terrace, wear those Ray Bans past sundown and come celebrate the start of the summer season. Because in this city, we don’t wait for snow to melt to take our shirts off and enjoy a cold one among friends. And with no exams in sight, your only worry is to decide who’s got the first round.
...
On April 29th, because we know you’re going big, we’re stepping up. After a successful rehearsal at Ultra Music Festival in Miami, Treasure Fingers will team up with hometown heroes Black Tiger Sex Machine, Seb Diamond and Flash Decks to boombox your face.


Skirts & Rollerblades
Ray Bans & Cherry Cokes
Monaco Disco Swag & Poolside Love Affair

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BUY TICKETS HERE: http://www.wantickets.com/Events/ShowEvent.aspx?eventId=88415

IN STORES:
Off The Hook (1021 Ste-Catherine W)
Moog Audio (3828 St-Laurent)
Alibi Boutique (506 Rachel E.)

OR CALL:
Guillaume Drouin Garneau (514-249-6459)
Phil Vézina (514-568-9936)
Amine Ouadahi (514-712-7763)

PRESALE $15
DOOR $20

BOTNEK - Plonk EP

BOTNEK. Remember the name. Montreal-based house music duo will be releasing their debut Plonk EP on Swedish imprint Discobelle Records on May 9th, 2011. This production team- already behind an illustrious track record of remix work- has been building a strong buzz in the past year around their name and unique blend of house, afrobeat, and tropical rhythms.

I remember meeting one half of Botnek, Gordon, for the first time at Vinyl Lounge a while back. At the time, the name Botnek rang a bell because of a Felix Cartal remix I had heard (they won a remix competition for Dim Mak Records, for Felix Cartal‘s single "Skeleton"). The super friendly newcomer to Montreal handed me a demo CD, which I listened to the following day. It blew me away and was on repeat the whole week.

Now they're tearing up local parties, turning heads and causing hangovers, armed with killer tracks and charming personalities. They're a step ahead of the competition with their fun, unique sound and quality productions. BBC Radio 1 DJs including Kissy Sell Out, Jaymo, and Andy George are praising the merits of Botnek's production on their program "In New DJs We Trust" and spreading their club-friendly gems from Canada to the international airwaves. Among other early supporters of Botnek, the likes of Sidney Samson, Malente, Hostage, BeatauCue, Supabeatz, and Foamo have been blessing dancefloors worldwide with Botnek's signature sound.

Now ready to deliver a full EP of original production, the duo have chosen Discobelle Records- sibling of the highly-regarded electronic music site Discobelle.net- as a home for their debut Plonk. This 5-track EP includes four original compositions and an afrobeat-inspired remix of the title track "Plonk." Tracklist below.

DORIAN CONCEPT @ CFC

Your Friends on Clark Street Present:

TONIGHT! Thursday, April 7th

DORIAN CONCEPT (LIVE - Kindred Spirits, Austria)
www.myspace.com/dorianconcept

Dorian Concept is a Vienna based composer and musician, a child piano prodigy who went onto study music composition in Salzburg. His fusion of jazz, electronics and club music is as exciting as it is unique.

Dorian, aka Oliver Johnson, has released a string of extraordinary singles and EPs on Affine Records, Ninja Tune and Kindred Sprits, most notably the 'Trilingual Dance Sexperience' release in 2009, and is somewhat of a YouTube star (his online tweaks get over 200,000 hits). He was asked by Flying Lotus to play at his Brainfeeder Event in London in 2009 and joined his band on keyboards for his latest shows. Next to touring through Europe, Asia and Australia, he has gotten support from the likes of Gilles Peterson, Mary Anne Hobbs, Benji B and many more.

+

Jacques Greene (Night Slugs, LuckyMe)
Joe Shabadu (LuckyMe, Bauce Networks)
Rilly Guilty (Lookout)
Seb Diamond (Night Trackin')


@ CFC (formerly Zoobizarre), 6388 St-Hubert

PRESALE TICKETS @ http://bit.ly/gKt4Jo
10$ at the door

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FACEBOOK EVENT

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Check out:

Interview: TOM ELLIS (UK, Trimsound)

Introduced to the scene in 2003, with releases on Mindtours and Morris/Audio citysport, he enveloped himself in the world of electronic music and embraced the technology behind it.

His recent live project with Leif, co-founder of his label Trimsound, has taken him all over the world headlining some high profile club nights in Tokyo, Cologne, Munich, Budapest, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Leeds, Bristol and more.

His unique blend of funked-up, jazz-inspired house and techno can be found on such labels as Logistic Records, Hartchef Discos, Floppy Funk, Mindtours, Frankie, True to Form and many more, including a lot of the growing underground netlabels. (source: trimsound.co.uk)

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Interview: (by Omar Diouf + Alexander Leblanc)

DUKES: When and how did you first get into production/DJ and what still motivates you to do it today?

Tom Ellis: I think I was about 16 when I got my first sampler. I've been completely obsessed with the idea of making music ever since. My dad used to put on big parties up in the woods around north Wales, so I'd sometimes get the chance to play a few records in some crazy settings. It all grew from those experiences and a kind of never ending quest to try and improve my work.

Interview: MOWGLI

Italian born DJ and producer Mowgli began his career humbly in the north Italian village where he grew up. With few nightclubs to really get lost in and no happening music scene to speak of, Mowgli felt compelled to make his own sounds and made do with a cheap keyboard and sampler. It wasn’t long before he discovered hip-hop, immersing himself in the lifestyle and culture before moving to pastures new in Bologna. Once there, Mowgli indulged in all manner of illegal rave diversions until fixing up and making the move to the London in 2006.

Mowgli has spent the past four years consistently creating high level quality productions spanning many different genres of electronic dance music. His own distinctively groovy sound stands out from the rest, making him one of most sought after producers worldwide - with remix requests and releases from artists including X-Press 2, Santogold, Martin Solveig, Armand Van Helden, Tommy Sparks and Tricky amongst many others.

After starting his own label "DeadFish" back in 2008, the label has gone from strength to strength. Releases like “London To Paris”, “I Want Everything”, “We Think Its Cool” and “Caraibi” have really pricked the ears of the industry and grabbed the attention of the underground house scene.

Supported by radio play from the likes of Pete Tong, Annie Mac, Xfm and Kiss, releases from the label have commanded attention the world over.

Back on the DJ front, tours of Europe have seen Mowgli grace the decks regularly in the best European clubs and festivals. As well as this, tours of Australia, South and North America, South Africa and Asia where always an enormous success and other visits in these countries are planned in the coming year.

2011 will see Mowgli immersing himself in deeper shades of house and techno, whilst still retaining his unique sound and sense of fun that he and the Deadfish label have become known for.
(source: Mainstage Artists)


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Interview: (by Omar Diouf + Alexander Leblanc)


DUKES: When and how did you first get into production/DJ and what still motivates you to do it today ?

I started doing hip hop beats when I was around 15-16 years old with an old sampler and a keyboard. The result wasn't that great of course, but I really loved being in studio and experiment with sounds and I guess its what motivate me still today... I simply need to make music to be happy


DUKES: Who were your early musical influences?

Interview: Masomenos (WTM, Cocoon)

BIO:
The so funky duo Masomenos is a productive partnership between Joan Costes, graphic designer and DJ, and Adrien de Maublanc, music producer and AD. When they met in 2006, they almost immediately started working together, expressing themselves throughout different medias such as image, videos, and sound, finding in Masomenos a great playground for their creativity.

Bon Voyage was the perfect first project as it was a combination of both their specialty (half selection/half production). It ended up being a one hour bootlegged musical journey that brought them enough positive feedback to keep on this path.

Though, they both kept on doing what they were doing before they met: As Joan was digging records and spending time behind the decks, Adrien was building up his studio, and defining his production style.

The next step was to create their own label, as they understood it would be the best way to fully express themselves musically to the universe, but also visually, as this was also important part of their work. They continue to develop this side of their musical activities.

Eventually, Masomenos began getting requests for gigs, and naturally they proposed 2 acts under the same name, Joan doing a dj set, and Adrien playing live.

Though it was a bit complicated in the beginning, they insisted, as it was for them the only way to present what Masomenos IS: 2 individual personalities, inspiring each other with their work, and looking in the same direction.

This duo has given birth to 3 albums, and over 25 eps, opened a shop, and made lots of design collaborations, but that's another part of the story...

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Interview: (by Omar Diouf + Alexander Leblanc)

DUKES: When and how did you first get into production/DJ and what still motivates you to do it today?

Joan: i was working as a graphic designer, doing artwork for a label. Bettino, who owned the label, also owned a record shop, and payed my work with vinyls…i eventually got some decks home and started to play around with my few records. took a while before i could start sharing it. When i met Adrien, we both got in a more clubby direction with our sound. We are now very lucky to play in really great place, and this is what keep us motivated also. When you have the first time this communion with the crowd it becomes pretty addictiv :)

Adrien: I bought my first sampler in 1999. music then was just like going to sport or a psy :)


DUKES: Who were your early musical influences?

Panton- March 2011 Medley

Local-turned-international sensation Panton has cooked up a mini mix of his latest and upcoming releases. I remember hearing a few of these during his set at Igloofest, which was, I must add, one of my favorite sets of the event. Panton never disappoints with his creative, flawless mixing and cerebral, tasteful quality productions. Have a listen, hear for yourself:


  PANTON MARCH 2011 MEDLEY by Panton


Tracklisting :
D-Fine "95" (Panton Remix) - It_Tizz
2 Bears "Work It Out" (Panton Remix) - Southern Fried
Keith & Supabeatz "El Dorado" (Panton Remix) - Southern Fried
Panton "909 Culture" - Southern Fried
Panton VS Keith & Supabeatz "Liquidance" - Southern Fried
Tuff Wheelz "Listen To Me" (Panton Remix) - The Dead Speaker Office

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Now that you're dying to get your hands on his tracks, simply follow the Beatport link below:
PANTON - ALL TRACKS - Beatport

To check out the full 'Southern Fried & Tested 3' release, click on the link below:
Southern Fried & Tested 3 (Unmixed Version)- Southern Fried Records - Beatport

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Links:
soundcloud.com/panton
twitter.com/pantonmusic
myspace.com/pantonmusic 

Interview: Marcin Czubala (Mobilee)

BIOGRAPHY:

Marcin Czubala is not your typical techno artist. He is Mobilee record’s maestro, with a grounding in classical orchestration and an instinct for intricate sound design.

Marcin’s work stems from a broad range of influences, yet always bears his unmistakable signature. From the spare, bleepy minimalism of his debut album Chronicles of Never on Mobilee, to explorations of disco, electronic pop and deep house with Mobilee Back to Back Vol. 5, Marcin’s work is overlaid with undulating grooves that are full of unpredictable twists and inexplicable turns that artfully draw the listener into the suspense.

Hailing originally from Poland, Marcin trained extensively in classical music theory and composition in the city of Poznan. Between 1991 and 1994 he performed in over 300 concerts, including the Nantes Festival, Warsaw Autumn, and performances with experimental music luminary Krzysztof Penderecki. Once he had graduated from music school, Marcin began branching out into the world of DJing and electronic production. He began releasing his own productions that were as equally influenced by his musical past as they were by the emergent sounds of Brighton techno and experimental electronica. As prolific as he is prodigious, Marcin had a myriad of releases for labels such as Neue Heimat and Morris Audio by the time he joined forces with mobilee in 2007.

Marcin hit the ground running for Mobilee, releasing two singles in just six months, followed by Chronicles of Never, which garnered critical acclaim for its wide sonic palette, willful experimentation and dancefloor appeal. From the lithe, dynamic and atmospheric soundscapes of his album debut, through shifts towards housier climes on Loose The Man and Zoo Communale, Marcin has now come full circle, back to live instruments, vocal harmonies and
organic arrangements for Mobilee Back to Back Vol. 5.

Split between curated mobilee cuts and a complete album of exclusive new material, Marcin's approach to mobilee Back to Back is best described by Marcin himself: “CD #1 is my choice of the best tracks of mobilee, it's my presentation of the label's vision and musical diversity. The 2nd CD is a long play album, I have no doubt. The main idea was to make this project very organic, using live instrumentation and working with musicians and vocalists. Genres interact together; it's really beyond a classic compilation concept." From its dance floor groovers, to its ambient soundscapes and across its classic pop arrangements, mobilee Back to Back showcases Marcin’s flair for irresistible rhythms, and his instinct for melody.

Marcin continues to expand his sound with mobilee and through each of his releases. Inspired by
minimal techno and house, but not bound to its bare-bones idealism, he continues to forge a sound that is his alone, in testament to the vision, passion, and love of music that continues to drive the extended mobilee team in all that they do, and all that will come. (source: RA)

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INTERVIEW: (by Omar Diouf + Alexander Leblanc)


DUKES: When and how did you first get into production/DJ and what still motivates you to do it today ?

Interview: Matt Tolfrey (UK, Leftroom)

BIOGRAPHY:

"Growing up in the Middle East it wasn’t until he returned home that his career started in Nottingham with residencies at the historic club the Bomb and more recently at Stealth. Here in the heart of the city’s club culture is where he continues to hold a residency. This quickly led to regular slots at Fabric and further afield in the USA and Germany.

Always keen to experiment with new ideas and take risks he started the Leftroom label in 2005 with his own productions beginning to see releases on reputable labels such as Crosstown Rebels and Skint. Tolfrey sought after an avenue to release his peer’s music and open up opportunities for friends that he believed in.

The first release was entitled ‘The Extended Family EP’ encapsulating the spirit of Leftroom, a place where a core set of artists could grow and experiment with their sound. The Leftroom family now consists of a few key artists now including MarcAshken, Inxec, Eric Johnston and Glimpse.

After remarkable success with the first few releases and securing a homegrown and exceptional roster Tolfrey was asked to commence a label night at T Bar, London’s hub of creativity in the house and techno scene. Hosting nights alongside those of Andrew Weatherall, Ivan Smagghe and Craig Richards allowed Tolfrey to invite and play with friends and muses while sharing memorable dancefloor moments.

As his plan to achieve global domination took firm root, two more sub-labels were born into the family. Leftroom Limited has the purpose of releasing peak-time records while Leftout is a home for lesser-known artists who deserve some attention. He also runs Is This label and has proved his A&R capabilities are pin-point securing one of 2007’s biggest tracks, Ito & Star’s ‘Suduko Kid’ and one of 2008’s biggest crossover tracks, Rocha and Lewinger’s ‘Down Seq’.

Alongside propelling three labels Tolfrey also DJs globally with notable gigs for Sunday School for Degenerates in Miami, regular dates at Fabric, Mulletover in Ibiza and Panorama Bar and Watergate in Berlin amongst many. His productions and remixes have been released on Cocoon Recordings, Crosstown Rebels, Get Physical and Saved and he has collaborated with MarcAshken, Inxec, Glimpse, Eric Johnston and Delete.

So how did he come so far so quickly? The answer is simple. Matt is a workaholic with a seemingly tireless dedication to forging his own unique style and bringing life to the scene around him. Drawing on everything from deep house and techno, through to stripped down beats, he's spawned his own hybrid strain of electronic funk. Anyone lucky enough to have already witnessed Matt in action will know that his particular brand of wobbly house and techno has the power to win hearts and destroy minds on the dance floor." (source: RA)

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INTERVIEW: (by Omar Diouf + Alexander Leblanc)


DUKES: Hello Matt ! First of all…we are here to talk about Music, a passion we all share so what I want to ask you is, how did you first get into production/DJ and what still motivates you to do it today?

Interview: TEKI LATEX (Sound Pellegrino)

Saturday, March 19th. Mark your calendars. Day 2 of the I Love Neon + Highfood Festival, starring Jesse Rose, and SOUND PELLEGRINO THERMAL TEAM (Teki Latex + Orgasmic).

Duke of Swabia is super excited and looking forward to that night! We had a few questions for Teki Latex before he takes over the S.A.T alongside his partner DJ Orgasmic.
Check out the exclusive Duke of Swabia interview below.

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Bio: (source: Resident Advisor)

It doesn't take an expert in musical genres and movements to find out that since the last few months, a new musical family has built itself on the ruins of loud big-beat-like fidget and overly distorted washing machine electro. Inspired by the "less is more" ethics of minimal techno as much as the DIY/sample-anything-as-long-as-it's-got-attitude" philosophy of hip-hop, this new un-named form of groovy and refreshing house music is rising and Institubes' new "little brother label" Sound Pellegrino is proud to be on the forefront of such an exciting phenomenon.

Curated by renowned DJs and taste makers Orgasmic and Teki Latex, (from pioneer electronic hip hop outfit TTC - Teki also happens to be one of the founders of Institubes), Sound Pellegrino has quickly established itself as one of the labels to look out for in 2009, releasing singles by Renaissance man, Zombie Disco Squad, Harvard Bass, Momma's Boy and Douster and generating interest by A-List DJs from all ends of the dance music spectrum such as Laidback luke, Mowgli, A-Trak, Bart B more, Sinden, Pete tong, Riva starr, Chloé to name a few.

Today Orgasmic and Teki latex, the two public faces of the label, unite to form the Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team and they are ready to take that movement to a club near you. Even though their teaming up behind the turntables is rather recent, these two have known each other for 15 years and have released countless collaborations. Going through various musical phases, they have always kept a will to explore forward-thinking dance music that will make the crowd go crazy without sounding stale and outdated. Mixing ingredients ranging from tribal rhythms, pumping tech house and mini baltimore to warped funky sounds with a slice of club rap thrown in for good mesure, the Thermal Team's mineral cocktail promises to bring something refreshing and bubbly to the table. With already 3 mixes acclaimed by the blogosphere under their belt, as well as remixes and original productions as the SP Thermal Team in the works, this new combination of already well established forces is ready to take the house music world by storm.

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Interview: (by Alexander Leblanc)

Duke: When/How did you first get into production/DJ and what still motivates you to do it today?

Teki: My "production" skills are limited to sitting in the studio with Orgasmic, Para one, or anyone of my collaborators, and telling him i want my drums to sound more this way or that way, and i want the melody to go "da da da di" instead of "da da da da"... i'm not really touching the hardware and i don't know how to use abelton or anything. I just know what i want and i learned that by hanging with talented producers for hours and hours in studios since my TTC days.
When it comes to deejaying i was always fiddling around with the turntables before and after ttc shows or during the parties we used to throw, but i bought a pair of CDJs 3 and a half years ago so i guess that's when i started taking the art of DJing very seriously.

Basically it was around the time when my solo album dropped. It was very different from what i was doing with my rap group TTC, it was a pop album made by a guy who wished he was a pop singer, but who really kind of wasn't? Anyway I wasn't really comfortable with the idea of going on tour and giving people a live version of my album, because it meant forming a new band with actual instruments and rehearsing with that band, starting from scratch, doing all the shitty venues we had already played with TTC (a nightmare i didn't want to go through again), being the only vocalist on stage and all sorts of things i wasn't ready to do. So i never got around to putting together this version of my solo live show, yet people still wanted to see me perform and promote my album in a "live" context. So i started doing DJ sets instead, and people loved it and kept asking for it.

Obviously i sucked at first but it soon became a real passion and something i would take really seriously. I didn't want to be that singer/rapper/entertainer guy who was pretending to be a DJ and who would just play random songs without beat-matching or anything. I've been hanging out with DJs all my life and i always was a real lover of dance music, so that kind of set a standard for me.


Duke: Who were your early musical influences?

Teki: My early early influences were things i saw on TV as a child, 80's synth pop, cheesy french and italo disco, tv show themes, Michael Jackson, Talk Talk, Teenage mutant ninja turtles, Technotronic, whatever. Then came Hip hop and later on, house music, even though it was always kind of present in the background... more or less consciously.


Duke: How did you meet your partner in crime DJ Orgasmic?