I’ve decided that I’m going to take 20 minutes out of my ViaOne train-ride-pre-party, to post a track that is currently melting the faces off of all those within my aural radius. To paint the complete picture, the electroTO extended family is currently on a voyage to Montreal where we’ll soon be reaching Velvet nightclub, all in an attempt to support Turbo Recordings and their recent signing of Toronto-duo Azari & III. The evening has had a promising start, and we’d recommend that you stay tuned to our Twitter Account for (somewhat) regular updates.
The electronic ingenuity that is sparking the magical energy of the moment is a cut from the Get The Curse cloth (which we made light of not too long ago), specifically from the Portuguese duo known as Photonz. Their piece entitled Plague Of The New Age, while brilliant in its own right, was truly brought to life by Spanish DJ/Producer Maceo Plex aka Maetrik. For time’s sake, I won’t say much more than that, just check this one out and pretend it’s already 3am.
Once again, blogging superpower electroTO has teamed up with promotion mastermind The Faktory to bring you an event that combines all things beautiful about Toronto’s electronic music scene. The latest edition features a very dear guest, making his North American debut, and more specifically, one of the most promising DJ talents in the world.
In the spring of 2009, we stumbled upon an infantile tech-house label based out the UK by the name of Deadfish Audio (a label that we’ve repeatedly flaunted on this very space). Spearheaded by lead-man Mowgli, the steady stream of innovative releases opened our eyes to a very refreshing take on house music, and left a lasting impression that eventually won our unquestioned support.
Thursday August 26th will celebrate the man who is arguably the diamond jewel of the Deadfish Audio crew, both as a DJ & as a producer — Camel. With three stellar EP releases and a whole slew of incredible remixes in the last year and a half, Camel has asserted himself as the most sought out young producer in the house and tech house game. Period. Mark this one on your calendar, it’s going to be special.
A huge weekend for the local scene, with Toronto-based DJs sprouting up in clubs and bars across the entire city. It’s an especially notable weekend for Riviera who will be celebrating a release party on Thursday, as well as opening up for Dj Gina Turner at The Social on Saturday. Other weekend highlights include a very intriguing booking at This Is London, of all places, on your Friday evening. This event will feature both Autoerotique and the Stickin’ magician, Mr. SonicC. All-in-all, another really fancy docket of events to enjoy.
Being my first post as a member of THE premier Toronto electronic music source, I’m feeling immense pressure to live up to the good name of the place I now call home. That said, I’m all about cutting edge. After much soul searching and reflection, I can safely say with the help of the homeboys I can satisfy our need to bring you the latest and greatest, but also show love and respect to an epicentre and hub of techno music: Berlin!
The exotic vibe, foreign flow and general hypnotic powers of the latest Jens Bond offering make his EP Good Woman a growing necessity in any Techno collection. A hot release from a staple in Berlin’s Highgrade Records, Bond brings a strong set of organ progressions, along with a surprisingly funky bass line. Highgrade, notorious for their reliance on and love affair with vinyl, has been a strong presence in Berlin since the turn of the millennium, with founder Tom Clark maintaining a legendary presence in the city since the early ’90s. It is safe to say anything coming from Highgrade will give you sufficient bang for any buck you drop.
Bond’s tracks on Good Woman gives listeners the familiar German feel, with an infusion of exotic organs and alien synths, giving the track an undeniable bounciness that will have you “cum all over the floor” (That comes directly from the horse’s mouth, Jens himself!).
As I sit on my throne bouncing away, I look forward to finding tracks in the future to match the intensity and strength of this one, and am SUPER proud and excited to continue sharing my findings with you as long as people make music!
We’re now past the midpoint of August, and the majority of us are left wondering where this summer has evaporated to. To call a spade a spade, let me state that this summer has been a real treat, filled with star-studded events, the Summer Sessions Mix Series (volume I, volume II & volume III), and of course, unrestrained debauchery, regardless of the venue. The looming end of summer also suggests that our days of shamelessly posting amorous disco tunes are seemingly numbered. We say this because the aura of a sub 120-bpm track just doesn’t seem to have the same effect when the weather isn’t warm, breezy, and inviting.
To seize the final half of August, and to celebrate the summer that was, we’re posting perhaps one of the most talked-about tracks of the moment– that being the Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas remix of The Chemical Brothers’ Swoon. This epic adaption appeared in sets by disco giants Villa, and Aeroplane, proceeding to startle the keenest of ears from then forward. It’s all in the organic instruments here, with countless guitars in the fold, an alluring bassline, and a vocal that possesses more cheeze than your favorite combo #3.
Never a dull moment in this city, honestly. This weekend brings you all sorts of dancefloor fiestas, with the reputable promoters in dubstep, techno and house, all doing top notch work. One thing of note, be sure to check out the many talented Canadian DJs like Nacho Lovers, Grahmzilla, Merk Meny, Hatchmatik and more, all making appearances at their respective venues this weekend. Moreover, the back-end of the weekend is particularly heavy with HARD Festival coming to town at the KoolHaus, featuring names like Crystal Castles, Sinden, and Rusko. If the bigroom isn’t really your thing for the Saturday, the Faktory always has your back.
On August 6th, we were pretty bewildered to see our oft-adored Made To Play label signing off on their first Play It Down release, but the results rendered by the inaugural work did not fail to impress. The abruptly-formed sub-label by Jesse Rose was erected to provide a much more focused approach to house music, for snobby purists seeking the most classic elements, while leaving out “the crazy b-lines”.
Play It Down also made headlines, not only for its musical quality, but for the unique approach to label promotion — or as Rose put it — “no press, no big mail outs, no hype”. Indeed, the label itself surfaced with some harsh criticism toward their willingness (or lack their of) to distribute promotional material. Mr. Rose’s reaction was swift, orchestrating a number of contemptuous Twitter rants explaining that the music from Play It Down will simply “sell itself”. Rose also suggested that the label’s peculiar methods were not trying to combat piracy, rather, a genuine attempt to provide fresh music; and with that, we can’t argue.
At the bottom of this juicy and dramatic story, is a very catchy tune from Oliver $, a dude who we’re big fans of, and have featured here before. The beat, the sample, and the tune’s addictive aura are all non-stop groove, presenting us with a gentle reminder that some of the best tunes are often the simplest.
One Toronto-based duo has made it their vocation to bring techno to the masses. Tonight marks a very important night in the lives of both Gingy & Bordello, and it doubles as an opportunity for all electronic music fans in Toronto to rejoice as well. Tonight, of course, is the Vaporizer EP Release Party at the often-imitated, never-duplicated, Faktory Saturday, hosted at The Social (1100 Queen Street West). A celebration of masterful production, incomparable deejaying, and a much anticipated release on August 13th (Beatport).
Vaporizer is a single that has floated around exclusive circles since it was originally produced in the fall of 2009, gradually picking up steam, and eventually making appearances on several notable mixes, including Brodinski’s widely acclaimed Mystery Mix Volume II. The track was soon picked up by UK-based record-label This Is Music, the taste-makers responsible for the release of DJ Mujava’s Township Funk, as well as Boy 8-Bit’s two latest EPs.
This marks a huge breakout for both Gingy & Bordello, and also represents a giant leap in Toronto’s unfaltering climb toward electronic relevance, on a global stage. With dudes like Rynecologist garnering international attention on BNR, Ed Banger (and soon to be Turbo), we’re finally beginning to see some much-deserved international acclaim for our local talent. On that note, be sure to check the preview of the Rynecologist remix, as well as the original, directly below.
This weekend kicks off with a resounding clap, nu-disco style, with In Flagranti poised to hit the decks at Wrongbar, and bring the dfloor to a simmer. No doubt this is a rare opportunity to witness one of the unquestioned biggest names in the disco resurgence, made so popular in 2009. The weekend continues with a massive tribute to Toronto’s electronic music scene at The Great Hall (equipped with a tantalizing after-party line-up), as well as a star-studded cast at Mod-Club. Finally, Saturday, the main event in our humble eyes is the much anticipated release party for Gingy & Bordello’s “Vaporizer” EP. This one has the makings of a serious bender.
“A whirlwind of talent is set to strike down on Australia from all corners of the globe, and this is the soundtrack to that destruction. Crikey! Finland’s Sharkslayer, France’s Beataucue, and Canada’s own, Neoteric are set to reach down under this month. They’ve combined like the U.N. to bring you this mix of the latest and greatest tunes you may not have heard yet, but are sure to love. Check out the tour dates posted below, and go see the boys when they come throughy your town!”
Some very special mention to local boys of Bordello, Gingy and Rynecologist for being featured on the mix. This marks one of the very first official interweb appearances of Ryne’s adaptation of the hugely popular Vaporizer release, set to drop very, very soon on UK label, This Is Music. Peep the full tracklist below for the complete set of goods — too many quality tunes to mention; Neoteric has done it again!
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Tracklist:
01 MOWGLI // Belly Dance (Solo Remix)
02 LA RIOTS // Bombah (Mowgli Remix)
03 HEADSHOTBOYZ // NIA
04 THE SHOES // Stay the Same (Harvard Bass Remix)
05 MOM & DAD // Bazic
06 FOAMO // Here Comes
07 NUJAX // Beat Gon Boom
08 SMALLTOWN ROMEO // Love Tempo (Malente Remix)
09 GINGY & BORDELLO // Vapourizer (Rynecologist Remix)
10 MANARE // Voodoo
11 FLUTUANCE & DREAMTIME // Make
12 YEAH! WOHO! // Pushing
13 EMPERATRON // King Riddim (Sharkslayer remix)
14 DOOZE JACKERS FT. WES DE GRAAF // Euh!
15 CANBLASTER // Chicken Run (Rob Threezy remix)
16 SAM TIBA // Barbie Weed (Subkittenz remix)
17 GREEN VELVET // Harmageddon
18 NAVEY // Six Million
19 LA RIOTS // I Want To
20 TONY SENGHORE // Burnin’
21 BEATAUCUE // Untitled
22 NOOB // Benga
23 SAVAGE SKULLS & DOUSTER // Bad Gal (Crookers Remix)
24 LASERKRAFT 3D // Nein Mann
25 SKRILLEX // With your Friends
