This is just an amazing mix, though quite contemporary. I found it today after a friend told me about this new site, www.funkyhousemusic.com that I should pay a visit. The best part of the mix in my opinion is from around 78 minutes into the mix which is 119 minutes long. And at 86:28 you’ll hear a beautiful incorporated part of Chic’s Everybody Dance in the mix. The Twelves who have put together this mix are a couple of Brazilian guys that has gotten quite a lot of attention in the DJ-sphere recently.
This post is the first post where i try to use the audio function that WordPress provides so I hope it will work out as I have planned. If it works out well i will probably use it more in the future since it means that I can put up songs that are practically impossible to find on YouTube and not worth trying to upload there because of copyright issues. But in general i will rely on the vast repository of music clips on YouTube which has served me so well for the last three years.
If you want to download this mix you can do it HERE, simply right click the link and choose “Save link as….” and then save it on your hard drive wherever it suits you best.
I saw the movie, Funny People, recently. In this movie, Seth Rogan’s character asks the girl he is interested in, “Do you like music?” Her response was, “Did you just ask me if I like music?” Like duh dip shit, who doesn’t like music. Quite a funny scene and it just shows the awkwardness of trying to pursue the opposite sex. However, this post is not about dating, movies or Seth Rogan’s awkwardness when pursuing a babe, this post is about music. I have so many people ask what I am listening to, or what they should be listening to or for me to recommend music to them. So without further ado I present to you the ten eleven albums, in no specific order, that had the heaviest rotation on my iPod in 2009.
1. Kings of Leon – Only By the Night
This album is very reminiscent of old 1970’s southern rock. It has sort of a nostalgic feel to it and all the remixes I have heard are epic.
2. Kid Kudi – Man on the Moon
What could be better than a rapper who write thoughtful lyrics that don’t mind someone dream about materialistic bullshit? Nothing, that’s why Kid Cudi is so damn good.
3. Damien Rice – O
Not an album from 2009, but this post isn’t about the best albums of 2009, it’s about what I was listening to 2009. While I was in Reno at school, this album was relaxing for homework and was also so great for when I missed Madeline and Kether. O is emotional, beautiful and amazing. Please listen to “Amie” if you haven’t already.
4. The Decemberists – The Crane Wife
I might be biased towards anything the Decemberists put out because they are from Portland, but then again I offer no apologies, this is my blog and it is about my music tastes. This album you can listen to through and through… without changing tracks. The track that shines – “O Valencia”. Check it!
5. Lady Gaga – The Fame
Not since Madonna has the pop world met someone so pop perfect. Lady Gaga is intense, but so is great pop. Pop happens to be my favorite genre, but it has to be great, I tend to like the euro and indie pop types. Lady Gaga is huge now, so I offer zero explanation as to why I like her, I just do. Check out remixes of her here.
6. Gossip – Music for Men
Gossip’s Music for Men is insane. Through and through electrifying and non-stop as far as the dance goes. This chick’s vocals are intense and sound very divaesque on top of great glamorous pop. If you want something to ski to or to get ready for a night on the town, pop in the pop sounds of Gossip and go to it. Check their remixes as well, as well as their tracks “Love Long Distance” and “Pop Goes the World”.
7. La Roux – La Roux
Another crazy pop album that exudes brilliance. The indie pop scene showcases the future of pop and just how good it really can be. Be prepared for longevity of the kind of music that really gets you going and makes you want to dance. If you haven’t heard, then go hear them! There is a continuous argument about whether it is one girl or not, I believe it is her doing vocals and a guy doing the beats. But who cares, continue, please create more pop.
8. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix
This band was already epic and this album helped them continue to be epic. With their music being played from Old Navy to every indie film out there these guys are sure to keep producing quality tracks with a not-so-in-your-face over production.
9. The xx – xx
The xx, I still don’t know if it is x, x or if its double x but who cares, they are awesome. Their music is this sort of low key pop but you catch yourself being really driven to react. Please listen to anything of theirs, because in my opinion this is one hot album.
10. The Crystal Castles – Crystal Castles
WOW! Not since hearing the Faint’s Danse Macabre have I gotten so excited about an album. These two have it, whatever it is. But you know else feels the same way, Timbaland, to the point of stealing their music and mass producing for millions of dollars. Check out their music, but really listen to the track “Courtship Date,” this is the same beat used for 50 Cent and Justin Timberlake’s “Ayo for Technology”. Don’t believe me, watch the video. However, I am not here to explain copyright protections, I am just saying they must be doing something more than right.
11. Mates of State – Re-Arrange Us
Another album that came out a long time ago, but I don’t care. I love listening to this album, very catchy and rhythmic. This is one of those perfect for any situation albums that can just play over and over. Not really a remixed band, but there are a few of them out there.
Honorable Mentions: Empire of the Sun, Calvin Harris, Friendly Fires, The Firebird Band, Chester French, Cassette Kids, Santogold, Black Kids, Ladyhawke, Metric, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Virgins and Beach House.
Music blogs you need to check: Hypem.com, Schitz Popinov and Electrorash
Well there is my music tastes and sources in a nutshell, I could go on and on all day long about music I love. I love music, it’s probably due to the fact that my talents with music are non-existent, ask anyone who knows me well. I hope all this helps you out in searching for the good tunes out there.
ORIGINAL INTERVIEW at MUEN MAGAZINE
December 28, 2009 – Monday
Interview w/ AntiQuark (San Diego, CA) Category: Music
ANTIQUARK
Myspace.com/antiquark
AntiQuark, originally from Torino, Italy, are a unique blend of electronic and techno founded by keyboardist, Ant Dakini in 2001 and then further developed in 2006 as vocalist Sergio O then joined.
In 2009 they released SkyDancer and also recorded a song for a popular Italian 80’s synthpop band, Krisma. AntiQuark has also been featured in many compilations and have been remixed by international producers such as Marc Urselli, Chris Reynolds (Red Flag), Steve Morell (PaleMusic, Germany), Giulio Maddaloni, The Moscow Coup Attempt, and more.
Sharing the stage with such acts as Godhead, Orgy, Pigface, Red Flag, and others, AntiQuark has produced 5 albums in total and besides touring the U.S. and Mexico, they’ve also toured Europe 6 times and have performed at music festivals such as MTV Tr3s, Fe/Male at Forte Prenestino in Rome, GieBerstrabe 16 in Liepzig, Germany, San Diego Pride and LadyFest in Las Vegas.
In the past they have been compared to such acts as Depeche Mode, NIN, Dead Can Dance, New Order, and Skinny Puppy.
See them live:
JAN. 1 @ Dream Street in San Diego, CA
JAN. 2 @ the Del Mar Fair in Del Mar, CA
Life Is Art & Art Is Life Photography
ANTIQUARK INTERVIEW / POST ALTERNATIVE MUSIC UNDERGROUND 12/26/09
By G. Cataline
PAMU: Hi Ant and Sergio! Wow, it’s nice to see you are still performing Ant,
as I remember you from earlier in 2001… When did you meet up with singer,
Sergio O., and how would you say your art and music has changed or evolved now that you are a duo?
Ant: Sergio has been part of the band since 2007. The band has certainly changed in a more professional & ecletic direction. Thanks to Sergio’s great abilities.
Sergio: I answered Ant’s ad (looking for a singer) in January of 2007. I’d never really sung to electronic music before and Ant never had a metal/rocker-type singing for this group. At first I thought she would write me off since the only voice-samples I could send were from the metal band I had previously worked with.
PAMU: Have you lived in San Diego all this time, since 2001?
Ant: Yes – back & forth between here and Europe.
Sergio: I had only moved to San Diego in the Fall of 2006 from Ventura, CA. I’d been in Ventura for 3 years singing/recording with Divine Right of Kings. I moved to Los Angeles from Texas in 2002.
PAMU: Ofcourse, you’ve toured and performed at numerous events even outside the states – What has been some of your most memorable experiences while touring and performing overseas, and outside of San Diego?
Ant: Festival Forte Prenestino in Rome – in front of 2,000 people – in an old, WWI barracks that is now a famous squat. We didn’t even start playing until 2AM!
Sergio:In Liepzig, Germany. That was fantastic – a couple of hundred people – everyone of them dancing to our music. We came on right after a thrash/death-metal band from Brazil and they’d torn up the place – the crowd loved them. I thought everyone would just leave or tear us to pieces, but they immediately adjusted to our sound and suddenly we were bouncing the whole place.
PAMU: Is “Electronica” the best label for your music, or do you stray far from that genre? For example, do you ever write just straight rock or folk, etc.?
Ant: Electronica is good enough. Since a big part of our sound is made with computers & synthesizers.
Sergio: What I saw about going ‘electronic’ was that I wouldn’t lose anything. Because ANYTHING can be put into electronic music. Heavier sounds from Nitzer Ebb, Skinny Puppy & NIN are as much ‘electronic’ as Depeche Mode, VNV Nation & Kraftwerk – and I dig all that stuff.
PAMU: Tell us about any upcoming tours you have booked.
Ant: Our manager is working on booking our next European tour.
PAMU: Sergio, how does your project “Divine Right Of Kings” differ from work with AntiQuark?
Sergio: Well, DRoK was a Zeppelin-Dream Theater-progressive-metal-ballad-thing. We recorded an album in English & then in Spanish and it was going to be a powerful, live, ARENA act. Big rock-guitars, big live-drums, huge GeddyLee-BASS & Ozzy-S.Bach vocals. I and the 2 other guys laid down the tracks with producer Z Morse. All the musicians involved were really good and already quite accomplished studio-guns, but then they weren’t going to take another step until they were paid. So the live act never happened. With AntiQuark, I met Ant, within a few days started writing stuff, recorded it, and within 2 months was onstage in Germany performing. The difference between 3 years with DRoK and the first 3 months with AntiQuark was like ice & lava.
PAMU: What is AntiQuark’s overall objective? What do you strive to communicate in the music of AntiQuark?
Ant: The main goal is to write good music that people can enjoy & dance to.
Sergio: To compose & record as much music as possible, to perform/present it in as many different places as possible. I suppose for me personally it’s important to communicate how elastic music can be since I’ve never sung to this kind of music before and it seems to work.
PAMU: What do you have in the way of video, and who helps you with video?
Ant: In some of our live-shows we use projections from the sci-fi movie, Litorra (by Marc Sokolowski) that I scored the soundtrack for. For the future, we will be collaborating with Bret Barrett, an amazing artist who does multi-media art & sculpture. Also, we will be working with Elle Gamboa, an eclectic photographer & film-maker, to make several videos.
Sergio: My brother, Gabriel Ordonez, is a video-editor who works in Los Angeles. He recorded several of our live shows in L.A. and is compiling together a live DVD of AntiQuark.
PAMU: What are your goals for the coming new year?
Ant: To finish a new album, tour Europe, Mexico, & the U.S. and reach more people with our music. To develop a new & more intense live-show with more lights & more video-installations.
Sergio: Yes, all those things that Ant mentioned.
PAMU: Are you happy with the way that the media covers you? And where else can we learn more about AntiQuark?
Sergio: Not being a part of the corporate machine makes it harder to get on the radio or get your videos on television, but the internet/global community certainly makes things more possible than ever before. Independent magazines have been very supportive.
Ant: On the internet you can check some of our stuff or talk to us at: www.myspace.com/antiquark, www.reverbnation.com/antiquark, www.facebook.com/antiquark
PAMU: Giulio is a good friend of ours. How did you meet up with him, and what do you have recorded with him thus far?
Ant: Giulio Maddaloni is an amazing producer from Italy. We met through the internet and immediately became great friends. We met him in person in Naples, Italy, during our last tour. He did a number of remixes for us. Two of them (The Man from Mars remix & Shameless remix) are on our latest CD, SkyDancer.
PAMU: Ant, when did you move from Italy to the U.S.?
Ant: March 12, 1997.
PAMU: Are you happy in San Diego, and if so, what is it that keeps you in San Diego?
Ant: I’m all right in San Diego. It’s not really a happening place. But the weather is nice and it’s
beautiful being close to the ocean. It’s a place without many distractions and so it’s good to get music & work done.
Sergio: I actually moved down here 3 years ago from L.A. to be closer to my family, and then meeting Ant made the move double-plus-good.
PAMU: What else do the both of you do besides work with AntiQuark – What do you both do for a living, passtime, etc.?
Ant: When I don’t do music I work as a shark-biologist. I’m striving to bring more awareness about ecology & preservation of the planet. In the little free time I have, I keep my body in shape thru yoga, fitness and macrobiotic nutrition. I have a big passion for dogs, I love spending time with my dog, helping shelters and associations that rescue animals.
Sergio: You know I actually have written 10 times as much poetry & prose than all the music I’ve ever composed. I’ll publish a group of books in the future. I read too much, I’m a movie-bum, a solitary bedroom-hermit. I write more & more and sing along to CDs & walls all the time. Perpetually finishing production ideas on the computer; I research all kinds of music, bands & their histories, and nap all the time. I hang out with my nieces & nephews more than any adults (except Ant of course). Sometimes I fantasize about exposing all the U.S. powermen of this first decade in such a way that the public could no longer find any doubt about how badly they damaged this country – and make them personally pay back all the taxpayer-money they stole for their “wildy stupid” (Time magazine) ideas in ‘protecting’ the American people.
PAMU: What last words do you have for your fans and/or those who may be interested in your music?
Ant: Check us out! Come to our shows!
Sergio: We appreciate your attention to us & our music.
PAMU: Feel free to add any other info about AntiQuark here:
Ant: Our CD, SkyDancer, is available on www.reverbnation.com/antiquark for free streaming and for downloading on iTunes, CDBABY, Amazon.com and many other websites.
Travis from Big Stereo was all over Ali Love’s remixes last week. But why not? The track Love Harder is getting tons of attention across the blogosphere. It’s a classic electro-pop song with catchy verses. I think it’s Tronik Youth’s remix that sets the standard with a heavy disco vibe all while including Love’s soulful pop samples.
Ali Love – Love Harder (Tronik Youth Got The Love Mix)
BONUS!
Ali Love – Love Harder (Extended Version)
Ali Love – Love Harder (Jaymo & Andy George’s Moda Mix)
First off the dollar sign is unnecessary, secondly, where the hell has the music industry gone? We get the over the top Lady Gaga who produces the same pop garbage we normally hear, just she has blonde bangs, ridiculous outfits, and loves to have blood on her during awards shows… and then we have the new incarnation of this cookie cutter pop music that owns the mainstream. Ke$ha.
What makes her so special?
Personally, I don’t get ‘TiK ToK’. First, it’s spelt wrong. Secondly, the lyrics are unbelievable. I just register, get drunk, be a whore and forget about everything important in life because all you should do is party.
Now, I’m not a 50 years old raised in the good ol’ days, but this is stupid. Pump the youth of today with garbage…and we wonder why grades, moral and overall efficiency has gone down.
A friend tweeted me and said ‘Ke$ha is Taylor Swift tripping out on crack’. I get this perspective, but I don’t get the message that is coming across. Good for her in regards to making money and having hit music, but it is just the means of her success that boggles my mind.
I’ll be the first to admit that her music is catchy, but that’s all the same with every other song out there. What makes her so special? Being bizarre in public, having stupid song names is just a way to stand out but you’re not making anything better.
Alright, now I am moving in circles, but I just don’t get it.
Does this mean some schmuck on the street can find a producer, write some nonsensical lyrics and make millions? If that’s the case, then clearly the music industry is going down the toilet…and I thought that was the case when Paris Hilton was making music, but clearly, it’s gotten worse.
Today, I took a break from Samuel Beckett and listened to Panda Bear’s Person Pitch again. When I heard it last winter, the music felt totally original, and it still has that special quality this year. When I play it, it reminds me of sun coming through a frosted window.
Panda Bear (Noah Lennox) samples everything on this record – old guitars, animal sounds, drum beats, door slams, choirs, rushing wheels – and mixes them together into coherent, repeating paterrns that grow into songs. Above it all is Noah’s voice, strongly reminiscent of Brian Wilson, singing long, lovely melodies that give a center to the sound. The harmonies are bright, the polyrhythms clatter forward, and when a song peaks, it often metamorphoses into an entirely new section. I could listen to “Bros” over and over and still be surprised by all the beautiful noise.
Even though it’s freezing cold outside and inside, I feel like I’m bathed in warm, reflected summer light. Thanks, Panda Bear.
Gerogi Garanian (1934-2010), People’s Artist of Russia, Honoured Artist of the RFSFR
Editor’s Foreword:
Georgi Garanian was one of my faves. Look at the videos and see why. Vechnaya pamyat, Georgi Aramovich. His funeral is due for Thursday, 14 January, with burial at Vagankovo Cemetery in Moscow.
BMD
******
Molodiei Ensemble performing at the Golden Mask Awards in Moscow
People’s Artist of Russia and famous musician Georgi Garanian died in the 76th year of his life as reported by his widow, Nellie Zakirova. Maestro Garanian wrote the music for 40 films. Suffice it to recall the famous movie, Покровские Ворота (Pokrovskie Vorotoa: Pokrovsky Gate), still beloved by millions of viewers. Until his last days, Maestro Garanian not only continued to play music, but also led several ensembles, including Мелодией (Melodiei: Melody), Краснодарским Биг-бендом (Krasnodarskim Big-Bendom: The Krasnodar Big Band), hosted the programme Джаз-клуб Георгия Гараняна (Jazz Club George Garanian) on Radio Russia Kultura, and performed as a solo alto saxophonist.
Georgi Garanian in a gala concert in the Kremlin
The Melodiei ensemble recorded with the best domestic performers such as Iosif Kobzon, Alla Pugacheva, Lev Leshchenko, and Lyudmila Gurchenko. It played music by Soviet composers, for example, David Tukhmanov, who worked with the band on films and on stage, recorded a CD, По волне моей памяти (Po volne moei pmayati: On the Wave of My Memory), containing film music, and was praised by such cinema/music critics as Grigori Gladkov, Aleksei Rybnikov, Vladimir Dashkevich. At the invitation of one of the best conductors in the world, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, the Melodiei ensemble, with Georgi Garanian as soloist and improviser, participated in the première of Alfred Schnittke’s First Symphony. In 1989, Yuri Nikulin invited Garanian to become the chief conductor of the Circus on Tsvetnom Bulvar. Today, many circus performers use Garanian’s music in their acts.
Georgi Garanian at the Pori Jazz Festival in 2009
Mikhail Shvydkoi noted that in the death of Georgi Garanian Russia lost one of the most brilliant musicians of our time. Garanian’s sudden death was “shocking”, Shvydkoi said. “The music and creativity of this remarkable man always contended with life, it always gave joy to everybody”, he emphasised.
A video is available (in Russian), but there is enough music and images that non-Russian speakers would enjoy it as well:
Interview w/ AntiQuark (San Diego, CA)
Today, I took a break from Samuel Beckett and listened to Panda Bear’s Person Pitch again. When I heard it last winter, the music felt totally original, and it still has that special quality this year. When I play it, it reminds me of sun coming through a frosted window.