2011 was a truly special year for me: every DJ I have ever loved and adored, I somehow managed to find my way into their world… how was this so? Roger Sanchez, Desyn Marciello, Jodie Wisternoff, Nick Warren, Gareth Emery, Markus Schulz, Michael Woods, Tommy Trash, Fat Boy Slim, The Stafford Brothers, Dj tyDi, Bliss & Esso, Carl Craig, Scissor Sisters, Sebastien leger, Richard Durand, Roger Shah, J00F, Robert Babicz, Danny Howells, Cosmic Gate and Armand Van Helden. My top albums and track for 2011 is all over the shop – but it represents to me the beautiful year that was. I  look back at the #1 track  and top 10 albums that made 2011.

#1 Track for 2011 : Titanium : David Guetta feat. Sia

Hearing Afrojack drop Sia singing Titanium in the ampitheatre at Stereosonic was a major 2011 musical highlight for me. It wasas if the whole world vibrated on a string, like string theory formed the basis from which all worlds twirled round each other. That moment reverberates in my conscious; I can feel those ebbs even until this day. The festival moment does come. Sometimes, I might to wait until 8pm at night; sometimes it just happens immediately. I’m an old festival hat by now.

But for me, that December 4, hearing Sia trill “you shoot me down, but I won’t fall, I am titanium” across the ampitheatre made me realise Titanium was the track of 2011

But that is only one track.

What about the albums that spawned such tracks that lead to such moments? I look at them here.. for the beautiful year that was 2011

Titanium appears on: Nothing But the Beat, David Guetta

———-oooooo000000000oooooooo————-

2011 Top 10 Albums

#1 Gotye – “Making Mirrors”

It’s Australian, it’s tasteful, and it features Kimbra. It’s such an album for now, with humble retrospection, laments and pleas in a world tolerant of boldness and crudity. This album is bound together by solid production and tight melodies embraced by layers of beautiful textures. I applaud the risks he’s taken.

#2 Busby Marou – “Self Titled”

I think music is coming full circle and bringing back the men who know how to be men. Acoustic and rock are seeping back into music and infiltrating dance music. Not that Busby Marou are any of those genres at all. But they are men – and you can hear that manliness in their music – all aspects of man lies in their album.

#3 Elixir featuring Katie Noonan – “First Seed Ripening”

An elixir is touted as an underlying principle or a remedy. In Australian contemporary music, the musical group Elixir takes the standards of musical improvisation – be it folk, world music or jazz – to fuse with poetry and thus generate medicine for the soul. The angelic vocals of Katie Noonan unites with husband Zac Hurran on soprano and tenor saxophones and jazz guitarist Stephen Magnusson, drawing upon incredible talent to release Elixir’s second album “First Seed Ripening”. While this album continues with Katie’s expected musical whimsicality, her fundamental dogma remains: quality musicianship, inspiring textures and poignant melodies. Inspired by the words of Ipswich poet Thomas Shapcott AO, Katie, Zac and Stephen have taken Shapcott’s abstract and haunting words and set it to the sublime musical setting of First Seed Ripening. While this album may be difficult to tackle at first thanks to evocative avenues of de ja vue and the supernatural, persistence results in the ultimate experience: the soul emerges cleansed, though never quite satisfied; leaving the listener wanting more. You will be gently bewitched. 9/10

#4 Henry Saiz – “Balance 019″

The textures are perfect and exquisitely layered. It’s a tapestry that represents an age of story telling and a millennium of heritage and taste. There is so much perfection in this album, you often ask yourself if you are real, or if the album this world exists in, is real.

#5 Adele  – “21″

There are so many good things about 21: Black Jack, New Yorks’ #1 Restaurant, a natural number in the Fibonacci series, the coming of age to drink, vote and fuck; the soundtrack to Underbelly : Razor. And what a voice for such an album. Adele, the confess-ed progeny of Amy Winehouse (god bless her Soul), the album a lament to a new decade of the 21st century. It inspired unimaginative DJs to release her on dancefloors at 1am with even Mike Posner cashing in on her depress-ed appeal.

#6 James Blake “Self Titled”

What a voice. What a man. He walks around with pendulous balls in his throat, the deepness swinging arrogantly and resolutely in the breeze. These tracks just ram every woman’s ear drums straight to her pudenda.

#7 LMFAO – “Sorry For Party Rocking”

Who knew the brilliance of these guys? When I first saw them supporting will.i.am in 2009, I should have recognised simply by the fro and the big clocks hanging round their necks how special they’d be. Alas – how slow on the uptake I am. And here they are: With “Sexy And I Know It”, “Party Rock Anthem” and “Champagne Showers” (my own personal song of praise). Consider their background: the son and nephew of the one and only Berry Gordy; the man who birthed Motown Record and Jackson 5 (and thus, The Jacksons and Michael Jackson). Berry Gordy took a formula, and made it work. It would be only natural for his seed Skylar and Stefan to also find that magic formula and pound it into the world. You just have to look a bit deeper than usual for the creative genius that exists within.

#8 David Guetta – “Nothing But The Beat”

I had to include this: how could we not look back on 2011 as the year of cheesy dance music thanks to David Guetta. He makes so many underground DJs angry. But bless him; at least he brought dance music into the picture, segregating the great unwashed into three arenas: one for all those fuckwits who just don’t know any better, the other for those who actually might want to dig a bit deeper (and hence look at such heroes like Henry Saiz and so forth) and those who might fall outside the category that bring group #1 together and allows quality to permeate the quantity (Bloody Beetroots enabled me to see Chicane and Laurent Garnier – and I am not complaining, I can tell you). If you can’t bring 9 skilled people into the same room to produce a hit album, there really is something wrong with our record labels.

#9 Roger Sanchez – “Release Yourself 11″

Where would I be to not include this into my top 10. 2011 was the year of my DJs (notice : MY djs). And to behold Roger for his RY2011 (Scene Magazine and inthemix) was the epitome of dance music memories. God bless The S Man.

#10 John 00 Fleming – “Nine Lives”

My article from Future Entertainment is here.

Most significantly, the ’9′ seemed to reverberate for this tour…Count his beats, and you can break it down to 9 beats per bar. I’m not fucking kidding. It freaked me out. I think it freaked him out when I told him too. But take that time to count the beats in his tracks, and hear how the number 9 is so significant to our Jewf. Pity this came in at 10.. but there are only so many #10 albums in the world.

published in The Fitness First Magazine Australia
December 2011
look out for fatboy slim coming up for future music festival march 2012
new mixtape from fatboy slim available here

So named for the 1940s Louisiana blues singer: a “goofy name that suited my goofy personality“, Fatboy Slim was the very first Superstar DJ. He would go on to live the superstar DJ life, end up with a Superstar DJ woman, and spectacularly end up in rehab in a  Superstar DJ way to then accomplish peace in the ultimate Superstar DJ dream. It’s so Superstar, it’s almost like Sting.

This is the first article featuring the first of my many questions to Quentin Norman Cook: the first Superstar DJ who dared to dream a Superstar DJ dream

Fitness First Magazine
Fatboy Slim : Inner Well Being
By Lady Lex

Since you last hit Australian shores, it’s been a very difficult couple of years plagued with health issues, controversy, and family problems. No doubt, you’ve been mentally and physically stretched to the limit here. But you’ve come through to the other side and you will be, once more, facing your tour demons. What have you learnt about yourself over these last few years?

I faced my demons – beat them off with a stick. I’m happier and healthier, and I’m doing a better job. I’ve been focused on my inner well being. I’ve been on tour for the last two years now, so the demons have been banished.

Last year you competed in the Brighton Marathon: how has this experience strengthened your resolve as a fitter, healthier person?

It was great to prove I could do it. Most people – after the kind of lifestyle I’ve led for most of my life – would say there’s no way they could run a marathon. It was maybe one of those middle age things: I was either going to grow a pony tail or run the marathon. I think I chose the cooler option.

You’ll be coming to Australia for the Future Music Festival tour. Is your new take on healthy living going to help you when you tour?

Yes! Definitely! The late nights and the partying take their toll as well. You can party harder when you’ve had a good night’s sleep

What kind of health regime will you be following over the next few months to get you through the tour?

Normally, I play weekends so I’m home during the week. I work out four times a week doing an hour of circuits. I’m training for the Brighton Half Marathon at the moment which I’ll be doing in February.

What are you most looking forward to for Future Music Festival?

I’ve always loved touring Australia. Just getting back there and seeing the mental crowds you have there. Doing those festivals are great, because you get to hang out with other acts. It’s quite a nice lineup as well. Normally you go to a festival and you never get to see anyone else’s set. I’m looking forward to hanging out with Swedish House Mafia, Tinie Timpeh and all of the other amazing people who are going to be around. It’s good ‘cos it feels like you’re on a big school trip.

published on inthemix here
published on page 13 and online with scene magazine
13 December, 2011
image courtesy of Quiet Chaos

The media seem to portray Calvin Harris somewhat as an anti-social geek; perhaps this is so IT nerds can relate to him. Still, having a brain helps, otherwise his twitter account wouldn’t be as amusing as it is. Either way, Adam Richard Wiles knows how to keep the Calvin Harris moniker in lights with a salacious wit that rapines and wrestles egos; while perspectives simultaneously see a petulant whizz kid and a fucking funny adult. Yup, Calvin Harris hovers over that line between genius and lunacy.

Calvin Harris
So Close
By Lady Lex

Calvin Harris is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in dance music today. Responsible for bullet tracks Ready for The Weekend and You Used To Hold Me while working with the biggest pop names on the planet from Rihanna to Dizzee Rascal and Kylie Minongue, Adam Wiles knows how to keep his ‘Calvin Harris’ moniker in lights – and that’s not only due to his notorious wit on Twitter.

NiN + Lisbeth Salander = a sexual coupling of epic angst ridden proportions!

Steig Larssen’s story of Swedish kick-ass 5 foot pierced ninja hacker Lisbeth Salander is being reincarnated in Hollywood by David Fincher. Many expect it to be as awesomely uber as it’s Yellow Bird predecessor. It had better be. At least with Nine Inch Nails Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross onboard, expect plenty of sullen fury as the NiN boys take on soundtrack duties for the film.

You can grab your free 6 track sampler download and pre order the digital download, CD or ultra deluxe vinyl set here

Intrigue worthy of the book is already hyping the upcoming Jan 2 release with a scavenger hunt that leads to authentic items from the film:

http://mouth-taped-shut.com/

http://www.whatishiddeninsnow.com/

http://comesforthinthethaw.com/

Comes Forth In The Thaw features stills from the film and snippets from the soundtrack by Trent and Atticus. The NiN rockers have previously chalked up Golden Globe points with the soundtrack from The Social Network and take credit for the music from Quake.

BTW – Trent is a massive gamer, having first blown plenty of aliens and monsters away with the BFG 9000 in Doom, and running around Hell leaving bloody footprints in his wake (and no doubt hitting space bar anytime a wall was nearby).

Trent’s love for gaming was confirmed with the release of Year Zero in 2007; a concept album that takes on different perspectives critical of the 2007 United Stage Government and how their policies will affect the world 15 years into the future. Year Zero was simultaneously released alongside an alternate reality game. But most spectacularly, Trent was pretty miffed about a few things that year, even going so far as to get his rant on against Universal Australia’s price on the album from his website here

“Last time I was here, I was doing a lot of complaining about the ridiculous prices of CDs down here. And that story got picked up and got carried all around the world and now my record label all around the world hates me, because I yelled at them, I called them out for being greedy fucking assholes. I didn’t get a chance to check, has the price come down at all? I see a no, a no, a no. Has anyone seen the price come down? Okay, well, you know what that means – STEAL IT. Steal away. Steal and steal and steal some more and give it to all your friends and keep on stealin’. Because one way or another these motherfuckers will get it through their head that they’re ripping people off and that that’s not right.”

I can only hope Trent brings as much angst to the soundtrack for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo as he holds in his rocker heart. GWTDT totally deserves his wrath.

Published with future entertainment here
8 December 2011

When an artist reaches twenty years of being in the business, it’s time to look back through the years and reflect. If ever there was a time for Detroit techno champion Carl Craig to ponder twenty years of DJing, producing a cache of quality albums and stamping his improvisation mark onto techno and house, now would be it.

Carl Craig
It’s Only Natural
By Lady Lex

Detroit born and bred, Carl grew up with music loving parents during the 1980s, a time when rap music was expanding and synthesizers and keyboards were becoming more accessible. For every 80s child, electronic equipment was fascinating – and Carl Craig was no exception. As a player of the keys, guitar and bass guitar, there is undoubtedly an alternate universe where Carl sits in the upper echelons of jazz fusion, alongside such greats as Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea and Joe Zawinul. If Carl had been born ten years earlier, the electronic world would indeed be a different place. But as it was the 1980s and turntables were on the rise, it was only natural for Carl to find his niche behind the decks. The next natural progression would be to utilize his instrumental talents and enhance the techno and house electronic matrix with live instrumentation over his productions. And the next step from there would be to stamp his signature sound of fusing live improvisation with electronic onto a record label.  As a unique electronica label, Planet E Communications takes a highly unique approach, and embraces the soul of jazz fusion with house and techno beats. More than two decades later, Planet E stands out as a distinguished station in Detroit techno, having featured acclaimed artists from Kevin Saunderson to Alton Miller and Moodyman.

In celebration of twenty years in the field, Carl Craig takes the label on an international tour, showcasing artists captured by the essence of Planet E through performance and the release of a new album. And in the lead up to E20 coming down under, Carl Craig reflects on how Planet E came about, and the significance of Planet E in the many worlds of electronica.

Your sound is so unique in that many aspects of 1970s Jazz Fusion feature in your tracks. Where does this love for Jazz Fusion come from?

It comes from listening to the radio in Detroit – because my dad listened to it. And also from the records my dad owned – guys like Vince Delgado or Herbie Hancock. By the time the records got to me they were pretty demolished. But there was definitely a possibility of me looking into jazz. I was also inspired and influenced by guys like Marvin Tribe and Wendell Harrison.

The thing about Jazz Fusion though is the great analogue aspect. Do you miss analogue?

I miss the physicality of it – the duality of each physical item with analogue. Each record had its own soul – and synths and drum machines too!

You’ve written and produced under quite a few pseudonyms: Paperclip People, 69, and Designer Music just to name a few. Innerzone Orchestra also made its own mark by influencing the sound of drum n bass with the 1992 track ‘Bug in The Bassbin’. Why so many aliases? And when does Carl Craig come out?

It depends upon my feelings. It all comes about from me seeking. For 69, it’s a mixture of feeling energetic and high energy, but also in love. Paperclip people are a party. But Carl Craig is always there.

The one thing that unites all of your aliases is your love for lots of complicated textures – particularly live instrumentation – in your tracks. With your talents on keys, guitar and bass, why did you choose the decks?

I was more interested in electronics. In the time I grew up, my favourite music was Art of Noise and Kratwerk – I was definitely interested in the electronic side of things. The time was when scratching, rap music and breakdancing were coming along as well. I was really influenced by turntables and synthesizers. It was a natural progression for me to go along with what was cutting edge and young and interesting. I’d already been playing upright bass, concert bass and guitar, but for what I listened to, I was more into turntables and synths.

You’ve taken the music you love to play, write and produce and put it into a nutshell and called it Planet E Communications. With what has happened over the last twenty years, has Planet E been its own organic beast or has it kept to a plan that you first established?

The thing I’ve taken from jazz is the spirit of improvisation. Some parts of improvisation have to be calculated because you have to know how to play the scales or you have to know the chord progressions to play notes in. But the amount of space you put between notes are completely uncalculated. I go with my spirit that anything can happen at any time. And that’s what how Planet E has developed as well. If we want to put something out, we do. The infrastructure means that it can be an impulsive thing and we can manufacture records very quickly. Yes, it can be a very impulsive thing – but that’s what happens with improvisation.

In celebration of twenty years in the business, you are taking Planet E on the E20 Tour with a ‘Best Of’ album that involves guests from Luciano, Ricardo Villalobos, Dubfire, Loco Dice, Seth Troxler, Psycatron, Radio Slave and many more. Laurent Garnier particularly is like your European equivalent: what’s it like to work with him?

It was really relaxed. Everytime I see him, I learn something new – something new about music, presenting music, about him. It’s that personal thing that happens with me and cohorts.

E20 will be coming down under very soon! When you reach Australia, what can we expect to hear from you?

Good music! I’ll play music from the label. It will be not only interesting and entertaining, but also invigorating.

Goldfrapp will release The Singles, a reflection across their five albums, with two new tunes written especially. Goldfrapp’s compilation walks through Felt Mountain, Black Cherry, smash Supernature, Seventh Tree, and Head First as a reminder of the incredible ambient electronic journey they have traversed since 1999. Former Orbital vox girl Alison Goldfrapp has done it yet again with duo partner, synth lover and music composer, Will Gregory.

Youtube clip for their latest, Yellow Halo found here – and shot on an iphone too!

Tracklist:
Ooh La La
Number 1
Strict Machine (Single Mix)
Lovely Head
Utopia (Genetically Enriched)
A&E
Happiness (Single Version)
Train
Ride A White Horse (Single Version)
Rocket
Believer
Black Cherry
Yellow Halo
Melancholy Sky

all resources courtesy of emi music

Local boys Hey Geronimo can amuse you for two minutes and fifty six seconds with the youtube video clip of their latest track ‘Why Don’t We Do Something?‘

This is a smart sassy and cute collection of montages that puts the awesism* into iphone gaming through the charming replication of gaming faves Angry Birds, Plants vs Zombies, Flight Control, Cut The Rope and Fruit Ninja (but no Cut The Birds – just yet)

They are darlings of Triple J and [v] music with Tony Garrett (any relation to Peter?) on drums and percussion; Greg Chiapello on vocals and bass; Pete Kilroy and Ross Pearson on guitar and vocal duties, Andrew Stone on keys. Formerly of Hey Ho Geronimo infamy, Brisbane blueblood runs through the veins of Geronimo.2, with backgrounds gathered from Blame Ringo, The Boat People and Montpolier. With their brand new clip, the boys have brought back plenty of geeky fun to the local indie pop scene.

Their youtube clip has gained so much fame and fortune, it’s up for likes as ‘Ripe’ clip of the week with [v] music. Vote for them on [v]music’s facebook here

You can a catch Hey Geronimo headlining Cobra Kai’s Christmas Party @ Oh Hello! Thursday 22 December.

Hey Geronimo’s facebook page here

photo credit with free download available from their bandcamp page here

*awesism: so awesome it hurts

Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons have been holding hands with the movie business for quite some time now. And come 1 February 2012, the world will see for the very first time, the aura of The Chemical Brothers on the big screen.

While the movie won’t be officially released until 1 February, 2012 on 26 January 2012, 20 cinemas across 20 cities worldwide will host an exclusive advance screening offering fans the first chance to see Don’t Think.  The exclusive Australian screening will be held at Event Cinemas, George Street, Sydney, from 7pm.

Tickets on sale now here
For an exclusive preview of the cinema trailer along with a full list of cinemas with links to buy tickets visit: www.dontthinkmovie.com
Watch the trailer for it here

If you’ve ever watched Hanna, you’ve been overwhelmed by a suited up Eric Bana kicking ass, Cruella styled Cate Blanchett and the penetrating blue eyes of innocent hit girl Saoirse (pronounced Sheer-sha) Ronan. They all impressively run around as rather awesome assassins; getting caught up in assassin-like situations in Finland, Germany, Denmark and Morrocco. The European-American film directed by John Wright is brilliant – all the more so with The Chemical Brothers taking on music duties.

But let’s check out John Wright’s cred: he’s directed 2010′s Doctor Who (‘the best Doctor Who that has ever been’ apparently – I agree); and previously built up his experience meter with The Streets. Once he’d left uni, he’s formed a lighthouse company with fellow colleague  Noah Clarke as  Vegetable Vision; setting up lighting for raves and clubs. He met electronica duo Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons in 1995, with Vegetable Vision eventually assisting The Chems in album art and lighting. In this instance, The Chems were bought onboard for the soundtrack: and performed a mighty fine job too.

There’s a rawness to the soundtrack of Hanna: this isn’t an arthouse film of subtle themes that hint at drug abuse, nymphomania or ego. John Wright himself stated that he was “very excited to work with them on the score. I was very excited to do something with a lot of bass. It’s very loud.” And what the Chemical Brothers have put together for this fairy tale of a modern European child ninja suits perfectly: that urban feeling of unease in underground train tunnels; large open spaces reflected in the minimalism of textures and melodies; and girtty desert beats.The Big Beat sound of the Chemical Brothers is more than appropriate in this stark realism.

Black Swan was also good enough for The Chems, with Don’t Think  a part of the soundtrack.

This connection with the movie industry all comes back to their most recently released album: Further. There were listening parties all around the country for it in conjunction with Nova and inthemix. Each track from the 8 track audio CD had been specifically written for a slew of upcoming movies – and we are really starting to feel the repercussions of those movies now.

The repercussions comes to this: a film directed by Adam Smith and starring The Chems: Don’t Think.

Filmed with 20 cameras at Japan’s answer to Glastonbury, The Fujirock Festival – Don’t Think is the first time the full Chemical Brothers’ live experience has been properly captured on film. Directed by Adam Smith this full-length concert movie places cameras in the centre of the stage as well as at the very heart of the crowd to perfectly capture a fan’s eye view of the heightened emotional reactions of the audience seeing the band at their very best. It’s also shot in Dolby 7:1 surround sound, mixed for the big screen by the boys themselves. And from 1 February, 2012, more than 500 screens in over 20 territories will feature The Chemical Brothers doing what they do best.

Here’s what the boys have to say:

Adam Smith: “After 18 years of working on The Chemical Brothers live show we have finally captured it on film; you could almost say it’s 18 years in the making The aim was to create a different type of concert film for a different type of show. I wanted to capture what it is like to experience the show from right in the middle of the crowd as well as showing and combining the visuals featured in the show with the footage we captured on this one night; to see how the music and visuals emotionally affect and connect with the audience. By using small unobtrusive cameras – and with thanks to the kindness of the amazing Japanese crowd – we were given privileged insights into the private moments of joy, fear and ecstatic escapism from reality that this show induces. Included in that are flights of fantasy around the festival that are going on inside an audience member’s head. We also allowed some of the images from the show to head off the screens and invade the festival. Over the course of the film, we are taken on a journey through the psychedelic trip that is the Chemical Brothers live experience.”

Tom Rowlands: “In the recording of a single show – a single night on a Japanese mountainside – Adam Smith, our long time collaborator, has managed to capture the atmosphere of a very special festival appearance.  Come see how it feels to feel, be overwhelmed, intoxicated, swoonerated…  Surrender to the void”

Ed Simons: “This film is the closest I will ever get to being at a Chemical Brothers show…  and yeah, it’s a beautiful experience.”

resources courtesy of emi music

Throw a stone – and you hit a DJ. Or in this case, two in the hand means a third in the something something. Anyways, the rocker Maddens have given a studio mixtape a go.

Stranger things have been known to happen.

Everyone can be a DJ these days, though not everybody can get their hands on the kind of toys that Capitol Records store in their manor: Joel and Benji Madden are lucky bunnies and can play with those digital and analogue trinkets all they like (what kind of names are Joel and Benji anyway – they belong to cute puppies!)

Are The Madden Brothers going to give The Stafford Brothers a run for their money?

In an about turn from their emo rock roots, The Good Charlotte twins have connected with their inner gangsta and met up with the music of some surprisingly awesome American rappers to release a mixtape: Casey Veggies, Wiz Khalifa, Machine Gun Kelly, Rockie Fresh and The Cool Kids.

Check out the mix on their soundcloud link here

all resources courtesy of emi music

We’ve never doubted that Richard Melville Hall is special. Apart from being a lover of a good cuppa tea (interesting considering he’s a Harlem boy) and enjoys trawling through the new testament of The Bible seeking wisdom and enlightenment, add he’s dead set into his animal rights, yoga mobility*, and being a vegan. Basically, he’s striving to be a pure human bean. I’d liken him to the Salieri of this contemporary age.

Richard Melvile Hall already comes from creative stock: his great great great granduncle Herman Melville left the legacy of a massive whale versus a totalitarian hell-bent on revenge: Moby-Dick remains a dark and twisted position in society. And so named, Moby reflects the many creative paths he can wander: that of philosopher, musician, artist, singer-songwriter, DJ and now photographer.

Moby brings forth his many talents to his latest project: the brand new 3-disk version of ‘Destroyed’ featuring new music, a DVD and a 24 page booklet of photos personally taken by Moby.

You can find the link to his brand new video featuring the Foxxy Cleopatra of nu-soul, Inyang Bassey (pronounced E-Yang) here:

All sources courtesy of emi music and www.moby.com

*all puns intended