Dancetrippin Live DJ mix
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Acapellas by Marlon Brandon, Bonnie Raitt
- Jet Project: Alright (Snatch Records) 6.07
- Mark Holmes – Coming Home (MUM) 12.13
- Solo: The Flea Circus (Kling Klong) 17.39
- Red Snapper: Jack (V2) 23.47
- Harvey Mackay: Want You (Soma Records) 28.58
- Zenbi; Double Trouble (Great Stuff): 32.49
- Graphics: Mama Grizzlies (Made To Play) 39.43
- Mick Finesse: Sex Machinas (Perc Trax) 44.49
- Aeroplane: Storm Queen: (Jamie Jones RMX) (Defected) 49.50
- Dosem: Tales Of Tomorrow (Tronic) 54.39
- Meda: Curtain Call (Neverending Records) 59.39
- Rockers Revenge: Walking on sunshine (Jonty Skrufff Vocal RMX) (white label)
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Russia’s Special Case: The Concept is Simple- Dance Music for Orgies (interview)
Special Case (Roustam stage left)
“Basically Russia is a large country with tremendous resources and almost unlimited opportunities. If the majority of the club industry stops striving for the lowest possible denominator with which to earn money, we will have a music scene to rival that of any other big electronic scene in the world.”
Growing up listening to Mid-western house and rave techno as he divided his time between Detroit and Moscow, Roustam Mirzoev received an impeccable grounding in electronic music, honed his knowledge still further after he opened a record shop in St Petersburg.
Promoting parties in Russia along the way, as a DJ he became well known for spinning acclaimed back 2 back sets with many of his headline guests such as Matt Tolfrey, Clive Henry, Valentino Kanzyani, culminating in him dipping his own toes in production in 2010.
“I recorded a track called ‘round:about’ just before Kazantip of 2010 with some gear I got for my birthday and sent it to a lot of my DJ friends just for fun,” Roustam recalls.
“To me I considered the track as already a great success and the highest point in my (then-non existent) musical career when Rhadoo played it with [a:rpia:r] one morning at Kazantip, during what was probably the most amazing Z-session ever,” he smiles.
“Honestly I thought that would be the pinnacle of my music career and I was happy with it.”
“Then to my surprise I came home to find an email from (Droog producer) Andrei Osyka, which included a video of him playing the track at LA’s Avalon and the place just exploding. He wanted to sign it to Culprit immediately, which was more than I’d ever hoped for, for my first real production.”
Long-term friend Arram Mantana also loved the track, introduced him to fellow Russian producer Tripmastaz and a mutual passion for each other’s music led to the trio teaming up as Special Case.
“I knew Arram from way back in the day when he used to buy records from me at my record shop in St.Petersburg and we’d stayed in touch ever since,” Roustam recalls.
“Anyway they made a great track with Tripmastaz which became Aurum — I knew immediately it was going to be a hit and would fit perfectly with the Culprit sound.”
“So I sent it to Andrei and he also loved it right away. After some deliberations (doing a split EP, etc) we just decided that we’re going to start our own brand new thing and to see how our three very different styles and creative approaches to music production and DJjng would turn out. The rest is as they say history.”
18 months on, they’ve released a follow up single with Tiefschwarz’ Souvenir Records and continue to work closely with Andrei Osyka and his label Culprit, performing together next weekend at Culprit’s label showcase at the Sochi Winter Music Conference (Saturday February 11). Musically, Roustam personally leans towards a ‘more minimal, reduced sound’, though Special Case he points out is different.
‘The concept for Special Case is simple,” he chuckles, “We make dance music for orgies.”
Lauhaus; Live @ Arma 17 (January 27)
Arma 17 (click for more)
Dutch minimal tech-house type Lauhaus visits Moscow’ Arma 17 this weekend where he’ll be spinning alongside Skrufff mainman Jonty Skrufff and Russian producers Mike Spirit and Special Case.
Starting his career ten years ago, he was initially best known for being one half of minimal tech duo Polder, as well as being one of 6 men laptop collective “Amsterdam 661”, though nowadays is increasingly standing alone.
“In the beginning of my career Polder was definitely my priority, but in the last few years, it’s been more about my solo Lauhaus stuff. But David Labeij (his Polder collaborator) and me are still best friends, so Polder definitely isn’t over,’ he says.
“How do I decide between ideas for Lauhaus and Polder? It’s all about a feeling,” he continues, “but in general Polder is more techno heavy then Lauhaus.”
Popof; Three of the Best
Popof
Undoubtedly one of France’s great producers of the last ten years, Popof is one of those people who can be relied on to deliver something special: in particular, catchy, thumping, killer tech (house) tracks that almost always work superbly well on the dancefloor.
These three below show why:
2012: Is the End Nigh (Or Not?): Perc (interview)
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According to the Mayan Calendar the world (or at least civilisation) is due to end cataclysmically on December 21st 2012. With economists and futurologists also almost all predicting a year of upheaval, Skrufff asked a bunch of our favourite DJs and personalities for their predictions for 2012; both musically and apocalype-wise . . .
Perc: Berghain Bandwagon Jumpers and Despicable Dubstep (interview)
“In the sub-niche that I work in there will be a continuation of more and more people jumping onto the Berghain/ industrial techno bandwagon.”
Though he’s more than adept at producing top quality underground serious house, Perc, aka Ali Wells, is best known for delivering highly original and idiosyncratic industrial techno such as that featured on his new artist album Wicker and Steel. Adored by critics (Resident Advisor chief Todd Burns loves it, and Quietus dubbed it ‘an antidote to wishy washy electronica’ in making it one of their albums of 2011: http://bit.ly/tXckuu ) the new album has more than a few producer fans too, though copyists are unlikely to impress Ali.
“I’m not bothered 95% of people making this stuff get it so incredibly wrong, with such a lack of vision, that it barely registers on my radar.” he laughs.
“If you were making Minus style minimal two years ago, then big room white noise laden techno last year, then anyone who has any actually knowledge of this music can see your fakery from a mile off,” he warns.
Despite name-checking Berlin’s best known club Berghain (where he performed twice this year) he’s got no plans to join the thousands of other DJs who’ve made the city their home.
“The most inspiring place should be the city you have a local connection with,” he explains.
“People should try to build things up in the city where they are, not dream of moving to Berlin, then getting there and realising that unless you already have some profile you will just become one of the masses scratching around for DJ gigs in bars. For me that city is London, there is a combination of innovation, open-mindedness and energy that is unique to the city,” he says.
2012: Patrice Baumel & the New World Order (interview)
Click for more on Patrice
According to the Mayan Calendar the world (or at least civilisation) is due to end cataclysmically on December 21st 2012. With economists and futurologists also almost all predicting a year of upheaval, Skrufff asked a bunch of our favourite DJs and personalities for their predictions for 2012; both musically and apocalype-wise . . .
Patrice Baumel: The New World Order & the Coming Chaos (interview)
“Democratically elected governments are taking decisions against the very people who put them into office, all to protect banks, oil and big money in general. We are already living right in the middle of a New World Order.”
Growing up in Dresden East Germany, nowadays Amsterdam based tech-house-eclectic producer Patrice Baumel was 14 when the Berlin Wall came down and 22 years later, sees more than a few cultural parallels between then and now.
“People are more educated and better connected than ever, so it becomes harder and harder to suppress the truth,” he continues.
“And once the mob gets angry because their pension is gone and their jobs are gone and their kids are hungry, they will mobilize and turn against the powers that be. It will get ugly,” he predicts.
“At the same time people will have to find other ways to happiness than consumption, which will lead them closer towards the truth in life and each other. Overall, change is good.”
For more on Patrice (who as well as touring the world as a DJ nonstop is also a resident and co-promoter of Amsterdam’s top underground club Trouw) click here: http://www.patricebaumel.com/
My Big Break; Funk D’Void: Never Play For Free (interview)
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Growing up in Scotland in the 90s, Funk D’Void (aka Lars Sandberg) started DJing when just 15, running two under-18 clubs himself.
Signing to Soma in the mid 90s, he’s since released tracks under various pseudonyms including Chaser, X-Funk, Hellfire Club and Francois Dubois though it’s as Funk D’Void that he remains best known; as both a producer and DJ specialising in top quality underground techno.
Pig & Dan- We Love David Guetta (interview)
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“He is an amazing DJ in my eyes and I really love the fact that someone who seems to have his heart in the right place and with his feet on the ground is at the forefront of the scene. I think people think he’s cheesy out of envy.”
Though Pig & Dan’s own particular style of dance music has always been firmly centred on underground house and stripped, sometimes minimal, techno, Dan Duncan admits he’s more than impressed with David Guetta’s pop-centric success.
“I’ve seen him play damn good dirty-ass tech tracks that blew away a very uneducated crowd,” he enthuses.
“They expected the hits and he played something different and shows them a taste of what we are all trying to get across. He has opened more respect for the scene than most and I take my hat off to him. Rock on David G.”
Joining Dan (as Pig) is Igor Tchkotoua (the pair met on a flight to Spain in 1999 and teamed up in the studio soon after), though today he’s solo, chatting to Skrufff to promote their latest artist album, ‘Then & Now’ (out now on Yoshitoshi).
Germany Calling; Metal Machine Music; on demand podcast
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Berlin DJs Jonty Skrufff and Fidelity Kastrow present and produce ‘Germany Calling’ – a weekly hour long radio show, showcasing cutting-edge upfront house, electro and techno tracks alongside classics and rarities from the vaults of electronic music.
This week, ‘Germany Calling’ digs deep into the vaults, unearthing two seminal drum machine rock classics from Big Black and Sisters Of Mercy. Joining the alternative 80s icons, are upfront future tech and house club cuts from Marco Lys and Ismael Alonso as well as a slamming epic piano house production from UK garage pioneer Tim Deluxe - Tunes You Can Believe In
- • Marco Lys: Kama (Solo Remix)
- • Ismael Alonso, Mikel Ayerra: Pena Capital (Gonzalez & Gonzalo Dub Revolution Remix )
- • Tim Deluxe: Transformation
- • Claptone: Make Me Feel (Exploited)
- • Luca Bacchetti: Tango
- • Sisters of Mercy: Lights
- • Carl Craig: Sandstorms Neve
- • Ramon Zenker & Harada – Rappelkiste (Original Mix)
- • Big Black: Kerosen
Skrufff Top 5: (546):Tim Deluxe, Marco Lys,Ismael Alonso & Mikel Ayerr, Ramon Zenker & Harada, Carl Craig
- Tim Deluxe: Transformation
- Marco Lys: Kama
- Ismael Alonso, Mikel Ayerra: Pena Capital
- Ramon Zenker & Harada: Rappelkiste
- Carl Craig ; Sandstorms
