Monday, June 29, 2009

The Shoeshine Factory


The man, the legend. Master DJ and trance music producer Armin van Buuren never ceases to amaze with respect to any project he takes on. In particular, his radio show entitled A State of Trance, which has been on air for over 300 weekly episodes is a groundbreaking 2 hour mix every week. He showcases trance music of different genres and styles from around the world in a relentless fashion that is listener friendly from start to finish. He also promotes featured tracks from artists he believes are up and coming in the world of trance and a track from the past he believes to be a show stopper.

Another cool element of the show is a listener poll, allowing fans to vote on specific tracks that hold more talent or power, which is demonstrative of artists' popularity. Since March 2001, the show has been broadcasted in over 29 countries and has an average of 30,000,000 (yes, million) listeners every week.


Starting in 2004, Buuren began to release two hour mix albums spanning two discs of his favourites from the show. This year's A State of Trance 2009 is a staple in the series with an all-star artist line-up with tracks that rend your soul and move your emotions. It is available now in hard copy and on iTunes. If you've never given trance an opportunity, now's the time to do it.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Tracklist for Tuesday June 23, 2009

The Field - I Have the Moon, You Have the Internet
MSTRKRFT - Bounce
MGMT - Time to Pretend
Pony Pony Run Run - Walking on a Line
Tiga - Turn the Night On
Moderat - Rusty Nails
Amon Tobin - The Killer's Vanilla
Team Teamwork - Lollipop (M83 Remix)
Bomb the Bass - Bug Powder Dust (Chemical Brothers Remix)
Phoenix - 1901
Christer - How You Like It
Metric - Help I'm Alive
Junior Boys - Hazel
Remute - Grand Glam
Cicada - One Beat Away
Montag - Best Boy Electric
Bitrate - Ecstatic Exchange

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Support



Over the period that I've been doing the show, I've had a lot of support from a ton of great people involved not only at CJAM, but also other students at the University of Windsor. So this afternoon I put together a montage of pictures from the past year or so of just shit going on and the people who, essentially, are awesome to have around and help motivate me in doing what I do.

Note: Yes the Daft Punk helmets I made were a fuckin' bitch

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Tracklist for Tuesday June 16, 2009

All female show.


Beast - Devil
I'm Not a Band - Electrolin
Peaches - Lose You (Yuksek & Brodinski Remix)
Stars - Sleep Tonight (Junior Boys Remix)
Crystal Castles - She Fell Out (Coralcola Remix)
Lisa Miskovsky - Still Alive (Armand Van Helden Remix)
Cicada - Falling Rockets
Ellen Allien - Come
Dragonette - Fixin' to Thrill
Christer - Cadaver (Body Parts Remix)
La Roux - Bulletproof (Foamo Remix)
Zero 7 - In the Waiting Line (Dub Remix)
Metric - Police and the Private
The Knife - Girls' Night Out
Little Boots - Meddle
Ladytron - Predict the Day
Fever Ray - Keep the Streets Empty for Me

Friday, June 12, 2009

Bulletproof


In the next coming months there will be an influx in releases of female-driven acts. Too my chagrin, artists like the ever popular, yet terrible, Lady Gaga have left a permanent stain on the image of what these women are capable of and are aiming to achieve within the genre. Though, I have higher hopes now that I've seen some of the new/newer work of a few notable outfits.

The new single from Canadian group Dragonette entitled "Fixin' to Thrill" is a dynamo of super-heavy grinding synth effects with catchy, yet not cheesy, vocals. The quartet's initial release, "Galore" was a milestone for Canadian and female artists of the genre, melting away the lets-get-drunk-and-party stereotype that artists like Gaga imprinted in people's minds.

Another brand new release from British artist Little Boots, entitled "Hands", is a sixteen track, strobe-lit express, packed with danceable tracks like "New in Town" and "Remedy". However, the upcoming album from fellow Brit La Roux (pictured above) is stealing the show (in my opinion at the very least). Her intensely electric vocal effort in her work is captivating and enthralling. I'm extremely partial to the track "Bulletproof" which has been released via EP along with remixes by a handful of artists including Just a Band. And if that doesn't get your dance-engine revving, you're clearly in a coma.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Tracklist for Tuesday June 9, 2009

The Presets - Talk Like That
Dragonette - Fixin To Thrill
Faunts - Malefitz
Cassie - Official Girl (CFCF Remix)
MSTRKRFT - Work On You
Tiga - Turn The Night On
Peaches - Lose You (Yuksek & Brodinski Remix)
TMDP - Heat
Moderat - Les Grandes Marches (MMMatthias Remix)
White Lies - Nothing To Give (M83 Remix)
Pony Pony Run Run - Hey You (sayCet Remix)
Junior Boys - Dull To Pause
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero (Animal Collective Remix)
La Roux - Bulletproof (Just A Band Remix)
Little Boots - New In Town
Circlesquare - Dancers (Russ Chimes vs Anoraak Remix)
NASA - Gifted

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Tracklist for Tuesday June 2, 2009

Feist - My Moon My Man (Boys Noize Remix)
Thunderheist - Do the Right Thing
The Crystal Method - Sine Language
(wh)y.m.e.(??) - Shadow's Play
Christer - Trees and Rockets
datA - Blood Theme
Beast - Mr. Hurricane
Thieves Like Us - Program of the First Part
Hercules and Love Affair - Blind
Justin Timberlake - What Goes Around…Comes Around (Paul Van Dyk Club Mix)
Venetian Snares - Horsey Noises
DJ Shadow - Stem/Long Stem
Bomb the Bass - Smog
Caribou - Desiree
The Crystal Method - Double Down Under
The Field - I Have the Moon, You Have the Internet

Monday, June 1, 2009

Fresh

I love when new albums drop. Along with the cascade of amazing material that has been released so far this year, two more are on their way sooner than not.

Venetian Snares - Horsey Noises
As if this year's Filth wasn't enough for this tech-glitch master Aaron Funk, this new EP aims to further the prowess of his arsenal. Armed with four tracks, a ridiculous title, and album art that's just as odd, I'm sure Horsey Noises will please fans of the genre. This drops as a CD or 12" vinyl today, June 1, 2009.



DatA - Skywriter
The french heavy-hitter, datA (formed in 2006), is pushing the bar higher and higher with every album, EP or remix they release. Their most recent work, Skywriter is no exception. The album boasts a powerful combination of electro and stylistic expression of disco music. The album includes tracks with and without vocals, which work uniformly to construct the album as a cohesive product. This album is now also available on iTunes.