Tuesday 26 June 2012

Mean and Green


Mean and Green: The Electric Forest Festival

Back in 2008, the Rothbury Festival, held at the Double JJ Ranch, set out to combine music and art with environmental awareness, to categorical success.  After winning the greener festival award 2 years running, and being nominated for greenest festival worldwide, the festival took a year hiatus, and returned as the Electric Forest Festival in 2011 in full force, boasting a star-studded lineup, and the founding theories of green sustainability.

Magic Forest

This year the Ranch intends to host over 30,000 people on 1,000 acres, boasting a Magic Forrest, 3 lakes, multiple stages and a water park from June 28th to July 1st. The lineup has been announced and features some incredible talent.  Here are some artists you might want to check out: Big Gigantic, Zeds Dead, Datsik, Mimosa, Eoto and Dumpstafunk




Fantastic by BigGigantic


Colin Munroe ft. Pusha T - The Fight Of My Life (Zeds Dead Remix) (Preview) by zedsdead


Datsik - Napalm (feat. Messinian) by Datsik


Lekah by EOTO


Shake It Off by Dumpstaphunk


Sanctuary - Free Single by TigranMiMoSA

Friday 22 June 2012

Pretty Lights




Derek Smith, got an early start in the game writing and producing hip hop while attending high school in Colorado, which lead him down a musical yellow brick road.  Smith found  the Courage to deny the constraints of typical genres, blending hip hop, glitch, and bass, with the Heart of the vintage soul and funk samples he utilizes. Thanks to the Brains used to compose the undeniably addictive sounds, we have Pretty Lights:

Pretty Lights - Playlist by Pretty Lights
 

Pretty Lights has been electrifying audiences at major festivals like Bonaroo, Coachella, Electric Daisy Carnival and DEMF, with his state of the art laser and light show and live percussion sets, while filling some of the scene's hottest venues worldwide. Pretty Lights has left no question about his ability to light up the deck and flood the dance floor.  Smith’s feverish fans are no doubt fans he has earned through accessibility: everything Pretty Lights has released since 2006 is available free on his website.   So grab some tracks here, snag a tee here and track down the next show near you to catch Pretty Lights amazing set complete with state of the art light show.

Thursday 14 June 2012

NXNE Kicks Off!




The 18th annual 5 day festival kicks off today, June 14th and will feature hundreds of bands from all over the world, in over 50 venues, primarily located on Queen West, College St and the Bloor St. annex.  Wristbands range from $50 to $250 for the festival, and allow you free cover to any NXNE show, at any venue.  Some choose to hit the festival with a detailed itinerary, squeezing in all of your favorite bands, while others wander aimlessly in hopes of finding a new favorite, or catching an enigmatic secret show, either way, with over 780 bands descending on the city, your music needs are covered.


No Wristband? No Problem!

The Festival in its 18th year, is hosting a number of must-see artists for FREE at Dundas Square. 

Thursday:  Bad Religion is set to headline Thursday evening with trademark 3-part vocal harmonies and the punk sound that inspired the revival of punk in the 80’s.


Friday:  Next up, the homegrown Matthew Good, former frontman of The Matt Good Band, one of Canada’s most successful alternative Rock bands, will undoubtedly have the square at capacity on 
Friday evening for a night of rock .


Saturday:  Young Street will be shut down, to make way for the Flaming Lips and their endlessly entertaining live show of confetti, costumes, complex lights, mind blowing projections, and the famous plastic bubble, frontman Wayne uses to traverse the audience.

Sunday:  Closing up the Dundas Square festivities on Sunday will be the highly anticipated performance from Ghostface Killah and Raekwon, undoubtedly two of the most prominent members of the seminal Wu-Tang Clan.  Grab a tee for $9.99 to wear at the show HERE


Check out the full lineup at: http://nxne.com/schedule/#navsrc=music

Friday 8 June 2012

Big Gigantic


Big Gigantic

This “livetronica” act out of Boulder Colorado should undoubtedly be on your playlist for the sunny days of summer.
  After a day on the patio, nodding your head to Big Gigantic, you may think nothing can top it.  You would be wrong.  See them live!
   

Dominic Lalli (Saxophone/Producer) and Jeremy Salken (Drums) bathe electronic beats in live instrumentation in the form of Saxophone, Drums and Synthesizers. Since 2009 the duo has been performing live, surrounded by dynamic light installments, improvising and captivating audiences at festivals like Bonnaroo, Ultra Music Festival, and Electric Forest Festival to name a few.  Their highly anticipated remix of tour mates,  Adventure Club’s “Do I see Color” has bass-heads a buzz, infusing their undeniably addictive sound to an already spectacular track.

Do I See Color (Big Gigantic Remix) by Adventure Club Dubstep

Their most recent release, Nocturnal is a genre defiant romp through jazz inspired funk carried by body shaking bass.   It is because of the bass that Big Gigantic is often categorized under the far-reaching dubstep canopy, but the music, and their live show set them apart, and ahead of the “wompwomp” goldrush currently being sighted in the blogosphere.  Visit their website for a free download of their most recent release “Nocturnal” or check out their awesome merch here.

Wednesday 6 June 2012

Electric Daisy Carnival


No Plans for the weekend?

Head to Vegas…  Not for hangover style bachelor party hijinks with bearded buffoons and borrowed babies, rather, make the trip for Bass, Bass and more Bass.

I submit for your perusal: The Electric Daisy Carnival: Las Vegas

Now in its 16 th year,  EDC is not your run of the mill festival.  One look at the lineup is enough to get any bass-head’s heart racing at a Drum n’ Bass  bpm.  The Electronic Daisy Carnival is stage to the absolute forefront of the Electronic Dance Music.  With over 100 of the world’s best DJ’s in Electronic Dance Music EDM on multiple stages, and over 300,000 in attendance, this is the Superbowl,  of EDM.  Not sold yet? Check out the promo video




 


As you can see, the Carnival is a treat of sights and sounds, a truly surreal experience.  Performance artists in wild costumes surround you as you make your way through an interactive light dance floor towards an 86 foot  fire breathing serpent made of steel, all while being blasted by the sounds of Excision, Datsik, MSTRKRFT, Bassnectar, and Zeds Dead to name a few.

Excision X Sessions Volume 1 by Excision Zeds Dead - Guest Mix For MistaJam by zedsdead Vuvuvu - MSTRKRFT by chasper

Monday 4 June 2012

Purity Ring

Purity Ring’s Megan James and Corin Roddick have announced their debut EP “Shrines”… Why should you care? Here is why…



Roddick and James have been experimenting with R&B and Hip-Hop beats, deep 90’s influence, and  astonishingly clean soprano vocals to create what is an exciting, fresh and original "future-pop" sound.  Opening for Neon Indian, being named Best New Band by both Pitchfork magazine and New York’s CMJ are just some highlights of the bands overwhelming hype.  Considering the duo has released only 2 singles in the last year, the press and buzz is unbelievable, creating throngs of feverish fans that cannot wait for more.

With “Shrines” dropping in July, a busy summer schedule jet setting around the world and a spot in NXNE’s lineup, the Edmonton natives are undoubtedly an act to see.   Roddick drums live on a custom lights and triggers, as James’ chilling vocals sail sweetly through the air, with  both artists adorned  in original outfits hand-made by James, the experience is nothing short of chilling.

Check them out at NXNE - Wrongbar Thursday, June 14 @ 1AM, be amazed, and pre-order their vinyl available HERE. 


Friday 1 June 2012

Huarotron


Finland's Huoratron (Aku Raski) is undoubtedly at the forefront of the Chip-tune movement.  If you are unfamiliar with Chip-tune, the sub-sub-sub genre features 8-bit sounds, often borrowed from antiquated technologies like the original Nintendo and Commodore 64. These defining bleeps and dings are backed by intense driving bass, glitchy samples, white noise and the consistent yet simple layered percussion.  If this has you confused, just imagine the offspring of a gameboy, a fax machine, a 56k modem and an old dot-matrix printer hosting a rave.

Still confused?  Check out his megamix of his most recent release "Cryptocracy"
Huoratron - Cryptocracy Album Preview by Last Gang Entertainment


Now you've got it.

Check out Huorotron on CD or Vinyl or snag a gnarly Shirt!