Woody’s Roundup

Posted on October 29, 2010 by Minnie

As darkness falls across the land, the midnight hour is close at hand, creatures crawl in search of blood, to terrorize your neighbourhood.

Tonight 29th October
Delphic play at The Warehouse Project London at Ewer Street Car Park with Filthy Dukes, Retro/Grade and Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team (their new mix wins a prize for the most original title: Post Time-Travel Nosebleed. Hear it here).

The foulest stench is in the air, the funk of forty thousand years, and grizzly ghouls from every tomb are closing in to seal your doom…

Tomorrow 30th October
Mulletover have their fancy dress party at a secret warehouse location. They’ve got Steve Bug, Seth Troxler and Ewan Pearson, but it’s sold out, so beware. There is an after party though on actual Halloween from 6am- 11am at Hidden in Vauxhall.
Neon Noise Project have taken over Hearn Street Car Park with Digitalism and Jac The Disco and Late of The Pier Djs. Another spooktacular lineup, another sell-out, but you can get tickets on the door if you get down there early.
Winterwell festival’s putting on a Victorian Villains party with our friends The Jinks at Village Underground.
If you’re in South London get yourselves down to The Rest Is Noise for the third Wholemeal + Spacetime: TRICK OR BEAT, with Addison Groove, Peverelist, Brackles and Esselle.
For you Westies: Black Rabbit’s 4th Birthday sees Severino, Buckwacka! and Tape to Tape at Mason’s Arms in Harrow Road.
Love Fever are hosting one of their secret Dalston Warehouse Parties, and Electric Minds are having one of their loft parties, with James Priestley and Giles Smith. Special vibes at both of these parties.

Sunday 31st October
The Lock Tavern will never let us down. This week Bok Bok is playing for FACT mag and it’s freeeeeee.

And though you fight to stay alive your body starts to shiver, for no mere mortal can resist, the evil of the thriller.

Gesaffelstein – Variations. Another outstanding release from Turbo. Go Tiga. (This version is very low quality. Buy it louder on 9 November)
Kisses – Kisses (Stopmakingme Remix)
Chemise – She Can’t Love You (Tronik Youth Lovedit)
Lorenz Rhode feat. Snax – Something Hot (Savage Skulls Remix)
Gold Panda – You (Cassettes Won’t Listen Remix)
Boys Noize – Sweet Light (Boris Dlugosch Remix)

Out this week on Beatport is DeadFish Remixed, including the excellent Round Table Knights remix of Solo‘s Joga Bola. Rave piano at its best.

So go forth this weekend and frighten.

We Are Your Friends

Posted on June 29, 2010 by Emily

We like midweek parties. We also like parties where all your friends are in the same place. As guests descend the stairs from Commercial Street into the ex-public-toilet Public Life, they are welcomed with hugs and smiles. The lights go down, the people get up on the ledges that run the perimeter of the dancefloor, and the sweat pit goes off.

The DeadFish Family and Friends parties have been ruining our Fridays at work all this year, and this Thursday is the last of the season, featuring Mowgli, Solo, Franky8oy, Oli D.A.B vs. Robin, and, as ever, a special mystery guest.

This is how much fun we had last time:

It’s a free party but email [email protected] or [email protected] to get in.

Here’s a little treat from main man Mowgli to get you in the zone:
Mowgli – June Mixtape

See you on the dance floor.

Ciao!

Woody’s Roundup

Posted on May 14, 2010 by Minnie

This week it’s all about releases, releases, releases…
Lots of great stuff out in the last month, and loads of our favourite people are finishing things off in the studio, so this flurry of activity is set to continue. Bring it on!
Here are a few worth devoting some time to:
Booka Shade – More, out on Get Physical 3 May.
Foals – Total Life Forever out on Transgressive 10 May
Mickey Moonlight – Love Pattern EP on Ed Banger, 10 May, including the lovely Pelu Tolo.
Camel’s Meltin’ Pot EP, out on DeadFish Audio 10 May.
Grum – Heartbeats, out on Heartbeats 17 May.
Faithless - The Dance, on Cheeky Records, 17 May
And of course, worth the wait is The Chemical Brothers – Further, out 8 June on Astralwerks.

I also can’t seem to whittle the tracks down to my seven favourites (one for every day of the week), so you can play two-a-day over the weekend: WoodyX
U- Tern – Style, Class, Flair
Junior Boys – Hazel
Wolfmother – White Feather (Tiedye Remix)
Major Lazer – Cash Flow (Classixx Glass Bottom Dub)
Bottin – No Static (Club Version)
Sally Shapiro – Save Your Love (Lovelock Remix), from the excellent remix version of her album My Guilty Pleasure, released on Permanent Vacation last month.
Kill The Noise – Hey You (Le Castle Vania Remix)
Bodi Bill – Tip Toe Walk (Siriusmo Remix)
The Rapture – Sister Saviour (DFA Dub)

Tom Flynn: One From The Vaults Mix

Posted on May 12, 2010 by Emily

Tom Flynn released his debut single Von Strictly on Bedroom Bedlam back in 2008. Since then interest in his music has been quickly building, leading to the release of his first EP Zinga on UNO Recordings (in February 2009) and a quick succession of follow-ups on Anabatic, Broken Records / Don’t Fix It Music, Jengaa Records and most recently, and perhaps most notably, the release of the Magia and Hotel Rooms EPs on the Deadfish Audio label.

Hearing Tom’s incredible flair for producing top quality jackin’ house inspired us to get in touch with him. Not only has Tom answered a couple of questions for us, but he’s also kindly put together an exclusive mix for us all to check out with a monster tracklist including a couple of his own tracks and remixes (Just Can’t Play, Miami Lanza, Jupiter and his remix of Booka Shade’s Regenerate), and others from the likes of Matthew Dear, Tim Green, Mark Broom and Nick Curly. Thanks again to Tom, and here’s what he had to say…

Can you tell us a little bit about your first big break then after being such a dedicated producer and in love with music so much from an early age?
I guess my first big break was being asked by Andy Caldwell to remix his track with Grandma Funk called Funk Nasty. I had been sending tracks all over to people, with some good responses, then out of the blue one day Andy got in touch and said he’d been listening to the tracks I’d been sending to him and wanted me to remix his latest one. Remixing someone like Andy for your first remix is quite daunting as I’d had him in my music collection for years, but luckily he loved what I did, and the remix went down really well. I also owe a lot to my boy Worthy; the help, advice and encouragement he gave me was, and still is, fantastic.

Perhaps a bit about Pete Tong too, we like to call him Uncle Pete, did he really sign you up first? How and when did that happen, and what did that mean for your music?
Haha, Uncle Pete. I don’t know him well enough to call him uncle yet, but yeah, he was the first person to sign one of my tracks. Again, demos were sent out and I happened to get lucky in the fact that he was just starting up his new label for young aspiring producers called Bedroom Bedlam Records, a spin off from his Fast Trax TV show. He said he really liked the track and wanted to sign it to the label. In terms of what it did for my music… Well, it got me some good plays but the track, looking back, I don’t think is the greatest I’ve done, so it didn’t do great things for me. However just speaking to him and having him play my track on his show did my confidence and belief the world of good which means more to me than anything, that confidence made me know I was on the right track.

Do you have some defining records that have taken you from chapter to chapter in your life as a music lover and then producer?
When I was younger I would tape the Top 40 on cassette religiously. Then I’d do edits via tape to tape of the tracks, cutting the bits I didn’t like or doubling bits I did like. The one track from that era that stands out was The Clash – Rock the Casbah. Tracks that really stand out and changed my way of life would be:
Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal,
Paul Van Dyk - For an Angel (a special vocal mix that was made in about 97 that is the hardest thing in the world to find!),
Celeda – Be yourself,
Jazzy M – Jazzin The Way You Know
Gloria Gaynor – Never Can Say Goodbye
Cassius – La Mouche (DJ Falcon mix)
Da Mob ft. Jocelyn Brown – It’s All Good
Modjo – Lady
Tim Deluxe - Just Won’t Do
Faith Evans – You Used To Love Me
Trentemoller – Gush
There are so many more and ones I may have forgotten, but those records have a very special deep meaning to me and something that I will always cherish. They changed the way I looked at music and my life, and gave me the most amazing memories.

You’ve released music on a few labels (UNO, Anabatic, Jengaa…) and, as is clear with so many independent labels these days, they all carry a signature sound. Is there an element of ‘I need my record on that label’ or is it a case of the label choosing you? Is there something about DeadFish at the moment that really suits what you’re about?
The DeadFish sound is something that I’m very much into, it’s quirky and bouncy and really allows me to be creative, unlike 90% of labels out there that want 4 kick drums, bass line and a repetitive set of high hats! I never make a track thinking this is for that label or this or for those guys. I make what I feel and what mood I’m in.

In terms of labels choosing me, a good example is the other night Claude Vonstroke emailed me asking if I had any tracks for him for a release on dirtybird. That’s probably the only time where I will sit down and think, ‘Yeah, I’m gonna get something weird going on for him’.

You talk a lot about your other much loved hobbies - yoga and golf. Now, these are pretty calm sports really and certainly very focussed ones. How does that tranquillity turn into fantastic tracks that get people up and dancing? Any ideas?
Haha my golf, yoga and meditation are the three things that I make time for everyday. As for how they turn into nice tracks, well I guess the calmness enables me to really get into my music and be creative. I love twiddling knobs and buttons all night and really getting into a sound, although sometimes that can be a curse as much as a blessing. I guess I just like a balanced life.

Can you tell us a bit about your One From The Vaults mix?
I wanted to just drop a couple of old ones in there as it is ‘From The Vaults’ but it’s mostly about what I’m playing now and what I really feel. I did squeeze in a classic at the end though – Vonstroke’s remix of War Paint!

Finally, what’s in store for Tom Flynn in the near future? Will you be out DJing much? Will there be lots more production and some releases to look forward to?
There are quite a few things coming up. Another EP on DeadFish has just dropped called Hotel Rooms, I’ve just remixed Worthy’s Hot Mizzle (that will be out soon), there’s an EP on Anabatic after that, an EP on Fondation Records and an EP on Jamie Anderson’s label Art Form after that… I also have something for dirtybird in the pipeline but can’t say too much yet!

As for DJing, I have taken a break from being on the road. I am waiting for the right booking agency and management to sign to. I’m sure once I get those things sorted I will be up and running and watching my Friends DVDs in hotel rooms all over the world! Love it!

TOM FLYNN – ONE FROM THE VAULTS MIX
1. Mark Knight – Drug Music (Acapella)
2. Tim Green, Emerson Todd – Nail Clipper
3. Hermanez – Soms
4. Dani Casarano – La Tulipe
5. Tom Flynn – Just Can’t Play
6. Nick Curly – Say Something
7. Mark Broom – Supersnout (Tim Green remix)
8. Tom Flynn – Miami Lanza
9. Tom flynn – Jupiter
10. Steve Parker – Klik Klog
11. Matthew Dear, Seth Troxler – Hurt (Martinez remix)
12. Booka Shade – Regenerate (Tom Flynn remix)
13. War Paint – War Paint (Claude Vonstroke remix)

Woody’s Roundup

Posted on April 30, 2010 by Minnie

The first of our May Bank Holidays and, as expected, there is a Summer theme to the events planned. Cue the use of our favourite type of venue; the car park.

Last night the DeadFish Audio gang celebrated Mowgli’s birthday in the best way they know how, by throwing a huge party at Public Life. The secret guest was no less than Groove Armada, and the atmosphere was pretty electric as the crowd – hanging off every ledge in the place – joined Solo in singing Happy Birthday. I think there might be a few sore heads this morning.

There are so many amazing things coming up this weekend I might have to list them:
Tonight:
Trouble Vision at Corsica Studios with The 2 Bears and Toddla T, to launch Raf Daddy and Toddla’s new label Girls Music.
Dummy Mag birthday at The Macbeth with Stopmakingme

Saturday:
Planet Turbo at the Coronet with Tiga, Erol Alkan and Boys Noize
Chew the Fat and Urban Nerds present Londinium at Ewer Street Car Park with Fabio & Grooverider and A1 Bassline

Sunday:
Old Queen’s Head All Day-er with Evil Nine and New Young Pony Club

Eastern Electrics at the Union Car Park in Great Suffolk Street
The Revenge is performing at the Horse and Groom in Shoreditch – it’s a barbeque all day, then music until 3am. Not bad!

As if that wasn’t enough, the crazy crew at Fabric are repeating their marathon session On & On…& On from Saturday night until Monday night. I feel a little sick just thinking about it…

Here’s a few summery songs that have provided pleasure this week: Woody VIII
Classixx & Villains feat o8o – I’m on it
Still Going – Spaghetti Circus
Penguin Prison – The Worse It Gets (Dirty Disco Remix)
The Pipettes – Stop the Music (Justus Kohncke Kompakt Remix)
Lo-Fi-Fink – Marchin In (Astronomer Remix)
Disco Deviance – Don’t (Social Disco Club Remix)
Tiga – What You Need (A-Trak Remix)

And seeing as it’s Friday night, and this is excellent, here’s a bonus for you from Bang Gang’s Cassian. Cassian can do no wrong in my eyes, since I heard his remix of label mates Bag Raiders‘ Shooting Stars. This mix has a pretty-pretty ending, with Sing for Anna into the Mighty Mouse remix of The Living.
Cassian – Mr Friday Night mix
Mr Friday Night Intro – Cassian
This Love Is Real – Nightriders
Hot Damn – Senor Stereo
Perro Loco (Solo Remix) – Forro In The Dark
Calypso – Round Table Knights
Hit Me (Super Rookie Remix) – Telonius
The Electronic Bump (Leon Du Star Remix) – Bryan Jones
Love Long Distance (Riva Starr Remix) – The Gossip (Beni Edit)
Grow Up (Cassian Remix) – Swick
Lies (Alex Metric Remix) – Fenech Soler
Time (Riva Starr remix) – X press 2
Can’t Stop Singing (Solo Remix) – Mowgli
Cruel Intentions (Dj Pierre Remix) – Simian Mobile Disco
Filter Disco Revival (Bryan Jones Remix) – Leon Du Star
Do What You Want – Nightriders
Sometimes (Shazam Remix) – Miami Horror
Minimood – Solo
What You Need (A-Trak Remix) – Tiga
1999 (Tim Green Mix) – Cassius
Get Funky – Pirupa
Friday Night – Cassian
Unintentional (U-Tern Remix) – Senor Stereo
I’ll Get You (Cassian Remix) – Classixx
Something Good Can Work (The Twelves Remix) – Two Door Cinema Club
Crave You (Cassian Remix) – Flight Facilities
Sing For Anna – Big Rodent
The Living (Mighty Mouse Remix) – Performance

Woody’s Roundup

Posted on March 12, 2010 by Minnie

Last night we attended the DeadFish Family and Friends party at Public Life. Mowgli told us that the parties started off with he and his friends rewarding themselves after a lot of hard work on the label, and they do have much to celebrate. The next one is a Mowgli-birthday extravagaza in April. Can you go wrong with a rave in a toilet?

This week’s tracks are ones that have been much talked about by DJs and bloggers alike. I am still loving everything Classixx do so I’ve picked an oldie from 2008, and am intrigued by the mysterious Polargeist productions (on the excellent Bang Gang label). See what you think.

Groove Armada – History (from the excellent album Black Light)
Flying Lotus – Parisian Goldfish
Classixx – Dial 1 (Radio Edit)
Polargeist – Use Me
Les Gillettes – Pompeii (Original mix)
Jamaica – I think I like U 2

Here they are wrapped up in a zip: WoodyIII.

Straight-A Students

Posted on March 1, 2010 by Minnie

A cheeky grin, one hand on hip, one hand in the air; the little man looks like he’s ready to party.

He is, in fact a Gouden Kabouter, Amsterdam dance music’s answer to the Brits. This counjures up images of Jarvis Cocker bum-waggling Michael Jackson in 1996, and other memorable moments of showbiz excess, but amongst the absurdity there are catagories that carry real weight, and they are an important indication of the direction in which the European dance community is heading. The Golden Gnomes are to be awarded on Tuesday 2nd March, and up for both Best Dressed DJs and Best DJ Duo, are Amsterdam’s Homework.

Hi Tom and Zip, thanks very much for speaking to us. I believe you started playing together in Amsterdam in 2007, is that right? Can you set the scene a little for our readers – how did Homework come to be?
We met in 2007, that is correct. We were both working at a well known record store in Amsterdam, called Concerto. It took a while before we realised we were both into dj’ing. Actually it was through a mutual love for a mix album by Boris Dlugosch that we found that out and decided to DJ at a party. After that we never played separately again and things just… well, sort of took off very gradually.

We were asked to organise a club night, which we dubbed ‘Hommeles’, which is an old Dutch word for ‘trouble’. Later we co-produced a night called TAFKAF with The Heykids (kings of the Dutch underground scene) and Meneer de Beer. That night focused on a new sound from artists such as Justin Martin, Duke Dumont and Renaissance Man, who were all our guests. It was a great platform to develop and broaden our musical tastes and it taught us that you always have to look forward. So we’re always looking for new innovations.

I hear you’re up for Best Dressed at the Gouden Kabouters (and Best DJ Duo, a pretty serious one), very nice!
Since our very first gig we’ve always been dressed in white shirts and black ties. We don’t want to whine or anything, but it can be pretty damn hot wearing outfits all the time. But you have to suffer to be fashionable. That might just be the reason we’re nominated. (Of course the best thing would be to DJ without anything on, but we tried that once and people just didn’t get it. We were ahead of the hype on that one. A bit too innovative…)

I see you’ve got some of the DeadFish Audio crew on your mixtape. What record labels are Homework fans of?
Deadfish is an amazing label! Together with Sound Pellegrino, Made To Play and Dirtybird. Those labels are bringing something new and extremely fresh to house music (and dance music in general, for that matter). The artists on and around those labels, such as Mowgli, Round Table Knights, Zombie Disco Squad, Renaissance Man, Tim Green and Harvard Bass, really inspire us. Especially on a production level, because they’re pushing the boundaries of what is possible. It’s surprising what these dudes come up with sometimes. We would love to collaborate with all of these artists.

But there are lots of other interesting producers around. We’re into a very wide range of styles. The most important thing is that a record intrigues us. Then it doesn’t really matter if it’s Balkan dubstep or the sound of a washing machine playing a flute.

And your new track Fissa Tune – is it being released?
Fissa Tune is very dear to us because it was born out of our love for the music of the Round Table Knights and all those peeps. We’re not sure if it will be released. We send it to the ‘high rollers’ and got really good reactions. It would be great if somebody would release it.

What can we expect from you in 2010?
Recently we’ve been busy with our new party BOYCOTT, which we organise together with Guerilla Speakerz. There have been two nights so far, but both were sold out. BOYCOTT is a raw and underground night and is all about partying, hard. Guests include lots of locals and for the next edition we’ve got NT89 coming over.

There are a lot of new tracks coming up, and some remixes for Quinten 909, Rubix and The Century, and we hope these will reach your speakers asap!

Vote for Homework in the Gouden Kabouters here.
Download Only The Penitent Man Will Pass mixtape here.

“A record label, a family, and a mission.”

Posted on February 17, 2010 by Minnie

Emily and I are often like two sides of an ever-shiny coin. We both love EVERYTHING, but we always choose a slightly different element to champion, and from a slightly different angle. We were very excited to find out that our two current favourites are actually best friends, who collaborate on a record label and many of their productions. You can see on the tracklists for the next two mixes how much they use and rework each other’s records.

They are Mowgli and Solo, and Solo is signed to Mowgli’s DeadFish Audio label, along with other favourites of mine, the Round Table Knights. They describe themselves as “Family, because all the artists in the roster are true friends, share the same taste in music and live this business in the same passionate way.” Yeah! It must be a pretty nice place to work.