Within 2 days, every single blog has posted about Don Diablo. And their right to, he's got talent and his latest tracks are samples of a producer who will be blowing up in 09. His upcoming release, "Black Heat", is a fidget-electro monster with some catchy vocals that will please the hard sound lovers as well as the pop fanatics.
The digital retail has a remix by Australian producer Whitenoise, but if you want that one, you'll have to wait a week and get it from the digital shops.
Another Dirty Disco Youth remix; this time around he's gotten his hands on Crooker's "What Up Y'all". The track name just makes me chuckle a bit.
If you like your dance served up dirty, grimy, and bassy...this cut is for you.
Crookers - What Up Y'all (Dirty Disco Youth Remix)
This totally came to me as a surprise because usually with a name like DJ Hell and a reputation for pushing the electroclash sound back in the day, this track speaks more like Massive Attack than a person who named themselves after the most hardcore place in the ethereal planes.
Hell's "The Angst" is a brooding piece that would fit perfectly into a psycho-thriller flick. The track slowly builds, but never really explodes, staying at a steady pace using subtle instrumentation to build intensity of a form. For some it may come off repetitive, but for those of you who are into the aforementioned, Hell's track is a treat. I hope that if and when he performs live, that he takes this track to the next level and makes it more dramatic on stage.
This is just a piece of what Hell is calling his "masterpiece" titled Teufelswerk or Devil's Work. The record is split into two themes, "Night" and "Day". Hell, with friend Peter Kruder, produced the "Day" half assisted by noted multi-instrumentalists Christian Prommer and Roberto Di Gioia. The “Night” album is a raw mix of Chicago and Detroit influences combined with Hell’s unique approach to electronics making this part of the record apt for the dance floor.
In reference to the album, Hell says it's his most personal work yet. A culmination of everything that he knows and that "...I don't think I can make a better record."
DJ Hell - The Angst
It's amazing folks and radio are all over Pendulum now. They reform as a live band and people are flipping their shit over them. Guys, they've been around, but yes, they are that awesome, welcome to the party.
The band will be touring the US in March and skipping us here in dear old New York this time around (we got them for two dates last time around).
Here's the tour list. To get a feel of what you're in store for check out their previous Tour of the Americas Minimix.
March 6th - Vancouver. Commodore Ballroom
March 7th - Seattle. Showbox at the Market
March 8th - Portland. Roseland Theatre
March 10th - San Francisco. Grand Ballroom
March 13th - Pomona. Glass House
March 14th - Los Angeles. Club Nokia
March 15th - Tucson. The Rock
March 17th - Salt Lake City. Murray Theatre
March 18th - Denver. Ogden Theatre
March 21st - Austin. SXSW / La Zona Rosa
March 22nd - Houston. House Of Blues
March 24th - New Orleans. House Of Blues
March 25th - Atlanta. CW Centerstage
March 27th - Miami. Ultra Music Festival / Bicentennial Park - FL
The terms much of the press and PR folks say like "electro rockers" and "live electronica band" kinda annoy me, because honestly they don't fit. Their drum 'n bass roots are extremely hard to ignore and they've evolved and changed their sound since their first vinyl and dubplate releases, turning into a bonafide epic stadium band. Yes, the root is rock and drum 'n bass, but its very obvious their influenced by classic rock (you can hear this when their performing).
With the release of Spiral, on Concord Dawn's Uprising imprint, Pendulum was hard to ignore. The production was techier and hard, and sounded completely different than a lot of stuff out there. The sound changed up with "Slam" and "Another Planet", forming their current sound that can be heard on singles and albums since.
Now, they've truly mixed the genres over and its more rock than anything but stays true to its high energy dnb roots, and its fantastic. Their shows here in New York City were insane and definitely prove that they're at the top of their game. This clip from a show in Auckland, New Zealand is just another example.
If you have the opportunity to see them live, do not miss them.
Pendulum - Girl in the Fire from Hold Your Colour
Pendulum - Spiral from Spiral 12"
Elite Force is one of my favorite producers. He never ceases to please. Even back 5 years ago, Shack was destroying dance floors worldwide with his nasty beats.
His latest remix of Black Twang's "Travellin'" is a groovy, dark tech track. He calls it tech-funk, which I can definitely hear in some aspect, but all-in-all it's true Elite Force sound.
Black Twang - Travellin' (Elite Force Remix)