First up, some gripes:
- Kenny Larkin didn’t show. Not sure what the circumstances leading into that development are, but it was disappointing to say the least.
- Brown Alley isn’t an ideal venue. For one, the lack of lighting near the staircases made them a death-trap. And the dancefloor was cramped as hell. At times I felt like I was a sardine in a tin.
Aside from that, it was a fun night. Moodymann’s mixing was rather slipshod, but his eclectic (read: all over the shop) tune selection made for some interesting moments. A particularly cool instance of this was when he dropped Four Tet - Sing, that was unexpected to say the least. His set could’ve done with some more bangers, but it served quite well as a history lesson. I’m not going to complain about hearing some Isaac Hayes at a party.
Carl Craig… wow. I was expecting big things, given I have listened to a lot of his production work (and the odd mix/DJ set) over the last few years. Did he deliver? You bet. C2 worked the room like a champ, dropped plenty of bangers and made the party a positive experience. By the time he wrapped it up with Plastikman - Mind in Rewind, I was pretty stoked. Where Moodymann tended to have both feet planted in the past, his take on where the music came from, Carl Craig focused a little more on where we’re at now, and where we’re going. That presented a nice contrast.
The Likes of You seem to be a hit-and-miss outfit from my experiences. In the Melbourne scene, they manage to do a great job of polarising opinion among the discerning punters. So how did D25 measure up? With the benefit of hindsight, I’ll say it was a very enjoyable party. Maybe it didn’t quite live up to (or, as I had hoped, surpass) the hype, but C2 managed to really lift my spirits. The LOY crew can certainly strive for bigger and better things in the future, which is something I’m looking forward to.
By this time tomorrow, I’ll be on the floor at the D25 party. An event billed as a celebration of Detroit exporting techno to the world. With heavy-hitters Carl Craig, Moodymann, Kenny Larkin and Theo Parrish having made the trip to spin some tunes, it promises to be an amazing night. But I’d like to think that it’s about more than techno. This party will be a celebration of music in general; quality music, selected and played by quality practitioners.
I look back on Theo Parrish’s 2008 interview with residentadvisor (here) and see a yearning for authenticity. This is an era where many people simply buy music on iTunes, Beatport and the like - a convenient option, but not one without serious repercussions. Embracing technology is fine; using it in order to take shortcuts is not. We need to continue striving for innovation and improvement, while also considering the effects of our actions. As Parrish says: “Steve Jobs is getting paid… everybody is giving their money to him and wondering why their (music) industry is suffering.” Be it an artist not receiving his fair share of royalties or the local record store closing down, there needs to be some level of romanticism around music. Letting it die would be a monumental act of cruelty.
While I don’t hold Detroit up as the be-all and end-all, respect has to be given where it is due. That city has contributed a lot to the musical landscape, with the Motown movement serving as a great example, and tomorrow night will serve as a chance to revel in said contributions. As artists such as the Four Tops, Mary Wells and The Supremes did in the 60’s, Detroit’s techno contingent pushed something fresh and exciting into the marketplace. Like I said, it’s about more than techno in the grand scheme of things. It’s about celebrating real music; lovingly crafted, emotive and authentic.
LAST WEEKEND
Saturday: Stereosonic (Redshape, Jeff Mills, DJ T, Carl Cox, Luciano, Major Lazer)
Sunday: Hot Water Music and The Bouncing Souls
THIS WEEKEND
Friday: D25 (Carl Craig, Moodymann, Kenny Larkin, Theo Parrish)
Saturday: Pantha du Prince
Not sure whether this will be a one-off, or something I do periodically, but it felt right at the time. I had this sudden urge to throw together a mixtape the other day. Nothing too special, just a bunch of tunes that I really enjoy as a brief session that I can listen to when gaming, working out, etc.
You can find it here. For the time being, I won’t post the playlist; that shouldn’t be important. Just kick back, relax, and see what you think.
It was great fun seeing Ricardo Villalobos on Friday night. His tune selection was quite eclectic, and there were a few skipped records/sketchy mixes, but he really worked the room like a champ until finishing at about 5am. Well worth the price of admission.
Pics from the event can be found here: inthemix
I don’t agree with the girl’s conception of love at the start of the video, as it differs from person-to-person. But the message itself is something of merit. Many compositions, in my opinion, have a potential emotional connection snuffed out by a combination of mediocre vocals and poorly-written lyrics. This tune manages to avoid that pitfall, and is just a beautiful song.
Amazing song. Nothing more needs to be said on the matter.
One of my favourite 80’s tunes. It can work surprisingly well when played at a party, particularly as mood music before dropping the hammer and bringing something heavier into the mix.
I won’t be touching any of those download links, for two reasons: i) holding out to acquire a legitimate copy and ii) resentment that her Australian tour was postponed/canned. There’s still a bitter taste in my mouth over that. Actually, I won’t buy a copy until such time as new tour dates are dropped - that sounds much more reasonable.
Function rules… if you aren’t digging his recent output, (it’s amazing) you legitimately have something wrong with you.
(Source: wherenext)
