On Saturday, August the 28th, Boys Noize was playing at the Mysteryland Festival, where he had his own Boysnoize Records stage. Sir Alex Ridha, who will soon release a new EP on his label, had some time during the day to talk with The Kool kids.

Is Holland your favourite country?

Yeah it is. It really is. When I arrived at the festival and I saw how the people party and how much fun they have too, at just random stuff. Like the way it should. That’s what I like to see.

From the beginning of Boys Noize you created a lot of raw sounds.
With this in mind, what entails the sound and vision of Boys Noize?

I think with all my releases I’ve shown that sound-wise it can be very diverse, but you can still hear my attitude behind my tracks. I wouldn’t say I make only this or that. On my last album I tried to make more modern techno stuff, even some electronica stuff. But you can always see the person behind my music, I hope.

What I’ve heard about Oi Oi Oi is that you got a lot of help from D.I.M.
Can you elaborate on this?

We mixed together one track, which is Shine Shine. And all of the tracks were produced at my studio in Berlin. It started when I was 16 and D.I.M. and I shared a studio together. At that time he started to produce as well. He was more an engineer, so I learned a lot from him about engineering. Before Boys Noize we did Kid Alex together. It turned into a band, because I started to DJ so young. And I sang too, which was a lot of fun. But it was more an accident. I started with the band when I was so young and I worked in a record shop when I was 15. Then some big DJ’s from the US came over from time to time and the boss said “Hey this is my kid”. Then I started to make some club records. On one night when we did a track I had a melody in my head and I just sang it in. My first record that came out ever was called “Just can’t forget”. It came out when I was just 17. In the beginning the stuff I produced sounded really different. It was more house music. When I did the singing I realised that it just was a fun thing, and not something that I really wanted to do. Therefore I stopped with that and when I was 19/20 I moved to Berlin and that’s when I started my own stuff as well.

Recently you’ve produced the Chilly Gonzales album.
How was this different than producing a dance album?

Well, it’s a different thing when it comes to engineering and mixing. Because I never really did piano stuff in my music and I never had real strings etc., so for me it was a real challenge to mix it. It wasn’t harder for me though. Normally you’d say that there are certain rules to mix it, but I don’t care about how I mix it. And that’s what I like about electronic music. There’s no real rule how to mix it. It doesn’t exist in my world.

Can you still combine the stuff you do for Boysnoize Records and your own artist persona?

The good thing is that on my label I just do the creative side. Talking to the other artists, helping them with productions, doing all the music side for the label. Also about the artistic side; talking with the designer and the creator and stuff like that. I talk to every artist every day and they send me music and we share our thoughts and I try to get the best out of them. Some of the producers say that it goes really easy and for some it takes more time. But I think it’s something that I can deal with really easily. Even when I’m in the studio or on the road. I have a partner who deals with all the business side, so I don’t have to deal with that.

You had a lot of collaborations with D.I.M., Housemeister and lately Erol Alkan.
Which projects will we be seeing in the future? Are we ever going to witness new PUZIQUe?

The thing is, I’m really open. I just go with what happens. Let’s say next week I’m in the studio and then Housemeister comes over and then he goes on a machine and then I go on another machine and that’s how it works. Erol and me, we work on some new stuff and we have 2 new tracks. And I did 2 new tracks with Housemeister, 2 tracks with Siriusmo and with Mr. Oizo even. It’s all coming out, just in a matter of time. The thing is, when Mr. Oizo did a remix for me or Feadz or Para One or Housemeister, I always say like “If you do a remix for me, I’ll do a remix for you”. But now Feadz said like “Hey, I don’t have a track for you to remix, so let’s do a track to together”. The same goes for Mr. Oizo. And this just happened. We just finished a track. And PUZIQUe is not dead. I just have to get together with Andy again.

Which releases will there soon be on Boysnoize Records?

I’m not signing so many artists at the moment. We’re going to have a new label, which is called BNR Trax. It’s a sub-label of Boysnoize Records. It’s going to be more Techno music. The first release is coming out in September. The first release will be Electric Rescue. He released on Cocoon records and it’s really more Techno stuff. It’s going to be only a digital label, so it’s not so complicated for us to put it out. The second release is going to be new Jan Driver. And the third release is going to be from a Dutch guy actually, called Benny Rodrigues. No, it’s not Dutch House haha. By far not. I hate Dutch House. He had a release on Len Faki’s label. I play it every time. It’s like an oldschool, chigaco, warehouse sound. The release will be really old school techno, it has nothing to do with anything Dutch. On Boys Noize Records, first I have my new 12 inch with two tracks. The acid track and “Yeah”, the old one. There’s a new Strip Steve, and there’s a new D.I.M. Kleine Traüme is one track of that EP. He did it long ago. He takes more time to make music right now. He never finished a B-side, but he told me today that he finally finished a B-side. So we’re going to put it out soon. Actually I’m going to release a Mixhell record. They did a new track and it’s amazing, because before they sent me music and I just released the Brodinski remix. Not the original, because I didn’t think it was good enough. But the new stuff they made is more like a lot of disco in it, but with bits of Soulwax and it’s really cool. They got a new producer in Sao Paulo and the sound is amazing. They sent me the demo and I was so surprised and happy. Because they’re really good friends of us. But I was always hoping they had a good track I could play and now they do amazing stuff. It’s really cool.

Are you already busy with producing a third album?

I haven’t started yet. I want to start this winter. I will take a few months off to work on it. I don’t have any old tracks ready for this album. The “Yeah” track I already did a long time ago. It’s actually almost 3 years old. I did it before the Power album. I didn’t release it on that album, because I already had the Sweet Light track and I thought that was already enough for that kind of sound.

How important is it for you to have almost the whole Boysnoize Records crew to play on a day like this?

I’m really happy, because I was thinking today on how amazing everything went. On the one side I got really happy, but on the other side I’m really sad as well. When we started all this it always had something to do with the underground and the statement, you know. And when the cheesy guys take bits of the sound and make it commercial, I feel like… It’s hard. It’s hard to stay underground. I’m just trying to always bring something fresh for the people. And I hope that I always keep the difference between this and that. I guess it’s really hard for young kids, because they don’t know anything about production.

Jamaica, the band formerly known as Poney Poney, just released its debut album called “No Problem”. The French new wave/grunge/club band consists of Antoine Hilaire (vocals & guitar), Florent Lyonnet (bass & vocals) and David Aknin (drums). An interesting detail to this album is that it’s produced by Xavier de Rosnay from Justice and the sound engineer from Daft Punk, Peter Franco.

It’s still a big mystery to me why the band actually has chosen to change the name from Poney Poney to Jamaica, as the latter one sure is an odd name to use. Nevertheless the band is rocking its socks out with this new album “No Problem”.

The album starts off with pure hits “Cross The Fader” and “I Think I Like U 2″, which are known to most people. The last one even made it on a few Dutch radio channels. The powerful chords and the pop/grunge-like vocals make a good formula for these songs, and for the album.

It goes on with “Short and Entertaining”, which shows Igor Cavalera from Mixhell on the drums (in the clip).
One of the most surprising new songs of this album must be By The Numbers, which will most likely be chanted at every show for the coming year. Throughout the whole album you get entailed with a happy and chilled mood, perfect for simply hanging out on the couch. Antoine Hilaire’s vocals along with the low bass and dreamy solos, make this album a success. Each snap on the drums is crisp, the guitars strut and spiral into curlicues and bombastic solos, and every note gleams. Finished off with the effects you hear in every song.

Jamaica is making an aim on becoming the new big rock band, which has just a bit more powerful chords than Phoenix does. Definitely an act worthy to see on the festivals next summer. Xavier de Rosnay and Peter Franco have also played a big part in the quality of this album, something that must be said.

Jamaica – No Problem Tracklist:
1. Cross The Fader
2. I Think I Like U 2
3. Short And Entertaining
4. Secrets
5. Jericho
6. Gentleman
7. The Outsider
8. By The Numbers
9. Junior
10. She’s Gonna
11. When Do You Wanna Stop Working
Bonus
12. I Think I Like U 2 (DVNO Emotional Remix)

As you’ve probably read in an earlier post, Eastpak is celebrating the new year!
And to do so, the guys from Eastpak want to give you a welcome present too!

The venue will bring in international artists The Juan MacLean, Kavinsky and Breakbot, national artist Shook and also local heroes Compression and Listoman. This party will be presented by a new concept called “High Voltage”.

Win

Along the free booze you will receive that night, the lads would like to warm you up with other terrific presents. You have the opportunity to win free tickets for the night, as we’re giving away 2×2 tickets for this night!
And this isn’t everything; you can also win an Eastpak Delegate bag next to this!

How can you win this stuff? Just congratulate The Kool Kids and Eastpak with the new year! You can do so by emailing us, tweet us, or even comment below! Once we’ve chosen the winners, we will contact them.

Our email: contact@thekoolkids.com
Our Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/thekoolkids

Deadline is Tuesday August the 24th.

Is there a god? Is his name Siriusmo? Who is Siriusmo? Is there a bit of Siriusmo in all of us?
Why Siriusmo is a god…

The Artist

Moritz Friedrich is an artist who is known by the name of Siriusmo. Being probably one of the most unknown heroes of the electro scene, Siriusmo slowly stages onto the big shots. Several people claim Siriusmo to be a god, some of them even saying he’s the new Daft Punk. The Berlin-based artist’s name will be shouted all over the world in a couple of years.

Moritz Friedrich is, by all means, a true artist. His love and devotion in the arts of design and music are far beyond one’s dreams. A great designer and musician, that’s something not many are able to acclaim. Friedrich played in a band for many years and he’s a fan of old keyboards. Siriusmo is a professional artist, doing painting, illustration and graffiti. Therefore he “lives off temporary jobs and even does construction work now and then”. It’s a fact that Moritz doesn’t love the club culture and isn’t doing much stage action. So far you’ve only been able to see Moritz perform on stage on rare occasions (children’s birthday parties or other family get-together parties) – “and even then his mood is rather shitty due to his bad taking of criticism”.

As things have stand so far, Friedrich’s first love is being a graffiti artist, and music played second fiddle. Yet, there is hope that music will be playing a more important role, seeing as the German artist released another big EP on the label of Modeselektor and will release his first full length album next. He says his own production style uses “technical devices and a lot of fantasy to artistically cover up lacking musical abilities.” And although Siriusmo is acclaimed to be a great artist, he doesn’t feel like he’s one. He simply plays some stuff until he has found a decent melody, according to the man himself.

Next to this project, Siriusmo is also having a duo-project with Dana, who must be either his girlfriend or simply a good friend of his. Siriusmo & Dana create some very good music together, Moritz being the producer and Dana the singer. She actually helps him with many vocals for his tracks, and they are a great team together, which results in beautiful tracks like “Gummiband”.

Earlier Releases

Siriusmo has actually already released a butt load of tracks. All bits and pieces of art, spread over many different labels and years. He also has made many remixes, though the best ones are (always) for last. One of the best releases he did in the past are the “Wow” EP and the mini-album “Diskoding”. The track “Wow” has a real funky, psychedelic-like, synth-bassline sound. The result is a peacful and relaxed feeling. The “Diskoding” mini LP is most famous for the track “Meine Neues Fahrrad”, which Boys Noize had edited and was put on the big Boys Noize Records compilation. This track a good show starter and it’s no surprise that it has been played in many clubs over the world.

The Uninvited Guest

His self-therapeutic way of life shows a new side with “The Uninvited Guest”. Sometimes bold, sometimes heartsick, melodies that creep under your skin, serious drama, touching melancholy that collapses into absurdity and which makes fun of itself. Technical devices and a lot of fantasy artistically cover up lacking musical abilities. Moritz Friedrich already had quite a lot releases on respective labels. His one and only comment on those releases: “On each record there is one song that I still like, the rest – unfortunately – is shit.” And this is how a god would be speaking.

Some of the tracks of this EP are fine artworks. The third and final track on the A-side is “High Together”, which has an utterly sweet vibe in it. Innocent as a beast and great, warm synths along the way. Not forget to mention the vocals, which might be even sweeter. “Nights Off” uses old school synths to create a sound that is more French Touch than Berlin basement. Both of these tracks are pure brilliance, created by the German.

After this EP, many artists started to recognize his talents, which led to big name DJ’s like Cassius, Erol Alkan, A-Trak and Busy P playing his tracks, and “High Together” got licensed for compilations by the likes of Kitsuné. Since then Siriusmo has dropped remixes for the likes of Chromeo, The Gossip, Breakbot and Scissor Sisters, but his fans have always clamoured for more original material of his distinctly unique brand of electronic production.

The Plasterer Of Love

About a month ago, Siriusmo released his second release on Monkeytown Records, “The Plasterer Of Love”. According to an interview made by Fact Mag, the main reason for Modeselektor to create the label, was to support Siriusmo. The Plasterer Of Love, which introduces us to five new songs. All of them are particularly great, again. The best track of this EP is certainly “Einmal In Der Woche Schreien”, a carnal and epicurean hymn. It’s without a doubt that this track will strike the big DJ’s, artists, labels and listeners once more, preparing them for the release of his début album.

If we must believe Monkeytown Records, the story behind “The Plasterer Of Love” goes as follows:
“Where is no love, it needs to be created artificially. That’s for the plasterer of love to do. And he builds and builds, squeezes and tortures, slices, shapes, destroys and rebuilds, but he can never quite get it right. A strange sight. Agitated moves, his body in awkward positions, his face frozen, a grotesque mask. One wants to say to him: “Leave it, man! It’s gonna be okay.” or “Take your time and think about it again. You can’t force it anyway!” But the plasterer of love is not listening: “No no no! I have to do it! I have to get it right. That’s my job, my duty, I’m the plasterer of love!”

Tracklist:
1. The Plasterer Of Love
2. Katharsis Impossible
3. Blaue Sonne
4. Einmal In Der Woche Schreien
5. 123

The Future

Being friends with him for so long, Modeselektor decided not only to back the producer on his début album, but also help him to finally get over his problem with being on stage. This has led to the fact that Siriusmo actually has already played a show in Berlin, which you can download below. As the story of a rising hero goes, it’s only time before we will witness a stunning first album release by Siriusmo on Monkeytown Records, followed by a world tour, which will have some ground-breaking visuals. After that Siriusmo will be crowned as one of the biggest producers and artists around the globe, and he will most likely enjoy a big load of fame.
Siriusmo is a great artist, who, even though he might not like it and/or enjoy it, will be recognized for his great talents sooner or later. A true and brilliant performer. One must not hide his excellence in skills, when they do great good for the man. And he won’t.

Extra:
Siriusmo & Jan Driver @ Blockparty, Berlin
04 Siriusmo@OYE Record Store by OYE Store Berlin

Extra:
Siriusmo Radio Mix (download not possible)
Siriusmo Radio-Mix by Exploited

1 discosau – siriusmo – grand petrol
2 morgan geist – lullaby – environ
3 sunset driver – michael jackson – 1978 demo volume2
4 cristalcity – fred falke- alan braxe – culture music
5 wolnosc z nami – sbb – amiga
6 kaiserschmarn – harry axt – grand petrol
7 waves – boysnoize erol alkan – gonzales pianoversion – bnr
8 jacques your body – les rythmes digitales – wall of sound
9 tellyfoam – jan driver – bnr
10 gax – boysnoize – bnr
11 bootyshake – ark – fresh press
12 nonstopcutpaste – sibegg – noodles
13 shugabite – siriusmo – grand petrol
14 rushupedge – the tuss – rephlex
15 do you know squarepusher – squarepusher – warp
16 A-MS 03_B – anstam – anstam
17 did they ever tell cousteau – e.s.t. r.i.p – superstudio gul
18 radio caca – jackson a. h. c-band – warp
19 hun – mr. oizo – ed banger
20 hightogether – siriusmo – monkeytown
22 allthegirls – siriusmo – exploited
23 geniusoflove – tomtomclub – island
24 wow – siriusmo -mdslktr edit – exploited
25 sexgold – tornow – antitone
26 warumrapstdu – kks – warum rappst du? – optik
27 too high – yesterdays new quintet – stones throw
28 sirqüs alfon – babham
29 afrikatape
30 oscar peterson
31 girlblue – stevie wonder – motown

Eastpak nowadays produces bags, traveling bags, clothing and accessories that combine style and comfort. The brand also supports many artists, groups and athletes, being an urban lifestyle brand.

Now Eastpak, normally the kool urban lifestyle brand, is getting ready for a couple of announced Eastpak Happy New Year parties that are the start of the coming academic year. These parties will host just about the best of the best from the continent among the DJ’s and live bands and will create a perfect start of a new year for many of us.

September is the start of a new year for many young college people. Because of this, Eastpak wants to start off and celebrate the new year with a party! YIn 20 different cities, 20 parties will be held throughout the college year, spread around all of Europe. You may be able to visit a beach party in Athens or go to a big club in London; Eastpak Happy New Year parties will attract thousands with the countdown to the begin of the real new year.

With 3 Happy New Year parties there will be more than enough chances to celebrate the new school year in The Netherlands. All these parties will take place on Friday August the 27th in three different cities at the same time. All counting down toward s the 12th hour.

The Paard Van Troje in The Hague will bring in international artists The Juan MacLean, Kavinsky and Breakbot, national artist Shook and also local heroes Compression and Listoman. This party will be presented by a new concept called “High Voltage”.

At the Effenaar in Eindhoven the artists of that night will be Baskerville, Henzel & Disco Nova (VAgE gASTEN), Vermin Twins and Style Beats.

The Melkweg in Amsterdam will have its own disco party with icons like
Greg Wilson, I-F, Tom Trago and live performances of The Benelux and
Alden Tyrell.

For more info check http://www.eastpakhappynewyear.com

For those of you who haven’t heard of the name yet: Huoratron is a project from a crazy Finnish guy called Aku Raski who is bald and has an occasionally long beard. Other projects of him are Alpha Males and Nu Science. “With his harsh and hardly danceable sounds he has tried to rock dancefloors for years already. In year 2002 Huoratron was born, first as a project, where Raski very effectively used two Game Boy consoles to produce experimental Electro.” Currently signed at Last Gang Records, he will release his debut album on the same label in a short time.

Huoratron surprised the scene with his his shockingly exciting track “$$ Troopers” 2 years ago. Ever since his loud noises are heard all around the world. Recently the Finn released the track “Corporate Occult” on the label from Finland of which he is one of the founders, New Judas. We spoke with the guy during the Jailhouse event at the Maassilo in Rotterdam on April the 12th.

Huoratron – $$ Troopers from New Judas on Vimeo.

How are you doing at the moment?
It’s going okay. It’s already my second gig of today, so I’m a bit down right now. Just tired. Things are really busy at the moment, with the whole tour going and stuff.

What have you been doing lately?
The things I’ve been doing lately are travelling and studio. Honestly, that’s all I’ve been doing. I’m travelling so much lately that it’s hard to get in the studio at certain times. There are so many gigs going. I have a US tour, an Australian tour, then another US tour and a vacation tour going. And in the meanwhile the label is also saying to me like “Yeah, yeah, we want the material”, so it’s a bit tiring.

So when is the album done?
The album is a pretty huge thing for me in my head. I have like millions of tracks and ideas in mind. At least I can tell you that the album will be out in early 2011. Before the album there will be some sort of release I think. There will be some kind of special action with the album, art-related. Not so much in graphics, but essential art. This part is pretty important for me. It’s pretty hard to explain.

So you’ve recently signed at Last Gang Records. What’s the difference between Last Gang Records and the New Judas label?
Money. That’s the biggest difference. Of course there are also some other slight differences, but this is the biggest one. I have a long-term agreement with Last Gang Records. The album will be released on Last Gang Records, so they are pushing me a bit about finishing it.

How did the development came from being a “bedroom DJ” to a real artist?
I have been in a couple of punk bands. I was playing the bass and I remember being so shit at it haha. I was into Industrial and Metal music. And at some point my friend had a sampler. Kids way back in the day, about 15 years ago, used way worse stuff than the kind of instruments you have now. Anyway, my friend made a sampler for me and from that point I created some bass and started programming some industrial stuff. A lot of stuff didn’t exist back then, so it was pretty hard for me in the beginning. When I created my first noise it all just went on from there.

Considering Lowlands festival will be soon again this year, can you tell us how your gig at Lowlands festival went last year?
Uhm, I played just before Boys Noize and it was a fucking good show. All the people were dancing like crazy and It was quite big and fucking madness everywhere. Too bad I won’t be going there this year, but I will be there probably next year, when the album is out. I’m going to play at Valtifest in Amsterdam in September though, so you can check me out there.

What are your plans now that you are at Last Gang Records?
Well, first up is the album release. After that there will be some kind of personal project. The album needs a lot of preparation. The organization, the graphics etc. Everybody needs to be in sync in order to make a success out of this album. The graphic design is not done yet. All the time I’m travelling and working in the studio, and that’s it. It takes lot of time to make stuff. I use many different programs. I try not to disappoint myself with the album. Next Tuesday I’m going to US for couple of weeks, playing some gigs over there.

“CORPORATE OCCULT” Huoratron Music Video from Cédric BLAISBOIS on Vimeo.

How is the scene going in Finland?
New Judas Label is from Finland. People there know what’s what. People know where the party’s at. I’m from Helsinki myself and Helsinki is a fucking good city for partying. Clubs are always loaded with people and they always serve good music.

Wasn’t it hard to leave New Judas label cause it’s from Helsinki?
I actually was one of the original founders of the label, so of course it was hard. But I think it’s a good thing.

How do you cope with other habits in such a “business life”?
I have other habits like I can do a lot of visual stuff and studio work. I’m often enjoying the ride when I’m on tour. I’ve been to China for 2 months. It’s so weird and amazing to get in touch with thousands and thousands of years of old dynasties. I don’t really have time to go and explore the cities and countries, but whenever it’s possible I try to.

Are you going to plan some artwork or collaborations with other artists?
It’s basically bringing some other ideas in some other life of form. It will be on some different label. It’s impossible to explain. I impersonate musicians. Of course there are some inspirations. Lady Gaga is an absolute favourite haha. Some Hiphop… There are all kinds of influences. The début album will be the whole package. Meaning the design, artwork, both visual and audio etc. Its going be pretty Rock & Roll like.

What’s your evaluation of these evening?
I fucking adore the venue. It’s so rough and industrial-like. It’s really nice.

Why do you think you’re kool?
Hmm, tough question. I’m kool, because I’m from Finland, so my body temperature is lower than average haha.

What’s your motto?
My motto… Ah, my motto is: Opinions are like assholes. Everybody has got one.

As a bonus, you can get the track “Gbay” for free! This sick Game Boy sound-like track of Huoratron is free to download once you’ve filled in your email address to be updated by the latest news.

The Belgium disco duo Aeroplane is known for its magnificent remixes that are played all around the world and are known to many of us. If one would say they are the best remix artists alive, not so many would disagree with this statement. Now only Vito De Luca is the one really operating in Aeroplane, since he’s the one doing all the production and remixes. Stephan Fasano was the DJ of the two. Its sound is heavily influenced by late-‘70s and early-‘80s disco, Italo, and pop. By weaving together laid-back grooves, sticky melodies, and smooth, gently danceable beats, they create uplifting, emotion-laden music that evokes blissful nostalgia yet still soars with innovation in today’s banger-filled world of dance music.

It’s no big surprise that the duo was chosen to create the 500th BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix, as they are one of the finest remixes and mixers. But can one of the best remix artists create a great album of its own tracks?

Aeroplane – 500th Essential Mix (Live from Circus Liverpool) by Aeroplane (Official)
(Track list)

“You fly with Aeroplane once, you don’t forget it. In just three years, the Italian-Belgian duo have established themselves as party-starting DJs, remixers du jour -with their spacious cosmic-disco re-rerubs of Grace Jones (William’s Blood), Friendly Fires (Paris) and Sebastien Tellier (Kilometer) – and, via their own piano-sprinkled melancholic beauties like Caramellas, leaders of the nu-disco and Balearica scene. So Aeroplane’s debut album, We Can’t Fly, arrives with sky-high hopes. Now that our appetites have been whetted by those brief, tantalising excursions, what delights await us on their maiden long-haul flight?

Plenty, it turns out. Recorded in Toulouse, Paris, London and Los Angeles, We Can’t Fly (co-produced by Bertrand Burgalat), is a grown up, dazzlingly accomplished record that showcases not just a passion for stately, soulful disco and early 80s electronica, but a lush and bittersweet set of influences that stretch from Abba and film soundtracks to Floyd, the Stones and the Italian Crooners that Vito Deluca’s mama played him in his Brussels youth.

Aeroplane is now a one-man operation, Vito having amicably parted company with his bandmate Stephen Fasano. Not that we should be alarmed. “There are worse things in life!” says Vito. “Stephen’s gonna do music on his own, I’m gonna do music on my own. I’m the studio guy, he was more the DJ so when the music became more important, the more I was alone in the studio. The future of Aeroplane was this album and I wrote it and played every instrument.” The two are still on good terms: “He’s picking me up tomorrow at the airport. I’m probably going to produce the stuff he writes in the future and I’m not going to have a word to say about it!”

Flying solo has given Vito the chance to flex his classically trained musical muscles: “We’ve been put in the dance music category but I’m a songwriter, that’s what I know how to do. I wanted to go back to proper pop music, not being forced to do nine-minute tracks so the DJ can mix in before and after.” Aeroplane have never been at the mercy of traditional bpms, and being free of “the dancefloor pressure” has given Vito additional license to slow things down and look around. “I’m at my best at 105bpm,” he says. “That’s the speed where I make the best music. You can do more, there’s more groove, more feeling.”

He’s not kidding. Take We Can’t Fly, the languid, showstopping anthem-to-be with which Aeroplane kicked off their landmark 500th Radio 1 Essential Mix at Circus in Liverpool earlier this year. Laying gospel harmonies over Compass Point-era Grace Jones reggae, blissed-out Rimini keyboards and kiddie vocal samples, it’s handsome proof that dancability and musicality don’t have to be mutully exclusive. It’s going to sound rapturous live, when Vito and an expanded on-stage line-up play Aeroplane’s first dates later this year.

Being let loose in a proper, bells-and-whistles studio for the first time has been something of an eye-opener. “I’ve been recording in my bedroom for my entire life so it sounds a million times better,” says Vito. “I was totally like a kid in a sweetshop.” The results are spectacular – and at times intensely cinematic. The widescreen, string-splashed Mountains of Moscow is the soundtrack to the best Eighties blockbuster you’ve never seen, while London Bridge and Point of No Return are mini-epics of spiralling Floydian guitar riffs and plaintive Tangerine Dream synths. “That’s my dream actually, writing scores for movies,” says Vito. “For me the Rocky soundtrack is at the same level as Dark Side of the Moon, it’s the same kind of perfection.”

Another mighty inspiration was Giorgio Moroder, whose gleaming electronic scores for Scarface and Midnight Express fed into the vintage disco stylings of My Enemy and the propulsive, piano-led Superstar, which Vito describes as “Moroder meets Canned Heat”.

The raucous, razor-blade rock of I Don’t Feel features the formidable vocals of Merry Clayton, who backed Jagger on Vito’s favourite Stones song, Gimme Shelter. ”There was always this black chick singing at the end and I never knew who she was. I also had this amazing soul-funk record by a girl called Merry Clayton. Then one day they played Gimme Shelter on the radio and the DJ explained that it was Merry singing. I lost the plot and said we have to try everything we can to get her.” Get her they did, and Clayton wraps her arena-sized lungs around squalling Bowie-ish riffs to impressive effect. “She killed the song, it was amazing.”

The roster of guest singers is impeccable. Nicolas Ker, the frontman of French italo-disco outfit Poni Hoax, adds a sullen elan to Fish in the Sky, an electro torch song worthy of Human League, while dream-pop outfit Au Revoir Simone breathe delicate harmonies over the woozy ballad We Fall Over, and London’s Jonathan Jeremiah transforms Good Riddance into a low-slung slice of honky-tonk soul.

Perhaps the most ear-catching turn comes from the precocious LA teen-vixen Sky Ferreira on Without Lies, a cover of a song by the Belgian screen star Marie Gillain. The 17 year-old Ferreira takes obvious relish in delivering suggestive lines like “When I eat cake I prefer the cherry”. Vito picked her because “we needed a young voice but kind of sexy too. It’s like an angel and a demon in the same body.”

It’s a breathtakingly diverse collection of songs, but what runs through all of them is that wistful Aeroplane trademark, what Vito calls “sad happiness”. It’s something he learned from the Italian pop maestros so beloved of his mum, men like Lucio Battisti and Adriano Celentano. An exquisite, bittersweet state that’s neither overly dark nor simplistically happy. It’s the Aeroplane way – wake up and smell the kerosene.”

Oh yes, Aeroplane is heading to be crowned disco king on this decade’s prom. With his wonderful remixes, lovely synths, smooth basslines, one can only imagine how cheerful and dance-like the debut album can be.

In September 2010 the debut album, which is ironically called “We Can’t Fly”, will be released on English based Wall Of Sound. As predecessor of the debut album, the same-titled single has been released in the end of June, along with a radio edit and an extended drums mix, on Eskimo Recordings. Aeroplane will show its debut album at Lowlands festival on August the 21th and at Valtifest in September this year.

As a bonus, here is Aeroplane’s July chart mix to listen and download. It also includes Aeroplane’s latest remix; the one of Chromeo’s “Don’t Turn The Lights On”.

June Chart Mix by Aeroplane (Official)

Track list:

1. Sweet G – Games People Play (Instrumental)
2. Sarah Dash – Low Down Dirty Rhythm
3.Koto – Chinese Revenge (Maxi Version)
4.Everything Everything – My Kz, Ur Bf (Grum Remix)
5.Sheharzad – Yalla Yalla (Kid Who Remix)
6.Chromeo – Don’t Turn the Lights On (Aeroplane Remix)
7.Omar – Feeling You (Henrik Schwarz Remix)
8.The Chemical Brothers – Swoon (Lindstrom & Prins Thomas Remix)
9.Goldfrapp – Believer (Joris Voorn Remix)
10. Yoko Ono – Every Man Has a Woman Who Loves Him

Llowtel

Vice, in collaboration with Converse, made the Llowtel action in which people can send in artistic and creative things, which has the theme “You’re Up. You’re Here”. The lucky winner will go to Lowlands along with 3 friends and will stay there in his or her own Llowtel (which is a big container that is rebuilt to a hotel). You have until August the 14th to send your stuff in.

For more info on what you have to do, go to: http://www.viceland.com/nl/converse

Llimited Lowlands All Star

The Converse All Star is a much used festival shoe. That’s why it’s no surprise that the sneaker brand will be the main sponsor of the Lowlands festival in Biddinghuizen for the third year already. For this reason Converse decided to do something special.

In advance of the festival the brand pinted the Llowbot on the known Converse All Star. This weird little robot represents the theme of Lowlands this year: “Wanna play”. The result? The ultimate Lowlands shoe! Converse is once again settled on the festival area with its Converse Compound. The container village has of course more than enough challenges for Lowlands civilians and creative people. Which means you will experience some well-known things, like customizing the Converse sneakers and the Converse “Silent Disco”. But Converse also has other stuff to offer, like the exclusive Lowlands shoe with Llowbot print on it, which will be produced in limited edition! The shoe is exclusively for sale at Britain, Front Runner, the Converse store in Zwolle and of course on the Lowlands festival itself.

Bobmo’s 2010 Summer Mix

Young French House star Bobmo, who’s signed at Institubes, made a nice summer mix to spread some love and show some new tracks of himself and other Institubes artists. Bobmo’s new EP “Bring It” will be released August 31st on Beatport and September 14th on vinyl and iTunes.

“Bobmo has just recorded this great mix, with some old favourites, some of the best tracks of the moment, and a couple exclusives from our Parisian and Berliner fams.”

Download

Track list:
01. Will Power – Reaction
02. Cajmere – Mind Gamez
03. Nujax – Grid
04. Paul Johnson – Playing with a Rubberband
05. L.A.W – Remember the Time (Dj Trajic chronic mix)
06. Housemeister – Hyperactive
07. Para One – Animal Style
08. Boys Noize – Trooper (Strip Steve remix)
09. Teki Latex – Dinosaurs With Guns (TWR72 remix)
10. Teki Latex – Dinosaurs With Guns
11. Kikumoto All Stars – Bending Time
12. Tony B – Wacky
13. Ellen Allien – Magma (The MFA remix)
14. Bobmo – **unreleased**
15. Sound Design – Bounce to the Beat (remix)
16. Soundstream – Love Jam
17. CLS – Set it off
18. Bobmo – Bring It (Hot City remix)
19. Marlon D – Jesus Creates Sound
20. Bobmo – My House (Douster remix)
21. High Powered Boys – Do It
22. Headman feat. Dieter Meier – Gimme (In Flagranti remix)
23. Surkin – Fan out (club mix)
24. Sidechains – Back to Skool
25. Jammin Gerald – Come on y’all

Erol Alkan’s Hard Summer Mix

UK artist Erol Alkan has done a mix for the well-known Hard party in Los Angeles. The British man, who we all know and love, sat down for some proper fine and banging tunes.

“Erol has recorded a live and exclusive 60 minute mix for the Hard Summer Party, which he will be co-headlining in LA on Saturday 7th August. “

Erol Alkan’s ‘Hard Summer’ Mix by Erol Alkan

Questionable track list:

1. Paul Chambers – Yeah Techno (Soulwax Remix)
2. Shinichi Osawa – Singapore Swing feat. Paul Chambers
3. Svogner – Breathless (Alex Gopher Night Remix)
4. Clouds – Sucker
5. Gonzales – I am European (Djedjotronic remix)
6. ID?
7. Jamie Lidell – Telephone (Tiga Remix)
8. Black Raw – Rock the House Yo!
9. Voltage – All Night (Azari & III remix)
10. Ron Hardy – Sensation (Obi Blanche Edit)
11. DJ Harish – Mon (Remix)
12. Vhyce – Vojvodina
13. Tiga – You gonna want me (Hey Today! Mix)
14. Afrojack & Gregor Salto feat. Jimbolee – I’ll Be There
15. Erol Alkan & Boys Noize – Lemonade

Hey Today! August Mix

Hey Today! did a great August mix, which includes some very interesting new tracks. New remixes for Tiga and Boys Noize, a new track, and some other exciting stuff is included. With a little wink at Boys Noize Records, hehe.

Hey Today! dj-mix Aug 2010 by lektroluvrecords

Track list:
1. Siriusmo – Einmal Die Woche Schreien (Monkey Town)
2. Zinc – Nexx (Zinch Music)
3. Para One – Toadstool (Sound Pellegrino)
4. Gonzales – I’m Europe (Djedjotronic Remix) (Boys Noize Records)
5. Boy-8-Bit – Yard Birds (Turbo Recordings)
6. Mathew Jonson – Sunday Disco Romance (Waron Repair)
7. Rok – Cycle Sluts (Müller Records)
8. Sovgner – Breathless (Alex Gopher Remix) (Go 4 Music)
9. Boys Noize – Nerve (Hey Today! Remix) (Boys Noize Records)
10. Djedjotronic – Bit this Thin (Boys Noize Records)
11. Green Velvet – Hammergeddon (Relief Records)
12. Hey Today! – Strange (Lektroluv Records)
13. Style Of Eye – Puss (Noob Remix) (Refune Records)
14. Tiga – YGWM (Hey Today! Remix) (Turbo Recordings)
15. Paul Chambers – Yeah Techno! (Boris Dlugosch Edit) (Phantasy)
16. His Majesty Andre – Getaways (Moda Music)
17. Hey Today! – Talk To Me (Turbo Recordings)

If you have some other summer mixes in store, write it at comments. We will most likely post them too!

The Russian soldier from Moscow, Proxy, is known for his terrifying sounds since the first time he dropped his classic “Raven“. Currently signed to Turbo Recordings, he will release his first album on the label, formed by Thomas Von Party and Tiga.

Background

On the Myspace page of Proxy’s you can find more info about the mysterious artist:
“From the ashes of the Soviet empire, from the flames of history, rises Proxy. Post 9/11 rave vibes cloaked in Muscovite angst. A line drawn in smoking rubble along the border dividing East and West, Stüssy and Spetsnaz. 1997. The Year of Tar and Horses. The Prodigy plays Red Square in Moscow. Hundreds of thousands of people attend the show, but only one is truly changed. By the crushing sound. By people absolutely losing their shit to synths and sustained aggression.

The experience causes Proxy to question the quality and purpose of Russian “electrica” acts like Nu-Lag Xpressions and Sweatislav. There was simply no scene from which to emerge. “Whatever a fool does, he does it wrong. A poor dancer is impeded even by his own balls,” he recalls. In a decade’s time, Proxy would be remixing Prodigy and opening for them on a massive tour of Russia. 2004. Proxy grows interested in the increasingly punishing sounds of the electro scene, as he hears Tiga sing “Hey You Little Children of Glasnost” at the W Hotel in Anzhero-Sudzhensk.

2006. Proxy reaches out to Tiga via his MySpace page. Thomas Von Party intercepts the message and is stunned by fully formed landmines like “Destroy”. Masquerading as Tiga, he signs Proxy to Turbo Recordings, beginning his own deceit-fueled ascent up the biz-ladder of the music ladder-business. 2007 to present. Proxy earns respect and awe from such heavyweights as Justice, Soulwax, Boys Noize, Erol Alkan and Mr. Oizo with astonishing, severe tracks like “Decoy”, “Dance in Dark” and the massive “Raven”, which merits special mention not just because of its ubiquity, but because it illustrates in full the singular power of Proxy music.

Recall, if you will, the first time you were ever caught in an explosion. Close enough to the blast that the only things that register are a light beyond blinding and a sound that arrives too soon. Now imagine that as you lose your body to the fire you are reassembled, better, your self subsumed by something far greater (for many, this experience seems to manifest itself as sitting in obedient unison). The sound now commands you, transmuting you into the screaming, searing blare.

Proxy has also produced remixes for Peaches, Prodigy, Tiga, Boys Noize, Chromeo, Digitalism, Moby and a host of others willing to pay him in Kocmoc cigarettes. The coming months will see him co-headline a huge New Year’s Eve show with Soulwax in Australia and embark on his first North American tour, which will include shows at major festivals. As rumor fills the Earth of the impending release of his debut album, Proxy demurs, “I hear it, and it’s mine, and you stay away from me,” before reluctantly conceding that it will drop in 2010. “My music tells you what to do, but never why. Your ear may be afraid, but your body completes its labor.” “

Album

After some delay, the album will be released somewhere near the end of this year, Thomas Von Party said in an interview. “The Proxy album is a big event… Very delayed, but that one also somewhere around winter, maybe.” At first Proxy and Turbo Recordings set sail to release the album around the end of May, but they had their reasons for the delay. “The reason for the delay is very simple. Once you set a goal to yourself of making an album, just because you have enough tracks for an album, that doesn’t necessarily mean you want to put it out there as an album. You only release so many things, so you want to have it set up for yourself, so that it has a real impact when it drops. And for the Proxy, for a lot of reasons it just hasn’t quite been finished. He’s working on it and there’s a lot of great material that is going to be released.”

This doesn’t mean that the Russian artist is staying on the background until then. “We’re doing one single in June of Vibrate, that won’t be on the album actually but just as another single. But there’s really good remixes on it by Noob, who did two great versions, The Bloody Beetroots, who are big Proxy fans and supporters, and one more by Sound of Stereo. Proxy has lots of fans and we do want to keep the interest up by releasing bits and pieces for now.”

Turbo Recordings are very kind to release the Bloody Beetroots Remix of Proxy’s Vibrate for free. In order to get it, you only need to sign up for the newsletter from Turbo Recordings.

Questionable track list:
1. Who Are You?
2. 8000
3. Parasite
4. Think First
5. Vibrate
6. Cypher
7. Cooper
8. Kamuyi
9. The Status pt. 1
10. The Status pt. 2
11. Quad Damage
12. Abyss
13. Predator
14. Dance In Dark (Live Edit)
15. Destroy
16. Decoy
17. Indian Film
18. Raven