I have to begin this post with a confession: until about a little more than two years ago I almost didn’t listen to electronic music. I mean, I liked the Infadels and some Daft Punk, but I liked indie rock and folk a good deal better. (And of course I liked Justice’s remix of Simian’s “We Are Your Friends” when it first surfaced.) But what won me over for electronic music, especially for dancing, was this one guy who helped his girlfriend play some electro music (MSTRKRFT and similar) to a crowd of kids at a weekly indie rock party in Budapest. (The owner of the venue had rented the place out for a high-school kid’s birthday party which nobody of the indie crowd knew and so I ended being asked for more R’n'B when I played Wolfmother (so sad they split!) and the likes. But that’s another story.) Anyway, I had always had a weakness for pop and electronic elements in rock. But this guy, who goes by the name of TMX truly went beyond my ideas of electronic music. He played rough, he played dirty, and he played sweet.

It turned out that TMX was one third of Kollektiva, a DJ collective who frequently organizes parties in selected venues of Budapest (like Merlin, an old theater all painted in white) to which they invite DJs and acts from all over Europe. Their past bookings are quite impressive. When in Budapest, I try not to miss any of their parties because they’re always a lot of fun. The two other guys on Kollektiva are Popbitch and Fullstereo.

Of course I was delighted when I heard that Popbitch is now also running an artist management agency called Ektiv with a - as of now - all-hungarian roster. Some of their artists/DJs have received quite some attention in the blogosphere before. Alright, alright, enough talk for now. Ladies and gents, dear readers of Trash Menagerie, let me give you…

We Plants Are Happy Plants: Born Peter Bergmann, this young man from Budapest has done fabulous remixes of Radiohead and others. He just recently finished work on a remix of Jean Michel Jarres’s “Oxygen”. His original work should get people’s attention too as he is currently unsigned.

We Plants Are Happy Plants - Four On The Floor

We Plants Are Happy Plants - Trance Steel

Jean Michel Jarre - Oxygene (WPAHP Remix)

Daft Punk - Human (WPAHP Remix)

Headshotboyz: I love their remix of the Backstreet Boys’ “Everybody” which apparently got airplay on Kissy Sell Out’s radio show. They now come with a remix of my fellow Swiss Cryptonites’ “Can’t Give You Up”, which they give a bit of a B-More touch.

Cryptonites - Can’t Give You Up (Headshotboyz Remix)

Tits & Clits: They don’t look half as naughty as their name suggests. They’ve been around for some time - accelerated liquid age time, that is. The duo is offering a remix of Le Batman’s “Killer Defos” as well as some original work. New Geeks On The Blog is currently hosting a remix contest for their “Attack of The Living Dead”.

Tits & Clits - Attack Of The Living Dead

Tits & Clits - House Music

Tits & Clits - She Likes Gasoline (Dirty Monkeez Remix)

Le Batman - Killer Defos (Tits & Clits Remix)

Dirty Monkeez: They are the latest addition to Ektiv’s roster. While I’m not sure I like their work on Justice’s “Stress”, I certainly love what they did to Robyn and the Bloody Beetroots’ version of “Cobrastyle”. The two guys from Veszprém (kinda close to Lake Balaton) have also produced some original tracks “She’s On Drugs” has a wobbly bassline and is almost pure techno.

Dirty Monkeez - She’s On Drugs

Justice - Stress (Dirty Monkeez Edit)

Robyn ft. The Bloody Beetroots - Cobrastyle (Dirty Monkeez Remix)

Don Rimini - Hools (Dirty Monkeez Remix)

Finally, TMX: As mentioned, he’s one third of Kollektiva. This guy really loves what he does. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody so enthusiastic about electro music and playing to a crowd that goes nuts. Except maybe for his partner Popbitch. His remix of “Sing Hallelujah” just destroys it and “Far Out” gets a nice treatment to. He’s really into piano loops, it seems.

Dr. Alban - Sing Hallelujah (TMX Remix)

Sonz of da Loop Era - Far Out (TMX Remix)

Now, after you’ve sucked down all this music, go give the guys some love on myspace, all of them!

We’ll probably hear a lot more of Ektiv’s roster - especially WPAHP - and Kollektiva. If you ever go to Budapest, go to one of their nights and have a good time. TMX and Popbitch will certainly party hard. T and K, way to go!

Dorothy’s Gallery located in Paris’ Bastille neighborhood has put together a collection of Obama inspired art with 30 French and American artists, viewable from the 3rd of October through the 17th of November.

Take a look at the Global Electoral College, What if the whole world could vote, featured on the The Economist, and the support Obama has around the globe. Viewing the world map really shows just how much the rest of the world is in favor for Obama. If this election were to happen in Europe, he most definitely would win by a landslide!!!! Hopefully for the U.S. we’ll do the right thing.

Dorothy’s Gallery
27, rue Keller, 75011, Paris
tel: 01.43.57.08.51
Open Tues-Sat, 1-8pm, Sun 4-8pm.

“…I guess music is more about making decisions than having skills. We are not great musicians. We are not great producers. We are not great songwriters. We are just nothing, but we have clear ideas of what we want to do, and even more what we don’t want to do.” – JUSTICE

Extraordinary things always happen when unexpected. French duo Justice spent 18 months touring following the release of their debut LP “CROSS“, and for the last 3 weeks of the tour, a film crew traveled with them 24-7, capturing those moments no one will believe or get the essence of, if you told them about it, unless they were there.

As Justice were about to embark on their second tour of the US, they enlisted multi-award winning directors and intimate friends, Romain Gavras (”Stress” director) and So Me (”D.A.N.C.E.”, “DVNO”) and taped every second of the 3 week tour. The documentary is about life on the road, the real deal, and about the extraordinary and unexpected things that can happen along the way.

“A Cross the Universe” live CD + DVD drops December 9th on Atlantic Records and will include recordings of Justice’s signature headbanging live sets along with show footage and various hijinks captured as the band toured the US in March 2008.

Justice Tour Dates:
10/28/08 - MONTREAL, QC - METROPOLIS
10/29/08 - TORONTO, ON - CIRCA
10/30/08 - NEW YORK, NY - WEBSTER HALL
10/31/08 - LOS ANGELES, CA - HARD FESTIVAL

Confirmed Screenings:
10/30/08 - NEW YORK, NY - IFC CENTER @ 7PM

Additional screenings of the film will be held in each city around the DJ sets late October.

On the horizon, Justice & So Me land in Chicago for New Year’s Eve 09 . . .

Justice - One Minute to Midnight

More info on NYE
www.revolution-nye.com
www.industreate.com

This is what Trash Menagerie was throwing down during the month of September. Features, interviews, parties, and plenty’a mix and MP3 download. We’re snuggling in for the busy month of October. Have you started thinking about your Halloween costume yet? We’re looking for ideas, so please hit us up and let us know if you’ve got any. Last year we gave you a heads up on how to MAKE YOUR OWN DAFT PUNK COSTUME. Hipster Runoff offered up a bit of inspiration, “WTF SHOULD I B 4 ALL HALLOW’S EVE”, But is it “ok” to be a Justice this year, if you were a Daft last year?

A truly scary option, the United States Vice Presidential Republican
Candidate and current Governor of Alaska - Sarah Palin.

Hmm, I guess she didn’t get understand the memo regarding last year’s Halloween Party. It was a Nordic theme. Looks like she still won anyway, even though she didn’t really come close to qualifying.

Sarah Palin 7 Months Preggers “I can hide my belly in a sexy, yet sophisticated, little black business suit.”

Goodness, her belly is HUGE, she looks like she’s going to pop any day now, right?

This is what Demi Moore looked like when she was seven months preggers . . .

Photo: Vanity Fair

Sarah Palin’s Witch Doctor . . .

Other potential options - “Sarah Palin Mayor of Meth”, “Sarah Palin Miss Alaska”, “Sarah Palin Soccer Mom”. Wow, and to think, the election isn’t even over yet, we’ve still got a few weeks to go . . . goodness, i’m sure we’ll have so many more choices to choose from. Maybe i’ll pull off one of those “couple costumes,” and we can go together as “Foreign Palin Policy“. One of us will be Russia, and the other Alaska, and we’ll stand on opposite sides of the room and say “I can see ya over there, behave yourself!”

“Sarah Palin Miss Alaska”

Anyway, Sarah, this song is dedicated to you . . .

Disco Villains - Move Bitch
Get more Disco Villains

TRASH MENAGERIE SEPTEMBER FEATURES

NEW MIX - TALIESIN “VIRTUAL LIGHT”
2008 End of “Summery”
Division Kent - Gravity in Your Face
Dskotek Emerges From the Rabble of LA
Why Republicans Should Go Down!!!
Bloggers Beware!
Bass Welterweight Kanji Kinetic
Revolver Disco
On A Mission
ROW ROW FIGHT THE POWAH
London Airwaves Festival Line-up Announced!
The BOX is ON
This Juan’s for You
Sarah Palin Beauty Queen
Diesel 30th Anniversary Parties!
Mystery Jets - Half in Love with Elizabeth - Delorean Remix
The Presets & The Aria Awards - They are like . . . GRAMMY’s, YO!
Midnight Juggernauts - Into the Galaxy - DANGER Remix
Charlie Ash
Miss OddKidd - Don’t Be Afraid To Sweat - Remixes - Drop The Lime & Goldielocks
Salem - Dirt Video
Rewind Chicago 1990’s Rave - Hardcore Jungle
Uproot Andy-The Great Migration
Spitzer’s - Rainy winter in Sydney
New Madlib Album & J Rocc Podcast on Stones Throw
Death Set Live at Studio 1087 pt 1 of 2
FOOLS Remixed GOLD
The Rapture !K7 Mix - Unmasterd
Crying Blood Ties in VV Brown, Holland, Weatherall, Death In Vegas, !!!
Little Boots - Meddle - Designer Drugs Remix
Yo Majesty Makes it Clap
Hold On! Hot Chip Touch Too Much
PLAYBACK - Episode 1 - Andy Butler - Hercules and Love Affair
Krudmart-Steve Kream’s Autumn Love Mixtape
Hey! Hey! Its Hey Champ!
MSTRKRFT - Fist of (oh my) God Tour
Micachu live at DURRR
A Black Hole is Opening
Bang! Bang! Eche!

TRASH MENAGERIE SEPTEMBER MIXES

Bite This! Robotic Mix From Montreal’s DJ Spaz
Little Boots - Computer Fairyland Mixtape
A Very Vanilla Mix from London’s Lesser Panda
4AM Jess vs. Proper Villians
Ruffneck DJ Set @ Brockout! Chicago, 1995
DJ Trace w GQ & 5-0 @ Psychosis - Chicago, 1995
Uproot Andy - Guacharaca Migration
The Toxic Avenger Live at Piknik Electronik - Montreal
Jon Hillcock Xfm Mixes

TRASH MENAGERIE SEPTEMBER LISTINGS

NY’s New Favorite Place to be on Friday’s
N.A.M.E. festival 2008 - Edition n° 4 - France
NewPop + Dj Mehdi, Local Hero - Chicago!
MSTRKRFT Fist of God Tour
Somewhere In The Universe There Must Be Something Better Than Man’ 2nd Birthday - Brighton
Sinden at LOVE 9/20/08!
POP MONTREAL 2008 FINAL LINEUP ANNOUNCED
Atmosphere on Tour & on Kimmel
2008 DECIBEL FESTIVAL : FULL LINEUP & PROGRAM ANNOUNCED
Italian Invasion - LA

GET IN TOUCH WITH THE TRASH MENAGERIE CREW - CONTACT@TRASHMENAGERIE.COM

Here’s a great video from Chicago’s, Hey Champ a hot new trio in the scene making some fresh tunes. The video is for the band’s new single “Cold Dust Girl“. This is one of those sneaky songs that you hear at night and wake up in the morning with its melodies still infecting your thoughts. Then you immediately want to hear it again. It’s just that fresh.

The first exposure to the world for the trio was when a blog accidentally posted their remix of Scenario Rock’s “Perfect Love Antidote” as Ed Banger’s distorto super producer Sebastian. When the remix was discovered that it was really Hey Champ, the trio’s take on the song was strong enough to gain plenty of acclaim. It is even available on itunes (Europe only) and was put out by a major label Sony.

Their sound can easily be compared to the likes of Van She, Cut Copy, Fred Falke and Les Rhythmes Digitales. Mixing rock with elements of house all based over an abudant amount of synth action. Sometimes playing out as a full band and sometimes doing dj sets, Hey Champ is paying their dues quickly. Already featured in UR Magazine with an upbeat, good times mix. Gaining bookings more and more and even getting rapper Lupe Fiasco attention enough for him to write about them on his blog. It is also entirely possible that the group will be scooped up at anytime by a record label.

Enjoy the video and the mp3 and check the groups myspace to keep updated.

Hey Champ! - Cold Dust Girl

Who doesn’t enjoy a good Bordeaux, especially when it comes to music? Boxon Records is Julien Minet’s dirty sexy record label out of Bordeaux, France that features prominent music artists (Tom Deluxx, Eclier, Toxic Avenger, Philipe de Boyer, Pro7, etc), and the incredible graphic designer Anem.

If you like teeth grinding, head banging, body shaking electro-trash music then this next one is for you. Coming out in late September, I had a sneak peak at the new Boxon album and it is fanfreakintastic. There are two separate and distinctive mixes of Tom Deluxx’s “Mushion Heroes” on here and they are both pure goodness. Who are the faces behind them?

First is Philipe de Boyar, the Suisse DJ/Producer who does a mixture of House/Electro/Breaks. He’s not a newbie to the scene, having already had tracks popping up in MIXMAG and is set to have releases on Erase Records, Hammarskjoeld Records or his own digital imprint Rockville Music as well as other labels. His version of “Mushion Hereos” is slap-in-your-face hard and reminiscent of the same energy you get with the Toxic Avenger.

The other version is by Pro7, an international party player who has already tricked with the likes of Sebastian, Teenage Bad Girl, TTC, and more. His version is very slightly lighter than the de Boyar one, with a little funky feel. Caution: these two tracks are not at all to be confused with each other, even if they stem from the same original! They are completely different takes and both quite enjoyable. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear them both pounding in clubs in the next 2-3 months.

Also from Boxon as of late, the latest video from Paris production company Born To Film of the Toxic Avenger’s “Bad Girls Need Love, Too”. It captures perfectly the style of Toxic — edgy electro with a rock feel. Tattooed ladies and Lolita like nymphs are in the video rocking out in this beautifully shot video clip with amazing color saturation. C’est tellement sexy et j’adore!

In other news, Boxon veteran Tom Deluxx has a new EP coming out this October, and I’m on the edge of my seat to hear it, especially if it sounds anything like the remix he sent us, “Fake” by GRS Club, who also have an EP arriving this October!

Putain c’est la classe! Anem is doing the artwork for the album. Including the fresh preview up top Boxon sent us!

Grs Club - Fake (Tom Deluxx Remix)

Tom Deluxx - Drama Queen (Eclier Grinded Version)

Tom Deluxx - Mushion Heroe (Pro7 Remix)

The LA electro/blog house/hipster music scene is a very strange place. I don’t think there’s anywhere in the world (that I’ve seen, at least) where the stereotypical bloghouse lifestyle has been more heavily adopted by youth culture. A vast number of our readers hail from LA, I’ve played for more kids on a tuesday there than when I play anywhere else on a weekend, and we get more “music” submissions from the absurd amount of young LA DJs who are the star of their tiny faction of the scene and feel that their MIA/Young Jeezy/Daft Punk mashup is going to rocket them to international stardom. Don’t get me wrong, LA is one of my favorite places on earth. Almost all of my favorite American producers/DJs/friends live and thrive there (Guns N Bombs, Acid Girls, Harvard Bass, LA Riots, Dirty Dave, Paparazzi etc.), the fans are the most fist-pumpingly excited fans I’ve encountered in this country and I’m out there pretty consistently soaking up the sun.

Imagine my surprise, though, when I receive an email from a young LA producer, Dskotek, and it contains two tracks that are not just passable as blog fodder, but are extremely original, well produced, clever and totally playable! I was so surprised, in fact, that I had to verify with a LA friend that this kid was real and it wasn’t some hoax. And sure enough he’s a staple at many of the club and warehouse parties scattered across SoCal. He keeps a local schedule that rivals many of the worlds biggest DJs (a feat only possible in LA).

As for the tunes, I’m providing you with two. The first is a remix of a tune by Mockin’ Bird (who doesn’t seem to exist anymore) called Hissi. The original’s a bouncy little electro-tech track and Dskotek maximalized it adding subtle trancey stabs, well placed edits and filters and looping the thing to death. In the end, it reminds me of something DJ Dan might do. The second is an original work called Sinfonia which proves that Dskotek knows what he’s doing in the studio. The layering and instrumentation is really complex and excellent and the whole tune a very dense, non-linear feel to it packing surprises at every turn. The quality of production is surprisingly good making this tune so much larger and more playable than the rest of the bloghouse rabble.

Be sure to keep an eye out for this kid and my guess is he’s hard to miss considering that if you walk into an LA warehouse on any given day you’re likely to see him DJing there.

Mockin Bird - Hissi (Dskotek Remix)

Dskotek - Sinfonia

French artist extraordinaire Franck Rivoire, producing under the moniker Danger, has become notorious amongst many and recognized for his exceptional synth heavy production, that he describes as ‘French Touch new electro’. His music evokes complexity and a sense of darkness, stirring the emotions of his devotees, causing an insatiable desire for more. I’ve often envisioned Danger’s music playing in the background to an Osamu Tezuka anime, which seems quite fitting given his childhood influences.

Just five years back, Danger was a self-proclaimed chiptune geek, creating game music. His direction changed and his music has flourished since the days of past and in recent months, Danger has remixed tracks for Midnight Juggernauts, ‘Into the Galaxy‘ and Sébastien Tellier, ‘Divine‘. But it was his first few brilliant productions, ‘11h30‘, ‘14H54‘, ‘19H11‘, that paved the way for what was to come. Signed to the Parisian label Ekler’o’shock, Danger continues to push the limits of his craft, taking us into the future. As a long time favorite of mine, I wanted to know what is behind the mind of Danger, so a few months back, I exchanged a bit of Q&A with him. After a long delay and the responses properly translated, here you have his answers in French and English.

Lovestar: Who is Danger? Please give some background history

Danger: Je suis illustrateur et graphiste, je suis très imaginatif et j’aime raconter des histoires, et communiquer des sensations. J’ai passé une certaine partie de ma jeunesse devant des écrans d’ordinateur , des livres, et des consoles de jeux, je fais des bandes dessinées, j’adore le cinéma, l’art, les jeux vidéos et les synthétiseurs.

I’m an illustrator and graphic designer, I’m very imaginative and I love to tell stories, and convey sensations. I passed part of my youth in front of computer screens, in books, and game consoles. I do comic books, I love cinema, art, video games and synthesizers.

Lovestar: Tell us about the music that you are producing

Danger: J’imagine mes musiques comme des émotions simples. Mon avenir c’est de continuer à suivre simplement ce que j’ai envie de faire ressentir. Beaucoup d’entres nous parlent à “l’enfance” en faisant ce genre de musique, je m’en rends compte et j’ai d’autant plus envie de donner une vision de l’enfance qui est la plus fidèle à ce que je suis et à ce que j’ai été.

J’essaye de ne pas penser qu’à la musique quand je compose mais aussi à des images et à des sensations, d’ailleurs le fait que je sois graphiste et illustrateur m’aide à m’écarter du seul chemin musical, qui n’est pas le mien.

Je vais faire pas mal de lives dans un futur proche dans lequels j’utiliserai la vidéo et l’animation plus d’autres surprises mystèrieuses.

I picture my music like simple emotions. My path is to continue to follow that which I have the desire to experience again. A lot of other people talk to us about “childhood” in making this kind of music. I realize this and I really want to give a vision of a childhood that is the most faithful to that which I am and that which I have been.

I try not to think about just the music when I’m composing, but also the feelings and images. Otherwise, the fact that I’m a graphic artist and illustrator helps separate me from a single musical path that’s not mine.

I’m going to do a few live shows in the near future in which I will utilize video, animation, and other mysterious suprises.

Lovestar: Your tracks are all named with numbers and letters. Are these random or do they have meaning?

Danger: Disons que je pense qu’une heure est aussi évocatrice d’un sentiment qu’un titre littéraire. Je passe ma vie à faire attention à l’heure et je trouve sincèrement qu’un 20h45 ou un 14h porte déjà en lui tout un tas de sentiments, alors imaginez 14h54, c’est un truc de fou.

Let’s say that I think that an hour is just as evocative of a feeling as the title of a piece of literature. I go through life paying attention to the hour and I really find that no other time than an 8:45 PM or a 2 pm already brings a whole barrel of feelings… so imagine 2:54 PM, it’s something crazy.

Lovestar: Are you still working as a graphic designer and do you create your own artwork?

Danger: Yes still drawing :) It’s important for me to be sure to create what I want to communicate.

Lovestar: What went into creating your latest EP, 09.14.2007?

Danger: A first step for me…:)

Lovestar: Your music has a lot of expression to it, I could see it being played in a Japanimation movie or a Speed Racer scene – Do you know of Speed Racer? Have you ever thought of scoring your music in a film?

Danger: It would be great, that’s a long time dream.

Lovestar: What was it about the label Ekler’o’shock that made you want them to represent you?

Danger: I really liked the Ekler’o’shock artists.

Lovestar: A comment left by a fan on the Ekler’o’shock My Space said that “if Daft Punk and Justice had sex, their lovechild would be Danger”. What do you make of this?

Danger: Je pense qu’on a raison de comparer les artistes entre eux et de leur trouver des ressemblances mais généralement ces ressemblances viennent plus de références communes plus anciennes mes references viennent des jeux videos de ma vie, des films que j’ai vu et je pense pouvoir raconter d’autres choses que Justice et Daft Punk, des artistes que j’aime beaucoup pourtant.

I think that we’re right to compare artists between themselves and find their resemblances but generally these similarities come more from common references that are older. My references come from the video games of my life, the films that I’ve seen, and I think the ability to relate about things other than Justice and Daft Punk, artists that nevertheless I like a lot.

Sébastien Tellier - Divine (Danger Remix)
on Record Makers

Midnight Juggernauts - Into the Galaxy (Danger Remix)

We Are Scientists - Chick Lit (Danger TV Remix Edit)

Danger - 11h30

Danger - North America Tour Dates
Sept 11 2008 8PM / Abby Pub / CHICAGO, Illinois
Sept 12 2008 8PM / The Estate / BOSTON, Massachusetts
Sept 13 2008 8PM / The Social / TORONTO, Ontario
Sept 14 2008 8PM / LAX / LOS ANGELES, California
Sept 16 2008 8PM / Cinespace / LOS ANGELES, California
Sept 18 2008 8PM / Julliards / CALGARY, Alberta
Sept 19 2008 8PM / Mezzanine / SAN FRANCISCO, California
Sept 20 2008 8PM / Pasaje / MEXICO CITY, México

via ChiefBodega.com

In the last 3 months New York City has felt a quiet roar coming from across the Brooklyn Bridge. Off the JMZ to Myrtle Avenue, deep in the heart of Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood, is a bodega. But this bodega doesn’t sell $1 40’s, $0.50 Twinkies, or cheap cigarettes, but it does sell an affordable time of your life. The Bodega is an up and coming project from the Chief Magazine boys Andy Smith and Ed Zipco, and it’s working. A cheap, out-of-the-way venue, in which lots of people somehow find there way to and go bat-shit crazy.

Arriving at The Bodega was for me as much of a whim as any other music-related gem I discover via the internet or word-of-mouth. Luckily the night I decided to attend, it was one something of a treat for The Bodega. Playing out that night was Morsy of Nanachill.com and a bright young B-More/Bootybass talent, as well as Famous Friends (Finger on the Pulse), and Mr. Andersonic with a live MPC-set. From the moment I arrived and felt the first trickle of sweat along my forehead, there was no doubt that this was the best party I’ve been to so far (exception goes to Diplo @ T&B for obvious reasons). More than even the urgent sounds of throbbing Booty Bass, it was the crowd that was staggering.

Certainly Daft Punk at Coachella 2006 was enough to make people lose their shit, not to mention the occasional Studio B performance by M.I.A., or most often at Death By Audio. But that Thursday night (yes, Thurs.) brought one of the more diverse (skull caps and dolphin floatees) and apeshit crowds I’ve ever witnessed. At even the slightest sound of the Baltimore Club clap and shake, kids were applauding and jumping with praise. At one point in the evening, the invisible and visceral ooze of crowd pleasure has reached a peak and out came a large stuffed horse, probably won by a lucky girl at one of the many Coney Island water-gun games. The horse, in a flurry of passion and impulse was thoroughly molested by a twosome of B-Boys in the middle of the dance floor. Between furious humpings and the occasional launch into the air, there was little if anything anybody could do to justify what was going on.

Arriving at Bodega at 1AM and leaving at 4AM felt short-lived. But walking out the door I made sure to ask a Bodega faithful what the deal was. I was then introduced to the General Manager Steve, who being extremely accommodating agreed to meet with me in the coming week. After a casual walk around Union Square and a few riffs on the current musical scene, Steve put me in touch with the founders/owner Andy Smith and Ed Zipco. And after a few $1 PBR’s at Soundfix, I came to understand the stoppage in time that was my Thursday night.

Much like any young party-throwers, Ed and Andy liked to throw big ones. At their old loft space in Bushwick they threw dozens of police-happy ragers. These weren’t just ragers though, they were concerts. With friends in bands and as DJ’s, they became notorious for their themed parties for events like the Super Bowl and Halloween. Unfortunately some of these ended with blacked out girls peeing on neighbor’s A/C machines and providing a golden rain to those unlucky enough to be nearby. As the ease of party throwing quickly gave way to the forces in blue, they took them to bars and music venues.

But like any established venue here in New York, these events came with large cover fees and $12 drinks. Dissatisfied with the traditional annals of party throwing, it was time for a creation of their own. With Chief Magazine as their original baby, Ed and Andy had already built a DIY space. And when they caught wind of a crooked bodega space going up for lease last April, they went for broke.

Rotted, dying and possibly full of dead, the space they decided would be their new project was more of an adventure than a project. Filled to the brim with junk, rotting walls, and surgical equipment(they don’t hypothesis on this one), they invited their friends and family to camp out inside and begin renovation.

Andy On His Lunch Break

Over a month later and 12-hr days every day, they rebuilt walls, hauled innumerable amounts of trash and filth from the belly of the bodega, and stacked more debt than all of it combined. By the first week of June they had their first party, and people showed up. Despite a broken stage their first night and a few construction errors, they had, for all they knew, the biggest financial mistake of their lives sitting on 1089 Broadway in Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Looking at the Myspace page for The Bodega, you’ll notice a series of dates for the month of August. Particularly though, you’ll notice that this week is booked in its entirety. Ed and Andy when I talked to them said they were willing to try anything at this point. That they haven’t had a “bad night.” (Save for a punk set ending in shattered glass and a bloody lead singer). At Santo’s Party House, Andrew WK’s mixed blessing, they require $8000 at the bar in order for outside booking to come play. Ed and Andy offered me a chance to play out before I left, ya know, just for fun. To the Chief boys, The Bodega is our space, and if you or I think we can throw a great party, they think so too.

Ed and Andy told me they didn’t have a grand vision necessarily, but just wanted to continue the success of their projects (Chief Mag, The Bodega, Chief Records) and see their musician friends garner the success they deserve. But if everything truly works out, the Chief boys have something unprecedented on their hands. With the excpetion of Fader’s rising FADERlabel, there is no other triad of business force like what they have begun.

With plans to have arts installations, a liquor license, and a fully operational basement space, The Bodega is most certainly here to stay. Perhaps next in line should be the Chief Rail, transporting the young and the restless from the Island and to the BK. But no matter, The Bodega location is almost like a filter, as only the dedicated and truly restless (passionate) come to witness what they’ve been itching for here in New York for a long time.

Friday night will mark the 2nd “Night of the Jams” since I’ve been here. DJ Tameil of the infamous Unruly Records. Unruly Records, for those who don’t know or are too lazy to click the aforementioned link, is the very first Baltimore Club label, started by Scottie B and Shawn Caesar. Other notable Bodega artists include, Chief Record’s family Ninjasonik, Japanther, Juiceboxxx, The Death Set, Danger, Spitzer, and The So So Glos.

On Friday night, the evening of Night of the Jams, take a moment in your “face-down-ass-up,” to look around the Bodega walls and around the room at those in attendance. Most likely you’ll see Ed and Andy, beers in fist, smiling and laughing at what they created, still in disbelief, but having the time of their lives for the 4th time that week.

From Right to Left: Ed Zipco, Andy Laumann, Dude

Morsy - Tukka Yoots Riddim

Ninjasonik - Tight Pants

Lil Wayne - A Milli (DJ Tameil Remix)

This Sunday marked the first ever Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival, hosted by Street Attack, Famous Friends, and Impose Magazine. Covering local Brooklyn artists for some time now, Impose Magazine has come to be an important fixture in the Brooklyn community, and a trustworthy source for pithy coverage of the musical oasis that can be the Brooklyn neighborhood. Street Attack and Famous Friends, the primary hosts for this year’s BEMF, are an innovative and resourceful duo that pull all stops. So when the poster went up for BEMF recently, it should be no surprise that the list of sponsors ranged from Miller Lite to the Izze Beverage Co. Even less of a surprise though was the quality of electronic artists and DJs they culled to headline their very first electronic music festival.

Located in The Yard, the notorious outdoor music space in Park Slope, the festival ran from 12PM to 9PM in an epic day of diverse beats and rippling bass. Headlining the event was Brooklyn-by-Venezuela group Todosantos, already featured here on Trash, and Treasure Fingers(see his recent Trash write-up here, and of course the beloved duo, Purple Crush. Throughout the afternoon, though, there was a strong collection of up and coming acts like Lismore, The Glass, Finger On the Pulse, Neon Coyote, and Cobra Krames.

Arriving in the late afternoon, just as the sun was letting up on a crowd of Sparks ignited Brooklynites, I felt what was a strong community of music supporters, friends artists, and the usual blog-league members making sure Ableton mixtapes sounded just as good live. Luckily for those drunk enough by the time Cobra Krames went on, it didn’t matter, as his blend of Blatimore Club and party mash-ups were perfectly crowd pleasing and genre-bending. Stringing together Top 40 Rap and Pop hits with his flavor of B-more stomp, I was surprised not to hear a Journey mash-up amongst his arsenal.

Following Cobra was The Glass, one of the live acts present that day. With their blend of slightly sweet electro-pop, they sung the kind of late-night drunken ballads you might associate with a group of Daft Punk loyalists, suffering from a night of blissed out synths. Unfortunately for The Glass, they spent too much time at the Sparks tent and not enough time at the Izze tent, and relied too heavily on their friends to hype their boozed-down set. Luckily Finger on the Pulse, DJ and producer of The Glass supplied a quick-set of Armand Van Helden remixes to give us a good taste in our mouths beforehand.

For BEMF attendees that day, Purple Crush was clearly a significant draw, and I too was excited to see fellow Islander (Bainbridge Island, Washington) Isla Cheadle and her beatman Jared Selter get freaky on stage in Neon and Nikes. Definitely a highlight of the evening, Isla brought the party, bar none, and got little girls to shake their money makers in feminine glory. Pairing slightly maligned synth-pop and chugging Madonna-disco, Isla rapped, sang, and hyped with a natural frontman femininity that won over the headier skeptics like myself. With tunes like “Fuck the DJ” and “Marry Me,” Purple Crush’s first album “Blog Party” is a must-grab in a sea of uninspired Justice-fallout.

After Purple Crush and after a French-house heavy set from Treasure Fingers, who by virtue of market forces or purely bass-blown ear drums, has been invited to join the ranks of the Fools Gold family, a tour de force in dance music’s finest. One third of Evol Intent, perhaps the State’s best and last contribution to Drum n’ Bass, Treasure Fingers had the presence of your classic UK DJ/producer: techy, cerebral, and an invisible hand on the feet of the crowd. And Treasure Fingers could have just pressed play and returned to the beer garden because his flawless set of ethereal electro had some long-time fans and a drunk-happy crowd brought to their knees that Summer evening at The Yard.

Best and last for me was Todosantos, the Venezuelan trio of young hearts, making the only progressive music that was played that day. Drawing on their love for the music of their hometown (Cumbia, Soca, Reggaeton), as well as the reverberations from abroad (Speed Garage, Baile Funk, Miami Bass, Bassline), Todosantos represents what M.I.A. could only start, and what people like Pharaoh (Todosantos producer), Mariana (Todosantos video editor), and their lead singer (?) are calling “Tukky Bass.” On the wave of their hit song and EP “Acid Girlzzz,” Todosantos brought on the warm-darkness of the night with a rip roaring set of colorful video editing from Mariana and a fiery collection of bass heaviness from Pharaoh. A part from their sing-along set of quick one-liners and hollers, they actually seemed in love with what they were doing.

With a diverse collection of musicians and extremely-well hosted party in a beautiful space, Impose’s first Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival has no doubt set the tone for an upcoming year of exciting music from the electronic sounds of the world. More than ever we’re seeing the synthesis of all things musical, and Impose, much like other music-forward artists and critics, see this synthesis as the great calling to unite under Summer sun, fueled by warm, thick beats and the nutrients of corporate money, an increasingly smart trick to support the arts. And stay posted with Impose Magazine as they post pictures of buckwild hipsters gettin’ down in the sun.

Purple Crush - Physical Attraction (Madonna Cover)

Treasure Fingers - Cross The Dancefloor (Lifelike Remix)

The Glass - Come Alive

Todosantos - Acid Boys Acid Girls (Leif’s Acid Blowing In the Wind Remix)

Britney Spears Vs. Justice - I Just Wanna D.A.N.C.E. With You (Neon Coyote Mix)

Cobra Krames - Players Choose You

It is quite an honor for an artist to have their music played on BBC’s Radio 1. An achievement that would elate even the biggest fish in the vast music pond. So when a remix of The Death Set’s “Impossible” by Boston’s Etan was aired on U.K.’s Mary Anne Hobbs show in March and in June on Australia’s RTR ‘Out To Lunch Show‘ with Gemma Pike, feelings must have been high! Etan’s remix of “Morning Tide” by The Little Ones crashed the airwaves again on Colin Murray’s Radio 1 show in June. Indeed a start to a fine summer.

Prior to the radio hype, two of Etan’s remixes - The Death Set’s “Impossible (Etan’s Positive Outlook)” (on The Death Set’s ‘Around the World’ 7″) and Daedelus’s “Hrs:Mins:Secs (Etan’s Greenwich Mean Report)”, landed on long time favorite U.K. imprint Ninja Tune. But first came the Tronstep Remixes 12″ with bootleg dance treatment for Caribou, Crystal Castles, and Justice on Broader than Broadway Records – listen at Tronstep Remixes. With a full length in the works for Ninja Tune, out in 2009 - 2010, the future is looking day-glo bright for the young Bostonian.

Music has been running through the veins of 21 year old Etan (aka Nate Donmoyer), since he first heard the Amen breakbeat at age 13. Influenced by Grizzly Bear, Blonde Redhead, daft punk, Radiohead, and The Beatles, Etan describes his sound as “taking the colors I like from electronic music and using them in a song form that may not fit the genre from which they were stolen.”

Modest in stating that luck and a nice guy is what has brought him exposure, Etan has the talent and skill to back it all. “It’s all about being prepared for when luck chooses you,” he says “for me it completely began with two friends at a shop called Proletariat in Cambridge, MA who let me leave mixtapes on the checkout counter.” These mixtapes fell into the hands of a prolific Boston promoter/journalist named David Day who liked Etan’s sound and interviewed him. “He was the first guy to book me in clubs and invited me into the basstown crew. Everything has really been luck.”

Good fortune is on Etan’s side. Surrounded by a rising crew of talent, Basstown breed, consisting of Dj Die Young, Volvox, Red Foxx, Plus Move, Baltimoroder and several other talented folks, Etan continues to cultivate his craft and go beyond. He plays drums in a band called Passion Pit and has written music for “Lost Friend”, a short animation (see video below) by Susan Chien, which can be seen at the 2008 Boston Underground Film Festival.

With upcoming remixes for Radioclit, Micachu, Ghislain Poirier and his hands in a bit of everything, Etan is proving to be inspiring and unstoppable. If it all keeps up, I have a sneaking suspicion we’re all going to be pining for Etan in the coming year! Now check out the solid remixes kicking off with one of my favorite Death Set remixes!!

The Death Set - Impossible (Etan’s Impossible Outlook)

Daedelus - Hrs:Mins:Secs (Etan’s Greenwich Mean Report)

The Little Ones - Morning Tide (Etan’s Groundswell Take)

Four hours after the completion of the newest, unnamed Guns n Bombs track, Local Hero of Chicago drops it to 2,000 kids on a packed Tuesday (7.16.08) night at Dance at Arena in L.A.!! Making appearances are Turbotito from gnb, dancing in an all white get up and a small cameo by Harvard Bass of Noise/Floor Crew and his tongue. Get your sneak peak on and catch Local Hero this Friday 24th at Debonair, Chicago with DJ Falcon!! And look ahead to September when Guns n Bombs puts out a single and video!