Hi everyone, it’s been some time…

A lot of great new music has come out while I was taking a break from blogging on these pages. But the most exciting news to me was this:

p e a c e fire has finally released his Sapphire EP on 12 inch vinyl, limited to 200 copies.

Exactly one year and one week after we first wrote about this American based in Kobe, Japan, his musical work is published by Positive and Focused Records. The release features the epic synth fairytale “Sapphire”, “Baghdad Rainbow” and the remix for the latter by Keenhouse from L.A.

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p e a c e fire – Sapphire

Get the other songs of the release and Grum’s edit of “Sapphire” here.

And…

Here’s the greatest part: p e a c e fire is giving away a copy of 12 inch vinyl to one of our readers. All you have to do to be in the raffle is write a message to music [at ] trashmenagerie.com and give us your full name and address before 1 December. Please enter “Sapphire EP” in the subject line to make life easier for us.

Good luck!

Of course, you can also buy the EP from Positive and Focused Records here.

Go say hi to p e a c e fire on myspace.

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Photograph courtesy of Adam Stenhouse

I’ve been hanging on to the unmastered version of this remix for quite some time. It’s a brilliant piece of music and I love how p e a c e fire takes Division Kent’s “The Year Of Magical Thinking” and turns it into a whole new song.

I really like the original by this Zurich based couple/duo, but the remix takes the beautiful voice to a new level. Instead of chopping up the vocals, pitching them or just adding some more bass, pf builds a whole new bed of intriguing synths and lays the fragile vocal parts on top. The result is one of my favourite songs of 2008 and maybe of 2009 too. It’s the perfect soundtrack for any time of the day. No matter what weather you’ll find when you open the window or step out the door, this p e a c e fire’s remix is a perfect companion.

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Division Kent – The Year Of Magical Thinking (p e a c e FIRE Remix mastered)

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Division Kent – The Year Of Magical Thinking

p e a c e fire is currently working on a remix for Marina and the Diamonds, which I can’t wait to hear.

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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.

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Sébastien Tellier – Divine (Danger Remix)
on Record Makers

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Midnight Juggernauts – Into the Galaxy (Danger Remix)

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

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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

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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

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Morsy – Tukka Yoots Riddim

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Ninjasonik – Tight Pants

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Lil Wayne – A Milli (DJ Tameil Remix)

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Photo by Rennie Ellis, Sharpies, Melbourne 1973

I drove into not-so-sexy Culver City, CA recently to check out the photo exhibition sponsored by Scion for the infamous magazine VICE. Those of you who are familiar with the publication know the types of photos they showcase – the avant garde, the party, the graphic, basically everything fun in the world.

Because VICE is globally distributed and present, the exhibition really had a lot to offer from around the world. Australian Rennie Ellis (1940-2003) was the cover for the show, with his photo Sharpies (Aussi for gangs of punk loving 70’s dudes that favored cardigans in group colors), set in Melbourne in 1973, as the face of the posters and ads.

From Japan:
One of the noted Japanese photographers whose work is present is Yoshiki Saitoh. He utilizes a style of “borderless”, gender bending photography. His subjects are people in the scene of Japanese underground and the most notable part of this is the blindfolded series in which sexuality is obscured.

Photo by Yoshiki Saitoh

Then there is Jin Ohashi, a young man whose interest in photography was spurred on by his father’s attempted suicide.

Photo by Jin Ohashi

Last, but not least is Kawori Inbe, who incorporates cultural elements into her work (including school girl uniforms, yum).

Photo by Kawori Inbe

The nice and wholesome part of this show is not only the free posters they have of Inbe’s and Ellis’ work, but the fact that all proceeds go directly to the artist. It’s consumerism for a great cause (keeping artists alive) and makes me say ‘kudos’ to VICE and Scion for not being money grubbing by taking commission.

Coolest thing there in my opinion: the one non-photographic piece of stencil art by Blek le Rat. Full scale human size, this dude came around before Banksy in 1981 in France with guerilla art.

Design by Blek le Rat

If you happen to be in LA and wanna check it out the address is:
3521 Helms Ave., Culver City, CA 90232.
Hours: Wed-Sat 11am-6pm
310 815 8840
It ends this Saturday, July 26th so hurry the fuck up if you wanna check it.

If you are in the Brooklyn area, lucky for you! The 2008 Photo Show runs from August 1st-31st at their gallery:
99 N 10th St, between Berry and Wythe, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Metro: Bedford (L)
Hours: Tue-Fri 3-7pm, Sat 12-6pm (Closed Sundays and Mondays)

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Ever since Trash’s KMD introduced us to the exceptional sounds of Birmingham’s Deluka, they’ve been on a hot streak and we’ve been HOOKED! Chances are you may have heard their tune ‘Sleep Is Impossible’ played in your living room over your last round of Grand Theft Auto IV. Beyond car chases, their album ‘Broken Sleeping Patterns’, released mid March on Japanese imprint, Fabtone, features a fine remix of “Flashbacks” by Hooker and De Freitas.

Where were you in 92? It was the year Michael Hooker of Hooker and De Freitas began his music obsession. “Music excites me and has since the first mix tape I was handed in 1992. The rave scene was in full swing and I was far too young to party, but the vibes from this tape was the start of my obsession.” And with that obsession, long time friends Michael Hooker and Elcias De Freitas, also producing under the name JE2, got to work combining their different styles to remix music by Deluka, Trash Money, Atelier Nouveau, Client, and numerous tracks by the gleeful Birmingham band Trash Fashion.

“I love the music scene at the moment,” says Michael, “I do not think that so many different groups of people have crossed into different genres ever.” Working with a plethora of styles is exactly what JE2 and Hooker and De Freitas like to do – mixing electro, breakbeat, house, classic party anthems, and more. Currently the Birmingham-based duo are working on their debut solo material and have completed the follow up to their recent track ‘Start The Beat’, with remixes by Jonze, Uncle Buck, The Hats and C.O.C. The newest track features guest vocals from Jet Storm of Trash Fashion. They’ll be out for digital download, September, on Italian label The Family Records. Meantime, Hooker and De Freitas plan to complete a few bootleg projects for free download and get to work on some old disco and funk tracks. Keep an ear out!

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Deluka – Flashbacks (Hooker and De Freitas Remix)

Deluka – Broken Sleeping Patterns – Featuring the Hooker & De Freitas remix of Flashback
Available on Japanese import only (cd)
Zavvi.co.uk
101cd.com

Start The Beat available on Beatport

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