A fan of the Essential Mix since the age of thirteen, Subb-an confesses to staying up late every Saturday night to "hear fresh music and to be educated," and came full circle over the weekend with his debut set for the famed show.

"The idea behind the mix was to put together a selection of tracks that have really inspired me from when I started collecting music ten years ago to where I am now as an artist," says the Birmingham bred, Berlin based DJ and producer, who has included tracks from Ron Trent, Jesse Rose, Prosumer & Murat Tepeli, a handful of re-edits and two of his own exclusive unreleased productions. The mix also premieres the ‘5am Dub’ of Maher Daniel’s ‘A Call From Within’, set to be released on Art Department’s imprint No.19.

You can listen to Subb-an's Essential Mix in full below.

Subb-an - Essential Mix-SAT-08-30-2014 by Mixing.Dj Livesets on Mixcloud

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Danny Tenaglia
Balance 025
Balance Music

7.5/10

Sometimes, the word "legend" gets thrown around too lightly; in today's world, names can become globally known almost overnight and consistently making the Beatport Top 10 can guarantee booking dates for years. However, before residencies were paid and most DJs worked in record shops to get access to the latest releases, it took a lot more time, talent and labour to forge a reputation.

Enter Danny Tenaglia. An early attendee of the famed New York club Paradise Garage, Tenaglia ventured onto Larry Levan's dance floor in the late 1970s and hasn't left. Over 30 years, Tenaglia has instilled himself as a electronic music legend and one who can cite Frankie Knuckles and Masters at Work (Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez and Lil Louie Vega) as his contemporaries. Championing house and techno by layering R&B, latin and afro-cuban beats, Tenaglia spent most of the 90s DJing mammoth sets that stretched over 12 hours and remixing major pop artists from as Madonna and the Pet Shop Boys. Incredibly, Balance Music managed to secure Tenaglia for the latest compilation release in a major coup for the Australian label since James Holden's game-changing 'Balance 005' in 2003.

Over two discs, Tenaglia twists through a journey of house and techno of all flavours elasticity and bravado. The first disc begins on a tentative and subtle tech bent with Tragicaller's "04LM" allowing the mood to ramp up from Cowboy Rythymbox's 'Shakes' and MRI's 'Es Geht Um Mehr' into the fantastic Dosem remix of 'Planes & Trains' by Hot Since 82. We're now firmly entrenched in rhythm, and Tenaglia pushes ahead into the sliced-up melodic madness of Kernel Key's 'Out of Body Experience' and the slam from Alex Under's remix of Gabriel D’Or & Bordoy's 'Element 84'. The rest of the first disc continues, culminating in a nod to Tenaglia's tribal past with Michel Cleis' Isla Dub of Basement Jaxx's 'Mermaid of Salinas' and closing with the brooding Kangding Ray remix of 'Existence' by Dadub.

The eclectic selection continues on the second disc, with Tenaglia curiously using Architectural's '04.1' to bring the compilation into 5am territory. The pounding continues with Regis''Coldwater' and the mocking vocals of The Yellowheads''Red Light District'. Back to back Antigone tracks make you feel as though you're staring at the dance floor for loose change, and the punishing Oscar Mulero remix of Lewis Fautzi's 'Binary' reminds you that sunrise must surely be on the way. Thankfully, temporary respite arrives in the form of Laurent Garnier’s take on Gregor Tresher’s 'Nightcolors' before Tenaglia shoves your head underwater again with Herva's 'Snow and Clouds'. From here it's all downhill, with the awesome Jonas Kopp remix of Brian Sanhaji's 'Datalogger,' a highlight before the disc closes on the ethereal weirdness of 'UFO' from Exploit.

Whilst the consistent intensity of Balance 025 may surprise some, it's clear that this isn't an "Idiot's Guide to House Music" - Tenaglia's two discs supply a small tasting of his house origins in slivers, but the consistent hardened edge throughout demonstrates that 4/4 techno is where he is at now.

Tracklist:

CD1
1. 04LM – Tragicaller
2. Ugo Carrano – GBass
3. Reboot – Banging Ear Drum
4. Talismann – Zula
5. Cowboy Rhythmbox – Shake
6. Ø [Phase] – Dirtro II
7. MRI – Es Geht Um Mehr
8. Hot Since 82 – Planes & Trains (Dosem remix)
9. Kernel Key – Out of Body Experience
10. Gabriel D’Or & Bordoy – Element 84 (Alex Under remix)
11. Sanys – Dominance
12. Tom Laws – The Yellow Enemy
13. Pherox feat. Lee Curtiss – Black Copy
14. Nicole Moudaber – Movin’ On
15. Mancini (ManJas) – What I Think (Yamen & Eda remix)
16. Basement Jaxx – Mermaid of Salinas (Michel Cleis Isla Dub)
17. Thomas Schumacher – I’ll Do You
18. Dadub – Existence (Kangding Ray remix)

CD2
1. Architectural – 04.1
2. Funkndy – Station
3. Regis – Cold Water (Substance Version)
4. The Yellowheads – Red Light District
5. Antigone – The Melody
6. Antigone – The Time Merchant
7. Lewis Fautzi – Binary (Oscar Mulero remix)
8. Dax J – Dreamscape
9. H.O. – Deletion 3
10. Gregor Tresher – Nightcolors (Garnier Without The B Devotions remix)
11. Herva – Snow and Clouds
12. 2 AM/FM – Acid Planes
13. Svreca – Overgang (Oscar Mulero remix)
14. Attemporal – ATT9 (Craig McWhinney remix)
15. Spear – Cognitive Dissonance (Miki Craven remix)
16. Brian Sanhaji – Datalogger (Jonas Kopp remix V1)
17. Sin Sin – Grounded
18. Exploit – UFO

[Balance 025 is released in Australia on September 5 with a global release on September 15.]

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Guests gathered from all seven kingdoms last Thursday for Sydney’s instalment of the Game of Thrones-themed DJ tour featuring headliner Kristian Nairn, aka Hodor. The iconic theme of the event was always going to make it a grand success, particularly when combined with excellent music, so here are our top five highlights that made it such a memorable evening.

1. The Opportunity To Geek Out

When wandering through the entrance to Fox Studios, one could be forgiven for thinking the Hi-Fi was hosting Comic Con rather than a dance party. The streets were buzzing with child-like glee from fans playing pretend and swapping character conspiracy theories, and a number of new friendships were formed purely from guessing other people’s costumes. United in geekiness, the crowd embraced their Game of Thrones fandom in full force.

2. The Venue

The Hi-Fi was decked out in house banners, curtains, smoke and lighting, with all the conviviality of a Game of Thrones wedding – without any of the murder and scandal, of course. DJs kept the crowd bouncing all night, goblets flowed with drinks and the high ceilings transformed the room into a Great Hall fit for a king.

3. The Cosplay

Dear lord, the cosplay. From guests checking in swords at the cloakroom to a King Joffrey cosplayer seated on the Iron Throne, the costume aspect of the party was taken very seriously. An unexpected highlight was a very convincing Daenerys Targaryen taking the stage, complete with a fire-breathing dragon prop. The audience’s efforts were on par with the hired cosplayers however, as dragon jumpsuits and painted White Walkers put my own simple Arya toy sword to shame.

4. The Shock Value

The whole night was very tongue-in-cheek, and the warm up DJ acts were no exception to this. Ego, a visual artist and video DJ, provided a number of Game of Thrones inspired parody visuals, such as Cersei singing to Iggy Azalea’s ‘Fancy’ and a ‘Bound 2’ mash up of GOT sex scenes. Stage performers made fun of the characters, often pushing boundaries, including a dire wolf actor giving cosplayer King Joffrey a sensual lap dance, and a woman dressed up as one of the Unsullied stripping off all her armour.

5. Hodor is a DJ

At multiple points leading up to the headline act, the restless crowd chanted “Hodor, Hodor, Hodor” just for the hell of it, in anticipation of the man himself, Kristian Nairn. In no need of a costume (because well, he’s Hodor), Nairn finally manned the decks, introduced by the Game of Thrones theme, and took the crowd for a spin. Nairn left the crowd bewildered by his extensive music taste, and stunned when he had an eloquent conversation with the audience further than his simple one-liner on the show (“Hodor”). He experimented with different styles of house music, jumping from deep house to progressive, challenging expectations for his set. So while the novelty of having Hodor perform for the room of fans may have been what drawn them to Rave of Thrones in the first place, by the end of the night, Nairn’s steady beats, humble attitude and endearing head bob won the crowd’s hearts.
 
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Following a successful debut month which saw a packed dancefloor week in week out, lockout-free party Meanwhile has unveiled a bumper lineup for September.

Kicking off with the Official Kilter After Party this weekend with a double-header of Hatch and Pablo Calamari, the roster stays strong throughout the month boasting Cassian, Indian Summer,Acaddamy and Friendless.

Meanwhile parties every Friday night from 11:59pm until forever in the basement of Erskineville's Imperial Hotel.

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With the digital age, more labels have popped up in the last few years than have ever existed before. Many are fly-by-night, at home operations that serve only to clutter the electronic music landscape with forgettable, cookie-cutter music. But some, even smaller labels, forge ahead as bastions of cutting edge music, slicing through the noise to deliver often timeless, world class singles, EPs and albums. Here we look at 10 labels that in 2014 have stood firmly on the latter ground. These are Pulse Radio's 10 Best Labels Of 2014 So Far - and don't forget to check out our playlist at the bottom, as we've selected two of our favourite tracks from each label. 

Life and Death

Life and Death continue to be one of the most striking labels around at the moment; from the fascinating artwork on each release to the unique and distinctive sounds that the label puts out. This alternative sensibility can be largely attributed to the influences of its key players – DJ Tennis, who has produced TV adverts, film soundtracks and music for theatre, Greg Oreck, one half of Thugfucker, and Tale Of Us’ Matteo Milleri. Underpinning each release is something that will complete grab your attention, whether it’s the pop sensibility of Âme’s remix of ‘Turn Around’ by Sailor & I or the instantly recognisable synths on Ten Wall’s ‘Requiem’. Life and Death keep us guessing, but with each record we know we’re going to get something original, unique and ready to smash the dance floor. Not allowing themselves to rest on their laurels, sub-label Parachute Records has been launched, exploring a more raw musical output.

Music Is Love

Oli Furness' Manchester based label Music Is Love has steadily been growing into a stand-out label for straight-up house cuts of the highest quality delivered by a finely selected array of underground producers. Key parts of their ethos include paying careful attention to the roster of artists they select and focusing mainly on vinyl releases. Sub-label M.I.L. has also been set up to give a platform to productions with a tougher, darker edge. The past year has seen the label venture into throwing parties, with a monthly residency at Sankeys Manchester, delivering the likes of Marcel Dettmann, Nina Kraviz, Chez Damier and Dungeon Meat. They’ve also taken parties to ADE, Berlin and have parties forthcoming at Sankeys Ibiza in September.

VIVa MUSiC

After handling Harlem Records, Steve Lawler founded VIVa MUSiC back in 2006. Since then some of the most acclaimed names in tech-house have released on the label including Andrea Oliva, Leon, Livio & Roby, Robert Dietz and Audiofly. VIVa has gone on to spawn successful parties all around Europe, with the VIVa Warriors brand going from strength to strength every Sunday at Sankeys Ibiza in particular. VIVa continues to serve up some of the finest tech-house on offer from a host of exciting artists – System2 and Cera Alba are two hot names that have released on the label recently. 

Permanent Vacation

 

You’d be hard pressed to find a label so eclectic across the house spectrum that still maintains its own sound than Permanent Vacation. So far this year it’s been business as usual for the German imprint, along with some delicious curveballs thrown in for good measure, such as the proto-house 2.0 sounds in Lauer’s ‘Donner Lake’ EP, and Dollkraut’s recent leftield electro release. Never a dull moment.

Future Classic

The Sydney based label has come a long way from its deep house and nu-disco roots, with recent success coming from Australia’s newest hotbed of beatmakers. 2012 was the year that really threw them into the spotlight thanks to Flume’s all-conquering debut LP, and this year they’ve tapped into chart topping magic once again thanks to digital crooner, Chet Faker. With some much anticipated albums still yet to drop from the likes of Seekae and newcomer Thrupence, FC are continuing to push forward thinking sounds from down under.

Innervisions

Berlin based imprint Innervisions helmed by founders Steffen Berkhahn aka Dixon and Frank and Kristian of Âme releases deep and innovative house music from a stable of in-house artists including Âme, Henrik Schwarz, Marcus Worgull and Tokyo Black Star. That, along with forward-thinking records by Laurent Garnier, Château Flight and Culoe De Song, amongst others, has been further evidence of the label’s commitment to stringent quality control. Dixon’s avowed aim is to make Innervisions unforgettable, and, in limiting its output, has succeeded.

SCI + TEC Digital Audio

Launched by Dubfire in 2007, SCI + TEC has becoming one of the industry’s most watched labels for emerging talent. Showcasing the best from the likes of Miss Kittin, Sante, Harvard Bass and Dubfire and emerging artists like WHYT NOYZ, SHADED, Kevin Castro and many more, the imprint is has been paving a solid way for itself through the underground community. Fresh from Barrakud festival in Greece, where Carlo Lio, SHADED and Dubfluss threw down some serious tunes, SCI + TEC looks to continue its run as one of the most cutting edge techno imprints around.

Octopus Recordings

Irish DJ and producer, Sian, is the boss behind techno imprint Octopus. Highly focused on showcasing the best and brightest of emerging talent, releases by artists like Paul Strive, Sasha Carassi and Jay Lumen are featured in radio shows around the world. Strive’s latest release titled ‘Take This Sound” was remixed by master Dutch selector 2000 And One and Sian’s "Shame Cube (Oliver Huntemann Remix)" is currently No. 2 on Beatport’s Techno Top 100 chart. Nicole Moudaber, Alan Fitzpatrick and Joel Mull are among the number of influential artists to support the label. 

Suara

Since inception in 2008, Spain’s illustrious, kitty-loving record imprint has been trailblazing a path for modern deep house, tech and techno. From a foundation that saves street cats to a party in Ibiza, Suara label boss Coyu has stormed the industry and cemented a reputation for sheer quality output via releases by Dosem, Edu Imbernon, Gary Beck, Jay Lumen, Ramiro Lopez, Technasia and Tube & Berger, often backed by stellar remixers like Adam Beyer, Paco Osuna, Rodriguez Jr, Gregor Tresher, Slam or Thomas Schumacher. 

Kittball Records

Globally acclaimed for both their production prowess as well as their legendary DJ sets, Tube & Berger (Arndt Rörig and Marco Vidovic) joined forces with friend and fellow DJ Juliet Sikora in 2005 to start Kittball Records. Alongside their own productions, the Kittball crew release consistent top quality deep and tech house by artists such as Timo Maas, Format:B, Ida Engberg, Daniel Steinberg, Martin Eyerer, Namito, Wild Culture and many more.

Check out our 10 Best Labels Of 2014 So Far playlist, featuring two of our favourite tracks from each label mentioned.

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After getting their start on the Dutch circuit touring with the now defunct Swedish House Mafia, Amsterdam duo NEW_ID have truly come into their own recently.

Straddling the middle ground perfectly between cool house cuts and big room bangers, their remix of "Tear It Down" remix hit No.2 on Beatport's Progressive House Chart. They've also been tapped to play just about everywhere these days, including Creamfields for Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso's massive Departures stage with the likes of Hard Rock Sofa and Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, and of course the closing party for the wildly popular Departures at Ushuaia Ibiza, coming up on September 3rd.

Featuring their upcoming 'Godspeed You' remix from Francesco Rossi feat. Ozark Henry, the mix will get you pumped and ready for what's sure to be a blowout, celebrating Axwell and Ingrosso's second huge year at Ushuaia. Listen and below.

Tracklist:
1. NEW_ID’s intro
2. Kid Creme - Hypnotising (Original Mix)
3. Harry Romero - Tania (NEW_ID's Magalenha Woldcup Booty)
4. Chris Malinchak - So Good (Prok & Fitch Bootleg)
5. Salute Sweet Reload - (Etienne Ozborne Private Mash)
6. Rock You - Rock You (Axwell Edit)
7. Dave Aude, Crazibiza, Vassy - Hustlin (Slideback Remix)
8. Kryder & Still Young ft Duane Harden - Feels Like Summer (Original Mix0
9. Jesse Kiis - The Heist (Original Mix)
10. Filterheadz - Ratboud (Kryder’s Shake That Booty)
11. Merk & Kremont - Tundra (NEW_ID’s Teenage Crime Booty)
12. Hard Rock Sofa & Skidka - Arms Around Me (Original Mix)
13. Junior Jack - Thrill Me (NEW_ID Remix vs Star 69)
14. Mutiny UK & Steve Mac ft Nate James - Feel The Pressure (NEW_ID’s Special Treatment Edit)
15. Axwell ^ Ingrosso - We Come We Rave We Love (Original Mix)
16. Dejano Bottai - Kitt (NEW_ID’s Open Your Hearth Booty)
17. The Aston Shuffle - Tear It Down (NEW_ID Remix)
18. Nilson - Freaks (NEW_ID’s Piano Booty)
19. Francesco Rossi feat. Ozark Henry - Godspeed You (NEW_ID Remix)
20. Save the World vs Monkey Safari (NEW_ID's NYE Booty)

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Friday saw the Corona Sunsets Festival takeover the far corner of Marina Botafoch for some al fresco party antics. The opportunity to experience a festival in Ibiza is one not to miss. With the beautiful weather, stunning locations and the huge popularity of music festivals around Europe, it’s intriguing that there is such a lack of festivals on the island.

The line-up was decidedly accessible, with British duo Bondax laying down the pop-tinged summery house tracks that were floating across the airwaves. In true festival fashion they were also laying down edits of popular party tracks such as Modjo’s ‘Lady (Hear Me Tonight)’ and ‘90s hip-hop hit ‘No Diggity’. All served to warm up the crowd suitably as we watched the picturesque sunset over Dalt Vila.

As if the feel-good vibes weren’t already enough, the pair left the crowd with the ecstatic sounds of Curtis Mayfield’s ‘Move On Up’. A short interval then led into Maya Jane Coles stepping up with a much darker tone.

Opening with Citizen’s ‘Closer’, Maya took us through a darker tech-house journey as the night time settled in and the muggy air evening air blanketed the area. Weird grimy bass morphed into dreamy synths and deeper shades of tech-house as the diminutive figure behind the decks continued her tough sounding journey. Stand out tracks included Hodgson’s ‘One Spliff’ which she has been championing a lot this summer. It was very much a set of big tracks, certainly suitable festival fare, with further standouts included Flashmob’s new track with Kevin Knapp ‘Who’ and ‘Dissolute’ by Paride Saraceni.

Another short break followed as Maya finished her set and the crowd then eagerly awaited the arrival of Disclosure on stage. The young duo has developed an enormous following in their short careers and each time you see them the fervour is more than evident.

The duo launched into ‘F For You’, followed by ‘When A Fire Starts To Burn’, both of which received huge sing along reactions from the party-goers. From there it was much of the same as the hungry youthful crowd sang back every word as flames popped from the stage and psychedelic visuals flashed on the screens behind the pair. For whatever reason, the crowd wasn’t as big as you’d expect for Disclosure, considering the wild scenes when the pair brought their live show to Space, but the crowd were treated to what they expected nonetheless.

Running through their standard array of hits such as ‘Boiling’, ‘White Noise’ and Eliza Doolittle joined on stage for ‘You & Me’, which enjoyed a particularly rapturous reception. The young brothers then toyed with the crowd before completing the set with huge hits ‘Latch’ and ‘Help Me Lose My Mind’. The brothers write pop songs primed and ready for the charts, but their talent and musicianship lends the credibility they deserve without doubt.

The festival’s music programme was accessible for the largely young and tourist driven crowd, but the most striking thing about the event was the surroundings. The organisers and designers succeeded in transforming a square of concrete into a truly impressive festival setting. Sand below feet, rows of flags blustering in the wind, wooden stalls dotted around the area, colourfully light stage – it was certainly a beautiful place to spend the evening. It felt as if we had been transported to a small corner of a large festival elsewhere in Europe.

The alternative stage was arguably even more stunning, featuring a circle of wooden towers and draped material to form a kind of roof – the area was brilliant to look at and stunningly designed. Again though it was a shame the numbers weren’t quite as high as you might’ve imagined as this part of the festival was largely left unattended.

Despite this though, the festival provided a refreshing alternative to the super clubs and a nice change of scenery. Here’s to hopes that this festival will return stronger next year and maybe even influence more organisers to stage similar events. There’s without doubt a market for some new life to be injected into the scene, and with the array of stunning locations available more outdoor festival events would be an excellent addition to the island.

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Getting his start with The Youngsters, producing techno on Laurent Garnier’s F Communications imprint, Frenchman Rodriguez Jr. has gone on to become a core member of Anja Schneider’s mobilee family. With the recent release of the brilliant ‘Persistence of Vision,’ we caught up with Rodriguez Jr. over Skype whilst he was taking a break in the south of France. Our chat took us from Jean Michel Jarre, Detroit techno, his upcoming album, illustrating his way through music production, and his affinity with analogue hardware.

I was wondering about your early listening habits. Basically, as a French guy, everything began in the ‘80s when I was listening to Jean Michel Jarre and electronic pop music. Then I discovered a lot of people of my generation like Inner City, Kevin Saunderson; this music from Detroit and from Chicago on the radio. My first contact with dance music was Detroit. Derrick May, Underground Resistance, Saunderson – all these guys. It was like a revolution for me.

Then did it come to attending parties and experiencing the music in a different way? I began lately, actually. My first contact with electronic music was on the radio and then I began producing, but my first parties were parties were maybe in something like ’97. I wasn’t that kind of guy, going out a lot. We had quite an interesting scene in the South of France at this time and a lot of raves in unexpected places. It was very interesting and very forward-thinking.

Your work with The Youngsters, how did that shape what you’ve come to do now? Obviously the music is quite different. Yes, it was very different. Everything began with The Youngsters maybe in ’98. I was studying Mathematics in Montpellier and I was producing music with a couple of synthesisers and a computer in my bedroom. I needed to meet people to get into this business and to get into this network. I met Gilles who has been my partner in crime for almost 10 years with The Youngsters. He used to have a little label called G-Funk and also a record shop in Montpellier. We had the same passion for this techno from Detroit. This is why our tracks were so techno and punchy. We eventually met Laurent Garnier who signed us on his label F Communication and it was the beginning of a beautiful and long adventure.

When it came to producing on your own, what changed things? Basically when you produce in a band you have to compromise a lot. At some point I really wanted to do my own stuff and tried to find my own influences. I tried to experiment with my own things. F Communication was also experiencing a lot of problems with all these changes in the music business market. The label actually collapsed in 2006 or 2007, I think. I needed to do something else. Sometimes you just need a change in your life and everything happened at the same time.

You’ve played piano from a young age and you’ve talked about how you were mainly in the studio – has that influenced you into focusing on production more than DJing? You play live a lot as well. It definitely does, even though I’m not a great player. Particularly when you’re in the studio when you want build a track or shape an idea, it’s much faster when you have these skills. It’s the same thing for live. I’m very happy that I can perform and play this kind of music live. Regarding the melodies, that’s maybe more related to my influences. As I told you before I was a huge fan of Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk and later the techno of Detroit. Which is also not so melodic, but moody, you know? It’s all related to my influences and my music taste. And I’m French, that’s also a good reason!

When you play live, how do you actually set-up? Yeah, it’s quite a compact set-up. I’ve got a laptop running Ableton Live, I’ve got Maschine, which I use as a controller, I’ve got an iPad which I also use as a controller with my own template on some great software called Touch OSC. I have a MIDI keyboard to play, to improvise, to launch things. Actually the set-up is quite compact and basic, but I prefer to have something that I can interact a lot with, depending on the feedback that the crowd give me. I think that’s much more important than having loads of shit around me and getting lost in it.

Yet in the studio you have a lot of hardware – what’s your relationship with that kind of equipment? Do you think it’s more creative or adds more musicianship? In the ‘90s I began to produce with machines and I need the machines to generate ideas and accidents. When you work with modular synths for instance, there are a lot of accidents and unexpected things, which can be very interesting. I really need this physical connection with the instrument you know. That’s so much more inspiring, that physical connection in the sound. I definitely need it and that’s why I use so much hardware.

Do you think the quality of the music is greater because you’ve spent more time trying to create sounds? Maybe there’s more time experimenting. It definitely pushes things forward for sure. For me, the most interesting is the accident I talked to you about. There aren’t so many accidents with software and plug-ins. When it happens you can reboot! With machines you have a lot of shit. It’s electricity. This is why I really look forward to it in the studio – working with the modular synths, the Moog or the Jupiter – trying to push things forward a lot and trying to generate these accidents.

When you were younger and starting work with hardware – I know your influences were things like Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream – was there an element of trying to channel those sounds that you were hearing or recreating those sounds? Of course, those were the first steps – you try to recreate, you try to copy. They were definitely my first attempts to produce electronic music – trying to produce covers of Kraftwerk. I think with the techno it was the same, I tried to copy only the beats from Underground Resistance, all these guys, trying to get the funk. And then you do your own shit with it.

How do you see your productions progressing? I don’t know! Whilst travelling I’m always collecting ideas and looking to experiment. I would love to work with musicians, maybe singers or trying to make new fusions. I think dance music is all about new fusions and experiments. I still think there are lots of things to experiment and discover. I don’t know where I’m going to go now – just hanging out in the studio, experimenting again and again.

Do you have any releases coming up? I have some remixes coming up I think. I’ve just released ‘Persistence Of Vision’ on mobilee in June. I’m just beginning to work on a new album for mobilee as well, which is going to take a lot of my time probably.

Is there a concept? How do you go about writing a whole album? It’s a long process. Basically I collect ideas, and I try to have a whole overview of what I want to do otherwise you get lost in this process. So I try to have an idea and an overview of what I want to do then I draw it on paper, what I want to do. Then I try to fill the blanks. It’s a very passionate process, but that’s how I do it.

It’s interesting you need that visual element. Yeah, I need the representation. So I’ll start with a certain mood, then build up with something more for the dance floor, then something more hypnotic. I just try to follow this line.

With an album in dance music you have to go in different directions – is it difficult? It is. You have two options. You can do more dance floor tracks, but then it’s like a compilation. Otherwise you try to open things up a little bit and take risks. That’s what I try to do usually. That’s not always easy though because if you produce only ambient tracks, the people don’t get it. It’s all about reaching the good balance.

You’ve played the mobilee pool party back in July – what do you make of it? That’s difficult because we are trying to build the brand on the island. This is something we want to push forward as it’s just a great configuration for performing our music. We try to build up to create this brand and to create this concept on the island. It’s free, which makes quite a big difference in Ibiza and we’re trying to propose something other than the big clubs.

Rodriguez Jr. plays Mobilee Rooftop party in Barcelona at Hotel Diagonal on Thursday 11th September. Click here for more info. His ‘Persistence of Vision’ EP is out now on mobilee. You can buy it here. He is also touring Australia this month - dates below.

Rodriguez Jr. Australian Tour Dates
19.09.14 - Geisha Bar, Perth
20.09.14 - New Guernica, Melbourne
21.09.14 - S*A*S*H Sleepout, Sydney

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As Spring is upon us here in South Africa, Pulse Radio gets 'Fresh' with Coalesce Etc. founder Ockert Olivier aka Unheard Of. Coalesce means to unite a community by combining the elements, and this is the collective idea by Coalesce Etc. which features upcoming talent via podcasts and mixes on its soundcloud page. This man is stepping up on the Johannesburg scene and to display that, he has put together this exclusive fresh mix. Have a listen: 

As for Ockert himself, he is pretty much an 'Unheard Of' commodity, having always been an avid fan of electronic music and spending more time than not on the dance floor the progression to DJ'ing only seemed the natural step to take. With humble beginnings opening for Miguel Tavares @ Vintage's Urban Playground event in early '13 his love for playing out and sharing his sound has grown by leaps and bounds. Unheard Of has since then been featured at events such as Welcome To The Suburbs, Toy-Toy, Tswaing Crater Gathering, Elektrik Piknik, Dayze (where he was their first season resident) & Coalesce Etc.'s Showcase event.

His influences vary from the inauspiciously forward thinking Sound Sensible brothers to the distinctively eclectic Dogstarr. He regularly references to friends and artists, Du Sant & Hernan Bass for his deeper selections. Unheard of is an admirer of the more serious side of music with a not so serious approach. Catch him upstairs at Truth this weeekend.

Follow Unheard Of on social media:

Facebook

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Soundcloud

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As summer approaches Sunday becomes the day to party once again with Sydney favourite Marco Polo returning to ivy's rooftop oasis, Pool Club, for a seventh season beginning this October.

Throughout the upcoming season, Marco Polo will feature headline sets from the likes of Teenage Mutants, Nora En Pure, Jonas Rathsman, Isaac Tichauer, Nicky Night Time, Ninetoes, Mickey, Goodwill, Indian Summer and more international acts still to be announced.

The party will also see local favourites Robbie Lowe and Nukewood return to monthly resident duties, as well as welcoming some new names to the fold; KLP, Generik,Young Franco and Terace.

Marco Polo kicks off for the Summer 2014/15 season this October Long Weekend headlined by Holt Blackeath. Musically punters can expect deep, disco and classic house by the pool and hip hop, bounce and electro in the Change Room.

Marco Polo Line-Up Announced so far:
Holt Blackeath
Teenage Mutants
Nora En Pure
Nicky Night time
Ninetoes
Josh Butler
Jonas Rathsman
Isaac Tichauer
Goodwill
Mickey
Indian Summer

Marco Polo Residents:
Robbie Lowe
Nukewood
Ninelives
KLP
Generik
Young Franco
Terace

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This week the Pulse podcast falls to dance music icon, Jonty Skrufff.

Journalist, radio host, producer, DJ, music conference producer...there's not much within electronic music that the British born everyman hasn't done. Cutting his teeth in the world of music journalism in '95 via the ground breaking British rag MUZIK, Jonty finally turned to the decks himself back in 2004. Since then he's been a staple on the international clubbing circuit, holding down residencies at the likes of London's Fabric and Pacha Ibiza to name a few.

Now based in Berlin, the expat's latest endeavour is as a resident DJ for the city's biggest and best new underground club, Sisyphos, where he spins every fortnight. Pulse.188 is a snapshot of what you'd hear from a four hour set from Jonty in Hammahalle.

DOWNLOAD PULSE.188 HERE

You got into the music journalism game back in the mid 90s. As someone who's worked in both print and digital, what are your thoughts on the current state of electronic music journalism? Being honest, much of it is in a dire strait - news more often than not being merely recycled press releases, more often than not selected when the people writing the press releases are buying ads or sponsorship packages. But at the same time, the likes of Vice are generating some great content week after week and sites such as Ibiza-voice are continuing to be important voices in the wilderness.

The problem of course is that music journalism is a dying profession and hordes of very talented writers are unable to make even a miserly living - certainly if writing is their only career. Hard times. As for print, it's following vinyl's slow effective death.

You're the music conference curator for ADE. Can you explain what that entails? I work with a small team organising the topics of panels as well as selecting speakers for each panel and also during the event moderate a bunch of them, from the Cook Off to Gamechangers. It's an ongoing rolling all year round process which gets very busy from August onwards. It's great fun though challenging to keep each year's programme fresh and persuade the best people to take part.

What's happening for you on the DJ front these days? Two main things; firstly, my residency at Berlin's best - and pretty much biggest - underground club sisyphos. I play pretty much every two weeks, always four hour sets as a minimum, often playing for longer. Berlin clubbers don't really care about big name DJs, they go to particular clubs and events, so having a residency is the best you can get. I absolutely love Sisyphos (it's wild, magical, uber-underground and special) and am honoured to be involved.

The second key area is making music - I have a new EP coming out shortly - also on Sisyphos' new label Sisyphon, with more tracks ready to roll out shortly. All are tried and tested at Sisyphos and are jacking techno, tech-house energy packed type tunes designed for the dance floor.

Can you tell us about the mix you've recorded for the Pulse podcast? It's a slice of upfront new tech flavoured tunes put together from a bunch of favourites played recently in the Sisyphos main room warehouse space Hammahalle as well as a few festivals here and there (*Milkshake and Secrety Island Nation).

Tracklist:
Valpy - The Light
Santé - Flush
Matt Sassari - Talleyrand
The Jaydes - Tears & Fears
Michel de Hey & Rauwkost - Julienzzz (Paul C & Paolo Martini Remix)
Dykkon - Acera
WHYT NOYZ - Closure
Mondkrater - Roter Planet
Ricardo TObar - Gambetta
Quantum Entanglement - Acid Thunder (Dub)
Pig&Dan - Power
Dronelock - Clusters (Mark Broom)
Midland - Duster
Cardopusher - Police Are Coming (Emergency Mixx)
Steve Mulder - Backstabber (Trevor Rockcliffe Remix)
Hound Scales - Princip (Rubble Dub 1)
Adam Beyer - Stop Talking

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As the dust settles on another year of Burning Man, the many stories that took place on the expansive playa of Black Rock City are beginning to trickle through to the real world. One that has just come our way involves Seth Troxler,Skrillex and Diplo at the infamous Robot Heart Bus.

Seth Troxler was scheduled for a set on the Robot Heart decks on Wednesday night, though as a source in attendance informs us, the Detroit DJ refused to play after his entourage was denied access to join him behind the decks. Looking to fill Troxler's slot, organisers quickly replaced him with dance music's hottest duo Jack U, aka Skrillex and Diplo, who just happened to be hanging on the bus at the time (the pair were at the festival to play at Camp Question Mark the following evening).

Crisis averted it would seem, with Skrillex reported to have played "a pretty cool set". However things took a turn for the worse when Skrilly tagged in his pal Diplo, who made the unfortunate decision to drop DJ Snake & Lil Jon's 'Turn Down for What'. The result? Loud disapproval from the crowd which brought an abrupt end to the Diplo/Skrillex session. The Robot Heart vibe was then swiftly restored by a scorching set from Tale Of Us.

All's well that ends well? It just goes to show that even when you're at a professional level, you're still always learning about the art of DJing.

You can check out some of the amazing photos from Burning Man 2014 here.

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After suffering an unforunate blow over the weekend with YG (Young Gangsta) pulling out of his visit to Australia, Listen Out has bounced back with all guns blazing, announcing the return of the Red Bull Crate Diggers Stage.

The stage made its debut in Sydney during the very first Listen Out tour last year which saw the likes of Beni, John Glover and other selected local DJs digging deep into their record bags to provide sets from lost eras of dance music.

In 2014 the Red Bull Crate Diggers Stage is set to hit every city on the tour. Check the full lineups below.

Sydney
Joyride plays 90s R&B / Hip hop
Ben Morris plays Party Like It’s 1999
Kali plays Disco-caned
Motorik plays History of Techno
Wordlife plays Electro Hip-hop Gr80s
Playmode plays Deep House 86-96
Low Motion (FBI) plays UK Garage / 2 Step

Perth
Gracie & Sistym play DnB Classics
Philly Blunt plays Party Like It’s 1999
Shaddow Brothers plays Deep House
Genga & Benny P play 90s RnB and Hip Hop
Micah plays 2 Step / Garage
Casual Connection plays Disco-caned
Troy Division & Bunj play IndepenDANCE

Melbourne
Jack Love & Jacob Malmo play History Of Techno
Matt Radovich plays Hip Hop Gr80s
Sweetland plays UK Garage / 2-Step
Hans DC plays 90s R&B / Hip Hop
Ollie Holmes plays Italo-Disco
Edd Fisher plays Electroclash
Butters plays Deep House 86 – 96

Brisbane
Approche & Elleyet play Party Like It’s 1999
Sweeney & Tucker play Disco-caned
Thomas Prime & Jazzy Jaff play Hip Hop gr80s
Audun & Sessionkatz play History of Techno
Silvertouch & Nicky Doof play Deep House 86 - 96
Varcity & Gurps play UK Garage
Mr Sparkles & Pete Smith play 90s R&B / Hip hop

Listen Out 2014 Line-Up 

Flume (Only 2014 Shows)
Chet Faker

ZHU
Schoolboy Q 

Four Tet

YG
Ta-Ku

Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs (Dj Set)
Shlohmo 

Bondax

Yahtzel (DJ Set)

Young Fathers

Golden Features

Tkay Maidza

Triple J Unearthed Winner 
+ More

Listen Out 2014 Dates
27.09.14 - Centennial Park, Sydney
28.09.14 - Ozone Reserve, Perth
04.10.14 - Observatory Precinct, Royal Botanic Gardens, Melbourne
05.10.14 - The Avenues & Expo Place, Brisbane

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Studio 338 will be holding a series of forest raves this autumn in association with Kopparberg.

A reprise of ‘Urban Forest’, installations of trees, masses of ivy, living walls, graffiti, cargo netting, lanterns and video mapping will transform the space. Open on 4th October with Groove Chronicles, Sunship and My Favourite Robot, the immersive experience will also include more big-name artists across the autumn.

Sankeys’ Tribal Sessions will take over on 11th October with Andrea Oliva and Darius Syrossian. Suara will also host proceedings on 18th October with Pleasurekraft, Camea, Phaelah and label boss Coyu. More special guests are also set to be announced.

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Vinyl's continued boom is putting stress on manufacturers. 

We've reported heavily on vinyl's resurgence in the last few years. This year alone, sales are up another 40 percent in the first half of 2014, according to SoundScan, with room to keep flourishing. 

But now it looks as though manufacturers are unable to keep up, as the huge costs associated with building new plants and pressing machinery keep many from upgrading. 

Instead, plants are buying old, used equipment, much which is in disrepair or doesn't work at all, and events like Record Store Day push demand to the breaking point. 

And once that happens, prices could shoot higher than ever, possibly forcing cost back to consumers and labels. 

[Via Independant]

So while everyone was in Belgium for Tomorrowland, one question that kept popping up during the first weekend of Tomorrowland was "Where is Martin Garrix?". Well unbekownst to most, the young dutch sensation Martin Garrix was playing to 3000 people on the little African Island of Mauritius. Check out White Sensations presents Martin Garrix after-movie produced by Hysteria Productions:

The promoters from Social Buzz have been one of the pioneers to be pushing electronic music on the island, having previosuly hosted Hed Kandi and Ministry of Sound label events as well the likes of Paul Oakenfield. Click here for more.

Here at Pulse Radio, we have been tracking the explosion that is coming from this Indian Ocean island located on the east coast of Africa, and it's certianly become a desired destination for both mainstream EDM as well as underground Techno and House acts from around the world. With its beautiful beaches, lush valleys and picturesque resorts, whats not to like about living it up in paradise compared to the normal European festivals and dark room clubs. Mauritius has a growing youth market with diverse heritage from French, Dutch, African and Indian influences and a youth culture that is connected to the world, so stay tuned for more exciting events from this paradise.

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Acumen is a man of many hats. He's got an active family life, is a pharmacist by day and lives out in the countryside, fishing in his free time. But by night, he's the man behind one of France's foremost imprints, Time Has Changed, that's seen releases from Los Suruba, Re-UP and Alex Niggemann over the years, as well as a DJ, live artist and producer, even getting tipped by Richie Hawtin as one of the best around back in 2009.

Acumen recently brought his energetic live show to the famed Rex Club in Paris, which he recorded. We've got that exclusive download, as well as a quick chat with Acumen about his new label, his multilayered life, and what he makes of today's digital age record labels.

Besides a hectic life as a DJ-producer, you're also a family man who works in the pharmaceutical industry. How do you fit it all in? What is a typical week for Antoine Garcin? I like living fast. Explore things, I am really, really curious and interested by everything around me. I just broke up with my wife so I have more time for me my music and my work. My week is mixing work at the pharmacy all the day, music the nights, my kids, and some show when I can. It is rather exciting to combine all these things. Even if sometimes I have to say that I am really tired. For example I’ve just noticed yesterday that I did not use my TV at home since 6 months!

In comparison to many artists who choose to live in musically rich urban environments, you instead live in the remote and rural location of the south of France. Why is this, and do you think this may have an effect on your work, such as perhaps your attitude or creativity? Yes I am not so urban. I really like nature and lands from my young age. I like fishing. I like big spaces. And big cities can really be stressful for me, so my way of life fits exactly with what I dreamed. But at the same time I have a real pleasure to have a weekend in Paris, London and Barcelona when I can. But living in south of France with sunshine is something extraordinary. And like you said, I think it is something that you can hear into my music. Because my productions are rather happy ones, not so “urban.”

Around a decade ago, French artists were unquestionably having their heyday. As a French artist yourself, were the artists of that era particularly influential to you? What is your opinion on the scene in your country at the moment? There was a real awesome period for French house music. And I think it inspired a lot of French producers actually. I discover house sounds with people like Etienne de Crecy – Superdiscount, Saint Germain, Elegia…

Today the French scene is a bit different I am not sure you can easily find some big stars. But here in south of France, I feel that there is a big attempt around this kind of music and like a renewal. But the big problem is here is more the clubs. We have not the same “freedom” as other countries. I don’t think you could find some exiting club like Berghain in Berlin, or elrow in Barcelona, here – completely impossible.

For example, there was an exciting festival here called Family Piknik in Montpellier – 5000 persons, 6am to 12pm – really exciting one – but after three seasons without any problems, the city decided to stop it for the 2015, quite disappointing

You’ve had some great names appear on your Time Has Changed imprint, such as Tom Budden, Re-UP, Los Suruba, Lee Webster, and Ross Evans to name a few. What is the general ethos behind the label? Can you tell us more about how it started and perhaps some of its highlights? Yes, we have the chance with my partner Damien (timid boy) to manage one of the most exciting French labels. Like you said we had some great names around. I could add Oxia, Alex Niggemann or Matthias Meyer. There is no particular idea behind the label. We just try to release some exciting music for the clubs. We release what we like at the moment, and we are more than happy to see the results. A lot of persons know THC now. That’s pretty incredible for us. I decided to found this label to keep a foot in the electronic scene when I was student. I can’t continue partying and DJing like I did before finishing my studies, so THC was an excellent way to continue in this world, even if I had no particular goal at the beginning.

You've kindly provided a recorded mix taken from your gig at Rex Club Paris. Can you tell us more about your live show? What equipment do you use and how does it differ from a regular DJ set? The main thing with a live act if that you play your own tracks. So if people like or dislike, they really judge you as a producer. And it is very, very exciting. So I play my tracks in live, with controllers, like novation series: Launchpad and an effects controller, Ableton Live of course, and my sequencer. I use also a Native Instruments Maschine to launch new sounds, loops, and effects in direct. It’s really playful and visual. But I would like to incorporate some more tools in the future. Like maybe some hardware stuff.

You've mentioned in the past that you may have released on too many labels, and producers should stick to only a handful. Can you elaborate on this? Is this something you try harder to stick with these days? I mean, that when I began listening music, my heroes were really affected to a label: Kiki with BPitch, Steve bug with Pokerflat, Superpitcher with Kompakt... I really enjoyed that period. It was like teams. But then when the digital period arrived, people and producers wanted to release fast and a lot. I am not sure that it is the best technic to be known. They thought that (releasing) a lot of tracks gives you some more exposure. But it is false. The best example is maybe Sebo K. He’s releasing few tracks since years, always on mobile, and he’s a star.

Furthermore, as someone who has racked up a fair bit of experience now, have you got any additional advice for the younger generation of artists? Nope, except to follow your instinct and not the fashion!

Finally, what do fans of your work have to look forward to? Any upcoming releases or future plans for Acumen and Time Has Changed? Yes, sure, I have my new release on my label Thrill Of It, with remixes from Lee Van Dowski, Dean Demanuele and Jules & Moss. It is a very exciting one coming up on the 22nd of September. Then I am proud to announce my first release on the Steve Bug imprint Dessous, a coproduction made with impressive producer Phonique and a remix from Mihai Popoviciu

And I am now preparing a new album, so stay tuned.

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