The Nextmen need hardly any introduction. Mixtape legends, badboy producers, guaranteed party rockers and some would go as far as to say a British institution, there is not a dancefloor that these boys have not smashed in their time. From hip hop, dubstep, drum and bass to house, electro and disco, there's not a genre the guys won't dabble in, so naturally DigDeep Promotions are flying them in for their High Flyers NYD party in Sydney (buy tix below). Nicc Johnson got in touch with one half of the duo, Dom, to find out more about them.

Pulse: You have a bit of a tour planned for Australia and New Zealand and have a very loyal following here. What is your overall reaction to the crowd here? Dom: We're more concerned about the reaction of the crowd to us! We've steadily built a reputation over in Australia and NZ over the past few years and people know what to expect from us: the unexpected. Playing lots of different genres can be risky but once you're twenty minutes in to a next men set you pretty much know the deal. The Aus and NZ crowds are great, always up for a good time and ready to party all night.

Can you tell us where The Nextmen name came from…does it have anything to do with John Byrne’s Dark Horse comic 'The Next Men'? No, Nextmen is one word and we just wanted a name that suggested we were doing something that was a little different, one that wouldn't date. We're still happy with it so I think it was a good choice.

We have just downloaded your tracks with Joe Dukie, who is one of my favourite male soul singers. Needless to say, I love the tracks. Can you tell us about any other exciting new tracks/collaborations you have in the pipeline? It's been great for us that those from-the-vault tracks have received a good reaction. We remember putting them together and writing with Joe Dukie in London, great vibes. At the time we just weren't sure whether the tracks were finished or not so just sat on them. We've been doing a lot of stuff recently, some together and some independently. Brad has been doing some great work with writing team Biffco and I've just signed to Paul Epworth's publishing imprint Wolftone, which has been an exciting move.

We also have a new Nextmen-produced project called 'Echo Foxx' in the making, it's about 80% there. It's a graphic novel story based music project about an alternate future London and its warring population of foxes. Think Fantastic Mr Fox with some batman mixed in and a mysterious sci-fi element, all set in and around London in 2048. The album that goes along with this story is like a narrative of several scenes from the book. Dynamite MC provides the vocals. There's a wide range of tempos and a futuristic edge to the sound.

Does either of you have an artist you have always dreamt of working with? I always wanted to work with Lykke Li and that came true on a Wolftone writing trip to LA recently, which was great. Adele is another. Who knows, maybe that could come true as well.

I just watched “The Man with the Iron Fists” which was written, produced and directed by RZA. Have you ever thought of working on a music/movie project? See the above answer about Echo Foxx! It's not a movie but it is a step in that direction and yes we'd both love to get involved in composing for screen. I've written a couple of children's books too, just honing my craft with that at the moment. I'd also like to do some work with my old friend Rob Sulman, he's working in graphics and animation over in canada and we have some ideas that we'd like to see through to finished products. We've got loads of ideas, it's just finding the time to get stuff done in and around DJing and production duties.

Dom, you are a bit of a snake lover…plan on going snake hunting while in Oz this time around? Ha! Well yes my background academically is Biology and I was for a while a bit of a snake expert. Biology is my 'other' thing, especially the evolutionary side of things. I've done quite a bit of snake catching around the world. I might sneak off into the countryside to see if I can bag a few eastern browns. I'll make sure I let you know where I went tho incase you need to send an ambulance out.

On another notw, both of you come from musical backgrounds and have said that there is too much mediocre music out there right now. Do you think it can be simply put to the fact that anyone can invest in studio gear to produce a track or would you agree that a lot of established producers have just gotten lazy and would rather release a steady flow of productions, rather then focus on quality? I think the laptop revolution has been fantastic for music. I love the differences you can hear between a lush, well recorded, natural production and a track that was made at 3am on a laptop with all its textures and shades. It's a very exciting time for music makers as you can make releasable quality music with just a laptop these days. I think the last days of recording snobbery are upon us. Finally it's clear that it really is just about the vibe and it doesn't matter how you get there. No one needs to feel like they need to spend silly money to get things done properly any more. Maybe some producers have become lazy but there is a lot to be said for forming a sound and sticking to it. Many producers generate their own style whilst cutting their teeth and then keep consistent with the identity they've created. That's not lazy it's just being unique. There'll always be good music and bad music there's just more of both these days.

When you guys are pulling crazy production schedules and late nights, what will usually be on the menu, do you keep fuelled up on fast food or Red Bull? Growing up in Cambridge, did you ever try those amazing crepes from the mobile van, near the markets. Do you know which place I mean? Yeah! That's gone now I think. Cambridge is just that though - the place we grew up. We don't go back there for any reason other than to see our families. Good crepes though. Red Bull can help, it's always handy when you're burning the candle at both ends.

In previous interviews you guys mentioned that Cambridge had one of the best record stores while growing up there (Assasin Records). What was the overall scene like though…as it’s a Uni town, were there plenty of good parties on or did you have to head into London? There were good parties yeah. There was a burgeoning hiphop scene there in the late eighties and nineties, small, but still good. Lot's of djs armed with the latest vinyl throwing house parties. Assassin records, or Jay's as it was know to us, was the shit. They had all the new stuff, UK, imports, everything, it was one of the best shops around and probably responsible for so many people at there time getting into hiphop and dance music. Cambridge was, is and will always be a Uni town first, everything else second. It's not a clubbing centre. You need to leave Cambridge if you want to see what a real club scene is like, for sure. We've both lived in north London for so long now it's hard to imagine living anywhere else.

You guys are playing some rather big shows while over this side of the world including Breakfest in Perth. Our event is a very intimate show, which makes it rather special. Do you prepare a completely different set for each type of gig or do you just come heavily armed with great tracks and see where the crowd takes you? It depends. Increasingly the latter, which is actually a return to how we used to dj. Nextmen sets are club sets, with some live activity mixed in. it's not turntablism. We've been doing some two-deck sets recently, back to back stuff, and it has felt good after so many bears of the four deck show. We always have bits prepared and new bits coming. One thing we do find is that people always want to hear the vintage nextmen bootlegs and a few of our own tunes. They may be old to us but we do bring them out as it's what is expected of us. For your show we'll play what we think the crowd wants, intimate club style.

Thank you for your time Dom and Brad. We look forward to your set at High Flyers Little Secret NYD party at the Red Bull HQ in Sydney. We wish you a safe journey over from the UK. Thank you, see you soon.

Listen to The Nextmen on Pulse Radio

Earlier in the year we announced the beginning of our hosting a new video series called ADSR (Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release) from the very excellent Tooths clan. In case you aren't acquainted, Tooths are a Sydney based blog producing some very fine interviews, DJ mixes and of course video content.

The last edition of the series, in which Tooths visit the studios of various Australian producers to discover how they construct their music and the machines they do it on, the crew covered Sydney techno duo The Finger Prince. This time around they hit up the studio of Ableton whiz Bill Day, better known as Mr. Bill, finding out about his music history as he breaks apart one of his tracks showing them all his tricks and processing techniques. If you're into Ableton Live, glitch hop, beats, great melodies - basically great electronic music - you're in for a treat.

For all things Tooths related you can check out their youtube page. Their website is currently undergoing a makeover and will be back up and running soon.

Listen to Pulse Radio

Earlier on this year in October, Pulse Radio came live and direct to you from Amsterdam Dance Event, the biggest convergence of the electronic music in the world, taking over the city for a marathon five days. It also played host to the Native Instruments Traktor Cookery School, a unique space for industry players and Djs alike to come and cook their favourite signature dishes while also discussing the latest technology and demonstrating Native Instruments' latest hard and soft instruments. Pulse was there in amongst the action - but Native Instruments have just released their official video for the cookery school detailing all the culinary and musical high jinx of the week.

Particpants included Hector Romero cooking up a steak feast, Loco Dice preparing his Summer Spring Rolls and Francois K preparing some succulent treats for the freezing masses plus the likes of Danny Tenaglia, Mute boss Daniel Miller and more roaming the kitchen and cooking up a storm. You can hear a re-cap of Pulse's interview with NY man Mr Tenaglia in the Soundcloud player below; stay tuned to Pulse for more Native Instruments and Amsterdam Dance event news.

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Check out our full Amsterdam Dance Event coverage on Pulse Radio.

Popular convention has it that in the early stages of the century the era of the superclub died. Monoliths such as Cream and Gatecrasher lost their weekly potency and clubland was officially in crisis, particularly as many of the magazines touting this state of affairs slid into oblivion. A closer approximation of the truth was that the party stratosphere for which electronic music hinges on was merely in a state of temporary flux rather than terminal decline, and 2003 would see an event in Manchester that would sow the seed for the next phase of the huge clubbing vessel tightening its domineering grip.

That party was a glorious warehouse affair in Boddington’s Brewery, a showcase that still ranks in the minds of this particular voice of Pulse as possibly the finest electronic music dalliance we’ve ever attended. The glorious line-up included DJ Sneak and Derrick Carter locked in a four hour back to back tussle, A Guy Called Gerald playing live (‘Voodoo Ray’ a misty eyed moment for a sea of ex Hacienda ravers emerging briefly from retirement), and a peerless performance from DJ Marky at the pinnacle of his showboating prowess.

More importantly though it provided the template for the Warehouse Project, with many of the creative figures behind it present in some capacity that evening. Nearly coming to the close of a simply scintillating programme in their new venue, amidst the sea of triple pronged orgasms of sound one stood out as corker for real connoisseurs of rave. It was an evening dedicated to the standout performer of that Boddington’s dream nine years previously, a certain Laurent Garnier.

That set Garnier delivered, a five hour tour de force of emotion tunnelled through every conceivable genre under the sun, still stands as maybe the best we’ve ever witnessed. So there was simply no doubt that with Garnier entrusted for a full eight hours on his lonesome Pulse would be in attendance, regardless of the positioning on a Sunday. This was one for the die-hards, the event we would be talking about for years to come, the real end of year bonanza 15 days early. The question is, did it live up to this feverish hype? Nope. It exceeded it.

First things first, even witnessing only a certain tier of the new venue it’s clear the WHP has seriously upped its game. This is the real deal from the raw industrial way dance music, certainly in this country, is best experienced within. There’s a touch of Trouw’s huge breezeblock opulence about the place, a fine compliment considering the Amsterdam club’s rightful place as one of the best clubs on the planet. Negotiating the bar and the cloakroom is a shivering exercise in light of the grim grip Mancunian December has inflicted, but it only adds to the excitement in engaging in the physical and metaphorical warmth the dancefloor exudes.

Once we’re there we’ve barely had time to find our feet as something faintly familiar begins straining out of the speakers. The recognisable components of ‘Voodoo Ray’ are being gently teased into the mix, instantly taking Pulse back to 2003 and countless others even further into the recesses of time. It’s a record that not only oozes warmth and nostalgia, but timeless languid dancefloor tomfoolery that anyone with even a smidgen of appreciation for this thing we call dance music reacts to. From then on we are utterly transfixed.

As the course of the evening goes on the dancefloor swells yet never to the point of saturation, and Garnier veers further and further into the annals of electronic music’s peerless quality. There’s lashings of gorgeous kissy house music, best represented by the beauty of Ten City’s ‘That’s The way Love Is’ and the giddily camp ‘Chocolate Sensation’ from Lenny Fontana and DJ Shorty. Underground flavours come courtesy of the criminally underrated ‘Aguila’ from the Aztec Mystic, gorgeous strings swathing the ears of all in attendance. And acid house never seems to be further than 20 minutes away, Sandee’s low slung ‘Notice Me’ and the crunching electronics of Steve Poindexter’s ‘Computer Madness’ all part of a sea of squiggles and gurgles erupting from the Roland’s fleet of primitive drum machines.

Lurching into rockier terrain, Garnier reverts to trademark twists such as Velvet Underground’s ‘Waiting for the man’ and an achingly beautiful interpretation of New Order’s ‘Temptation’. The list of classics dropped is endless (the set was billed after all as 25 years of Laurent Garnier) but there’s still moments for modern music to make the flashpoint, the blinkingly beautiful ‘Frentzen’ by Ian O’Donovan and Breccia a high point and a record you feel Garnier will be pushing for years to come.

But it’s the way the obvious and the subtle are all imbued together that really catches the eye, with the sum of parts always greater than any individual moment. This is best summarised by the way Garnier reaches for Mat Playford’s edit of the monster King Britt remix of Josh One’s ‘Contemplation’ rather than the Ibiza classic as the King intended, the extra chords and analogue feel Playford added just that little bit more appropriate than the sunnier original. As always with Garnier, the devil is in the detail.

The triumphant way his own masterpieces crackle into the mix adds the finishing gloss, the fist pumping that comes from the skulduggery emitting from ‘Crispy Bacon’ and the wide-mouthed euphoria of that saxophone in ‘The Man with the red Face’. They are the final ingredients in what is best simply described as a masterclass, the perfect round-up of why this selector has been so entrancing for the past quarter of a century.

Dance music is arguably at its most potent when it fearsomely strides into the unknown -blowing down existing paradigms of sound in a ground-breaking retaliation at everything else in the musical domain. That however ignores the wonderful way it can be experienced from a historical vanguard, whether through resurgences of the sounds and movements of yesteryear (take the current vanguard for the swing of early 90s house and garage) or at the hands of a DJ blurring the lines between the best music ever created.

And there is no-one on the planet who comes close to crafting the latter than Laurent Garnier. It’s so fitting that one of the cornerstones of the modern clubbing environment can be so expertly helmed by one of the greatest tastemakers we’ve ever known, turning in a career high point from a career based on them. It’s flabbergasting looking back just how special this night was, a musical high Pulse may struggle to ever replicate. Quite simply amazing.

Listen to Laurent Garnier on Pulse Radio.

Sarp Yilmaz
I Care Because You Don’t
[Tablon]

French label Tablon is just a baby, but if I Care Before You Don’t, (the labels second release from Turkish newcomer Sarp Yilmaz) is anything to go by, it’s going to be one of the most popular kids in daycare. Yilmaz delivers a four-tracker of dusty, raw, sample-driven, low-slung house that teaches the likes of Jamie Jones et al. what a real slow groove is and how low BPM four-to-the-floor music should sound. Chock full of hip-hop, disco, soul and funk influences, I Care Because You Don’t expertly mixes multiple sounds into a single concoction.

Opening track My People is driven by a heavy, reverberated kick and jazzy open hi-hats that create ride the groove perfectly. The bassline is subtle, but the way it fills the spaces between the beats is absolutely vital to the track’s appeal. Filtered keys and spoken word samples occasionally make an appearance giving the tune that raw edge missing from a lot of slower house. The addition of some hip-hop style scratches and a wobbly incessant synth helps to give the track some real drive and attitude.
Blue continues to demonstrate Yilmaz’s funk and jazz influences, but makes them even more apparent. The drums are entirely sourced from proper live drum kits (the little snare rolls and rim shots are especially funky), and programmed to for maximum shuffle. Add in what sound like field recordings of crowds at jazz clubs, some well-timed piano hits and an amazing keyboard improvisation and you’ve got the closest house music gets to being jazz.

Next up, Alkemy takes things in a much techier, grimier direction, but still retains soul and groove, a difficult feat to achieve and one that Yilmaz deserves props for. Heavy, compressed kick drums and claps punch through the mix, accompanied by creepy theremin sounds and crunchy mechanical effects and one-shot hits, but these are then balanced out by old school R&B vocals, warm chords and cheeky wooden percussion sounds, creating an interesting contrast and a unique vibe.

Majestik rounds out the release, actually feeling like a “goodbye and thanks for listening” message from Yilmaz. The down-tempo, minimal percussive grooves leave plenty of room for absolutely gorgeous pads and chords that are best appreciated with your eyes closed. The addition of off-kilter, trumpets and keys give the track a cheeky feel, and the classic disco vocal loops keep the track grounded and groovy. Anyone who digs low-slung house needs to get this release.

Listen to Sarp Yilmaz on Pulse Radio.

So.... today is supposed to be the day that the world as we know it comes to an abrupt end - all thanks to the foreboding prophecies of the ancient Mayans (although its never actually been said that that world shall end today - but merely that the Mayan calendar has come to an end thanks to them probably not being bothered to carry on creating caldenders past the 21st December 2012). But as seeing as we're still alive and kicking, Om Unit has compiled a free EP of jungle footwork bangers entitled Pseudogeddon to download entirely for free, just in case the earth starts shaking and the walls start crumbling around us.

The compilation features tracks from Om himself (who's had a stunning year this year through releases on his on Cosmic Bridge label and Civil Music). Other footwork and jungle appreciators and hybrid music creators such as Travis Stewart, AKA Machiendrum (remixing The Future Sound of London), CL Loons (remixing DJ Fresh) and Chrissy Murderbot aklso feature on the EP, . You can of course grab the free EP from the mini-site here, or from the Soundcloud player below.

Celebrate modern civilization with Om Unit on Pulse Radio.

Native Instruments hosted the 'Traktor Cookery School' at Amsterdam Dance Event this year. where industry leaders and DJs came together to stir things up in the kitchen and serve up their creations to the guests.

"Chefs included Hector Romero and David Morales, Tony and Ann from Funktion-One, Francois K, Blond:ish, Daniel Miller from Mute Records, DJ Shiftee, Elliot Shaw from Circo Loco at DC10 Ibiza, Daniel Haver and Mate Galic - CEO and CTO of Native Instruments, and Loco Dice."

Francois K comments that DJing is about "inspiration, improvisation, the moment...never repeating what I do if I can help it." A great chef and a great DJ seem to have a lot in common. Check out the video below!

Listen to Blond:ish on Pulse Radio

Bespoke Musik has quickly risen to prominence in New York City's dance music scene. The outfit is known for intimate, well curated parties with some of the world's top talent. Over the last several months, they have been responsible for bringing Blond:Ish, Lee Curtiss, El Txef A, and Daniel Bortz amongst others to the Big Apple. They continue in their deep house tradition this Saturday, December 22nd, at Tammany Hall, with guests you won't want to miss.

Till Von Sein is a house afficianado with a hip hop aesthetic. After running a street wear shop for many years, he turned to music full time, working as a booking agent, and celebrated producer and DJ. His releases have appeared on labels like Supplement Facts, Suol and Dirt Crew Records. Moreover, Till's heart is rooted in the art of DJing. His sets are energetic and infectious, traversing territories from deep and moody house to powerful underground anthems. With a crisp white tee and fresh kicks, Till brings his own brand of house with skill and swagger, and has taken it all over the world, including South Africa, Japan, the US and Europe.

Manhattan Projject is the duo composed of Chris Luzz and Kev O'Brien, who are also the founders of quickly rising imprint Stranjjur. The label has garnered support from top DJs around the world, with releases from Wildkats, H.O.S.H, HearThug, Miguel Puente, and others. Both Chris and Kev are also accomplished producers in their own right, with releases on a variety of labels including I Records and Loco over the last several years. Focusing on a warm vibe with lots of groove, the duo brings passion and musical skill to their sets, productions, and label endeavors. 

Listen to Till Von Sein on Pulse Radio

By now, most of you have passed the moment at which the Mayan calendar reset itself. Congratulations, we're in a new age, and the world hasn't ended! (It's very possible, however, that everything as we know it has changed, and just appears to be the same.) Regardless, ife goes on, and that's just fine with us. Below, we've captured the reactions of some of our favorite musicians and industry leaders to this anti-climax of an apocalypse. 

Lee Foss offers perhaps the most profound statement we've seen thus fur, urging the world to act in a more "adult" manner, and mentioning issues of violence, the environment, and social welfare. Note the comment in which Carlos Barroso declares him a "profect." Maybe thats the Mayan version of a prophet?

Dean Driscoll, the presenter of the Disco&Mercy radio show on Digitally Imported, Pulse Radio & Sweat Lodge Radio, has had enough. Spencer Parker agrees.

Mixmag asserts its own status as the greatest dance music magazine on the planet, still. We definitely think they're great, and are thankful for their top class reporting, music, and humility ;). 

Pete Tong is, unsurprinsgly, going out in style:

DJ Sneak, infamous in 2012 for his twitter rants and the ensuing publicity, references Dr. Dre. What is this Program he speaks of? And the Next Episode? Could these be code words for a new project...or communication with aliens?

Mr. C ignores the apocalypse and concentrates on scientific fact - today is the winter solstice, the darkest day of the year (the longest night). Is it just a coincidence that it falls on the Mayan end-of-world?

Finally, Ryan Crosson offers a meditative musing. What will 2013 bring, Ryan? We're not sure, but something tells us music will continue to flourish, the parties will happen in more varied and beautiful locations, and some kids will still be singing along to Cedric Gervais'"Molly."

It's fun to see people from all different backgrounds united under the umbrella of this apocalyptic myth. History has shown that communities come together most strongly when faced with a common enemy, and in this case that enemy is nothingness. So lets celebrate something-ness (poetic, I know) this weekend. It's a beautiful world! Feel free to send in any funny or otherwise interesting reactions. We love you and we're glad you're still around. 

Listen to Mr. C on Pulse Radio

Spin Magazine, founded in 1985, has officially announced today that it will no longer publish print editions. The magazine has been one of the top music publications globally since its inception. The writing was on the wall earlier this year, when it was sold to Buzzmedia, which owns the largest group of pop culture websites worldwide, with over 40 million unique monthly visitors.

SPIN's official statement reads:

"Following the September/October issue, SPIN has halted publication of our print edition to invest more deeply in our digital properties, including SPIN.com, SPIN Play for iPad, and SPIN mobile. SPIN has been a pioneer in music journalism since 1985 and we hope you’ll continue to enjoy our leading editorial, photographic, and multi-media content online. Special arrangements have been made with alternative publishers to fulfill your SPIN print subscription for the remaining term: you will automatically receive your new magazine in the mail, with the option to ask for a full refund. We appreciate your patience during the transition of your subscription.
Best,SPIN"

SPIN is one of a growing number of publications that have suspended their print editions, another notable magazine being Newsweek. The digital era obviously has profound consequences on traditional media, and print magazines are one of the parties feeling the brunt of it. As our lives become increasingly digital, the key to survival for these companies lies in adaptation. Many outlets offer paid web subscriptions, and are investing in multimedia capabilities to take better advantage of cyberspace. Still, there's a feeling that comes only from holding a piece of paper that is hard to replicate digitally. Are we a few generations short of losing paper media altogether? Who knows. One thing's for sure - keeping some classy books on your shelves will always give you an air of intelligence, even if one day those books are just nostalgia.

Listen to tINI SPINNING some jams on Pulse Radio

DJ Shadow made music headlines last week when he was unceremoniously kicked off the decks at Miami's Mansion nightclub in similar fashion to Dennis Ferrer earlier in the year. Despite a tweet following the incident where he stated that no club could ever make him sacrifice his intergrity as a DJ, Shadow has generally taken the incident pretty well, accepting that he should "have never been booked there in the first place. Square peg in a round hole, etc,” and even offered to upload the set.

In an unexpected move, Mansion has offered DJ Shadow an apology that refreshingly consists of no back-peddling nor beating around the bush, but simply offers a straight-up 'we fucked up' stance.

"We offer our most sincere apologies to DJ Shadow and his fans for his set being cut short at Mansion this past weekend," the apology reads. "This error should not have happened and will not happen again, especially as we pride ourselves on creating an environment that cultivates and respects innovators such as DJ Shadow. We have learned a lot from this error and made changes within our organization to ensure that Mansion’s vision, and the vision of our guests, will never be compromised again."

Whether or not the club truly mean it is yet to be seen, as this could just be an exercise in damage control, but for now,  you gotta give credit where credit is due.

Listen to DJ Shadow on Pulse Radio

It's that time of year again - food, presents and days sat around in the comfort of your home with your friends and family. Yes, its Christmas, and to celebrate the yuletide break in all its deep and thoughtful guises, house goddess Adeline gives Pulse an exclusive 'Xxxmas Mix' to share with you, keeping those cockles thoroughly warm as you tuck in to the season of plenty.

Adeline's had a productive 2012, with 2013 looking set to be no different. The Swedish born producer and DJ - residing these days in London to concentrate on her production career after helping to launch Soundcloud - had a storming run of form that's seen her release on DJ.T's Kindisch label and recently, the huge single Unravel My Mind on  L.A based imprint Culprit - all besides regularly helming spots playing for some of London's coolest nights including krankbrother, Half Baked and more.

"To celebrate the end of the year this mix is designed with hypnotizing sounds to help you relax in Christmas spirit and instigate deep sensual vibes to prepare for the new year to come" said Adeline herself of her tailored mix, available for download in the Soundcloud player above.

Adeline plays at Eastern Electrics' NYE party at The Coronet. Merry Christmas to all our readers.... enjoy! 

Listen to Adeline on Pulse Radio.

10. Tame Impala - 'Lonerism'

Closer to a 'rock' album than dance music, but still, 'Lonerism' is one nifty piece of beach rock served up with some California (or Perth, perhaps?) sunshine and probably some pretty gnarly waves. It's reminiscent image of dusk on Sunset Boulevard. The songs are simple, with not much more involved than a guitar, drum kit and some borderline emo vocals, but like all good music, each song evokes some deep emotion that prevents one from hitting "skip." There's some abstract and repetitive electronic goodness in there, too, and just as all great albums, 'Lonerism' needs to be listened to as a whole rather than in pieces.

[Prab Kumar]

9. Netsky - '2'

Netsky's second full-length is the epitome of everything that's great about drum and bass, bringing together moments of liquid heaven, old school nostalgia, dance floor insanity, pure chaos and euphoria that work together to create a showcase of his diversity as a producer. The album has provided some of the biggest DnB anthems of the year with the riot-causing ‘Love Has Gone’, ‘Give & Take’ and the uplifting ‘Come Alive’. But ‘2’ isn’t just for the clubs. ‘Detonate’, ‘Puppy’ and ‘Jetlag Funk’ show Netsky’s ingenious experimentation with sounds and instrumentation, which have led to his legendary ‘Netsky LIVE!’ shows. There’s liquid beauty in the transcendent and understated ‘No Beginning’ and Selah Sue’s mesmersing vocals on ‘Get Away From Here’. Full of big melodies, anthems, instant charm and heartfelt depth, it's one of the year's finest.

[Anneliese Pomering]

8. The Orb & Lee 'Scratch' Perry - ‘The Observer In The Star House’

When The Orb’s Alex Paterson told us that he and Thomas Fehlmann were working on a new album with dub and reggae legend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, it simultaneously excited and alarmed in equal measure. As with all revered musicians who decide to get together and record music in the latter stages of their careers, the very idea had the potential to be a trainwreck of truly epic proportions, particularly when dealing with the kind of trippy, ambient house The Orb usually peddle. All fears, though, were unfounded, as ‘The Observer In The Star House’ found a comfortable space between cool four-to-the-floor house and funky reagge - a perfect canvas for Perry to spout his meandering and image-evoking vocalizations. Not wheel re-inventing stuff, but when it’s this good, it doesn’t need to be.

[Henry Johnstone]

7. BNJMN – 'Black Square'

Released on vinyl in October of 2011, BNJMN’s 'Black Square' made it to CD in January of this year. So good it richly deserves a run in two years, the album epitomises the dynamic interplay of flow and diversity that any LP should contain. Tracks like 'Keep The Power Out' shares the uncanny ability of 90s rave anthems to transport you into an otherworldly space of floaty meditation on the back of its ethereal vocal loops and spaced out, glitchy percussion. Meanwhile, more dance floor oriented numbers like 'Open The Floodgates' bring an element of bounce to the album, and sit equally comfortably in a tech house or bass set. But despite some passing resemblance to future garage maestro Burial (especially in 'Primal Pathways'), BNJMN’s use of syncopated stabs on tracks like 'Lava' have as much to do with Underworld records from the early 90s as the skittish rhythms of future garage or modern bass music. This is a refreshing change, and BNJMN’s ability to seamlessly blend the past and present of dance music makes this album a must listen whether you live in 1994 or 2012.

[Miles Garnsey]

6. The Gaslamp Killer – 'Breakthrough'

Brushing aside the outrageous dance moves and Dali-esque moustaches he seems increasingly fond of, The Gaslamp Killer has never been afraid of being offbeat and just that little bit strange. Luckily for us, his eccentricities bore the uncomfortably brilliant debut album that is 'Breakthrough'. Not quite electronica, not quite trip-hop, 'Breakthrough' breaks down everything you thought you knew about music and will keep challenging long after you’ve let it play through for the 25th time. Bordering on lavish self indulgence at times as it combines psychedelia with Turkish inspired riffs, extended drum solos and even a casual nod to jazz in amongst some truly menacing basslines, listening to 'Breakthrough' is a fascinating insight to the genius of William Benjamin Bensussen. He takes you on a jagged, at times incredibly bleak journey through what feels like every corner of his mind and by refusing to commit to any linear style or genre, creates a weird and wonderful world that you won’t be in any hurry to escape.

[Marissa Demetriou]

5. Jam City - 'Classical Curves'

As one of the years most hyped releases, Jam City’s Classical Curves played a new role in the musical sphere of young Londoner Jack Latham, utilizing the extended capabilities of the LP format in a blend of romanticized electronic music. Inspired by a failed role for a futurist design house and an unspoken stint in sportswear espionage, Latham reveled in the paranoia of silence as much an overwhelming wall of noise. Ecstatic highlight ‘How We Relate to the Body’ and fashion-­‐forward ‘Her’ highlighted Latham’s sound-­‐couture ethos, with the sneakers-­‐on-­‐wax effect of ‘The Courts’ a welcome return to his more club-­‐orientated experiments.

Paranoid sound effects of crashing glass, mobile phones and electronic car keys act as a visual reference to Jam’s mysterious background, as tracks like ‘Hyatt Park Nights Pt. 2’ and ‘Club Thanz’ defined his understanding of sounds from 70s experimental electronica to golden era Grime’s devil mixes. Curves illuminated the confidence (and knowledge) of a producer unafraid to take the kick drum out of a techno monster and make it something existentially new, redefining 2012’s musical boundaries in the process.

[Christopher Barker]

4. Voices From The Lake - 'Voices From The Lake'

The aptly-titled Voices from the Lake represents the combined creative efforts of two maestros of Italian techno, Donato Dozzy and the lesser-known and (as you will be forced to admit after a few listens) highly underrated Neel, aka Giuseppe Tillieci. The album is based on a live set the two did at Japan's acclaimed Labyrinth festival, and although it is divided into separate tracks, it's unlikely you'll skip back and forth. Take it for what it is: 70 continuous minutes of deep, hypnotic techno.

VFTL peaks early(-ish) with a rework of Dozzy's track "S.T.". The original's bright, gauzy synths have been toned down, muted and generally toned down to fit in with the rest of the album, so that it feels perfectly at home. The way preceding track "Circe" segués in oh-so-delicately, acting as a long intro, is just beautiful. And then, as the ghostly voice choir reaches the top of its faint yet glimmering crescendo, those chords come in. By the time the softened, subtle kick arrives, you're already lost. VFTL is not an album to be listened to piecemeal. It's something to listen to from start to finish; something to get immersed in. You don't dive straight in, though. You wade out gently, patiently, before you explore its depths. And once you're in, it's guaranteed you won't want to come out again.

[Morgan Richards]

3. Matthew Dear - 'Beams'

Mixing elements of everything from Talking Heads to Joy Division, Matthew's heart-on-sleeve long player shows a man comfortable to make the jump, from lone producer to fully-functioning, performance stealing front man and leader of a live band, The albums key sound is bass, the link between some of the disparate styles and sounds. He mixes rhythmic bass line ith racey, driving tempo on Ahead of Myself, a biographical monologue steeped in hesitation and a certain amount of pessimism, with more sun-burnt, warped synth lines and cantering tempos. It’s a far cry from his early, techno inspired Audion material - but this is a different kettle of musical fish; a thorough development in bottom-heavy, melodically appealing avant-garde pop - the sort of stuff that can be appreciated by many, or in any situation. From the club to home, to the introverted and extravagant, Beams stands proud as an accomplished work of splendor and variety. Punk inspired, bleak numbers such as Earthforms and Overtime ground the listener within a sonic headlock of pummeling tempo and groove laden songwriting; alert, nu-disco tones preside on Up & Out and more familiar, mechanized territory features on tracks such as Get The Rhyme Right, a rigid, unrelenting rhythmic drive, flanked by minor tonal guitars and sporting Dear's juxtaposed lyrics.

Some may feel the art - or even the format - of the album is dying out in the current days of digital consumption - but Beams proves that if you experiment, shape shift and develop in the right way (read: without losing your integrity) then you can achieve what you like. This idea of creative freedom forms the core theme underlying Dear's magnificent album - and stands as proof that the format is far from dead. Solid gold.

[Joe Gamp]

2. Scuba - 'Personality'

If the blissed-out trance of tracks like ‘Never’ and ‘Adrenalin’ perplexed a large chunk of Scuba fans when they cropped up on the Adrenalin EP towards the end of 2011, then his third full length ‘Personality’ must have really fucked with their heads. One reviewer even pondered whether Paul Rose was actually taking the piss. If you compare the murky dubstep of his first two albums to the commercial leaning big-room house and breakbeat (for the most part) of ‘Personality’, it’s an understandable question.

Though even though Scuba's tongue might have been just slightly planted in his cheek, he wasn’t taking the piss, and for those who were able to see past the typically tired claims of “sell-out” many were levelling at the producer, ‘Personality’ was a joyfully infectious ride through beefed-up nostalgia of tracks like ‘NEU1BUTU’ and ‘July’ (which sounded like The Prodigy circa the ‘Experience’ era), as well as more serious toned garage and drum and bass. Whether or not the year closing single ‘Hardbody’ is indicative of more accessible cuts still to come - or whether it's merely a leftover tidbit from the ‘Personality’ recording sessions - one thing’s for sure; all eyes are on Scuba to see what he does next.

[Henry Johnstone]

1. John Talabot – 'fIN'

John Talabot’s rise began in 2009 with the release of his (somewhat underrated) EP, 'My Old School'. At first blush 'fIN' is a more melancholy record, the chunkier bass and tougher sounding percussion lull you into thinking it is more standard house fare, far from the summery vibes of those previous EPs. But a closer look reveals a more subtle picture - although some of the surface aesthetic is different, the overall balance of bitter and sweet is still there. The funk of Last Land, with its driving, loopy disco strings is enough to move the most recalcitrant dance floor to a frenzy. Similarly, many of us will attest to the uplifting power behind the familiar strains of So Will be Now or When the Past was Present, mostly from dance floor experience of blissing out to their hypnotic vocal loops. Equal measures of funky, off-beat melancholy and uplifting, each track from fIN proves Talabot’s mettle as a diverse and original producer and cements the album as Pulse Radio's best in 2012.

[Miles Garnsey]


 

We hope you’ve been enjoying your holiday this year, and while we all got an extra present this time around with the world not actually ending, we’d still like to keep the party moving along with a couple more gifts from us to you. We’ve teamed up with our good friends Smoke and Mirrors Records, Crazy P, Pillowtalk and Waifs & Strays to share some exclusive remix downloads of Crazy P’s runaway success “Heartbreaker” with our readers and, most importantly, fans on Facebook. Follow this link to grab the records and read on to see what Waifs & Strays and Pillowtalk had on their Christmas wish lists this year along with some awkward worst gifts.

Amos (Waifs & Strays):
1. Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all – has got to be my top wish!
2. A new studio - the current one at home is just terrible acoustically. We’re hopefully building a new one in 2013!

3. Some vocals by Fast Eddie that noone else has ever used!
4. Lego - to feed my ever-growing Lego addiction. Studio is covered in blocks everywhere!
5. For 2013 to be even better than 2012!

Worst Christmas present ever had to be a bookmarker from my godmother - a slim piece of leather to keep the place in my book…really?! Then having to write a thank you letter afterwards about how much I loved being able to always keep my place in my book. I was grateful and everything, but certainly not the best present!

Rich (Waifs & Strays):
1. DSI Poly Evolver Synth 4 Voice

2. DSI Poly Evolver Synth 4 Voice (chained to create an 8 voice monster synth!!)
3. Ableton 9 and Push
4. To spend time with family and friends
5. Socks, lots of socks

Worst Christmas present ever would have to be an herb garden and I’m not talking about the good kind of herb.

Pillowtalk (combined):
The best gifts we’ve received have to be: Tickets to Louis CK, Filson Limited Edition Denim Tote, Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back Miniature Hoth Set, Hooded Cobra Commander & Storm Shadow figures.

The worst would have to be a ...$10 Gift Card to Cheesecake Factory, gross!

Listen to Crazy P on Pulse Radio.
 

They say the album is dying. To a certain extent that's true, and we discovered clues right on our own doorstep; when they had to select their favourite long player of 2012, a few of our staff and contributors struggled to think of at least five they had listened to all year. Hell, take a squiz through your ipod and it's more than likely that the tracks outweigh the albums.

Though to say the format is heading for eventual doom is pure exaggeration. The internet may be affecting listening habits to a degree where people are consuming albums less, but they will never completely die out. Why? Because musicians will always bear the need to create LPs as a form of artistic expression separate from the 12'', EP or lone track. If you take a look at the quality exhibited in our top 10 albums for this year, that's a very good thing.

10. Tame Impala - 'Lonerism'

Closer to a 'rock' album than dance music, but still, 'Lonerism' is one nifty piece of beach rock served up with some California (or Perth, perhaps?) sunshine and probably some pretty gnarly waves. It's reminiscent of dusk on Sunset Boulevard. The songs are simple, with not much more involved than a guitar, drum kit and some borderline emo vocals, but like all good music, each song evokes some deep emotion that prevents one from hitting "skip." There's some abstract and repetitive electronic goodness in there, too, and just as all great albums, 'Lonerism' needs to be listened to as a whole rather than in pieces.

[Prab Kumar]

9. Netsky - '2'

Netsky's second full-length is the epitome of everything that's great about drum and bass, bringing together moments of liquid heaven, old school nostalgia, dance floor insanity, pure chaos and euphoria that work together to create a showcase of his diversity as a producer. The album has provided some of the biggest DnB anthems of the year with the riot-causing ‘Love Has Gone’, ‘Give & Take’ and the uplifting ‘Come Alive’. But ‘2’ isn’t just for the clubs. ‘Detonate’, ‘Puppy’ and ‘Jetlag Funk’ show Netsky’s ingenious experimentation with sounds and instrumentation, which have led to his legendary ‘Netsky LIVE!’ shows. There’s liquid beauty in the transcendent and understated ‘No Beginning’ and Selah Sue’s mesmersing vocals on ‘Get Away From Here’. Full of big melodies, anthems, instant charm and heartfelt depth, it's one of the year's finest.

[Anneliese Pomering]

8. The Orb & Lee 'Scratch' Perry - ‘The Observer In The Star House’

When The Orb’s Alex Paterson told us that he and Thomas Fehlmann were working on a new album with dub and reggae legend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, it simultaneously excited and alarmed in equal measure. As with all revered musicians who decide to get together and record music in the latter stages of their careers, the very idea had the potential to be a trainwreck of truly epic proportions, particularly when dealing with the kind of trippy, ambient house The Orb usually peddle. All fears, though, were unfounded, as ‘The Observer In The Star House’ found a comfortable space between cool four-to-the-floor house and funky reagge - a perfect canvas for Perry to spout his meandering and image-evoking vocalizations. Not wheel re-inventing stuff, but when it’s this good, it doesn’t need to be.

[Henry Johnstone]

7. BNJMN – 'Black Square'

Released on vinyl in October of 2011, BNJMN’s 'Black Square' made it to CD in January of this year. So good it richly deserves a run in two years, the album epitomises the dynamic interplay of flow and diversity that any LP should contain. Tracks like 'Keep The Power Out' shares the uncanny ability of 90s rave anthems to transport you into an otherworldly space of floaty meditation on the back of its ethereal vocal loops and spaced out, glitchy percussion. Meanwhile, more dance floor oriented numbers like 'Open The Floodgates' bring an element of bounce to the album, and sit equally comfortably in a tech house or bass set. But despite some passing resemblance to future garage maestro Burial (especially in 'Primal Pathways'), BNJMN’s use of syncopated stabs on tracks like 'Lava' have as much to do with Underworld records from the early 90s as the skittish rhythms of future garage or modern bass music. This is a refreshing change, and BNJMN’s ability to seamlessly blend the past and present of dance music makes this album a must listen whether you live in 1994 or 2012.

[Miles Garnsey]

6. The Gaslamp Killer – 'Breakthrough'

Brushing aside the outrageous dance moves and Dali-esque moustaches he seems increasingly fond of, The Gaslamp Killer has never been afraid of being offbeat and just that little bit strange. Luckily for us, his eccentricities bore the uncomfortably brilliant debut album that is 'Breakthrough'. Not quite electronica, not quite trip-hop, 'Breakthrough' breaks down everything you thought you knew about music and will keep challenging long after you’ve let it play through for the 25th time. Bordering on lavish self indulgence at times as it combines psychedelia with Turkish inspired riffs, extended drum solos and even a casual nod to jazz in amongst some truly menacing basslines, listening to 'Breakthrough' is a fascinating insight to the genius of William Benjamin Bensussen. He takes you on a jagged, at times incredibly bleak journey through what feels like every corner of his mind and by refusing to commit to any linear style or genre, creates a weird and wonderful world that you won’t be in any hurry to escape.

[Marissa Demetriou]

5. Jam City - 'Classical Curves'

As one of the year's most hyped releases, Jam City’s 'Classical Curves' played a new role in the musical sphere of young Londoner Jack Latham, utilizing the extended capabilities of the LP format in a blend of romanticized electronic music. Inspired by a failed role for a futurist design house and an unspoken stint in sportswear espionage, Latham reveled in the paranoia of silence as much an overwhelming wall of noise. Ecstatic highlight ‘How We Relate to the Body’ and fashion-forward ‘Her’ highlighted Latham’s sound-­couture ethos, with the sneakers-­on-­wax effect of ‘The Courts’ a welcome return to his more club-­orientated experiments.

Paranoid sound effects of crashing glass, mobile phones and electronic car keys act as a visual reference to Jam’s mysterious background, as tracks like ‘Hyatt Park Nights Pt. 2’ and ‘Club Thanz’ defined his understanding of sounds from 70s experimental electronica to golden era Grime’s devil mixes. Curves illuminated the confidence (and knowledge) of a producer unafraid to take the kick drum out of a techno monster and make it something existentially new, redefining 2012’s musical boundaries in the process.

[Christopher Barker]

4. Voices From The Lake - 'Voices From The Lake'

The aptly-titled Voices from the Lake represents the combined creative efforts of two maestros of Italian techno, Donato Dozzy and the lesser-known and (as you will be forced to admit after a few listens) highly underrated Neel, aka Giuseppe Tillieci. The album is based on a live set the two did at Japan's acclaimed Labyrinth festival, and although it is divided into separate tracks, it's unlikely you'll skip back and forth. Take it for what it is: 70 continuous minutes of deep, hypnotic techno.

VFTL peaks early(-ish) with a rework of Dozzy's track "S.T.". The original's bright, gauzy synths have been toned down, muted and generally toned down to fit in with the rest of the album, so that it feels perfectly at home. The way preceding track "Circe" segués in oh-so-delicately, acting as a long intro, is just beautiful. And then, as the ghostly voice choir reaches the top of its faint yet glimmering crescendo, those chords come in. By the time the softened, subtle kick arrives, you're already lost. VFTL is not an album to be listened to piecemeal. It's something to listen to from start to finish; something to get immersed in. You don't dive straight in, though. You wade out gently, patiently, before you explore its depths. And once you're in, it's guaranteed you won't want to come out again.

[Morgan Richards]

3. Matthew Dear - 'Beams'

Mixing elements of everything from Talking Heads to Joy Division, Matthew's heart-on-sleeve long player shows a man comfortable to make the jump, from lone producer to fully-functioning, performance stealing front man and leader of a live band. The album's key sound is bass, the link between some of the disparate styles and sounds. He mixes rhythmic bass line with racey, driving tempo on 'Ahead of Myself', a biographical monologue steeped in hesitation and a certain amount of pessimism, with more sun-burnt, warped synth lines and cantering tempos. It’s a far cry from his early, techno inspired Audion material - but this is a different kettle of musical fish; a thorough development in bottom-heavy, melodically appealing avant-garde pop - the sort of stuff that can be appreciated by many, or in any situation. From the club to home, to the introverted and extravagant, Beams stands proud as an accomplished work of splendor and variety. Punk inspired, bleak numbers such as 'Earthforms' and 'Overtime' ground the listener within a sonic headlock of pummeling tempo and groove laden songwriting; alert, nu-disco tones preside on Up & Out and more familiar, mechanized territory features on tracks such as 'Get The Rhyme Right', a rigid, unrelenting rhythmic drive, flanked by minor tonal guitars and sporting Dear's juxtaposed lyrics.

Some may feel the art - or even the format - of the album is dying out in the current days of digital consumption, but Beams proves that if you experiment, shape shift and develop in the right way (read: without losing your integrity) then you can achieve what you like. This idea of creative freedom forms the core theme underlying Dear's magnificent album and stands as proof that the format is far from dead. Solid gold.

[Joe Gamp]

2. Scuba - 'Personality'

If the blissed-out trance of tracks like ‘Never’ and ‘Adrenalin’ perplexed a large chunk of Scuba fans when they cropped up on the 'Adrenalin EP' towards the end of 2011, then his third full length ‘Personality’ must have really fucked with their heads. One reviewer even pondered whether Paul Rose was actually taking the piss. If you compare the murky dubstep of his first two albums to the commercial leaning big-room house and breakbeat (for the most part) of ‘Personality’, it’s an understandable question.

But even though Scuba's tongue might have been just slightly planted in his cheek, he wasn’t taking the piss, and for those who were able to see past the typically tired claims of “sell-out” many were levelling at the producer, ‘Personality’ was a joyfully infectious ride through beefed-up nostalgia of tracks like ‘NE1BUTU’ and ‘July’ (which sounded like The Prodigy circa the ‘Experience’ era), as well as more grey toned garage and drum and bass. Whether or not the year closing single ‘Hardbody’ is indicative of more accessible cuts still to come - or whether it's merely a leftover tidbit from the ‘Personality’ recording sessions - one thing’s for sure; all eyes are on Scuba to see what he does next.

[Henry Johnstone]

1. John Talabot – 'fIN'

John Talabot’s rise began in 2009 with the release of his (somewhat underrated) EP, 'My Old School'. At first blush 'fIN' is a more melancholy record, the chunkier bass and tougher sounding percussion lull you into thinking it is more standard house fare, far from the summery vibes of those previous EPs. But a closer look reveals a more subtle picture - although some of the surface aesthetic is different, the overall balance of bitter and sweet is still there. The funk of 'Last Land', with its driving, loopy disco strings is enough to move the most recalcitrant dance floor to a frenzy. Similarly, many of us will attest to the uplifting power behind the familiar strains of 'So Will be Now' or 'When the Past was Present', mostly from dance floor experience of blissing out to their hypnotic vocal loops. Equal measures of funky, off-beat, melancholic and uplifting, each track from 'fIN' proves Talabot’s mettle as a diverse and original producer and cements the album as Pulse Radio's best in 2012.

[Miles Garnsey]

Check out our favourite tracks of 2012 here.

Listen to Pulse Radio

Here at Pulse we love championing bright new talent  - so for our latest Pulse Loves exclusive interview and mix, Mr Tom Ruijg steps up to demonstrate the reasons why the likes of Hot waves and co have been getting excited over Tom's multitude of house based influences - from techy and strong to deep and alternative, the Amsterdam based producer and DJ turns his hand to a range of sounds with grace, passion and ease. Check out his mix and what he had to say below... 

Pulse Loves.... deep house music. You have plans for a release on Hot waves next year? Yeah that's right, I'm really excited about it. Space Frase, which came out on Hot Waves Vol.3, was a more stripped down (deep)house track, this next one on Hot Waves is more banging with an oldskool touch.

Pulse Loves.... the new year. what will you remember 2012 for? It was a great year with some cool bookings here in Holland. I played twice at the Secretsundaze party in Amsterdam which was really awesome, I did my third live set in a row on the Welcome To The Future Festival, played at Time Warp Holland and some cool parties in one of the best clubs: TrouwAmsterdam. It was also a great year production wise, I made a lot of music, also a bit different from what I did so far. This had some influence on my DJ-sets as well.

Pulse Loves... surprises. Are there any in-store on your mix for us? Not really haha, I wanted to use some unreleased tracks from me, but eventually it became a set with some all time favorites. But I do have a surprise for you: Here is a snippet of the track that's coming out on Hot Waves Vol.4.

Pulse Loves... influences outside of electronic music. Do you listen to any other music types as much? I have to confess that I almost listen to electronic music only. But when it’s not electronic it’s soul, funk and disco stuff most of the time. I do seem to enjoy more and more different styles of (electronic) music. Especially in the last couple of years my taste in music is getting less focused on one particular genre. When producing I use sounds and influences which I would have never have used two or three years ago.

Pulse Loves... Amsterdam. How much does the city influences your music? Amsterdam has big influences on my music in different ways. It's an inspiring city, with a lot of talented and big DJ's around you. We are all friends but at the same time there is some healthy competition. You want to be different and do your own thing. We help each other a lot though, when it comes to sharing certain tips and tricks for producing or when sometimes sharing a track. It's easy to share with friends, especially when you all have the same passion. In the end, everyone is doing their own thing, so there's no real competition.

Pulse Loves... the future. what else can we expect from Mr Tom Ruijg in the following year? I have a lot of releases planned for 2013 but I can't tell you much about it at the moment I'm afraid, I'm going to work on a new live-set as well, which will be very fresh with a lot of unreleased stuff. Definitely keep an eye (and ear) out for that! 

Listen to Tom Ruijg on Pulse Radio.

Just in time for the New Year celebrations, music aficionado, DJ and all round top fella Bill Patrick is back for the final 2012 edition of his Private Stock radio show, an audible guide through the myriad of tastes, influences and music currently causing a stir for the US DJ. For Private Stock 008, Bill embarks on a journey through the last 12 months of music, laced with humour, opinion and banter from the man himself and his December guests Shonky and Dyed Soundorom...

"By now you're probably completely grossed out and disgusted with yourself after stuffing your fat face during Christmas. Lasagna, ham, turkey, deviled eggs (I personally took down around a dozen of these), cake, cookies, 2nd round of ham, and so on. So the best thing to do is just sit back, strike up the fireplace, and listen to my soothing voice take you on a musical journey that spans the last 365 days. The last Private Stock of 2012 is a kind of 'best of' show. My guests are 2 of the best: Shonky and Dyed Soundorom. They're from Paris, they play incredible music, and Dyed is really really good at playing Fifa 2030 on his iPhone (we also share the same wood skin on our phones. see below). Also, if you don't mind, please check out the top albums and songs of the year, according to me. You may find something you like. Thanks and have a happy and extremely fun New Year!"

Be sure to check out all of these artists at BPM and start getting excited for Bill Patrick, Guy Gerber, Shaun Reeves, The Martinez Brothers and Heidi at Supplement Facts presented by Pulse Radio on January 8th!

Follow Private Stock on Facebook

Listen to Bill Patrick on Pulse Radio

It’s been 15 years since the inaugural Red Bull Music Academy was held in Berlin, and to mark this milestone, 2013 will see several shows, big and small, club nights and info sessions across Australia under the RBMA banner. New York City will be the host city for RBMA in 2013, but Sydney will be the host of the first 15th anniversary gig when the legendary De La Soul rock The Standard on Saturday 5th January.

To celebrate the milestone Red Bull and Pulse Radio are giving away a double pass to the gig, so you and a friend could be rocking out to the legendary oufit...for free! To enter, simply email us here with your full name and the answer to the below question.

"Which is De La Soul's favourite day of the week?"

The winner will be notified via email on Thursday 4th January, 2013.

RED BULL MUSIC ACADEMY presents DE LA SOUL
with support from Rhythm & Cutloose and Typhonic

WHERE: The Standard, 3/383 Bourke Street, Darlinghurst
WHEN: Saturday 5 January, 8pm
COST: 1st release: $44 (including booking fee); 2nd release: $54.30 (including booking fee); or $60 at the door

Tickets here.

Listen to Pulse Radio