Porter Robinson – Say My Name
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Nothing like some filthy electro house to get the holiday weekend started off right.
Porter Robinson – “Say My Name (Original Mix)”
Comments (0) Wiz Khalifa – Black and Yellow
By Rudy Klapper, September 2, 2010 8:00 am
Everything I do, I do it big. Can’t wait for this guy’s record to drop.
Wiz Khalifa – “Black and Yellow”
Surfer Blood – Catholic Pagans
By Rudy Klapper, September 1, 2010 8:00 am
Old song, but I’m starting to make a list of best-of-2010 and this definitely earns a spot. Band received an appropriate amount of buzz but Astro Coast wasn’t exactly amazing – this song, however, is.
Surfer Blood – “Catholic Pagans”
Armin van Buuren Interview
By Rudy Klapper, August 30, 2010 8:00 am
Got the chance to talk on the phone with three-time #1 DJ in the world, Armin van Buuren last Saturday before his epic set at UK dance festival Creamfields. Thanks to Sputnikmusic.com, Plexi PR, and Armin himself, who was extremely gracious and accommodating. Quite envious of anyone in the NYC area who is going to see him at Electric Zoo.
Rudy Klapper: Being the number one DJ in the world is a pretty demanding job, particularly when you’ve been voted the best multiple years as you have. How has 2010 been turning out so far as you gear up for your album release?
Armin van Buuren: Well, it’s been really, really phenomenal. I thought last year was sort of the peak for myself but this year I’m releasing my new album, I’ve been doing a little less DJing in general because I want to focus on that. But I still toured South America and North America, some stuff in Asia. But yeah, in the summer though I’ve just been full on doing a gig almost every day and it’s been really fantastic. Now I have 21 new tracks finished and I’m very proud.
RK: I caught your headlining act at the Electric Daisy Carnival in Los Angeles this past June (well over a hundred thousand people) and you’ll be playing at the Electric Zoo in NYC this upcoming weekend. How do you like playing at these massive festivals as compared to more intimate gigs?
AVB: I think everyone would like to have a fancy dinner sometimes at a posh restaurant, and then somebody likes to have a greasy burger the other day or eat with friends another day or a home cooked meal another day. That’s how I see it; you have a different meal every day. And it’s just really, really great. I love the smaller gigs, the intimate gigs. Last week for example I played at a really small club, like 400 people, in Greece, and you can talk right to your fans, communicate with them directly. While at a big festival it’s sort of, you know, the big energy, all the big tunes in a really short time, very quick mixing, just a big party atmosphere, which is unbelievable fun I think.
RK: How are festivals in the U.S. different from festivals in Europe? Dance music hasn’t been as mainstream for that long here, a lot of people see it as “new” and “fresher;” does the crowd reflect this?
AVB: Yeah, I guess that is true, in Europe we do have a longer history of electronic dance music and it’s more in the daytime radio. I think the U.S. is definitely catching up with house music right now, especially with all the big festivals that are going on, Electric Daisy, ULTRA Music Festival, and now Electric Zoo, slowly but surely the U.S. is definitely catching up. And of course you can tell by the crowds that are starting to come out.
RK: A lot of electronic artists who will be playing at Electric Zoo utilize software and MIDI controllers during their performances to allow for more “on the fly” changes and more live remixing. Do you see yourself ever incorporating different technology into your DJ setup?
AVB: Oh for sure, I mean the gap between being a DJ and being a producer has sort of vanished anyways the last couple of years. For my type of music, trance music, people like to hear tunes unedited as much as possible. That’s my experience; there was a time in 2004 when I used to drop all types of a capellas and tunes and mixed-key and whatever not, but a lot of people that come to my gigs just want to hear the tunes and the full tunes, mixed in and mixed out, that’s it, not too many technical tricks. It depends on what kind of artist you are and what kind of music you want to represent. Of course, I have some special edits that I do and on the fly I make sure that a lot of my sets, for example when I play a big festival, that I do have live edits just to make a tune shorter and give it more energy. At the moment, though, I don’t see myself fully producing because I don’t really see the point from my kind of music. With trance, it’s basically all about the tunes themselves rather than being on the stage full on producing with a MIDI controller and all that.
RK: Has there been any particular festival this year that has stood out to you?
AVB: Yes, I played in Bulgaria this summer, which was really, really special, and one of my favorite crowds. I played until 7, until the sun came up, and that was one of my favorite gigs. I also thought Dance Valley [an annual dance festival held in Spaarnwoude, Netherlands] was really, really special. It was raining all day and then in the evening when I started to play it finally cleared up, and it was a very magical atmosphere.
RK: Speaking of huge concerts, I know you occasionally play 9-12 hour sets – I even saw one at TAO 2009. How do you prepare for something like that, and more importantly, how do you stay awake?
AVB: *laughs* Well the crowd keeps me up, all that energy! I think I’m preparing every day because I’m selecting tunes for longer sets constantly and seeing in which part of the night they could work out perfectly. For example, when I play a festival I have to play all my big hits and my latest productions because that’s what people expect me to play, that’s what they want me to play. But when I get to play a longer set I can really build, play some more progressive stuff, some more house stuff, some more techno stuff, some classics, some vocal trance, and everything in between.
RK: Your fourth album, Mirage, comes out September 10th, of which I’ve already had the pleasure of listening to a few tracks. What would you say your goal was with this album and do you think it turned out as you originally perceived it?
AVB: Well, mainly, the quote for this album that really works is “life is what’s happening to you when you were busy making other plans.” I had a big plan for this album and it turned out in a completely different way *laughs*. And I really didn’t mind, I was just making music in the studio and I really found the fun again in the studio. I really felt pressure a couple of years back after the success of Imagine, I was like “Okay how am I ever going to top this?” I had a really big hit, “In and Out of Love” was #1 in three countries, and I really had a lot of pressure for a follow-up. And I found that I just went into the studio and had fun, that’s what music is all about, and without actually noticing it I’d produced twenty-one tracks, brand new tracks, and that’s the most I’ve ever done in one year. So it’s the biggest project I’ve ever done, working with classical orchestras, working with a real rock band, working with loads and loads of live acoustic stuff, working with excellent writers like Guy Chambers, working with the Nervo sisters, you know, just having fun. I didn’t really think about – I mean, of course I had an idea for Mirage when I set out, but for me, it didn’t happen, the album just came about in such a great way in its own way, and I just had so much fun in creating the album.
RK: Mirage has a number of guest spots, including [English singer-songwriter] Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Owl City’s Adam Young. Is there any artist in particular you would love to collaborate with that you haven’t had the chance to?
AVB: Oh yeah, they’re loads of artists that I admire and I’d love to work with. I’m a big fan of Seal, his voice is amazing, or Enya, or Bjork. But I think what I want to stress for me is not so much the collaborations that inspire me, for me it’s the songs at the end of the day. When I talk about my new album I notice that a lot of people talk about the collaborations, but I want to stress that half of it is still an instrumental trance album, and I know there’s not really much you can say about something if it’s not a collaboration or something, but at the end of the day, for me music is always number one. No matter who you work with the song should always be involved; let’s say if I could ever have the honor to work with, say, Madonna for example, I would still want the track to be good, I don’t want the track to be finished just because it’s Madonna, just because it’s somebody really famous who would look good on the album. I want the music to be the best.
RK: Nowadays blogs are a very convenient way for people to discover new music, particularly in the dance and techno genres. Although the artist may be losing money in record sales, it’s often outweighed by the promotion and publicity. How do you feel about people using blogs to find new music, even if it is sometimes illegal?
AVB: I don’t know, I think it’s hard because you have to make a living one way or another. If you go to a restaurant and you leave without paying, that’s just something you don’t do, and I think that is really important to stress. This last album is the most expensive album I’ve ever made, paid out of my own pocket, and people downloading it and putting it online, they just don’t realize the damage that’s being done, not just for me but for everyone who works on it. Now on the other hand, I do love the fact that music is so easy and accessible for people right now. I think what should happen is we should find a solution for people to be able to access music very easy, very quickly, because I think the Internet is a wonderful thing and it’s so great to find new music. On the other hand, artists do need to be paid. I don’t want to be really rich on my music, I want to be able to make music and be able to make more music, that’s all I want. I don’t want to be involved in just selling new music to sell it. I think what we should do, with YouTube now and all the commercials, the way YouTube is selling money for each commercial click, I think new advertising streams like that online are going to be happening more, like when an artist posts a new track there will be advertising with it. I think, not only for myself but also for other artists, what you really notice is that people do really need money, to pay rent, and to make a living and keep on making music.
RK: Lastly, I was searching around YouTube the other day and came across a clip of you DJing a celebration for the men’s World Cup team, in honor of their second place finish this past summer. What was that experience like, being able to celebrate such a huge moment in Dutch history with all your countrymen?
AVB: It was amazing, I mean unfortunately we did lose in the finals, but it was still an extraordinary achievement for such a small country, I mean Holland is only 16 million people! *laughs* But it was amazing, and I gotta be honest with you, the whole show was basically unplanned. I was supposed to play from 4-6, and I wasn’t supposed to be on stage, and then all of a sudden I had to play they pushed me on stage, and there I was, live on national TV! Just a fantastic experience.
Cut Copy – Where I’m Going
By Rudy Klapper, August 27, 2010 8:00 am
In Ghost Colours is one of my favorite CDs of the past decade – needless to say, I’m pretty excited for Cut Copy’s upcoming release. “Where I’m Going” tones down the group’s trademark electro for a Beach Boys vibe that’s perfect for the dog days of summer.
Cee Lo – Fuck You
By Rudy Klapper, August 26, 2010 8:00 am
Hip-hop/funk savant Cee Lo has been a part of some pretty great projects in his career (Goodie Mob, Gnarls Barkley), but this solo release might just blow them all away. Kiss-off anthem of the year? Fuck that, this could be a song of the year. Plus he fulfills my imagination of Charles Barkley singing.
The National – Conversation 16
By Rudy Klapper, August 25, 2010 8:00 am
High Violet has really grown on me in the past month, and no track as much as “Conversation 16.” Drummer Bryan Devendorf just killing it as always.
The National – “Conversation 16″
Katy Perry – Teenage Dream
By Rudy Klapper, August 24, 2010 8:00 am
Katy Perry – Teenage Dream
Capitol 2010
Rating: 4/10
Dear Katy,
I thought you were different. I used to think your sprightly personality, subtle sarcasm and jabs at more established musicians, and defined sense of style suggested a deeper dimension than your average pre-fab pop star. Despite admittedly simple, straightforward pop like “I Kissed A Girl” and “Waking Up In Vegas” along with lyrics and photos meant to stir up controversy and firmly place you into the bracket of commercial whore, I always thought there was more to you than your run-of-the-mill Ke$ha or Pussycat Dolls. You even sort of look like my future wife Zooey, and that’s always a plus.
I really wanted to like “California Gurls” when I first heard it, although there hasn’t been a more mechanical formula to Billboard success all year – faux anthemic qualities, high-priced “cool” guest spot, vapid lyrics and a brainless melody aimed straight at adolescents desperate for the sing-a-long of the summer. I dared to think Teenage Dream could be one of the better pop albums of the year. And for the first four minutes the title track actually led me on for a bit, a lovely slice of synth pop made even better by Kaskade’s remix tacked on at the end of the album. Then what did you do, Katy? You throw out a song like “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.),” a song so repulsively crass and soulless that it makes “Dirrty”-era Aguilera look like Mandy Moore. I used to think I partied pretty hard, but you’ve truly upped the ante on me. Maxing out your credit cards, streaking in the park Frank-the-Tank style, and threesomes (nothing screams rebellion like an Eiffel tower)? I know you’re all for giving the finger to middle American sensibilities and expressing yourself, but when the song itself is about as musically progressive as “Hot Cross Buns,” the focus is squarely on those wretched lyrics. Tell Dr. Luke and Max Martin that that faux-saxophone solo might be the low point of their careers.
I can forgive a couple of transgressions if Teenage Dream redeemed itself with songs that were more than trashy, one-dimensional pop, but, alas, the rest of the album is just as predictable as the VMAs and only marginally more entertaining. I would bet money on “Firework,” with its inoffensive electro beat and massive chorus, on being the next single. I would also place money on “Peacock” never seeing the light of day, primarily because it’s a terrible song with a double entendre so blunt it would make Ke$ha blush but also because it doesn’t exactly flatter Ms. Perry the lyricist (I’m almost 100% certain “cock” cannot rhyme with “biotch” or “payoff,” ever). I get that “E.T.” is supposed to be “space-themed,” what with its cheesy synths and cool sound effects, but lyrically it seems more Alien Sex Files 3 than Solaris. I do like your attempt to be more of a serious artist with songs that just reek of edginess and dark, heavy emotion, songs like “Who Am I Living For?” and “Pearl,” but these are songs that nevertheless would work better in the hands of a more versatile vocalist. Plus, front-loading your record with terrible tracks makes it even harder to get to the (relatively) enjoyable tunes that close out Teenage Dream.
So, sure, I guess you could say I’m a little disappointed in you. You could have been the next Gaga, albeit less talented, less hideous, and certainly less crazy, if only you could direct that don’t-give-a-damn personality and charismatic vibe to songs that didn’t rely on hormone-baiting lyrics and sing-a-longs that collapse on their own frothiness. Maybe don’t rely on producers like Dr. Luke, who shouldn’t have been allowed around any reputable studio after his work on Animal. The potential is all there, and the American public is in the palm of your hand, bought and paid for with your limelight-stealing presence and a Snoop Dogg guest spot. You can do anything you want, so why do you spend four minutes demanding to see my tool? I hope Teenage Dream is just a minor speed bump in your career, because there’s nothing sadder than wasted talent. Get it together.
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Eels – What I Have To Offer
By Rudy Klapper, August 23, 2010 8:00 am
Happy Eels! Tomorrow Morning is the third in Mark Everett’s loose concept trilogy and comes out tomorrow. It’s also much better than those previous releases, as Everett does his once-a-decade happy thing.
Katy Perry – Teenage Dream (Kaskade Club Mix)
By Rudy Klapper, August 20, 2010 1:00 am
So Teenage Dream finally leaked and I can finally listen to what I’m sure will be one of the best albums of the year…but first I had to put this on repeat because it’s an epic mix. Makes me wish I had seen Kaskade back at Electric Daisy Carnival.
Katy Perry – “Teenage Dream (Kaskade Club Mix)”
Daily Klap
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club, dance, Kaskade, Katy Perry, pop, remix, Teenage Dream
Ra Ra Riot – The Orchard
By Rudy Klapper, August 19, 2010 8:00 am
Ra Ra Riot – The Orchard
Barsuk 2010
Rating: 8/10
I love it when bands surprise me. For someone who thought Ra Ra Riot were like a lesser Vampire Weekend with a string section after 2008’s so-so The Rhumb Line, I was ready to push through The Orchard and let it down gently. Then I listened to it, and lo and behold, a band I had written off ends up backhanding me across the face with one of the better albums I’ve heard all year. Previous fans of the band will no doubt be delighted to hear that singer Wes Miles still sounds like Ezra Koenig, if a little more prone to falsetto, and that the band’s bouncy brand of pop-rock is still very much in evidence (just check out that ADD bass line on uber-catchy single “Boy”). But whereas The Rhumb Line was all meaty melodies and festival-ready sing-a-longs, The Orchard feels like a proper album of baroque pop – the songwriting is noticeably stronger, the band takes their time around the tunes rather than jumping headfirst into hooks, and the lovely strings of violinist Rebecca Zeller and cellist Alexandra Lawn seem far more integrated into the affairs here rather than the gimmick they at times appeared to be on their debut.
It’s a record that knows that the best way to start an album is not a rookie move like throwing out your best song or first single, but to kick things off with a track that announces a new, determined direction instead. “The Orchard” is just that song, floating along ominous string chords and a pensive bass line without a hint of drums or guitar. The focus is purely on Miles, who sounds like a markedly more assured vocalist throughout the record and never as clearly as he does on “The Orchard.” The strings at the forefront is something repeated throughout the album, from the way they add a melancholy note to the otherwise upbeat “Boy” to the way they arch and dip across melodies, putting their indelible stamp on songs like “Do You Remember” and “Kansai.” The fact that Zeller and Lawn are the centerpiece of songs rather than a touch of color here or a flourish there makes The Orchard everything The Rhumb Line hinted at but never accomplished: the sound of a complete and full band, utilizing an array of sound and talents in a more organic way than many of their peers.
Not to say that the rest of the band suffers in comparison. Drummer Gabriel Duquette is the unsung hero here, laying down a number of intricate beats that always propel things forward but never overwhelm. Like the National’s Bryan Devendorf or Bloc Party’s Matt Tong, Duquette has some impressive chops (check out his subtle work on “Massachusetts”), but uses them more to build a rigid rhythmic framework than show off. Everyone contributes, whether it’s consistently fantastic rhythm work, airtight melodies and subtler hooks, or Miles letting Lawn on the mic for the excellently Fleetwood Mac-ish “You And I Know.” There are a few missteps; seriously cheesy synths midway through “Foolish” mar some perfectly good dream-pop, and the sluggish “Keep It Quiet” ends the album with a whimper rather than a bang. But perhaps that’s to be expected – The Orchard is nothing if not a sharp left turn from the cheery, thumping pop of their debut, and ending it on its most plaintive note is sort of fitting. It’s also everything I wanted from a sophomore effort: sophisticated, confident, surprisingly layered, and endlessly entertaining. It’s always exciting when a band seems to get it and come into their own as a group – with The Orchard, Ra Ra Riot have finally created a distinctive identity all their own.
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Steel Train – You Are Dangerous
By Rudy Klapper, August 18, 2010 8:00 am
Sort of a mixture between fun., Free Energy, and a whole heap of summer-lovin’ pop-rock that wants to be HUGE, not just hooky. Catchy melodies that seem like they’re fit for an arena even though they work just as well on headphones. Steel Train, the band’s third album, came out at the end of June – better late than never.
Steel Train – “You Are Dangerous”
Themocracy
