Ninja Tune Solid Steel Radio Show - 3.30.12 - Stream & Download, expert trip-hop mixing & sampling by Coldcut, Yppah, DJ Food

Ninja Tune founders Coldcut and guests always produce incredible mixes for the Ninja Tune Solid Steel Radio Show. This month's is an amazing mix of contemporary and classic UK trip-hop tracks. The sampling and mixing is immaculate - no easy feat. Big props to downtempo veterans Coldcut and their guests this month Yppah and DJ Food. For those of you who aren't as familiar with Ninja Tune: Ninja Tune is a legendary music label that features downtempo and trip-hop artists, DJs and producers from around the world that are personal favorites of mine, including Amon Tobin, Bonobo, Coldcut, Kid Koala, Mr. Scruff, Yppah, DJ Food, DJ Vadim, and many more. This is one label I always recommend following.

Here's the full mix, to stream and download for free via Soundcloud, and the full track list at the Solid Steel website:

White Panda show/album review in Madison 3.22.12 - Stream/ Download new album Bambooyah, Pics & Mixed Feelings

  

I saw White Panda perform their new album Bambooyah last night in Madison, WI. The album is great - it's a fantastic new set of mashups of electro dance, pop, and a lot of classic samples and riffs, and the continuous mix flows really well. I had high expectations for this show - of live remixing and DJing - hearing new mashups on the fly. Yet, I came away with mixed feelings. Here's why:

1. White Panda are great mashup artists. Definitely download their music (as linked to above) - it was great to dance to their mashups in the club. They had the crowd going. But, it was clear that they were just playing their pre-mixed mashups with little live mixing or DJing.

2. They went on late - after 1 AM. That's acceptable in NYC or Chicago, but not Madison (IMO), where bar time is 2/2:30 AM. They played for an hour. If i'm paying a premium cover to see a DJ act I expect more than an hour.

3. Then they abruptly stopped. No cool down, no taper, no bravado, nothing. They just stopped their set and walked off. Lights on, show over. It was musical blue balls.

Bottom line: I really enjoy White Panda's latest mashup album - it is the highest quality production and mashup they've achieved yet - and I will continue to download and recommend their music. However, I'm unlikely to see them live again or recommend that anyone does. They have to deliver more if I'm going shell out a cover premium to see them live.

Nonetheless, I had fun despite my expectations not quite being met. Maybe I should just appreciate it for what it is - great music played really loud ;) Here's pics from the night:

Early Summer Jammin' - Pretty Lights vs. Summertime, Pacha Massive

It's ridiculously, unseasonably consistently warm in Madison, WI - it's been nearly 80 degrees for the last week and looks to stay around 70-80 degrees for at least the next week as well. This warm weather is spreading east - I like to think I'm sending Boston/NYC my warm weather ;) Everyone here has been in great spirits - its amazing what the weather can do for people.

In honor of this early "summer weather" we're having, I just wanted to post two songs that have made me feel particularly "summery" today: Pretty Lights remix/mashup from last year of "Summertime" and Pacha Massive's downtempo chill ballad "Just Want to See Ya." Keepin' me in a great mood... Enjoy

Jeremy Ellis & Maschine (Native Instruments) - Master of the Pads - never gets old

I just bought the Native Instruments Maschine groove pad and production studio software. I've been amazed at the power of this thing for a few years and finally pulled the trigger in getting one. Now that I have it, I've been immersing myself in tutorials and videos that I find inspirational and help spark my creativity. Jeremy Ellis is particularly inspiring. Thanks to the team at MC Audio in Madison for hooking me up with the product at a great price.

AKUSMATIC - In a Minimal Mood - minimal deep techno

I love it when I get connected with new (to me) artists via Twitter and the blogosphere. A DJ/beatmaker out of Germany named Akusmatic recently followed me on Twitter and I checked out his stuff - I'm really digging his minimal techno work. It's all quite nice, steady beats that trance you out and chill you out at the same time - not too fast, not too slow. His sounds also have an organic feel, something natural about them - I think its in the structure of the beats - there's nothing too overwhelming, like he knows that simplicity and perfect repetition can go a long way. It helps that the guy is a trained bass player and percussionist. Check it out and follow him on twitter @akusmatic

Santigold - Disparate Youth (Official Video) - new album coming soon!

DJ EROK - Live DJ MegaSet (Part 2 of 2) @ Natt Spil - the Cool Down - feat more J Boogie, Thievery Corp, Amon Tobin, Quiet Village, more

This is the conclusion to my 4-hour set at Natt Spil in Madison on Wednesday night. It was a very chill end to the evening, providing a downtempo ambiance for people to wrap up their meals, cocktails and conversations at 2 AM. Couldn't be happier with how this set turned out, and how many people came to me that evening asking about which song was currently playing and how to hear the mix later. Thanks again for listening everyone. Keep reading Downbeatscape for more like this - from myself and the greater world of music. Stay chilled...

DJ EROK - Live DJ MegaSet (Part 1 of 2) @ Natt Spil, Madison WI - feat JBoogie, Pretty Lights, Mux Mool, Gramatik, Trentemoller, Big Gigantic, more

I had the pleasure of DJing a 4-hour set at Natt Spil in Madison this week. The venue is fantastic - a very loungy bar with carved tree trunks and stylized wood carvings for chairs and tables. It's a DJ's bar - where people can come as they are, its cash only, and the patrons are very appreciative of really good eclectic music. They want to hear different things, new things that engage them and make them want to learn more. It was a great night - a night of a range of downtempo that you can hear for yourself in this free megamix. (NOTE: this is Part 1 - I will post Part 2 soon, the chillout to the end of the night...)