AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988
DECEMBER 2013
$4.95 US $6.95 CANADA
AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
MOBILE REPORT: HOLIDAY BOOKINGS
AMERICA’S BEST DJ: KASKADE CROWNED IN VEGAS
WHITE SHADOW LADY GAGA’S GO-TO GUY
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PLUS: Cassy Ableton Push The Asphodells Five-Decade Mobile DJ Expo Takeaways, Part 2 Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol
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INDUSTRY EVENTS…NOTABLES…MILESTONES
NEWS
AMERICA’S BEST DJ: KASKADE COPS GOLDEN MIXER IN VEGAS
EarthMusic Photography
Mountain Oasis Fest
A s h ev i l l e , N . C . – C l a u d e VonStroke drops a beat at Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit, for which DJ Times served as media sponsor. Produced by AC Entertainment this past Oct. 25-27, the event presented dozens of DJs and other electronic acts at various Asheville venues. Look for more on MOEMS in next month’s issue.
The Scene: Dancers in Marquee’s main room.
The Winner: Kaskade accepts ABDJ hardware.
to award Kaskade with this working, 24-karat-gold mixer. Because he is an outstanding DJ, producer and songwriter, Kaskade truly represents the best of the DJ industry and we’re pleased to honor him once again.” After DJ Times Editor Jim Tremayne presented him with a special America’s Best DJ plaque, Kaskade offered a few words of thanks. “First up, I’d like to thank the fans for their support—it means everything to me,” he said. “Also, I’d like to thank DJ Times, because I’ve been reading the magazine for a long time. Also, I must thank Pioneer DJ because I’ve been a user of their products since the first CDJ-1000. Thanks to everyone.” Immediately following the presentation and standing before an America’s Best DJ step+repeat, Kaskade spoke with reporters and graciously took pictures with contest-winning fans. Afterward, another Golden Mixer presentation was conducted in Marquee Nightclub’s DJ booth before a packed room of fans, including our America’s Best DJ flyaway winner, Evie Schmeer of San Jose, Calif. The evening was rounded out by a pair of killer sets from other ABDJ nominees Seven Lions and Tritonal. On behalf of everyone at DJ Times,
The Opener: Seven Lions rocked Marquee.
we’d like to thank the voters, Pioneer DJ, Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub (especially Jason Strauss, Sol Shafer, Michael Olortegui and Pedram Niazmand) and rephlektor ink’s Justin Kleinfeld for making America’s Best DJ 2013 another huge success.
/beamzdj
@beamzdj
And once again—Congrats, Kaskade! The 2013 Top 10 included: 1) Kaskade, 2) Diplo, 3) Skrillex, 4) Bassnectar, 5) Porter Robinson, 6) Steve Aoki, 7) A-Trak, 8) Wolfgang Gartner, 9) ZTrip, 10) Vice. (For America’s Top 50, please visit www.americasbestdj.net.)
Check it out!
Las Vegas – With his fans, the media and DJ-industry insiders all in tow, Kaskade was once again crowned America’s Best DJ at Las Vegas’ Marquee Club this past October 13. After 20-plus events on America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times, the fans spoke with their ballots in-person and online at americasbestdj.net—and Kaskade was the choice for the second time in three years. So, at a press event held inside The Library room at Marquee Nightclub, Kaskade (aka Ryan Raddon) accepted his awards. With print/online press members and 20 winners of a DJ Times-conducted fan contest filling the room, Kaskade was presented with The Golden Mixer by David Arevalo, Director of Marketing and Artist Relations for Pioneer DJ, the promotion’s title sponsor. Before handing Kaskade the shiny, gold-plated DJM-900nexus mixer, Arevalo said, “Once again, we are pleased
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VOLUME 26 NUMBER 12
12 The Edge of Glory
As a Writer/Producer for Lady Gaga Since 2011, DJ White Shadow Has Been Living the Dream. Just Call Him Music’s Latest 20-Year Overnight Success. BY CHRIS CARUSO
20 Holiday Party Preview
Mobile DJs Report an Uptick in Bookings This Season. It Might Even Spell the End of Gloom & Doom. BY JEFF STILES
22 Doing It Dutch
Cover By John Tyler Curtis
The 18th Annual Amsterdam Dance Event Drew the DJ & Dance Industry to Holland. Here’s What It All Looked Like. BY ADE PHOTOGRAPHERS
SAMPLINGS 8 Cassy
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M
Y
Reflects on Her Big Year
CM
10 In the Studio With…
MY
CY
CMY
The Asphodells
K
DEPARTMENTS 7 Feedback
As Always, the Answers to All Your DJ-Related Questions
24 Making Tracks Ableton Push
26 Sounding Off
Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S4 MK2 & Z1
28 Mobile Profile Five Decades with Denny McConnell
30 Business Line
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
More Takeaways from DJ Expo
4
32 Gear
New Products from Mackie, Chauvet & More
38 Grooves
Phat Tracks from Karizma, Nick Warren, & more
40 DJ Times Marketplace
Shop Here for All Your DJ-Related Supplies
41 Club Play Chart
The Hottest Records, As Reported by Our Top U.S. Record Pools
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FROM THE EDITOR
Producing the World’s Top Pop Star As 2013 comes to an end, the hype for Lady Gaga’s recently released ARTPOP album continues. So we figured we’d get into the act—gotta find the DJ angle, right? Easily done. Since 2011, when he was discovered spinning in a club by Gaga’s music director, DJ White Shadow (aka Paul Blair) has worked with the pop princess as a major producer and songwriter. In fact, his contributions—including the smash single, “Born This Way”—have filled up about half of Gaga’s last two full-length albums. So how does a former Detroit-techno DJ end up producing the world’s biggest pop star? Read Chris Caruso’s interview with White Shadow and find out. In Samplings, Lily Moayeri talks with legendary DJ/producer Andrew Weatherall and they discuss his latest studio project, The Asphodells, plus his recent DJ doings. Also, Natalie Raben connects with Cassy, a global jock on the rise and someone who maintains top club residencies from Berlin to Brooklyn. In our review sections, there’s plenty of Ableton and even more Native Instruments. In Sounding Off, Paul Dailey and Reed Dailey—no relation—double-team NI’s Traktor Kontrol range, as Paul handles the S4 MK2 controller and Reed tackles the Z1 controller for iOS apps. Also, after Josh Harris reviewed Ableton Live 9 software in the previous issue’s Making Tracks column, Wesley Bryant-King completes our look at Ableton’s major 2013 introductions by reviewing the Berlin-based company’s Push controller. In the mobile world, Jeff Stiles gets the lowdown from DJs on the state of their holiday bookings—things are looking up, it seems. In Mobile Profile, we connect with Denny McConnell, the Pennsylvania-based DJ veteran who started spinning during the Nixon Administration. And in Business Line, New Jersey mobile Gregg Hollmann again looks back at DJ Expo’s seminar slate and offers another round of valuable takeaways. Also, we return with reports from three destinations. First up, we offer a quickie from Asheville, N.C., and the Mountain Oasis Electronic Music Summit, where DJ Times served as media sponsor—more on that next month. We also offer some sights from Amsterdam Dance Event, where the DJ/dance-music industry converged for a week of confabs and DJdriven events. And finally, we bring you the closing party/award ceremony from our America’s Best DJ promotion. After 20-plus events on the America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times, we finished up at Las Vegas’ Marquee Nightclub to crown the new king—Kaskade. Congrats Ryan! And many thanks go out to staff from Marquee and Pioneer DJ for another successful ABDJ endeavor.
editor-in-chief Jim Tremayne jtremayne@testa.com
art director Janice Pupelis jpupelis@testa.com
editor-at-large Brian O’Connor boconnor@testa.com
production manager Steve Thorakos sthorakos@testa.com
chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Lina Abascal Jody Amos Tom Banham Joe Bermudez Wesley Bryant-King Chris Caruso Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Chris Davis Tania Fuentez Justin Hampton Josh Harris Robert LaFrance Polly Lavin Michelle Loeb Lily Moayeri Phil Moffa Natalie Raben Scott Rubin Jennifer Shapiro Jeff Stiles Emily Tan Phil Turnipseed Curtis Zack President/Publisher Vincent P. Testa FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TO ORDER SUBSCRIPTIONS, CALL 800-937-7678 VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.djtimes.com
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
Cheers,
6
Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ Times
DJ Times Sound & Communications The Music & Sound Retailer Sound & Communications Blue Book America’s Best DJ The DJ Expo IT/AV Report Convention TV News VTTV Studios
brand design & web development manager Fred Gumm fgumm@testa.com digital media manager Chris Davis cdavis@testa.com advertising manager Jon Rayvid jrayvid@testa.com art/production assistant Douglas Yelin dyelin@testa.com Circulation circulation@testa.com Classifieds classifiedsales@testa.com operations manager Robin Hazan rhazan@testa.com Editorial and Sales Office: DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, New York, USA 11050-3779. (516) 767-2500 • FAX (Editorial): (516) 944-8372 • FAX (Sales/all other business): (516) 767-9335 • DJTIMES@TESTA. COM Editorial contributions should be addressed to The Editor, DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Avenue, Port Washington, NY, USA, 110503779. Unsolicited manuscripts will be treated with care an d should be accompanied by return postage. DJ Times (ISSN 1045-9693) (USPS 0004-153) is published monthly for $19.40 (US), $39.99 (Canada), and $59.99 (all other countries), by DJ Publishing, Inc., 25 Willowdale Ave., Port Washington, NY 110503779. Periodicals postage paid at Port Washington, NY, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to DJ Times, PO BOX 1767, LOWELL MA 01853-1767 Design and contents are copyright © 2013 by DJ Publishing, Inc., and must not be reproduced in any manner except by permission of the publisher. Websites: www. djtimes.com and www.testa.com December 2013
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FEEDBACK
AmericA’s First mAgAzine For ProFessionAl DJs estAblisheD 1988
NovemBeR 2013
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Plus: Rudimental Jeannie Hopper Ableton Live 9 Mackie DLM Speakers V-MODA Crossfade M-100s
America’s Best DJ 2013: KASKADE
“When we asked some of these pro‑ fessionals in our area, the answers were the obvious ones: They didn’t like the DJ’s personality. They didn’t like his or her appearance. They didn’t like the music selection—but even more important, they didn’t like the volume at which the DJ played. They didn’t think the DJ was reliable—maybe the DJ didn’t show up exactly on time. Maybe the DJ appeared to them to be disorganized. Maybe the DJ copped an attitude at some point. Maybe eating 1 inch
2 inch
and drinking at the gigs are an issue. Pay attention to these details because the people who refer you sure do. “Also, remember that each interac‑ tion with these professionals does not have to be a confrontation. It can be a conversation and a pleasant one. And remember that you’re not just making yourself look good—you’re making the DJ industry look good as well. We can all change the perception of the industry and we can do it one event of the time.”
www.djtimes.com
10/10/2013 1:31:16 PM
This is Feedback, a monthly feature that fields questions from you, our readers, and funnels them out to in‑ dustry professionals. If you have any questions about DJing – marketing, mixing, equipment or insurance, any at all – drop us a letter at DJ Times, 25 Willowdale Ave, Port Washington, NY 11050, fax us at (516) 944‑8372 or e‑mail us at djtimes@testa.com. If we do use your question, you’ll receive a free DJ Times T‑shirt. And remember, the only dumb question is the ques‑ tion that is not asked.
This past Nov. 3-5, DJ Times ventured to Bloomington, Minn., to attend Con‑ clave 4.0, presented by Disc Jockey News, which drew entertainers from all over the upper Midwest. In addition to three days of mobileDJ-oriented tutorials from a variety of professional talents, like Bill Her‑ man, Jason Jones and Mitch Taylor, the show presented a room full of exhibits. Vendors included Blizzard Lighting, Dawn Pro Audio, DigiGames, Metro Sound & Lighting, NLFX Profes‑ sional, Chauvet DJ, Promo Only, DJ Event Planner, Promo Only, DJ Event Planner, DJ Trivia, TriceraSoft Kara‑ oke Software, N.A.M.E., Gruv Gear, Yamaha Pro Audio, Denon DJ, ElectroVoice, Cerwin-Vega, Stanton DJ, Her‑ cules DJ and OmniSistem Lighting. The following excerpt comes from a tutorial presented at the show:
SONIC
BOOM THE EVOLVED SRM SOUND
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Mitch Taylor of Taylored Weddings in Escanaba, Mich., opened up the show with an info-loaded seminar that covered social-media, market‑ ing and wedding-toast tips, plus en‑ couragement for DJs to expand their businesses by becoming a “marriage officiant.” But mostly, he implored the DJs in the room to “take responsibility for the success of your event.” In “How DJs Are Viewed by Event Managers,” Jake Palmer of Party Sound in Mankato, Minn., offered, “While it’s important to know why DJs get referred by wedding planners and event managers, it’s also crucial for DJs to understand the reasons they don’t get referred. Why?
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As Cassy Britton finishes up 2013, it’s hard for her not to look back and realize that she’s had quite a year. Not only did she release her splendid Fabric 71 mix comp—with its tasty combo of techno and house flavors—she also began a quarterly residency at Brooklyn’s ultra-hot Output club that’s slated to run well into 2014. When you consider that she also maintains a handful of other top global residencies (Berlin’s Panorama Bar, Paris’ Rex Club, Amsterdam’s Trouw and Ibiza’s Circo Loco at DC10) and continues to play major massives like New York’s Electric Zoo, Orlando’s recently completed Electric Daisy Carnival and Mexico’s upcoming BPM Festival, that’s quite a résumé indeed. With all that in mind, we caught up with the English-born/Austrianraised DJ to discuss her big year on the road. DJ Times: During your Electric Zoo set, I was trying to put my finger on your genre. What would you call it? Cassy: Well, in the U.S., what I play is called techno and in Europe sometimes we call it house. I just play house, techno, maybe techhouse. But, to me, that’s what I do. There’s a style and a way of playing music and there’s just so many different techno tracks and so many different house tracks and so many different tech-house tracks that some are deeper. I tend to pick stuff that’s deeper or more rhythmic
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
CASSY’S BIG YEAR
8
High-Profile: Cassy’s new residency takes her to NYC’s Output.
or warmer. DJ Times: What do you require in the DJ booth? Cassy: My set-up is usually two Technics SL-1200 turntables, two Pioneer CDJ players, and an Allen & Heath mixer. DJ Times: And your studio set-up? Cassy: I don’t have a studio at the moment because I don’t really live anywhere… DJ Times: Ha, where do you “not” live? Cassy: I do “not” live right now in Ibiza, so I have to go to other people’s studios. But my set-up usually was just a mixing desk, an 808, plus a computer and a sequencer. DJ Times: So without having your own studio, where did you create your Fabric mix? Cassy: I did it in a friend’s studio in Geneva, a sound engineer [Lad Agabekov] I’m working with, so that’s what I had to do. I had to find people that I could work with now, which is extremely good. I love it, and you’re also not alone creating something. It’s also nice, because I’m alone most of the time, so it’s nice to not be alone. We’ve worked on some remixes, but we only started this year. DJ Times: Let’s talk residencies. You recently began playing at Output in Brooklyn, which has been compared a little bit with Berlin’s Berghain, where you also have a spot at Panorama Bar. Cassy: I would not compare the two clubs at all. I mean, obviously Berghain is an inspiration because it’s an ideal club in so many ways. So you’re inspired by it and influenced by it—that’s cool because everything in the creative field is inspired by something else, so that’s good. But I would not compare. DJ Times: I love that Duster Valentine track “(My Back Is) Against the Wall,” which ends your Fabric comp. Cassy: Ahhhh, it’s so beautiful. I found the record because it’s on Rush Hour, a label from Amsterdam, and there was a record store. I lived in Amsterdam for six months and it’s an extremely good label and an extremely brilliant record store and they release so much beautiful music. I’m so happy it was released on record as well, and the track was so breathtaking that I knew it had to be part of my mix. DJ Times: To have it at the end... Cassy: Yeah. And that was the best because it’s so meaningful it just… the sound, everything, the tonality, everything. It’s just so uplifting. It’s so soulful. It’s like sad and happy at the same time. It’s like life. – Natalie Raben
Jimmy Mould
SAMPLINGS
HEADPHONE OF THE YEAR
LOGO EDITORS’ CHOICE
Dec 12
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DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
IN THE STUDIO WITH
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“If you’re doing something you believe in,” says Andrew Weatherall, “the worst anyone can say is that they don’t like it—it’s just a matter of taste. If you’re doing something you don’t really believe in and someone says they don’t like it, it’s no longer a matter of taste because you know in your heart they’re thinking the same as you.” Speaking from the bowels of his East London studio, the longtime DJ/producer says he clocks in hours of track-making and music-listening there until he has a collection of material that works well enough to give it a name. Most recently, this is The Asphodells, his project with Timothy J. Fairplay. The duo’s 2013 album, Ruled By Passion Destroyed By Lust—on Weatherall’s Rotters Golf Club imprint—sees the duo tackling an amalgam of genres with aplomb. By incorporating flavorful portions of dub, electro, disco, techno, punk and psychedelia, the pair makes a flavorful musical gumbo. (And like his 2009 solo album, A Pox On The Pioneers, Weatherall steps up the microphone a few times.) The intention was to capture a ghostly, otherworldly quality, which is done mainly through rudimentary tape echo and spring reverb. More recently, a remixed version of the album hit the market. Released this past September, the collection of newfangled versions comes courtesy of a group of DJ/studio talents like Justin Robertson, Ivan Smagghe, Phil Kieran, plus Daniele Baldelli and DJ Rocca. “When people are doing stuff for me they know they can go mad,” says Weatherall speaking of the remixers. “They’ve not got a major record company breathing down their neck, so they can have free reign to experiment. The remix is their trademark sound, but I think they went further out there than they usually would. Everyone’s done their thing and given it their little twist. It’s healthy artistic cross-pollination.” The type of tracks Fairplay had in mind for the original version of Ruled By Passion are exactly the kind that Weatherall says he’d play at A Love From Outer Space, his club night with Sean Johnston. Spawned from Weatherall and Johnston buying downtempo and midtempo postpunk and Cosmic Disco-sounding records ranging from 90 to 120 BPM and wanting to play them out, the two started in a basement of a pub in East London for 75 to 100 people. “Like any good club at the start,” says Weatherall, “enthusiasts want to play the music they like and aren’t concerned about reaching a massive audience. We were quite happy to keep it at 100 people and play once a week or once a month. It spread as people got into it. Half the audience is really young. The other half is old enough to know better. You stand on the dancefloor not knowing what’s going to happen next because it’s not one particular style of music. It’s right across the board, taking in all sorts of influences. “If you book us, we play for five or six hours. It’s old-style DJing.Years
THE ASPHODELLS: COSMIC DISCO & MORE ago, one or two DJs would control the whole night. It’s only with the advent of rave culture and promoters having to have lots of DJs on the bill to attract an audience that set times became shorter. Really, you should be given the whole night, so you can control where the music’s going.” You’ll still find Weatherall lugging the old record crate around—particularly if he’s playing a reggae or rockabilly set where the hardcore crowd expects to see the original 7-inch single. Otherwise, he’ll buy vinyl and record it onto CD with an analog line, to get a vinyl sound without having to pay the excess baggage, plus at 10 tracks per 50-CD booklet, that’s 500 songs to choose from. That, and a rotary mixer with a good EQ— like a Rane MP2016 or an old knob unit from Allen & Heath’s Xone range—keeps him happy. “I like the sound of vinyl,” he says. “MP3s take a lot of the body of the track, a lot of space out of the music. I will play MP3s sometimes. If it’s a minimal techno track, it doesn’t sound too bad. But, the more frequencies you add, the more there is for them to squash and they sound bad, even on hi-res MP3s. If you’ve been brought up listening to MP3s, it sounds alright to you. You don’t miss frequencies you’ve never heard. “But I was brought up playing vinyl, so there are lots of frequencies not in MP3 I miss, and it sounds weird to my ears. I’m not anti-digital music—it’s just that I don’t particularly want to listen to it. I make music and play music how it’s suited to me and how I want it to sound.” – Lily Moayeri
The Asphodells: Timothy J. Fairplay (left) & Andrew Weatherall.
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
THE EDGE OF GLORY
12
As a Writer/Producer for Lady Gaga Since 2011, DJ White Shadow Has Been Living the Dream. Just Call Him Music’s Latest 20-Year Overnight Success.
Photos By John Tyler Curtis
DJ TIMES
You may not realize it, but DJ White Shadow has been all over the airwaves since 2011. After a chance encounter with Lady Gaga in an L.A. club he was playing, White Shadow (aka Paul Blair) ended up helping write and produce nine songs from her multi-platinum album Born This Way—including the Grammynominated, chart-topping title track. Since then, Blair has spent the past two years in a whirlwind of traveling the globe on Gaga’s tours and working a multitude of different projects. You might not catch him on the festival circuit or at a superclub residency, but DJ White Shadow has been working tirelessly for over 20 years. After getting his start DJing in college while studying abroad in Tokyo, the Detroitraised producer spent years working up through the techno scene before ultimately calling Chicago his home base. Over the years, he’s managed to avoid being pigeonholed into any one sound, with a set of influences that range from Detroit techno and Chicago house to old-school hip hop and an output that touches on nearly every
DECEMBER 2013
By Chris Caruso
13
DECEMBER 2013
DJ TIMES 14
genre. We caught up with DJ White Shadow after he finished putting the final touches on Lady Gaga’s new album ARTPOP and its lead single “Applause”—which he helped write and produce—to talk about his beginnings, the EP trilogy he’s releasing this year, and what it’s like to work with the world’s biggest pop-star. DJ Times: When did you start DJing? White Shadow: I started collecting records in second grade. They’re what I would ask my mom for whenever I would get presents. I bought my first turntables when I was 15 or 16—whenever I got my first job—and I started getting paid for it when I was 17. I guess, collectively, it’s been about 20 years. DJ Times: The story I’ve heard is that you got started DJing at 17 when you were abroad in Japan. How did that happen? White Shadow: I went to school for international business. I took Japanese for, like, nine years, so my freshman year of college at Michigan State, I went to a Japanese exchange program. I met this guy who
little too hectic out there, towards the end. I went to New York owned a bar and he had all these first, but I wanted to see what Chicago had to offer. I’ve been records with a two-Technics sticking around there as a home base for the last 12 years or so. set-up. I already had turntables DJ Times: You’re releasing an EP trilogy. What’s the idea beat home, so I walked up to the hind it and how did the plan come about? guy and was like “Yo! Can I play White Shadow: I looked into these songs I had. To be honrecords here?” est, I’m not 100-percent sure what I’m going to put on the third DJ Times: Sounds easy one yet. I put out those trap ones [on Pussy Drugs Fear] because enough. they showed the most range. You have part-techno in there and White Shadow: I played rea progressive house part in a trap song with the hardest fucking cords one night, and he asked beat somebody can rap over. if I could come back and play DJ Times: What’s the attraction to the trap sound? them again. I’m like 6-foot-4 and White Shadow: I really like the trap stuff because I find mytall and goofy as hell, so there self thinking quite a bit about how you can make anything out must’ve been something weird of trap music. What defines trap music is a set of drops. It’s about seeing me up there. I not written into a specific BPM. It’s not like progressive house played a bunch of hip hop and where you have to do this breakdown and then have these weird shit. After that, I started chords. There are very little rules in that trap shit. That’s why I buying records in Japan. I endlove making it. It’s just permission to go out and get weird as shit. ed up playing at that bar every DJ Times: And you’ve found ways to do it. Thursday night. White Shadow: The one trap song that’s on the second EP D J T i m e s : Yo u we n t t o [The Clock Is Ticking] is like a ten-minute, horror-movie suite thing. school in Michigan, and spent It literally sounds like a horror movie for the first five minutes some time working up through before dropping into this giant, epic, fucking disaster gangster the Detroit techno scene. shit. I don’t even know how to explain it. White Shadow: When I was DJ Times: Tell me about the next two EPs. kid, that’s what always stuck out White Shadow: The next one, The Clock Is Tickto me. You either went to the hip-hop shit or the techno shit, ing, should be out before the end of the year. Also, when all three come out, there also will be a full and at the time—when I was album with physical copies. I don’t really play by the 15—early ’90s, ’92, there was rules. We were supposed to release the set as three a lot of techno shit going on songs, three songs, three songs, and then a full album in Detroit. So you when you with all of them on a physical record, but I don’t know. would sneak out of your parents’ house and go to Detroit, I might put five tracks on the next one and then release the one after that as a single. It just depends on what you would go to punk-rock and I feel like doing. heavy-metal shows or hip-hop DJ Times: And the material? shows or techno shows. The White Shadow: I made this rap song—legit trap, not electro techno shows were the least of trap—with Telli from NinjaSonik—and it’s fucking phenomenal. I your worries—nobody was ever getting stabbed at them [laughs]. listen to it all the time. I may put that on there, I don’t know. I just love to put out music, you know. DJ Times: How did that inDJ Times: It’s hard to pin you fluence your sound into one genre or sound. Your and DJ sets? “When you would sneak I’m Killing Me EP had elements of White Shadtechno, your production work ow: A lot of, you out of your parents’ on Lady Gaga’s Born This Way had know, local celebhouse and go to Detroit, some rock leanings, and your rities and people work is trap. Is it a confrom Detroit you would go to punk- recent scious decision to avoid sticking would be throwto one style? ing parties. So we’d rock and heavy-metal W h i t e S h a d ow : I d o n ’t always go to the shows or hip-hop shows know, man. It depends on how techno parties—at much you care about it, I guess. first just because it or techno shows. The I’m a DJ—I like to play music. I was just to go to techno shows were the like to make what I like to make. a party. But once I suppose you could stick to one you start going to least of your worries— style, but what happens when t h e m — a n d t h ey weren’t like what nobody was ever getting that style is over? [Laughs] I’ve watched that happen once alit is now where stabbed at them.” ready! You know, I made techno it’s whole differon vinyl records in the ’90s. We ent kind of music. sold them in France and I’d DJ The music then in France and Germany and Switzerland. I’ve played the Ministry was real soulful. So yeah, when I first started producing stuff, of Sound back in the day. We started doing this shit when I was 17, 18 years old. I’ve watched techno take a big fucking nosedive after a couple years of going to once—so much so that I ended up playing hip hop again. I just these parties, they all came out love to DJ and watch people dance. techno-y. DJ Times: It’s just a reflection of your various tastes. DJ Times: You eventually White Shadow: The next EP I’m putting out has one trap ended up settling in Chicago, song, and the rest is French electro-house shit. I just make what correct? I like to make, when I like to make it and put it out. I don’t put a White Shadow: I wouldn’t lot of thought into becoming an artist myself because I don’t have say “settled,” but I did move out to be. I’m a DJ, but I’m not interested in being a marquee guy of Detroit to go to Chicago bethat everybody comes to see on a tour, because it’s really a lot cause, you know, things got a
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of work, dude. And I’m not shitting on people who do that, I’m just saying… to develop a tour and to develop a persona and to be that guy is a lot of work. DJ Times: So you’re focused on production right now? White Shadow: Right now, I’ve found a lot of joy doing stuff behind the scenes, like I’m scoring films and doing whatever. If I’m just feeling something, I do it. I had just executive produced a record for somebody on Recon after I had played them some of the trap mixes in the studio and they were like, “This is crazy—let’s put it out.” DJ Times: Definitely a very fluid approach to releasing material. White Shadow: Yeah, I like to try and make as much different shit as I possibly can. If I was relegated to doing one thing, I don’t know if I’d want to do that. I’m done doing that. DJ Times: When you DJ, what equipment and software are you using? Are you still using vinyl? White Shadow: I use Serato. I still have a ton of vinyl, but it’s all in boxes, which is a goddamn shame. I’ve got to figure something about dealing with that in my house. Most of my stuff is in Serato. DJ Times: How did you and Lady Gaga find each other? White Shadow: It’s a crazy story. I was DJing in Hollywood—I’ve got a house in L.A.— at this little club called Hyde, right off of Sunset. I used to play this Sunday night where I would only play classic hip hop like Run-D.M.C., and old-school techno and house. So I would just go up there and get mega-weird on Sundays. It was originally a dead night, and they asked me if I wanted to do it. Over time, though, it turned into this social event and I ended up playing for a bunch of famous people who thought the whole thing was mad kooky. I guess Gaga had a show out there, and her music director came in with a bunch of her dancers from the show. He hit me up, and told me, “This was fucking crazy—what is this shit?” DJ Times: What are the chances? White Shadow: Later that night, when they were hanging out and dancing and getting weird, she asked me if I could make a mixtape of it. I made a tape and emailed it. They told me it was nuts and said they had a tour coming that they wanted to use me for. Long story short, the electro-hip-hop-trance-whatever beats I was making were for a tour she was planning with Kanye West, which ended up getting cancelled. DJ Times: How did you end up working on Born This Way? White Shadow: The music director told me, “The next time I have something, I’ll hit you up.” Right after, he told me she was making a new album and asked if I had any beats. I sent over some, and two days later, Gaga called me and asked if I wanted to work with her with some of those, and I said “Sure.” DJ Times: Did any of those initial productions make it onto Born This Way? White Shadow: In one way or another, yes, on “Bloody Mary, “Black Jesus,” and “Electric Chapel.” DJ Times: You also produced for her new album, ARTPOP. How did that you get aboard that project? (continued on page 42)
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Holiday Party Preview MOBILES REPORT AN UPTICK IN BOOKINGS THIS SEASON. IT MIGHT EVEN SPELL THE END OF
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
GLOOM & DOOM.
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Other than playing for Halloween weekend and during the New Year’s Eve bash at the historic Hotel Julien in Dubuque, Iowa, John White (aka “DJ Double J”) in Stitzer, Wis., says he’s not doing any specific holiday parties this year. “Between playing at the Julien and at The Other Side across the Mississippi River in East Dubuque, Ill., I’m already busy every weekend—and it was the same last year,” says White, whose business in Southwestern Wisconsin stands within easy driving distance to events in Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. “Personally, I’m thinking people can’t wait for 2013 to get over with, because of the number ‘13’ being unlucky. Supposedly, that’s why the Julien has been slower this year with receptions.” Across the nation, we asked DJs how this year’s holiday bookings are doing compared to previous years. What types of events are they
booking, and at what price? And were they doing more corporate parties, or fewer? Way up in Plymouth, Mass., DJ Charles Bernard from DJX Studio says he’s added the combination of a Photobooth, lighting and a DJ into the mix of holiday bookings, and the result has been nothing short of amazing. “It’s like the invention of the shopping cart—one call, one contract and a blast,” he says. “We’re in Boston, and we’re up from 5-7 [December bookings in 2012] to 20 bookings in December of 2013. “Some events and hotels that are not even having music/DJ/ band pick the two-option part and the revenue is flowing better than Biggie Smalls with a 95-BPM [track].” While Bernard is quick to add that this isn’t evidence that the regional economy in the Northeast is finally turning around, he says that it is evidence that the cost-conscious customer—the planner, HR director or company manager—sees the value in purchasing a bundled package and thereby receiving a greater value. “We merely make sure the customer shines and has the
DECEMBER 2013
cut-down effect.” As of late October, Michael Mahoney of M&M Entertainment in South Portland, Maine, said he only had four companies so far booked for December 2013. All four of those were companies whose parties he’s been doing for six or seven years, and as of press time for this article two of them had already cancelled due to financial reasons. “One of the cancellations was an elder-care company and the other was a biomedical research company,” Mahoney reports. “Thankfully the other two are still on. I’ve received no new holiday party calls this year, and therefore will not be working for New Year’s Eve.” A little further south in Huntingdon, Pa., John Horne of Jam Machine Productions was still saying in October
DJ TIMES
control and flexibility to achieve their endresult,” Bernard adds. “And in the end, this is the only sign that we—or any DJ, for that matter—are doing our job: Providing the end-result, with every effort we do, every song we play, every announcement we make, to get it there.” Other mobiles in the Northeast expressed uncertain, yet optimistic thoughts. “At this point it’s too early to tell if bookings will be increasing in 2013,” replied Scott Goldoor of Signature Sounds in Plymouth Meeting, Mass. “All I can say is that calls and bookings are indeed coming in, although I have been a little proactive by calling and emailing some of our good customers from the last few years to see if they’ve secured their date, location, etc. A couple have gotten back to us, and I’m hoping and still waiting to hear from others and new customers. “We do have one New Year’s Eve party booked and have gotten a few more inquiries, and will probably book one or two more parties—perhaps more. I booked a last-minute New Year’s Eve party two weeks before December 31 last year, so we never know.” Artem Lomaz of NinetyThree Entertainment in Morristown, N.J., says he didn’t yet have any corporate events to compare to from last year for statistics to share. “But I can tell you, from personal experience in conversations with friends and family, that companies are still substantially cutting down on corporate/holiday parties,” he recounts. “Whether it’s scaling down production, or canceling them altogether, employees and mobile DJs are all seeing the
it was too early to predict if holiday parties in his region would be improving. But he also was thinking 2013 would likely be similar to past years: Entertaining for mostly corporate par ties and mainly for clients he performs for on a regular basis. “I actually haven’t had an outside call for a holiday party in years,” Horne says, “ Ye a r s a g o, m o s t cut back due to the economy and have never yet come back. “ We a l s o j u s t had two major employers in our area recently close, and
our county has one of the highest unemployment rates of all the counties in the state of Pennsylvania. I even had a couple weddings cancel this year due to lack of funds to spend on the entertainment, and schools are using other means to do their dances—either DJs with lower rates or teachers/students u s i n g i Po d s t o d o dances cheaply, so they can save a buck or two.” And even the positive, Horne says, still comes with a negative. “The only positive I’ve seen,” he says, “has been some local VFWs and other clubs are deciding to go with mobile DJs more because the bands aren’t bringi n g i n t h e c row d s anymore and are too expensive compared to the cost of a DJ. But while most local bars are using the same DJs and not using variety anymore, they’re spending less on DJs as well.” n
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doing it Dutch
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Amsterdam, Holland – Once again, the world’s DJ/dance-music industry converged on The Netherlands this past Oct. 16-20 for Amsterdam Dance Event. The 18th annual conference/festival offered a thick slate of discussion panels and technology seminars at or near the Felix Meritis Centre, plus plenty of sponsored parties and all-night club events at area venues. DJ Times was there, connecting with the industry and blog-reporting on the DJ-related doings—like daytime Q&A sessions with top jocks like Richie Hawtin and DJ Shadow, plus choice evening events like the Awakenings party at Gashouder featuring top techno talents Carl Cox and Nicole Moudaber. 2
9 1 Branded: ADE logo in action. Chris Vugts 2 Street Scene: ADE on Keizersgracht. Henri Blommers 3 ADE Q&A: DJ Shadow talks turntables. Mike Breeuer 4 Stealth Party: Roger Sanchez in the mix. Henri Blommers 5 Triumphant: Danny Tenaglia at Melkweg. Sebastiaan Hoogendoorn 6 New Top Jock: Hardwell speaks at ADE. Mike Breeuer 7 Bigtime: Tiësto at Ziggo Dome. Tom Doms
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8 Mobilee Party: Pan-Pot at Dhoem Dhaam Warehouse. Vincent van den Boogaard
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9 Party On: The Shapeshifters at Escape. Henri Blommers 10 Video-Friendly: Sidney Samson at The Sands. Johan Vivie DECEMBER 2013
11 Techno Talk: Richie Hawtin’s Q&A. Henri Blommers 12 On the Mic: Tommie Sunshine makes a point. Pim Hendriksen
DJ TIMES
13 Welcome to the Future: Laurent Garnier at ADE. Antonio Feargal
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14 Mega-Event: Awakenings party at Gashouder. Koen Peters 15 ADE Playground: Gear sluts go nuts. Henri Blommers 4
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THE 18TH ANNUAL AMSTERDAM DANCE EVENT DREW THE DJ/DANCE INDUSTRY TO HOLLAND. HERE’S WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE
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MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…
PUSH: ABLETON’S NEW INSTRUMENT Push gives Live users hands-on control & more.
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
By Wesley Bryant-King
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When Ableton was gearing up for the release of the long-awaited Live 9 update, the Berlin-based company made as much noise about their first hardware product as the software upgrade that enabled the use of that product. The hardware I’m speaking of, as most Ableton heads now know, is Push. (The software upgrade was reviewed in the November issue by my colleague Josh Harris.) Photos of the Push along with its details rolled out at the same time as the initial announcement of Live 9, and I have to say, when I first saw it, I was hardly impressed. What, the world really needs another multi-button controller for Live’s Session View? Really? Looks, however, can be deceiving. Ableton positions the Push as an instrument in its own right, and while it took me a bit of time to grasp that, being able to lay my hands on one for the first time recently gave me that famous “a-ha!” moment. Of course, Push works as a controller. But while devices such as Akai Professional’s APC20 and APC40 are designed pretty much solely for working with Ableton’s Session View—triggering samples and the like—the Push goes off in another direction, by bringing additional control capabilities tailored specifically to Ableton Live, along with some out-of-the box thinking around both melodic and percussive music making. (While we’re talking about Akai Pro, it’s worth noting that Push is manufactured for Ableton by Akai, and clearly leverages the working relationship and experience that the companies already had in place.) Taking the Push out of its box, I was struck by how robust and substantial a unit it is. It’s heavy, but not too heavy to tote around to gigs, or to set in the lap for a creative session. With a handsome blend of metal and plastic, it looks like it’s intended for a long life on the road. So how was it to use? Set-Up & Use: Set-up of the Push was dirt-simple on my Macbased studio set-up: connect USB cable, done. The Push will notify you on its built-in LED display that you must run Ableton Live to use the Push (unless you loaded it beforehand), and be aware that the new version (Live 9) is required. Once Ableton Live’s loaded, the Push comes alive, ready to use, with its back-lit translucent, rubberized pads lighting-up in various hues. While there’s a lot you can do in terms of remote-controlling
Ableton Live, the most fun came from merely messing around with the device, and taking Ableton’s cue to “think instrument.” By default, the big display showed the details of my Ableton Live library, paired perfectly to mirror Live 9’s new browser interface. I found a synth patch with an intriguing name, figured out which pads to press to load the patch, and in a second or two, the 64-pad array of buttons on the Push re-colored themselves with a pale pink in most cases, with the occasional button in blue. I quickly learned that the blue buttons represented the root note of the currently selected key. This is truly where the fun began. While I’d like to think I have a fairly good foundational understanding of music theory, I’ll have to confess here that I don’t really fully “get” the relationship of semi-tones to tonal frequencies to steps to why my ear can know immediately when I hit a note outside of the scale of a key I’m working in. It’s just one of those things that simply works, so I don’t question it. I also have decided not to question why the Push works the way it does in its melodic mode. If you press three buttons in a triangle (picture three in a row, with the middle one moved upward a row), you get a basic triad. You can “walk” down three
columns of buttons top to bottom and get an instant arpeggio that just works. In fact, it seemed like I could play around with geometric patterns of buttons presses, and never hit a sour note, or produce anything that didn’t have a musical quality to it. I’ll leave the theory to the engineers—it was, simply, fun—and way more fun than playing with a conventional MIDI keyboard where my trying to use my keyboard skills (even after a decade of piano lessons) always seems like an exercise in frustration. Percussion is part of the mix, too. When you load a drum rack from the Ableton Live library, Push reconfigures itself automatically for its percussive mode. The top half of the pad grid turns into a step sequencer with selectable timing; the bottom half is divided into two, with the left 16 pads corresponding the drum rack triggers for manual drum sound playback—scrollable using the touch strip control on the Push—and the right 16 pads turn into loop length controls. This mode made it easy to think like an old-skool drum machine, or jam out some percussive ideas with my fingers as drum sticks for manipulation in Live. Speaking of, perhaps obviously, you can record any of your melodic or percussive playing into Ableton Live, where it can be further manipulated or fine-tuned at will—just like any
other type of MIDI controller (keyboard, drum pads, etc.). The Push is not just an instrument, however; it functions equally well as a sophisticated Ableton Live controller. Through selections that can be made directly from the Push, you can easily change operating modes, allowing you full control over Ableton’s mixer (volume, pan, etc.), and you also easily enter Session View where—like most Ableton Live controllers on the market heretofore—you can trigger and control clip playback. The buttons on the left and right sides of the device contextually illuminate, and give easy, direct access to all the functionality offered by the combination of Push and Live. As you have no doubt gathered in reading to this point, I’m pretty enamored of the new Ableton Push, and am seriously considering buying one myself for my home studio. However, my experience with the Push was not without its bumps—all but one of which were relatively minor. One of my first impressions of the unit, after selecting a synth patch, was the uneven color hue and saturation of the pad backlighting. In melodic mode, the root notes are blue, while the rest of the pads are a light pink. It’s not clear if they were intended to be white, but pink they were, and
each pad seemed to have a different shade or level of saturation, to the point I initially wondered if the difference was significant—do the dark fuchsia buttons do something different from the coral colored ones? (The answer, by the way, is no.) This quality detail seems like it could (and should) be addressed. Speaking of backlighting, the control buttons on the sides of the Push are predominantly black, with only the typography on each button illuminated. Ableton chose to use a relatively thin, light-stroked version of the ever-popular Futura typeface—also used on its web site and throughout the company’s recently updated branding. However, the net effect is wanting; the text legends on the button tops are nearly impossible to read regardless of the ambient light levels. I appreciate brand continuity from an aesthetic viewpoint, but usability should trump aesthetics
in my view. These drawbacks were easily overlooked, however the third isn’t so much: For me, the Push presented some challenges when it came to obtaining consistent, accurate and predictable results when playing the pads on the device. While the Push does provide easily-accessible, user-adjustable settings for Pad Threshold and Velocity Curve, in my testing, I didn’t find that they had a huge impact on the results. While some settings worked better than others for me, I still had difficulty getting predictable velocity levels when playing. I suspect that this would get better with practice, and of course, velocity can always be edited easily in Live after recording, but it’s still a bit frustrating. (Truth be told, this same thing is true of most of these same pads I’ve used on MIDI controllers from multiple manufacturers over the years, and
it’s unfortunate that the technology hasn’t improved any more along the way.) Conclusions: While the Ableton Push has a couple of minor deficiencies in my view, my review unit was one of the first production models of a “Version 1.0” product, and I’m confident that it’ll get better over time, or as Ableton expands more widely into hardware products. But the minor negatives were almost completely overridden by the overthe-top, sheer fun factor that Push offers the Ableton Live user. I could (and did) lose myself for hours exploring my Ableton Live sound library—for which I found new appreciation—playing with various musical ideas and missing my bedtime more than once in the process. Push represents some clear outof-the-box thinking, something we could certainly use more of when it comes to products aimed at musicians. Given its price point (starting at $599 suggested retail), it might be a bit steep of an investment for some users, but still seems like it could (and should) find a place in the studios of virtually any hardcore Ableton Live user. If you have any questions for Wesley Bryant-King or Making Tracks, please send them to djtimes@testa.com.
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DOUBLE DOSE: NI TRAKTOR KONTROL S4 MK2: NI’s new flagship controller.
By Paul Dailey & Reed Dailey With two reviews of new controllers from Germany’s Native Instruments, this month’s Sounding Off takes us to Berlin via Boston and Atlanta. Mass.-based DJ Paul Dailey tests NI’s Traktor Kontrol S4 MK2, while Georgia jock Reed Dailey handles NI’s Traktor Kontrol Z1 (for the company’s iOS app). And no, the two writers are not related.
Traktor Kontrol S4 MK2
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
After 25 years spinning with vinyl and CDs, I finally made the switch to a Digital Vinyl System (DVS) three years ago. I started out with CD time-code and my Pioneer CDJ-1000 players, but soon found I wanted to take things further and converted to the Traktor Kontrol S4 controller from Native Instruments. My original S4 has been a workhorse for me since its 2011 release, flawlessly serving me across a spectrum of events from weddings to nightclub.
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Z1: Works perfectly with NI’s iOS app.
With a solid built-in soundcard, easy set up and built-in mappings for nearly every feature out of the box, the S4 puts a myriad of control at your fingertips. Having said that, there certainly were some omissions on the original S4 that prevented it from receiving an A-plus grade from me. I am happy to report that most of those exclusions were addressed in the newest addition to the Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol lineup, the S4 MK2. While the new S4 MK2 ($799 MAP) retains the look, feel and functionality of the original, it has a number of augmentations that make it a much more capable piece of gear. As soon as you power it up and begin to dig around, you will find enhancements and improvements abound. Initial Impressions: First things first, NI has taken the wow factor of the S4 and super-charged it. The new controller looks much more modern with 12 back-lit RGB keys for each deck (similar to NI’s Traktor Kontrol F1), aluminum jog wheels, and a slick, polished aesthetic. Like many things I will mention here, this might not be enough to entice current S4 users to upgrade. But speaking truthfully, the MK2 looks much better than its older brother. Speaking of those RGB buttons, they are made of thick, responsive rubber—a bit of an improvement on the original’s plastic buttons. And I must say that this makes all the difference in the world, not only visually— as the colors tells you what they represent (cue, loop, fade, grid, etc.)—but also functionally. You can play the cues like the pads on an Akai MPC unit (or NI’s Maschine controller) without fear of a miss-hit. These are particularly valuable if you are a hot-cue fiend (like I am) or are looking for an introduction to remix decks. Those who are entirely interested in the full power of remix decks may still want an F1 controller, but this is a good start. Improved and reconsidered faders represent another big step forward, with better look and feel—I found these to be miles more accurate and responsive. NI has
also improved the pitch sliders, making them smoother and more precise in smaller increments—great for oldschool DJs who like to ride the pitch during a mix. You will also see a big variance in the accuracy and feel of the previously mentioned aluminum jog wheels, making scratching a lot less cumbersome. Fans of Native Instruments know that the Berlin-based company has put a great deal of effort behind their iOS apps. While I am a fan using them with NI’s mini controllers (F1, X1, Z1), I am not as excited about DJing with my phone and the S4. Generally, I believe that if I am going to lug my S4 to a party, I might as well bring my laptop and get the full power of Traktor. (The new Traktor Kontrol S2 MK2 may be a better fit.) But for those looking for a simple set-up with a ton of minimalist wow factor, the iOS apps work flawlessly with the new S4. Bear in mind here, this is not the S5, this is the S4 MK2—so there’s the implication that NI sees this as an update, as opposed to a new product. This also means that a few long-standing omissions remain unresolved. On my list of issues about the original S4, the lack of a booth output was front and center. NI has addressed this with the new MK2— sort of. NI did add a switch to the rear of the unit that allows DJs the assign the ¼-inch outputs to “booth.” But that then introduces two other issues. One is that you now are left to use the only remaining output (and unbalanced RCA) as your “main output.” The second is the booth volume knob was inexplicably placed on the rear of the unit—rendering it nearly pointless, in my view. To me, there’s simply no reasonable explanation as to why NI didn’t add a balanced XLR output for the main and a separate output for booth, with a volumecontrol knob on the top of the unit. Quibbles aside, the new S4 MK2 is a great controller and full of features that have a very positive impact on usability and performance. While I am not sure that all the current users will be lining up to trade in their old S4 units, those who do will find a piece that’s fun to use and truly worthy as the flagship in NI’s controller line-up.
Traktor Kontrol Z1
It was pretty easy to assume that, following the successful release of Traktor’s DJ applications for the iPad, IPhone, and iPod, Native Instruments was likely to launch a controller to be used in conjunction with the application. With that said, welcome to the all-new Traktor Kontrol Z1, with a full 3-band EQ, two-channel volume control, dedicated FX control knobs, crossfader, and cue buttons. The Z1 is the ultimate portable controller,
mixer, and sound card all packed into an easy-to-use plug-and-play experience and works with both Traktor Pro and the Traktor DJ applications. The plug-and-play experience has never been easier with the Z1. Simply use the provided USB-to-iOS 30-pin cable to connect the Z1 to your iOS device. From there, it is just as simple as a push of a button or the turn of a knob and you are instantly in the mix. The ability for a user to have a set of physical knobs and faders has transformed the Traktor DJ app from a nice toy into a full-fledged DJ setup. If that wasn’t enough, the Z1 is also
a soundcard, which is critical for DJs and allows you to connect to a sound system, as well as headphone cue your next track. Modulation is one of the things we love about the new Z1 Traktor setup. While the Z1 can provide any user with the necessary controllers they need, the Z1 works in perfect harmony with the X1 or F1 to give users an enhanced experience. Native Instruments has also done a fantastic job of ensuring that the form factor remains the same throughout the company’s portfolio of controllers and devices. While this might not
be a major point of contention for most users, it does provide a seemingly familiar experience for those already familiar with other Native Instrument devices. This is especially handy when it comes to leveraging road cases used for such products as the X1 and F1. It also brings the Z1 controller to the same height of many of many traditional mixers and sound equipment. The all-new Z1 is perfect for both DJs on-the-go as well as DJ on a budget. At $199 (MAP), it is easy to see that the Z1 is a perfect and affordable solution for anyone looking to rock a party.
GETLOW KSub KW181
™
Need more bass? K Family subwoofers deliver. Whether you need the punch and high portability of the KSub or the chest-pounding low frequency output of the KW181, these 1,000 Watt workhorses are the perfect compliment to any of the K and KW Series full-range active loudspeakers. Visit your local QSC Authorized Dealer for a demonstration and be prepared to get low.
qsc.com
© 2013 QSC Audio Products, LLC. All rights reserved. QSC and the QSC logo are registered trademarks of QSC Audio Products, LLC in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and other countries. The House of K logo is a trademark of QSC Audio Products, LLC.
MOBILE PROFILE CAREERS…INNOVATIONS…SUCCESS STORIES
A
5
DECADE CAREER…—
WITH NO INTENTION OF STOPPING Veteran: Denny McConnell began DJing in 1974.
By Chuck Fallon
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
Reading, Pa.—Denny McConnell, a DJ since the Nixon Administration, started his career at a club, back when they were called discos—on a bet.
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“I bet a friend that I could get a job at this new nightclub that was opening in our area,” says McConnell. His friend replied, “What do you know about being a DJ?” To which Denny said: “We go dancing all the time and I know what I like to dance to.” The next day McConnell went to the club, which was under construction, and asked to speak to someone in charge. A friend of his appeared from the back of the club and asked what he needed. McConnell asked what, exactly, was the club going to be? The friend said it’s going to be a discotheque with a DJ—not a nightclub with a band. Then he informed McConnell that the company installing the sound and lights was going to train the DJ for the first two weeks that the club was open. So for the next two weeks, McConnell and seven others played music for 20 minutes each, and then received a critique. “It was things like, you shouldn’t have played this song after this one, and the BPM—which I had no idea what it was—was too far apart.” The club was immaculate—its system included Crown amps, a Meteor
Clubman mixer and two pre-1200 Technics turntables. A light show illuminated the entire dancefloor and a wall behind the dancefloor. The dancefloor was set on its side against the wall, with a gigantic $10,000 computer built into the wall to run the lights, a series of knobs above the mixer that positioned the lights to do something different at certain spots. “After the two weeks, I was chosen as the best and got the job,” he says. “I was playing LPs and 45s— sometimes I would take two 45s and mix them to make the song longer.” The pay for that job? He made $25 a night, playing from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Says McConnell: “I thought that was fantastic.” He stayed at the club for a year, but was replaced by a radio DJ from a town 40 miles away, who came in and promised to pack the club. But that didn’t prevent McConnell from pursuing a life behind the wheels of steel, primarily as operator of Music to You. Fast forward through several Billboard Disco Conventions—where he saw the first 12-inch singles—and the karaoke craze in the ’80s, trivia and Jeopardy in the ’90s, beer pong and bean bag toss and videos in 2000s, and photo
booths in 2012. But now, at 65, things have changed. “I have noticed that brides look at me different,” he says. “Back in the ’70s, I was a young, hip guy and there were only a handful of DJs to choose from—so most times I would get the job. Now we are in 2013 and there is a DJ or someone who thinks they are a DJ—and I say someone, not some guy, because it is not only guys you are up against, it is girls, too, and they are skilled a lot more. And there are hundreds to choose from.” A similar thing happens when McConnell meets the person in charge of the upcoming school dance . “When they see me, I get, ‘You don’t look like a DJ.’ And I say, ‘What does a DJ look like?’ It’s not how I look, but how I entertain that makes the difference. I get people coming up to me all the time with, ‘Wow, you are really good. We didn’t expect you to play the music you played.’ But it’s my job to know the music that suits the crowd that’s in front of me. I know music from the ’30s and ’40s right up to what is popular today in all formats.” The biggest evolution he’s has seen in the last 10 years is the DJ’s chang-
ing role. “The DJ has stepped out from behind the booth,” he says, “and has really become an entertainer— from MC to dance instructor to lighting engineer to video mixer/editor to photo booth operator. It’s no longer just playing music.” We asked McConnell what his family thinks of his DJing. “That is a loaded question,” he says. “I have been married for almost as long as I am a DJ. I have two daughters, for whom I did their school dances and birthday parties and some of their friend’s parties and weddings. They thought it was cool that their dad was a DJ. “My wife? I am not so sure that she likes what I do. The money is great, but there is no such thing as a weekend—unless we plan it at least a year in advance. Her parents are still waiting for me to get that real job. One of the things I remember is being the one that got the kids ready for school because mom had to work. My DJ job gave me a lot of freedom to pick and choose what jobs I did and when I worked. I also was the t-ball coach for my oldest daughter. So I think the answer is, yes—they like me being a DJ.”
BUSINESS LINE SALES…MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…
The DJ industry’s most astute minds and up-and-comers gathered at the DJ Expo in Atlantic City this past August to broaden their knowledge with actionable ideas. What follows is Part 2 of my wrap-up:
WEEKDAY GOLD Weekday Gold: This information-packed seminar, chaired by Massachusetts mobile Terry Moran, contained a wide range of ideas to help generate income during the week. Alex Nepa (aka Kid AV) described how he organizes and promotes “Electric Events” in college towns, capitalizing on the EDM explosion. Ohio-based panelist DJ Toad, who specializes in proms and other big shows, in marketing to teens, advises DJs not to over-promote their events. Text message marketing should be used sparingly, he says, as it’s the teens themselves who will create a buzz for the event. Jason Weldon of Pennsylvania’s Synergetic Sounds suggested that DJs offer audio-visual services to By Gregg Hollmann local hotels to generate weekday income. This business is relatively easy to get into, requiring a 4- or 8-channel Mackie mixer and two “really good” wireless microphones. Weldon also suggested that DJs explore managing the uplighting at local hotels and banquet facilities. North Carolina’s Collin Yarbrough offered advice on navigating the depressed bar market. The stereotype that bar gigs have only paid $200 since 1970 is largely true, and today there are more DJs willing to undercut each other and do jobs for $150. Specifically, DJ Collin Y suggested that DJs focus on building up a bar’s weakest nights and working out percentage of sales deals. If the first week is a bust, then tell the bar owner, “No charge tonight—we got you covered.” Creating a partnership with the bar owner will help a DJ stand out in a crowded field. In the Boston area, Moran (BarPubFun.com) offers an array of creative bar games (e.g., Fat Boy Olympics) and trivia services. Moran has scaled up his business performing at 17 bar events per week, with the small money accumulating over the course of a year. One hot pub game out of the United Kingdom for DJs to keep an eye on is “Rock-n-Roll Bingo”—a game where the caller plays music, and the numbers on the bingo cards are replaced with songs and artists. Finally, Moran advises DJs to seek out midweek work at assisted-living communities, where there is often a full-time activities director with a budget for entertainment.
5 MOVES The 5 Moves of DJs Who Dominate. Wedding-marketing expert Rick Brewer made his debut at the DJ Expo, sharing tips to grow your wedding business. They included: Act as a consultant to a bride, don’t act like a salesman. In the consultation process, willingly share advice. Be empathetic to brides—they are often under a lot of pressure. “Sell the appointment.” Selling the appointment offers the highest closing rate of any means of contact with a prospective bride. By booking more sales consultations, a DJ will naturally book more weddings. Business Line Section: “Money Man” Jerry Bazata of DJ Jaz Entertainment in Maine stressed the importance of “knowing your numbers” and “managing the bottom line.” The starting point in budgeting should be income—i.e., how much profit do you want to earn? DJs should know without any hesitation how much they are spending on advertising per wedding gig. Bazata also stressed the need for a DJ to identify his or her value proposition, and then market to those who find these attributes important. In other words, what makes your services stand out in a sea of competitors? To help answer that question, check online reviews to see what aspects of your service were memorable.
TAKEAWAYS FROM DJ EXPO ’13, PART 2 DON’T DO THAT Nightmare DJs: Don’t Do That! Joe Bunn of Joe Bunn DJ Company returned to the Expo with a new seminar to benefit wedding DJs of all experience levels. Bunn’s company is crushing it in North Carolina, performing at some 400 weddings per year. Bunn shared one of his company’s marketing videos featuring the proverbial “nightmare wedding DJ” who commits a series of mistakes including tacky attire, botching a first dance, bad sound, outdated line-dance routines and long smoke/meal breaks. After watching this fictitious DJ train wreck, the video shows a slide “and then there are Joe Bunn DJs” followed by a short selection of tasteful footage. The video concludes with “choose wisely, brides and grooms.” The errors in the video were glaring. But according to Bunn, there are many areas where DJs can improve their service quality. At a wedding job, it is critical for DJs to focus on the party. Bunn does not allow texting or talking on the phone while in the DJ booth. He also prefers that his DJs not be provided a meal at a wedding, suggesting that DJs who accept these meals may be eating their tips.
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
PARTY FAVORS
30
Implementing Successful Protocol for Party Favors by Sherman Specialty: Sherman Specialty’s George Sutherland shared strategies on how DJs can offer modern party favors to generate extra income and to brand their businesses. He was joined on stage by several DJ company owners who shared examples how they successfully use party favors in their businesses. Regardless the type of event, Sutherland advises DJs to show clients “hot sheets” and “party kits” of appropriate items. A DJ may need to take some time educating clients on how the party prop world has evolved beyond plastic leis and inflatable guitars.
Some of the DJ-company-owner panelists automatically include party kits in each of their DJ packages. When offering party prop packages, the panelists advised to keep it simple, having clients select from Package A or Package B. For those DJs who own Photo Booths, Sutherland advises that “clean props” be included in every package, as guests (particularly females) do not want to wear a used prop. Having modern party favors (e.g., LED products) at a celebration also serves to enhance your company’s image and reputation. Sutherland advised that DJs carry some of their own swag at events to distribute, and many of these items can even be branded with your company’s logo.
Conclusion: The 2013 DJ Expo offered a wide range of high-quality content across the business and performance spectrum. Seminar attendees returned from Atlantic City with notebooks full of tips and ideas. Numerous seminar speakers challenged attendees to put new ideas into practice. Weldon even laid down the gauntlet by stating, “I promise you if you quit your day job and go 100-percent with your DJ business, you’ll be successful.” We’ll see you in 2014! Gregg Hollmann is the owner of Ambient DJ Service in East Windsor, N.J.
GAMES
Games DJs Play: Darryl “Jake” Jacobsen of Affair 2 Remember Entertainment in New Jersey hosted his sixth consecutive games/ dance seminar to a packed room of DJs and party motivators eager to learn. The games ranged from the simple (the “Coin Flip Game”) to the creative (the “Hand Shake Game” and Jack Bermeo’s “Human Roulette”) to the somewhat risqué (Mike Kindlick’s “Clunch It”) to the outrageous (Adam Weitz’s “Rap Off ”). Mike Alevras (aka “Magic Mike”) also debuted a fun, interactive “Soul Man” line dance.
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NEW LOOK NEW COVERAGE
NEWS
FEATURES
MUSIC
INTERVIEW
VIDEO
BUSINESS LINE
GEAR
MOBILE PROFILE
EVENTS
25TH ANNIVERSARY
CHARTS
CONTESTS/GIVEAWAYS
GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
David & Goliath-Studio Global Truss America 4295 Charter Street Los Angeles, CA 90058 (323) 415-6225 www.duratruss.com DuraTruss Goliath-Studio crank stands feature a direct-drive, rack-andpinion design that, the company says, “eliminates problems with broken winch cables.” This design also makes these stands lighter-weight than old traditional stands without diminishing their capacity. These stands, which are made with lightweight aluminum components, range from 50 kg to 200 kg in weight and the largest model in the line can lift up to five meters. In addition, they feature a special auto break system for increased safety.
Go Ahead, Magma Day Mixware 11070 Fleetwood St, Unit F Sun Valley, CA 91352 (786) 362-5757 www.mixware.net The Multi-Format Workstation XL and Multi-Format Workstation XXL from Magma are two new universal road cases made from 9mm vinyl laminated plywood. Designed to fit DJ controllers from top brands like Pioneer, Numark, Denon, Vestax, and more, these cases feature a removable gliding laptop platform, solid aluminum profiles and springloaded latches. The rear panel can be removed to better access controller connectors and there is also a cable access port. The interior is padded and two straps hold the laptop in place.
Making the Upgrade
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
Out to Launchkey
32
Focusrite Novation Inc. 840 Apollo Street, Suite 312 El Segundo, CA 90245 (310) 322-5500 www.novationmusic.com Launchkey Mini from Novation is a compact mini-key instrument/controller that offers hands-on control of major Mac and Windows-based music software including Ableton Live, FL Studio, Pro Tools, Cubase, Reason and Logic. The unit comes with a 25-note keyboard, eight assignable rotary controls, seven function buttons and 16 velocity-sensitive, threecolor launch pads that trigger sounds, effects and transport controls. It comes with free software for iPad, PC and Mac.
Sonivox 561 Windsor Street, Suite A402 Somerville, MA 02143 (888) 800-0681 www.sonivoxmi.com Sonivox had released six of its software instruments in version 2.1, allowing for full support of the new Avid Audio eXtension (AAX) plug-in format for Avid Pro Tools 11. These include Twist 2.1 Spectral Morphing Synthesizer, Wobble 2.1 Dubstep Grime Generator, Vocalizer Pro 1.1 Vocoder Musical Instrument, Big Bang Universal Drums 2.1 Flagship Drum Instrument, Big Bang Cinematic Percussion 2.1 Cinematic Percussion Instrument, and Eighty Eight Ensemble 2.1 Flagship Piano with Splits and Layers. Users who currently have version 2.0 of these products can upgrade for free on the company’s website.
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GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
Mackie Lime Pie LOUD Technologies 16220 Wood-Red Road NE Woodinville, WA 98072 (425) 892-6500 www.loudtechinc.com
Speaker of the House Pioneer Electronics 1925 E. Dominguez Street Long Beach, CA 90810 (310) 952-2000 www.pioneerdjusa.com Four models are included in Pioneer’s new line of active DJ speakers: S-DJ80X, S-DJ60X, S-DJ50X and S-DJ50X-W. All speaker models feature three types of inputs—XLR, TRS and RCA—as well as a built-in equalizer that adjusts the high frequency range in one decibel increments from-2dB to +1dB. These models are built using a Class AB amplifier in a bi-amp configuration, as well as woofers made with aramid fiber cones and soft dome tweeters infused in magnetic fluid. The port hole has grooves, allowing for smother bass and midbass output.
Mackie’s MRmk3 line of powered studio monitors has been redesigned. The models now include a newly designed minimum-diffraction waveguide that the company says creates a wider sweet spot and open feel. Each model in the line has a rear-ported cabinet and comes packed with acoustic absorption material. The power amplifiers and transducers are also custom-matched for increased performance, while the models feature customizable acoustic controls and low frequencies that can be boosted by up to 4dB.
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
Together We Are One DJ
34
Audio Artery Kimmeltie 1 02110 Espoo Finland +358-9-2609115 www.one.dj One DJ is a fully customizable DJ software program that features Timeline Edit mode on each deck, allowing for on-the-fly recording and mixing. According to the company, this feature was “previously only found in studio software.” The decks can be scratched, looped and pitched with minimal latency and without the need for separate software. One DJ comes with a fully modular user interface and additional features include intuitive MIDI mapping, sync, high quality FX and Z-Plane timestretch and Beat detection.
GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
25th Anniversary Moments
Wedge Salad Chauvet 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com The Wedge Tri wash light from Chauvet is a triangle-shaped, remote-controllable wash light that creates columns of light. The unit fits standard 50mm truss systems and is housed in a compact, 1.4-pound casing and powered by three three-watt, tri-color LEDs. An IRC remote is included to control static colors and automated programs, while users can control the wash light in three- or eight-channel DMX mode. There are power and DMX outlets on the side of the unit.
FRANKIE KNUCKLES: THE GODFATHER OF HOUSE “I had no idea that I could make this a profession. It was just to help me pay for school, and now 25 years have passed. I used to tell myself that I wasn’t going to wake up one day and be 35-years-old and still playing records in a club. But, I just turned 40, and I figure that as long as there’s gonna to be an audience out there for me, I’m gonna keep on doing this.”
– Frankie Knuckles, June, 1995
Under Cover Operation JBL Cases 18922 N. Dale Mabry Hwy Lutz, FL 33548 (813) 995-6030 www.jblbags.com JBL Bags has introduced the only official protective cover for the JBL JRX200 series speakers. Covers are available to fit the JRX212, JRX215, JRX225, and JRX218S models. All of the covers are made of tear-resistant nylon with 5mm of thick foam padding These convertible speaker covers feature roll-up panels that let users operate their speakers with full functionality while they are inside the covers, as well as access the rear panel and carry handles.
READ ENTIRE INTERVIEW ONLINE djtimes.com
GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF
Maxx-ed Out BASSBOSS 9501 Cargo Ave, Ste. 600 Austin TX 78719 (855) 822-7770 www.bassmaxx.com
Looney Toontracks Toontrack www.toontrack.com Mastering II EZmix Pack is Toontrack’s second collection of settings completely devoted to mastering. Designed by mastering engineer Mats “Limpan” Lindfors, the collection includes 50 custom-made signal chain presets, as well as an expanded selection of back-end effects and a comprehensive batch of one-click signal chains to complement the company’s first pac k, the Mastering EZmix Pack. Mastering II EZmix Pack is designed to include content for different styles, genres and mastering needs.
The SSP215 Profundo Subwoofer is a dual 15-inch loudspeaker designed with a low height of 17.5 inches so that it can fit under low stages and ceilings. It is powered by a 4,000W amplifier with a comprehensive onboard DSP that features 96Khz, 24 bit processing. The unit has 15-inch low-distortion woofers that have four-inch voice coils and a power handling rating of 1200W rms. Additional features include an input attenuator and mute button.
One After 909
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
Modify - Production and Performance Tools 3 Veteran Road Patterson, NY 12563 (646) 331-3928 www.facebook.com/modifysounds
36
The “909 vs. Analog Filters” sound set is “a battle between the legendary Roland TR-909 drum machine and some classic analog filters, including a Moog Moogerfooger LPF, Sherman Filterbank 2 and the NIIO Analog Iotine Core,” according to the company. This 24bit quality set includes 513 drum hits and 322 loops that have been refined and processed using the Sherman filterbank and the classic Moog filter, among others. Designed for techno and house, the set is 524MB unzipped and features a tempo range of 123 to 133 BPM.
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DJ Times Digital Edition The on-demand resource for today’s DJ. Subscribers will receive one monthly email alerting them of the latest digital edition of DJ Times magazine, filled with the most up-to-date production tips, club, mobile, and radio DJ news. We will never sell, lend or use your email address for any other purpose than subscription-related services, and you can opt-out at any time. DJ Times Print Edition Physical product made for your hand...just like vinyl! Each print edition is delivered approximately 3 weeks prior to the 1st of each month. Subscribing in print means you get your favorite DJ publication weeks before it’s available to everyone else. We will never sell, lend or use your email address for any other purpose than subscription related services, and you can opt-out at any time.
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GROOVES TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS
MORE IS THAN ISN’T
“TENSION” EP u Mercury u Toy Tonics
“THE TRUTH” REMIXES
A wildly eclectic and varied LP brought together by its extreme dichotomies. Tracks like “A Lot of Night Ahead of You” and “Winter Is Coming” conjure soaring, trippy electronic soundscapes, while jazzy hip hop is explored on “Bathwater” and “See You Leave.” The organic, string-filled disco of “Behold, Numbers” is particularly instant.
For just straight-up, raw-dog house music, look no further than this riveting two-tracker—it just bangs. We love the title cut with its deep, hypnotic rhythm and sexy chord work—it’s a killer with big-room potential. “Levitate” delivers a slower, more robust groove, but it’s equal in intensity with some cool vocal work—a big beat vibe.
Tolfrey puts his considerable producing skills on display as he enlists Jefferson’s spoken-word vocals on this riveting new release. With mixes coming from Jon Charnis and Geeeman, the groove is dark, soulful and deliciously deep. Our pick here is the tough “Original Mix” with its bouncy vibe—very garage.
u RJD2 u RJ’s Electrical Connections
– Chris Caruso
– Phil Turnipseed
Nick Warren
René Amesz
“LA FABRICA”
u Nick Warren u Hope Recordings From the muscular club mix to the soulful, progressive vibe of the “Hernan Cattaneo & Soundexile Mix,” the tone is set on this wicked new single. Also check “Yoram’s Mix,” a thick, underground groover. (Bonus track “Buenos Aires” is a killer as well.)
u Matt Tolfrey feat. Marshall Jefferson u Leftroom
Karizma
– Phil Turnipseed
THE ENTIRETY OF MATTER
“LOOKING FOR A MEANING”
This incredible composition—12 instrumentals of varying tempos and flavors—features impassioned, feel-good pieces of rhythmic soundscapes and funky, Nu-Disco-nuanced dancefloor numbers. All-around beauty.
With a vocal sample that all house heads should remember, the soulful original mix with its chunky bassline and rugged groove is the pick here. But don’t sleep on Croatia Squad’s “nu disco” remix—big bass and lots of attitude. Also, bonus cut “10 Words” is a deep-tech monster!
u Kris Menace u Compuphonic
– Shawn Christopher
u Calippo u Enormous Tunes
– Phil Turnipseed WALL OF SOUND u Karizma u R2 A monstrous album in quality and quantity, this 31-track effort goes genre-deep. With ethereal, jazz-house grooves, four-to-the-floor bangers, disco-infused floor pleasers, tribal-percussion cuts and hip-hop instrumentals, there’s something for everyone here.
u Oliver u Fool’s Gold
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
This remix EP delivers a spectrum of genres between Nom de Strip’s joyous progressive leads on “Control” and the Tchami’s disco-minimalism on “MYB.” Dillon Francis’ reinterpretation of “Night Is On My Mind” shines with a punching drop merging electro-house bass with moombahton grooves.
38
– Chris Caruso “MOTIONLESS” u Project 46 u Monstercat Project 46 teams up with vocalist Seri to deliver an uplifting progressive-house thumper sure to bring a smile to your face. Seri’s airy vocals flicker atop the thick synths, it’s primed to conquer the main stage nearest you.
– Chris Davis
– Phil Turnipseed
“ALL LITTLE THINGS” u Wareika u Visionquest A must for deep-house dancefloors. Led by a deep, funky Club Mix that just reels you in with a smoking bassline, the package includes “The Visionquest & Nikko Gibler Remix” with its juicy groove and progressive-soul energy.
– Phil Turnipseed
THE GIFT THE CURSE
u Atjazz & Jullian Gomes u Atjazz This breathtaking full-length effort offers a sincere set of emotive and warm tunes full of soul and class, loaded with smooth, deep-house rhythms and colorful keys. Sheer bliss, top to bottom.
– Shawn Christopher
– Shawn Christopher “MECHANICAL REMIXES” EP
Good Guy Mikesh
RJD2
Download Corner
Each month in this space, DJ Times digs through the virtual crates to give you a quick sample of the plethora of extraordinary tracks available exclusively on legal download—care of our favorite next-generation “record” stores (e.g. Beatport, iTunes, etc.). “Release Yourself” (Original Mix) by René Amesz [Floorplay]: If you’re looking for a jacking, peak-time, big-room track without all the electro-house clichés, look no further. Amesz brings us a high-energy stormer with a monster bassline, familiar sample, enough vocal to be memorable and a break deserving of any festival without relying on worn-out banalities. Found on beatport.com. “On Patrol” (Ordinal Mix) by Good Guy Mikesh [Ellum Audio]: Somewhere between an abandoned Detroit theater and an industrial warehouse lies “On Patrol.” It’s a slow, brooding journey that starts with distorted bass stabs and a pulsing synth, but soon finds its way to a fuzzy, swirling chord interlude that completely envelopes you—only to be resolved back to the starkness. Found at beatport.com. “When L Met C” (Original Mix) by Lo [Superfreq]: Unrelentingly dubby, yet never monotonous effects are the star of this track, while the thick, deep bassline and slapping techhouse beat provide the unwavering foundation for this feast for the ears. Play only for the worthy. Found at beatport.com. – Robert LaFrance
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16. Publication of Statement of Ownership: Will be printed in the December 2013 issue of this publication. 17. Publisher: Vincent P. Testa, President Date: September 20, 2013
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DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
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MP3s in 56
Compiled As November 4, 2013
National Crossover Pool Chart 1 Daft Punk 2 Lady Gaga 3 Krewella 4 Enrique Iglesias 5 Rihanna 6 Katy Perry 7 Selena Gomez 8 Avicii 9 Britney Spears 10 Gali 11 Icona Pop 12 Hannah 13 Kylie Minogue 14 Ayah Marar 15 Georgie Porgie 16 Martin Garrix 17 Kim Cameron 18 Flo Rida F/ Pitbull 19 Tiesto F/ Kyler England 20 Robin Thicke F/ Pharrell & T.I. 21 Empire Of The Sun 22 RH3 23 Sophia May 24 Cindy Valentine 25 Alina Artts 26 John Legend 27 Ricky Martin 28 Dj Sammy F/ The Jackie Boyz 29 Zendaya 30 Teri Bristol 31 Cedric Gervais & Howard Jones 32 Havana Brown 33 Michael Butera 34 Duck Sauce 35 Lana Del Ray 36 Leann Rimes 37 KromOzone Project 38 Esquille 39 Dj Max Hardcastle 40 Wesley King F/ Carol Hahn
Lose Yourself To Dance Applause Live For The Night Turn Up The Night What Now Roar Slow Down Wake Me Up Work Bitch I’m Alive All Night Good Feeling Skirt Beg Borrow Steal Yea Yea Yea Animals Not Into You Can’t Believe It Take Me Blurred Lines DNA When I’m With You Anywhere With You (rmx) Wicked Ways Hit The Red Light Made To Love Come With Me Shut Up And Kiss Me Replay Tom-es Theme Things Can Only Get Better Flashing Lights Ignore You It’s You Summertime Sadness Spitfire Come Back Rock This Club Down Summer Love I Love My Radio
National Urban Pool Chart Columbia Interscope Columbia Interscope Island/Def Jam Capitol Hollywood Island/Def Jam RCA Ryal Big Beat / Atlantic Tazmania Parlophone Radikal Music Plant Casablanca Side FX Atlantic Republic Interscope Astralwerks Firm Grip Tazmania Dauman/Global Groove REC Columbia Sony Robbins Hollywood Music Plant Robbins 2101 Music Plant Casablanca Interscope Curb KZP Global Groove Trippinout Moonworks
Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Ayah Marar Wesley King F/ Carol Hahn Alina Artts Madame Freak Cindy Valentine Britney Spears Ricky Martin Martin Garrix Dj Sammy F/ The Jackie Boyz Martin Eriksson
Reporting Pools
Beg Borrow Steal I Love My Radio Hit The Red Light Ride It Wicked Ways Work Bitch Come With Me Animals (Re-mixes) Shut Up And Kiss Me Walking Away
Radikal Moonworks REC Madame Freak Dauman/Global Groove RCA Sony Casablanca Robbins Southside
n Dixie Dance Kings - Alpharetta, GA; Dan Miller n Lets Dance / IRS - Chicago, IL; Lorri Annarella n Next Music Pool - Los Angeles, CA; Bob Ketchter n Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo n OMAP - Washington, DC; Al Chasen n Central Ohio - Columbus, OH; Fred Dowdy n NW Dance Music - Shoreline, WA; John England n New York Music Pool - Levittown, NY; Jackie McCloy n Pittsburgh DJ - Pittsburgh, PA; Jim Kolich n Soundworks - San Francisco, CA; Sam Labelle n Northeast Record Pool - Revere, MA; Justin Testa n Pacific Coast - Long Beach, CA; Steve Tsepelis n Majik Boys - Los Angeles, CA ; Jeremy Martorano n Fusion Radio - Chicago, IL; Manny Esparza n WPTV-Prty 105FM Frd MdMx - New York, NY; Mike Rizzo n MOOD Spins - Seattle, WA; Randy Schlager n B 98.5 - Staten Island, NY; Mike Gloria n KPAT / KSXY - 25 Markets; DJ Creativity Looking for these titles? You can hear them and buy them at www.dancekings.com. Just click on the links in the chart. DDK has limited memberships available for qualified DJs in the US. We service CDs and MP3s in dance and urban formats. Feedback and membership dues required. 770-740-0356
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Toni Braxton & Babyface Tamar Braxton Chrisette Michele John Legend Wale F/ Sam Dew Eric Benet Jay Z F/ Justin Timberlake R. Kelly TGT Robin Thicke F/ Pharrell & T.I. Chris Brown F/ Nicki Minaj Fantasia F/ Kelly Rowland & Missy Eliott French Montana PartyNextDoor F/ Drake Tyga F/ Future Dj Khaled F/ Nicki Minaj,Rick Ross & Future Drake F/ Majid Jordan Mario Jaheim Robin Thicke
Hurt You All The Way Home A Couple Of Forevers All Of Me LoveHate Thing Runnin’ Holy Grail Genius I Need Blurred Lines Love More Without Me Ain’t Worried About Over Here Show You I Wanna Be With You Hold On We’re Going Fatal Distraction Age Ain’t A Factor For The Rest Of My Life
Motown Epic Motown Columbia Atlantic Capitol Roc Nation RCA Atlantic Interscope RCA RCA Interscope Warner Brothers Republic Cash Money Cash Money RCA Atlantic Interscope
Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5
Drake F/ Majid Jordan R. Kelly Ronald Isley F/ KEM Raheem DeVaughn Leela James F/ Anthony Hamilton
Hold On We’re Going Genius My Favorite Thing Ridiculous Say That
Cash Money RCA EOne Mass Appeal Jam Tam
NEW National Latin Dance Pool Chart 1. J Martin Cada Vez Que Te Vas 2. Rigu feat Toby Love Y Es Que La Quiero 3. Zawezo Me And My Cup 4. Alejandro Fernandez Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti 5. Tito El Bambino El Carnaval 6. March Anthony Vivir Mi Vida 7. Delilah feat Demo Lyrics Sexy (Bogart Remix) 8. Enrique Iglesias & Romeo Santos Locos 9. Juan Magan feat Paulina Rubio Mal De Amores 10. Grupo Niche Tocando El Cielo 11. Mauro Mosquera La Ruñidera 12. Charlie Zaa Digo Yo 13. Prince Royce Darte Un Beso 14. Joey Montana feat Pitbull Love & Party (Remix) 15. Los Cadillacs Bom Bom 16. Wisin Que Viva La Vida 17. Omar Enrique Sobrenatural 18. Toby Love Hey 19. Charlie Cruz Labios De Puerpura 20. David Kada Esos Celos
PPE Warner Musica Digital Launch Universal Venemusic Sony Latina Princess Universal Universal PPM USA Codiscos Entity Top Stop Music Universal Crossover Promotions Sony Crossover Promotions Top Stop Music LP A&A
Most Added Tracks 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Raulin Rosendo Botando Chispas Marlow Rosado This Love (Salsa Mix) Andreas Bocelli & Jennifer Lopez Quizas, Quizas Johnny Rivera Por Fin Paro La Lluvia Jorge Santana feat Aki Starr Gracias Madrecita (Reixes)
Orlando Prod. Pink Chaos Universal Orlando Prod. The Misha Music Co.
Reporting Latin Pools n Latinos Unidos Record Pool n Salsamania Latin Record Pool n Lobo/Bass Record
Pool n Urban Tropics Music Pool n North East Record Pool n Mixx Hitts Record Pool n Ritmo Camacho Record Pool n Ritmo Internacional Record Pool n DJ Latinos Record Pool n Mass Pool n Record Pool Latino n V.I.P. Chicago Record Pool.
White Shadow
(continued from page 16) White Shadow: Born This Way came out, and about a week later, she called me and was like, “Next album is called ARTPOP. Let’s start working on it.” [Laughs] So we literally worked on this album since the week after the last one came out. DJ Times: Wow. White Shadow: I’m not joking when I tell you that we’ve literally made 75 to 100 songs for this—just a shit-ton of music. When she was on tour, we were cranking out tracks and writing music by phone. We picked out the tracks we thought were the best and played them for the label, and they picked which ones they thought were the best, and from there we decided what we were going to do with it and finished those songs. DJ Times: Who else was involved in the album? White Shadow: She’s got Zedd, who’s on Interscope with her. The label had been trying to put them together for a while. We had two songs on the record, and then she said she wanted to meet that Zedd kid, who I thought was dope. They ended up hooking up for a couple songs together over a few weeks. When we were traveling through France, Madeon came through, and they ended up doing a song or two together. So really, the entire record is just us three. DJ Times: You helped write and produce the “Applause” single. Can you say anything about it? White Shadow: I’m not nervous about it in the slightest. I could say more about it, but the reason I’m not going to is because I don’t want people to have preconceived notions about it. It’s just better to hear it. I’ve been subjected to people’s opinions
when I go see a movie or something. People will tell you, “Man, you’ve gotta see this movie—it’s the funniest fucking movie of all time!” And then you go and see it, and it’s kind of funny. If they hadn’t have told you that it was the funniest fucking movie all time before you got there, you probably would’ve thought it was funnier. DJ Times: How does it feel to be involved with one of the biggest releases of the year? White Shadow: I was talking to a good friend the other day who’s a songwriter. He was like, “Dude, this is a big deal.” I didn’t really think about it. Honestly, we just made a bunch of good songs. They’re going to come out and we’re going to get drunk and that’s it! I’m excited for it to come out, though. I saw the video for the first time yesterday, and it’s really cool. DJ Times: It sounds like that you and Lady Gaga have special connection. What’s a studio session with the two of you like? White Shadow: Honestly, she’s like my sister. We fucking fight toothand-nail sometimes, but we love each other very much. She’s literally like a sister. She’s hilarious. I like being around her because she’s fucking smarter than I am in a lot of regards. I don’t know why she likes being around me, but we have a good time when we’re hanging out. Since meeting her, I’ve probably got 500 tracks on my computer. I meet with people who want to work with me, usually other producers, but it’s hard for me to work with other artists besides her. DJ Times: You uploaded a rap track to your Soundcloud last year called “Trap (AKA Cake)” that featured a pitched-adjusted voice which was discovered to be Lady Gaga’s. How exactly
did this come about? I don’t think I would have initially pegged her to be the pop star that’s rapping about snatching weaves on a trap track. White Shadow: I was in Chicago last year right when [Chief] Keef’s album had just come out and we were listening to it. We had been on tour and in a bus every day, so we were going around playing records, and whenever it was my turn, I’d play some real hard, gangster-trap shit. She was jamming out to it, and I told her I would make her one for her birthday. I made the beat and then recorded the rap into my computer. That night, I played it for her as birthday present, kind of as a joke. The next week we were in Amsterdam, cooped up and whatever, and she goes to me, “I want to rap this and put it out.” So we rewrote a couple of things so that it fit her steez better. She rapped it and we cut it probably within a halfhour—no joke. DJ Times: Crazy. White Shadow: I thought I was going to get in huge amounts of trouble for putting it out, so I pitched her voice down when I uploaded it. However, within 20 minutes someone online had figured it out, since every person on the planet has Garage Band at this point and could pitch it up. DJ Times: Are there any other projects you’re working on? White Shadow: I just produced the NinjaSonik record. I’ve also made some beats with Lex Luger, as well as Boys Noize, so I’m a little all over the board. I spent the week with Lex Luger in Virginia making a bunch of ghetto, awesome shit, and I was with Boys Noize for a few days making raging techno music. Not
DJ TIMES
DECEMBER 2013
Mat Zo: Unleavened DJ?
42
Get it right: I’m Mat Zo…
Not matzo.
sure where any of it’s going to land, but I’ll end up putting it out sometime. I also signed and finished an album for Diana Ross’s son, Evan Ross. DJ Times: What’s Evan’s material sound like? White Shadow: For lack of a better description, it’s going to sound like what I feel Michael Jackson should have been doing if he was still alive—really edgy, but still R&B. Imagine if the Daft Punk Tron soundtrack was an R&B record. He’s got a great voice, and obviously very solid DNA. DJ Times: Favorite producers at the moment? White Shadow: As far as electronic producers go, I like Wolfgang Gartner a lot. I think the guy’s a genius. I sit around sometimes just trying to think about how I’d get those sounds. I haven’t always been a huge progressive-house fan, but over the past two years, I’ve come toward it. People really want to hear it, so I’ve been trying to find what I like most from it. I also really like that pretty fucking crazy shit like Knife Party— stuff that’s really deliberately angry. DJ Times: Favorite track this year? White Shadow: I like that “Animals” track by Martin Garrix. I really like the minimalist drops that are happening in a lot of songs now. In my phone, I’ve got every track Chief Keefs ever done. I think the guy’s a genius, just like I think R. Kelly is genius. I like emotional shit, so it tends to happen at 70 BPM or like 140 BPM. “All Day” by SCNTST is my shit. It’s weird—for being a music guy, I’ve only got, like, 25 songs in my phone. When making music, I tend to listen to other people’s music less; but when I’m not making music and just DJing, I listen to loads n of music.
Photos By Danilo Lewis
Because I always rise to the occasion. Mat Zo, Next Month in DJ Times
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