DJ Times September 2015, Vol 28 No 9

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AMERICA’S FIRST MAGAZINE FOR PROFESSIONAL DJs ESTABLISHED 1988 SEPTEMBER 2015

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EXPO ISSUE EXPO ISSUE EXPO ISSUE EXPO ISSUE

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LESSONS LEARNED AT DJ EXPO

DOES INBOUND MARKETING WORK FOR DJS?

Steve Aoki's djtimes.com

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NEWS

DJ EXPO: 25 YEARS, BIG TALENT, BIG IDEAS

Atlantic City, N.J. – Finally, it’s here.

Much of the DJ world descends on the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J., this Aug. 10-13 for DJ Expo, the industry’s longest-running and most-successful trade show/exhibition. Produced by DJ Times and its publisher Testa Communications, DJ Expo celebrates 25 years with its 2015 version.

The show will present: an exhibit hall with more than 100 companies showing the very latest technologies and DJ-related products; nearly 30 educational seminars and sessions, discussing hot industry topics, offering useful tips or demonstrating new technology; and lively evening events, sponsored by exhibitors.

Showtime: As always, DJ Expo will have plenty of parties for attendees and exhibitors after the sun goes down. Set for Monday, Aug. 10, the Expo Kick-Off party at Scores Atlantic City in the Taj will offer attendees an opportunity to network, but it will entertain them and get them all in the party spirit as well. Hosted by Mike Walter of Elite Entertainment, the party will present DJ/singer/dancer Mandy Jiroux, who will perform her solo single, “My Forever.” Jiroux—a noted choreographer—will also lead partygoers through a new dance routine or two.

Then, Tuesday evening, Aug. 11, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Robert’s

Ego Lounge: Skribble to throw down.

Duke Dumont: Promo Only party.

Rooftop Oceanfront Bar & Lounge at Scores, Peavey Electronics and Jägermeister will present “The Art of the Mix,” featuring four hip-hop legends. Hosted by Public Enemy’s Keith Shocklee, the event will include performances by Grand Mixer DXT (of Herbie Hancock’s “Rockit” fame), Grand Wizzard Theodore (inventor of the scratch technique) and DJ Jazzy Jay (co-founder of Def Jam).

Also Tuesday evening, Promo Only will present a pair of events that will welcome Expo badgeholders. Late night at Mixx in the Borgata, Promo Only Summer Sessions Finale will present a deep slate of chart and club hitmakers, including Duke Dumont, Audien (America’s Best DJ nominee), Feenixpawl, Mako, Sak Noel, Atellagali and DJ Riddler. Earlier in the evening at the Music Box at The Borgata, Promo Only will present its annual awards show. Performing talent includes Icona Pop, Cash Cash, Kevin Rudolf, Liz, and Wild Style.

On Wednesday night (Aug. 12) at Scores, the Expo’s annual “DJ of the Year” competition will bestow awards in a variety of mobile-oriented categories. Hosted by Mike Walter,

Audien: ABDJ nom to play Mixx.

the event will include exciting performances from a variety of DJs, MCs and dancers. Who will take home the trophy this year?

Then later that night at the Taj’s Ego Lounge, America’s Best DJ nominee Skribble will wow Expo attendees with his annual performance at the “DJ Times & Friends” party.

Keynotes: This year’s DJ Expo will feature two days of keynotes that’ll take you back to the pioneering days

Brian Brunner Photography

INDUSTRY EVENTS…NOTABLES…MILESTONES

of hip-hop DJing. On Tuesday, Aug. 11, Grand Mixer DXT, Grand Wizzard Theodore and DJ Jazzy Jay will discuss the early days of DJing and will also explain how hip-hop became a part of the fabric of pop culture.

Then on Wednesday, Aug. 12, Marley Marl and DJ Polo—two members of the legendary Juice Crew—will discuss how the Queens-based collective began to exert its influence on New York city radio, hip hop, and, ultimately, America’s burgeoning DJ culture. (Editor’s Note: For the latest on DJ Expo’s seminars and panels, please see Feedback on Page 9).

Giveaway: At show’s end, DJ Times will present its annual “Ultimate DJ Giveaway.” One lucky Expo attendee will have his or her business card pulled from the hopper and take home valuable gear from ADJ (Mega Flat TRI Pak), Global Truss America (Global Truss Arch System), and Pioneer DJ (one HDJ-2000MK2, two XDJ-1000s and one DJM-900ST).

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Darian Simon/@dsimonsayz

Morrison, Col. – Flosstradamus gets the Red Rocks Amphitheatre crowd going at Global Dance Festival this past July 17.The three-day event was part of America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented

by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times. For more on the tour, please see Page 26.

5

16 Neon Futurist VOLUME 28

NUMBER 9

With His Second Edition of Neon Future, Steve Aoki Pushes Darker, More Emotional Themes, But Keeps the Big Beats Pumping

BY CHRIS CARUSO

24 Continental

America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times Goes Coast to Coast

BY DJ TIMES PHOTOGRAPHERS

26 The Right Stuff For Many Attending The DJ Expo, It’s Like a Family Reunion

BY JEFF STILES

DEPARTMENTS 9 Feedback

As Always, the Answers to All Your DJ-Related Questions

30 Making Tracks

Gibson Les Paul Monitors

32 Sounding Off

JBL Pro EON 600 Series

34 Mobile Profile

DJ Takes a Fashion-Centric Approach

36 Business Line

Can Inbound Marketing Work for DJs?

38 Gear

New Products from ADJ, Reloop & More

44 Grooves

Phat Tracks from Groove Armada, Serge Devant & More

48 DJ Times Marketplace

Shop Here for All Your DJ-Related Supplies

49 Club Play Chart

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

6

The Hottest Records, As Reported

by Our Top U.S. Record Pools

SAMPLINGS 10 Hannah Wants

Bangs the Bass

12 Gabriel & Dresden

Touring Classics

14 In the Studio With…

The Orb

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FROM THE EDITOR

Expo & Entrepreneurship If you’re reading this in Atlantic City, you’re probably at DJ Expo and, therefore, we welcome you to the Trump Taj Mahal. If you’re reading it beyond AC, we certainly wish you were here.

As you’ll read on Page 3 and elsewhere in this issue, DJ Expo brings together the industry’s best for three days of exhibits, three nights of events and four days of educational seminars.

There’s plenty of talent, knowledge and technology to be had, so we hope you enjoy it all and become a better DJ for your experience.

Onto This Issue: Our Chris Caruso connected with cover boy Steve Aoki for a one-on-one where he describes in-depth his approach to Neon Future II, his second full-length entry into a world that mixes futurism with crunching beats. In addition to enjoying a global DJ/producer career, Aoki the entrepreneur quite famously also runs Dim Mak, one of electronic dance music’s busiest labels. If you wanna know about the rewards of hustle, Aoki’s a good place to start.

In these pages, Caruso also connects with youthful trance favorite Andrew Rayel. At 23, he’s already played the world’s biggest festivals and most popular clubs, plus he’s enjoyed a string of well-received releases on Armada Music. In Samplings, he also talks with Hanna Wants, who discusses her rise through the bassline house scene. We talk with Gabriel & Dresden, as they explain their DJ-booth approach to their current Classics Tour. Also, Lily Moayeri goes into the studio with The Orb’s Thomas Fehlmann who details the group’s approach to its latest album, the dazzling Moonbuilding 2703 AD. In our gear-review sections, Wesley Bryant-King puts Gibson’s Les Paul studio monitors to the test in the Making Tracks column. Meanwhile, in Sounding Off, Jody Amos fires up JBL Pro’s new EON 600 Series of active loudspeakers.

From the world of the mobile entertainer, Jeff Stiles explains one DJ’s odyssey at DJ Expo. In Mobile Profile we connect with a Jersey-based jock who takes a fashion-centric approach to his profession. In Business Line, we ask the question: Can Inbound Marketing work for mobile DJs? We also venture out with our photographers for the third leg of America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times. This time, we go coast to coast—hitting New York (Cielo), San Francisco (Ruby Skye), with a stop in Denver (Red Rocks for Global Dance Festival) as well.

Nine more ABDJ nominees played, including David Morales, DJ Dan, Flosstradamus, Seven Lions, Kaskade, 3lau, Kill the Noise, Green Velvet and Manufactured Superstars. The ABDJ voting goes on until Labor Day and all voters (online and in-person) earn an opportunity to win gear from Pioneer DJ and a trip for two to the America’s Best DJ Closing Party/Award Ceremony Oct. 11 at Omnia Nightclub in San Diego. As they say, you gotta be in it to win it.

Cheers,

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

assistant editor Chris Caruso ccaruso@testa.com chart coordinator Dan Miller dmiller@testa.com contributors Jody Amos Joe Bermudez Wesley Bryant-King Ally Byers Shawn Christopher Paul Dailey Reed Dailey Chris Davis Tommy D Funk Michelle Fetky Jon Jay Robert LaFrance Michelle Loeb Evan Maag Duanny Medrano Lily Moayeri Phil Moffa Natalie Raben Scott Rubin Deanna Rilling Jeff Stiles Bruce Tantum Emily Tan Phil Turnipseed Ashley Zlatopolsky President/Publisher Vincent P. Testa FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TO ORDER SUBSCRIPTIONS, CALL 800-937-7678

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

Jim Tremayne Editor, DJ Times

8

VISIT OUR WEBSITE www.djtimes.com

DJ Times Sound & Communications The Music & Sound Retailer Sound & Communications ClubWorld 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 social media manager Shane Jacobs sjacobs@testa.com

advertising manager Tom McCarty tmccarty@testa.com art/production assistant Sherif Abdelnabi snabi@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 © 2015 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 September 2015

visit our website: www.djtimes.com

FEEDBACK

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how you use fixtures to make a big impact and big profits.

“XDJ-RX: Introduction to Pioneer DJ’s All-in-One rekordbox DJ System.” Sponsored by Pioneer DJ, this seminar will introduce Expo attendees to the XDJ-RX, an all-in-one, rekord‑ box-compatible DJ system with large, dual-deck screen and club-standard layout. This next-generation solution integrates two USB-driven players and a 2-channel mixer with powerful per‑ formance features. You can also con‑

nect additional CDJs and/or turntables and use the XDJ-RX as a stand-alone mixer. Bring your business cards… because one lucky seminar attendee will win a new XDJ-RX system.

“Eternal Lighting Presents: Light Up Your Bottom Line – A Simple & Easy $1,000 Raise Per Event With Lighting.” Have you hit a ceiling as a mobile entertainer? Looking to make more money each night without drag‑ ging out a photobooth or becoming a multi-op? By using uplighting, you

can make your clients happy and in‑ crease your bottom line. You can raise your average job price from $500 to $1,000 for just bringing out new, battery-powered, wireless, uplighting and more.

“Working Together to Improve the Industry.” The U.S. Disc Jockey As‑ sociation proudly presents a panel discussion and Q&A session on how the mobile DJ community can improve its standing with consumers, vendors, and even competitors.

7/14/2015 2:03:04 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 question that is not asked.

DJ EXPO: SPONSORED SEMINARS This year’s DJ Expo, set for Aug. 10-13 at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, N.J., will present nearly 30 educational panels and sponsored seminars, more than 100 exhibitors filling the show‑ floor with the latest technology, and three evenings of sponsored events.

Expo’s Sponsored Seminars include: “Moving Heads – Choosing The Right Fixture For Your Event.” In this ADJsponsored seminar, Arnoldo Offer‑ mann of Master School Dances will discuss choosing the right moving head for your event and how to get the biggest bang for the buck. You’ll also learn about some creative uses that al‑ low one mover to have many applica‑ tions. He’ll also talk about the different styles of moving heads offered today: Spots, Washes, Beams and Zooms.

“Turning Your Business into a MultiOp.” Presented by QSC Audio, this ses‑ sion will explain the benefits of expand‑ ing your business horizons, then offer specific ideas on how to do just that.

“Chauvet DJ Presents: Creative Lighting, Creating Profits with Jeremy Brech.” Great lighting makes a big impact and gives you the power to create amazing atmospheres your cli‑ ents will talk about for years to come.

In this informative and comprehensive seminar, Jeremy “DJ Jer” Brech puts that power in your hands with cre‑ ative lighting tips and techniques you can use right away to light the way to higher profits! Using the very latest Chauvet DJ gear, DJ Jer will demon‑ strate innovative ways to re-imagine

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SAMPLINGS

10

HANNAH WANTS: BANGIN’ BASS

Hannah took inspiration from classic U.K. garage.

Among an expanding sea of producers-turned-DJs, there’s something refreshing about Hannah Wants.

For starters, she discovered the magic of DJing before she was even old enough to legally enter a nightclub. But with the proper inspiration, the young Hanna Alicia Smith locked herself away to perfect the craft on her own. No shortcuts for her.

In the years since, she’s traded her belt-drive turntables for CDJs and has become one of the hottest acts to come out of the U.K. With deft mixing skills that bring together floor-crushing bass and crowd-shaking grooves, she has ascended to the upper echelon of the club realm. Along the way, she’s teamed up with fellow bassline house aficionado Chris Lorenzo for a stacked set of booming club killers like 2013’s “Kneadin’” and 2014’s “Rhymes.”

Now, she’s striking out wholly on her own in the production realm. This move—combined with the expansion of her What Hannah Wants brand across festivals like London’s We Are FSTVL—is sure to only propel her further up the ladder.

We recently caught up with the Birmingham bass maestro.

DJ Times: How did you pick up DJing?

Hannah Wants: Literally, it’s as easy as I walked into a club—underage actually—and I saw it was a big dancefloor and that the DJ booth was up in the air. Seeing the DJ was just one of those moments where I stood there and knew from that instant that is was what I wanted to do. I loved how he kind of messed around with what he was doing on the dancefloor, how he was controlling people, how they were engaged with him—just the whole thing. I absolutely fell in love, so I bought some turntables—they weren’t very good—for my birthday. I bought some vinyl, locked myself away, and taught myself. It was pretty much as simple as that.

DJ Times: Your sound channels jacking house and garage and just about everything in between. What are some artists that you feel really influenced you growing up?

Hannah Wants: Artists in themselves didn’t really influence me; it was really the sounds and style of the music that influenced me. One person who did influence me for sure though would’ve been DJ EZ. He’s a garage legend. When I was a kid, he used to release the Pure Garage compilations on Ministry of Sound; I have every single one of those. If you watch any of his performances on YouTube, his technical skills on the decks are literally second to none. He’s my inspiration in that I’m a DJ first and foremost. His skills on the deck are something else—I want to gain a legendary reputation like him.

DJ Times: Up until now, you’ve worked with Chris Lorenzo on most of your productions. How did you two begin a working relationship?

Hannah Wants: We knew each other from the Birmingham bassline scene. All the DJs kind of knew each other.

I don’t even know how [the relationship] started, but we just ended up making music together and made tunes that people were liking. It’s lasted for a couple of years, but I just kind of didn’t want to be pigeonholed with that. I don’t want people to think we’ve been DJing together—we’re solo artists. I didn’t want to be a thing where you see one of our names and automatically put them back together. That’s another reason why I’m doing solo productions instead of working with other artists now.

DJ Times: There’s a story that your grandfather was one of the first DJs in the UK. What’s behind that?

Hannah Wants: I never got to meet my granddad, but when he left the war, [the soldiers were] given some money.

My granddad thought instead of having live bands at events that you should be able to buy record players and play the music out loud. I can’t remember the exact year, but he was definitely one of the first if not the first person to put a speaker so people could dance without having a live band.

I think someone else was the official “First DJ,” but he was definitely doing it in that year if not the year before—so it was pretty cool.

– Chris Caruso

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SAMPLINGS

GABRIEL & DRESDEN:

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

TOURING CLASSICS

12

Always in The Box: G+D Classics

Andain – “Beautiful Things (Gabriel & Dresden Unplugged Mix)” [2003]: “One we have to play. Our fans know all the words and dropping it means there’s an instant singalong about to happen.”

Perasma – “Swing 2 Harmony (Gabriel & Dresden Remix)” [2004]: “Haven’t played this a lot in years, but we’ve found that was a dumb decision because what it does to a dancefloor cannot be explained in one short paragraph.”

Motorcycle – “As The Rush Comes (Gabriel & Dresden’s Sweeping Strings Mix)” [2004]: “Another instant singalong. This one has never really gone away and you can still hear its influence in so many different dance-music genres today.”

This summer found Josh Gabriel and Dave Dresden going back to their roots a bit, as the popular Cali-based DJ/ producer duo embarked on a cross-continental, 14-city Classics Tour.

Playing from open-to-close in some of North America’s more renowned venues, Gabriel and Dresden have been dropping any number of original productions, classic remixes and edits, giving their fans four to seven hours’ worth of music each night.

We caught up with G+D before they visited New York for a tour stop at the fabulous Cielo club.

DJ Times: How do you pace your set for a tour like this?

Dave Dresden: The key for us on this tour has been to really read the dancefloor.

We zero in on a few particular dancers, ones whose moves are helping to lead the club, and we ask ourselves, “What do they want?” Then we ask ourselves, “What do we want?”

Josh Gabriel: We also do a lot of things based on what tempo range the song is. In a seven-hour set with music ranging in BPM from 120 to 140, we sort of know that we’re going to have to start out with 30 to 45 minutes at 120-123, then maybe another 30 in 123-125, and so on and so on. Once we start raising the BPMs, we never look back.

DJ Times: What’s in the DJ booth with you?

Gabriel: We run Ableton Live 9 with a Native Instruments Audio 6 soundcard.

We run two stereo outs to a Pioneer DJM-900nexus mixer and raise and lower the faders just like any other DJ. We have all our songs in the “clip view” screen in Ableton arranged left to right by BPM. Currently, there are about 250 songs, parts and a cappellas on our screen.

Dresden: We like Ableton because it affords us the ability to both be engaged in the set at the same time. When we started out touring in 2003, Josh was on vinyl and I was doing CDs, but in the end the sets never felt magical like they have since we’ve been using Ableton.

DJ Times: What’s the division of labor in the booth?

Dresden: Josh controls Ableton and I do the transi-

tion on the mixer. Once the two songs are going, we both utilize the effects on the Pioneer mixer, mostly delay and hi/lo pass, to make the transition come alive. It’s very common to see all four of our hands on the mixer to create the perfect segue and build the tension in the club.

Gabriel: The most important part of our DJing is clear communication. We are often talking about what we’re going to play next, or how we should do the segue, or other things regarding the set.

Sometimes we’ll even map out the next hour of music while a song plays. Every night is different, so we need to be talking in order to make it all work.

DJ Times: How do the two of you prepare for each show?

Gabriel: We spend a good five to 10 hours a week going through old hard drives, CDs and records to find different songs to play on the tour. We want each show to be different from the last one and this project of locating all the music we have either made or spun has been a pretty intensive project.

We’ve had bad luck with hard drives over the years, so a lot of our lesser-known tracks were on CDs. Problem is we have over 35,000 CDs and they’re not organized in any way, so we’ve just been going bin by bin and importing the things we find. It’s been totally worth it because we’ve found some amazing songs, parts, alternate versions of songs, a cappellas, you name it.

DJ Times: Your partnership began as Dave being the DJ, while Josh was the studio maven. How has that evolved over the years?

Dresden: Over the years, we have both taught each other the finer points of our individual crafts so that now most of the things that go in to making Gabriel & Dresden music and DJ sets we both understand fully. That being said, Josh still operates the sequencer on the final mixdown and bounce and I still do most of the DJ-set A&R, but both of us could DJ or make a track on our own at this point. We just choose to work together because the results speak for themselves.

– Jim Tremayne

IN THE STUDIO WITH The Orb has been making music for 25 years now, with group cofounder Alex Paterson working with Thomas Fehlmann since 1995. And now the wildly experimental electronic duo marks its Silver Anniversary with its 13 th full-length studio album, Moonbuilding 2703 AD. While the number of tracks on Moonbuilding 2703 AD is limited—just four, running at almost 15 minutes each—they add up to a nice-sized album. It all started as one, very long, piece of music, which took a year to complete. Using a new creative approach, Paterson and Fehlmann separated it into four parts to give each a more personal and individual approach.

The Cuts: The ultra-trippy first track, “God’s Mirrorball,” gets wafty, but then offers some unexpected uptempo turns. The next, “Moon Scapes 2703 BC,” builds and launches in a more groove-based direction before spiraling into a brain-tickling breakdown. Track three, “Lunar Caves,” goes straight-up ambient, bubbling ethereally with a variety of textures for more than nine minutes. The finale title track is where the two let

go a bit more, dropping celestial samples over playful, funky breaks.

“If you listen to the album more than three or four times,” says Fehlmann, “you discover certain musical elements which evolve, coming back in a different context, but it is very much a composition from one big track. The only one that might be different is the title track, which was done after the other three where we looked for a few bits of our favorite sections we would like to repeat in some form. We felt in a good place and a little lighter in the approach of the last part.”

Technology has changed and The Orb along with it, at least somewhat, but the group’s liquid ambient sounds remain in the mix. “We never work individually,” says Fehlmann. “It’s always the chemistry of us two influencing what we’re doing.

The inspirational exchange, where [Paterson] brings something to the tune, I fiddle it in, he hears what the result is, and it brings him to wanting to find something which would cover other spots in the production… it’s a very intuitive, a ping-pong exchange of ideas very much based on the spot. I find this far more superior to the file-exchange concept.”

Working out of Fehlmann’s home studio set up in an isolated room in his Berlin flat, The Orb fellows still draw on a number of analog synthesizers for sounds. For example, two Korg MS-20s and a Korg SQ-10, Nord Lead 1 and 3, Oberheim OB-8, and Fender Rhodes are among the staples.

Also crucial for The Orb are analog effects, such as the Roland RE-501 Chorus Echo and SE-201 Space Echo, Waldorf XPole Filter, Eventide TimeFactor,Yamaha E1010 delay, and Moog Moogerfooger MF-102 Ring Modulator. The studio revolves around a 40-channel analog Soundcraft mixer, Hammerfall 16-channel audio interface, Ableton Live, and Genelec monitors.

While the sounds from sources are Fehlmann’s department, found sounds are Paterson’s responsibility, as he mans two Pioneer CDJ-2000s, two Technics turntables, two iPads, and a Pioneer DJM-900 mixer set-up in the studio. With this layout, Patterson finds samples, but also crude effects for which he uses Ableton Live’s Looper.

“Since we’ve been working with Ableton Live, the samples, for us, have a very different function,” says Fehlmann. “In the early days, it would be a more recognizable riff or sound which we would work with. These days, with the internal effects we have on our disks, the samples are just a source for something that brings us to a completely different result. We cut stuff up. We change tune and time and sometimes even backwards or forwards. Not even the creator of the original sound would recognize that we’re using sounds from his record.”

One thing that hasn’t changed is the prevalent sound of water in The Orb’s compositions. This is a nod to their attraction to nature and more often than not, it is generated from actual bodies of water, then treated in the studio.

“We love the water,” says Fehlmann. “The rhythmic use of water is very inspirational. There are sounds in our tracks that are direct water recordings. But when we make our synth sounds on the Nord, it is possible my choice of sounds is influenced through my watery listening perspective and I’m ending up with a patch that resembles water. But that’s more unconscious.”

– Lily Moayeri

14

THE ORB: MOONBUILDING Max Zerrahn

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

The Orb: (from left) Fehlmann & Paterson.

THE Undisputed

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NE O FU UR I ST WITH HIS SECOND EDITION OF NEON FUTURE, STEVE AOKI PUSHES DARKER, MORE EMOTIONAL THEMES, BUT KEEPS THE BIG BEATS PUMPING

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

BY CHRIS CARUSO

16

In a 2011 TV episode of 30 Rock, Alec Baldwin’s character—the zinger-slinging, right-leaning Jack Donaghy—muses about the media’s tendency to latch onto one part of a person’s image and craft an entire identity around it.

Then he drops a punchline about a certain fascist dictator and his paintings, but we digress.

Still, it’s an interesting phenomenon to consider, especially in regards to the current climate of blogs, tweets, and 15-second video shares. The electronic-music scene is not immune to this occurrence, with symbols like the deadmau5 rodent head and the Daft Punk helmets sometimes overshadowing the music as a vehicle to drive web traffic and more. Of course, there’s no denying that one of the most oft-discussed objects in dance music is the ceremonial cake that DJ/producer Steve Aoki regularly throws at crowds during his highoctane live performances.

However, to solely focus on the Aoki’s stage antics is to miss the much larger picture, as every cake toss or raft ride is simply the icing on top of a hard-earned career that comes on the back of years of hustle and grind. Whether it’s the literal hundreds of gigs he plays each year or his diligent studio approach that’s spawned chart-topping—and stage-slaying—anthems like “Boneless,” “Beat Down,” and “No Beef,” the former punk vocalist’s fire has never flickered.

Outside the DJ/production realm, Aoki is an entrepreneur with a do-it-yourself attitude inspired by the spirit of the punk-rock bands

17

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

he grew up listening to. Having launched Dim Mak Records in his living room in 1996, Aoki has driven the Hollywood-based label into becoming one of the most important forces in dance music with releases from The Bloody Beetroots, Felix Cartal, Dada Life, and MSTRKRFT. Ever the business mogul, Aoki has plans to further expand the Dim Mak empire, with his eyes set on crossover success via ventures into consumer arenas that include lifestyle apparel and even a new line of sunglasses.

Over the past year, however, Aoki has embarked on his biggest solo project to date: an expansive multimedia experience dubbed Neon Future. Comprised of two albums—Neon Future I and Neon Future II—the series is a wide-reaching affair that incorporates conceptual influences from science fiction, futurism, and philosophy. Both albums also see Aoki exploring new musical approach, balancing big-room behemoths like “Lightning Strikes” with more song-based productions like “Darker Than Blood.”

We caught up with the Dim Mak head honcho in New York City ahead of a summer’s worth of tour dates to chat about the new records as well as his perspective on a DJ’s responsibilities.

DJ Times: Why did you decide to the split Neon Future into two parts?

Steve Aoki: They were both conceived at the same time. For the first few months of 2013, I wrote a lot of ideas that would make up both albums. It was just too much for one album, and there were too many different emotional trajectories going on. I like to have a spectrum of directions whether I’m working with a hip-hop vocalist, pop singer, or band.

When I pretty much cornered what was going to make the album from all the different ideas, it made more sense to split them up.

A l s o, n o o n e

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

DIM MAK’S TOP 3 NON-EDM RELEASES

18

It’s currently regarded as one of the most important labels in dance music, but Dim Mak Records’ origins lie far outside the electro crashes and bass bombs on which many artists of its current roster have a firm grip. Here are few of label’s most notable non-EDM releases since its inception, all of which Steve Aoki had a firm hand in making happen.

1. The Kills – “Black Rooster” EP (2002): It’s hard to believe that the much of the label’s early notoriety stemmed from the success of The Kills’ lo-fi indie-rock offerings. While a few of the tracks later ended up on the U.K. band’s debut LP, their original splash helped put Dim Mak Records on the map.

2. Bloc Party – Silent Alarm (2005): It was nigh-impossible to go anywhere in 2005 without hearing “Banquet,” which makes Aoki’s involvement with the album (and the band’s preceding EP) even more interesting.

For this release, the label teamed up with Atlantic Records.

3. Little Boots – Working Girl (2015): Little Boots’ twinkling synth-pop style is the furthest you can get from Botnek’s slimy electro synths or Angger Dimas’ pounding bass, but her latest effort has found itself a fitting home on the Hollywood-based label. There’s no shortage of dance undercurrents, but the laidback, Lumideemeets-LCD Soundsystem jam “Better in the Morning” is just about the purest form of pop one could create.

– C.C.

wants to hear 20 songs on an album. Even 15 I think is too much for the way people listen to music. I also wanted to give each song its own life, and if I did one album then a couple songs were going to miss out.

DJ Times: What about thematically?

Aoki: I can also have two different themes of what Neon Future means because the themes are unique within itself for each album; the emotional context and depth of each album are different as a whole.

For example, on Neon Future I, the theme is really about science and technology affecting humanity—discussing the ideas of living forever, really. Ideas like that are why I’ve got Ray Kurzweil and Aubrey de Grey on there. On Neon Future II, I’m exploring more about entering into the space age and exploring ideas like time travel and astrophysics, which is why I brought in Kip Thorne and J.J. Abrams. Musically, Neon Future I is more fun. It’s more of an introduction like, “This is a party and we’re having a good time with Machine Gun Kelly and Waka Flocka.” On Neon Future II, the general musical theme is really more emotional and raw.

There are songs that are much more introspective lyrically and also musically.

DJ Times: They’re not just a collection of 12 or so songs. There are intros, interludes, and outros throughout it that really turn it into an experience. Did those come about organically throughout the recording process or was it something you planned to do?

Aoki: Both. The idea of it being a narrative was already in place before I was even putting this whole thing together. I wanted to write all these ideas and how it’s like a concept album, but the thing is when you think of it as a concept album you think of it being temporary. This, to me, is like a lifestyle concept album; I look at Neon Future as a very real-life goal, so that’s why it’s like I’m pressing and putting a lot more attention on the idea of a Neon Future by interviewing futurists and scientists and philosophers and people that spend their entire life, if not the rest of their lives, in doing research and really exploring all these concepts and talking about so it’s a very real thing. I guess that’s why in Neon Future I the narrative is different from Neon Future II, but they’re all interlinked from the same world; it’s just two different ideas, once more on the space and more on the meta-levels of futurism and once more on the science and the technology that goes with it.

DJ Times: How was the recording process different than that of Wonderland?

Aoki: I looked at Wonderland as more, “OK, here’s a collection of singles that date from 2008 to 2012.” Some of them were vaulted and kept safe until the album release. It was a timestamp of my music and—for me—a look back. It’s a rookie album. It was my first time really looking into an album, and it came at a time when most DJs that were recognized never actually released albums. Back then, there were only a few artists actually who released albums. There was David Guetta and Calvin Harris, who was doing more of an indie approach.

DJ Times: It was all singles then.

Aoki: Exactly, so this is definitely a more cohesive narrative that really abides by this Neon Future and lives inside this Neon Future world.

This is why I also look at it not just as a musical project. It’s absolutely a visual project, so that’s why I’m doing a video for every song.

DJ Times:Was the live experience a response to the material or was it developed in tandem?

Aoki: It’s definitely more of a response, but it was an ongoing response. We worked on the creation of the live show throughout all last year, and then we unveiled it in February of this year. So it’s got things like the robots on stage to some of the more kind of androidesque props. I was toying with that on [the Aoki for America tour] but it became what I call “2.0” or more advanced technology on this tour. You see it more with the visuals and the full production. It took a whole team to put together and we had two semi-trucks, three buses, a $100,000-plus production that we built.

DJ Times: It’s very different from just traveling to a nightclub with a USB stick.

Aoki: It’s just like I wanted to feel like the music in Neon Future, but Neon Future is also very new, so a lot of songs people didn’t hear and I was playing like eight to nine songs off the album during my tour like months before the album came out so in order to kind of like give that feeling to people because when you go to a show it’s not just an our tour experience. I always say it’s a full sensory experience when you go to any festival or show; you’re going to gauge and you’re going to judge the show; how much you’re seeing and feeling and hearing, actually seeing and hearing and most importantly feeling because all of what you see and what you hear all boils down to what you innately feel about it

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so it doesn’t really pull you out and take you to a place that I’m supposed to do and if it doesn’t, then I’m not doing the job I’m supposed to; that’s my goal.

DJ Times: The collaborations on the albums are extremely varied and unexpected. You’ve got Waka Flocka Flame, Fall Out Boy, Matthew Koma and Snoop Lion; how did you decide whom to work with and what do you think ties them all together?

Aoki: I think it comes together well in the fact that they are split up. There are a lot of hip-hop artists on Neon Future I because they kind of break open the doors of how fun Neon Future is. I want it to be fun, I want people to come in and enter this world in a more inviting way, and once you’re in then like it’s time to take you to phase two.

DJ Times: And what’s in part two?

Aoki: There’s more of a rawness in that the lyrics really speak out to you, and it has a depth where it might not hit you unless you are already inside. It’s like you’re reading a novel or a book; the first few pages introduce you to the deeper richness of the book. I can’t just get to page 100 until I have the first introduction, and then once you understand it and are with me we’re going to travel this adventure together. There’s a reason why it’s staggered. You’re supposed to be introduced by one and then enter into two.

DJ Times: You are used to doing around 250 gigs a year. How do you even find time to create an album amongst such a hectic touring schedule?

Aoki: It’s partially the reason why it took me over two years to do this album. I wrote a bulk of Neon Future I in the beginning of 2013 when I took off some shows and actually focused on that. Then I just powered through shows, and in the open pockets is when I was like, “OK, now I have studio time to work with Fall Out Boy, here’s some studio time to work with Luke Steele, and here’s some studio time to work with whomever else.” In 2014, I took a major show reduction from what I think was close to 300 to 220 for more time to finish the album. If you have an end date that you’re shooting for, it can little bit difficult because if you are putting everything around that date, it might not happen. That’s what happened last year with Neon Future I. I had everything lined up to come out in August, and then the album got pushed back and it was a huge issue for me because I had so much stuff riding on that month.

DJ Times: How do you adjust the plan accordingly from something like that? Do pieces have to get left behind? (continued on page 48)

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DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

Trump Taj Mahal Atlanatic City booth 1106

20

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... AT DJ EXPO DJ GIVEAWAY August 10-13, 2015 | Trump Taj Mahal | Atlantic City, NJ Be sure to drop your completed entry blank at the Expo registration desk.

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OAST-TO-COAST

GDF ’15: 3lau takes a leap.

The third leg of America’s Best DJ Summer Tour Presented by Pioneer DJ & DJ Times went coast to coast, hitting New York, San Francisco and Denver in between.

At NYC’s Cielo on June 27, we caught the legendary David Morales. At San Francisco’s Ruby Skye on July 4, it was DJ Dan. And at Denver’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre for Global Dance Festival, ABDJ nominees on the bill included 3lau, Flosstradamus, Green Velvet, Kaskade, Kill

Rocky Mountain High: Green Velvet cuts up.

In the Mix: DJ Dan at Ruby Skye.

The Legend: David Morales at Cielo.

Mixing: Manufactured Superstars in Denver.

Seven Lions: This is Red Rocks!

the Noise, Manufactured Superstars and Seven Lions.

As always, DJ Times was there, collecting ballots for the DJs and giving fans chances to win plenty of prizesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;like Pioneer DJ gear and a trip for two to San Diego for the ABDJ Closing Party/Award Ceremony at Omnia Nightclub on Oct. 11.

Photo credits: Ultra-Spective Photography (Ruby Skye); David Cova/Cova Images (Cielo); and Darian Simon/@dsimonsayz (Denver).

At Cielo: NYC gals at ABDJ booth.

In the Moment: Kaskade at Red Rocks.

Kill the Noise: Drops the bass.

Denver Scene: Voter at ABDJ booth.

COAST-TO-COAST

Trapped: Flosstradamus at Red Rocks.

THE RIGHT STUFF FOR MANY ATTENDING THE DJ EXPO, IT’S LIKE A FAMILY REUNION

BY JEFF STILES

“One year I even drove the 750 miles out in a vintage 1964 Chevy Impala to sell to a buddy— and fellow DJ who I met at the Expo years before—who was driving down from Boston to get the car,” he recalls with pride.

“Now that was a road trip!”

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

– DJ Sticky Boots

26

For his debut year at the DJ Expo in Atlantic City, N.J., this year, Adam Tiegs of Seattle’s Adam’s DJ Service says he anticipates traveling across the USA to become a Sponge Bob—albeit probably without the Square Pants.

“The reasons I’m going—along with expectations and goals—are as follows: I want to learn from fellow DJs, speakers, manufacturers, etc.,” says Tiegs. “I’d like to get some new ideas for activities at events, and learn about new products that might help me and my brand carry out many more successful events in the years to come for my clients.

“It would also be nice to have conversations with people like Lil’ Jon or others who have found success as career DJs. And I’ll also be sharing what I learn with fellow peers once I return to Seattle.”

We polled DJs from around the nation to find out if they have any personal narratives about their experience at the DJ Expo. How has it helped their DJ business? How has attending the annual convention helped with their marketing plans? Through the DJ Expo, have they established contacts that they’ve maintained over the years since?

And how, specifically, have these experiences and new contacts impacted your business for the better?

As a 20-year veteran of the DJ Expo, Blake Eckelbarger (aka DJ Sticky Boots) in South Bend, Ind., has been making the 12-hour drive out to New Jersey nearly every single year since 1995.

“One year I even drove the 750 miles out in a vintage 1964 Chevy Impala to sell to a buddy—and fellow DJ who I met at the Expo years before—who was driving down from Boston to get the car,” he recalls with pride.

“Now that was a road trip!”

Of course, when Sticky Boots first started attending the DJ Expo, not only did he not know anyone in the industry outside of his local area, but he also had no idea of the types of technology, business development and products that were available to DJs like himself.

“The Expo really opened my eyes those first few years as to what was possible and the networking opportunities were, and still are, invaluable,” he says.

“In the early days, seminars on employee training, speaking to prospects on the phone, contracts and legal issues, and party games were extremely valuable in helping me to polish my performance and improve.”

Over the years, Eckelbarger says that professionals such as Steve Moody, Mike Walter, Randy Bartlett, Joe Mongelli and Paul Beardmore have made a huge impact on how he looks at his business.

“The ideas and concepts I’ve gotten from them,” he explains, “have made my company far more profitable than I could’ve ever imagined—sometimes from direct application of something I saw in a seminar, and sometimes from just a nugget I took home with me and developed into a unique profit center that’s optimized to my own local market.

“From success with unique uplighting concepts and midweek trivia hosting, to even my success with radio mix-show syndication on platforms like Sirius/XM and Music Choice, the roots of these things can always be traced back to someone I met or a relationship I developed through networking in Atlantic City.

“The DJ Expo has been at the core of growing and diversifying my business on nearly every level.”

Sticky Boots says he’s always grateful to get opportunities to learn and meet people that offer to help, even after he returns home for those he can help in return.

“Not to mention, I’ve also met some of my best friends—both professionally and personally— through my attendance in Atlantic City each year,” he says. “Many of these people have become life-

long friends, and although we travel nationwide to hang out, work each other’s events and even stand up in each other’s weddings, the Expo is always our primary reunion each year.

“Our chance to break bread at the Expo is then nurtured the rest of the year via phone calls and private social media groups, which allow us to keep that same creative synergy in both marketing and performance going the other 360 days of the year.”

Jones of Direct Sounds DJs echoes that the DJ Expo in Atlantic City has indeed helped step up his DJ game.

“Being able to meet new DJs from different parts of the country and sharing stories about what works well in their area and what works well in my area is always a blast,” says Jones. “These stories really help me learn from others and open my mind to new possibilities.

“Seeing all the new gear that’s

ing,” he says. “Bouncing ideas off one another and then just laughing about stuff that didn’t work is always fun, too.”

Is there any advice that he’d offer to new attendees?

“My advice to new attendees would be to take a notepad and jot down what you like,” says Jones.

“Don’t feel pressured or get overwhelmed by all the bells and whistles going off everywhere. Keep an open

“The DJ Expo has been at the core of growing and diversifying my business on nearly every level.”

– DJ Sticky Boots

With the DJ industry moving faster every day in terms of technology and the lower cost of entry, Sticky Boots says for those who don’t attend the Expo there’s a greater and greater risk of getting left behind by a competitor who did in fact make the investment in themselves and their company through their attendance.

“I can confidently say that, had my staff and I not started attending, we’d likely still be doing a lot of things the way we did in 1998—or even 1978— and that model simply wouldn’t work in today’s market.

“The Expo keeps us current, keeps us sharp, and can really recharge our batteries,” he says. “In fact, I can’t wait to get back to AC this year!”

Way over in Gilbert, Ariz., Jeff

coming out is awesome as well. I always try to be the first in my market to use new gear. It gives me that competitive edge over other DJs, as having the latest and greatest stuff helps me in sales meetings to close the deal.

“Everyone is looking for that new ‘wow’ factor. They don’t want their wedding or special event to be like the one they just went to—they want that ‘We saw it at so-and-so’s wedding!’ factor.”

Jones adds that making new friends and staying in touch via social media is a huge benefit to Direct Sounds as well.

“Being able to see what my peers are doing in another market helps keep my own creative juices flow-

夀伀唀 䈀刀䤀一䜀 吀䠀䔀 吀䄀䰀䔀一吀Ⰰ 圀䔀 䈀刀䤀一䜀 吀䠀䔀 䘀唀一⸀ 䴀䔀䔀吀 唀匀 䄀吀 吀䠀䔀 ㈀ ㄀㔀 䐀䨀 䔀堀倀伀 䤀一 䄀吀䰀䄀一吀䤀䌀 䌀䤀吀夀Ⰰ 吀刀唀䴀倀 吀䄀䨀 䴀䄀䠀䄀䰀Ⰰ 䄀唀䜀唀匀吀 ㄀ ⴀ㄀㌀Ⰰ 䈀伀伀吀䠀 ⌀㐀 㜀 䌀䄀刀一䤀嘀䄀䰀䔀一吀䔀刀吀䄀䤀一䴀䔀一吀⸀䌀伀䴀⼀匀倀䤀一䤀嘀䔀刀匀䤀吀夀

mind and listen to what the speakers and others are saying.

“Write down what you like or think you could apply to your performance or business model, and then just ditch the rest.”

Down in Orlando, Fla., mobile jock JR Silva offers three pieces of advice for DJs making their virgin trip to Atlantic City this year.

“Make friends with other DJs in other markets,” says the owner of Silva Entertainment. “They aren’t your local competitor, so they can feel free to give you a fresh perspective on things that are or aren’t working in their market, and that information could speak volumes in your own market.

“Secondly, look on the tradeshow floor for ways to be more frugal or fascinating. Find equipment and lighting that makes it easier and faster to get set up. Bring something new and unique back to your market, so that you can be the market leader instead

of being just a follower.

“And finally, balance your time with business and pleasure. Plan your schedule so you’re working—gaining knowledge to grow your talent and business—when you should be, and then partying when the sessions are completed.”

Back to Tiegs in Seattle, we asked him his goals for his premier year at the DJ Expo in Atlantic City: “I plan to provide input to manufacturers about what we mobile DJs want with gear,” he says. “It seems that some companies can use direction from mobiles. Hell, even club DJs can’t make up their minds right now—turntables sometimes? CDJs and a mixer sometimes? Controller with Serato or Traktor on a laptop, maybe?

“But standalone units that would do everything without needing a computer would be awesome. I’d also like at least four mic inputs on my device, hot cues for multiple songs—not just samples or multiple cue points on one song—and then some other things.”

Of course, Tiegs says he also plans to have fun when he arrives in Atlantic City with three other DJs from his market—after taking the red-eye flight into Philly on Sunday night and then driving a rental car down to AC. “I’m really looking forward to the social aspect of parties and get-togethers,” he says. “I just hope to take a few things away from the Expo and perhaps contribute my expertise and experience when necessary.

“Maybe I’ll be a presenter in the future? A judge in a best DJ contest? I just really want to go in with an open mind and come away with a fresh perspective.” n

MAKING TRACKS STUDIO…HARDWARE…SOFTWARE…

By Wesley Bryant-King

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

There are few contemporary musical instruments as iconic as the legendary Les Paul guitar, first sold in 1952. The company that makes that guitar—Nashville-based Gibson—has evolved into a global music and pro audio powerhouse.

While best known for their guitars, the Gibson Brands family now includes consumer audio/home theater (such as Onkyo), DJ gear (courtesy of Stanton DJ), pro audio (through Cerwin-Vega and KRK), and even pianos (Baldwin) and music software (Cakewalk).

But back to Les Paul… Until recently, Gibson left the pro-audio duties to its other brands—notably KRK. With the introduction of the company’s new Les Paul Reference Monitor series, however, Gibson is applying its own name—and extending the Les Paul brand as well—to studio monitors. For this review, I had the opportunity to try out both the LP6 and LP8 monitors.

First Impressions: I have to give Gibson credit for breaking out of the “all black, all the time” mold that describes virtually all other studio monitors on the market. Taking a design cue from the aforementioned Les Paul guitars, this new monitor family couples a striking “flame maple” front panel with distinctive, Les Paul guitar-like high gloss finishes in cherry, cherry burst, and tobacco burst color options. In shape, material and finish, there’s no missing the connection to the iconic guitar line, right down to the simulated ivory banding and accents, and somewhat throwback

30

retro design notes. But you don’t have to be a guitarist to appreciate the aesthetic, or the fact that it brings a little vibrancy to what is usually a pretty monotone space—your studio.

The back panel of the monitors is in some respects just as interesting as the front. Both the LP6 and LP8 (there’s also the LP4 series, not reviewed here) sport multiple input options, and a broad range of tuning options. On the input side, there are two jacks: first, a Neutrik-style combination balanced 1/4 and XLR jack, and second, a regular RCA-style connector. For tuning, two controls are provided – one bass, one treble. There are more options here than I’ve seen on other monitors I’ve used, allowing you to dial-in -4, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 or +4 db on either audio range to optimize performance in your listening environment. Finally, there’s a standby switch, as well as the expected power switch, and the ubiquitous “C14” power plug.

Finally, the LP6 and LP8 monitors both seem to have slightly larger cabinets than most of their contemporaries with same-size drivers. I generally consider an 8-inch main driver to be the minimum for serious studio work (more on that a bit later), but compared to the 8-inch monitors I normally use, the Gibson monitor cabinets are heftier all around. In fact, the LP6s are just a tad smaller than my usual 8-inch models. This isn’t a valuejudgment—just a statement—but if you keep your monitors on the desktop (not ideal to begin with), you may wish to snag those long-wanted monitor stands to go with these monitors to optimize desk space (not to mention improving audio rendering by getting them up to ear height).

One final note on the first impressions front; I have to give Gibson props for a polished out-of-

the-box experience. Each monitor is wrapped in a soft (yet quite strong) reusable fabric pull-string pouch. Beyond its elegance, it’s also functional; it gives you something to hold onto as you extract each monitor from its carton—not to mention better protecting that beautiful outside appearance.

Set-Up & Use: For me, setting-up the Gibsons was a plug-andplay affair. I already use XLR cables, and my existing monitors use the standard IEC 60320-C14 power connectors (and C13 power cables) as well. Unplug the old, and in with the new. This also gave me a chance to easily compare side-to-side with my usual monitors.

As is the case with all my monitor reviews, I make my assessments using my build-in diagnostic gear: my ears. While perhaps more subjective than scientific analysis with oscilloscopes and the like, I like to think the results are more “real world.” (Of course, the fact I don’t possess such gear might well be an applicable point as well.) In any event, being able to perform sideby-side “A/B” comparisons with a known set-up allowed me to more easily assess the Gibson LP6 and LP8 family.

So how do they sound? Answer: Great. In the process of evaluating both the LP6 and the LP8, I played back a wide range of material with which I’m intimately familiar, across multiple genres; some of it was my own material, others just favorite recordings. Across the board, I couldn’t discern any material difference in performance vs. my usual, known set-up, and quite frankly, that was the hoped-for result. Once I tuned them, I found them both to offer good, solid, flat, uncolored performance, just as I’d expect from a high-quality studio monitor.

The only down side I could find is that both the LP6 and LP8 have a higher noise floor when the input audio was off than I’m used to with either of my usual 8-inch monitors (which are from two different manufacturers, and two different price points). Some level of noise (hiss) is to be expected from the amplifiers of any powered monitor when audio is muted, and to be clear, the noise floor was still quite low from the Gibsons. Still, I would have expected the amps to exhibit a lower floor, given their price point.

In terms of frequency response and performance, I perceived no difference between the LP6 and the LP8, which was surprising, frankly, given my past experience with studio monitors with 6-inch vs. 8-inch main drivers. But given the specifications quoted on Gibson’s web site—both models have identical frequency range specs (37 Hz to 47 kHz) and nearly identical power handling characteristics—I’m actually left a bit mystified about what the buyer might actually be getting by paying $200 more for a pair of LP8s. Perhaps Gibson’s web site is misquoting the specs, perhaps my ears were fooled, or it’s some combination of both.

But I find myself open to the idea of 6” monitors for the first time after evaluating both.

Conclusions: To acquire a pair of Gibson LP6 monitors involves a spend of $1,598, while the LP8s run $1,998. To be certain, this places both at a price level where there’s some very good, very solid competition. The noticeable amplifier hiss may result in them being compared unfavorably to some of those competitors, but overall performance is clean and solid in both sizes, and the stunning visual appearance (befitting the Les Paul moniker) alone might well make the premium worthwhile to a lot of buyers who appreciate the aesthetics as much as the performance they provide.

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DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

By Jody Amos

32

As mobile DJs, we’ve cultivated a craft of many skills. We are required to program music, coordinate various events, entertain the guests, and act as a Master of Ceremonies to guide and direct people throughout many different kinds of events.

In order to do our jobs well, we need to accomplish a variety of things, like: prepare a set list, rehearse our scripts and provide quality sound.

As an owner of a multi-op DJ company, I can tell you that investing in quality, versatile loudspeakers are essential to providing that great service. Regardless if we are playing for 100 or 1,000 people, one of our main responsibilities is to provide good sound for the client, and their guests. Music reproduction needs to be clean, microphone announcements need to be clear, and volume levels need to be balanced and free from distortion.

So, when I am shopping for speakers I use the following basic guidelines to make my selection: Is this speaker manufactured by a reputable company?

Will that company stand behind its product with a good warranty?

Has the manufacturer put years of research into its product? Is the product versatile?

And, of course, will it perform well for the events that I do?

I also consider pricing, because I usually buy my mains in sets of four, so I can provide matching speakers when we do larger events.

This month I am reviewing the fourth generation of the JBL EON PA speaker. The EON has been an extremely popular powered speaker for the mobile DJ industry since the mid1990s. JBL offers a small family for the EON 600 series—the 610, 612, and 615 models. (MAPs: EON615, $499; EON612, $449; and EON610, $399.)

For the rest of this review, I will be mostly referring to the EON615.

Specs & Design: Rebuilt from the ground up, the EON615 is a 1,000-watt, 15-inch, two-way, active speaker. With 90 degrees of horizontal dispersion, the unit weighs 39 pounds.

While I’ve always found the previous EON versions to be fully functional, I can’t say I was always crazy about their physical designs. The new series, in my view, remedies my small issue. With the 600s, DJs can now safely stack a pair of EONs and trans-

port them to and from you vehicle with a hand-truck. That pet peeve goes away with the new series.

Also, in my opinion, the new EON series looks a lot more professional.

The cabinet is an all-black Polypropylene enclosure, sporting a full grille on the front side with a small, tasteful, JBL logo inset near the bottom of the grille. The cabinet features four convenient handles: one on top, one on the bottom, and one on each side to make your set-up a breeze.

On the back panel, you will find an array of configurations. For inputs, the EON has two balanced XLR/phono combo jacks for various sources, each with their own gain settings, signal light and mic/line level switch.

You also have a master volume knob, an XLR output to link other speakers, an EQ selector button with some on-board presents, an on/off button for the front LED light, a couple Bluetooth buttons and a power switch.

A 36-mm pole socket with a tightening screw is provided, so you can secure it on top of a speaker stand.

For rigging, the cabinet has three M10 suspension points; two on the top, and one on the back, below the main panel.

If you plan to use this unit as a stage wedge, you can lay the EON

on one side or the other. I know many musicians have specific preferences, so this is a big plus. It also has a “Monitor” EQ selection on the back, which provides optimal settings for a monitor.

The cabinet contains a 15-inch woofer with a 2-inch voice coil, and a 1-inch annular polymer diaphragm, neodymium compression driver. The JBL-labeled 1,000-watt Class D amplifier provides 700 watts to the lows and 300 watts to the highs, and provides a maximum SPL output of 127 db.

What’s New? JBL has introduced a couple cool innovations to the EON series. For one, the company is now integrating Bluetooth into the speaker line. This allows you to tap into the speaker settings, utilizing JBL’s “EON Connect” app. With this app, you can choose from a variety of manufacturer presets, adjust your gain control, and configure your EQ parameters with an iOS or Android device. (At presstime, the iOS app was due to be available at the end of July.) This Bluetooth technology allows you to connect up to four EON units at once, but only adjust settings on one speaker at a time. Note: You cannot play back music to the EON via Bluetooth, it’s for sound adjust-

ments only.

The next cool innovation JBL applied to its newest generation of EON is its revolutionary waveguide design. On the front of the woofer, and behind the grille, JBL has attached a pattern-control aperture – a special fluting, designed to guide the low frequencies into 90 degrees of dispersion, to match the dispersion of the high frequencies.

The Test: I had the opportunity to take a pair of the EON 615 units to an event recently, and I was very impressed. One pair of EONs had plenty of power for a wedding event that had 150 guests. I was very happy with the vocal reproduction during my announcements, and the lowend response during the dancing was great. Both are important to note because we know that is what most DJs look for in a quality speaker.

So if you are looking for an affordable set of speakers that offers a lot of flexibility, then check out the JBL EON 600 Series. JBL Professional has put in a lot of research and development into this series over the years. The fourth generation cabinet is more professional looking and, with the added technology, this EON is by far my favorite.

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NEW JERSEY DJ SPINS THE FASHION PLATE DJ Amable produces his own tuxedo line, Y2.

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

By Con Carney

34

Bergenfield, N.J. – Ble Hamilton Yalong, aka "DJ Amable" (a-ma-blay), has differentiated his business from the competition in a most unusual way: he produces his own line of tuxedoes for grooms, a luxury men’s clothing collection called Y2.

Offering unique tuxedos and suits, and soon to have a ready-to-wear boutique store in the Northern New Jersey area, Amable’s line was featured during the Fall/Winter collection of New York Fashion Week in February 2015, and is starting to make waves in the entertainment industry.

“My customers come from different areas in the country and some come from overseas,” says Amable, who’s originally from The Philippines, but was raised in Englewood, N.J. “These are gentlemen who hate offthe-rack stuff, who appreciate custom sartorial luxury garments that you can't purchase anywhere.”

Amable says 25-percent of his clients opt to purchase the Y2 Collection. “It’s become a big part of what I offer to my grooms/groomsmen clientele,” he says. “It makes my company [Key Music Group] different from others because it's not just music or production services. It’s an offering of a personal stylist as well as entertainment.”

It all started when Amable began making his own clothes when hosting private events. Eventually, people began asking where he got the clothes

from. Soon, he was being asked if he could make them their attire as well for their special day.

“I became my own walking billboard,” he says, “and that's how it was marketed.”

When it comes to dressing well, Amable is unafraid to tell anyone— especially his clients—why it’s important to dress for success. He lists the five following reasons: 1. Dressing well is a form of respect to our surroundings.

2. Dressing well opens many doors and different types of opportunities.

3. Dressing well when doing private events attracts future potential clients.

4. A DJ team should be dressed in coordination to be identified by the audience as a group.

5. Never be afraid to dress better than the groom because you are representing him and the bride at the highest level.

Amable and his DJs have been representing brides and grooms at the highest level since 2007, when he registered Key Music Group. At the time, he was working with other multi-op DJ companies, learning the business while also working a full time corporate job. That changed in 2009.

“I left corporate to be full-time in 2009 and doesn't look like I'm going back,” he says. “Things have been more than great to date.”

Not that there weren’t challenges when he started trying to book gigs.

At first, he couldn’t afford to buy the quality gear he’d know he’d need to offer better services to make more money, to match his corporate salary. To do that he had to save any all money he made at his corporate job—and the money he made doing private events. “I used that to buy the gear I felt needed to take me to the next level,” he said. “I was able to charge premium price.”

He also had a challenge that most start-up DJs face: getting consistent bookings. For that, he started doing some free events. “I felt there was great potential for me to be recognized and attract future potential clientele,” he says.

Eventually, he started getting clients through affinity groups. “I've come to realize later in this career that your fellow hobby mates are your best customers and referrals,” he says. “It was a no-brainer. I have been a luxury watch and fashion enthusiast for a while and those people were always in my circle. Of course, you're going to trust a friend more than a stranger specially when referring someone for an event.”

But perhaps the most generous and gracious things he does is to take out every client to dinner. “It’s a token, a thank you for booking us for their special day,” he says. “It's very flattering to them, as it’s something very unexpected. It’s also a way for me to get to know them in what they

like and don't like, as customization is key for me, which I'd learned during my corporate days. I was in luxury corporate retail and it was part of our service of appreciation when we gain new million-dollar accounts.”

The hardships and outside-the-box thinking have paid off. In 2009, he went full-time. He hosts about 60-70 weddings annually and some corporate events—95-percent of his gigs are weddings. He also used to sub out gigs, but found that “it was always very challenging because the customers were always requesting me to be a part of their event.”

The hard lessons have yielded income and wisdom for Amable. “If you're not passionate about having your own business, you will not become successful,” he says when asked if he has any advice for young DJ entrepreneurs. He also offered the following: u Know how to be a leader and know to create future leaders. u Become a fan of your industry and not hate. u Do not compete with anyone but yourself. u Accept haters and inspire fans.

Never be afraid to be different. u Be an artist and not just an entertainer. u Stay healthy and stay in shape. Looks are very important because what we wear reflects on the person we are and the quality service we offer.

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BUSINESS LINE SALES…MARKETING…SOLUTIONS…

HOW

DELIGHT

INBOUND MARKETING CAN HELP BOOK MORE GIGS CLOSE

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

By Stu Kearns

36

Boston-based Hubspot, a digital marketing software company, has been helping small and medium-sized businesses generate more leads since 2006.

They do it with a four-pronged methodology: ATTRACT Attract Convert Close Delight Ron Pearlstein is a digital director and email marketing ninja who has been a Hubspot partner since 2013. We asked him about the four stages and how DJs can use it to book more gigs.

How do I attract more prospects to my web site?

Ron Pearlstein: Hubspot says you don’t want just any traffic to your site; you want the right traffic, the people who are most likely to become leads, and, ultimately, customers. Happy customers. Your ideal customers are what we call “buyer personas.” Buyer personas are profiles of what your customers are really like, inside and out. Personas encompass the goals, challenges, pain points, common objections to DJ services, as well as personal and demographic information shared among all members of that particular customer type. Your personas are the people around whom your whole business is built.

I know who my target market is—brides and HR people at corporations—but how do I get the right ones to come to my site?

Pearlstein: Inbound marketing starts with blogging. A blog is the single best way to attract new visitors to your website. In order to get found by the right prospects, you need to create educational content that answers their questions.

These prospects begin their buying process online, usually by using Google to find something they have questions about. So, you need to make sure you’re appearing prominently when and where they search. To do that, you need to pick keywords and build links around the terms in your content to match what your ideal buyers are searching for.

For keywords that HR people use, for example, go to an HR site or follow an HR thought leader on Twitter and see what kinds of problems they have. Better yet, interview a past HR client and see what keeps them up at night, what questions they ask. Then take those terms and insert them into Google Adwords to see if those terms are popular. If so, then build your content around those terms.

The next step is the Convert stage. How do I convert these visitors?

Pearlstein: You convert website visitors into leads by gathering their contact information. Contact information is the most valuable currency there is to the online marketer. You’ll need their email address. So in order for your visitors to offer up that currency willingly, you need to offer them

CONVERT

something in return. That “payment” comes in the form of content, like an eBook or a tip sheet, or, if you have a budget, create a wedding expense calculator on your site that brides can use if they submit their email address. Think about what’s valuable to each of your personas.

Some of the most important tools in converting visitors to leads include forms. In order for visitors to become leads, they must fill out a form and submit their information. Keep track of the leads you're converting in a centralized marketing database.

My favorite part is the next step—the Close.

Pearlstein: You’ve attracted the right visitors and converted the right leads, but now you need to transform those leads into customers. Certain marketing tools can be used at this stage to make sure you’re closing the right leads at the right times.

Closing tools include Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, which keep track of the details about all the contacts, companies, and deals in your pipeline.

This allows you to easily get in touch with the right prospects at the right time.

What do you do if a prospect downloads your eBook or tip sheet or wedding expense tool but still isn’t ready to become a customer? A series of emails with content that’s

relevant to their life event can build trust and help them become more ready to buy.

With marketing automation, you can tailor your email marketing to the needs and lifecycle stage of each lead. For example, if a visitor downloaded a whitepaper on a certain topic from you in the past, you might want to send that lead a series of related emails. But if they follow you on Twitter and visited certain pages on your website, you might want to change the messaging to reflect those different interests.

And why is the Delight phase important?

Pearlstine: The Inbound methodology is all about providing remarkable content to your users, whether they be visitors, leads, or existing customers. Just because someone has already written you a check doesn’t mean you can forget about them. For DJs, in particular, who deal with a series of life events, that baptism can turn into a communion into a wedding!

A good inbound company continues to engage with, delight, and (hopefully) upsell their current customer base into happy promoters of your DJ business and the services they’ve come to love.

Tools used to delight customers include surveys. The best way to figure out what your users want is by asking them. Use feedback and surveys to make sure you’re providing customers with what they’re looking for.

Does inbound marketing yield better results than outbound marketing?

Pearlstein: Hubspot says that instead of the old outbound marketing methods of buying ads, buying email lists, and praying for leads, inbound marketing focuses on creating quality content that pulls people toward your company and product, where they naturally want to be.

I absolutely love my D.A.S. Speakers!

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Former winner of America's Best DJ Award

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

Zipper Di Do Dah

BeatMix & Match

ADJ Products 6122 S. Eastern Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90040 (323) 582-2650 www.americandj.com

American Music & Sound 22020 Clarendon St, Suite 305 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (800) 431-2609 www.AmericanMusicAndSound.com

The Zipper is ADJ’s new four-in-one barrel mirror scanner that combines four separate barrels and four different-colored 8W LEDs to create beam effects that cover large areas in small venues. The LEDs come in red, green, blue and white. The Zipper comes with 16 built-in shows that turn the different swiveling barrels on and off. Users can change the intensity of both the color beams and pulse effects using the 0-100-percent dimming, and random slow-to-fast strobe effects can also be added to the mix.

The Reloop BeatMix 2 is a performance-oriented two-channel pad controller for Serato. The plug-and-play unit is equipped with 3 cm drum pads that are used to control cue points, trigger loops, select various loop lengths, and trigger samples. There is also a touch-sensitive jog wheels with aluminum platters and a diameter of 14.4 cm. Additional features include dedicated equalizer and gain dials, line-faders, 16 multicolor drum pads and two FX units, each of which is equipped with three rotaries and an endless encoder.

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

Tunnel Jogvision

38

Guillemot Corporation BP 2 56204 La Gacilly Cedex France +33 (0) 2 99 08 08 80 www.hercules.com Hercules’ DJControl Jogvision controls Serato DJ Intro, which is available for free download. This portable DJ controller features two circular displays at the center of each of the large 5.9-inch jog wheels—a blue ring that acts as a speed and scratch indicator and a white ring that acts as a position indicator.The controller comes with two sets of progressive pads that are illuminated with four different colored lights indicating a type of control. Additional features include a headphone output, ¼-inch microphone input and 24-bit/96 kHz resolution.

Apple of My Eye Apple 1 Infinite Loop Cupertino, CA 95014 (408) 996-1010 www.apple.com Apple has released a significant update to GarageBand, its music creation app for Mac. The app now offers 1,000 new loops from a variety of instruments and genres, including EDM, Hip Hop, Indie, Disco, Funk and Blues. The Drummer virtual session player includes 10 new EDM and Hip Hop drummers and 20 new electronic drum kits and there are also 100 new EDM and Hip Hop-inspired synthesizer patches, which feature Morph Pad Smart Control for easy sound sculpting. Users can share content directly between GarageBand and Apple Music Connect via iOS app.

GEAR AUDIO…LIGHTING…STUFF

SlimBEAM With Pride Chauvet 5200 NW 108th Ave. Sunrise, FL 33351 (800) 762-1084 www.chauvetlighting.com Chauvet’s SlimBEAM Quad IRC uplighting fixture is designed to create a color accent on walls and room surfaces, as well as create unique beam effects. The unit consists of three tilting RGBA LED modules on a compact base. Each of its threewatt LEDs projects a 15-degree beam angle, while the unit itself has a coverage angle of 98 degrees, emitting an output of 343 lux at two meters per section. The unit offers multi-voltage operation (100-240 VAC, 50/60 Hz) and can run either manually or with 4-, 9- or 16-channel DMX control.

Cross Reference MixVibes 4 rue de la sablière 92230 Gennevilliers France +33 (0)1 58 37 33 61 www.mixvibes.com Mixvibes released Cross DJ 2.3 for Android, the newest version of its DJ app.

The company has improved the performance of the app, doubling the track loading time and optimizing battery consumption.The app now offers full screen view, as well as a portrait view. There is also an active effect notification that colors the tab button of any effect, loop, EQ or sample that is active. Users can also change the color of each deck, making up to 49 combinations of colors including blue, orange, red, yellow, green, purple and pink.

Yes Or Novation American Music & Sound 22020 Clarendon St, Suite 305 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (800) 431-2609 www.novationmusic.com/us

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

Novation released a new version of Launchpad. Featuring an 8x8 grid, Launchpad integrates with Ableton Live without any setup. The portable unit is fully USB powered. It features 64 RGB pads that light up, launch clips, play drums, start and stop loops, arm tracks, and control volumes, pans and sends.

Launchpad comes with Ableton Live Lite, 1GB of Loopmasters samples, Novation V Station and Bass Station VST and AU plug-ins and support for Novation Launchpad App.

40

Crown Prince

Monster Mash

Crown Audio 1718 W. Mishawaka Road Elkhart, IN 46517 (574) 294-8000 www.crownaudio.com

Future Loops www.futureloops.com Monster EDM Anthems is a collection of more than 450 royaltyfree samples and loops from Future Loops. The 464 MB collection features 15 Construction Kits with ready to mix drums, melodic loops and one shots. There are MIDI files that “allow you to tap into the melodies and chord progressions directly,” according to the company.

In addition, there are full mix drums, synths, leads, bass, drops, vocal fx, top loops and one shots, including synth, leads and drums in WAV and REX formats.

The XLS DriveCore 2 Series two-channel power amplifier from Crown Audio is available in a variety of models, including the XLS 2502, XLS 2002, XLS 1502 and XLS 1002. They feature power ratings from 350 to 775 watts per channel at four ohms and 1100 to 2400 watts at four ohms bridged. These amps utilize Harman’s DriveCore amplifier circuitry and feature flexible DSP band pass filtering on each channel and remote power trigger operation. All the amplifiers have selectable input sensitivity of either 1.4 Vrms or .775 Vrms.

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Think Tank TRAKTOR Beam Native Instruments North America 6725 Sunset Boulevard, 5th Floor Los Angeles, CA 90028 (866) 556-6487 www.native-instruments.com Native Instruments released the TRAKTOR KONTROL D2 advanced DJ performance deck. The unit is compatible with Stems—“the forthcoming multi-channel audio format that introduces the ability to mix with a track’s different musical elements individually,” according to the company. It features touch-sensitive controls; two USB ports; a full-color, high-resolution display; and four foldable rubber-padded feet that extend to raise the unit to industry-standard height. A power supply splitter cable is included so that two units to be powered using one power supply unit.

IK Multimedia 1153 Sawgrass Corporate Pkwy.

Sunrise, FL 33323 (954) 846-9101\ www.ikmultimedia.com Two new sound libraries are now available for IK Multimedia’s SampleTank 3. Future Synths is a collection designed for electronic dance music styles that includes 150 instruments, 40 leads, 40 synth basses, 25 atmospheric pads, 30 plucks and 15 contemporary FX. Hugh Padgham Drums is a library of over 3,600 drum kit samples and 240 MIDI patterns that reflect Padgham’s “stone room” sound. There are 20 drum kit instruments, including are two kick drums, two snare drums, six toms and five cymbals.

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

Hex Factor

42

Blizzard Lighting N16 W23390 Stoneridge Dr. Suite E Waukesha, WI 53188 (414) 395-8365 www.blizzardlighting.com The LB Hex from Blizzard Lighting is a 6-in-1 LED PAR can that features 12 15-watt RGBAW+UV 6-in-1 LEDs. It can perform full RGBAW+UV color mixing with 6/11-channels of DMX, or be controlled via four-button LED control panel. The unit comes with 12 built-in programs with auto mode, sound active mode, strobe effects, eight-bit or three user-selectable 32-bit dimming curve options. The lightweight PAR can comes in durable scratch resistant composite housing and is equipped with PowerCON-compatible AC in/out and DMX in/out jacks.

TRACKS…MIXES…COMPILATIONS

Estelle

Little Boots

Serge Devant

“GO” (REMIXES) u The Chemical Brothers u Virgin EMI From the terrific Born in the Echoes LP, the ultra-catchy original—with Q-Tip on mic—is one of the year’s better singles, but check the hot mixes. The “Special Request Warehouse Remix” strips things down to a bare breakbeat before the 303 goes nuts, while the “Special Request Bassment Remix” gets more wobbly and techy at the outset. Also, peep the “Claude Von Stroke Remix,” which rocks a spare electro-break/“Trans-Europe Express” vibe.

– Jim Tremayne “SUGA” u Technasia & Green Velvet u Toolroom Already getting plenty of attention in Ibiza, this deep groover wins with funky guitar licks, quirky, bluesy vocals (a mutated bite from Howlin’ Wolf’s “Spoonful”) and a dark underground sound. A little different from the norm, perhaps, but no less terrific.

– Tommy D Funk WORKING GIRL u Little Boots u Dim Mak The synth-pop maven is back in business with her finest LP yet. Despite adopting a cheeky CEO persona for the album, Little Boots shows that she’s anything but averse to fun with her knack for earworm choruses and dancefloor-ready

beats. The title track is stellar mix of melancholic melodies and moody deep-house influences, while lead single “Better in the Morning” is a perky ode to late nights that falls somewhere between LCD Soundsystem and Lumidee.

– Chris Caruso “THE WAY YOU MOVE/INTENTIONS” EP

u Serge Devant u Rebellion This three-track thriller features a hypnotic, deep-tech vibe throughout each cut. We love “The Way You Move” with its minimal vocals, but tough dark groove. The “Audiofly Remix” brings a slightly techno vibe, but it’s still a dark banger. “Intentions” has a deep-house vibe with some very soulful chord stabs.

– Phil Turnipseed “SOMETHING GOOD” u Estelle u T’s Box U.K. songstress Estelle hooks up with the Chicago house legend that is Terry Hunter for a release on Hunter’s own imprint. The original is a skippy U.S. garage workout and, with Mike Dunn providing a slick uptempo variation, this is a solid release.

– Curtis Zack LOVE SOMEBODY u POPOF u Hot Creations DJs will find tough and soulful cuts with plenty of tech vibes on this banging 11-track full-length album. Highlights include “Your Eyes,” “Pack & Rollin’,” and “Get Together.” More goodness from Hot Creations.

– Phil Turnipseed LITTLE BLACK BOOK u Groove Armada u Moda Black Part mix compilation, part greatest-hits collection, the English duo’s latest release is a masterful, two-CD journey through their past and future.

The first mix is comprised of all Groove Armada material, taking listeners through the group’s storied history and certified hits, while sprinkling in new exclusives. The second CD sees 12 producers remix classic Groove Armada hits, with Huxley’s bouncy house take on 2002’s “Easy” and Chaim’s nocturnal restyling of “Shameless” being the key takeaways.

– Chris Caruso “CAN’T YOU SEE” EP u Richy Ahmed u Strictly Rhythm Opening with a hard-hitting 4/4 beat, “Can’t You See” features a funky, walking bassline, along with analog synth sounds that are peppered amongst bluntly cut vocal samples. Ahmed also remixes Logic’s 1990 classic “The Warning,” with brilliantly techy results—a future classic.

– Tommy D Funk “PAINTED SPIRIT” EP u Alexander Vogt u Cat For Lunch This Italian house producer delivers a stellar EP that bangs from start to finish. Featuring three rugged mixes, Painted Spirit’s original mix is (continued on page 46)

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our pick with its full-bodied bass and chunky 120-BPM groove—minimal, but soulful and hot. We’re also digging the “Pat Kp Remix,” which drops a slightly more progressive house vibe, but still deep and soulful.

– Phil Turnipseed “THE MUSIC & THE GROOVE” EP u Dirty Two u Good For You Records Dirty Two delivers a super-hot two-track EP. Both tracks—“The Music” and “The Groove”—are slamming with an old-school, four-to-floor house sound. And their ’90s “Music” sample gives you a little flavor from that decade that was so rich with quality underground-house music. Love it.

– Tommy D Funk Richy Ahmed

“COME BACK BABY” u Flush u Strictly Rhythm The Italian-Belgian producer Vito de Luca—better known as Aeroplane— launches his new alias, Flush, for a debut appearance on Strictly. “Come Back Baby” conjures a playful Balearic/pop-house sound, playing out with an ’80s electronica groove and funky bassline, creating a hands-in-the-air summer club hit.

– Tommy D Funk “I LOVE YOU” u Blondee u No Definition This sweet cover of a pop classic finds Blondee delivering a melodic Nu Disco version. With gorgeous chord work and an angelic vocal, topped by a deep, funky bass, this one has hit written all over it. Cedric Zeyenne’s remix keeps with that vibe as well, adding a little more percussion and synth work.

Alexander Vogt

– Phil Turnipseed “HOLD YOR HEART” EP u Billy Shane u Falk Records With “Hold Yor Heart” and “5.1,” Shane drops two top-quality underground, house gems. Both cuts offer some funky-house flavors, including old-school Rhodes keys and snappy hi-hats, making for one superb EP.

– Tommy D Funk “MOVER” EP u Lancelot u W&O Street Tracks Lancelot, who always creates atmospheric sounds to go with his tough beats, shows his studio prowess once again with three tracks that will Groove Armada

GUEST REVIEWER: Sean Cormac “HOUSE SURVIVORS” EP

u Cecil u 124 Recordings

SEAN CORMAC

Another gem from one of my favorite labels, 124 Recordings (not to mention its 124 Black imprint). Each track on this EP holds up on all points in the night, but “Pressure” is the pick here. It’s an absolutely killer house record—just a raw-as-hell, dancefloor-oriented jam that gets a big reaction every time it’s dropped.

Blondee

The Chemical Brothers

move the crowd. Adventurous and edgy, we love the gorgeous synth work and abstract, yet funky beats. “Everything On Its Way Down” and “Closer” are our picks – deliciously deep!

– Phil Turnipseed

DJ TIMES

SEPTEMBER 2015

“ONE TIME GAME”

46

AVAILABLE FOR Nightclubs, Festivals, and CorporateEvents.

u Jamie Jones, Kate Simko & London Electronic Orchestra f. Jem Cooke u Emerald City Music A sweetly crafted melodic house cut that comes in like a summer breeze. With an ambient vibe on top of a deep beat, the original utilizes LEO’s full array of orchestral sounds and beauty. The Club Mix comes with a deep booming bass and a minimal vibe that will kill that dancefloor. Nicely done!

– Phil Turnipseed

CONTACT: djmatrix@djing.net • djdavidmatrix.djing.net • 610 495-5584 SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram: david.djmatrix • Twitter:DJDavidMatrix

“METANOIA” EP u DAVI u Tenampa Four blistering deep-tech house cuts draw on some very cool worldbeat influences. Emotional and yet very funky and deep, all possess deep, rugged basslines and hypnotic chords. A real thriller that will pack the dance floor.

– Phil Turnipseed

Aoki

(continued from page 20)

Aoki: It’s case-by-case. With that album, it was one major song that was a really big piece of the story, so I had to wait and sacrifice some other really important things that were riding on the album. With Neon Future II, a lot was done, although there are a few songs I added to the album that I started and finished when I was finishing up. The summer of 2014 was when I started working with Walk Off The Earth and Moxie and also made serious changes to Linkin Park and Snoop Lion’s

tracks. Those two songs made radical changes from what they originally were. The Linkin Park track has an interesting production tale for myself.

Generally, if you ask any producer, they want to produce a song and then release right when they are done with it because they’re basing their song off cultural cues and what’s the sound of now.

You start to get inspired by what you are hearing, and things change so fast obviously. Look at the Beatport Top 10 or things like that. If you gauge it

off those things, you need to get your record out sooner or else you’re going to be dated.

DJ Times: One day you’ll have a tech-house track on top of Beatport, and the next day you’ll have an electro-house song.

Aoki: Yeah. With the Linkin Park song, I had the complete opposite way of looking at producing a song. I wanted to start fresh with a very clean, neutral slate.

DJ Times: Like producing in a vacuum?

Aoki: Exactly. That song went through a lot of changes and a lot of it got stripped out and then relayed with new dimensions, color, and attitude to add to the emotional intensity of the record. Linkin Park brings on a lot more than just a singer; they have so many more elements to work with. It was two and a half years in progress, and—if I really go back—I started writing that the same time we did “The Light That Never Comes.”

So the inspiration behind “Darker Than Blood” stems from ideas in 2012. If you can sit with the record that long and it’s still fresh and current, then hopefully it’ll be current for a long time.

DJ Times: You’ve cited Coachella 2009 as when you first “brought entertainment” to your DJ sets via a live-production element. Those production elements have gotten bigger over time.

It’s not just a raft or a cake; it’s a robot on stage.

How much can be planned beforehand and how much comes about spur of the moment when you’re playing?

Aoki: Obviously, when you feel the crowd you can control where the set is going to go musically; all these other things have to kind of go around how you prep your narrative of your ADJ Inno Pocket Spot QSC K10 $ 29999 show. For the Neon Future Experience, we have $ 99 699 a set guideline of songs I’m playing; I’m playing all Pioneer DDJ-SZ Neon Future I & II and then the big older hits that $ 1997 people love like “Boneless” and “Turbulence.” But like five minutes before I’m still going, “Change this to this and this to this,” because I’m looking at the crowd and getting a vibe. Everyone is on radio and has a general guideline, so I may be tell everyone, “The robots are not going to go on this song; they’re going to go on this song.” There are a lot of moving parts, so everyone’s on their tippy-toes as far as figuring out what’s going to happen. Things are going to change last-minute, but for the most part they know the general track Shure BLX24/SM58 list that I’m going to play, if I’m going to introduce There isn’t anyone quite as deserving of the title $ 349 something new—like if I make a new edit because Rave King as HARD Events founder Gary Richards. the one I did is not working—I’ve got to tell evAfter cutting his teeth at the underground wareeryone. I need everyone to hear and understand house parties of Los Angeles and discovering Go to idjnow.com for details the song and where it’s going to go and how I’m electronic music, Richards set his sights on getting going to mix it. Things like that. in on the action himself. Picking up the mantle of DJ Times: Do you think that with the advent Fast FREE Shipping | idjnow.com | 1.800.355.7746 DJ Destructo, Richards took matters into his own of digital DJing that DJs have a responsibility to Se Habla Español | Showrooms Open 7 Days | We Rent Locally hands and began booking and throwing his own Queens, NY 718.762.0100 | Babylon, NY 631.321.1700 bring more to the live experience than just pickparties in California. This all culminated in 1993 ing tracks and playing records? with Rave America, an 18,000-plus person New © 2015 I DJ NOW. Limited time offers. Prices subject to change without notice. Not responsible for typographical errors. Consumer Affairs # 1387598 Aoki: It depends. Every DJ has his own way of Year’s Eve blowout at SoCal’s Knott’s Berry Farm playing music and sometimes you don’t want that amusement park.

DJ Gear | Lighting Effects | Live Sound | Recording | Stage | Performance big show. In Ibiza when you go to a beach party, He bowing out of the scene for the better part it’s not like you want to look at the DJ. I went of a decade to work for record labels—including to one and I knew Jamie Jones was playing, but an A&R stint for Rick Rubin’s American Recordit’s not like you need to see where he’s at; he’s DJ_Times_May_2015.indd 1 4/14/15 11:09 AM ings. But then, Richards returned to the electronic playing the fucking sickest shit. It’s very traditional music event planning in 2007 when he launched IDJNOW • Leasing Ad • 4c, 4.125” W X 4.375” H • Ad Runs in DJ TIMES for May 2015 • 631-585-1100 x 7460 in the sense that he is just in the corner playing HARD Events with a festival in downtown Los records, but when you see it, it’s awesome. The Angeles. Over the past eight years, the brand has purest, truest form of DJing is playing records of a become one of the biggest players in the festival particular sound—that has its own culture. That’s industry, blending the sounds of today’s hottest DJs a beautiful thing and—at the base of it—that’s with cutting-edge live acts that span from alterna-

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NATIONAL CROSSOVER POOL CHART

NATIONAL URBAN POOL CHART

1 Andy Grammer 2 Britney Spears & Iggy Azalea 3 Rihanna 4 Giorgio Moroder & Sia 5 Madonna 6 Walk The Moon 7 Ricky Martin 8 Guetta F/Nicki Minaj & AfroJack 9 Rozalla 10 Sam Smith 11 Audien F/ Parson James 12 Robert Clivilles 13 Tony Moran F/ Martha Wash 14 Skylar Stecker 15 Claire Rasa 16 Leona Lewis 17 Carly Rae Jepson 18 Raquela 19 Zedd F/ Jon Bellion 20 LTric 21 Dark Intensity F/ Liz Primo 22 Axwell Ingrosso 23 Martin Garrix F/ Usher 24 Jade 25 Taylor Swift F/ Kendrick Lamar 26 Madonna 27 Chic F/ Nile Rodgers 28 Zedd F/ Selena Gomez 29 Banks 30 Calvin Harris F/ Haim 31 Disclosure F/ Gregory Porter 32 Kelly Clarkson 33 Tove Lo 34 TiE 35 Icona Pop 36 Audien F/ Lady Antebellum 37 First Ladies Of Disco 38 Stereolove F/ Sara Loera 39 Franques 40 Camille

1 Omarion F/ Chris Brown & Jhene Aiko 2 Wale F/ Usher 3 Rihanna 4 Weekend 5 Fetty Wap 6 Future 7 J. Cole 8 Rich Homie Quan 9 Wiz Khalifa F/ Charlie Puth 10 Chedda Da Connect 11 Fetty Wap 12 Jidenna F/ Roman Gianarthur 13 Big Sean F/ Kanye West 14 Jeremih F/ J. Cole 15 Kid Ink F/ DEJ Loaf 16 Drake 17 Tink 18 Rae Sremmurd 19 T.I. F/ Chris Brown 20 Kanye F/London/Kingdom/McCartney

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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Astralwerks 444 Knockout Fashion Renegade Big Beat Tazmania OBSR Sunshine Def Jam RCA

REPORTING POOLS Masspool - Saugus, MA; Gary Canavo n OMAP - Washington, DC; Al Chasen n Chew Fu Woodbridge, CT; Chew Fu n Dirty Pop Productions - San Diego, CA; DJ Drew n Dj Stickyboots - Goshen, NJ; Blake Eckelbarger n Victors - Milwaukee, WI; Chris Egner n Nexus Radio - Chicago, IL; Manny Esparza n Hype Radio - Yuba City, CA; Rich Fayden n MetroMix - Pittsburgh, PA; John Hohman n DeeJay Creativity R - Los Angeles, CA; KSXY KPAT n Next Music Pool Los Angeles, CA; Bob Ketcher n Pittsburgh DJ - Pittsburgh, PA; Jim Kolich n Soundworks - San Francisco, CA; Sam Labelle n New York Music Pool - Levittown, NY; Jackie McCloy n Dixie Dance Kings - Alpharetta, GA; Dan Miller n WPTV-Prty 105FM Frd MdMx - New York, NY; Mike Rizzo n MOOD Spins - Seattle, WA; Randy Schlager n Legends - Raleigh, NC; Joey Shull n DJ Laszlo - Las Vegas, NV; Laszlo Szenasi n Northeast Record Pool - Revere, MA; Justin Testa n Pacific Coast - Long Beach, CA; Steve Tsepelis Looking for these titles? You can hear them and buy them at www.dancekings.com. Just click on the links in the chart.

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Post To Be The Matrimony Bitch Better Have My Money Earned It Trap Queen Commas Wet Dreams Flex (Ooh Ooh Ooh) See You Again Flicka Da Wrist My Way Classic Man Blessings Planes Be Real How About Now Million This Could Be Us Private Show All Day

Atlantic Atlantic Roc Nation Republic RFG Epic Columbia Think Its A Game Atlantic EOne RFG Epic Def Jam Def Jam RCA Republic Epic Interscope Columbia Def Jam

Most Added Tracks 1 2 3 4 5

Janet Jackson Omarion F/ Kid Ink & French Montana Chris Brown Meek Mill F/ Nicki Minaj & Chris Brown Trey Songz

No Sleep I’m Up Liquor All Eyes On You About You

Rhythm Atlantic RCA Atlantic Atlantic

NEW NATIONAL LATIN DANCE POOL CHART 1. J Martin 2. Delilah 3. Gente De Zona y Marc Anthony 4. Chino & Nacho 5. Angelucho Copacabana 6. Zion y Lennox 7. Tarzana 8. Adassa 9. La India 10. Oro Solido, Hmns. Rosario 11. Victor Manuelle 12. Daddy Yankee 13. Clasicon 14. Iamael Miranda 15. Charlie Aponte 16. Bachata Trio 17. Kalimete 18. Prince Royce 19. Farruko ft Shaggy, & Nicky Jam 20. Mayte (La Guapa)

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Most Added Tracks Don Perignon Don Omar ft Natty Natasha Son By Four Mala Fe Layla

Andujar Music Universal SB4 Music J & N Angulo Music

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why we’re there. We are not there to see a big spectacle. We’re there to be a part of a particular sound that is coming from this culture that you like because of how it makes you feel or the kind of people that are there or whatever it might be. Once again, when you hear music it’s not in a vacuum and it very much has a cultural adherence. You go and you want to be part of that culture.

DJ Times: Of course.

Aoki: I went with Skrillex to go see [Jamie Jones] at Paradise at like 7 a.m., after my own set at Pacha.

He was doing his thing and there was that vibe and all the love coming through. You see all the different parts of the culture and you feel it and it’s awesome. It’s a kind of thing where you are there and you can just be a part of it with the music. It’s not about the spectacle. I think every DJ has his own way of doing his thing and you have to respect that. If you don’t, you just don’t need to go.

DJ Times: The phrase I’ve seen used is “personality-driven DJing.”

Do you think that’s an apt description of what you do?

Aoki: I think people are going to classify however way they are going to classify things; that’s what everyone likes to do. The sole root of why we’re there, though, is to feel music in one form or fashion. Some people go to a Steve Aoki show, and they have this adrenaline rush of energy because that is my intention. My intention is to create an intense energy and feeling, so if I’m doing it then it’s working. I want to give a full-on sensory overload of music, feeling, and energy It’s hard for me to say, “Yes, I am doing a personality thing” or whatever, but you go for different reasons.

DJ Times: Does it compares to

other event experiences?

Aoki: When I go to see Richie Hawtin’s ENTER.Ibiza at Space, I’m going to experience what he’s curated. It’s incredible to go to something like that because it’s not like you just hear minimal techno; you hear all kinds of different sounds because he curated every single room.

It’s an incredible feat to create an experience like that, so I looked towards that kind of inspiration. I love that he’s able to encompass all these different sounds and these different subcultures inside this one universe of what he’s doing. So when I think about personalities and stuff, I guess you can classify like that. But once again, people are going to go to experience things based on how they feel about it. Some people don’t want to go crazy; they want to just groove and chill and have a long time experiencing some things and some people just want to have a high-impact. It’s like CrossFit versus doing the marathon.

DJ Times: How do you adjust your set for different crowds? How might you approach or prepare differently for say the Ultra main stage versus a show at Hammerstein Ballroom or Hakkasan?

Aoki: I’m thinking about the audience. So when I’m looking at playing Ultra to all kinds of people on the main stage, I’m not here to crowd please so much as to kind of inform and share something that I created and means a lot to me. Recently, in the case of Neon Future, I’m here to introduce it. That’s why if you go through the track listing of that show, it’s pretty much like a Neon Future Experience set, but it’s more compact because I only have an hour. I’m taking the best of a Steve

Aoki show; that’s more like the book of the movie and [the Ultra set] is like the movie.

DJ Times: What about club shows?

Aoki: For Hakkasan and other club shows, I’m still giving that kind of experience, but I’m being more experimental because it’s a club and I have more freedom and flexibility. In smaller rooms, it depends; the smaller it gets, the more experimental I’m able to play. It’s not about this full-blown showcase of an idea. In Europe, I think also an interesting point to make is that it’s going to be a different of way to share per country. As ambassador of Neon Future, you can’t speak Spanish to English people or Korean to Japanese people, so you have to want to come across to people in the way they understand it the best. You have to do the best job you can to interpret how they can understand that.

For example, in America I can play more vocal records, whereas I won’t do that in some parts of Europe. I’ll play more of the instrumental where it’s not about what these lyrics mean to people, but what the music means.

DJ Times: You founded Dim Mak Records in 1996. It’s become such an important music label and force within the music industry. Did you expect any of this when you were first starting it?

Aoki: When I first started it almost 20 years ago, it was not considered a business because at the time everything I was doing that was related to music. It didn’t feel right if it was a business because it was always about… how much could I give back to the community that I was very prideful of? When we did shows in the living room, we never took a dollar; we gave all the money to the art-

ists. When I started the label, I had all these bands coming through and so many demos to listen to from these amazing artists. I needed to help develop bands, so I teamed up with some friends and we just pulled in some money for the first seven-inch.

Now 19 years later, we have a full staff of 15 people working hard and bleeding Dim Mak music out their veins. It’s incredible to see where it’s gone from there to now.

DJ Times: Over the years, Dim Mak has released records across all genres and styles. What do you think ties all of those releases together?

Aoki: I think that how we survived through nearly two decades is from not being confined to one particular genre. I’ve seen genres come and go and sometimes they are so incredibly strong that you don’t think they’ll ever go away and then they go. People’s culture just shifts and changes and transforms and evolves and nothing is ever fixed, so you have to remain fluid and flexible. It’s not like I came into this with the idea to do that; it’s just for the fact that I love all kinds of music. When I was putting out The Kills I was still a hardcore junkie, I loved all those old hardcore bands, but I just also love rock-nroll and I also loved indie rock. To me, sometimes it’s not necessarily about a song that speaks to me; it’s just about something is so unique and ingenious; an attempt that makes it completely unique and different that draws me to a band or draws me to an artist or producer. I think that story also follows the reason why I signed the Bloody Beetroots.

It wasn’t one particular remix that I heard; it was just a sound they were creating at the time that they were creating it. n

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