Tag Archives: music

Cajmere: Funky Fresh for 5 Mix

20 Feb

Curtis Jones aka Cajmere aka Green Velvet

What better a way to celebrate Presidents’ Day than by honoring one of the forefathers of house? Cajmere, the Chicago-based genius we also know and love as Green Velvet, has put out a new mix tape for 5 Magazine, a publication with the valiant purpose of championing one of the city’s contributions to the United States and the world. His new mix, the 4th volume in a series called “Funky Fresh for 5″ covers typical sounds of the Cajmere/Green Velvet repertoire, ranging from gospel-house to outer space loops. He even delves into the progressive house realm towards the middle of the mix. This upbeat set is sure to keep you moving your feet on this beautiful day.

Be sure to stream/download this mix. If you’re hungry for more, check out Cajmere live in the mix for 5 Magazine on Wednesdays from 1-4 EST/12-3 CST here.

To stream Cajmere’s Funky Fresh for 5 Mix: Volume 4, click here.

To download, right click + save target as here.

P.S. My first introduction to Cajmere (I didn’t realize Green Velvet and Cajmere were the same guy at the time) came via this scene in Party Girl, one of my favorite movies to date):

playing: Cajmere – “You Got Me On”

Winter Has Arrived…

21 Jan

La Fleur

Winter has finally arrived…or so Mother Nature informed us today with quite a nice snowfall here in NYC. Many of us stayed inside for the day and had quiet Saturdays, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t an equal number of us shuffling in our fuzzy boots from the cabin fever.

As with most early snow days, it’s hard to find the motivation to move, much less actually go out. But that doesn’t mean the party’s over.

Sanna Engdahl, aka La Fleur, the Berlin-based Swedish DJ/producer has brought something to the table that will help keep us more than entertained. Her newest piece “Winter Cabin Mix,” profiles a new updates to her sleek sound. She opens the mix with funkier, R&B-laden sampling tracks and then works her way into the deeper house we all love in her sets. This mix fully embodies winter’s chill with its tone and pace, but it’s sure to warm a place in all of us, starting with the feet.

La Fleur has lots of new developments, so be sure to check out what she’s been up to as of late by following her on soundcloud, facebook, or twitter (Swedish). Also, be on the lookout for her new EP Petals on Fire (Lo:Rise) in February Also, for those of you in Germany, check her out at Panorama Bar in Berlin on the 27th!

La Fleur – Winter Cabin Mix

click to stream ; click the small arrow on the right to download

via La Fleur

- Retail DJ

 

Long Time, No See

31 Dec

nye (new year's eve): iyf (in your face)

Wow…it’s been a while, huh? Grad school has kept me firmly buried 6 feet under piles and piles of reading, papers, and whole host and other work, so Retail DJ got the shaft. Fortunately, Xmas break always works as a great catchup time, so I’ll be posting a little more regularly for the next few weeks. We’ll see what happens once school starts back hehe.

To celebrate my brief (though hopefully extended) return, I thought I’d share some fun music to pump you up tonight.

I recently made a mix to help my fellow classmates get through finals/papers week called “Energy Mix.” It’s a rough, unedited bit that I put together in less than an hour (all improv stuff), but it’s fuuuun!

(click to stream; click the small arrow on the right to download)

Also, the ever-magnificent Ohio-based DJ saint., whom some of you may remember from our exclusive interview with her back in May, has put out a new mix called “Midnight Mix,” a name that is undeniably fitting for tonight’s festivities.

(click to stream; no download)

Enjoy these mixes and be on the lookout for my December/January podcast, which will be coming your way very soon. Party safe tonight, everyone, and have a fun, happy, and healthy New Year!

- Retail DJ

Under_Construction

1 Sep

Under_Construction

I always say that things happen for a reason. Sure, it’s a cliche oversimplification of the way everything works, but it’s a fairly fitting statement in most cases. My experiences in Brazil are no different, each of them bearing some bit of fate that throws things temporarily off-balance, only for it all to work itself out again.

Take, for example, the location I chose to stay. When I was debating between two locations, it came down to convenience and proximity to the subway. I knew that Sao Paulo had just opened its yellow line, so I thought that the hostel I chose was perfect considering its 1-block walk to the yellow line “Oscar Freire” stop. Yet google fooled me good, and as it turns out, the section closest to my hostel (pictured above) is still under construction.

Alas, it’s a 15 minute walk up a steep hill to get to the subway that DOES work, and by that time, my body is so conditioned to the walking that I just end up walking everywhere I need to go. Sure, 15 minutes doesn’t sound like a lot, but just imagine taking that walk every time you want to go somewhere and with a really heavy bag and crazy feet. And there you have it. My present.

But considering my love for Sao Paulo, I always manage to find a silver lining. For one thing, I am a mere 3 blocks from the Galeria Melissa (the Melissa megastore that I always rave about), Nespresso (I am a total coffee addict), and adjacent (by half a block) to what I like to refer to as “The 5th Avenue of Sao Paulo,” known by others as Oscar Freire. Sao Paulo’s always full of little surprises, and this trip is no different from the others.

While the phantom subway line (I swear it shows up on google maps) was a shock, there were other aspects to life here in SP that came as no surprise. One of them being the sheer excellence of nightlife here for any and every one looking to have a good time. I always rave about the clubs here in Sampa, but until you go to a few, you just.can’t.understand.

Most of the parties are genuine, lacking an uber-pretentious crowd and, without a doubt, given a deliciously intense soundtrack. Sao Paulo has some of the best DJs in the world, and last night did not fail to impress. The party was care of producer L_cio, who many of you may know from my interview with him after our meeting last year around this same time. His vision is called under_line. It’s a music collective and party series that covers underground (or well-known, but with an underground sound) DJs and producers who are adding something new to the club scene here in the city. The party serves as a showcase for multiple forms of electronic music artists and a venue to hold those of us who love them.

The vibe at Tapas Club (Rua Augusta, of course) proved that an underground does, in fact, still exist, and that there’s an audience out there willing to dance until the wee hours of Thursday morning to support it. While there, I had the opportunity to hear all the DJs beginning with Dee Bufato (who is a DJ, Producer, Designer…the list goes on and on), then Hero Zero, followed by DJ duo Guilherme Picorelli and Henrique D´Marte (known together as “Fractal Mood”), and last but not least, the creator himself, L_cio. The styles varied throughout the night from minimal to deep house, tech house, and back again, keeping everyone on their toes both mentally and physically. Though this was #39 of this party series, it’s definitely not the last as L_cio is as prolific an artist as he is a party extraordinaire.

For those of you who may not have a chance to check out the under_line party live, I’ll let the music speak for itself:

a silky deep house set by Dee Bufato:

a minimal mix by L_cio (recorded live at under_line #37):

a solid house set by Hero Zero:

a deep house/tech house live set by the boys of Fractal Mood:

- Retail DJ

 

COCOLORES Brings It

29 Aug

Sometimes I go through these stages of being disgusted with the state of music. Everything sounds the same. Everything bores me. Everything wants me to hear good music so badly that I find the urge to pick up a guitar and take the time to teach myself how to play JUST to hear something different. Then something comes along that saves the day.

This time around, the honor goes to COCOLORES, music masters signed with Exploited (figures, right? this label can do no wrong) who just released their newest EP. Every track of the three is completely solid dance-inducing madness, so don’t miss it. Spend the $3 and gain a whole lot more (available on itunes):

- Retail DJ

The Remix That Blows My Mind: “Getting Me Down”

9 Aug

Brandy, meet Blawan.

Amazing.

original:

remix:

 

- Retail DJ

Gratuitous Dance Mix: Gustavo Peluzo

9 Aug

Gustavo Peluzo

With just two days left between Brazil and me, the anticipation is killing me. Though not my city of birth, Sao Paulo has always felt like home to me. And as I listen to today’s gratuitous dance mix by Belo Horizonte (MG)-based Brazilian DJ Gustavo Peluzo, I get chills thinking of my return.

I first learned of Peluzo during a visit to Vegas Club in Sao Paulo of August 2010. He was the opener for a weekend dance rager that went well into the next morning and his style, which fused deep house, tech house, and minimal burned a hole in my memory. Though his style is normally super energetic, the mix I have chosen for today, while still very danceable, is of a much mellower, sexy sort. May it help your continued ease into the week, though this time maybe with a couple items of clothing removed…Enjoy!

Gustavo Peluzo @ Warmup

(click to stream; click the small arrow on the right to download)

no tracklist available

*note: Gustavo often takes down his mixes in a short time, so be sure to get this before it’s gone!

 

- Retail DJ

 

Azari & III – Manic [video]

5 Aug

The video for Azari & III’s newest single “Manic” is out, and I couldn’t think of a better place for posting it than here of course. Enjoy!

Retail DJ April 2011 Podcast!

8 Apr

 

(photo courtesy of Pitulineta)

Over the past few months, as many of you may know, I’ve been doing quite a bit in terms of my personal life. Beyond the family and romance bit, there have been some changes in terms of work (I went in full-time on Retail DJ) and my academic career (I applied to grad school). The results were all positive, with the exception of the tough part that came at the end: deciding to whom I would say “yes.” After lots of careful thought, university visits, budgeting, planning, and nights spent with my eyes glued to mindmaps and pro/con lists on neon paper squares, I made the decision to stay in NYC for grad school.

However, during that process, particularly in the last month, I had been playing around on the mixer and using my mood to dictate what went into this podcast. I really wanted the songs to speak to each other – literally and figuratively – as they came together in the mix. Take, for example, the transition from a Sissy Knobby track to Mike Q’s “Ha Dub” rework. Considering Sissy Knobby’s transgressive performance of gender as a part of the now well-documented “sissy bounce” movement in New Orleans and DJ Mike Q’s presence within the NYC and NJ gay ballroom scene, there is no doubt that the two pieces fit, both thematically and musically. Then there’s “What I Need” by Curses! speaking directly to Hot Chip’s chanting on Jesse Rose’s “Forget My Name.” I let the songs talk to each other in a sense. It’s something that I truly enjoy when putting together these podcasts. Though a stressful and time-consuming process, I find that I learn a lot about the way music works and the power of even the simplest beats and lyrics.

Just a production note: this podcast was put together using my Vestax mixer with Serato and Itch, with final editing (i.e. voiceovers) done in Garage Band on my MacBook Pro.

click to play; click the small arrow on the right to download

or download here: Retail DJ April 2011 Podcast (right click + save as)

tracklist

sebastiAn – embody
kraak & smaak – thinking back
ttc – telephone
djuma soundsystem – junkies vs. rain (djuma bootleg)
kraak & smaak – plastic people
tony senghore – if you came here (shir khan remix)
jesse rose (feat hot chip) – forget my name
curses! – what i need
ka§par – so right
sissy knobby – lay me down (renaissance man remix)
dj mike q – the ha dub rewerk’d
savage skulls (feat tony senghore and sprinkle juice) – watching you (dub version)
mstrkrft – paris
savage skulls – caravan (jacques greene remix)
voices of life (feat sharon pass) – word is love (mercury edit)
database – your heart
todd edwards – come around
makam – you might lose it (kerri chandler kaoz 623 remix)
homework – hudson square

 

- Retail DJ

Pop Makeovers

25 Mar

I don’t listen to a ton of pop music, and sometimes when I step into a club where the DJs play “top 40,” I feel like an alien. Fortunately, when pop DOES find its way in my radar, it’s been chopped, screwed, refixed, remixed, and reborn. The most recent pop makeovers come to us by The Hood Internet, whose mashup of Hercules and Love Affair with Nicki Minaj redeemed the princess of rap, and DJ Van Scott (1/2 of Drlkt Freddie) who sent me a remix of Ke$ha’s “Sleazy” that gives the song (and the artist) a whole new face.

The two songs are polar opposites, actually, with Scott’s “Sleazy” remix serving as a full-on party track, and the Minaj/H&LA mashup better for a mellow setting. Needless to say, they’re both great. Give them a listen and enjoy:

The Hood Internet – Moment 4 Lenora (Nicki Minaj x Hercules and Love Affair)

 

Ke$ha – Sleazy (Van Scott F.U. Remix)

 

- Retail DJ

 

 

 

Gratuitous Dance Mix: The Balcony Jumpoff

4 Mar

Devilish music in the city of Angels

When NGUZUNGUZU started blowing up, I wasn’t enthused. Initially, I found their tracks a bit lacking in focus (it sounded like a musical case of ADD) and danceability (which, for me, is a bit of a litmus test in terms of how much I like something musical). It was repetitious and missing the hint of soul that it needed to pull me in. Yet, just in recent hours, I have become a lover of the Cali duo thanks to a great balcony session set in LA including DJ Mike Q (famous for his gay ball sets and now his viciously fun mix XLR8R podcast), Kingdom (NYC king of dark dubstep), and Total Freedom (whose pop/r&b set throws a little nostalgia and even humor into the set).

I don’t quite know how to describe NGUZUNGUZU, but that might be for the best. Their sound doesn’t really fit into one category, and for the better. It’s nice to see American-based DJs/producers creating something so new that there is no label for what they’re doing. Their set (which is shared in command by both members, Daniel Pineda and Asma Maroof). They play around with everything and anything that is percussion heavy and, much like their fellow Chicago producer/DJ Brenmar, manage to work in a lot of old school R&B (be on the lookout for the brain-melting Monica sample at 0:4:30 and the Ashanti insertion at 2:15:00 of this 3 hour musical trip), making for quite the aural experience.

The other DJs tear it up as well, of course. I wouldn’t put anything on this site that wasn’t worth your undivided attention.

Have a look and a listen:

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/13030119

(via DJ Mike Q on facebook and twitter)

- Retail DJ

Munk – Keep My Secret [video]

26 Feb

How is that Munk keeps putting out great music, year after year? Is it something in the water? I suppose it doesn’t matter. Just keep it coming:

Are DJs The Next Classical Musicians?

24 Feb

 

Will Bobmo be the next Bach?

There are many things about electronica that have always reminded me of classical music. For one, there are usually no lyrics. Secondly, the sounds usually build upon one another, particularly if the producer/DJ is very talented, leaving one to find new things in each track or mix with each listen. There is emotion in electronic music, despite it being dismissed as robotic and impersonal for its lack of lyrics, and many mixes even tell a story. That being said, I am often left to wonder: Are DJs the next classical musicians?

Considering that pop music is created in such a generic way, with each song manufactured to sound virtually the same, electronic music and its many offshoots (despite it being appropriated for use in pop music, and usually do its detriment) come as a refreshing sound. Also, in light of its constant innovation, it seems that it might be one of the few remaining genres of music that actually try new things and that will have more staying power. Who knows? Kids might be studying King Britt, The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, and Dave Nada in their music appreciate or history classes in 100 years. Only time will tell.

- Retail DJ

Lady Gaga – “Born This Way” A Rip-off?

11 Feb

Copied this way?

Lady Gaga, while talented, is often accused of ripping off other artists. That is to be expected, especially at the level of fame she has reached. Yet sometimes, there’s no denying that her producers are finding samples or at least melodies (I don’t know – classically-trained music people, help me out!) from 90s tracks. “Alejandro” certainly mirrored Ace of Base’s “Don’t Turn Around” (and a little bit of “The Sign”).

It seems that the newest track “Born This Way” finds its roots in All Saints’ “I Know Where It’s At” (if you sped it up, of course). Thoughts?

- Retail DJ

Funk on a Friday: It’s All About Love

4 Feb

There is one song that, as the lyrics say, I just can’t get off my mind. It’s Eli Escobar’s “Love Thing Part 2″ as remixed by DJ Mehdi. I hear it almost every time I go out, and EZRAKH even played it at WERK! (Retail DJ 1-Year Anniversary Party), but it never gets old. Check out the original:

 

and also check this re-edit/mashup WooHoo did with Soul Clap and Gadi Mizrahi’s remix of Bad Rabbits “Bad Love”

- Retail DJ

Hercules & Love Affair – My House [video]

21 Jan

Hercules and Love Affair

I just posted the single of this Hercules and Love Affair (for streaming) on Tuesday, but I couldn’t help but share the video too. It’s like early 90s cable access show meets a gay club (aka I love it). Be on the lookout for some awesome grinding and a hilarious commercial break.

May you get as much of a kick out of this as I did:

- Retail DJ

Tracks in Transit: Adulture

4 Jan

I will be flying to my hometown tomorrow for some well-deserved R&R and family time, but no worries, Retail DJ will keep on ticking. While in transit to Memphis, I plan to have Chicago DJ/ProducerAdulture (nee Garrett Shrigley), the man behind “Paper Cat” (which was later remixed by Bit Funk into something quite marvelous, (see below)), and his new Winter Mix on repeat. Play paparazzi and stalk my playlist by playing/downloading this great 35-minute set:

Adulture – Winter Mix (12/28/10)

(click to play; click the small arrow on the right to download)

tracklist (and the many incarnations of “Paper Cat”) after the jump

(more…)

Video: Round Table Knights feat. Ogris Debris – Say What?!

30 Dec

The Round Table Knights have a new track out and a video to match. I’ve heard it in a few mixes, but it’s nice to see/hear it on its own. It stands alone quite well, though considering it’s on Made to Play, that’s no surprise. Enjoy:

get the track on Beatport: http://bit.ly/f9snrK

via Homework, facebook page

Kim Ann Foxman – Creature (+ Live Set from Sao Paulo!)

4 Nov

Kim Ann Foxman (photo credit: deepbeep

I just got home from seeing Leo Justi, EZRAKH, Krunk Pony, and Cool Hand Luke DJ at Zamaan Bar in Brooklyn thinking that my night could not get any better (seriously, they tore it up), when I saw this on Facebook (via Alexander Technique):

so . . .

a) I love most videos in b&w

b) I love any showcasing of vogue and derivative forms of dance

and c) beyond being really interesting visually, this track is hot. I can already imagine Azari & III making a sick remix of it (if you’re reading this, remix noooow).

But being totally serious, Kim Ann Foxman has been DJing for some time (and is really good live, I should add) but may be most well-known from her work with Hercules and Love Affair (you can catch her here playing the glasses in the video, though she technically did some vocal work on the track as well (along with track lead Nomi Ruiz, who went on to form Jessica 6)).

For Kim Ann Foxman’s DJing, check out this set she did in 2009 at Vegas Club in Sao Paulo for the Ludo party:

Kim Ann Foxman – Ludo @ Vegas Club, SP (5.10.09)

(click to play; right click + save as to download)

- Retail DJ

Post-Election Blues . . . or Reds?

3 Nov

Most of the results are in (see updated information here) from yesterday’s elections, and the entire country is seeing red. . . for different reasons of course. If you look at the map, it’s almost entirely red, which is pretty shocking to see. Democrats suffered considerable losses this election, but it wasn’t an accident.

I normally don’t go into politics here on Retail DJ, but I will just come right out and say it: I think this election will affect a lot of people in ways they may not have imagined, particularly when it comes to social issues like immigration, rights for LGBT people, and provisions within the new healthcare plan. And while some may be celebrating, others may be crying themselves to sleep. Either way, music can help :-)

For those of you staying up late and victory dancing your way into Wednesday, for those of you who need a soundtrack as you kick the wall in, or for those of you who couldn’t care less but have insomnia and need something to get you through the night. This new mix from Sound Pellegrino (aka France’s Teki Latex and DJ Orgasmic, both of TTC fame) will help you, no matter which side of the fence you’re on, have a wonderful night or a happy commute to work tomorrow. Though its title has a bit to do with time travel (which I am sure a few of the Dems out there wish they could do right about now),  it’s very fitting for the here and now. With lots of new tracks (including a Homework remix of Joyce Muniz’s “Party Over Here, Party Over There” (a little trivia: one half of Homework, Tom Waist, created the video for the Muniz track), it’s sure to open a few ears and minds.

Enjoy the hell out of this. I sure did:

Sound Pellegrino Thermal Team – Post-Time Travel Nosebleed

(click to play)

via Discobelle

 

- Retail DJ

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