Frequency New York

Introducing The D.O.T.

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 15:45:00 -0400

(Photo courtesy of The D.O.T.'s Facebook Page)

Following the announcement earlier this year that he would no longer make music under the moniker, “The Streets,” there was reason to wonder what Mike Skinner would do next. Creative forces like Skinner don’t just ride off into the sunset and disappear. The answer arrived this week in the form of The D.O.T., Skinner’s new project with Rob Harvey, formerly of The Music.

Although The D.O.T. started uploading videos to YouTube back in August, news of the group’s formation slipped beneath the radar until Skinner released a statement to The Guradian on Monday. Skinner described the project to The Guardian as follows: "It's like one of those buddy movies from the 80s where the dream is impossible until they both make each other see things in themselves that they previously didn't know." Skinner did not reveal what the acronym "D.O.T." stands for.

Just like in those buddy movies, Skinner and Harvey combine their abilities to create results they could not have achieved individually. Specifically, skinner contributes his masterful production and eclectic taste while Harvey ads his classically English rock-n-roll voice (he can sound like Robert Plant, Phil Collins, or Liam Gallagher on certain tracks) that somehow works perfectly for the many musical genres The D.O.T. explores.

The 15 tracks posted on The D.O.T.'s website exhibit influences of musical styles ranging from moombahton, to soft rock, to disco, to southern rock, with multiple genres often referenced over the course of one song. According to The D.O.T.'s Facebook page, these first songs will be followed by “a propa album” to be released at some point in the future. Until then, The D.O.T. has given us more than a few good tracks to get acquainted with, including the highly danceable "Whatever It Takes."

Social Media and Art Expand Indie Artist's Audience

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 12:03:00 -0400

It’s not everyday that you get to see the large-scale expansion of a music career via a piece of art that’s racking up double-takes all over Tumblr. The piece of art seen left is a surrealist portrait of acclaimed video director, Yoann Lemoine.

His name may sound familiar when you consider the production company that he keeps. Hype Williams and David LaChapelle are always handy producers to have on set when you’re producing your films/music videos. But it shouldn’t be hard for him considering he’s directed the music videos for Katy Perry’s “Teenage Draeam,” Taylor Swift’s “Back to December” and the Mystery Jets’ “Dreaming of Another World.” With that much artistic swag on his résumé, it’s hard to imagine that he would need to do much if he wanted to switch from directing the videos for the music to actually composing the music himself.

Well, if anything, that’s exactly what he proved yesterday. On October 23, Lemoine’s surrealist portrait introduced an entirely new audience of people to the up-and-coming indie artist on the scene, Woodkid. Although his first EP, Iron was released back in late March of this year, the simple circulation of this stunning art piece and a link to the video for his first single did more in a day than most promotion and advertising teams do in an entire month.

The power of social media comes as no surprise. After all, Soulja Boy was discovered on YouTube. Whether or not that discovery was really ground-breaking or not is still up for debate. However, social media usually doesn’t help kick off a lot of indie artists' careers. If anything, more mainstream and popular music artists are taken from that happy world of social media self-promotion, comprised of sites like YouTube, SoundCloud, MySpace, and etc.

With that being said, the music video for the alternative singer/songwriter single, “Iron,” is without a doubt, a black and white masterpiece. When clicking on the Tumblr radar-featured portrait (which doubles as the EP’s artwork), one can be bought to the blog post where the link for the video will bring you to Woodkid’s website.

To prove the power of social media, the Vimeo statistics for the music video showed that he had the highest number of hits that week with 2,156 views. Impresive, huh?

If you truly wish to find out more about this still-on-the-rise star, listen to his music by downloading the Iron EP here and watch the video below.

The Best of Notorious B.I.G

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:03:00 -0400

It may not be his birthday or even the anniversary of his untimely death, but as far as I'm concerned any day is a good day for Biggie. With the House/EDM phenomenon taking over music, it's refreshing to hear any Biggie or classic hip hop at all on the radio. And I'm not talking about a mashed up "Hypnotize" version with all the unse-unse-unse added in. I'm talking classic, clean, straight up hip hop. With even rappers (uhm hm Kanye?) taking the house music route, we're hard-pressed to find many venues where we can dance to hip hop these days. So in honor of our dearly departed non-synthesized real hip hop and the musical magic of yesteryear, here's the best of Biggie Smalls --from his tracks to his quotes to his ridiculously awesome outfits.

Best Lyrical Track: "Juicy"

The beat is crazy, but the lyrics on this track cemented Biggie's legendary status. Any dreamer, white, black, purple or otherwise can relate to his struggle to the top. It's maybe one of the most uplifting songs when you're having a rough day. I mean, if Biggie could make it, who can't? Lyrical perfection.

Best Dance Track: "Hypnotize"

This is one track that will get anyone and everyone up on their feet. Whenever it comes on you can hear a collective "oooooh!" and people go absolutely nuts. We can all revert back to middle school when this song was the absolute shit (and still is for that matter). Good times.

Best Feature: 'Flava in Ya Ear' remix with Craig Mack

Big kills it on the intro of 'Flava in Ya Ear.' Even with a plethora of name rappers on the track, he outshines them all in mere seconds.

Best Quote: "Don't be mad, UPS is hiring."

(Also from 'Flava in Ya Ear.') No further commentary necessary.

Best Outfit: All White Everything

Ok, I may have cheated on this one a little. This is a picture of his Madame Tussaud's wax figure, but only Biggie could get away with looking like a giant refrigerator and still look dope.

Best Fan Artwork: FLOW TWE graffiti art

Best Fan Site: Notoriousbig.co.uk

If this article wasn't Big enough for you, check out this fansite to get your fix.

The Best Web Sources for Electronic + House Music

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:05:00 -0400

This is the article for the House Heads out there who don't want to have to wait on word of mouth or the Billboard top 100 hits to come out for the latest hits/what's new in EDM. They want to curate and mine on their own, discover new artists, new jams to add to their Most Played on iTunes Playlists.

1) Beatport: A MUST GO TO for every appreciator, regardless of interest level. Whether you're just starting to getting into the dance scene, or have been dubstepping your way through house, techno, trance, drum and bass, dancehall for decades - this is the site to default your homepage to. Established in 2004, think of Beatport as an EDM (Electronic Dance Music) online shopping mall. Shopaholics, don't fear: the music is worth every cent. Beatport's won the IDMA's (International Dance Music Awards) Best Dance Music Specialty Retailer for the last five years. Beatport currently boasts over a million tracks and over 200,000 releases, thus providing constant, up to date info for electronic music lovers everywhere. Main Website: http://www.beatport.com/ Customer Support site: http://beatportknowledgebase.com,

2) Traxsource.com: Download Underground Music. Yes, indie house. Is that even a genre? Doesn't matter. What matters is you can come here for lesser known, but just as awesome, artists and releases that just Billboard and Beatport won't necessarily satisfy. And let's face it, who doesn't love knowing stuff before everyone else finds out? It gives you a sense of "eliteness", doesn't it?

3) Houseplanet.dj: The Writer's personal favorite. Houseplanet is...a combination of blogging nerdage, downloading goodies, release newsies, and gives every visitor the goods on the tunes before they buy. Try it before you buy it, right? The Cherry on Top: Underground music. Yes, indie house. Is that even a genre? Doesn't matter. What matters is you can come here for lesser known, but just as awesome, artists and releases that just Billboard and Beatport won't necessarily satisfy. And let's face it, who doesn't love knowing stuff before everyone else finds out? It gives you a sense of "eliteness", doesn't it?

4) purehousemusic.net: The good old days of Sean Parker/Napster and Limewire freebies may be over, but doesn't mean you can't still have your cake and eat it. House Music (the cake) and FREE Downloads: (eating it too). What could be better? This site allows you to preview, review, play, and download house jams all in one place. You get to be choosy before you take, and you also have the choice to be proactive: the site also has a section called "Gear Reviews", where users review different types of equipment for listening/producing.

Cocaine 80s Drop Second Surprise EP, 'Ghost Lady'

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:10:00 -0400

Cocaine 80s has returned with their latest EP, Ghost Lady. In usual fashion, the self-proclaimed champions of “dope” music surprised their fans with the release via various social media outlets such as Facebook and their personal blog.

According to Pitchfork, the group was started by acclaimed and coveted producer No I.D. The hip-hop collective is an ode to the feel of authentic 80s Hip-Hop and real music. With such an ambition in mind, its not surprising that No I.D. employed Common and underground R&B guru James Fauntleroy for the collective.

Fresh off their previous summer release, The Pursuit, the Ghost Lady EP comes as an interesting redirection from Cocaine 80's former effort. Although the collection only includes seven tracks, it has more of a cohesive concept than most of the mainstream LPs released this year. Despite the copious amount of members belonging to ’80s,’ Fauntleroy and Common seem to be the only ones really utilized on ‘Lady.’ It seems to work as the pair (trio, once you consider No I.D.’s production) adeptly tackles love and loss from the male perspective.

As the title suggests, ‘Lady’ deals with a woman who has broken a man’s heart. Whether the man of discussion is Fauntleroy or not is unclear. However, he does a good job of playing the role, as he sings thoughtful and well-written lyrics over No I.D. beats—beats that, on their own, tell the story of one who has reached a state of content after accepting the possibility of heartbreak.

The “lead single” from this EP, “Six Ft. Over” is by far one of the best tracks included. Firstly, the track title and its well thought out typography is reason enough to give listeners faith in Cocaine 80s' legitimacy as a musical act; it’s pure artistic genius. The group remains conscience of their metaphoric combination of death and love while titling this track. One immediately thinks of being “six feet under,” despite the uncertainty of whether the track is titled "Six" featuring an artist by the name of Over or "Six Feet Over." It adds a sense of mystery. Secondly, the track stars Common as the lyricist. Need one say more? As usual, Common brings the swagger and experience that can only be associated with maintaining a healthy balance between underground and mainstream rhyming. Although the group has announced no intentions of being mainstream, their simple attention to minute detail and Common's lyricism might give them the cred they need to do just that.

Other standouts include “Loved to Death” and “Not No More.” The former is easily the definitive climax and turning point of the EP. It seems to bring the story of the Ghost Lady full circle. “On her grave it said she was loved/ I loved her to death,” Fauntleroy croons. The obvious comparisons between Fauntleroy and Frank Ocean can distract one from the genuine genius of the former’s work. However, Fauntleroy comfortably does classic, unornamented R&B music without the annoying and formulaic snare-induced vibe that occasionally plagues the music released by Ocean. “Not No More” exemplifies this perfectly, deviating from the standard R&B interpretation of the EP’s theme. ‘No More’ helps the record by taking a risk. The group borrows the vibes of Barcelona folk-jazz to create an emotionally disjointed track that leaves the listener thinking “these two things don’t go together.” Employing the “Spanish guitar” and conga drums, Fauntleroy coolly gets fed up with the idea that his love is not being reciprocated. The thrill and excitement of new-found love usually associated with Spanish folk-jazz is abruptly turned on its head by Fauntleroy’s lyrical arrangements.

There is no doubt that Cocaine 80s is relatively new to the scene but their lack of fame is no reason not to check out good music, or even worse, ignore talent. Discover them for yourself by listening to the lead single, "Six" (ft. Over) below and downloading the full EP, here.

Also, check out their first EP, Pursuit, on their blog.

Drake + The Weeknd to collaborate for ‘Take Care’

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:01:00 -0400

If you just heard your neighbor exclaim “Oh yeah” or “No way,” it's simply because he or she heard some mind-blowing news; Drake and The Weeknd are doing not one, not two, not three, but four songs together on Drake’s upcoming album, Take Care.

Although the album was originally set to be released today for Drake’s birthday, the album was yet again pushed back, presumably to fine-tune and add some tracks to the still unreleased track list for the record.

According to Uproxx, Drake told MTV that the rising star, also hailing from Drake’s hometown of Toronto, would be included on the album for sure. The collaboration, as Drake puts it, is happening because of a mutual respect that the two artists have for each other.

Since The Weekend dropped House of Balloons, there has been much comparisons drawn between him and his fellow Canadian contemporary. The hip-hop driven production and “bedroom pop” lyricism of the young crooner’s music makes the combination a perfect fit. Whether Drake will choose to spit a few bars or pull out the auto-tune machine on these tracks is not clear just yet.

However, many hope that Mr. Graham will opt for the former choice. It would be interesting to see if The Weeknd’s lyricism and vocal adeptness has the ability to push Drake’s rhyming to another level.

If by any chance, you have not heard The Weeknd’s music yet, go listen to it NOW! You can download the acclaimed, House of Balloons mixtape here.

Checking out his older mixtape, Thursday, wouldn’t hurt either. Download that one, here.

Under the Radar: A Loss for Words

Mon, 24 Oct 2011 10:00:00 -0400

While they might be a new name to you, Boston's A Loss for Words have been packed in a van for the better part of the last few years, bringing their honest, aggressive take on pop-punk to basements and clubs all over the world. Having just signed to Rise Records' Velocity imprint, and with their new record No Sanctuary hitting stores tomorrow, the band are under their biggest spotlight yet. While trends come and go in this genre, A Loss for Words have stuck to their guns, constantly refining their heartfelt, hard-rocking anthems with every release. We caught up with bassist Mike Adams to talk about the band's work ethic, and what sets their new record apart from the trove of new pop-punk that's scattered all over the scene.

You guys released The Kids Can’t Lose in mid 2009. What have the past 2 ½ years since that been like for A Loss for Words?

Since we put out that record we’ve pretty much been on tour in support of it nonstop. We pride ourselves on our tireless work ethic and I like to think it’s really paid off. I can’t wait to do the same for this next record.

How did your deal with Rise Records’ Velocity imprint come about?

Dave Shapiro, owner of Velocity Records, caught wind of our band through the Wonder Years and came out to meet us and check out our band in person on the Transit/This Time Next Year tour. We kept in touch and mentioned how we still needed support from a label for our new record and the Velocity/Rise family took interest in us.

Do you feel any extra responsibility to represent your genre when you’re one of the few bands of your kind on the label?

I don’t feel any more responsibility to represent our genre than I already do. We don’t want to put out a record with no heart or substance because that’s the last thing our scene needs. It’s already oversaturated with meaningless crap like that. We’re just proud to represent our label the best we can and glad we can help show everyone that Rise and Velocity are broadening their horizons musically speaking.

What have you all been listening to?

Well Matty and I (Mike) have been listening to a lot of R&B because that’s just what we listen to mostly. Raphael Saadiq, John Legend, The Weeknd, Bad Rabbits - stuff in that vein. Marc busts out the classics, the Beatles, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, and Nevada listens to his gross crusty punk ha ha.

What upcoming records are you excited about?

Well I’m obviously excited about Transit and Man Overboard, but personally I really look forward to the new Ataris, Blink 182, Four Year Strong, This Time Next Year, Jacks Mannequin, MUTEMath, I Am The Avalanche, and the NFG record. I know there are a lot I’m forgetting.

Given the opportunity to make a dream tour of one unsigned band, one active signed band, and one broken-up one, who would you choose?

I would have to choose Bad Rabbits for the unsigned band, Anberlin for the active band, and Huey Lewis and the News for the now defunct band.

How do you guys keep yourself busy during tour and studio downtime?

I read most of the time, but when I’m not reading I usually play madden or watch movies on my PSP or nerd out on facebook and my wrestling websites on my kindle. I think the invention of the smart phone makes long drives and downtime go by seriously fast… even though it does cut down on the amount of actual interaction and conversation.

Let’s talk about your new record a bit. What was the recording process for No Sanctuary like?

Recording the record was a lot of fun. Andrew Wade is a great guy and really knows what he’s doing. We mapped everything out, when we’re going to do this and do that. It was very structured. He has a great mind for music so we all really clicked. The three and a half weeks we were in there really flew by.

What was the inspiration behind the cover image?

A good bit of the record deals with the situation of relationships either not working or being stuck in one you’re not happy with. We tried to portray that in the picture, hopefully it comes through.

What’s the biggest difference between No Sanctuary and your older work?

It’s a more mature A Loss For Words. We’re so proud on the musicianship and songwriting on this record and hopefully people can tell the effort and heart we put into it.

Do you have a personal favorite track on the new record?

I really like the song "Pirouette." it’s a poppier song and I really like the lyrics. Plus, I think it’s catchy as hell.

What does the next year look like for AL4W?

The next year will be just like the last few, touring, touring and more touring. Hopefully we can do some good support tours, and we plan to get over to the UK and Europe and hopefully back to Japan. Tireless touring and shameless self promotion 24/7.

New York Rivals are Ready For Your Attention

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:17:00 -0400

While New York Rivals just formed this summer, they boast a refined, refreshing style that seems to be backed by years of experience writing songs and touring the country. It's no coincidence. With former members of Great Big Planes and Armor for Sleep, this Brooklyn four-piece consists of tri-state area veterans coming together to create something special. While the vocals of Josh Moran have a lazy indie swagger similar to singers like The Strokes' Julian Casablanca, the band boast a hard-rocking sense of musicality more in line with bands like Muse and the Deftones. Having just released their new album on iTunes this week, and with a tour with indie legends The Lemonheads under their belt, New York Rivals are already working like professionals in their 2 months as a band. We spoke to guitarist Erik Rudic (pictured far right) about the band's formation, recording their self-titled full-length, and what the future has in store.

How did you guys come together?

Josh (vocals) and Nash (drums) were playing in a project together. I saw that they were looking for a guitar player, so I reached out to them, tried out, and it went well. Then, we went in to record this album we just released and we needed someone to play bass, so we had our buddy Gianni come in. It all kinda gelled so we just kept it the way it was. It all worked out.

What were you doing musically before New York Rivals?

We were all kind of playing in respective projects. Josh was in Great Big Planes and Nash was in Armor for Sleep, and they both broke up and they hooked up. Me and Gianni were playing in a band together, and I saw an opportunity to kinda step up and play with those dudes.

Is there something you get to do musically that you didn't get to do in older bands?

We all get to show off a little. We all have our little moments in the songs. It's not something overly showoff-y, but I get to show my talent and riff a little bit. Most of the newer songs we kinda wrote as a group, so we all got to do flashy stuff.

What was the recording process like for your new full-length?

It was awesome, man. We recorded at Machine Shop which is in Bellevile, New Jersey and Ignition Sound in Brooklyn. Both great studios. They both kinda helped us hone our sound and bring this album together. It all came together quick. Josh had a lot of songs, so all we had to do was lay them down and put our own spin on it. it was definitely a fun process and were all happy with how it came out.

What's your favorite track on the record?

I like "Alcohol" a lot. It's one of the heavier tunes. The first track, "I'm Not Ready Yet" is also one of my favorites.

What have the crowd reactions to your set been like?

Before we hit the road with the Lemonheads, we were playing in the city and the reaction's been great. There hasn't been a show with a bad reaction. And going on tour with the Lemonheads and starting in Tennesee and going up north was a totally different thing. We feel like we got great exposure and gained fans and sold merch, so it was a great response every night, but I feel like when we made our way north and started hitting towns like Boston the reactions got really, really good. We got into a groove and everybody seemed to enjoy it.

What are your guys plans for the rest of the year?

Hopefully we're gonna be jumping on shows here and there up until December. Even though we just put out a new CD, we have bunch of songs written towards a new album. We're gonna possibly try to record somewhere in the near future just to get new music out there and show our versatility. Hopefully 2012 will be our big year for us, just getting out on the road and staying out there, you know?

So the plan is to do the band full-time?

Yea, definitely. That's the plan right now. We're all in it to win it. We're kinda bankrupting ourselves right now to try and make this happen (laughs). We're definitely giving it our all, thats for sure.

Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience Hits the Road Next Week

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:21:45 -0400

While the songs of legendary classic rockers Led Zeppelin have been tucked away in the tombs of musical history, they'll soon get a new life on the stage. Jason Bonham, son of Zeppelin's late drummer John Bonham, will be taking his "Led Zeppelin Experience" on a special east coast run, reconnecting fans with the music that his father helped create for decades.

The "Led Zeppelin Experience" is far from a cash-in on the seminal rockers' household name. Part tribute, part history lesson, Bonham combines a mesmerizing light show with some of his personal archived video footage of the band, turning the "Experience" into more than just one of rock's best cover sets. One of the concert's poignant moments is a duet of "Moby Dick" that Jason performs with his late father via video screens. Bonham revives "In The Light," which Zeppelin never played live, in addition to big hits such as "Rock n' Roll" and "Lemon Song."

The thoughtful tribute tour kicks off in Engelwood, NJ on Oct. 27 and wraps up in Clearwater, FL on Nov. 18. For more information, check out the tour's official site. Will you be a part of the experience?

Female DJs Dominating the EDM Scene

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 13:42:00 -0400

With superwomen like Beyonce and Lady Gaga taking the music industry by storm, this decade really has been all about the females. But while pop music goddesses like The Spice Girls and Britney have defined the trademarked word, "girlpower", theirs isn't the only genre to hail to the Queen Bee.

Go SheJay.

You knew this was coming. Established in 2001, Shejay is your go-to guide for girls literally spinning the EDM world round and giving a face to female talent ever since. Think of it as a haven where these talented female artists and producers can shine and bring what they've got to the turntables.

Queen of The DanceHall DJs

DJ Anita

Dubbed as the first female black DJ in Ukraine, this Nigerian born Dancehall Dame is currently represented by G Groove's Entertainment. Her beats mix African roots with techno and R&B, and she's risen up as Queen of the Ukraine since she went pro in 2006.

Meet her here.

Her reign has just begun.

Girl On Top:

DJ Rap (Charissa Saverio) isn't just your average female DJ. Not only has she been crowned the number one female DJ in the world, this Drum and Bass centered producer also serves as CEO of her labels: Propa and Impropa Talent. She's multi-faceted in talent as well; Rap also graces as song writer and classical pianist, and her passion for music has stretched her flexibility through many genres, and also to its plethora of world-wide appreciators.

Back To Roots:

Welcome to Lori Land

The Dance Music Industry has truly expanded like the colors of the rainbow. But, for a second, just 1, let’s stop...and bring House back to where it all started: Chicago. There we'll find DJ Lori (born Lori Lucas-Martinez) one of the premier female DJs in the game. Since 1985, this lovely lady has been spinning the ever-weaving web of House/Club music. She's the original, no copies allowed. Give her a listen at http://soundcloud.com/djlori