Somewhere between house music and avant-garde electronica, Silicone Soul have found their calling. In a recent interview, the group discussed their history and shed some light on their current musical direction. The duo, made up of Craig Morrison and Graeme Reedie, spoke of their beginnings in Glasgow, their first big break and their international acclaim.

Their story reflects their ability to bring together the fevered rumble of dance floor mania and a lifelong devotion to countless musical influences.

Their latest release, the “Smokestak” EP, is simultaneously heart-pounding and heart-stopping. The concise tracklist throws convention aside to make room for radical innovation. It is a rare occasion indeed when house music can be described as ethereal or expansive. This release trips along the edge of expectation, removing what is possible in exchange for what is imaginable.

Silicone Soul – Smokestak (Soma Records)

The first track, “Smokestak”, plays like an interpretation of a house music theme. All the characteristics of house are present: a hypnotic bassline, hi-hats on the offbeat, occasional handclaps, etc. The groove is undeniable but the first impression hints at something deeper. There is a landscape here that cannot be explored with a cursory examination.

A wailing saxophone blurs the line between Western and Eastern tonality while tribal drums sharpen the heavy beat. After some sonic exploration and perhaps a bit of meditation, one begins to uncover the levels of complexity belied by the seemingly simple song structure.

If “Smokestak” is euphoric, then “One Thing” is pure intoxication. Occupying the third space on the tracklist, this cut begins to break down the lines that separate dance music from other genres. Once again, the beat stands front and center but the true magic is found in the space surrounding the rhythm.

“One Thing” plays like a science experiment gone horribly right, pumping electric guitar through a battery-starved fuzzbox to expand the resonating frequencies. The only certainty is that this track will be firmly stuck in your head for days. One wonders: Is this psychedelic? Is this shoegaze? Sometimes it’s better to dance now and ask questions later.

The last two tracks, “Burning Sands” and “Like Mice In A Maze” build on the idea of joining seemingly antithetical genres into a mix that is both beautiful and strange. “Burning Sands” pulls no punches, a relentless rhythm throbs under a simple, reverb-laden bass progression. It is sinister and danceable in equal measures. Dizzying, trembling tones foreshadow the complete abandonment of form offered by “Like Mice In A Maze.”

The closing track is, if anything, mysterious. It approaches unfamiliar ground, stepping into realms usually frequented by the likes of Brian Eno and Working For A Nuclear Free City. “Like Mice In A Maze” even eschews the commitment to nightclub approval.

It is more cerebral than musical and is constructed with elements that can only be described as non-music. The feel of the track is cold, alien, almost unrecognizable when approached from the context of house music. Bassy, expansive tones collide in extreme slow motion; there is no illumination to be found.

A faint but frighteningly massive rhythm lumbers at a crawl, chopped-up slivers of sampled human vocals appear and disappear and far-off, spacy synthesizer tones sound almost hopeful compared to their dark surroundings. Repeated listens are a requirement for anyone fascinated with the concept of soundscapes.

Silicone Soul are on to something with the “Smokestak” EP. That is, perhaps, the most significant impact that these songs have. The implication is that only Silicone Soul really understand the meaning behind their creation. That will not be the case for long; captivated listeners will leave no corner of this record unexplored.

The post The Future of House According to Silicone Soul appeared first on Electronic Music.

With an almost reluctant acceptance of the way time can change us, Anton Sword moves us through five unique songs, noting new beginnings, the inevitable improvisation of life, and the ease of losing ourselves in our own twisted fantasies.

Listen up these two songs and feel free to comment:

The Air
http://antonsword.com/wp-content/uploads/01-The-Air.mp3
Here in the Hurricane
http://antonsword.com/wp-content/uploads/02-Here-In-The-Hurricane.mp3

Hope you enjoy, if you’d like please leave comments.

The post Anton Sword “Here In The Hurricane” appeared first on Electronic Music.

Formally one part of the commercial house duo, The Soulseekerz, Napolitano has released a string of successful remixes, collaborating with Basement Jaxx, Orbital, Moloko, and Ne-Yo. Their single “Perfection” featuring Danni Minogue became a top 20 hit. Napolitano partnered up with singer Sheryl Deane (of the The Thrillseekers) to form, The Ruff Loaderz. Napolitano fuses his past influences to create a unique and contemporary sound that has come to define Ruff Loaderz.

Singer Pernille delivers an amazing performance on the vocal remix. Her haunting and uplifting vocals take “Anthem” to the next level. The track has received rave reviews from all four corners of the globe with heavy support from The Freemasons, Hoxton Whores, Robert Owens, Rob Tissera, Eddie Amadour, Alex P, BBCi, Gaydar Radio, Cool FM, Ministry Of Sound, DJ Mag, Fire FM, Billboard USA and Tilllate Mag hailing it as “Pretty Damn Essential stuff”.

• Axwell – “Am downloading..”
• David Tort – “Nice one. Tochner mix for me”
• Pacha Majorca Resident Des Mitchell – “Loving the vocal on this even more now!”
• Hed Kandi Resident John Jones – “Dub is really doing it for me”
• Eddie Amador – “Uplifting! dub for me.”
• Billboard USA Rafy Nieves – “The club mix got the essence to create a nice vibe on the floor and the tochner got the progressive taste to pump the crowd!!!”
• Tilllate/DJ/DMC Magazines Lewis Dene – “Looking forward to playing this out this weekend at Nikki Beach in Cabo, Mexico”
• Billboard USA Ron Slomowicz – “I already feel it – without the vocal. Could be this year’s “Bromance” This is a BIG summer anthem.“

Check out the song and let us know what you think
http://www.radikal.com/2012/03/13/ruff-loaderz-the-hayman-anthem/

The post “Anthem” from Ruff Loaderz & The Hayman appeared first on Electronic Music.

After storming the scene with ‘High and Dry’ and ‘Shaken Not Stirred’ which got great reviews from DJMag and tons of other dance music lovers around the World, DJ Mikas and DJ Sage finally releasetheir long awaited debut on Black Hole Recordings, the label founded by international icon Tiësto.

The Eternal EP shows a fresh side of the Vancouver duo. Whereas ‘Shaken Not Stirred’ proved a truebalearic trance anthem and ‘High and Dry’ caused havoc on both progressive and electro dancefloors,Eternal lays down a solid and consistent tech-groove with a touch of electro. From the first momenton, Eternal captures the listener with energizing sparks and a gloomy, dark bassline. As the trackcontinues to build, the bassline erupts in sudden bursts of melody, elevating the beat to higher levelswhile making sure the floor keeps its energy.

With this strong release, Mikas and Sage keep the dancefloor in check. Eternal is a gem ready for Djsacross genres. From house to techno and from progressive to electro. Crowds will love this! OutFebruary 13th on Beatport, iTunes, Juno and every other major retailer.

As a special gesture to his fans, DJ Mikas wants to thank all his supporters with a gift. When his fanstweet a pre-set message on Twitter, they will be able to download the Manuel De La Mare remix ofForward by DJ Mikas. This track was supported across the board including Ferry Corsten, DashBerlin, Gareth Emery and Andy Moor. To get the track, fans can use the Pay With A Tweet link.http://www.paywithatweet.com/pay/?id=0f975b73f0fb5f16e9a6e2b5663467b3

Both DJ Mikas and DJ Sage have their own weekly radio shows syndicated to various radio stations.

TranceClass Radio is hosted by DJ Mikas and is available as a podcast on iTunes:http://itunes.apple.com/ca/podcast/tranceclass-radio/id420533775

Open House Sessions is hosted by DJ Sage and is available on Podomatic:http://djsageopenhouse.podomatic.com

Connect:
http://www.facebook.com/mikastop10
http://www.twitter.com/dj_mikas
http://www.facebook.com/djsageofficial

DJ MIKAS & DJ SAGE – Eternal (Black Hole Recordings)
http://soundcloud.com/djmikasofficial/sets/dj-mikas-dj-sage-eternal-ep
http://www.beatport.com/artist/dj-mikas/173956

The post DJ Mikas And DJ Sage Celebrate Debut Release on Black Hole Recordings appeared first on Electronic Music.

About ElectroBlog Ro

A year ago ElectroBlog Ro, started to promote the true values of Romanian electronic music through articles about the beginnings of electronic music in Romania, information about Romanian musicians, interviews and mixes. Ofcourse all this is accompanied by your valued comments and it can be said that ElectroBlog Ro has evolved together with its online community.

The post “ElectroBlog Ro – 1 Year” Anniversary Compilation appeared first on Electronic Music.

‘Hectic Zeniths’ is an anagram for the German word ‘Zeitschichten,’ meaning “layers of time.” The artist has previously released a free EP and an array of hip hop and electronic remixes under the name ‘amplifya’. Born in Brooklyn, NY, he is currently teaching high school math in Philadelphia, PA.

Songs in this album:
01. One That Got Away [Intro]
02. Then And Now
03. Curtain
04. Why Shoot Debris About it? [Interlude 1]
05. I Might Drown
06. Save Me (Instrumental)
07. Josie [Interlude 2]
08. Know My List
09. Zeitschichten
10. The Loneliest City
11. An Empty Shell [Outro]
12. Crumble (Unreleased Demo Available @ KitchenDip.org)
13. Lo-Fi Fresh (Unreleased Demo Available @ KitchenDip.org)
14. Wasteland (Unreleased Demo Available @ KitchenDip.org)

Album Reviews:
“The standout, “Then and Now,” sells you everything you need to visualize Prince’s world: swirling pianos, horns, strings, nostalgia, and beats that place it somewhere between the RZA and Burial moving furniture. It’s a sluggish but unique sound, working up some big beat cinematics that are sure to get hip-hop biographers circling: stuff this good can turn TV obituaries into contenders for most original sound design.” – George Bass, Cokemachineglow.com

“Prince’s upbringing and more recent interest in experimental DIY beat making meld together in a way that sounds dark, yet brimming with optimism.…This attention to detail lines the whole record, with “Drown” just being one fraction of an impressive whole.” – Michael Ayers, MTVHive.com
“It’s clear Prince has set a wide net of not just influences, but points of reference. This concept is at its most effective on ‘Zeitschichten’ where mournful pan-pipes, a hymn-like vocal sample in which you can hear crackling vinyl, and a distant string player combine to create something incredibly poetic and powerful. Feeling somehow timeless and contemporary at the same time, it is a song to get lost in, conjuring images of everything from black-and-white western films to dimly-lit city skylines.” – Pete Adkins, datatransmission.co.uk

“This album is simply one of the most beautiful and moving instrumental hip hop/electronic albums I’ve come across in years…I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve listened to this album now. Each time sounds fresh and inventive, but also incredibly personal. That’s no small feat.” – Chi Chi Thalken, scratchedvinyl.com

“Experimentally precise ballads infused with classical influences as well as chopped and screwed samples to create a sound that separates the men from the boys…The way these sounds are layered and produced is incredible.” – Andriana Albert, thenewblack.tumblr.com

“Here’s an example to live by for the kids who have put their music [entirely] in the hands of Reason or Ableton. Electronic music with real drum beats can sound beautiful.” – Stuart Mouritzen, quitmumbling.com

The album has considerable grace and sweetness, revealing a keen ear for handmade folktronic sonics and a blend of gentle classicism and sprightly sampling, making this a no-brainer for fans of Baths, Bibio and peak-era DJ Shadow.” – K. Ross Hoffman, Philadelphia City Paper

“Then And Now” Unofficial Video:

“Know My List” Unofficial Video:

For more information, please contact: info@hecticzeniths.com

http://hecticzeniths.com
http://soundcloud.com/hecticzeniths
http://twitter.com/hecticzeniths
http://facebook.com/hecticzeniths

The post Hectic Zeniths debut album has been released on CD + Digital appeared first on Electronic Music.

The new mix is filled with massive tunes of the new single’s of EDX, Andrew Bennett, Ferry
Corsten, Ivan Gough and many more.
So don’t waste your time, download it for free!

Behind the Deck’s

Martin Teik

The German started his Deejay career in 2009. On the professional level he
began mixing and got more and more into it.

Together with other acts and deejays he started learning the mixing on a
higher level and he never finished learning by others.

His growing reputation and his success was picked up by party-orientated
people which supported him in earlier days and also supports him currently.

After launching the Sexy House Vibes Podcast he became more and more
famous and got listeners all over the world. From Ibiza to Miami,
everywhere in the world his podcast episodes become more and more
famous.

With his music sessions he try’s the balancing act between danceable house
music and music of the electronic music scene worldwide.

His conception of a good night is to bring people the feeling of leaving the
world behind.

Feel free to visit Sexy house vibes website and get the latest info there:  www.sexyhousevibes.com

The post Sexy house vibes – mixed by Martin Teik (ep.11) appeared first on Electronic Music.

The Drake Equation was devised by Dr Frank Drake in 1960, in an attempt to estimate the number of extraterrestrial civilizations in our galaxy that we are likely to come in contact with. The equation should allow scientists to quantify the uncertainty of the factors which determine the number of potential extraterrestrial civilizations.

N is the number of potential civilisations which we may encounter.
R* galactic star formation rate average
fp starts that have planets
ne planets likely to support life
fl likeliness to develop life
fi likeliness to develop intelligent life
fc likeliness of technological level distinguished by long distance communication
L length of time these civilisations are likely to send long distance singals for

The Drake Equation is also the name of an electronic music band based in Brisbane , Australia who recently mailed us their independently released CD.

What a wonderful choice for a name! Their album “Through rarefied air” received an instant liking, not only because of the band name, but also for its minimal yet inspiring album artwork. And this is all even BEFORE you get to listen to it.

The first taste of their music truly matches the expectations set by their contextual and visual setting. The album opens with “below the surface” track with an unusual mix of digital and analogue sounds mixed into a wonderful swirly of lightly progressive composition which gradually grows into something slightly rhythmic.

The rest of the album takes the listener through a variety of interesting tracks, some of them with quite a nice danceable beat to it. One thing is consistent though, and this is what is good about this album – the fact that it’s true to its theme.

All throughout this collection of tracks the listener feels and lives the themes from future, remote and lonely planetary landscapes, vastness of the space between the two solar systems…. Machines.

This CD should be in a music collection of every true electronc music lover, however if you are looking for a rave DJ set material think twice as you might find some tracks on this album quite unsuitable. “Through rarefied air” has been composed inteligently with lots of care and passion for musical expression and should be listened as such. Do yourself a favour and listen to this release from start to finish without skipping any tracks, just like we did.

Four and a half out of five stars from Analogik!

Well done.

The post The Drake Equation appeared first on Electronic Music.

Torture Chamber 2	Neuro
Schranz Total V.8	Schranz Total 3.5
Schranz Total V.7	Schranz Total V.2
Schranz Total V.6	Schranz Total
Schranz Total 5.0

The post TECHNO CDS appeared first on Electronic Music.

More files available in our downloads area.

SUMMER NIGHT 2072 Peek into the year 2072 with this slightly melancholic track. Minimal, clean and well balanced for your listening enjoyment, tweaking, inspiration or your next multimedia presentation. Overall a very mature loop suitable for techno veterans. [sample wav ]

CONSTRICTOR Just another fine techno loop, mapped to your midi controller knobs – ideal for live performances and jamming.
[ sample wav ]

NEUTRINO THEME Futuristic sounding techno loop. Clean four stage beat and a well tuned malstrom synthesizer will make a good base for your next track. [ sample wav ]

LOONAR EXPRESS Fine techno loop with futuristic mood. It uses two voice samples as an illustration. Feel free to play with filters and track arrangement. Refills used: 109dB The DNB, e|A – Art of Voiceover, NuHouse, Vince Clarke, Lucky Bastard [sample mp3]

DODECAHEDRON Very hard schranz track with a punchy cowbell. Completely un sequenced but mapped to standard midi controls + PC keyboard.
[ view image ] [ sample mp3 ]

ORIENT 2100 Pleasant and balanced electronic break loop with retro synth sound and futuristic feeling. [ wav loop ]

The post REASON TRACKS appeared first on Electronic Music.