Click it for the bigger poster.

UK bass duo Disclosure, last here in October, will be back in March -- not for SXSW but the 2013 Ultra Music Festival in Miami which takes place over two weekends (3/15 - 17 and 3/22 - 24). The festival also features appearances from Tiësto, David Guetta, Armin van Buuren and Avicii, Hot Chip, Crystal Castles, Calvin Harris, Carl Cox, Fatboy Slim, and more. Disclosure is only playing the first weekend. Full "Phase 1" line-up is below, with more to be announced later.

While in North America, the duo will also make time for two shows in NYC: March 20 at Music Hall of Williamsburg and March 21 at Bowery Ballroom. Tickets to both shows go on sale Friday (1/18) at noon.

Disclosure are currently experiencing success in their home country as single "Latch" is sitting in the UK Top 20. You can stream it below.

Continue reading "Disclosure playing two NYC shows after Ultra Music Festival in Miami (line-up announced)"

Moogfest 2011 (more by Diana Wong)

Moogfest, which is becoming one of the most intriguing US music festivals, is returning to Asheville, NC this year on October 26 and 27. Like in past years, the festival includes some legends like Thomas Dolby and GZA performing Liquid Swords (like he is in NYC and other cities), some of our favorite newcomers like Julia Holter, Trust, and Disclosure, electronic heavy hitters like Orbital, Four Tet, Squarepusher, Richie Hawtin, Mouse on Mars, and Prefuse 73 with Teebs, in addition to a diverse list of other artists like Killer Mike, El-P, The Magnetic Fields, Explosions in the Sky, Primus, Santigold, Divine Fits, Actress, Pantha Du Prince, Bear in Heaven, and more. Tickets for this year's fest go on sale Friday (8/10) at noon. The initial lineup is listed below.

Orbital, who released their new album, Wonky, this year, which featured a track with Zola Jesus, have a few other North American dates this year (still none in NYC though).

For Divine Fits, the new band featuring Britt Daniel (Spoon), Dan Boeckner (Wolf Parade/Handsome Furs), and Sam Brown (New Bomb Turks), who recently made their live debut in Austin, Moogfest is one of the few shows they've got scheduled this year, including the Chicago show they played last night (8/5) and an upcoming NYC show.

Moogfest 2012 lineup is listed below.

Continue reading "Moogfest 2012 lineup (GZA, Magnetic Fields, Explosions in the Sky, Primus, Santigold, Julia Holter, Disclosure, Orbital, Four Tet, Divine Fits, Killer Mike & more)"

Diplo released the "Express Yourself" 7" this month, the single for that track from his EP of the same name. You've already seen the video for that song, which features bounce artist Nicky Da B, and below we're offering a stream of the single's b-side, "Move Around" (featuring Elephant Man and GTA). That's the cover art for the 7" above. Pick up a copy on green vinyl.

Diplo, Grimes, Skrillex (one of the greatest guitarists of all time), Tokimonsta, Pretty Lights, and others are set to head out on the Full Flex Express Tour, a tour of Canada on a train modeled after The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, and The Band's 1970 Festival Express tour.

Although the Full Flex Express tour doesn't come to the US, Diplo, Skrillex, and Pretty Lights will all be in NYC later this summer for Electric Zoo, which returns to Randall's Island from August 31-September 1. Tickets are on sale now. The full lineup is listed below. Skrillex will also be in the NYC area for Bamboozle this weekend.

Speaking of electronic dance festivals in New York, the Electric Daisy Carnival will occur at MetLife Stadium this weekend from May 18-20. The lineup includes MSTRKRFT, Richie Hawtin, Fatboy Slim, Bassnectar, and others. Tickets are available. Full lineup below.

In more related news, the touring Identity Festival, whose lineup was a bit better last year but certainly bigger this year since it sold out in less than 24 hours, returns to NY on July 28 at Jones Beach. Artists playing include Datsik, Eric Prydz, Nero, and more. Full lineup below.

Festival lineups and stream below...

Continue reading "Grimes taking a train ride with Skrillex & Diplo; Electric Daisy Carnival, Electric Zoo, Identity Fest & other EDM news too"

Due to unforeseen circumstances the Plastikman 1.5 live show will not be able to proceed tonight as originally planned.

Electric Zoo will now be presenting a special one hour Richie Hawtin DJ set with the Ali Demiral LED visuals show. This will take place at 10pm-11pm in the Hilltop Arena - the same arena where Plastikman would have performed.

From Richie Hawtin, "Plastikman Live is a technically challenging show that has appeared successfully in over a dozen countries over the past year. The shows systems are well-tested but rely on specific requirements from the festivals where we perform. Without full compliance of these requirements we can find ourselves in a frustrating situation. My production team has been on site in NYC since Tuesday working alongside the Electric Zoo production team preparing for this show, and they have done everything within their powers to address the challenges that have been presented at the event. Sadly it has not worked out and we regret to announce that Plastikman will not perform in New York this weekend. We are excited, in light of the situation, that we are able to present this LED visual show similar to the shows that we present at other festivals around the world".

Richie Hawtin will also still headline the Sunday School Grove on Sunday at Electric Zoo.

The annual electro fest on Randall's Island, Electric Zoo, begins today, Friday, 9/2, and lasts through Sunday. And though much of the lineup and crowd may scare you (Tiesto is the big headliner tonight), there is also something for everyone. Today's lineup also includes a DJ set by Moby, Rusko, a bunch of Ed Bangers, MSTRKRFT, and what is sure to be a very special set by Richie Hawtin in the form of Plastikman.

Press release describes it like this:

Electronic music producer and performer Richie Hawtin returns to U.S. soil with his darker alter-ego PLASTIKMAN. The Berlin-based artist will bring his one-hour live experience that explores the connection between audio, visual and interactivity to Electric Zoo on Governor's Island Friday, September 2. This will mark the debut of PLASTIKMAN LIVE in New York City. Richie Hawtin will also DJ a separate set at Electric Zoo in addition to presenting PLASTIKMAN LIVE on Sunday, September 4.

PLASTIKMAN LIVE was voted the best live act of 2010 by Resident Advisor readers and also was included in U.K. tastemaker magazine MixMag's best live dance act shortlist. Since launching March 2010 at Timewarp in Mannheim, Germany, the PLASTIKMAN show has been under a constant state of evolution helmed by Hawtin and his partners visual architects Derivative and visual designer Ali Demirel.

There is also a customized iPhone/iPod Touch application called Plastikman SYNK. Conceptualized by Hawtin and developed with RJ Fischer (http://hexler.net) and Bryan McDade (Minus), SYNK is available for free and is the official companion iPhone/iPod Touch application of the current PLASTIKMAN LIVE worldwide tour. SYNK users will participate in an experiment in audience-performer interaction aiming to blur the lines of perception and participation.

PLASTIKMAN LIVE is a fully immerse real-time interactive concept experience. It is the only show where the entire event has been created from the ground up with the artist (Richie Hawtin/PLASTIKMAN) spearheading each part of the development and vision. There is one performer--Richie Hawtin aka PLASTIKMAN--on stage employing the cutting edge and custom technology to control the entire audio/visual and lighting experience, with live real-time generative visuals (no timed coded pre-rendered video or movies) in connection with cutting edge Derivative TouchDesigner software, live control over DMX-controlled lighting (custom Ableton Live Midi>DMX solution), and real-time audience/performer interaction and communication with the custom iPhone SYNK App (The only live concert that allows the audience to control part of the show, HUD readouts, audience/performer chat client, live on stage camera feed, etc.).

"I'm very excited to bring my PLASTIKMAN show to Electric Zoo," states Hawtin. "I am very energized by the incredible developments in the electronic scene in North America, and finally we're seeing the underground movement that I represent with my label, artists, DJing and live shows being acknowledged by the big events and festivals. This is a great moment in American music history, and I am delighted to have a platform to present my take on where electronic music is today and my vision for its future."

SBTRKT, who DJs twice tonight at the similar North Coast Music Festival in Chicago, DJs Electric Zoo on Saturday (despite what his posted tour dates say)

A Plastikman video below...

Continue reading "Electric Zoo begins, Richie Hawtin is Plastikman tonight"

Giant and very-varied Labor Day Weekend electro festival Electric Zoo returns to Randall's Island on September 2-4 and just announced 14 more artists to its already big lineup which is split across four stages (times three days).

The fest this year features performances by big names like Moby (DJ set), Rusko, MSTRKRFT, Richie Hawtin as Plastikman, Chromeo, Boys Noize, Calvin Harris and Diplo. The lineup also includes smaller but familiar and exciting names like Daedelus, SebastiAn (Live), SBTRKT, Nicolas Jaar (Live), and many more. The whole thing is listed below.

SBTRKT meanwhile has dates coming up in July.

SebastiAn, who has had singles floating around for a few years now, and more recently a film score, finally released his first proper full length Total on May 30 via Ed Banger. The album is 22 songs of Daft Punk-esque aggressive French House and features vocal contributions from Mayer Hawthorne and M.I.A.. Check out a soundcloud stream of the M.I.A.-featured "C.T.F.O." (which stands for chill the fuck out) and the full tracklist also below.

More tour dates for Diplo, Chromeo and Rusko, along with the EZ lineup, and stuff, below...

Continue reading "Electric Zoo expands lineup (SBTRKT, Nicolas Jaar, MSTRKRFT, MANY more), SebastiAn released 'Total' on Ed Banger"

photos by Zach Dilgard

Frankie Knuckles / actual members of the crowd

"This past labor day weekend in NYC, thousands of dance and electronica music fans gathered together for the first, and hopefully annual Electric Zoo Festival on Randall's Island to celebrate Electronic Music. The festival lineup featured over 50 acts which included Steve Aoki, Busy P, Danny Tenaglia, Benny Benassi, Deadmau5, David Guetta, Markus Schulz, Tom Middleton, Kaskade, and Armin Van Burren over the course of two days....

...On the second day of the festival, house music icon DJ Frankie Knuckles alongside Andy Butler (Hercules & Love Affair) blessed the turntables with a raw and authentic classic house music set that made you feel nothing short of spiritual...

..."Music belongs to everybody," Frankie says after stepping off stage from his Electric Zoo DJ set. "Believe me, If I had the ability I would really just make it possible so that any and everybody could just show up (on the dancefloor)...a lot of times that's all you got to hold onto." To that end, it seems rather fitting that his biggest commercial hit was the ethereal and optimistic Whistle Song, which just might make him the pied piper of dance music who tries to leads the masses to a state of bliss.

Dropping next month is Frankie's Motivation Too album, which is his first compilation in six years. When asked about his own personal tactics for motivation, Frankie notes: "I normally get up early in the morning, like seven or eight o'clock. Musically I'm listening to things that are very spiritual and classical while I'm moving through the morning and getting myself together. I pretty much block out a lot of things that could possibly feed me any kind of negative energy, because my day has to be right...I figure why not get up on the right side of the bed and focus and maybe I'll get through the day and it will be alright."" [MC2D Magazine]

Continue reading "Electric Zoo Festival 2009 @ Randalls Island, NYC (more pics)"

photos by Zach Dilgard

Grace Jones

"Late of the Pier played a 20 minute shmeh set and crystal castles had no sound. crookers were better than usual and orbitol were awesome. grace jones is fucking mad and fucked up the schedule. Fever Ray is a shamanic wonder." [The Naked Smiles Club]

Continue reading "Sonar 2009 in pictures"

DOWNLOAD: Lindstrøm - The Long Way Home (Prins Thomas edit) (MP3)

Andy Butler of Hercules and Love Affair @ Studio B (more by Ryan Muir)

Hercules and Love Affair (aka Andy Butler) is releasing a new DJ mix called Sidetracked... July 21st on Renaissance Recordings. Butler will be making DJ appearances throughout the summer, mainly in Europe. One U.S. gig will be at the July 3rd Firecracker party at the Hammerstein Ballroom (tonight). Also at the event, as mentioned by Showtrotta, will be Steve Lawler, Tiefschwarz, Victor Calderone, Damian Lazarus (live) and Audiofly. Tickets are still on sale.

Butler will be at Lollapalooza on August 8th, and he'll be making an appearance at NY's Electric Zoo Electronic Music Festival, taking place September 5th and 6th on Randall's Island. Other acts at the fest include Special Disco Version (featuring LCD Soundsystem/DFA's James Murphy & Pat Mahoney), Felix Martin & Al Doyle (of Hot Chip), Lindstrom, Frankie Knuckles, Prins Thomas, and many, many more. Above you can check out the Prins remix of Linstrom's "The Long Way Home" off the latter's Where You Go I Go Too. Tickets to the fest, including 2-day passes, are on sale now. Electric Zoo's current lineup is posted below.

Another electronic music suaree, the Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival, is on the way as well, happening August 8th at the Old American Can Factory. The fest's headliners will be Juan MacLean (live) and RJD2; full lineup is still on the way. Tickets are currently on sale.

Electric Zoo lineup with Hercules and Love Affair comp info and tour dates, below...

Continue reading "Electric Zoo on Randall's Island, BK Electronic Music Fest, Hercules and Love Affair DJ sets & CD & more..."

DOWNLOAD: The Glass - Wanna Be Dancin' (Radio Edit) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: The Glass - Come Alive (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Grum - Sound Reaction (Heart Beats) (original mix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Grum - Sound Reaction (Heart Beats) (radio edit) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Grum - Sound Reaction (Heart Beats) (the Revolving Eyes remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Grum - Sound Reaction (Heart Beats) (the Phantom's Revenge remix) (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hostage - Special Brew (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Hostage - Concrete Mix (MP3)

Fake Blood @ Cheeky Bastard - 213 N. 8th St., Williamsburg (more by Nicky Digital)

Last week in dance was another busy one as usual. I wasn't around for the weekend but managed to get out a bit before then. On Thursday I caught an awesome set from Fake Blood in Williamsburg, followed by a great night of dancing downstairs at APT on Friday, where Trus'me dropped everything from disco, house, and techno to soul at Disco3000. The dancing continues this week, starting with Thursday and Friday:

Continue reading "the week in Dance w/ Showtrotta (part 1)"