RAYDEUS (GuerillaBASS, STiRTy, Jungo Road, SF)

Jungo Road contributor Raydeus (a.k.a. Darin) pumps up the dirty, throbbing bass with a mix specially crafted for the heat of summer. It starts out with Greena’s groaning and breaky drums then quickly builds into a blistering mix of bass, beats, and breaks. It’s all about the B’s.

You nu disco and fidget house heads will find the sounds that make you go jump on the dance floor too. Raydeus delivers a set that turns it out and doesn’t let go until the final beat.

Get more info on Raydeus at Raydeus.com, Facebook, and right here at Jungo Road.

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Stream the mix and support the musicians by purchasing the tracks and hearing them played live! You can also download this full podcast mix above.

1. Greena – Actual Pain
2. Big Bang Breaks – Get Down (Skip To My Loops Mix)
3. Eddi Zanetti featuring Jackinori – Bust Dis (Lee Mortimer Remix)
4. NT89 & Distrakt – Pumpin’
5. The Gulf Gate Project – Beezy (Electric Soulside Remix)
6. Dom G – Work (DJ Dan & Mike Balance Remix)
7. Elite Force featuring Hatiras, Vandal, JELO, Stanton Warriors – M.A.D.
8. Soul Puncherz – Crush Nasty (Filthy Rehab Remix)
9. Altered Grooves – Higher Raver
10. DJ Fen – Here Comes Funky
11. DJ Mutiny – Tell U Something (Afghan Headspin Remix)
12. Mr. Tools – Humanize
13. Javi Gongora – Studio Number 8
14. DJ Dan – Chop Shop (extended version)
15. Calvertron & Tim Healey – Back 2 The Ghetto (Krafty Kuts Remix)
16. Mightyfools – We Dont Care (Tommie Sunshine & Figure’s Brooklyn Fire Remix)
17. Lady Packa – Pretty Bop feat. Elise 5000 (RunRiot Remix)
18. S-File – Heads Up (F.O.O.L Remix)

Hey, all. Check out this video for Fort Knox Five’s Shift featuring Afrika Bambaataa! The track is the soul and the visuals are the trip. They’ve got b-boys and go-go dancers turning it out alongside slick visual gravy that… well… my eyes lapped up. Stu Mackay-Smith and DJ Ball directed it and, you know it, stars Afrika Bambaataa, Mustabar, and Fort Knox Five.

Along with this video is a bunch (13!) of remixes for Shift. You can get them at iTunes ($5.99 package) and at Beatport ($12.99 with a higher bitrate for DJs and Hi-Fi’s). Personally, I lean towards the Sub Swara remix; you know me, I’m a dubby kinda guy. You can stream the remixes from SoundCloud under the video.

Shift featuring Afrika Bambaataa & Mustafa Akbar (Remixes) by fortknoxfive

Its perfect that you can catch Tektite this Friday June 11th at Vitamin B’s Old School Night in Brooklyn, NY. Its also his birthday bash so you know it will be a good night.

Get more info on Tektite at Vitamin Breaks, Facebook and MySpace.

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Stream the mix and support the musicians by purchasing the tracks and hearing them played live! You can also download this full podcast mix above.

• Gangsta Boogie (Original Mix) – Faust, Shortee
• Weapon Of Choice 2010 feat. Lazy Rich (Lazy Rich Remix) – Fatboy Slim, Lazy Rich
• Inna Dat (Rico Tubbs Club Mix) – Tomb Crew
• Jack Track (Black Noise VIP remix) – Tonka
• If We Try “The Love Anthem” (Atomic Hooligan Remix) – Reset!
• Kicks (Original Mix) – DJ Icey
• Youth Blood (Rico Tubbs Speed Garage Remix) – Jinder
• Blau! (LA Riots Remix) – Lee Mortimer, Laidback Luke
• Drop Hits (Santiago & Bushido Remix) – Hatiras, DJ Dan
• Don’t Break It feat. Bobby K (Lazy Rich Remix) – Monolythe
• Roc Da Beatz (Original Mix) – Rhythm Rockerz
• WTF feat. Kid Sister & Pase Rock (Deekline & Tim Healey VIP House Remix) – Tittsworth
• Take It Ezy (Original Mix) – Deekline, Tim Healey
• Show Me Love feat. Robin S (AC Slater Vocal Mix) – Steve Angello and Laidback Luke
• Set Me Free (Harvard Bass remix) – Drop The Lime
• Hype The Funk (Hirshee Mix) – Critical
• Watch Out For This Girl (B. Rich mix) – Norrit
• London Town (Foamo Remix) – Man Like Me

Leading artists like Krafty Kuts have understood the mobile computing platform and brought their musical vision to them. We asked him a few questions so you can get a sense of the genius of this artist. We also used his iPhone app and now bring you what we think about both. They’re brilliant!

DJ tools are the most fundamental of sampling instruments. Kool Herc invented the breakbeat by using other records as his DJ tools to play sounds, samples, and rhythms that could be played together to create an entirely new track. Similarly, Krafty Kuts has put together an effects palette of 108 sounds which are so easy to navigate, select, and play – that Kool Herc himself would be dumbfounded.

These sounds are for DJs who want to transform an otherwise ordinary set of other people’s music to a personalized set. This app would not be appropriate for DJs who keep their eyes fixated on the mixer and turntables. This is an app specifically built for the DJ to engage and interact with the crowd. It seems especially fit, not so surprisingly, for breaks sets.

The idea is that you launch the application, and then plug your iPhone into any available channel on your mixing board. The application interface is seamless and a breeze to manipulate. There are 9 pages to scroll through and 12 buttons per page; each labeled with a brief description of what the sample is.

The buttons range from electronic sounds such as Laser, Woosh, and Squelch to vocal samples like “Now Hear Dis” and “Make Some Noise”. Another cool feature is that it splits up phrases such as “Ain’t no trick my DJ can’t do” into separate samples for “Ain’t” “No” “Trick” “My” “DJ” “Can’t” “Do” – which is perfect for adjusting to tracks with different tempos and builds.

Krafty Kuts iPhone app fits in your pocket, plugs into any mixer, and is a steal for $4.99 USD (£2.99). Up the ante next time you play to an eager crowd of trainspotters… “Wait, that’s not in the original tune”!!

Krafty Kuts, when did you or your family notice your interest in music?
I grew up in the UK and discovered music in the early 90’s when listening to The Specials, The Beat, ska, and 2 tone. Later, found electro, hip-hop, and loved the whole movement and culture. I taught myself to break dance and DJ. Then, the world of music opened up and my life changed from that moment.

When did you get interested or exposed to electronic dance music?
Also in the early 90’s, I started buying records like the Street Sounds Electro compilations and going to car boot sales and 2^nd hand record stores collecting funk and disco. It became an obsession to have the biggest and best collection. I would spend every spare minute travelling around the country finding those ultimate rare gems. I built up an awesome record collection.

What music moves you?
The music I listen to varies constantly with my moods. When I am feeling upbeat or have loads of energy, its drum & bass and breakbeat. Or, when I need to reflect or chill, funk and disco is a must. Then, when I feel like some fun and nostalgia, the 80’s classics are in full effect. Music is my life and I play, study and listen to music every day.

What do you like in electronic dance music?
Wow, there is so much out there right now: Sub Focus, Chase & Status, Pendulum, Afrojack, Tim Healey, Deekline, Duck Sauce, Wolfgang Gartner, Deadmau5, DJ Icey, Scratch Perverts, A. Skillz, Bird Peterson, DJ Craze, Black Noise & Jack Beats just for starters. I am very open minded about all genres and like to keep ahead of the game. To be honest, I live and breathe music.

When was it that you started DJing?
The early 90’s. It was the perfect chance to play all this amazing music I had been collecting. I played rare groove, funk, hip-hop and disco gems. It was the most amazing feeling expressing my emotions, influences, passion, love, desire and mostly fun to what was eventually going to become my career path.

What do you do to get ready for a set? And what are we going to dance to?
I spend many hours putting ideas together; getting acapellas and scratch samples, intro’s and also making my own edits of songs to give my DJ sets more of a cutting edge and unique flavor so when people come to see me play, they hear new fresh music and sounds. I try to do something different with every set. In fact, I never play the same set twice. I’m known for hip-hop, breakbeat, electro, drum & bass, funk and dubstep. But, I’m always looking to push the boundaries and move things forward. Who knows what the future holds.

You produce your own music. What was that like starting? Any tips?
I have been producing under the name Krafty Kuts for 12 years now starting back in 1998. I released three EP’s with the Ministry Of Sound’s label FSUK and also a track on Norman Cook’s Southern Fried. The Southern Fried track Gimme The Funk opened up many doors and people around the world were buying this record which helped me get DJ bookings. Also, with being associated with MoS, I got exposed to the masses. I needed a manager and agent and so my venture into the music industry began.

My first releases were very successful and many things followed like Mix CD’s (Mixmag covermount CD), Slam the Breaks 1 & 2, tour of Oz, Europe & Canada all came flying in and my life totally changed. I think, musically, my proudest moment was my first release Gimme The Funk. I love this track even to this day and it was the first track I ever produced and for it to come out on Norman’s label was such a thrill. I have so much respect for Norman and I really learnt so much from his DJing and music, these moments will live with me forever. My biggest tip for creating music is to study the music that you love; taking in all your influences old and new, and try to combine these flavors and styles to create your own unique masterpiece.

For the equipment geeks out there, what equipment do you use?
When I DJ, my setup consists of 4 CDJs, 1 turntable, and a DJM-800 mixer plus my very own Krafty Kuts iPhone app. When I produce, I use Logic, Ableton and Cubase with all the latest plugins.

What are some of the best venues you’re performed at? Festivals or events?
Field Day in Sydney and Belvoir Amphitheatre Theatre in Perth (both Australia) are tops. Close behind are Mighty (San Francisco),Vanguard (Los Angeles), Matter (London), and Twilo (New York City). Then there is An Evening with KK at London’s Matter, Glastonbury, Glade & V festivals.

Thanks for your rerub of Laidback Luke vs Robin S’s Show Me Love for our podcast listeners to download. And, also for releasing your DJ Tools iPhone app!

Catch Krafty Kuts on 20 March “Mikato” @ Lehmann (Stuttgart); 26 March “An Evening with Krafty Kuts” @ Matter (London); 27 March “Rejected Rocstars” @ Sub Zero (Essex); 2 April “Thank Funk its Friday @ Coxs Yard (Stratford-Upon-Avon). More dates on his MySpace page.

More about Krafty Kuts on his blog, MySpace, SoundCloud, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook.

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On his just-released compilation album Re:Vamped (March 8—my birthday, no less!), Shack revisits some of the classic tunes and sounds of the past several years—mashing them up, remixing them, slicing them, blending them, and spitting them out into pure dancefloor rapture. Injected into this madness are some new tracks – including breakbeat juggernaut “The Law of Life”.

JR: So Shack, tell us, when did the idea for Re:Vamped come about?
EF: The idea to actually release the tracks came about around August of of last year. They were all originally intended just for use in my own DJ sets, but then I realised that there would be a good chance of being able to get licenses for a lot of the tracks I’d used, so we set about doing that … and man, it was a mission! We got there in the end though, even though some of the more ’snooty’ dubstep and techno labels weren’t willing to play ball.

JR: Is it any accident that much of this record is getting back to your breakbeat roots? Is it a fair assumption to say your roots are in breakbeat??
EF: I think that’s what people’s perception is yes. My own personal roots pre-date releasing or making any music really, and the first things I put out were techno 12″s and rock/rap crossover tracks with an extra helping of industrial yowwwlllll. But yes, I think most people know me more for my breaks productions than anything, and it just happens that a big chunk of this album is beats-orientated, as that was the stuff I felt was lacking from my own sets.

JR: While we’re discussing genre, you’ve had a lot to say about this matter on your Beatport blog, do you find that others are embracing your anti-genre position as you travel the globe?
EF: I honestly don’t think it matters that much to people on the ground — if the dancefloor’s moving and people are happy with the night and the sounds, then the job is done … it’s only when you delve into the darker corners of the internet on a Monday morning that you hear whispers of discontent from the self-appointed taste police and I’m done being bothered with all that.

JR: What are your impressions of where the US scene is at right now?
EF: It’s a tricky one to answer really given I don’t spend all that much time out there (I hope that will change after this album’s been released), but the opportunities to come out & play in cities other than San Francisco have been very thin on the ground over the past few years. I think it’s always going to be tricky in the US … there’s no cohesive national radio, each city has it’s own identity, the over 21 drinking rules are stupidly repressive and without serious tour support behind you to do what the likes of Crystal Method have done over the years, it’s very hard to make an impact. That being said, it’s been really inspiring to see what Bassnectar has been doing out there using his own unique vision of how to connect with people, and to an extent that’s been a lead I’ve been following in the last few months in establishing my own way of doing things, and the project has grown exponentially during that time!

JR: Was 2009 your first experience playing at Burning Man? What was that like?
EF: It was my first time, yes, and it’s a struggle to put it into words, even after months away from the Playa. I’m certainly not a religious person, but there was a spiritual element to Burning Man which really floored me & whilst I’m not 100% sure I’ll be able to go back this year, it’s very hard to imagine not being there again. The DJ sets out there were a lot of fun and full of spine-tingling energy, but they were only a small part of the experience for me.

JR: About three years ago, we were chatting pre-show at Mighty (SF) about how to stand out as a producer. You mentioned that you receive countless demos and that aspiring producers really must understand how high the quality has to be. Do you have any advice on how aspiring producers (such as myself)—even those of us with some limited success on other labels—can take their game to the next level?
EF:It’s evolution not revolution for 99.9% of people. I think people’s expectations as producers tend to be unduly high and this usually means that people are unwilling to really listen to critical opinion on their music. The fact is that even a relatively successful release will only give you a slight bump in your profile, and if you’re not ready to follow it up with more material at regular intervals, you will find yourself sliding back each time you make a little progress, so it’s important that you are very organized and you follow up and follow through with any positives that come from your work. Use the networks heavily and creatively:  Twitter, Facebook, iLike, LastFM, Blogs, MySpace, E-Mail databases all have roles to play, so make sure your time is well spent and be prepared for a long hard slog with a LOT more hard work than most people imagine!

JR: The first time i heard “Mad as Hell” by Vandal was at Opulent Temple at Burning Man 2005 – Lee Coombs dropped it on an unsuspecting Saturday night crowd and completely changed the universe at that moment. As an example from this album – how on earth did Hatiras, JELO, and Stanton Warriors enter the equation on M.A.D? The result is amazing.
EF: Well when I was messing around with some ideas for new tracks & mashups for the album, I tended to have 30 or 40 tracks loaded up in Ableton in the same key as one another and just started experimenting with taking basslines form here, leads from there and big breakdowns from here … the basic principal was that ‘There are No Rules’ and no copyright (seeing as none of it was going to be released), and the result was a very liberating & fresh approach to the source material. If I ever did another one of these albums (which I may well do) i think it would be hard to be able to think quite as liberally as I could on this one, given that I’d be thinking about licensing restrictions & suchlike.

JR: Congratulations on all the success of your label U&A. What does the future hold?
EF:More of the same really. Developing the label as a brand a little more with some dedicated label nights, bringing through some of the younger artists I’ve been working with and giving them the best possible platform for the world to hear their music, and also looking forward at ever more creative ways of releasing music and communicating with people.

We would like to thank Shack for stopping by to answer some of our questions… and seriously people, do not waste time – pick yourself up a copy of this record on Beatport right away. Even by Elite Force-standards – this album is the fucking b.o.m.b. GO NOW!!

Album Review:

March 8 2010 sees Elite Force, one of Dance Music’s most admired artists, unshackle his brand new album, Re:Vamped, a jaw-dropping mix of bespoke refixes and re-edits that will redefine the art form.

Right from the word go, when Simon ‘Shack’ Shackleton created Elite Force the moniker became synonymous not only with gilt-edged class but also with the ability to deliver guaranteed club carnage time and time again. Straddling styles and riding roughshod across genre lines, both as a DJ and producer, Elite Force has carved an enviable reputation as an innovator, never staying still creatively long enough to be pigeon holed or trapped in a single scene.

The strength of his own musical output led to a series of critically lauded remixes for the likes of Miles Dyson, UNKLE, Groove Armada,Crystal Method Dylan Rhymes and Grandmaster Flash, that continue to cement his reputation as an aural trailblazer with a distinctive take on music. Already famed within DJ circles for his on-point re-edits that have drawn heavy praise from the likes of Fatboy Slim, James Zabiela, Laurent Garnier and Sasha, Elite Force has moved on from the simple restructuring of tunes to fit his set, viewing the tracks sent to him as raw material to be reshaped, retuned, chopped and reborn as something new, something fresh.

As sHack puts it himself: “I decided to embark on a whole new extension of the re-edit idea looking at creating a number of brand new tracks out of components taken from older tunes… proper mash-ups. Some were born out of simple live jams that evolved into finely tuned studio creations, whilst others were ground-up rebuilds where I was effectively writing new pieces of music using samples from other tracks. There was no fixed way of working and no sacred cows that went un-plundered.”

The result of this new approach is Re:Vamped a seamless excursion through Elite Force’s unique record bag taking in artists as diverse as Danielle Papini, Hugg & Pepp, Classixx and Bassbin Twins. Kicking off with the pounding kicks of Final Whistle sHack takes to the task with relish fusing French funksters Popof and Delon & Daclan with Lee Coombs & Dylan Rhymes before slipping into the euphoric energy of Red Lights & Lasers. Barbar Blaze’s bouncing b-line takes no prisoners as Palmer Brown’s searing a capella from Blaze’s ‘Do You Remember House?’ takes the track into the realms of uncharted mayhem, Harness The Nonsense sees sHack doing just that, entering heads down territory for a run of superlative cuts reassembling recent clubbing history into a whole that effortlessly transcends the sum of its parts. Dissecting elements of Propellerheads, Blatta & Inesha, Wolfgang Gartner and Meat Katie and assimilating them into a world of fierce subs, cavernous beats and incessant leads, before stitching them back together with consummate ease, Re:Vamped is brought to a heavyweight close with a re-reading of Bar9’s Shaolin Style that underlines Elite Force’s musical vision faultlessly.

In all twenty-eight mash-ups have made their way into Elite Force’s sets since the project’s inception, 16 of which appear on Pre-vamped. Several of those that didn’t make the mix have become part of the ‘Pre:Vamped’ project, a series of monthly free downloads that are set to become available across a massive network of online blogs & mailing lists. Keep checking http://soundcloud.com/elite-force for more information.

http://www.eliteforcemusic.com
http://soundcloud.com/elite-force

FULL RE:VAMPED TRACKLISTING:

1. Intro
2. The Final Whistle (Elite Force, Popof, Delon & Dalcan, Lee Coombs, Dylan Rhymes)
3. Red Lights & Lasers (Elite Force, Redlight, Meat Katie, Toob)
4. Barbar Blaze (Elite Force, Blaze, Hugg & Pepp)
5. Harness The Nonsense (Elite Force, Daniele Papini, Tim Green, Harnessnoise)
6. Reclaim Control (Elite Force, Calvertron)
7. Annihilate (Elite Force, 6Blocc)
8. The Law Of Life (Elite Force)
9. Rhythm Rocks The Blue (Elite Force, Stanton Warriors, Bassbin Twins, Dopamine)
10. M.A.D. (Elite Force, Hatiras, JELO, Stanton Warriors)
11. Cali Sk8r (Elite Force, Propellerheads)
12. Bring The Panic (Elite Force, Blatta & Inesha, Hijack, Rogue Element, Meat Katie)
13. Divine Act (Elite Force, Classixx, Wolfgang Gartner, Meat Katie, Roland Clarke)
14. Scrammed (Elite Force, Plump DJs)
15. Calypso (Elite Force, Datsik, Excision)
16. Shaolin Style (Elite Force, Bar9)

I first heard the name Dylan Rhymes when I discovered Whole9Yards – the UK record label that would forever change my taste in electronic music. It started with Dark Globe, then I discovered Meat Katie and Elite Force. I knew Lee Coombs from Fingerlickin’… but this was the beginning of my love-affair with all things tech-funk.

The record store I frequented the most in LA at the time was on Melrose Avenue… one of the shop DJs knew I was into breaks and ordered me all kinds of great stuff from the UK. After moving from LA to Chicago and Gramophone Records being my new home for music – it didn’t take long for the shop to know all Lot49 music would be purchased (at $12 per 12″) by yours truly.

Almost as quickly as I had discovered this music, I made my first visit to San Francisco – where a talented young DJ named shOOey was playing Salty at a small bar in the Mission. I knew at that moment that this town “got it”… not less than 4 hours later I would hear Melyss play my all-time favorite Rhymes track Party People at an underground Opel event. This was May of 2005. It was decided: we had to move to San Francisco.

It is fitting that we feature Dylan Rhymes this week – the 8th anniversary of Opel is this weekend. I know SF has become as special of a place to Marvin as it has to me, so I decided to ask him a little about his experiences in the city on the bay:

JR: When did you first hear about breaks being popular in San Francisco?
DR: Before my first trip, which seems an age ago now, I had heard there was a big party scene in SF. For such a relatively small city I was amazed at how many people were in to the whole underground culture. Luckily having always worked with Opel promotions there I wasn’t DJing to a one genre crowd. They were very accepting of all styles of dance music which was great for me as I play a lot of different music.

JR: What is the most special about visiting and/or playing in San Francisco for you?
DR: I love going to SF because it is one of the most welcoming places I have ever been to. There is a great spirit amongst the people that live there and I have made some amazing friends. The shows are always fantastic but you gotta prepare for the after party onslaught

JR: Can you share with us a memorable moment from your gigs at Opel over the past several years?
DR: One of many special moments I can remember was playing @ Mezzanine with my Label partner Meat Katie. Prior to the party there was a fashion show of all local talented designers and manufacturers. It blew my mind the work and effort that went in to this production and how well it went. It was only my 2nd or 3rd time in SF and this experience cemented the fact that it would be my number 1 destination to play.

JR: What is it like playing at Opulent Temple at Burning Man?
DR: It is an experience which I find hard to describe as every time I think about it I conjure up different moods and memories. You have to go to Burning Man to fully comprehend and appreciate the hedonism of it all. I guess the easiest way I can describe playing there is to imagine thousands of people in front of you that are having the best time of their life and you are responsible. At the risk of sounding like a Trance DJ, I would say EUPHORIC…if that’s allowed?

JR: What is different about playing in SF compared to other cities around the world?
DR: The main differences are the crowd is very open to different styles and they are out to party. It’s a very simple process for the Bay Area people……they go out…..they get down……they enjoy themselves! SIMPLE!

I would like to thank Marvin for participating in this years “Take Five” (we did a five question interview with Syd Gris last year prior to the Opel 7 year anniversary). His music has been an inspiration to me and I am thrilled we could feature an amazing mix of his this week on Jungo Road.

A little more about our friend Marvin…

Dance music has been the biggest part of Rhyme’s life from a young age. Inspired by early hip hop and electro a la Kraftwerk and Doug E. Fresh, Marvin purchased his first set of decks at 15 and caught the bug in a bad way. Rhythm Design Studios in Uxbridge became the birthplace of Outsiders, Drake and Beaver’s much-lauded project for Junior Boy’s Own Chicago influenced Jus Trax label. Friend, DJ and London mainstay Clive Henry then joined the team and the trio became Peace Division, a project that gained props from every corner of dance music without exception.

Since then he has cemented his reputation as one of the leaders of the breakbeat and tech house scenes through his output through Kingsize Records, Meat Katie’s Whole9Yards and Lot49 labels and his own Blue Black imprint. Besides original work, Beaver has also remixed the likes of Deep Dish, Infusion, Dave Gahan, BT, Overseer, Unkle and Puretone while he has collaborated with Meat Katie, Christian J, Force Mass Motion (as Silencer) and Anthony J Gorry (on his 2004 album, Dead Famous).

Catch Dylan Rhymes in the US over the next month or so starting this Saturday February 27th at Mighty (SF) for the Opel 8 Year Anniversary, March 6th in Tucson, AZ at The Rock, and then March 16th & 18th at SXSW as part of Lot49’s Texas invasion!

More about Dylan Rhymes on his site, Lot49, MySpace, SoundCloud, and Twitter.

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Stream the mix and support the musicians by purchasing the tracks and hearing them played live! You can also download this full podcast mix above.

1. Dylan Rhymes + Meat Katie – ONLY YOU (Haggstrom remix)
2. Etienne De Crecy – Move
3. Zoo Brazil – FANCY (Popof remix)
4. Andreas Henneberg, Simon2 – BOLINGO GRINGO
5. Dylan Rhymes + Meat Katie – ONLY YOU (Echo Vacio Remix)
6. Reset Robot – v3
7. Thomas Schumacher – HEAT IT UP
8. G.e.R.M. – GLITTERBALL (Dylan Rhymes re-shift)
9. Odissi – DIRTY SECRETS
10. Cirez D – On Off + Depeche Mode – PEACE (Accapella)

Rising out of the 90’s Drum ‘n Bass scene in San Francisco, Smoove quickly became a fixture on the underground Breakz circuit in 2001 DJ’ing with Space Cowboys and their mighty Unimog. These days his signature power-funk Breakz sound can be heard every weekend all over San Francisco’s night life, from underground warehouse parties to his residencies at The End Up, 1015 and Mighty.

All his hard work in the night club trenches has earned him membership in nitevibe.com’s DJ Dream Team since 2004 and was voted Best DJ 2008 by the readers of the S.F. Bay Guardian in their annual “Best of the Bay” issue. Taking his sound to the airwaves, Smoove has been featured on XM Satellite Radio’s Thump Funk show (XM 80) as well as Below Zero on Energy 92.7 and was a frequent guest on Future Breaks on KUSF.

Currently, he can be heard on Fog City Funk every Wednesday night at 8pm PST on Nu Skool Breaks Radio (nsbradio.co.uk) In 2004 he, along with Donna Matrix, started publishing the underground magazine NewsBreakz and more recently launched NBz 2.0 (newsbreakz.com) the on-line version in late 2008.

Simply put, Smoove is one of the quintessential taste makers in the San Francisco Breakz scene today and can always be relied on to bring a big party fun sound that makes the crowd go giddy on the dance floor.

Booking: Click to reveal email

1:  Tomcraft / Tim Healey feat DJ Assault – “Real Smooth”  Tasted Germany
2:  Unknown  “Don’t Push”  Party Style
3: DJ Dan  “I Don’t Care”  (Hot Mouth Remix) In Stereo US
4:  Unknown  “Take It To The House ” Cut & Run
5:  Shystie “Nu Style”  (Deekline & Ed Solo Remix)  Rat Records UK
6:  Plaza De Funk “Do It!” Global Underground
7: Accsex Denied  “Cookie Boogie Jar”  Party Style
8:  DJ Hero  “Return To The Rave” (Farace Remix)  Kaleidoscope Music
9:  The Loops Of Fury  “Flick A Switch”  (Krafty Kuts Re-Rub)  Against The Grain
10:  D. Marley “Hey Girl”  Malpractice
11:  Beat Assassins “Gun Clip”  Mofo Recordings
12:  Unknown “You Got The Love”  Crisp Biscuits
13: Slyde “Benga Dose” (Unreleased Remix)  White Label
14: Stanton Warriors “Boot Vibrations”  Punks

Born in 2004, marrying skills and tastes from different musical backgrounds to push for a common cause, Robosapiens have moved with the landscape around them, evolving through technology and pressing their sound forward, never following, but forging their own path. Not content with sitting still, Robosapiens have a desire to transcend genres, to produce music to an ethos, not to a trend…music for an altered consciousness, for an adrenaline overdose.

The combination of a drum ‘n’ bass graduate and a techno survivor, Robosapiens uncovered a mutual interest in breaks that has lead to some memorable gigs and studio successes. The Robo/Sapiens – Jamie Flukes and Steve Kyte – met while DJing breaks at parties around Bristol, a club scene both knew well from years of service in the city.

Jamie had previously earned his stripes as a resident for Drive By, Bristol’s leading drum ‘n’ bass night, as well as gigs for other promoters including Bulletproof in Cardiff and Pink Lime in Bristol. Jamie has pushed the Robosapiens sound abroad with regular visits to Japan playing Tokyo’s prestigous WOMB.

Formerly one half of techno outfit Pranksterz, Steve is no stranger to the studio or club environment and has DJ’d throughout the UK and Europe, not to mention releases on major dance music compilations and countless releases on his own numerous labels.

Robosapiens journey so far has seen them travel the world, taking their sound from the studio and impregnating it into people first-hand. Their appeal has been far-reaching, leading to remixes for many labels, name-checks from producers as a major influence, and a set for Annie Nightingale on Radio 1 played again on her Christmas show, and called her best mix of the year. Their music draws on their former styles, adding a tech edge to rolling breaks with some deep tracks and some upbeat ones – all capable of igniting dancefloors.

Keep up to date on Robosapiens’ live performances at their websites below and the Jungo Road calendar.

More about Robosapiens on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud and their own website.

Booking: Click to reveal email

Purchase Robosapiens Tracks on Beatport

Stream the mix and support the musicians by purchasing the tracks and hearing them played live! You can also download this full podcast mix above.

1. FIORD – GET UP JUDE(BECKERS RMX)- EVAPOUR8
2. SIC – WE ARE NOT ALONE(ROBOSAPIENS RMX) – AUX CDR
3. INFUSION – DOGTOWN(BECKERS DNOX RMX)-OMNIS
4. MARC D PULSE – PS YOU ROCK(SPEKTRE RMX) – SK SUPREME RECORDS
5. UMEK – SLAP – 1605
6. ROBOSAPIENS – THE 9 – DEADFAMOUS
7. ROBOSAPIENS – BODIES – DEADFAMOUS
8. FUSSYBOY – JONNI(ROBOSAPIENS RMX)- LOT49 CDR
9. UMEK – DEMENTIA (ALEX DI STEPHANO AND DYNA RMX) – HELL YEAH
10. MOTEM – SCANNERS(AUDIOPHASE RMX)- CDR
11. SLEVEN – DEMENTIA -CRESCENT RECORDINGS
12. DEPECHE MODE – HOLE TO FEED(POPOF VOCAL RMX)- MUTE
13. ROBOSAPIENS – NEW WORLD ORDER(KULTAR COLUMBO RMX) – DEADFAMOUS CDR

Influence has been damaging dance floors with his versatile array of breaks since 1998. His distinguished style combines long precise mixes, cross fader control with bass driven breaks. In 2004 Influence & Jay Vigor created Strategik, a crew dedicated to producing underground, renegade and all around proper events in Northern California. Strategik produced over 30 events in the past year and shows no signs of slowing down yet.

Now-a-days when you hear Influence damaging dance floors, it will be to adifferent beat, consisting of dirty electro house, breaks and sometimes everything else. Guaranteed to satisfy any urge to get down and dance!

More about Influence on his site, MySpace, and Strategik.

Booking: Click to reveal email

Upcoming Influence DJ Dates:

01/29/10 – Strategik presents: AQUARIUS (birthday celebrations) @ Shine
02/05/10 – Stakk The Decks presents: Promance @ Shine
02/05/10 – Rocko Dynamite & Dubalicious present: Fight Night round 2 @
Underground
02/12/10 – Brass Cowboys present: Match Maker Mashup @ Paradise Lounge
02/14/10 – Strategik presents: “Love Affair” (a Valentines Day marathon
brunch) @ The Triple Crown
02/20/10 – Strategik presents: “Dance” (a Amy Gregg assisted production &
fundraiser) @ Project One
03/26/10 – Rebel Bass Collective @ Mighty
05/29/10 – Strategik 2yr Anniversary @ TBA

Stream the mix and support the musicians by purchasing the tracks and hearing them played live! You can also download this full podcast mix above.

1.    Trick & Kubic – Ocean Of Sadness – Swing Records
2.    Kerfunk Vs Adonis – Rockin Down The House (Micky Slim rmx) – Simply Recordings
3.    Sander Kleinenberg – The Fruit (Ivan Gough & Grant Smillie mix) – EQ Records
4.    Felguk – Guess What – Plasmapool
5.    The Beatpusherz – Last Days Of Disco – Plasma.Digital
6.    Dominik De Leon vs. Burhan G – Everything Changes (Luke Chable rmx) -PinkStar
7.    Oliver Koletzki feat. Fran – Hypnotized (Beat Haus rmx) – Stil Vor Talent
8.    Robb G – 12 Inch Therapy (Hirshee rmx) – Promo Records
9.    Cold Blank – Breakdown (Dirtyloud rmx) – Burn The Fire
10.   Alex Mind – Sick – Big Fish Recordings
11.    Stanton Warriors – Still Here feat. Eska – Punks
12.    The Rogue Element – He’s So Hot Right Now – Functional
13.    Butter Party – Flipperbaby (Projectiles rmx) – High Grade Recordings
14.     BSD – You Must Find Strength – iBreaks
15.     Retroid – Everyday Hero (Left/Right rmx) – Ego Shot Recordings

Decompression '09 - photo by Devin Sezgen

RAYDEUS (GuerillaBass, Stirty, JungoRoad.com – San Francisco)

JungoRoad.com is proud to welcome Darin Eriksen (aka Raydeus, his DJ handle) as our newest official contributor. As a mover and shaker in the San Francisco underground dance music scene, he brings a distinctly West Coast point of view to the proceedings. To mark the occasion, we’re featuring his newest mix as this week’s exclusive download.

In what city, region/state, and country do you currently reside?

Nation of San Francisco, recently moved to The Mission district.

When did you or your family notice your interest in music?

Probably when they heard loud rock music coming from the basement of the house. My family was very Christian and conservative. So, if anything sounded in any way “Satanic”, I got yelled at and the record would be taken away. That all changed when I was in college; my music collection grew.

When did you get interested or exposed to electronic dance music?

It goes back to 80’s electro-pop and hip hop. I listened to everything from New Order to LL Cool J. The common thread was the groove and the bass. I remember Beastie Boys’ “Brass Monkey” and LL’s “Goin’ Back to Cali” making people go nuts at school dances. Looking back, it was the heavy Miami bass kicks that really got people going. I followed the evolution and melding of styles into the 90’s with Massive Attack and Portishead. And then, in 1996, I heard Underworld’s “Born Slippy NUXX” and it turned me inside out. I dove head first into electronic music after that. In addition to being an Underworld fanatic, I started listening to The Chemical Brothers, Tricky, Aphex Twin, The Orb, and Orbital a lot.

What do you like (or moves you most) in any type of music?

There are so many intangibles, but #1 would have to be inventiveness. I love hearing new ideas in music; shit I have never heard anyone do before, and yet it sounds so good it’s as if it always existed. Like the first time I ever heard The Pixies. Their music was so brilliant, different, and amazing, you knew it would have an impact on everything that came after it.

What do you like (or moves you most) in electronic dance music?

Well, like I said, bass is really important. Deep bass and a solid groove are sometimes enough on their own. But what takes a track to the next level is a great hook. “Born Slippy” has that instantly recognizable synth line that, whenever played, people lose their shit.

When did you start DJing?

Around 2002 or so, I bought decks and started playing dub & downtempo. I didn’t have a name yet. I worked my way up to spinning progressive house after about a year and, then, I got caught up in the big breaks wave that took hold around 2004. Finally, I started getting some bookings, started a crew, started throwing parties, and named myself Raydeus.

What do you like about DJing?

Having a good excuse to spend truckloads of money on a glorified hobby! Really, being able to justify the huge amount of time I spend listening to music, and lots of money buying music. Also, that the communities rise up around the music you’re playing, and that the act of DJing is for the sole purpose of making people happy. That’s why I do it… it’s certainly not about the money.

Are you associated with any record labels or crews?

Until recently I was affiliated with Pronoia, a crew I started with my friends Pieter Rizen and Damien Jones back in ’04 with a fundraiser to help get enough voters registered to vote Bush out of office. The idea was that Pronoia would only do events that were charitable, hence the idea of “others conspiring to benefit you.” That crew name is now retired as of this year, after five years full of memorable parties. I’ve now joined two other crews in SF, GuerillaBass and Stirty. And, of course, JungoRoad.com. Here’s to new horizons!

For what types of music genres or styles are you known?

I think most people got to know my breakbeat side and I became known for playing really super hard, dirty breaks. Then, that sound evolved to incorporate electro house and tech funk.

For what types of music genres or styles do you want to be known?

I still play the banging, grindy stuff. But, I have realized pouring on 100% full throttle dirty bass is not the answer to keeping the dancefloor enthralled. You have to dose it just right, and hold a really solid groove, to get your grip on people. I have developed a more groovy, deep, minimal tech side, to balance out the harder side, that has been getting very good reaction.

What are other DJs and music producers that you admire?

• Lee Burridge – My favorite when it comes to techno & deep tech. I have been taking more cues from his DJing than anyone else lately.
• Lee Coombs played my single favorite set I heard this past year (at Opel Productions’ post LovEvolution party). Another true master of holding a groove. I hadn’t danced that hard for a while.
• Krafty Kuts – The man is a genius producer (in the form of dope original tracks and remixes) and DJ. No one brings the heavy funk like Krafty.

What the best venue (in your judgment) you played at in the world?

Burning Man, at a big sound camp like Opulent Temple or a dope art car like the Neuroweapon. Or, really any outdoor venue, especially at night. There’s nothing better than rocking out in the open air with a sea of bouncing freaks and blinky lights in front of you.

Speaking of Burning Man, did you experience whatever it was you were looking forward to this year?

I would say so! I counted 10 times that I got to DJ in 7 days I was out there. The Duck Pond ruled!

Any specific music tracks stand out on the playa?

I think I played Tim Deluxe’s “Storm In a Teacup” more than any other track. It’s an incredibly versatile track.

Are you participating in the upcoming Burning Man?

TBD!

Welcome to the Jungo Road team, Raydeus! Thank you for your past and upcoming contributions to Jungo Road and the electronic dance music scene.

Find Raydeus online at Raydeus.com (with many more DJ mixes), and his page on Facebook.

Those in the Bay Area can catch Raydeus at:

• Opel NYE 2010 w/ Stanton Warriors (in the main room with the all-important opening set, 9:00-10:45)
• GuerillaBASS presents Stamina Keeping the party going January 2! Tag teaming with SF underground legend Forest Green.

Booking: Click to reveal email

Play individual tracks and then click on the links below to purchase!
Mix notes: This was recorded old-school style with a Pioneer DJM-700 mixer and two CDJ-800s without use of “Master Tempo” function.

Mix tracklist:

1. philly blunt & signal drivers – muzik (autoslide remix) [destination?]
2. fill dirty – loathing on drugs [london loud]
3. jaimie fanatic & kelevra – we are all kidz [feat. whiskey pete] (reid speed & mike balance remix) [legacy kids club]
4. dirty inc – i wish my girlfriend was as filthy as this track [dirty trax]
5. hirshee – the rinse out [big fish]
6. electric soulside – moulin rouge (lazy rich remix) [bugeyed]
7. valerna – street racer [tasty bytes]
8. meat katie – needles & pins [lot 49]
9. butter party – eat the mushroom [trickery collective]
10. circuit freq – supertripper [circuit freq]
11. aaren san – friction (costello remix) [aelaekropopp]
12. skinny – shake it [nu industry]
13. ryan galbraith – road trip [plasma.digital]
14. j*o*k*r – dr. oetker (quadrat beat remix) [dusted breaks]
15. break the box – rock the mic (robosapiens remix) [dead famous]
16. leeroy thornhill – connect [adhd digital]
17. ali kay – numb [sirenium]