Tag: other stuff

Categories
site news

Join me for some dubstep action next Friday at the opening of Vinylpimp in Hackney Wick!

Vinylpimp Shop, Hackney Wick

Join me this Friday at the opening of the Vinylpimp shop in Hackney Wick, East London. I’ll be playing from 7:30 to 8:30 (I believe) and I’ll be digging in the crates for some deep dubstep action, similar to what I put together a few months back for my Behind The Mask mix:

More words about this mix:

(This mix is) a bold journey into the depths of my record shelves for some of the choicest dubstep sounds, both anthemic and obscure …

Conceptually, well, there is no concept – I wanted to do a dungeon-style mix of my own, in the same vein as most of the dubstep mixes I’ve been listening to for the last year (like Widowmaker’s Winter Mix, which was featured here a few months back), so, per the process described in my diary of a mix I took out a big stack of records and then whittled them down to a svelte 23 tracks, which I then hacked together in just over 50 minutes. Tunes wise, the mix is deep, dark brooding halfstep for roughly the first 15 tracks before switching up into some more propulsive beats, finishing on a melodic note with the sweet synths of Zomby’s Test Me For A Reason …

I would say that dubstep, especially at the deeper end, is the perfect accompaniment to commuting in London, because, unlike some of the more manic forms of dance music (which, needless to say, I love!), it is, by nature, pretty meditative, which makes it an effective shield against the unpleasantness of commuting in London – the squashed bodies, the delays, the hanging around (it doesn’t help with the outrageous prices, though).

I hope you can join us!

Other dj’s:

Alex Celler (Cinematic, Cécille, Area Remote)
Miro (Sunday Muziq)
Jonny Rock

Categories
Uncategorized

Guest DJ’s: Where are they now? Flip, Mejle, and Meke edition

London tower blocks
the view from my train home, in between Waterloo and Vauxhall

Happy Friday!

Hope you are enjoying the most recent fruits of my mixing labors: Eurotrash 4 (shout to the mighty Watchtower for featuring it yesterday!) and my acid mix for 7D The Seven Dimensions of Euphoria (split versions going live today).

As it’s Friday, I thought that I would catch up with new projects from three of the previous guest dj’s on Sonicrampage: Flip, Mejle, and Meke.

First up is Flip, whose 2005 Mentasm mix was featured back in early 2011 (and was subsequently highly praised by Plasmadancer on his invaluable Thank You For The Horse blog). Recently Eryk Orpheus uploaded his collaboration with Flip, The Gatekeeper, to his Soundcloud, and, well, it’s pretty epic stuff, if you like mental freeform hardcore. Ave it!

Next, on a (very) different note, is Denmark’s Mejle, the most recent guest dj to grace this illustrious collection of pixels that I call my blog. His guest mix last month was an excellent journey through many flavors of bass music, and this month he is back with another sweet selection, bashing through techno, electro, and dubstep with tunes from producers like Boddika, Mala, Icicle, and Trevino (amongst others).

Finally, Finland’s DJ Meke has returned with In Melody We Trust, a hard trance collaboration with Helsinki’s DJ Neon. Mining that early 00’s hard trance sound, if you love sharp melodies and hard kicks, it’s for you. Meke, has, of course, already appeared three times on Sonicrampage, with his mixes Nostrum tribute Nostrumo, his Old School Hardtrancers II mix in collaboration with Hamburg’s DJ Yoko, and his cheesey-yet-awesome old skool gabba mix Happy New Yearave.

Also, Meke’s collaboration with Sam Hard recently appeared on the (FREE!) Freeformatted compilation album. Go grab it!

So there you go, loads to listen to over the weekend! Have a good one …

Categories
site news

New London Acid Techno Mix for 7D The Seven Dimensions of Euphoria Vol 6!

My old skool London acid techno mix for the sixth edition of 7D The Seven Dimensions of Euphoria is now available at the 7d site. Go get it!

7D The Seven Dimensions Of Euphoria 6
Direct link to single mp3 version
Direct link to split track version

I’m particularly pleased with this mix. It was recorded in one take using nothing but vinyl, and I really locked in to the vibe as I mixed and cut my way through 90 minutes of some of the finest 303 abuse ever committed to wax. There’s something really hypnotic about this music, and I went deep into the zone as I did the mix, varying my mixing style from deep long mixes to quick mixes, moving through tracks seamlessly sometimes, whilst others working my way through with cuts and spinbacks, suddenly switching the basslines for maximum surprise. No simple segues for me! The mix itself slowly builds the intensity up from rolling acid to ravetastic warehouse stompers to fully-fledged squat-smashing mayhem, as the acid lines layer and layer and layer until you think your mind can’t take any more, only to find that things have gotten even crazier, and you just can’t get enough of it …

If you enjoyed previous London acid mixes from myself like Squat Rocking 2, Squat Rocking 3, and Pearsall’s Acid Test, then you will love this!

Special shout to Steve from 7D for offering me the chance to do the mix!

If you’d like a preview, here’s the first 30 minutes, as uploaded to Soundcloud:

Tracklisting: (titles in red are in the Soundcloud sampler)

01. Star Power – Renegade 303 (Stay Up Forever)
02. Trip Hazard – Army Of Shadows (Stay Up Forever)
03. Magnum Force – .44 Calibre (Stay Up Forever)
04. The Weathermen – Thunderflash (Boscaland)
05. Overrider – Tronic Rides Again (Hazchem)
06. Sergeant Steppa – Fade Away (D.A.V.E. The Drummer Remix) (Highwire)
07. Immersion – Rave (Stay Up Forever)
08. Chris Liberator – 23 Seconds & Counting (Routemaster)
09. Lab 4 – Reformation (Chris Liberator Remix) (Elementary)
10. Sarcoblast – Toxic (Routemaster)
11. D.A.V.E. The Drummer – We Aren’t The Robots (Smitten)
12. Artefact – Are You Jackin’ (Artefact)
13. Immersion – Right To Party (Prolekult)
14. Overrider – Timebomb (Choci’s Chewns)
15. Audio Pancake – Fuck Goa (Smitten)
16. Rebel Yelle – Affirmation (Stay Up Forever)
17. DJ Zebedee – Weirdo Magnet (Organgrinder)
18. Lochi – Element (Routemaster)
19. Paul Glazby & The Narcomaniacs – Acid Disco (D.A.V.E. The Drummer Remix) (Vicious Circle)
20. Secret Hero – Build Up The Pressure (Stay Up Forever)
21. Tarball & Lungbutter – Mindsweep Monofest (Bionic Orange)
22. A&E Dept. – And The Rabbit’s Name Was… (Stay Up Forever)
23. Parachute Radio – Slunghigh (Skyride)
24. Skank – The Future’s Dark, The Future’s Acid (Headcase)
25. DDR & The Geezer – Spades (C.O.S.H.H.)

Other dj’s featured on this edition of 7D:

CLSM (Breakbeat Hardcore)
Sc@r (Hardcore)
Echo Swift (Drum n’ Bass)
Wyrd The Cat (Electro Breaks)
DJ Mumbles (Uplifting Trance)
DJ Viperstar (Hardcore)
DJ Daft (Hardcore)
D-Tor (Hardcore)

Remember to like 7D on Facebook!

Categories
Uncategorized

Trade – The All Night Bender (Documentary)

Here’s something interesting to watch: a 1997 Channel 4 documentary about Trade, the infamous gay after-hours club night that used to run from 4am to mid-day (and beyond!) at Turnmills in Clerkenwell. As far as the development of the UK’s hard dance scene goes, Trade was probably one of the most important clubs, if not the most important – it’s dj resident roster, including Steve Thomas, Ian M, Pete Wardman, and, of course, the almighty Tony de Vit, was pretty much a who’s who of crucial figures in the development of hard house. I never went personally (I’m straight and at the time I was into the acid/hard trance sound being pioneered at nights like Pendragon and Escape From Samsara), but Trade’s musical influence is hard to overstate. So from that perspective this is a fascinating look behind the scenes of one of London’s most important ever clubs, as well as being an interesting time capsule to 15 years ago, which, although it doesn’t really seem that long ago, kind of is.

In particular it’s quite amazing to think how quickly the popular acceptance of homosexuality has advanced over that time!

The documentary of course covers the scenes at Turnmills, but also shows the Trade tent at Gay Pride, as well as Trade’s tour events in South Africa and Mallorca. Plus the documentary also includes interviews with Trade clubbers, such as the gay fireman who celebrates his marriage to his (straight, female) best friend with a night out at Trade, and a couple hoping that the New Labour government would give the South African half the right to stay in the country, plus a few younger guys, including a teenage boy from working-class Braintree, Essex, who is struggling to come to terms with being gay. Needless to say, the documentary also features some vintage killer tunes, including ‘Underrave’ by The Disciples and ‘Let’s Rock’ by E-Trax. How often have tunes like that gotten an airing on British television?!?

A must watch!

Other Trade stuff to check out if you’re interested in finding out more:

Andy Farley talks Trade – An interview with legendary Brummie hard house dj Andy Farley about his memories of Trade as a punter and dj
Andy Farley’s Trade Memories and Andy Farley’s Trade Memories 2 – Two amazing sets of tribute mixes to Trade by Andy Farley, each containing eight (!) full-length mixes, building from funky US house through to pounding nu-nrg. Over 16 hours of incredible music. Don’t miss out!
Us Boys Together Clinging: One Night in a Gay Club – 1994 feature about Trade from Gay Times, reproduced on the DJHistory.com site. An excellent read!

Categories
site news

The Seven Dimensions of Euphoria

7D The Seven Dimensions of Euphoria 6

So, a bit of exciting news – I will be contributing a banging acid techno mix to the next edition of the mighty 7D – The Seven Dimensions of Euphoria! To check out the previous mixes in the series, visit the 7D website (also, make sure you like their Facebook page too). There’s an almost comical abundance of awesome free mixes to check out. You won’t regret it!

Look for my mix a little later in the year, but for now here are a few of the acid bangers I’m thinking of including …

What say ye?

Categories
site news

Krafty Radio: Freeformaniacs this Thursday the 21st

Yes, it’s that time again!

Nova ScotiaI’m back on Freeformaniacs this Thursday, where I will be very proudly premiering Rampage Turbo 12, which I whacked together in one frenzied hour of high BPM mania over the weekend (of course, being over thirty and a middle-class family man, I made sure to do so while my wife was out with my daughter at Gymboree, natch). The mix goes from M-Zone’s magical trancer Subsonic Mass to DJ Eclipse’s gabbatastic Energize in just under an hour … reach for the lasers territory, for real.

If you’re interested in my mix from the last round of Freeformaniacs, go grab Rampage Turbo 11, and you can grab the rest of the Round 3 mixes from the Freeform Forum here. To grab the Round 4 downloads (or at least some of them), go here. I’m going to try to have Rampage Turbo 12 up for download here by the end of the weekend, but no promises!

As ever, the show will be kicking off on Krafty Radio at 10am on Thursday morning.

In other Freeformaniacs news, the Freeformaniacs album Freeformatted is now available for free download from the Ruff Beatz site – check it out here.

Enjoy!

Categories
site news

Two weeks to grab them, two weeks to grab them all …

okonomiyaki
An okonomiyaki (Japanese omelette) bought from a street stall on Leather Lane, Clerkenwell … a little weird for my tastes, if I’m being completely honest

(Forgive me the cheesy Lord of the Rings reference, my wife and I spent last weekend re-watching all three movies)

So, as it turns out, I need to clear some room on my server in order to continue serving you up with fresh chunks of delicious, delicious electronic music. Given the huge number of mixes this site now hosts, I suppose I shouldn’t have been too surprised, but, well, I was surprised.

Obviously I don’t want to delete any mixes completely, so what I have decided to do is to delete some of the mixes in zip pack form, leaving only the single mp3. I’ve talked before about my preference for listening to split mixes, but a recent Facebook poll I conducted showed that I was pretty much alone on this one. This being the case, I’ve therefore decided to clear out some space by deleting the zip packs that accompany my old Rampage series of mixes. To give those of you who haven’t yet grabbed them a chance to download them, I’m going to keep them up for another two weeks, deleting them at around lunchtime on Sunday the 17th of June. Can’t say fairer than that, right?

Of course, you’ll still be able to get them as individual mp3’s.

Anyways, here are the mixes that I will be removing the zip files from:

Continue reading “Two weeks to grab them, two weeks to grab them all …”
Categories
site news

New Facebook Timeline Page Installed

Facebook timeline

So I’ve just switched my Facebook page to the new Timeline format, featuring autobiographical snippets of my life as a dj, raver, and music fan going all the way back to 1995, featuring such memories as when I started mixing, my first squat party gig, the start of Rampage, the end of Rampage, and more …

Make sure to have a look!

Categories
Uncategorized

More Finrg goodness

Berlin traffic lights

For those of you who enjoyed Rampage Turbo 10, here are a few other Finrg tributes for you to check out; first up is this mix by Rebuild Music’s Thumpa:

Secondly, a mix by the Finnish scene’s boy wonder, Substanced:

Make sure to check out his new album When The World Collapses!

Categories
site news

2011: The Year in Rampaging Sonically


The weather is terrible in London … so why not some stats?

Welcome to 2012!

It’s been a pretty cool year for me – I became a dad, I got a new job, I moved back to London, and I even had the time to do a few new mixes along the way.

Anyways, I thought it would be nice to put together a post looking back at the last year here on the Sonicrampage blog, because, well, I like numbers and statistics. If you don’t, feel free to skip this post. 😉

All in all, it was quite a good year for the blog, especially considering that it wasn’t updated super-regularly, with almost 54,000 page views over the course of the year, an average of over 4,000 a month, which was very nice. Thanks to everyone who visited, and a special thanks to all the regular reader/listeners!

First up, here’s how those 54,000 page views break down:

  • My mixes – 46%
  • The home page – 18%
  • The mix galleries – 17%
  • Guest mixes – 12%
  • Other stuff – 7%
Continue reading “2011: The Year in Rampaging Sonically”