Nadia Ali & Starkillers & Alex Kenji - Pressure[Spinnin']

                           
I didn't like Nadia Ali's performance at Sunburn because it felt like, I dunno, a pop concert. But there's no doubt she's got a really nice voice and it adds a beautiful vibe to a track. Sick percussion on this, typical Starkillers(Nick Terranova) style(remember Cantina?), supplemented with Nadia's vocals and Alex Kenji's oh so minimal feel. The thing is, this track could've exploded after the build up with the piano chords getting more prominent, but the focus stays on the drums and the energy is brought back to where it was, typically Alex's style. Bouncy as hell, this one !

I'm going to try and feature more peaktime tunes since they are ignored quite a bit on the blog, as pointed out by a friend. I can't update the jukebox playlist, Mixpod.com is getting anal about rights violation blah blah. I'm on the lookout for other players.
Release Date : 15-02-2011 | Set Fit : Getting There, Peaktime, Finish | Time of the Day :
Night
    

Phil Kieran - Skyhook 1[Phil Kieran Recordings]

                         
Yeaaaaaaaaaaahhh ! I finally ID'ed one of the most insane techno tracks ever made and I've been digging this one for a long long loooong time. First heard it on DJ Bluesky's(Sandeep) set Nocturnal Therapy back in 2007. I couldn't find the tracklist so I just played the set over and over again to hear this banger of a tune. Phil Kieran released it on Novamute earlier on, but he decided to re-release it on his very own Phil Kieran Recordings. So much tension on this one, minimal yet melodically inclined with tons of glitch and atmospherics thrown in. Eclectic electronic is the best way to describe this. Part of the  Skyhook EP, which features two other versions of the same plus remixes by Adam Beyer & Jesper Dahlback, Green Velvet, Scuba, SCB and an ambient take by Ricardo Tobar. Do not ignore this !
                   
Release Date : 15-11-2010 | Set Fit : Warmup, Getting There, Peaktime | Time of the Day : Late Afternoon, Night, Late Night

Z-Listers - Get Back(Mike Hulme Remix)[Circuit Freq]

                                        
Produced under the alias Introspective, dishing out 20+ singles, the breakbeat legend Mike Hulme has taken a new direction producing under his name, playing a tasty combo of electro'ish acid tech house. Check this peaktime big room banger-of-a-remix, he did for Z-Listers, which starts off like any other techy monster, but gets unexpectedly melodic at the breakdown to surprise you, will definitely get you moving this one. Part of the Get Back EP. Do check out his two new singles Set the Controls & Sweet Inspiration, out on U&A Recordings.
Z-Listers - Get Back (Mike Hulme Remix) *128kbps Preview* by Mike Hulme
Release Date : 07-12-2010 | Set Fit : Peaktime, Finish | Time of the Day : Night, Late Night

2011 - What's your resolution ?

Ok it sounds so freakin' cliche as a title. But seriously. Think of something you really want to do this year, get rid of a habit, be a better brother / sister/ son/ daughter, give back to the community,  do something with your life or whatever it may be, stick to it, and don't just make one up to tell your friends that you have a new year resolution and forget about it. I know I'm going to concentrate on music production, I've been procrastinating waaaay to much.

Anyway, let's get on with the exciting bits of the year.
Firstly, I came across an article on how to avoid sidechaining or side-chain compression, which is using a sound to manipulate another sound in order to producing a "ducking" effect which allows you put multiple instruments in the same frequency range without interfering or clashing. It seems to be on every track these days, with almost all producers trying to reproduce that sound in their studios, but this write-up makes you focus more on the roots of the mix. Check it out -> ndoughmusic.com

Secondly, Mau5trap is back with a superb release that's been driving me nuts lately. This one's called Grand Theft Ecstasy, produced by Feed Me aka Jon Gooch. Never featured a track like this on the blog yet, essentially full of pounding electro, which sounds like a lion roaring on a vocoder, with some kickass breaks every now and then. What I really like about this track is that it's got a very emo touch to it. Pleasure to the ears and booty. Part of Feed Me's Big Adventure album.
  
            Release Date : 25-10-2010 | Set Fit : Peaktime | Time of the Day : Late Afternoon, Night

Thirdly, Maffialife released the V-DJM 2 channel mixer with an ableton plug in, perfect for bedroom hobbyists who want to spin off every now on then for some practice. Check here.

Maetrik - Glob Monster[Bedrock]

                         
Eric Estornel is nothing short of phenomenal these days, landing up remixes for John Digweed & Nick Muir's Satellite, Robert Babicz's Chordy and more recently Max Cooper's Chaotisch Serie under the moniker, Maetrik, he seems to be at the peak of his career. Really dark,vivid textures to this man's sounds, nothing proves it better than the featured track that i've been digging, which appears on John's Bedrock 12 compilation, really grows on you this stuff, sort of an acquired taste one could say.

Release Date : 04-10-2010 | Set Fit : Peaktime, Finish | Time of the Day : Late Night