Video Games - Live!

The junction between music and videogames continues to evolve. Sync licensing is great for established bands, but how about turning the tide of interactivty from the gaming platform to a LIVE VENUE. New orchestra's such as the Gamer Symphony Orchestra (GSM), and established collectives such as National Symphony Orchestera (NSO) are doing just that. See below for a clip of "Play! A Video Game Symphony" performing a self-arranged version of our most cherished video game icon, Zelda!

DJ Shadow

genre: electronic
artist: DJ Shadow
album: The DJ Shadow Remix Project
featured tracks: Mongrel Meets His Maker (Sonotech Mix); Walkie Talkie (Irn Mnky "Beat Down" Mix)
street date: July 2010
label: self-released

This week's featured electronic artist is another one we (northern) Californian's can proudly lay bragging rights to.

What started as a simple remix contest morphed into a full-blown remix project that DJ Shadow loves "more than [he] ever dreamed [he] would." It's rare to find a fresh take on a classic that is well received by both the audience and the original artist, but whatever special sauce this collection of DJs is hiding up their sleeves has certainly wowed everyone.

Shadow says "new life has been breathed into songs I had long-since resigned to the past, and made them fresh again...you WILL hear these mixes in future shows, and that's the strongest endorsement I can give as a DJ."

One random fun fact before we get into the actual remixes: this album alone demonstrates the brilliance and breadth of DJ Shadow's influence. Why, you ask? Each track represents an artist in another country who has been inspired by Shadow. In the first three tracks, we go to France, the US, and the UK. By the end, we've also been to Italy, Canada, Venezuela... and then some. So you basically get a CD of awesome remixes, as well as an around the world ticket. Sweet.

Mongrel Meets His Maker: the riff in the original version of this track has slight undertones of Tool and A Perfect Circle. Sonotech has kept that element of the song but added a world of complexity by layering additional treble and bass elements to create a deep, rich sound.

The original version of Walkie Talkie definitely straddles the line between hip hop, electronic, and alternative rock (okay, so I guess it's more of a circle than a straight line... or something). Irn Mnky's cut nudges the track more towards the hip-hop/electronic line, but still manages to maintain that gritty alternative rock vibe.

In summary: Fresh for '88, suckas? How about fresh for 2010.


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Do me right (don't worry, it's not that dirty)

genre: House
artist: Ed The Red
album: New York House Music, Vol 1
tracks: Do Me Right (ft. Secret Lovers), Move Yo Body (ft Hearsay)
label: Bottom Line Records

After 20 years on the house scene, the iconic master of House, colloquially referred to as Ed the Red, delivers another batch of instant classics.

Do Me Right blends Ed's jazz keyboardist background with his impeccable skills as a producer & DJ to produce the ultimate combination of classic house and retro-funk. It sounds like an odd combination (jazz and house? funk and classic?) but these elements fit together as well as salty and sweet.

Move Yo Body is more straightforwardly funky, with its slight hint of dub in the bassline. The fun, friendly lyrics in tandem with the mood-elevating beat instantly transports you to a beachside lounge on a tropical island. Enough said.

My new motto (borrowed from Hearsay): "see, ya gotta move. see, ya gotta groove. but if you can't do that, them mmm guess what? that's alright, kid."

beyond what you see lurks so much more

genre: indie, new wave, electronic
artist: <>
album: Grand Strategy I
street date: July 13th 2010
featured tracks: Love & War, Tame
label: Cozy Music

tfo is Timothy F O'Keefe (and sometimes some guest artists!) of Providence, Rhode Island. According to the Providence Phoenix, Timothy is basically the godfather of Providence's electronic music scene. According to me, he's basically the godfather of winning at life. Seriously-- this guy has done everything from audio design for video games to journalism (oh, and lets not forget the part where he started his own label, teaches HS students and graduate students the tricks to successful music production, organizes IndieArts/ri, and is working on an MFA at RISD). Ummm... can I borrow some impressiveness for my resume?

Anyways, these tracks are awesome. Love & War sucks you in after the first half a second with a guitar riff that is reminiscent of John Petrucci's Glasgow Kiss. This riff fades in and out of focus throughout the track, allowing other melodic factors some time at center stage. My favorite part: circa 1:30, the vocals take a short break to allow for a brief jam sesh between the beat and a few of the featured guitar parts. SO good. (Sidenote: this happens a few times throughout the song, but the first one is still my favorite because it's both unexpected and fleeting, and leaves you wanting more.)

Tame is anything but. No joke--this song is nuts. The intro is ominously intriguing-- kind of like a mix between the music that plays right before something epic happens in a sci-fi movie, and what I imagine Dracula listens to at bedtime. During the proceeding 4 minutes and 30 seconds, Timothy builds a blissful concoction that I lack the words to describe. A chorus of "this is how I feel" is interspersed at the climax of each distinct chunk of song to cover a range of conflicting emotions. I know what I'm gonna be listening to next time I can't articulate how I feel. Thank you Timothy!!

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