Richie Hawtin's Plastikman At Guggenheim NYC: Making Of

A few weeks ago we shared the story that Hawtin would bring his Plastikman moniker to the Guggenheim in NYC for a special performance - here is how he did it. The man knows no boundaries!

Germany, Milano (Italy), Madrid and Barcelona (Spain): what a end of 2013 and NYD for Richie Hawtin!

Since today ALL STAR EVENT, until the end of the year, will publish some articles dedicated to the programs for 31th of December and NYD of top Dj’s that animate Ibiza during summertime..

The first DJ is an that we love and is a guest of Ibiza since many years: Richie Hawtin!!!
Richie has a music marathon for the end of 2013 and for NYD!

The 31th of December Hawtin will play firstly at Hyte Festival in Germany and then.. a run to Italy, in Milano, to play in the marvellous location of East end studios!

Time to relax? no way!

Richie and his magical team will run to Madrid for Madrid Winter festival and then the great final at “El row” Barcelona…

Dear Richie they will be 48 hours of rush, but you’ll make happy many of your supporters with your excellent music!

This is the poster with the complete program!

REBEKAH E MONOLOC, LA CLR FA ESPLODERE IL PAVIMENTO DEL GLAM

Treno, fiume in piena, prodigio della natura. Queste le prime parole che ci vengono in mente quando pensiamo al djset di Rebekah (bella e brava) al Glam Disco (Itri-Lt) di sabato scorso. Una selezione che non ha lasciato spazio all’immaginazione, ed è riuscita a far ballare anche le mura del club.

Ora capiamo,  fino ad ora non l’avevamo capito molto bene, perchè Rebekah sta diventando la vera e propria ‘ciliegina sulla torta’ dello squadrone techno della Clr di Chris Liebing. Gusto musicale crudo, capace di interpretare al meglio i momenti della pista: techno si, ma anche cassoni contro-fase, momenti di viaggio, un 4/4 ipnotico.

Anche Monoloc ci ha messo del suo: ha apparecchiato la tavola, sistemato le posate, preparato le persone al quel tornado musicale di Rebekah.

Regola n.1: non c’è party senza warm up. E non c’è grande party senza un grande warm up. In questo senso ci teniamo a citare Alex Giordano e Giovanni A.M.G, capaci di sfoderare una selezione pulita, senza eccedere nel protagonismo che spesso rovina la maggior parte dei warm up. Tanto vinile, e di qualità.

XBOX ONE VERSUS PS4: THE MUSIC

Can’t decide between the Xbox One and PS4? Let music be your guide. Mixmag investigates the musical functions (and failings) of the next-gen machines.

XBOX ONE

Size Xbox One is bulky, and that’s without the external power brick.

Specs Eight-core AMD x86 CPUs with 8GB DDR3 RAM

Music Play your own CDs or MP3s, plus Xbox One is a PlayTo receiver, so you can stream content from PlayTo supported devices like Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and Windows phones. Xbox Music Pass ( £8.99 a month) lets you stream unlimited, ad-free music that can also be listened to offline on PC, tablet and phone (although IOS and Android isn’t available at launch). As music plays your screen is filled with artist photos, bios, cover art and a discography. You can pin your favourite artists, albums, songs or playlists to your dashboard and use your voice to control it through Kinect. Snap mode lets you access Xbox Music while you play a game.

Media Blu-ray player built in, but no iPlayer at launch. This is being rectified. 4OD, Netflix, Lovefilm, Blinkbox, Crackle, Eurosport, Machinima and Muzu TV are all supported.

Game pad A more sensitive D-pad, grippier joysticks, better Wi-Fi syncing and vibration feedback can run under each trigger button.

Camera Kinnect is the more advanced of the console cams and comes bundled with the device. It has facial recognition and allows voice command. You can jump from a game back to normal TV by just speaking.

Exclusive games at launch Forza Motorsport 5, Quantum Break, Halo 5, Ryse, Titanfall

Cost £430

 PS4

Size Slick, angular and upright, the PS4 is smaller than the Xbox One but is its upright design right for your lounge?

Specs Eight-core AMD x86 CPUs which, coupled with 8GB GDDR5 RAM means it has more bandwidth than the Xbox One giving the PS4 a slight advantage on graphics.

Music Shockingly, the device will not play CDs or MP3s forcing gamers to use Sony’s Music Unlimited subscription cloud-streaming service to listen to music. Music Unlimited has been redesigned to be faster and easier to use on PS4. It has a back catalogue of 22 million tracks which you can use to create the soundtracks to your games that can also be listened to offline ad-free on iOs, Android, tablets and PS Vita devices. Subscription is £4.99 a month for use on PS4 and at home, and £9.99 a month for offline playback.

Media Blu-ray player built in and support from Netflix, Amazon and iPlayer.

Game pad The DualShock 4 has an added touchpad plus rebadged Select and Start Buttons. L2 and R2 triggers are now concave so less slippy.

Camera The Eye is an extra £45 but also supports facial recognition.

Exclusive games at launch Knack, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Infamous: Second Son, DriveClub

Cost £350 – however, online gaming now requires a paid membership (it used to be free on the PS3) and the Eye camera needs to be bought separately.

New Years EVE- CLR 2014 - FIRENZE

GET TICKETS HERE

CAPODANNO CLR In #FIRENZE 2014

OBIHALL LOCATION :http://bit.ly/1bArsGt
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LINE UP:
Roster dj : http://bit.ly/1hJl6LX
Chris Liebing
Paul Ritch
Rebekah
Francesco Tapinassi
Dubsones
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Tickets: 50€ In lista accredito(Biglietto elettronico via email) o tickets spedito a casa con 12€ a spedizione tramite Bonifico bancario o Vaglia Postale con ricevuta

Tavolo in galleria 800 euro minimo 10 persone
Tavolo sul palco 1000 euro minimo 10 persone
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PACCHETTO 2 NOTTI : 119 €
•2 Notti e 3 Giorni in Hotel 4 Stelle a RomaA Firenze
Check-in alle 12:00 del 31 Dic. E Late Check-out alle 16:00 del 2 Gen.
•Colazione Continentale fino alle 12:00
•1 Ingresso per il CLR NEW YEARS EVE ( No Fila )
•1 Braccialetto Navetta Privata CLR - Hotel , in andata e Ritorno

IL TUTTO a 129 € a Persona
Fino al 20 Dicembre o ESAURIMENTO POSTI

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PACCHETTO 1 NOTTE : 80 €
•1 Notte e 2 Giorni in Hotel 4 Stelle a Firenze
Check-in alle 12:00 del 31 Dic. E Late Check-out alle 16:00 del 1 Gen.
•Colazione Continentale fino alle 12:00
•1 Ingresso per il CLR NEW YEARS EVE ( No Fila )
•1 Braccialetto Navetta Privata CLR - Hotel , in andata e Ritorno

IL TUTTO a 80 € a Persona
Fino al 20 Dicembre o ESAURIMENTO POSTI

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Details ,Ticketing & Travel Packages:
Taio Folies:
E-mail: taiofolies@gmail.com
( Only What's App ):+39 3299254035
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skype: taio.folies

DJS OF THE YEAR 2013

As 2013 draws to a close it's time to take a look back at the DJs who have stolen our hearts and had us dancing hard all year long. As chosen by our staff and contributors, these are the selectors who have left their stamp on 2013.

It's not a public poll, or an excuse to throw in obscure DJs to try and prove how underground we are. It's a list of the DJs who have made 2013 what it is, another great and diverse year for dance music.

See our Breakthrough DJs of 2013 here

10. Brodinski
His label’s blown up, he killed every set he played this year, joined Radio 1, released stunning mixtapes and spearheaded the new French techno sound.
Watch and listen to his skills in our Lab.

9. Nina Kraviz
Forget the debate around that video, Nina proved her credentials this year with high profile gigs all over the world including a great set at Mixmag Live.
Watch Nina Kraviz at  Live party in November here.

8. Jamie Jones
He took his ‘Paradise’ parties at DC10 to the premier league while building a legend from Brixton Academy to BPM, Circoloco to Coachella.
Jamie Jones plays Live tonight, along with his Hot Creations crew.

7. Sebastian Ingrosso
With the House Mafia split, Ingrosso stepped up with a weekend-ruling set at Creamfields and his amazing new ‘Departures’ parties at Ushuaïa (with Axwell).

6. Marco Corola
From sundown to sunrise, Marco’s Music On parties at Amnesia this summer were a flawless demonstration of the DJ’s art and a massive, word-of-mouth smash.

5. Skream
The disco reinvention is complete for the one-time dubstep pioneer, while his All Gone Pete Tong Miami mix showed just how peak-time he can go.
Watch Skream smash our Lab here.

4. Eats Everything
A standout at every festival he appeared at from Glastonbury to Creamfields to Croatia, the Bristolian is now guaranteed to get a night rocking.
He also got our Lab rocking. See the evidence here.

3. The Martinez Brothers
Riding on a wave of genuine affection, The Martinez Brothers were a hit everywhere from DC10 to Kazantip with their warm, grooving deep house.
Watch the brothers in action in our Lab here.
2. Avicii
This decision is bound to split you down the middle but there's no denying that Avicii has been an absolute powerhouse this year. Not only is his fame growing almost faster than dance music worldwide, his set at Ultra in Miami showed more balls than most EDM stars would ever dare. And we commend controversial artists.

1. Seth Troxler
Lovable, unpredictable, sometimes naked, Seth has become part of the fabric of dance music this year, as well as laying down great sets from Womb to Space.

SETH TROXLER, NINA KRAVIZ AND WHAT GETTING NAKED TELLS US ABOUT DANCE MUSIC

Oh look, some DJs have got naked.

Dance music is a hedonistic business; DJs like to have fun, getting naked is fun. And what? But it seems that an awful lot of people don't see it that way, with swathes of the dance music internet currently getting its G-string in a twist about the relative merits and morality of Seth Troxler and Nina Kraviz being filmed with their kit off. In a nutshell, when Seth is filmed jumping about with his tadger out, everyone thinks it's SIMPLY HILARIOUS, but when Nina is filmed in a bubble bath, it starts a shitstorm comparable to a grenade in a septic tank.

Maybe this is good, though. Among all the froth, furore and FWOAARRRRGH-ing, it's handy to be reminded of certain core facts of life, notably that sexism and misogyny exist, everywhere. A woman's body, any woman's body, is always an object to be stared at and judged, regardless of whether she's clothed or naked, behind a set of decks, in a bath or just walking down the street. She's damned if she does and damned if she doesn't; judged for showing off and judged for not showing off and always expected to act according to the whims of people who clearly dislike her. Meanwhile, if a man shows off his body, buff or pudgy, it's on his terms. He defines whether it's sexy, humorous or whatever and whether people find it hilarious or dumb, you're not likely to find anyone questioning the validity of his career just because they've seen his moobs.

The Troxler vid is nothing new: a cheeky, chubby chappy flaunting everything is in the “grand” tradition of Ron Jeremy, Har Mar Superstar and now The Southern Comfort Guy and, sniggering aside, it's “allowed” to be considered sexy. Compare and contrast with Beth Ditto, who for every fragment of positive press she got, was subjected to furious tirades, hatemail and threats of violence, purely for daring to let it all hang out. And that's the point here. This isn't just about a few snitty comments, it's about a virulent disgust that many, many people have at femininity in all its forms, a constant, angry, policing of how women are and aren't permitted to behave and implication that any who are successful are essentially nothing more than glorified strippers and hookers.

Dance culture, in this respect, is the best of worlds and worst of worlds. Of course it has its roots in the anything-goes sexual and gender fluidity of the original disco and house movements and there is no question that in certain respects it is ahead of the rest of the world. After all, we count Annie Mac, Mary Anne Hobbes, Heidi, Cooly G, Eclair Fifi, B. Traits and more among our leading lights and rising stars and only a fucking idiot could accuse any of them of having got where they are on anything but their musical talent. In terms of wit, personality, style and all the rest, they can stand with the best in any type of music from any era.

But still, in the 21st century, it is a massively male dominated industry and with even the most enlightened young man capable of a personality switch when presented with an eightball and a bunch of podium dancers, the most base kind of lad culture is never that far from the surface, as evinced by the snotty, tedious judgement that goes on over body image and talent whenever a female star puts her head (and/or other body parts) above the parapet. So let's thank Seth, not just for giving us yucks, but for once again bringing double standards to light and reminding us that it's a messed up world out there. Surely we should be better than this by now?

We recently had Seth Troxler in The Lab. He didn't get his testicles out but dropped some pretty deep tunes. Check the set below.

LISTEN TO AVICII'S LIVE SET FROM ULTRA

Earlier in the week ALL STAR EVENTS reported that Avicii would be premiering his new album live at Ultra, and now a recording of the set has emerged via inthemix.

The set kicks off with an inevitable rendition of 'Levels' alongside a remix of Pharoahe Monch's 'Simon Says', before an undeniably bluegrass collaboration with Aloe Blacc who sang live on stage at the festival begins.

Avicii said of his new album: "It's going to be a lot of acoustic elements but kind of twisted a little bit. It's way more songs than I've done before and it's everything from folk records to more soulful songs."

Listen to the Swedish EDM superstar's set below.

AVICII TO PREMIERE NEW ALBUM AT ULTRA

Avicii has revealed on Facebook that he will be playing the whole of his forthcoming album tonight at Ultra.

Whilst previous acts have premiered their new albums before, it's not often they play the whole thing, so Avicii fans are in for a treat.

You can watch the stream tonight, March 23 at 9pm Miami time, on UMF TV.

The news comes shortly after Avicii cancelled his India tour due to "health issues".

VISIONQUEST: PARTY OF FOUR

Brothers from another mother, Visionquest are linked by more than their matching tattoos and musical talent. They’re on a mission to throw the best parties in the world, from Fabric to DC10, Miami to Berlin. Are you ready to join the Quest?

Words: Seb Wheeler
Photos: Derrick Santini, David Salas

A visionquest is an ancient Native American ritual whereby children on the verge of adulthood undertake a journey through the wilderness in search of a spiritual epiphany. It’s a tradition associated with North American tribes, but it’s also a great metaphor for what some people experience on the dancefloor; given just the right conditions on just the right night, sacred experiences can occur.

“I’m on the stage at Fabric. It’s fucking amazing. Get down here!” shouts a blond guy into a phone clutched tightly to his ear. His pastel blue shirt may have been crisp at the start of the night but now it looks rumpled and sweaty after too many hours of dancing to count. It’s a Sunday morning in Room 1 of London’s most famous underground club, and the clock has pushed way past the advertised closing hour of 8am. The place is pulsating and the lights are low. Only the true explorers remain, following a trail of lush rhythms into a timezone that’s neither night nor day. All that matters now is the next tune, and when big, fat, ecstatic excursions like Vincenzo’s remix of ‘Love Stimulation’ by Humate roll out of the soundsystem, you know something special is going down. Or, as a mate of Mixmag yells: “It’s like one long-delayed orgasm!”

[Seth Troxler]

This is exactly the kind of place that four guys from Michigan, north-west US, want to take you to. And it’s no coincidence that Seth Troxler, Shaun Reeves, Lee Curtiss and Ryan Crosson go by the name of Visionquest. Their mission is to make things mystic, to tempt you to take a rite of passage toward a wonderful new realm. Or, put simply, to throw parties that are nothing short of legendary. It’s what they’ve done as a collective for as long as they can remember, and it’s why in 2012 they are some of the finest DJs in underground dance music. This summer they start a residency at DC10, bringing the Visionquest touch to their favourite spot on the White Isle and aiming to further cement their reputation as dealers of a certain kind of magic.

“Fuck yeah, we’re excited!” whoops Ryan, visibly psyched about stepping into the booth at Ibiza’s subterranean spot. “It’s arguably the greatest party in the world.” It’s the Tuesday after Visionquest worked Fabric into a bubbling frenzy, and the crew is assembled at a pokey photography studio in Hackney. Sitting around, chatting matters of the Quest, they’re definitely humbled at the prospect of playing a full season at a club where quality is of the utmost importance. But they’re also hyped about being given the chance to blow the place apart on the regular. “Both the parties we’ve done there have been incredible,” says Shaun. “The atmosphere is electric.”

[Lee Curtis and Ryan Crosson at Fabric]

Once the DC10 conversation starts to roll, the guys start waxing lyrical and talk over one another, excitable sentences getting tangled together like lengths of spaghetti. It happens every so often, certain topics causing communal commotion. “It’s an amazing opportunity to present ideas to one of the best crowds I’ve ever played to,” reckons Seth, before Ryan pipes up again: “They’ve invited us to step in, to give our take on things. We’re relatively new to Ibiza. People like Jamie Jones have been going for 10 years…” Then Lee weighs in, causing the chat to descend into laughter by hollering: “We’re just getting cracking on this shit! You wait…” Each member will play 10 dates at the club across the summer, with Seth touching down on June 18.

So how do a bunch of mates who met through a mutual love of crate-digging, party culture and mind expansion become some of the most sought-after selectors in the game? Well, their secret is brilliantly straightforward. “If it’s not fun, what’s the fucking point?” states Ryan in all seriousness. Because fun is what underpins everything Visionquest do. “If you’re not laughing then you’re dying,” says Seth with a simple shrug of his shoulders, before Lee shouts, “Who the fuck is gonna come see you if you’re uptight?”

[Visionquest]

He’s got a point. The group’s charm is based around the good vibes they create, something that seems to come naturally. When they pose for photos they look as though they’re having a whale of a time, goofing around, drinking beers and singing along to Biggie’s ‘Ready To Die’. They’re like a techno version of The Goonies, a charismatic cast that are damn funny and pretty smart, each bringing a distinct personality.

There’s Ryan, the tallest, most well-groomed of the four. He wears a grey jumper and black fitted trousers, an understated combo that makes him look like a handsome but preppy schoolteacher – albeit one who knows how to get loose.

Lee is a bear of a man with a booming voice and a blissed-out smile. His sideswept blonde hair, designer stubble and puppy-dog eyes make him seem effortlessly cool – and he’s also the one who’s first to crack open a bottle of San Miguel. Shaun is quiet but full of giggles, his face lighting up at the faintest whiff of weed. He rocks stoner chic well, draping his slim figure in a baggy v-neck T-shirt and low-slung joggers, his ruffled hair giving the impression he’s just rolled out of bed – in a good way. Then there’s Seth, the most notorious of the bunch thanks to his unashamed psychedelic adventuring.

[Ryan Crosson]

In the flesh he’s a touch eccentric, decked out in a flamboyant floral shirt and eager to squeeze in to a tight pair of lime green shorts for the photoshoot; he’s also totally chilled, happy to daydream away or debate where’s best to go for lunch: Meat Liquor on nearby Welbeck Street for chilli dogs and onion rings or one of the Vietnamese joints on Kingsland Road for big steaming bowls of pho. It’s simple: all that matters is good tunes, good food, good people. Like the stoned voice on Tin Man’s ‘Wasteland’ intones at the start of their sublime Fabric mix: “Hey, just relax man…”

[Shaun at Fabric]

The most striking thing about Visionquest’s live performance is the sense that they are creating the perfect soundtrack to the perfect party. And, during their 11-hour takeover of Fabric, the records they shoot through the club’s mammoth system never get boring or stale; rather, their selection is full of twists and turns, mile-high moments up in the clouds and nosedives down into chugging, churning depths. By the time the lights go up the guys are on the dancefloor, revelling in the wonderful madness they’ve created. You get the feeling that watching them in the booth at one of the world’s best clubs is just like seeing them mix on a pair of battered Technics at home. They lay it down with ease.

“We just love music. We really love it. We want to play songs for each other,” Lee explains, his excitement making the clichés ring true. There’s no irony, just an appreciation of killer cuts. “It’s about playing music that spans cultures, genres and styles,” says Seth, and Ryan agrees, “There are so many different ways we can move into the morning.” But perhaps it’s Shaun who describes the Visionquest experience best: “It’s a storyboard,” he says. Together they forge ahead, playing individually or back-to-back, each a unique component of the whole.

[Shaun Reeves]

Seth warms things up, playing sweet, dreamy beats cut with a touch of jack, laying a bumpin’, melodic foundation. Already the club is packed and the atmosphere is balmy, Seth grinning as he plays, moving with his hips and twirling an index finger in the air, a little like a drunk uncle at wedding. Every so often he looks back into the booth to see who’s hanging out, who’s dancing, who’s digging it.

“Man, it’s only twelve thirty!” he says with glee. It’s then Shaun’s job to plough through peak time with a steady stream of rolling rhythms, matching the crowd’s frenetic energy with ice-cold grooves. He cuts a more subdued figure behind the decks, tapping one foot to the beat while expertly steering each mix. Proving that it’s always a family affair, Footprintz, the live duo signed to the Visionquest label, walk on stage and wheel out beautiful electronic pop like Robert Smith doing deep house.

[Visionquest]

“To arrive here earlier and see the line of people outside the venue was incredible,” beams Ryan. As the evening starts to take off, he teams up with Lee for a special live back-to-back session, the pair flanked by six lights that move in unison to their music, a showcase of muscular, tribal funk, all heavy kicks and warm chords.

The dancefloor is rammed, so Mixmag retreats to the balcony overlooking Room 1. Bass ripples into the space beneath our feet and when Lee unleashes ‘I Can Make Your Body Twitch’ the whole place begins to froth, making a group of nearby muscleheads hug each other like the loved-up spirit of rave is truly alive.

Seth jumps back on at 5am for a couple of hours during which he weaves together dub techno, piano house, old-skool garage, psychedelic phreak-outs, Detroit rollers, cosmic disco and more, juggling genres with consummate skill. Then it’s time to take it home, all four choosing tunes and seeing how far they can take things. And that’s when the epiphanies start to happen…

[Seth at Fabric]

“We came up with ‘Visionquest’ at the log cabin, my family’s property up north, which is now being sold, sadly,” Ryan explains when asked about the origins of the group’s collective trip. They’d take time off to go wander the great outdoors, trekking through the woods, building campfires and pushing the boundaries of their consciousnesses. At some point a pact must have been made, because they all bear a tattoo of the Visionquest eye. They’re in it for the long run.

So what’s life like now compared to their salad days – since they became globetrotters, booked at every underground house and techno club worth its salt? “Life’s changed a lot,” Seth admits. “I had to go and take some time off, had to regroup. I’ve had some relationship problems due to travelling too much. It’s been hard.” The group start sharing insights into the flipside of being famous DJs who travel the world. “There’s pressure on everything: pressure on relationships, pressure on…” Shaun says, before Seth interjects, “…your life, your future, you know? It’s a blessing at to be able to succeed in what you’ve always wanted to do…”

[Lee Curtis]

Ryan picks up: “But you’re always under a microscope because people are waiting for you to slip up.” They’re surprisingly open about the downsides, but they don’t whine. This is all part of the journey, remember? “You have certain responsibilities to yourself, to the people who brought you there and the people who appreciate you,” Shaun says. “It’s very serious.” Ryan, sensing that they’re in danger of sounding miserable, cuts in: “It is hard, but you know what? How many other people are doing it?” Lee agrees: “People want you on form all the time, and it’s hard. But it’s about love. We love the music, we love the people and so we sacrifice a bit of ourselves.”

Visionquest are by no means alone on the road. They’re close with people like Jamie Jones, Lee Foss and the Hot Natured crew, Soul Clap and the Wolf & Lamb camp and the Culprit stable. “It’s like a boys club,” Seth laughs. “There are a couple of girls, I wish there were more, but it’s like a group of people who are just hanging out with each other. There’s no competition.” They agree that the term ‘non-hostile takeover’ is a good way to describe how the loose gang are the names on everyone’s lips right now.

“It’s a travelling circus!” Shaun chuckles. The same goes for the Visionquest label, an imprint run, once again, on an ethos of friendship and good music. Lee describes it as similar to Open Source, with artists and producers collaborating to create distinct cuts of wax that all relate back to the Quest. But just as they see their sets as something more dynamic than simply playing tunes for a set amount of time, so too do they want the records they put out to embody something real. “It’s about giving someone something tangible. You have a nice piece of music, you have a nice piece of art and they come together to create this whole package that’s worth your money,” Ryan explains. So far they’ve offered up slices from Benoit & Sergio, Tale Of Us and Maceo Plex, among others. “I think this whole digital thing is becoming a bit tired for a lot of people,” says Seth when asked why they still bother with vinyl. “People want to go back to what was real before, you know?” They’re leaving behind artefacts of the Quest, souvenirs to help you relive those mystic moments wherever you are.

[Visionquest]

There’s also a comparison to be made between Visionquest and the Merry Pranksters, Ken Kesey’s tribe of tripped-out travellers who took a psychotropic roadshow across America in the sixties. They’d set up events where like-minded people could soak up music and visuals with wild abandon, and that’s where Visionquest is headed now.

“We’re going to rent spaces and transform everything to the point where the lines between gallery installation, club night and stage show meet; transforming spaces into three-dimensional environments where the clubber can interact with the space in a different way than at a normal rave or club night,” Seth says. “We want to create events and situations where people can experience music in a different context.” Just like Kesey, Visionquest want to push the boundaries of human experience to the fullest. Their über-parties are still at the formative stage, but the concept is there nonetheless. They want to transcend normal dance music environments, and you’re all invited along for the ride. More than that, if you’re up for it then you’re part of the gang. Because the Quest doesn’t finish when Fabric finally shuts its doors on a Sunday morning, or DC10 closes for the season. Seth, Shaun, Lee and Ryan are on a mission, and they wont stop until everyone has seen the light.

SNOWBOMBING DJ LAB TAKEOVER WITH EATS EVERYTHING

For the latest instalment of our DJ Lab series we welcome Eats Everything for the Snowbombingtakeover.

Snowbombing one of the most unique festivals of the year is based in the Austrian ski resort of Mayrhofen and will see the likes of Carl Cox, Seth Troxler, Maceo Plex, Kerri Chandler and more lay down sets with Above and Beyond, Disclosure, Kasabian, Rudimental and Katy B all playing live.

This year Snowbombing will also welcome a host of other Dirtybird players including, Justin Martin and Catz ‘n Dogz plus Eats Everything and Justin Martin will go back to back at one of the world's greatest venues, The Barclaycard Arctic Disco: an igloo, 6000ft up a mountain.

But before all of that, this Friday from 4pm GMT the  DJ Lab will be transformed into an Austrian ski location with Eats Everything at the summit and you’ll be able to watch the live stream of his full set below or on TV.

This week also sees Dirtybird release part two of their 'Dirtybird Players' compilation which includes tracks from Eats Everything, Catz ‘n Dogz and a host of new Dirtybird recruits. Get your copy here.

This May Eats Everything launches his ‘Edible’ movement with four unique gigs featuring a line-up curated by the man himself. Tickets and more info about the shows in London, Cardiff, Bristol and Brighton can be found here.

MIXMAG LIVE WITH HOT NATURED

The final Mixmag Live show of 2013 will be the biggest and most special yet as Mixmag present January cover stars Hot Natured at London's legendary Roundhouse on Thursday December 12.

The quartet, who comprise acclaimed DJs and producers Jamie Jones, Lee Foss, Ali Love and Luca C, have established themselves as one of the most exciting live acts in electronic music, headlining festivals across the UK and Europe this year (including Eastern Electrics and the Glastonbury Festival dance arena) and recently picking up the Best Electronic Live award at the 2013 DJ Awards in Ibiza.

2013 also saw Hot Natured release their highly anticipated debut album, 'Different Sides Of The Sun’. Released in September, the album was described by Mixmag as "the culmination of a decade that's seen Jones & Co take their signature sound from basements to main rooms round the world. It's a triumph" while Metro stated the album is an "exhilarating modern takes on house music".

Hot Natured will feature on the cover of the January issue of Mixmag, out December 12, and will also mix the iconic cover CD.

This Roundhouse show – set to be the group's only UK live appearance until next year's festivals - will be a celebration of a spectacular year for Hot Natured and a fitting finale to a year of Mixmag Live parties that have seen exclusive performances from Mixmag cover stars including Nina Kraviz, Sasha, Boys Noize, Fatboy Slim, Maya Jane Cole, Dirtybird Players, Groove Armada and more .

With support one of Hot Creations' fastest rising stars Richy Ahmed aswell German house and techno favourite Moomin the night is set to be a showcase of the finest electronic sounds from start to finish.

Tickets for the show go on sale on Friday 18th October via Gigs and Tours.

A full supporting line-up for the event will be announced shortly.

BREAKTHROUGH DJS OF THE YEAR 2013

Even though the following DJs are all well-recognised, this year has been their breakthrough year. They've really stood out as artists who know how to rock a party and more importantly set themselves up nicely for 2014. Here are our Breakthrough DJs of 2013.

See our Top DJs of 2013 here

10. Bondax
The mild-mannered duo spent 2013 gradually and inexorably moving up the bill thanks to some storming DJ sets.
Watch them in our Lab here.

9. Alesso
How does Sweden do it? EDM's next biggest star had a breakthrough year to remember.

8. Noir
The main man at Defected’s parties this year across Europe, the Dane’s star continues to rise.
Watch them him our Lab here.

7. Gesaffelstein
Unmatched for sheer energy, the Frenchman seemed to bring a mosh pit everywhere he went.
Read our feature, Gesaffelstein: Art of Darkness here.

6. tINI
Her Ibiza beach parties were a clear demonstration of how well loved the Desolat star has become.
Read our feature, Tini: Gang Star here.

5. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike
Their fairytale gig at Creamfields and headline set at Tomorrowland saw them hit the big time.

4. MK
Given that the legendary house producer only started DJing solo this year, he’s more than made up for lost time.
Watch MK play our Lab here.

3. Kahn
Raw excitement surrounded his sets at Deep Medi and System, and he blew Outlook away.

2. Apollonia
The DJ supergroup ruled it with huge Ibiza performances and an absolutely storming Fabric mix.
Watch Dyed Soundorom in our Lab here.

1. Hot Since 82
After knocking on the door for a while, in 2013 Daley Padley blew them open, becoming a huge draw everywhere he went.

Svolta epocale: venduto il Pineta

Il locale che ha fatto la storia della movida passa nelle mani del 33enne Marco AmadoriDopo la “ritirata” dal Pacifico, Chicco Cangini vende anche la discoteca

MILANO MARITTIMA - Dopo la “ritirata” dal Pacifico Dinner, adesso l’addio anche allo storico Pineta by Visionnaire. Chicco Cangini, il guru “stanco” della riviera by-night, vende il suo “gioiello” più amato: il Pineta Club. Così dopo tanti anni di rumors e indiscrezioni, è stata ufficializzata ieri la vendita di uno dei locali più celebri della riviera. Il patron del Pineta Club, dopo aver ceduto nel marzo 2013 le quote del Pacifico Dinner, ha deciso di abbandonare anche la gestione della lussuosa discoteca. Anche se alla consolle artistica del locale, il volto di Cangini non sparirà del tutto. Ad acquistare la discoteca è stato l’aretino Marco Amadori che, a soli 33 anni, ha rilevato il 90% della società (il restante 10% è rimasto nella mani del socio storico Corrado D’Ausilio). Amadori è lo stesso imprenditore che, prima dell’estate, assieme ad Enrico Rinaldi di Argenta, aveva già acquistato il Pacifico. E Chicco Cangini? Come detto, rimarrà all’interno del “suo” Pineta come direttore artistico. Una scelta d’immagine perchè, in fondo, il guru delle notti fashion in riviera resta sempre lui. La firma della cessione delle quote societarie di Chicco Cangini è stata posta sui documenti notarili martedì 4 dicembre, data in cui è partita la nuova era del Pineta. La prima serata organizzata dalla nuova gestione è andata in onda venerdì sera e, a quanto pare, il format del locale non cambiera, con il rituale profluvio di vip. Madrine dell’inaugurazione le ex veline di “Striscia la Notizia” Federica Nargi e Costanza Caracciolo.




“Ad essere sincero, non mi sono ancora reso conto di essere alla guida del locale che ha fatto la storia di Milano Marittima, per questo - spiega Marco Amadori - Chicco Cangini mi affiancherà nella gestione del locale, per insegnarmi i trucchi del mestiere. Con l’apertura di venerdì sera le prime novità sono già arrivate. Infatti all’estetica ho voluto dare un tocco di colore, mentre l’animazione sarà affidata a ballerine professioniste. Poi arriveranno altre novità, ma sarà il lavoro del mese di dicembre a fornirmi qualche prezioso suggerimento”. Fino a Capodanno il Pineta sarà aperto il venerdì e il sabato, poi la gestione chiuderà due settimane e, dal 18 gennaio, rimarrà aperto solo il sabato, quindi da marzo partirà la grande corsa all’estate. Tutto come prima, insomma. Ma con un nuovo comandante sul ponte di comando.

STOP CALLING IT DEEP HOUSE!

You heard the new Bondax? Sick deep house, bruv.

Except it isn't deep house. Neither is the latest George FitzGerald, nor the next Duke Dumont. Maybe it's for lack of a better term. Maybe it's because such sounds are not as bright and bold as, say, Rustie's glo-step or maybe it's because there's more subtlety to it than the latest EDM headache. Who knows? But bulbous, rubbery bass in a club track does not equal deep house. 

Without getting too pernickety, incorrect genre blanketing is a plague on plenty of new music. Whether it’s a bass producer being lumped in with dubstep, a juke producer being categorised as future garage or Burial being heralded as the saviour of night bus, ill informed youngsters, out-of-touch music retailers and wannabe bloggers are bandying signifiers around with infuriating abandon. 

Whether it’s the result of a lack of historical perspective, laziness or bandwagon jumping does not matter, but it needs to stop. In the case of my beloved deep house, for instance, it’s a genre not just defined by a slight sense of atmosphere, lazy jazz motifs, rounded edges or warm bass notes, it’s about so much more. Or it should be. 

House music was barely a scene by the time Larry Heard saw the genre's potential to be about more than just physical jack trax. As a multi-instrumentalist from a young age, he was one of the first to bring a real sense of musicianship to stripped down, machine-made disco. 

By incorporating elements of the soul and jazz he grew up on, Heard unwittingly sophisticated and intellectualised the genre and, even though he probably didn’t know at the time, deep house was born. The term was being used in the UK by 1988 and the Deep House Convention at Leicester Square's Empire in February of that year featured a number of seminal Chicago artists like Kym Mazelle, Marshall Jefferson and Frankie Knuckles.  

If you add into the mix the gospel influences brought by vocalist Robert Owens when he worked with Heard as Fingers Inc in the 80s, you've a genre that not only sounds and feels warm, but that produced proper songs with painful and poignant lyrics. From there, the likes of Chez Damier, Ron Trent and Prescription Records perfected the deep house style we know today. It's deep musically, but so too emotionally, spiritually, sexually and, to some extent in the early days, religiously. It’s deep house. 

And it still is - or can be - but often not in the places we are told. And therein lies the problem. As a deep house bore I worry that anyone who fancies dipping their toe in might stumble on some lite, chart-topping house that’s been described as ‘deep’ by some clueless US blog or misguided scene kid and be turned off forever. Just imagine that for a moment. Imagine a life without Chez and Ron’s steamy ‘Morning Factory’ or Dream2Science or Moods & Grooves or any of Theo Parrish’s intoxicating voodoo sermons... Make it stop! These don’t just deal in dope tracks, these make stirring symphonies that shoot straight to your heart.

Of course, deep house is just the start of it. Once you're down here there's a spaghetti network of variations on the theme to explore. It's true they range from terrific to tiring, nostalgic to nauseating, but as well as a spiritual and sexual depth, there's cosmic depth; music from the outer edges of our galaxy that's not so much deep as totally bottomless. Whether it’s golden oldies like Abacus or modern mind melters Fred P and Aybee, allow your brain to get lost in their imagery and you'll really know deep. But probably don't do so when driving at night. Or when operating heavy machinery – It really is potent stuff.

If sci-fi ain't your thang, Hamburg crew Smallville excel in a much more earthy and human brand of deep house. Often coming under overcast skies, it's cuddly and romantic, candle lit and cosy-night-in.  Take family member Moomin, with his curious daydream melodies, charming sample selection and loveable hip-hop slouch. Or boss Lawrence, with his molten ambient minimalism. And then there's subterranean and even subaquatic deep house. Vester Koza deals in the dusty, murky, spacious former and fellow Londoner Youandewan the rippling, echo drench latter, all married to inviting kick drum pulses that add to the sense of sultry seduction.

So, whether exploring the universe or the self, the known or the unknown, real deep house is something you feel in the blood in your veins rather than in the sweat down your face; it’s a feeling not a physical reaction. There's a place in the world for the garage-influenced and direct house taking the world by storm, but please, stop calling it deep house. You are not only doing the genre itself a disservice (which could, ultimately, lead it to become a dirty word (see: dubstep, minimal, tech house) but in terms of the wider picture you are ill informing the next generation, misleading inquisitive ears and tarnishing the deep house canon in way that makes those most passionate about it angry to the point of self harm. Newcomers are welcome – deep house is not a closed off community only for the bearded and stuffy – but it is the reserve of music that speaks to your soul, not just your sole. 

Our Top 5 Deep House Joints

CeCe Rogers 'Someday'

Along with the likes of Joe Smooth's 'Promised Land', Jungle Wonz's 'Time Marches On' and Jamie Principle's 'Your Love', this track was a proto deep house cut that laid down the early template that later generations went on to perfect.

Fingers Inc 'So Glad'

Any Larry Heard will do, whether solo, as Mr Fingers, Fingers Inc or whatever: he goes deeeeeeep.

Pépé Bradock 'Deep Burnt'

You’ll find if you like this, the same Pépé’s 'Path Of Most Resistance' will also get you steamy under the collar.

Mike Huckaby 'The Jazz Republic'

Classy, sophisticated, musical – you’d expect nothing less from this Detroit master.

STL 'Neurotransmitting Clouds On The Secret Freeway'

Raw, elongated and roughshod, STL makes shanty rhythms that take you to another world.