Custom skins for your equipment

May 23, 2008

Wouldn't it be great if you could add your logo or some other custom skin to your equipment? Well now you can. Style Flip provide a service for customizing and styling your equipment. Check it out!

New online music stores crop up all the time ...

May 23, 2008

... and one this one's probably worth checking out (at least according to Sasha) is Boomkat.

Sasha Interview with with DJ Mag

May 23, 2008

Sasha talks to DJ Mag an interesting read!

30 Days on the Road

May 23, 2008

How cool is this site? 30 Days on the Road.

John Digweed's latest chart

May 23, 2008

• Guy J, Under Pressure (Original / Error Error remixes) [Bedrock Records]
• Radio Slave, Grindhouse (Dubfire Terror Planet Mix) [Rekids]
• D'Julz, Just So You Know [Ovum Recordingd]
• S-Groove, Feel Your Soul (Randall Jones remix) [Forensic]
• Psychonauts, World Keeps Turning (Mogg & Naudascher remix) [Souvenir Musis]
• Simon Baker, X Y & Z (Ivan Smagghe / Tolfrey & Ashken remixes) [Leftroom]
• Djinx, Incarnation [Bedrock Records]
• Guy Gerber, Disorientation (Original / Johnny D remixes) [Supplement Facts]
• John Digweed, Gridlock (Henry Saiz remix) [Renaissance]
• Alter Ego, Gary (Carl Craig remix) [Klang Elektronik]

Sasha talks about Involver 2

May 23, 2008

You may or may not know already that Sasha has been busy working on the follow-up to the hugely successful and fantastic Involver album. The album itself introduced a new concept, songs remixed entirely (not Ableton remixing) but entirely remixed for the album. Sasha created some magical mixes for the original Involver and in this interview he talks to 3 Beat about Involver 2.

Nick Warren talks to Progressive-Sounds about his upcoming GU compilation.

May 23, 2008

If you're interested in reading the interview you can find it here.

You've heard of Web 2.0 now we may have Music 2.0? The proposed file format offers a multi-channel alternative to MP3s.

May 23, 2008

A new file format that offers separate volume controls for each musical instrument, such as guitar, drum, base and voice, is being considered as a new Internet standard.

The new .MT9 file format, which a commercial title of Music 2.0?, was selected as a candidate for consideration at a regular meeting of Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG), the international body of the digital music and video industry, held in France late April.

"We made presentations to the participants and they were all surprised to see it. They immediately voted to make it a candidate for the digital music standard," said Ham Seung-chul, chief of Audizen, the company behind the format.

Ham says that the music industry should change its attitude to the market as music is becoming a digital service, rather than a physical product.

One other feature that could be popular is the lack of DRM on .MT9 files.

"It's like having a CD or cassette tape. Once you buy it, you can lend it to your friends. We don't want to be too fussy about DRM (digital right management)..." he said.

The idea behind .MT9 is cool - and I could see it being very useful for remixers and DJs.

Rifflet wants the songs you never finished

May 23, 2008

Rifflet is a new site you can have some fun with those songs that you've never gotten around to finishing.

The concept involves the uploading of something called a "rifflet", which is a piece of a song - like a bass line, a guitar riff, a drum beat, or something else altogether. Each rifflet must also be less than 60 seconds long. Members of the site can then browse through these proto-songs, and combine them with other rifflets they find or even just incorporate them into their own original music.

Rifflets can be played, tagged, rated, commented on, and downloaded and each rifflet's page will show the artist, title, genre, length, description, and the format of the recording.

Here's something that'll make you laugh

May 22, 2008

Well, that's if you have a sense of humor and are reasonably intelligent.

Looking for a music program that goes beyond Reason?

The DreamOn Pro lets you kill hours and hours of your free time believing that a single piece of good-looking software is your key to stardom. Then, after months of fiddling, end up with a track that sounds exactly like it was stolen wholesale from someone way more talented than you. But from three years ago.

We may not be saving lives or even the world for that matter, but if information is important to you, then we're capable of helping you store, protect and leverage your information to maximize your return on investment.

May 22, 2008

EMC and Documentum are talking about solutions for enterprises right? Well, if you believe that in a few years the amount of information that exists for us to ingest is going to double, triple or quadruple ... then perhaps this is not just a problem that customers in the enterprise space face but a problem for everyone. We need to be smarter at classifying and searching information to bring only the most relevant information to the end user.

For enterprise customers information IS their asset. So the average person is totally unlike an enterprise customer right? Well, if you don't count your music, your family photos, your email etc as part of YOUR assets then yes, but I have a sneaking suspicion that you do.

I'm delight to say that I'm leading a large engineering team that is taking a look at helping not just enterprise customers but end users simplify the storage and management of their most valuable asset, information. We're capable of adding intelligence and ease of use to the end user whether you're in an enterprise environment or simply an end user so you can reap a higher return on investment and have available the information that is most important to you at your finger tips.

If information is important to you and you know it's important to your company then you owe it to yourself to understand our product offering and go to market strategy. EMC presented and hosted EMC World this week where we talk in more detail about our exciting new product that we've code named, Magellan. Below are some videos that are an excellent starting place if you'd like to understand more:

iPod like charging for your Blackberry Pearl.

May 22, 2008

If, like me, you exhaust 2 Blackberry batteries per day then you may be pleased to find that RIM have introduced a new additional desktop charging option that's very similar to how Apple's iPod charges. Check it out here.

Polar Bear Listed as Threatened Species; Trophy Hunting Imports Must Stop Immediately

May 20, 2008

The Humane Society of the United States praises the decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to list the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and especially its recognition of the need to stop the import of hundreds of sport-hunted polar bear trophies from Canada.

"We are grateful to the federal government for recognizing that polar bears need protection, including from wealthy American trophy hunters who shoot these rare creatures for nothing more than a headhunting exercise," said Michael Markarian, executive vice president of The HSUS. "Hopefully this closes the chapter on the ugly loophole which was punched through the Marine Mammal Protection Act more than a decade ago, and now restores the longstanding prohibition on importing polar bear heads and hides."

From the time the Marine Mammal Protection Act was amended (after lobbying by the Safari Club International and trophy hunting interests), there have been more than 800 polar bear trophies imported by American trophy hunters.

This cruel and inhumane behavior was especially appalling given that the polar bear populations are facing threats to their survival due to such factors as climate change, shrinking ice floes, and declining body weights.

This decision effectively accomplishes the same goal as the Polar Bear Protection Act, which The HSUS has aggressively advocated for in Congress. The Polar Bear Protection Act (H.R. 2327/S. 1406), introduced by Representatives Jay Inslee (D-WA) and Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) and Senators John Kerry (D-MA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) and Jack Reed (D-RI), sought to close the 1994 loophole and restore the original intent of the MMPA.

Last year, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed language offered by Reed that would have stopped imports of polar bear trophies, but that language was not included in the final omnibus appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2008.

Do you think it has anything to do with the fact that prime time TV is crap?

May 20, 2008

It looks like mainstream broadcasters will have to come to terms with YouTube, video podcasts and other Internet media or they'll face the same fate as newspapers.

TVWeek reports that this year's May television ratings sweeps are a debacle:

Low ratings during the February sweeps may have been a fluke due to the writers strike, but the May sweeps period is painting a picture of viewers out of sync with broadcast television: Shows across multiple networks rang up series lows during a time that historically lures in the viewers.

On average, the networks are off the mark by 10% from last year in total viewers and off 17% in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic.

Consistently performing shows like ABC's Grey's Anatomy, NBC's, Deal or No Deal and Fox's The Simpsons garnered ratings near or at their series lows in the 18-49 demo during this May sweeps period, which began April 24 and ends May 21.

The sweeps period is important in determining ad rates for TV stations, and lower viewership might send ad buyers looking elsewhere, including cable and the Internet.

I've said it before, people want their content on their terms and they want it digitally. That's part of the reason why Tivo and similar services have taken off so rapidly. Record labels and TV networks need to realize this!

There's no network Internet video offering yet that offers viewers a palatable option for viewing long-form video. The closest is probably Hulu, which tries to make guys watch half a dozen ads for feminine products in the course of one show.

If that's the best broadcasters can do in this day and age, they deserve to lose 10%, or more, of their audience. More over though I need to wonder, do we think that anyone is going to watch the brain dead crap that floods prime time TV? I mean is this junk really entertaining to people?

Major record labels are trying to use Napster to unhinge Apple's hold on the market place. (no, I'm really not kidding!)

May 20, 2008

This is actually becoming ridiculous, major record labels have teamed up with Napster to offer what they are calling "the world's largest and most comprehensive MP3 store." Remember it wasn't that long ago that the RIAA head Hilary Rosen said that what Napster was doing was "both morally and legally wrong". Now though, they're giving Napster the opportunity to distribute more music as MP3 than Apple.

Napster announce recently:

"Napster's download store is more than 50% larger than any other MP3 store and boasts not only the largest major label MP3 catalog in the industry, but also the largest library of independent music available anywhere. All Napster download sales in the U.S. will now be in the user-friendly, DRM-free MP3 format, which is compatible with virtually any MP3 player or music phone, including the iPod and the iPhone. Napster is the first music subscription service featuring major label content to offer 100% of its catalog in the MP3 format for download sales."

I admit, it's great to see the music industry giving people what they want - digital music downloads that will work on any player but it's all coming years too late!

Unanswered questions

May 19, 2008

A number of you have posted questions to me either directly or through email. In this Blog post I'm going to answer some of those questions as best I can. Please remember, time for me is limited right now as I'm wrapping up another track so while I will provide answers they may not be a comprehensive commentary.

What was the first synth you ever owned? Which do you prefer hardware or software synths?

The Korg Karma and I hated it when I first bought it because I didn't know anything about sound design and it didn't make any of the sounds I wanted to include in my own music. I probably have more software synths than hardware synths at this point. I certainly use my software synths more than my hardware ones. I'm not a great keyboard player so gaining the tactical advantage of having a synth in front of me is sort of wasted. It is more fun to tweak the knobs on a hardware synth than a software one, I will admit that.

What are your favorite synths?

I don't really have a favorite synth per say. I probably have a few work horses that are included on almost all of my tracks. The Juno 105 is obviously a favorite, the Nexus all of the Korg stuff and the Access Virus. Lately I've been working with the Vanguard a lot. It varies depending on the type of track I'm working on.

Do you write all of your own material or do you collaborate with others?

I've been asked this a number of times and it always throws me; yes, I write all of my own material. Otherwise why else would I call it my own material? To date I have not collaborated with anyone but perhaps soon? I've been focused on finding myself in the studio, once I become happy and comfortable maybe then I'll change things up and work with someone else.

Do you record your live sets and will you provide them for download from the website?

Yes I record my sets 95% of the time. Believe it or not last night there were a number of people in or around the DJ booth that happened to see me recording my set that later asked me for a copy. I have been giving it some thought and I'll probably post the latest DJ set on the web site. Believe it or not this is important to me because it thugs at some of the reasons why I DJ. I think it's a huge honor to get to be part of or make someone's evening. Most people go to clubs to meet their potential life partner and it's amazing to provide the soundtrack for that. I've been asked a number of times to provide people with the set I played or asked questions about what song was playing when they first met. It sounds kind of corny but even cool people meet and fall in love :)

Why has Brian Roche Music not been updated for a while?

Eh, good question. Because I felt like I didn't have anything to say? Because I built Brian Roche Music to be a business site and therefore only communicated things having to do with the business? I don't know, I should update it soon. I feel more comfortable updating the Blog for some reason because I feel like I can be myself, separate myself from being an Artist and a Producer and just talk crap ...

What part of producing do you like or dislike most?

I hate bouncing or creating stems. It's a pain in the butt and it's one of the most tedious things you can do as a producer (IMO). I usually have limited time to sit down and write/produce and when I do I don't want distractions. I simply want to sit there and compose; I don't want to be bothered with bouncing tracks down. On the positive side, I love writing and enjoy listening to the finished product. I used to only enjoy the end result, I enjoy the process much more now. In fact, in some ways, I enjoy the writing process far more than I do performing. Producing and writing is more personal to me where as DJing is more for others. They're both cool though.

Do you plan your DJ set before hand?

I have not ever played a DJ set I planned before hand. I've had some preconceived ideas and even made lists but each time it all changed when I got behind the decks and started reading the crowd. I'm pretty lousy when it comes to remembering the names of songs. So much so that I don't remember the names of my own. For this reason I usually make a list of the top 10 big songs or something if they're new so I make sure I don't forget. Once I play a song once though I may not remember the words or the name but I remember the energy and the key and know instantly when and where to play it in my set next time.

What synths did you use to create 'Bounty Hunter'?

I know exactly why this question was asked because for years I asked the same question for the same reason and it's to know how you get that sound and how you can incorporate it in your own productions. Unfortunately there is no formula. There are no synth patches used in the song all sounds were created from scratch (I think) [laughs].

What advice do you have for producers wanting to learn how to make trance?

Spend a lot of time listening to other people. Be open minded and find inspiration from everything and anything. You can learn something from all genres of music. In particular study sound design. Learn the difference between wav forms and understand how synths work. Here's a hint, if you want to produce trance learn the saw tooth wav form.

What's your favorite club in Boston?

The Water Club in Marina Bay. It has the best sound system. I forgot just how hard the sub bass is in that system. It's truly fun to play songs on that system.

Do you perform your own tracks live in the club?

Eh, yes and no. I don't perform them in the sense that I'm adding and subtracting elements. I master them and mix pieces and parts of them but the pieces and parts are cohesive units. I think this is largely due to my mind set. I view performing and producing as orthogonal. When I DJ I have a different setup to when I produce. It's difficult to transition from one to the other.

Do you consider yourself to be a trance producer?

No. I don't even consider myself a musician. I make music for me. You define it how you wish.

Would you ever build your own hardware controller for DJing?

I've thought about it. But again, I have so little time to DJ and produce I want to either DJ or produce when I have the time. I don't want to spend the time noodling with controller construction or whatever. It's probably the same reason why I haven't created my own plug-ins or synth although some times I think it would be easier and less frustrating to make my own than to look for one that I can use.

How long do you spend working on a track?

It varies. Sometimes tracks evolve over months and others evolve over a weekend.

Why do you donate the proceeds from your music to charity?

I'm not going to say that I have enough money but I do have enough money to live on and I'm happy with what I have. It shocks and horrifies me that there are hungry people in the world and most people could care less. If there is something I can do, or some good that can come from me making music then I want to make sure it does and I want to somehow help in anyway I can.

DJing last night

May 19, 2008

As many of you know, I got behind the decks last night for the first time in a little while. It was both terrifying and fun! No matter how many times I DJ, and I've been doing it for the best part of two decades, it's still nerve racking. Sometimes more nerve racking than others. I've always said that nerves are a good thing. It keeps you fresh and it keeps you on your game. I think I was nervous last night because my set had changed entirely so the music and what would work on a big system was somewhat in question. Also, my production during my set has dramatically changed. I'm utilizing all new plug-ins and so there were some questions about technology and stability. I'm happy to say the night went off as they always do when I get behind the decks, awesome! While it wasn't as busy as I would have liked I couldn't fault the crowd, the response was amazing.

Some people asked me if getting back behind the decks was like riding a bike, I'm not sure it's quite like that but it certainly came flooding back and it wasn't long before I was back in the groove. My confidence with the software and new equipment will need to work itself out over time as there's no other way to gain confidence in your setup other than to test it and sometimes you simply need to road test it and start using it in the club. Fingers crossed there are no issues in the future and stability along with the quality of my execution remain impeccable.

So in short, it was terrifying and fun and most importantly I didn't leave the club thinking that it was work. It was fun the entire time. I met a lot of people last night and they asked me a number of questions that I was unable to answer either before or after the show so I will, as promised, post the questions on the Blog and provide answers for everyone.

Thanks again for the support everyone!

Ever wish you wrote that melody?

May 16, 2008

The Hang Drum is a very unique instrument. Availability world wide is scarce. Here is a wonderful example of it's capabilities.

DJ Set this weekend

May 16, 2008

Don't forget, this weekend I'll be headlining at Marina Bay. This will be my first gig in about 5 months. I'm nervous and excited all at the same time to get back behind the decks. I'm looking forward to it though partially because I'm returning with a whole host of DJing tricks up my sleeve. So it's going to be a fun night for me at least :) Let's hope for some fine weather and a good crowd. I know it's a Sunday night but I hope to see some of you there.

Preview the 'hardest' song from my new album ...

May 16, 2008

A few of you have sent me some questions regarding the new album wondering if the recent releases are an indication of what's going to be on the entire album and if there are any harder, club tracks on the way. So I thought I'd take a break from some screaming synths and latency issues to share some insights on the new album.

First of all the three tracks that I released recently, if I were to compare and contrast with the rest of the songs on the album, are the worst tracks from the new album in my opinion. Certainly there will be people that prefer these tracks to some of the others that will inevitably be on the finished product when they get to hear it in it's entirety. The reason I say this is because the tracks that were released are not a representation of what I can really do in the studio or my current skill level. They were in many respects, practice for me. I wanted to try out new studio techniques and get my head into working in the studio once again. 'Ne Plus Ultra' for example was written more than a year ago.

The album itself has a wonderful progression. It begins with an intro and then follows on with, Ne Plus Ultra, My Anathema, Bounty Hunter ... with now more than 10 tracks following those each getting tougher than the last. The album finishes with some massively banging tracks. To give you an example of some of the harder tracks I've enclosed a sample with this update. This should give you an idea of where the album goes towards the end.

Brian Roche - Untitled

I am asking you all not to download this sample and to remember that the sample has already been copyrighted so please do not steal or sample. Thanks.

Enjoy.

Do you remember the legendary sound of 'Flaming June'?

May 16, 2008

Or my recent personal favorite, 'Tiesto feat. BT - Break My Fall'

Oil prices reach a new record high today of more than $127 a barrel. Saudi Arabia rebuffed President Bush's request to immediately pump more oil to lower record prices, saying it does not see enough demand to increase production.

May 16, 2008

Bush is spending much of the day in closed-door meetings with King Abdullah, the Saudi ruler in an attempt to encourage larger production of oil to relieve some of the rising tension regarding increasing oil prices. Oil prices were just below $100 a barrel in January, and Americans were paying an average of $3.06 for a gallon of gasoline. They were paying $3.78 on Friday, following more than week of record highs every day.

The reason for the price hikes is simple, supply and demand. However, many economists throughout the world say the high prices are a result of market speculation, the weak dollar, and demand from the developing world rather than a shortage of supply. The price increase is causing major problems throughout the world, to say there is no demand is ridiculous and not increasing oil production is clearly an attempt to bring economies to their knees!

This is obviously a complicated discussion and there's a fine line between matching supply with demand but there clearly is an imbalance that needs to be fixed. Specifically, it's hurting poorer nations, preventing food from making it's way to much needed regions where many people are simply a meal away from starving.

Temporarily the US government has halted deliveries to the strategic oil reserves, and in quick response, oil prices retreated from a record high near $128 a barrel which will help but not alleviate the problem. A new problem is emerging however, as crude is now beginning to rise after traders foresaw a jump in diesel fuel use following the earthquake in China and Goldman Sachs revised its price outlook sharply higher.

Diesel fuel has been in tight supply for the last several months following a cold winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and as the popularity of diesel cars grows in Europe and the developing world. With diesel prices outpacing gasoline, refiners in the United States have been ramping up production of diesel and sending it abroad. That has displaced some domestic gasoline production, helping push gas prices higher.

The price of diesel fuel hit a new record high Friday of $4.482 a gallon, according to a daily survey from AAA. Regular unleaded gasoline also reached a new record of $3.787 a gallon.

And the saga continues ...

Get close to 'Thor', the new synth in Propellerheads' Reason's arsenal.

May 16, 2008

If you've been a long standing fan of Propellerheads' Reason, like my friend MobiusB or like me, you're simply beginning your quest to get to know this powerful package then you'll undoubtedly find this dicussion on Reason's new synth, Thor, interesting. You can learn more here.

Remix Paul van Dyk for Vandit!

May 16, 2008

Paul van Dyk has been producing and remixing for many years now. He's been in part responsible for the global popularity of trance music along with Tiesto and Ferry Corsten, to name but a few. I've long since been a fan of his tracks and production techniques and now exclusively from BeatPort you can remix one of his tracks. Details of the competition can be found here.

Are you hungry? You're not alone. In 2006 aid from the WFP reached 87.8 million people in 78 countries.

May 15, 2008

So the next time you feel alone, know you're not, as there are many, many people throughout the world in dozens of countries that are hungry, on a daily basis. These people rely, some in part, but a great many in whole on the aid the WFP provides to surive.

What would you do if you had no food? That would never happen in America right? Maybe not, but maybe food riots are even closer for Americans than you think... Below are some interesting facts:

1% of the US population grows all of the food for all Americans.

Nearly all Americans know essentially nothing about where the food they eat every day comes from. How it gets from the ground to them. And they don't want to know about it. It's cheap, as close as their local store, and of high quality. So no worries.

The bulk of the food we eat comes from grain. Although they raise a lot of fruits and vegetables in California, Arizona, Florida, Oregon and Washington, those things don't compose the main part of the average diet. Half of what a meat animal is raised on is grain so when you eat meat you are really eating grain. And, of course, we eat grain directly as bread, bagels, doughnuts, pasta, etc. Milk (and milk products like cheese) comes from cows that eat grain. A lot of grain. And the grain they eat is not produced where the cows are located.

The lion's share of grain produced in the US is done in a concentrated part of the US Midwest (Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri is the center of this area). The grain is moved to the coasts (where 70% of the population live) by only TWO (2) railroads.

Nothing is stored for very long in a supermarket. One day grain travels (by rail) from Kansas to Seattle to a flour mill. The next day the flour mill makes the flour and sends it to a bakery. The next day the bakery makes it into bread (and other baked things) and the next day it is at the store where it is purchased that day. Nobody stores anything. The grain is produced and stored in the Midwest and shipped daily in a single railroad pipeline to the rest of America where the people live.

Up until the 1980s there was a system that stored a lot of grain in elevators around the country. At one time, a whole year's harvest of grain was stored that way. But since taxpayers were paying to store it, certain urban politicians engineered the movement of that money from providing a safety net or backup for their own food supply in order to give the money to various other social welfare things. So now, nothing is stored. We produce what we consume each year and store practically none of it. There is no contingency plan.

The world is changing people, the foolish squandering, the naive approach we've all taken to understanding what we eat, how the economy works is slowly catching up to us all. Wake up now, when you still have a chance!

Here's a link to an interesting read on CNN.

This Sunday I'll be headlining at the Marina Bay and will be donating proceeds from my gigs to the World Food Programme.

I simply couldn't wait - Ne Plus Ultra (Serial Strings Mix) has also been RELEASED!

May 13, 2008

If you're a regular reader of my Blog and have been following my discussions on my music then you'll know that this track has been laying around for quite some time in an almost finished state but simply didn't get released. Lately when I began to master it and I ran into major issues with synths and all kinds of configuration problems in the studio. Having finally rebuilt the song back to its original state (again - for the third time) I decided to not wait for the official release date scheduled for approx. 6 weeks from now. I started to feel like I was jinxing myself and if I didn't just release the song then it might never happen.

So, it's an added bonus for you all and the last song to be released for a little while as I focus on other stuff. I will be back in the studio in June however to put the finishing touches to a few more tracks. Watch this space.

In the meantime, you can check out my latest tracks here:

Watch this space for details of some upcoming gigs ...

My Anathema (Have Faith Mix) is now RELEASED!

May 12th, 2008

I am pleased to announce that my latest single, 'My Anathema (Have Faith Mix) will be released tomorrow, May 13th. The single is available for purchase/download from Music Freedom this evening. As always, all of the proceeds from the sales of my music will be donated to the World Food Programme.

I hope you all enjoy my latest release and am looking forward to hearing all of your feedback, good or bad :)

Enjoy!

Access Virus TI Snow

May 12th, 2008

Access describe their new Virus TI Snow as the perfect companion for live musicians and laptop producers and tell us that the new model is the most affordable Virus TI ever - they compare it to buying a sports car for the price of a scooter.

The Virus TI Snow measures just 11 inches by 6, (28 x 15 cm), but has the same sound engine as its bigger brothers and comes equipped with analog ins and outs, MIDI in/out and USB.

Access say that you can get to over 1000 sounds with a maximum of four button pushes and navigate effortlessly to the most exciting sound parameters thanks to adaptive menus and an all-new Easy Edit mode. They tell us that the Snow is driven by an arsenal of virtual analog, wavetable and granular oscillators including a first class Mini Moog cascade emulation and that there are more than 6000 free patches from well-known sound designers.

The Virus Snow retails for $1420.97 if you purchase it from SweetWater which is where I purchase all my gear from by the way. Before we go any further, let's talk about the price. Access consider over a grand for a synth to be reasonable? Sorry guys, amazing amazing synths, but this unit is not worth this much money. If the price point ever arrives at around $700 I'm in.

More Sasha & Digweed videos

May 12th, 2008

A few of you can't seem to search You Tube and have asked me to provide links to a few more Sasha & Digweed videos. So here you go:

One more day to go!

May 12th, 2008

Just one more day to go to the release of my new song, 'My Anathema (Have Faith Mix)'. Be sure to check the Music Freedom website tomorrow to listen and purchase the new track!

Madonna knocked from the number 1 spot by Scooter!

May 12th, 2008

BBC News reported today that German techno pop group Scooter have caused a shock by knocking Madonna off the top of the UK album chart after just one week, despite little mainstream exposure. Wow! The music industry really is breaking down if Scooter can topple Madonna with little to no promotion.

Transitions turns 4

May 10th, 2008

I probably should have blogged about John's latest installment in the Transitions series, Transitions Volume 4, long before now but the truth is I've been way too busy to sit and listen to it properly. I was lucky enough to be in Europe for the official release and this, unlike previous installments, was kept under tight secret until it's final release so the surprise and expectations was enormous. Even today it can't be purchased via iTunes or in North America near as I can tell. So, you'll need to swing by your local European record store to get your copy.

The album and the tracks weren't a surprise to me as I've had most of them for a while now but the preparation and presentation (John's spin) is what's news to me. It's positively banging! Let me qualify that, progressive house banging, that is. I recently attended the Boston leg of the North American tour with a few friends and we noted a repetitive but banging evening of progressive house, some described it as boring, well yes, that's John and Sasha :) Seriously though, progressive house is about a groove and John and Sasha present a consistent, cohesive sound throughout an entire evening. The fact that each track seamlessly mixes with the last is the draw, their flare. John is playing quite hard these days but if you know his sound and what he does, it's typical John just a more up to date sound. This album is consistent with that.

To be perfectly honest, he talks a lot about mixing and remixing tracks and a unique layering affect that's been refined over the series but I don't quite get what he's doing or exactly what parts of 2 or 3 songs are actually being 'remixed' together on tracks that are extremely minimal. Maybe I should send him an email and ask him? That's partially the trend these days, if you're not using Ableton to mix and remix and layer then no one's interested. I'm guilty of that, I admit it. That's also partially why I don't bother to DJ anymore. All of that being said, if you refrain from decomposing the latest installment and simply listen to it as a body of work then you wont be disappointed. Volume 1 and 2 were both hits for me while 3 left a little to be desired. Volume 4 caps the series in style and is certainly the icing on the cake. Go out a find your copy today!

Armin Van Buuren releases his new album, 'Imagine'.

May 7th, 2008

The cover of the new album is not so great but the tracks all seem top notch. I haven't had an opportunity to listen to the entire album from start to finish and review it but all signs are pointing to great quality at this point. Once I get a chance to listen I'll share my thoughts.

Go on tour with Sasha and Digweed (well sort of...)

May 6th, 2008

If you're a Sasha and Digweed fan and would love to tour North America with them but you have a day job and can't, then perhaps the next best thing is this Blog which records their journey.

Moby talks about his new album, 'Last Night'.

May 5th, 2008

This is a cool, albeit rare, interview with Moby on his new album, 'Last Night'.

It may not be Sasha's controller but ...

May 3rd, 2008

If you use Ableton Live for production or live performance of any sort and crave a midi controller that provides the tactical feel of a DJ mixer then perhaps OHM's new midi controller will be just what you're looking for. For those fans of Sasha's Maven controller you'll be one step closer to his Maven but will still have a ways to go as this does not actually replicate what he's got. Oh well, maybe someone will build one just like his, until then you ll need to either build your own, or settle for this one :)

Sasha & Digweed rock Columbus Ohio on their North American Tour.

May 3rd, 2008

Moby's new album, 'Last Night'

May 2nd, 2008

Moby talks about the making of his new album, 'Last Night'.

Moby - Making of Last Night from moby on Vimeo.

New music released May 13th

May 1st, 2008

My new track, 'My Anathema (Have Faith Mix)' will officially be released on May 13th and as always, all proceeds will be donated to the World Food Programme.

Inside the Sasha & Digweed Tour bus

May 1st, 2008