Hot diggety, it sure has been awhile since we’ve posted anything on this here blog. As you probably figured out we got lost in the vortex that is WMC, but it’s OK, because we are finally back and of course, better then ever!

Pictures: I only took a few pics at WMC this year, but our friend Vincent went crazzzzy! Check his flix here.

The Podcast: The next couple episodes of the podcast feature Boston heroes DJ Bruno and Matty Dimond and will be coming to your iTunes over the next week (hopefully Bruno will be up today).

New Releases: We have a bunch of new music out on Beatport and in honor of all the new releases the folks over there hooked us up with a DJ chart. Check it out to hear all the jams we were rocking at WMC and a few of our own After selling out on vinyl, Puppy Crack is finally available for digital download as well as our remix of Crazy Larry’s Gargiulo’s Scarf and AirDrop’s Extraction US comp, which features our track called Astroturfing.

Events: The next couple weeks are going to be full of springtime excitement in Boston! Tuesday 4/7 is YoYoYo 90’s Jam, Wednesday 4/8 the ITALOBOYZ are back at Midweek Techno, Saturday, 4/11 is Snakes On A Rave at a never before used Boston venue (yeh we can do events on weekends!) and then Wednesday 4/15 PACO OSUNA returns to Midweek Techno. Oh yeah and don’t forget that Dancing On The Charles kicksoff in May (more details on that soon !

Every year around WMC time our techno starved Boston scene has the chance to go beyond the usual American guest performers and bring in talent from around the world. This week is WMC and true to form we’ve got Geneva bred and Berlin based Quarion performing live on Wednesday night, before he heads down to Miami for a slew of big slots. Quarion is a man of many names who has a grip of recent hits and amazing remixes and I had the chance to catch up with him for an interview before he headed stateside. Don’t sleep Boston, now’s your chance to pretend your in Miami even though you’re not.

You’ve had a very versatile career, do you see any major differences between making all your different styles?
mhhhh, not so much, but I think that making proper “dance” music is quite difficult. There are certain “codes” that you have to follow and at the same time go to a totally new direction. It’s really exciting working on tracks, but it also can be a total downer. But in all the different stuff I do, I have to say that my hip-hop tracks are the ones that flow the most easily, I don’t have problems or doubts when I create Hip-Hop beats…

When and why did you come up with the Quation alias? What does it mean?
The Quarion project came about after the Enterplay album. Enterplay is a project that I developed with Rosario (Mental Groove, Geneva) and DJ Kent (Force Of Nature, Tokyo). We released an album in 2005 and organized an European and Japan tour in 2006. The whole Tour was incredible, especially in Japan. Honestly: it was a life-changing experience for me: the scenery, the people, the culture and the passion that the Japanese have for music was really intense. Plus the Force Of Nature guys were playing so much incredible music that my head was full with ideas…
When I came back to Geneva, in may 2006, it took me a while to go back to the studio, but when I did, I came up with “Karasu”. I felt from the beginning that this track was special so I thought I would use a new moniker for this project…

I can’t say what “Quarion” means yet, let’s have people guess it for theselves

I know you live in Berlin now, but it seems like the scene in Switzerland, where you’re from, is really on fire right now. What’s it like over there? What are some key producers, labels and clubs?
Yes totally! These last few years have seen an emergence of incredible producers coming out of Switzerland. What is quite surprising is that, there’s not so many good clubs, especially in Geneva. It’s really sad, but there used to be a lot of great clubs, bars or squatts in Geneva where you could hear and dance to electronic music. Now there must be only 2! The city got really repressive with all the cultural actors a few years ago and it’s still continuing to this day. It’s really sad. The crazy thing is, there’s so many DJs & labels from Geneva but they never play in their hometown. There’s people like Lee Van Dowski, Quenum, Dachshund (Num records); Agnès (Sthlmaudio); Chaton (Plak records); Crowdpleaser, Waterlilly, Kate Wax (Mental Groove), Kadebostan (Freunde Am Tanzen)…plus Luciano also came back to Geneva. In Lausanne: Ripperton (Perspectiv), Alex & Stéphane Attias (Visions, Freedom Soundz). Berne: Deetron (music Man), A Few Among Others. Zürich: of course the whole Drumpoet crew: Alex Dallas (the Lost Men), Lexx (Kawabata), Ron (Soultourist)…then there’s Serafin from Mountain People, Kalabrese, etc…

What was the first record you ever bought? Your most treasured record?
1) Fat Boys “The Twist” (I was 10 or something!)
2) Really hard to say, maybe “Dedication” from Herbie Hancock because it’s not easy to find. Sounds like Techno but made more than 30 years ago…

2 truths and a lie
Not in the right order of course: I don’t smoke, I don’t drink, I’m a nice guy.

Proudest musical accomplishment
Well, I’m really proud of my track “Karasu”. I’m usually super-critical with my stuff but this one is flawless in a certain way…I’ve kinda moved a bit from this sound since then, but this track is definitely a milestone for my artistic and personal life. Everything changed after that…

Vinyl or digital?
I’m a strong supporter of vinyl, even though I play CDs aswell. The feeling you have when you’re cueing, mixing and seeing the needle “sailing” on the record is unsurpassed I think…even with Serato/Final Scratch, it’s just not the same.

Top 5 songs of all-time? Top 5 songs right now?
Old is too hard, but here we go:
Herbie Hancock “Butterfly” Columbia
Keith Murray “The Rhyme (Slum Village RMX)” Jive
Global Communications “The Way (Secret Ingredients RMX) Dedicated (I actually discovered this track last week…I’ve been listening to it everyday since! I don’t know how I missed this track when it came out!!!)
Photek “Ni Ten Ichi Ryu” Science
Galaxy 2 Galaxy “Hi Tek Jazz” Underground Resistance

New:
Johnny D “Touched Soul” Deep Vibes
Luna City Express “Seven” (Agnès Dubhouse RMX) Moonharbour
Dachshund “Holiday now” Perspectiv
Soultourist “Fo Eva” Drumpoet Community
Fabrice Lig “The Track” Versatile

CHECK OUT QUARION ON MYSPACE TO HEAR HIS MUSIC

1. Martin Moeller – Guppies am Obstand – Aspik Musik

2. Creatures – 600 Euros – Resopal Schallware

3. Maetrik – The Light – Treibstoff

4.. Marcel Knopf – Think About You – Rrygular

5. Mathias Kaden – Lucidas – Freude-Am-Tanzen

6. Martinez – Burning Midnight Oil – Cray1 LabWorks

7. Luca Bachetti – Rolling Brooklyn ( Lee Von Dowski’s Monday Turbulence Mix ) – Wagon Repair

8. Harada – Conscious Movement – Micro|Fon [br]

9. Harry Axt – Der Papageintaucher – Kiddaz.Fm

10. Namito – Zizou ( Tom Pook’s Zizooks Remix ) – Kling Klong

This Wednesday (2/20/08) our techno commander in chief, the one and only Senhor (that’s Portuguese for mister) Pat Fontes is celebrating his birthday by bringing in his homey, NYC techno innovator extrordinare and founder of Ransom Note US, Adultnapper. This dude is doing the damn techno thing hard in the big city. With releases on some of our favorite labels (Dirt Crew Recs, Audiomatique, Mule Electronic & Railyard), a production/DJ partnership as Sycophant Slags with Mr. C, the legendary london MC/DJ/producer/owner of The End AND his own label, Ransom Note gaining momentum with each release, we are honored to have this international techno player touching down in our littler than little Phoenix Landing. In anticipation of this momentous occasion we got the chance to catch up with Francis Harris (the man that is Adultnapper) for an interview, plus an exclusive link to one of his recent live mixes, so learn up and then come get down.

What was the first records you ever bought?
My first records were mostly 7 inch punk, indie, and no wave records. I think my first actual purchase was a circle jerks 7 inch. When I was a kid, I asked my mom to buy me Devo’s “Whip it,” but she made the purchase, so I guess that doesn’t count.

Your most treasured record?
New Order: Movement -original Factory Records Test Press

What was the first rave/club/party you went too?
Not sure if it was “Hard” or “Harder,” Richie Hawtins famous parties in Detroit. My girlfriend at the time loved techno and dragged me to one of those events. I was a hardcore/indie kid who hated techno. The event was quite amazing ,even though I wasn’t really into the music.

Where you from? I was born in New Mexico and grew up in Las Vegas.

Where you at? Brooklyn, NY

What was the best place you ever played?
The main floor of the End in London. Nautilus Disco, Bari, Italy.

What was the weirdest place you ever played?
A strip club in Denver

What music are you into/producer/spin/release?
I really into all types of music, but lately I’ve been getting really into artists like Tim Hecker, Dead Texan, Deaf Center, Fennesz, Hannu. Lots of ambient/experimental classical stuff. Just really into atmospheric emotional music. As far as production, I make late night atmospheric tech house. I am also in the process of recording non dance oriented music that will be more for an album. As far as club music goes, I’m really inspired by producers like Efdemin, Lawrence, H.O.S.H., Stimming, Solomun, Matthew Dear, Alexi Delano, John Tejada etc. I guess its dance music with a more musical edge, not just a bunch of funny noises.

Top 5 songs of all-time?
Thats really tough. Heres an approximate:
John Coltrane – My Favorite Things
Pharoah Sanders – Creator Has a Master Plan
Slint – Washer
New Order – Leave Me Alone
The Smiths – Stop Me
Hoover – Electrolux

Top 5 songs right now?
NonDance
Fennesz Sakamoto – Oto
Greg Haines – Snow Airport
Letters Letters – Between the Seams
Robert Lippock – Rearrange
Deaf Center – Dial (Helios remix)

Dance
Par Grindvik – Ensemble: Stockholm LTD
Anthony Collins – Bricolage – Liebe Detail
Rodriguez – Rubbo Swingo – Leena
Lee Jones and Daniel Drier – A man and a woman (Marco Ressman mix) – Upon You
Solomun and Stimming – Ghostdog – Diynamic

2 truths and a lie:
I sleep.
I eat.
I have a good idea of what this is all about.

Proudest musical accomplishment
First chair on the vibes in 2nd grade.

Vinyl or digital?
Vinyl with a sprinkle of digital. Yummy.

Adultnapper Live Mix 8/26/07
LISTEN/DOWNLOAD

right click on pc / ctrl click on mac to download

You will hear all these songs tonight.

Andomat 3000 – Vertical Smile – Cecille Records
Daso + Pawas – Kkb – Spectral Sound
Hercules & Love Affair – Blind (Hercules Club Mix) – DFA
Kabale Und Liebe & Daniel Sanchez – Mumbling Yeah (Marco Carola Kick Rmx) – Remote Area
Plasmik – Supertubos (Matt O’Brien Remix) – Connaisseur
Sascha Funke – The Ballerina – BPitch Control
Solomun – Beauty & The Beast (Vocal Mix) – Four:Twenty
Efdemin Lohn & Brot (tobias. Remix) – liebe*detail spezial
Layo & Bushwacka! – Live2Live (Loco Dice Remix) – Olmeto Records
Ananda Project – Where The Music Takes You (Pasta Boys Dub) – Nite Grooves
Bon Johnson – Slumber Party Massacre (Soul Clap Organ Mix) – CD-R
Tim Ryan – Agnus Dei (Soul Clap Deep Mix) – CD-R

Chuck Caseroc is a member of the infamous Redlight Music collective and Formula 409 Crew that has been around Boston since the early days of electronic music. He will be performing on Wednesday, January 23rd @ Phoenix Landing w/ Cnyce of Soul Clap. WORD!

1. Rick Wade – Night of the Living Deep EP – Yore Records
LISTEN | BUY MP3

2. Mikael Stavostrand and Franco Cinelli - Monday Blue EP – Sunset Diskos
LISTEN | BUY MP3

3. Lindstrom – Plague the Kid EP – Bear Entertainment
LISTEN | BUY VINYL

4. SLG – Invisible EP – Level Records
LISTEN | BUY MP3

5. Ovatow – Phalaenopsis – Frantic Flowers
LISTEN | BUY VINYL

6. Einmusik – De’ Medici – Italic
LISTEN | BUY MP3

7. Sascha Dive – The Basic Collective EP – Deep Vibes
LISTEN | BUY MP3

8. Ski Oakenfull – Illuminations (Milton Jackson Mix) – Primaudial
LISTEN | BUY MP3

9. Poussez – Kangaroos – Blacksoul
LISTEN | BUY MP3

10. Unai – I Like Your Style (Martinez Mix) – Force Tracks
LISTEN | BUY MP3

Elyte is a resident DJ on Wednesdays. He’s also one of half of Soul Clap. Make sure to check all the links to listen & buy the tracks and learn about the artists and labels.

• Son Of Raw – A Black Man In Space – Objektivity
  LISTEN | BUY VINYL
• Ripperton – Zugunruhe – Connaisseur Superieur
  LISTEN | BUY MP3
• Gel Abril – Papa Dee – Ovum Recordings
  LISTEN | BUY MP3
• Chaim & James Blonde – Roxy Feeling – My Best Friend
  LISTEN | BUY MP3
• Internullo – Sentimente (Nea Marin Remix) – Desolat
  LISTEN | BUY MP3
• Jona – Puppets – Toys For Boys Records
  LISTEN | BUY MP3
• Nico Purman – Romantique (Einzelkind Remix) – Mule Electronic
  LISTEN | BUY MP3
• Mountain People DJs – Mountain005.1 – Mountain People
  LISTEN | BUY MP3
• Soul Clap – Up & Under – Itzamna
  LISTEN | BUY MP3
• Matt John – Olga Dancekowski (Audion’s Paradise Cafe’ Mix) – BAR25
  LISTEN | BUY VINYL
• Syclops – Where’s Jason’s K – DFA
  LISTEN | BUY VINYL

Top 5 songs for November
1. Nightrhymes – Chicago (Club Mix) – Reelgroove
2. Kem – Heaven (Marlon D & Groove Assassins Remix) – Jellybean Soul
3. Simon Grey feat. Kylie Auldist – One (Simon Grey 2007 Version) – Double Shock
4. Soularis ft. Norman Anderson – Fellin Love (Earnshaw’s Classic Vocal Mix) – Sun Soaked
5. Soul of Switzerland – Home Away From Home (Jamie Lewis Dub) – Purple Music

Top 5 songs all-time
1. Confunkshun – Got To Be Enough
2. Masters At Work Ft. India- I Can’t Get No Sleep
3. Brand New Heavies – Mindtrips (BNH Remix)
4. Roy Ayers – Sunshine (Demo)
5. Sade – I Couldn’t Ever Love You More / Cherish The Day

flowers – armand van heldon feat. roland clark [I first heard Josh Wink play this at Fluid in Philly and it brought me to the verge of tears.]
i can’t believe i loved her – peven everett [Peven is the producer i wish i was. This is the song i wish i wrote.]
nobody else – ce ce peniston [Ce Ce Peniston and Steve Hurley are definitely going to heaven for this. Gospel house at it's finest and funkiest.]
around the world – daft punk [I purposely never play this song so that it's there when i REALLY need it. Instant mood swing.]
dominator (joey beltram mix) – human resource [Hardcore fun. What else can be said.]
music sounds better – stardust [Yeah, i said it and i wish somebody would try to call me on it.]
gabrielle – roy davis jr featuring pevin everett [If this song doesn't touch you somewhere deep down inside, you and I can't be friends.]
cascades of color – ananda project [I remember Deep C and Udoh running two copies of this the first time i heard it.� They just kept playing the a cappella part over and over for about five minutes. When they finally let the beat drop in, i felt chills. One of these days i'm gonna work with Gaielle. i'm not ready yet.]
the horns of jerico – the prodigy [the experience album was basically the soundtrack of my raver days]
a stronger man – ben watt featuring sananda maitreya (terence trent d’arby) [This is the best use of a terrance trent d'arby sample... next to you know what. : )]
i’m lonely – hollis p monroe [This song is special to me because it seems to touch some people in a way beyond just making them want to dance. It seems to trigger memories and emotions and I'm constantly amazed at the effect it's had on certain people. For everyone else, it's just damn good track.]
this is goodbye (deeper mix) – hollis p monroe [Although I made the deep (original) mix about three or four years before it's actual release, i made this deeper mix at the last minute instead of just putting some "throw-away" track on the other side as i had originally planned. it was one of my better decisions.]
don’t stop – brazilian girls [i don't know why. i just love this song.]
sure thing – st. germain [This song comes on, my hands go up.]
all that you give – cinematic orchestra [Come on, now.... Pure soul]
let this – ayro [Another one i can't pinpoint why. I think it's because it sounds so dry and raw. It's just very pleasing to my ears.]
destination – ananda project [This song convinces me that Chris Brann and I are soul brothers]
worlds – passion dance orchestra [I first heard this on my friend Mello D's mix cd and i forced my mother to listen to it over and over again, almost the entire way to New York.]
brand new day – little louie vega featuring blaze [I was fortunate enough to be at the Keep Hope Alive recording session and I'm still kicking myself for not getting in that picture with all those legends. It's all good though, because during a break, Josh Milan from Blaze got on the grand piano and performed this song for just for me. literally, just for me...]
just about any song written by – prince [There are TONS of tracks I could have added to this list and I had planned to stick to all electronic stuff but to not include Prince would just be wrong. I think his musical influence on me is quite evident when you listen to my stuff and if I don't acknowledge him... well, it would just be wrong.]