Dave 1 (David Macklovitch) and P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel) is the French-Canadian Electrofunk duo named Chromeo. Probably the only constellation where two in-real-world hating nations meet to collaborate; or quoting themselves: “the only successful Arab/Jewish partnership since the dawn of human culture.” Growing up as childhood friends, they truly nurtured their talents into what now has become a worldwide success, with their latest tour in 2010 followed by 2011, lasting for more than 18 months. Dave 1, which is the older brother of turntablist DJ A-Trak (Alain Macklovitch), has come a long way since the single “She’s in Control” and the hit song “Needy Girl” which I clearly remember listening to back in 2005. Their actual true exposure to music production came in 2002 when they started the band. It’s actually notable that Dave 1 has worked with Tiga in a record store in Montreal, where he later was asked to work on a project on his label Turbo. (Note: Tiga, as in Tiga & Zyntherius – I Wear My Sunglasses At Night)

Their music has that grungy analog sound to it (which P later has explained is partly arranged on his collection of vintage synthesizers). I recall from a studio tour where they had an old x486 computer loaded with old beats and mixes. These guys are definitely old-school in the sense of studio equipment, but they are also seen with newer synthesizers and vocoders (P-Thugg once explained in an interview on Studio Q (hosted by the Persian broadcaster/musician Jian Ghomeshi) that they [Chromeo] are constantly looking for new additions to their studio equipment, and his [P-Thugg's] vintage collection is an ongoing project).

Business Casual (album cover art to the left) has been their most recent album that was released on 14 September 2010, on which the tour was based on. They seemed to have been working a lot more on the depth of the tracks as well as the lyrics, making it lighthearted, yet rich, with cool guitar riffs and solos combined with really funky synths and vocoder choruses. I now understand why their hit track is named “Hot Mess”. It’s most likely an inventive reflection of all the years of tacky 80′s songs. Not to forget their very first french lament “J’ai claqué la porte” that really shows off Dave 1′s talent for linguistics (he’s working towards a Ph.D in French Literature).

Chromeo ended their 18 month-long world tour with 4 gigs (London, New York and Los Angeles). Watch the Thank You video below.

Chromeo on stage at Denver’s Ogden Theatre

P-Thugg on the vocoder

Dave-1 doing the 2-step

P-Thugg playing on the (Swedish) Nord Electro 3

Chromeo @ Austin City Limits Music Festival 2011

photos from From The Hip
last photo (with permission) by Robert Scoble

The 16th Annual Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC 2012) is due this summer on June 8-10 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The 2011 lineup was pretty astonishing, with genres ranging from psychedelic trance to progressive house and dubstep. The 2012 arena will once again be the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and there will most likely be 6 stages for this three day event; kineticFIELD, cosmicMEADOW, circuitGROUNDS, neonGARDEN, bassPOD and the heinekenDOMES. Based on previous years, I would assume that the party goes on till sunrise for this vibrant and colorful carnival weekend.

Artist lineup

As to date (February 2012) there have not been any official lineup announcements for the Electric Daisy Carnival 2012, but here is a list of my personal prediction for the lineup:

• Dada Life
• David Guetta
• Afrojack
• DJ Tiesto
• Röyksopp
• Swedish House Maffia/Steve Angello
• Avicci
• Paul Oakenfold
• Laidback Luke
• A-Trak
• Infected Mushroom
• Bingo Players
• Sander Van Doorn
• Ferry Corsten
• ATB
• Kaskade
• Robbie Rivera
• Knife Party

That list is not so overwhelmingly rich in flavor as my want-list for the EDC 2012 lineup:

• Chromeo
• Markus Schulz
• Designer Drugs
• Boris Brejcha
• Bahramji & Mashti (maybe in co-op with Infected Mushroom)
• Daft Punk
• Deadmau5
• Oxia (long time no sonido!)
• Julian Jeweil
• Gabriel Ananda
• Shlomi Aber
• Aril Brikha (Persian-Swedish represent)
• Pryda a.k.a Eric Prydz

Taken from these lists, there are only a handful artists that would’ve made me overly ecstatic to see on stage. These events actually tend to be a bit mainstream focused, and EDC is not a exception of this. Especially when the artist sets are just arbitrary rather than based on the crowd and mood. They are usually limited on their time on stage, and therefor forced to have a preset setup to play. I have seen several A-list artists play the same set on different events (both clubs and festivals). My most memorable event was the Fuengirola Beach Party and at the well-known nightclub Dreamer’s in Marbella on two different occasions (both in southern Spain) where an A-list UK House DJ played the very same tracklist three times during the same month. That’s when you feel ripped-off.

Trends

EDC has seen some trends over the years. Most recently, it has been shuffling. The art of shuffling that originated from the Melbourne Shuffle used to be the askew way of doing the disco dancing (prepare yourself for a laugh) and Irish stomping for the kids with extremely latent form of hyperactivity (non-scientifically speaking) that was danced to various breakbeats. Shuffling became a phenomenon that was revisited by the Californian duo called LMFAO that brought the shuffling back on the streets in 2011. It has been a common dance style at the Electric Daisy Carnival the past year(s), and will most likely be even bigger as it  breaks new ground during the spring 2012. To many people’s surprise, the EDC is older than Coachella as well as Bonnaroo and the event has over 100k visitors per day, with the peak on Saturday!

Tickets

Tickets for the 16th Annual Electric Daisy Carnival is up for sale on their official website, and prices start at $275.

http://electricdaisycarnival.com/

It’s quite interesting and fun to see that Karl Bartos is back on stage after a decade of absence (well, not really a decade). Karl is the former Kraftwerk member of the renowned line-up of Kraftwerkians: Hütter-Schneider-Bartos-Flür that used to plink the little electronic gadget in the song “Pocket Calculator” (Taschenrechner in German, Mini Calculateur in French, and Dentaku (電卓) in Japanese and Mini Calcolatore in Italian) with that awkwardly awesome hip movement back in the early 1980′s. Yes, THAT Karl Bartos. I never really understood the context of the lyrics in the song “Life” that was released in the early years of the millennia:

So glad we made it!
Time will never change it!
But, finally, I have to get on with my life.

I would assume that Karl was over with Kraftwerk, and realized that a new era was to arise from the fallen pioneers of electronic music. After all, he left the band in 1990 after the secret tour in Italy where he later got replaced by Fernando Abrantes, which in fact never really filled his shoes other than being a douchebaggy personality that not even couldn’t replace Karl’s talent for the Deagan Vibraphone. Let alone all other aptitude Karl possessed.

Karl has been an inspiration for many musicians, me included. I saw him live at Kulturbolaget in Malmoe on May 19th 2001. Even though I was followed by an adult [my dad]  (I was under 18, so it was a requirement) to this once-in-a-lifetime venue, it couldn’t have turned out any better. My idol was performing live on stage, and I was right there surrounded by likeminded people with a burning heart for this odd old weirdo that was playing electronic music and singing with a robotic voice. His recent performances are more nostalgic and entertaining rather than unique and musical. We’ve seen and heard his entire performances either through Kraftwerk, or through him as Karl Bartos himself. Do you remember 15 Minutes of Fame? (with the classic lyrics “all you need is another hit’go, oh celebrities”). Most people would consider it as 3:40 minutes of torture – but it’s still nostalgic to us, the hardcore fans. Nearly all the electronic music and sub-genres of electronica is derived from this guys’ musical creations, as well as Kraftwerk’s – so he certainly deserve all the props he can get for his legacy of being the innovator of synthesizer music, which I later referred as “Sonido Electronico”.

At an age of 60, Karl Bartos still is an outstanding performer and artist and I hope that he will continue doing what he does best; revive Kraftwerk and all their classic tunes. This kids, is what I used to call electronic music when everybody else was listening to Alarma.

Photo by ElectroNic0

Arranged and played on a Korg Pa800

Shlomi Aber – My Bao Dreams
Siavash – Nagoo Kie
Sattar – Kieh Ke Dar Mizane
Omega – Si Te Vas (Xin’aa Remix)

Vocals by Radin, July 2011

Download May EP25 Progressive Mix
[116 MB | 85 min]

Tracklist:

The Temper Trap – Science of fear (Michael Woods Remix)
Mentelibre – Mi Alma (Namito Remix)
Juan Magan – Una Rosa (Victor Magan Remix)
Edward Maya ft. Vika Jigulina – Stereo Love (Dave Ramone & Alaa ft Xin’aa Remix)
Nalin Kane – Beachball (Grant Nelson Remix)
Whelan & Di Scala – Big Apple (Original Mix)
Criminal Vibes – Saxone (Original Mix)
Dr Bellido & Roger G – A Luz De Tieta
Paul Gasille – Housecall (Enton Mushi Remix)
Pleasure Sound – Essential (Original Mix)
Slajh (Steve Lawler) – Red Carpet Mile (Original Mix)
Inna – Hot (E2Beatz & Xin’aa Remake Mix)
DJ Dalysovich – Sunkissed (Original Mix)
S Groove – Sneakin’ Up (Stan Kolev Remix)
Cirez D – Fast Forward (Original Mix)
Giulio LNT – Hello Chicago (Original Mix)

Remember who you are and where you come from; otherwise, you don’t know where you are going. ♥

Stay strong. Live long.
~Sina

Photo by Sina

[via The World's Best Ever]

Download EP24 Carpe Noctem Deep Progressive Mix
[92 min | 107 MB]

How am I supposed to give this EP mix a fair presentation? This is by far the most intriguing and self-explanatory episode I have done so far. Deep meets Progressive in a big House! Carpe Noctem, which means “Seize the Night” is a story line.
Ep24 consists of a twenty-something minutes long introduction with a levitating ambience of big spaces and echoing shatters. I was trying to recreate something out of this world without pushing it to the limit. I’d like to call it a sincere sloppiness of sounds. Before making an anticlimactic transition around the 30-ish minute, I make sure to blend a touch of Empire of The Sun with their Walking On A Tree. From this point I make sure to lift the mix with a range of great tracks. You’ve probably been peeking on the tracklist, so the musical goodies have already been spotted. I’ll let you put the rest of this story together. Let’s rumble, ayy!

Tracklist:

Sidekick – Deep Fear (Sina’s Phobia/Andrea Roma Mashup)
Christian Smith & John Selway – Daytona
Nemanja Kostic – Orion
Bob Sinclair ft Dirty South – The Russian March
Belocca vs Empire of The Sun – Walking On A Plastic Crock (Bartosz Brenes Mashup)
Leventina – Attitude (Dub Mix)
Tom Stephan & Pete Gleadall ft Rowetta – Lights Out (Eric Entrena Mix)
Miguel Luismi Lopez – Hard Rain
Paolo Driver & Stoned Chicken – Miss Sarabanda ft. Esmeralda (Riva Starr Remix)
Paul Thomas & Sonny Wharton – Cashback (Rosie Romero & Mark Holmes Remix)
Lentos – Forget About Us Barnes And Heat
Nirvana – Teen Spirit (Mobin Master Remix)
Lorcan Mak – Gypsy Bum (Rubix Refix)
Juan Magan & Marcos Rodriguez – Mueve Su Pelo (Gregor Salto Remix)
Jerry Ropero & Tom Novy – Touch Me ft Abigail (Extended)
Funkagenda vs Eurythmics – Sweet F**k
Jonathan Landossa vs Black Eyed Peas – Boom Boom Rulezzz (Bartosz Brenes Mashup)

Download October EP23 “Mueve Su Pelo” Mix
[74 min | 85 MB]

Yet another monthly EP mix is out! I’m so glad to see that people from all corners of the world are downloading my EP mixes. Every now and then we receive comments and gratitude from fans that enjoy the EP mixes on their MP3-players and at their parties. It’s quite humbling and we’re glad that you enjoy our music as mush as we love it. Sonido Electronico!

Dedicated to my fellow “South America”-loving friends. You know who you are.

Dancing samba
Mira como mueve su pelo
El mundo entero
Le tiene celo
Ella se mueve like nothing else matters
Getting closer, me vuelvo el miedo
Como decir, cuanto te quiero

Tracklist:

Ovidi Adlert – Afrikan Feeling (Aitor Galan Mix)
Alex Under Base – Privacy
R.E.M ft. Thomas Gold – Losing My Religion
Round Table Knights – Belly Dance
Jason Rivas – Carnivale (Original Club Mix)
Adrian Lux – Can’t Sleep (Ali Payami Remix)
Bob Sinclair ft. Kevin Lyttle – Belly Dancer
Paolo Mojo – The Dancer (Original Mix)
Patrick La Funk – Yeah (Darwin & Backwell Mix)
Da Fresh – Yesterday (Zoo Brazil Remix)
Alex Barroso ft. Rebeka Brown – This is My Life
SHM & Laidback Luke – Leave The World Behind (Isle Mix)
Juan Magan & Marcos Rodriguez – Mueve Su Pelo

Download September EP22 Progressive Mix
[74 min | 85 MB]

The world is yours! I hope you enjoy this new mix set. Progressive House, Electro House, Club, Michael Jackson and all things Electronica!
Sonido Electronico!

Tracklist:

Steve Angello – Flonko [Intro]
Rasmus Faber ft. Linda Sunblad – Always (Studio Apt. Tech Mix)
Diva & Jones – Thriller (David Jones Mix)
Dirty South ft. Sebastian Ingrosso – We Are Kidsos (Bootleg)
Javi Torres – Acoustic Feeling (Original Mix)
Ashkan & Kooshan – Dooset Daram (Remix)
Pryda – Aflon (Original Mix)
Pryda – Reeperbahn (Original Mix)
Giordano – Amazonia (David Tort Mix)
Stan Kolev – Closer (Original Mix)
Jonathan Meyer ft. June Grey – U Know Me (Main Mix)
Guru Da Beat & Mauro Mondello – La Colegiala
Steve Angello – Isabel (Mark Mendes Remix)
Itaka – La Danza De Ibiza (Joe Maker Mix)
Discount Rhinos – Pills & Champagne (Christopher Norman Remix)