03 March 2010
BASICS001: Johnny Hockin
Over in scenic London, ON, Gingy and his crew have started a radio show on CHRW 94.9FM, and have asked none other than More Proof’s own Johnny Hockin to contribute to their guest mix segment.
Johnny’s in pretty good company, as future guests include Koreless, Andrew of Nacho Lovers, Egyptrixx, Hatchmatik, DJ Neoteric and Jokers of the Scene.
Download Johnny’s Mix here
26 February 2010
Videodrome: IHOP
Check out this 1969, Raymond Scott-inspired ad from The International House Of Pancakes.
19 February 2010
Handmade Music Night
Toronto’s own InterAccess gallery is hosting a party/showcase tonight for DIY music makers and performers to show their wares and network with like-minded individuals.
If circuit-bending, monomes, arduino, Max-MSP, PD, etc. mean anything to you, then you should be checking this one out. Full details here
18 February 2010
Roller Rink Disco #3
Legendary DJ Danny Krivit, also known as Mr. K, made this edit. 8 minutes of bliss from one of the masters of the Roller Disco era.
17 February 2010
Roller Rink Disco #2
Morgan Geist once said that Canadians have “exquisite bad taste” when it comes to music. Well, that seems a little rich coming from a New Jerseyite, but listening to this track by the Montreal disco project “Erotic Drum Band” makes me see where he’s coming from.
Still, I always feel a swell of patriotic pride when I play this out and watch those bubbling synths bring bodies to the floor.
15 February 2010
Roller Rink Disco #1
When roller-discos started opening up in the 70s, their resident DJs noticed that it was impossible to for people to skate to the up-tempo numbers being played at nightclubs of the day. Originally, this meant they had to dig into their b-sides and album tracks (or make their own edits), but soon enough, producers started pumping out slower tracks to accommodate this corner of the market.
Now, I can’t think of many things goofier than roller discos, nor can I think of anything more cynical than tailoring your music to a cheesy trend, but more often than not, these tracks have stood the test of time much better than a lot of their up-tempo counterparts. It really goes to show you that in the end, good music is good music, regardless of its original context. I’ll be posting roller-disco songs all week.
05 February 2010
Etienne Jaumet: Night Music
This song is from the kind of album that makes you want to buy the CD and carry it around in your discman everywhere you go for three weeks until you know every single note of it off by heart. Do people still listen to music that way?
Oh, well they should. Get Night Music wherever fine albums are sold.
Etienne Jaumet — Mental Vortex MP3
11 January 2010
Pixel Force: Left 4 Dead
Well folks, after 20-plus years of faithful service, my beloved NES has finally broken down. Fortunately, I can still keep my Nintendo-thumb strong through the reams of new games being developed by the small but dedicated 8-bit community. The latest to come to my attention is Pixel Force: Left 4 Dead, which re-imagines one of the biggest games in recent memory as if it had come out in 1986. Needless to say, I’m addicted.
Get it here.
05 January 2010
In The Garage: T.E.R.
In just two short years, Toronto garage punk label Telephone Explosion has made quite the name for itself, releasing records that combine the raw, primitive 60s sounds of garage bands like The Seeds and The 13th Floor Elevators with the raw, primitive 80s sounds of punk bands like The Cramps and Pussy Galore.
With releases from Holy Cobras, Teen Anger, Ty Segall and the mighty Demon’s Claws, the label’s discography reads like a “what’s good” (as opposed to “who’s who") in underground rock, but my favorite release of theirs comes in the form of a 7” from Quebec-ers Le Kid & Les Marinellis, which in a perfect world, would have a place in every jukebox in town.
04 January 2010
Videodrome #12354:Tippen Ein
Crap on these kids all you want, but my high school had the same audio/visual equipment, and I never made anything as awesome as this video.
(Thanks Alex)
02 January 2010
2010: The Year We Made Contact
It’s 2010, and once again music has become ghettoized. Rock is rock, House is house, Noise is noise, Pop is pap and Hip-Hop was garbage this year.
In the early part of the decade, I had high hopes that the word “genre” would be eliminated from the dictionary, and for a brief couple of years, it seemed as though it had been. The good news is that we have another early part of a decade upon us. As someone once said at another beginning of another decade, “Let’s Push Things Forward”.
04 December 2009
Creative Use: Beam Me Up
Let me be real for a second: I’m kind of a bad blogger ‘cause up until now, I’ve been saving all my best tunes for myself to DJ. Well, maybe it’s just the holiday season, but I feel like being less of a Hoarder from now on. Here’s an edit of Raymond Scott that came out early in the year on the tiny Creative Use edit label release thing. Look forward to more stuff from me in the new year.
28 September 2009
Model 500: Huesca
The other day I overheard a conversation in a coffee shop about how Techno wasn’t “real music”, and then I opened up the paper and saw that Model 500 has a really good new record out.
Now, I don’t know exactly how I arrived in 1988, but if the music is this good, I think I might stay here for a while.
25 September 2009
Video(Dating)drome
We at More Proof hope that whatever it is you do, you do with as much grace, confidence and self-respect as these chiefs.
Have a good weekend, everyone!
Tree Wave's Insane Visuals
23 September 2009
Tree Wave: Free Virtual 10”
After a five year wait, the Dallas-based electronic outfit Tree Wave has released four new songs, freely available as a downloadable “Virtual 10-inch”.
The band, consisting of computer artist Paul Slocum and Lauren Grey, reprogram 80s home computers and printers into dreamy noise-boxes, unleashing a wash of analog and digital noise that recalls My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus and Mary Chain.
Get the whole thing here.
06 September 2009
Videodrome: Zie Zie Won’t Dance
This video is what happens when you have Peter Gabriel-sized vision and Peter Brown-sized budgets.
Incidentally, Peter Brown was best known for writing “Material Girl” in 1985, but he was actually a pioneer in home recording, making all his music in his bedroom. From someone who just moved into a new home studio, hats off Peter.
24 August 2009
RA Podcast: Frankie Knuckles
Casual fans of club music might not know about the monthly Resident Advisor podcast, but for those in the electronic scene, it and other podcasts like it are quickly becoming an institution, the same way Pirate Radio or mixtapes were a decade ago.
This month, Chicago legend Frankie Knuckles drops by to quell any rumours that he’s lost his touch by delivering an unabashed set of House jams designed to get your ass away from your computer and onto the dancefloor. A couple of these tracks do veer a little closer to Clothing Store House than I usually get, but hey — how many genres have I invented? None? OK, shut up, then.
20 July 2009
Videodrome #7: Give A Little Love
When you tell your friends who don’t like “that techno shit” that you’re really into this guy called Sound Stream right now, this video is what they’re picturing.
This band sounds like every good band from 1978-2002
16 July 2009
Bishop Morocco
Confession: I still hate it when someone asks me if I’ve heard of a band and I have to say no. It’s the same feeling I got in High School when I wouldn’t know the answer.
Fortunately that’s never gonna happen with Bishop Morocco. I can be all “Actually, I went to their first show.” Which is cool, cuz they’re probably gonna be pretty big.
We Are The Afroman Preservation Society
13 July 2009
MP on BreakThruRadio…Last Week
I was going to mention that Your Boy Brian and I curated the show ”Anatomy of a Blogger” on BreakThruRadio in Boston…
But then I got high.
I was going to write about our guest blogging duties for their site…
But then I got high.
Now everybody’s mad at me and I know why…
Because I got high
Because I got high
Because I got high
La Da Dat Da Da Da
(Good thing everything is archived! Just click the respective links to listen and read)
08 July 2009
Hank!
This is pretty funny, but it always bums me out when yet another one of my heros thinks what I do is bullshit.
16 June 2009
D.C. LaRue: Cathedrals
Why is it that all the Facebook messages I get for parties are always boasting that “tonight is going to be crazy!” or “the last party was craaaazy!” or some such? Why does everything have to be “crazy”? I mean, I don’t know about you, but I saw Terminator 2 — going crazy looks like no fun.
aaa-OOOO-gah
03 June 2009
Videodrome #4: Without Breasts…
The only real advantage to cable these days (you can watch the jays at a bar) is the Columbian telenovela Without Breasts, There Is No Paradise (I’m, uh, not kidding).
I gave up trying to find a single video to represent the WTF-ness of this show after about an hour, so I’ll just post a fan music video and tell you to tune in to TLN on weekdays at 6 for more knockers, drugs, rock-hard bodies, breasts, intrigue, gazungas, crying, boobs, Spanish, melons and headlamps than you can shake a tit at.
Photo by watchlooksee.com
02 June 2009
Mutek 2009 Roundup
I think it can be said that our minds (and bodies) are all sufficiently blown out after this year’s fantastic Mutek festival. Thanks to all our friends who said hello, put us up, followed us on Twitter, gave us drinks, etc. We’re all already looking forward to going back next year.
It was hard to single out a specific performance as the highlight — the cliche of trying to pick your favorite child comes to mind — so I’m just going to give out the track I heard there more than any other.
Piknic Electronique '67
26 May 2009
More Proof @ Mutek 2009
That’s right folks, we’re packing up our magic bus and goin’ down the road to Montreal for some well-deserved drinks, dirty dancing and pounding, pounding techno music. Who could say no to Mutek this year? Have you seen the lineup?
If you decided to keep it local, don’t get your panties in a twist. @Jon Friis, @Dre-bans, and @myself are going to live-blog the whole damn festival via Twitter. Keep refreshing that smartphone to read up on our misadventures, blown minds, and (hopefully) pictures of dudes with devil sticks.
24 May 2009
John Daly: This Is A Lonely Beat
You know what I never got one little bit? That 80s pseudo-goth carnival scene that Marylin Manson eventually came out of. What was that? And why is it back in handbag form?
Deep House, though? That I’m down with. In fact, more organic dance music overall, please.
15 May 2009
TGIF: Groupies!
With quotable lines like “and you just have to look past their ugliness and think: ‘you’re in a band, and you’re rich.’”, I pronounce this the joke of the weekend, to be repeated ad nauseam and forgotten about by Monday.
On the other hand, you follow these rules, you might just get backstage at Rollin’ tonight. Just remember: Colin’s tour manager hates “Try-hards”.
(via Rollie!)
11 May 2009
Prins Thomas: Remiksosaurus
I’m putting a ban on the word “curate” for all non-museum or art gallery purposes on the grounds that it instantly makes you sound like Lord Dinkleberry of Fopville.
Sorry, but you can’t curate a club night. You also can’t curate a fanzine, coffee shop, indie compilation, or video store (all actual uses I’ve seen around town).
20 April 2009
Tweet Productive
One of our favorite blogs, Create Digital Music, has the scoop on a new application called Tweet a Sound, where users can send synth patches back and forth via Twitter.
Check out the creator Andrew Spitz’s site for detailed instructions on how to use it.
09 April 2009
Videodrome #3: The New Wave
File this under: It Made Sense At The Time.
Hey, almost time for More Proof!! Tomorrow, much?
08 April 2009
Billy Bob Crazy!
In hilariously spoiled brat news, Billy Bob Thorton, best known for his ACTING (and prodigiously making love to Angelina Jolie), got really angry at Jian Ghomeshi and Canadian music audiences in general when him and his band stopped by CBC this morning.
The reason for this hissy fit seems to revolve around the fact that he didn’t want the producers to make reference to his other career, but if you listen to the podcast, it seems like he doesn’t want to talk about music either.
Listen to the whole train wreck here
02 April 2009
Lawrence: Jill EP
Minimalism always edges a little too close to self-parody when it becomes too austere and technology-obsessed. Think of the New Media prof with the shaved head and really expensive square frames or one of those lame nine million dollar LED watches that look like something Tom Cruise would wear in Minority Report, and you’ll get the drift.
Luckily, German Deep House producer Lawrence does minimalism right. His tracks are sparse, yes, but they are also deep, soulful and warm. His latest EP for Dial Records, entitled “Jill”, keeps threatening to stay on my turntable until I wear it out to the bone. Thank God for digital media.
Lawrence — Jill MP3
29 March 2009
Modeselektor: The White Flash (Trentemøller Remix)
If you liked the original, check out the remix! Danish producer and reputed Radiohead obsessive Trentemøller re-works the song into a big, dramatic swell that recalls some of the boys from Oxford’s earlier, more expansive work.
This cut lit European dancefloors ablaze all last year, being playlisted by everyone from Ellen Allien to Sasha, so when you’re listening to the tune, just picture yourself covered in foam and 200 euros poorer, and you’ll recreate that feeling without standing in line until 8am.
Modeselektor ft. Thom Yorke — The White Flash (Trentemøller Remix) MP3
26 March 2009
Videodrome #1: Watch It!
MY NEW FEATURE WILL BE CALLED VIDEODROME.
IT WILL FEATURE VIDEOS THAT ARE FUNNY OR FUCKED UP!
21 March 2009
Bonnie “Prince” Billy: Today I Started Celebrating Again
If Tangerine Dream is all about giving a bunch of nerds access to billions of dollars worth of gear, then what happens when you flip it and give a cool-guy musician a cruddy piece of gear?
This Bonnie “Prince” Billy cut is taken off the “At Home With The Groovebox” comp, where Grand Royal gave a Roland Groovebox to bunch of hip bands of the day (Cibbo Matto, Bis, etc.) and let them have at it. Actually, I kind of want to hear this in the club.
Bonnie “Prince” Billy - Today I Started Celebrating Again MP3
Gabe and Johnny: The Early Years
18 February 2009
Gabe Knox: Throwback Set, Live @ More Proof
For those of you who missed last week’s More Proof party, the opportunity to lose your shirt has returned.
In a set that was made as a throwback gift to Johnny Hockin, whose birthday is today, I decided to commemorate our friendship with a mix of the finest electroclash from our formative years.
Nerdy, true, but perfect material for the dancefloor. Or, perfect for being drunk on gin while partying in an apartment above a Korean restaurant, as we used to do. Tracklist after the jump.
your new go-to tracks
13 February 2009
In Flagranti: Sounds Superb
Call this a bold statement, but it seems as if the endless debate among DJs regarding analog versus digital remains largely resolved. Other than a few fundamentalists, it seems even the staunchest of vinyl junkies bust out the plastic every once in a while to play that perfect edit or an exclusive new song they promised they wouldn’t share.
Of course, we’ve found new ways to bitch and posture and give each other inferiority complexes, but hey — what does any of this have to do with the new In Flagranti tracks that Juno Download has on exclusive? You’ll be playing this awesome Clash edit for months no matter what I say.
Down baby, down, down the roller coaster...
11 February 2009
Jokers of the Scene: Baggy Bottom Boys (Ayres & Harry Video)
Whether you’ve seen it or not, the new Jokers of the Scene video for Baggy Bottom Boys succeeded in bringing a smile to my face on an otherwise dreary day.
When a video concept is this simple and effective, part of me wishes that I had thought of it myself. Props should go to directors DJ Ayres (is this his directorial debut?) and Harry for proving exactly how “big” the boys from our nation’s capital are getting — all wisecracks aside.
25 Years From Alpha
06 January 2009
Larry Heard: 25 Years From Alpha
Larry Heard‘s latest A-side, the Kraftwerk-tinged, future-funk 25 Years From Alpha, continues along the Chicago legend’s recent musical trajectory towards much sparser, more minimal production.
This is hardly a surprise — Heard has always preferred jazzy sophistication to high-jackin’ beats, but this latest slab is so scant and abstract, playing it feels a bit like taking a Rorschach test: any attempt at a description reveals more about the listener than the record itself. Some hear an overly longwinded retroist slice of cheese, others hear a subtle, emotional ballad that incorporates (rather than simply references) elements from 25 years of electronic music.
Whatever your feeling towards it, praise be to Heard for never being afraid to mind-fuck his audience.
12 December 2008
Food of the Gods—Boy From Brazil
All mention of “supergroup” aside, Food of the Gods is a psychedelic pick-up band featuring Eddie Ruscha, DJ Harvey, Tim Koh, Thomas Bullock, and Miho Hatori, all of whom have found fame and fortune from their previous musical noodlings. After reading a review of their single Boy From Brazil/Poison Apple, on RA, I was curious about the group’s supposed buoyancy, though their Can-ish quality of awesome psych is undebatable.
In any case, Boy from Brazil is set to get your next dance party, happening, or other climax moments achieved. Get it from the inconspicous Whatever We Want Records as soon as you can, since it probably won’t be re-printed or issued on CD. In fact, it might just be sold out by the time you finish reading this sentence.
These guys don’t even have a myspace, but the kind, amazing folks at WWWR did send us a copy of the record, and let us stick up a sample:
27 November 2008
Analogue Solutions: Dorian Gray Complex Solved By Leipzig
Lusting after gear is something close to any electronic musician’s heart. The thinking usually goes along the lines of “if only I had [insert stupid expensive piece of gear here], then my studio would be complete and I could make my hit single”. Unfortunately, like most of life, if the day ever comes when you finally bring that sacred prize home, you’ll find that your soul is just as incomplete, and you’ll immediately go looking for a new obsession to pine over.
Well, look no further, ‘cause Analogue Solutions has all the crazy expensive and authentically non-digital gear you need. Its flagship synth, the Leipzig Synthesizer, has not only everything you need out of a fully analog monosynth, it comes with the word “synthesizer” emblazoned on the back in a kick-ass font, which is a great indicator that this British company know what we all truly want from a synth: to look impossibly cool standing next to it.
I reckon they ought to re-think something about their website, however, when someone used my laptop to check their email today, this tab was staring them in the face.
23 November 2008
Pro-ject Debut III
Lowell from Great Bloomers just gave me the scoop on the beautiful and affordable new Debut III turntables from boutique Czech manufacturer Pro-Ject. Impressive-sounding features like “low-tolerance chrome-plated stainless-steel axle runs on a polished ball bearing in a brass bearing housing” reassures that it sounds nice and works well, but what really blows me away is the simple, clean design.
At $379US, it’s a little outside the Secret Santa budget, but it’s a bargain compared to the thousands you’d usually be shelling out for a turntable this nice.
Grab it in one of eight colours here in North America, and pump some cash back into the Eastern European economy. It um, kinda needs it right now.
Move over, Civic nation
06 November 2008
Toscana Vice
...And in Eurotrash news, the Italian police force has come one step closer to their dream of becoming Crockett and Tubbs by commissioning a Lamborghini police cruiser. The Gallardo LP560-4 Polizia, with 540 horsepower and capable of speeds up to 203 mph, will be used officially to chase down the speeding drivers of Italy’s rural highways, which have long been plagued by motor-crime, and unofficially as a fighetta-magnet during off-duty hours.
The kind folks at Lamborghini have sent one unit over to la polizia free of charge, customized with all sorts of crazy Batman-style anti-bad guy gadgets, along with all the necessary Benny Benassi CDs to get the job done right.
[Source: *Wallpaper]
Photo originally by Carlos Weisz
22 October 2008
Shake It Like A Poladroid Picture
I’ve always been a fan of Polaroids. I got my first one, a hand-me-down SX-70, when I was 8 or 9, and have been kind of addicted to buying them from Value Village ever since. I think I have about 6 or 7 different kinds that I’ve collected over the years. I was pretty bummed when Polaroid announced they were going to stop manufacturing their special brand of instant film earlier this year.
That’s why I got really excited when someone tipped me on this new app called Poladroid. It eats pictures from your digital camera and spits out lovely polaroid-style jpegs. It’s still in beta and the menus are in french, so you might have to dust off your Grade 5 texbook, but it’s worth it. Currently OSX only.
