Film ‘Don’t Think’ Just Let it Flow

February 3, 2012 - 10:00 am

In a post-Daft Punk world, where many live stage productions seem to pale in comparison to the iconic Pyramid that was retired in 2007, some seek refuge in deadmau5, others, The Chemical Brothers. In the early days of performing as The Chemical Brothers, Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons have always incorporated a visual element to their live music. From the earliest days of slide and video projectors, the ‘live’ element of The Chemical Brothers has now evolved into a conglomerate of hundreds of lights, LED panels, digital imaging, and a whole touring staff working behind the scenes to make sure each show runs without interruption. Their latest multi-sensory effort, “Don’t Think,” is a movie based around their performance at last years Fuji Rocks Festival in Japan.

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Music Electric Zoo: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

September 8, 2011 - 7:44 am

It has been ten years since Daft Punk released Discovery, an album that many highlight as being a key player in pushing electronic music into the mainstream. Now, the demand for electronic music is greater than ever. Electric Zoo, the premier electronic music festival now in its third year, invaded New York this past weekend looking to meet that demand. By addressing several issues from the record turnout last year and upping the length of the festival from two to three days, Electric Zoo seemed to be living up to the symbolic phrasing introduced by the iconic Daft Punk ten years prior, to be: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger. At the end of the weekend, approximately 85,000 people passed through the concert gates to take part in one of the largest electronic music festivals to ever take place on the east coast.

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Featured Gallery Music Ph.D. in Funk-ology: Chromeo

August 10, 2011 - 10:37 am

Of all the performances at Saturday’s HARD Summer Music Festival, Chromeo was responsible for rallying the masses into an energetic frenzy more than any other act. The project, composed of P-Thugg (Patrick Gemayel) on keyboards, synth, and talk box and Dave 1 (David Macklovitch) on guitar and lead vocals pride themselves on creating a dance-worthy eclectic sound which they affectingly refer to as lovers funk.

Prior to show time, P-Thugg set up equipment for the gig as Dave 1 invited ChinaShop into his trailer for a preshow chat. In the calm before the Chromeo-induced storm, Dave revealed the genesis of the duo’s “ridiculous” nicknames, his persistence for finishing up his Ph.D., and discussed the surreal experience of being personally invited to jam in the home of Darryl Hall.

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 4/15/11

April 15, 2011 - 6:40 am

Sade and Jay Z

When it comes to a collaboration between Sade and Jay Z, it’s pretty much impossible to go wrong or disappoint (according to the ever reliable and trust worthy pandabook). “The Moon and the Sky” (Remix) actually surfaced last Friday (after my glorious post was published), so if you’ve already heard this track, well, here’s a chance to bask in it once (or multiple times) more!

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Music Tuesday Newsday: New Releases from The Kills, Raveonettes, Daft Punk, and The Smithereens,

April 5, 2011 - 4:14 pm

The Kills -- Blood Pressures

High on the hype is Blood Pressures, the new release from The Kills…Daft Punk remixed and Reconfigured the T:L soundtrack, the best thing about the movie…Raveonettes return with yet another in Raven in the Grave…and refuse Jefferson Airplan-ers Hot Tuna release their first album in 12 years. See ya in a week…

Daft Punk - Tron: Legacy Reconfigured

Robbie Robertson - How To Become Clairvoyant

Cold Cave - Cherish The Light Years

Jim Jones - Capo

Sharks - The Joys Of Living 2008-2010

Raveonettes - Raven In The Grave

The Kills - Blood Pressures

Mandisa - What If We Were Real

Maritime - Human Hearts

Brian Robertson - Diamonds And Dirt

Ray Davies - See My Friends

The Smithereens - 2011

Hot Tuna - Steady As She Goes

Kingdom Come - Rendered Waters

Gallery Music In Search of Oakenfold

March 11, 2011 - 5:30 pm

Two words: Paul Oakenfold. Two more words: Florida Room. Four more words: No Ugly People Allowed. At least that’s what the sign said. I’m sure it didn’t reflect the opinions and feelings of the Delano administration, but it was an ironic reminder of just how exclusive and intimate some of Miami’s parties can be during Winter Music Conference. Tonight we were in for a special treat. One of the biggest names in dance music—a man famous for playing arenas all across the globe—was going to treat this hotel crowd to a small-scale performance with big room sound. No flip-flops and bikini bottoms allowed, and one gentleman was turned away at the door for wearing cut-off jean shorts. Go home and get your big boy pants, homeboy. This ain’t no beach party.

No Ugly People Allowed at the Florida Room

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Gallery Music Stormy Weather Is No Match for Second Sun

March 11, 2011 - 4:44 pm

Here’s what I love about Miami. At approximately 11:30am on Wednesday, I was walking along the rooftop deck of my hotel admiring the amazing view, taking in some sunshine, and cursing the fact that I had to quickly go back inside and get writing done. At 12:30pm, deck chairs were flying into the pool and the rain was coming down sideways against the glass of the café I was working in. It was a rainstorm of biblical proportions, and the beautiful people of South Beach were undoubtedly cursing the fact that they now had to go inside and do something not so fun. One glance at the weather report told me that that any outdoor parties scheduled for today were sure to be a bust, which included the annual mega-bash on Nikki Beach, one of WMC’s most tried and true venues. This was to be our big destination for the day. Electric Beach, a 12pm to 5am marathon of banging house music put forth by names like Donald Glaude, Harry “Choo Choo” Romero, Behrouz and Junior Sanchez. Gone with the wind, we thought—washed away by the elements. But we decided to go anyway, and of course, it was rammed.

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Music Mandy’s Music Mail 2/25/11

February 25, 2011 - 11:38 am

Westminster palace London

So I’m back in my favorite city in the world, lovely London (sorry New York, I do love you and you are incredible, but I’m afraid London wins in my book) and what better way to start this week’s post than with two tracks from UK based Jamie Woon, a singer/songwriter whom I’m definitely digging. First up is “Night Air”, off last year’s EP (co-produced with Burial) and “Lady Luck” is the first single off his upcoming debut album Mirrorwriting; listen to both here. Also check out this video of Woon singing in a canoe in Cambodia; no bells, whistles or fancy camera work, just a simple video of Woon sitting in a canoe. In Cambodia. Singing. Awesome.

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Music Awesome Music Mail 12/10/10

December 10, 2010 - 1:47 pm

Daft Punk Edition TRON Headphones

It seems like everyone and their mother are coming out with headphones these days. First came Beats By Dre (paws crossed good ol’ Saint Nick brings me a pair for Christmas) then Beats by Beiber (they’re purple! Because that’s his favorite color! How adorable…) and now: TRON: Legacy Headphones by Daft Punk (who did the (awesome) soundtrack for TRON: Legacy) Medicom Toy.  What makes these headphones oh so special, you ask? They have light-up LEDs! Totally reminds me of those kicks that were all the rage when I was 8, LA Lights. Anyone else remember those?! God, they were cool… Anyway, so these – totally ridiculous looking headphones – run for a cool $350 (USD) but! you also get a copy of the TRON: Legacy - soundtrack. Win.

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Music Daft Punk Helms Tron: Legacy Soundtrack

November 23, 2010 - 11:45 am

Daft Punk. Tron Sequel. Anything else?

The pressure that accompanies directing a movie as big as Tron: Legacy doesn’t sound altogether different from that of living on the game grid: much like Kevin Flynn himself, helmsman Joe Kozinski was literally living in another world for quite a long time, complete with technical malfunctions, multiple personalities (and/or programs), and even last-minute swerves in a race to avoid disaster.

“I just finished the movie Wednesday,” laughs Kosinski, plunking himself down in one of the plush red chairs at Apogee, inside famed LA indie radio giant KCRW on Saturday. “3 years of my life, and I’m less than 72 hours back in reality.”

In his conversation with KCRW Music Director and Legacy Music Supervisor Jason Bentley, Kozinski admitted that one of those very last changes in fact was to switch out one part of the score with another, and put it at the film’s closing credits. Afterwards, they dove right into a lengthy behind-the-scenes look at the soundtrack, and previewed some of its best cuts.

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