Slash Dot Dash Podcast 017: Chris Finke

You would be hard pushed to find another artist quite like Chris Finke. Whether it's smashing dancefloors worldwide with his unique mix of upfront techno, bass, forgotten gems and anything else he feels like; holding down a 9 year residency at the UK's biggest and best techno institution “Atomic Jam”; his diverse bass-shaking production and remix work, or his cutting edge broadcasting career, the boy has “been there - done that” and is just getting going. Since his debut release on Luke Slater's “Mote Evolver” imprint in summer 2012, plus the launch of his own high profile weekly radio show coming soon, business is booming!

Raised on a steady diet of rave and techno, his early days saw him compete in the UK DMC championships, and he soon combined his turntablism and love for techno when he started the “Flux” parties and record label. From there, he hooked up with Ben Sims to form “Split”, a series of game changing parties for the London techno scene, selling out Turnmills, SE1, The Key, plus European tour dates as they went. In addition, their 4 year long “Split Radio Show” was a true institution - syndicated worldwide on both FM and internet stations and enjoying a huge loyal following of listeners tuning in each month.

DJing isn't just a job for Chris; it's everything and he does it differently to anyone else. Combining long layered mixes over 4 decks, with faster choppy drops and fills (referencing his turntablism background), his electrifying, technical sets have taken him all around the world, from New York to Japan; Moscow to Singapore and just everywhere in between. He is the sole resident DJ at Atomic Jam and has held international residencies at Decadence in Ghent, Belgium and La Coruna in Spain. His appearances continue to prove incredibly popular and he is just as at home playing at fabric in London or Glastonbury Festival as he is at intimate clubs like Doornroosje in Holland or Unit in Tokyo. His true musical versatility as a DJ has been a great asset in being able to move even the most clued up crowds, from upfront techno, through cutting edge bass and future music, right down to dipping into his massive record collection and pulling out astonishing tracks you've never heard before.

His big-room productions such as 'Sleep When You're Dead', ‘Petrolbomb’, ‘Shut that Door’ and ‘Dance of Death’, along with killer remixes such as Mark Broom’s ‘Got Me Working’ and a Guy Called Gerald’s classic ‘Blow your House Down’ have helped secure him as a regular fixture in the charts and radio playlists of a huge number of DJs the world over. He employs the same DJ sensibilities when approaching his work, never satisfied with repeating himself and pushing the dancefloor in all directions. 2012 has seen Chris become more prolific as his dedication in the studio has really started to pay off.

As if that's not enough, Chris also finds the time to teach DJing and music production both privately and around the world for the Ministry of Sound, appearing on UK national TV's “The Gadget Show” and others along the way.

Ahead of his performance at our next party @ The Shelter, on Saturday 16th March (Full info on the Facebook Event Page), we invited Chris to put together our 17th podcast to give you a taste of what to expect from the live performance. He delivered an intense hour of ever building energy to get your fully prepared for the audio onslaught to come.

You can stream and download the mix from the soundcloud player below, or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

Tracklisting

1) He/aT - River of Sticks & The Goat of Mendes [He/aT]
2) Objekt - Shuttered [Bleep]
3) Benjamin Damage - Extrusion [50 Weapons]
4) Deadboy - Black Reign [Numbers]
5) Subjected - Concept [Vault Series]
6) MPIA3 - Mountain Of Ash [R&S]
7) Chris Page - Counterfiet Innovator (Chris Finke Remix) [Decoy Records]
8) Jonas Kopp - Reject [Curle Records]
9) Len Faki - BX2 [Figure]
10) Unknown - Untitled [Tension Records]
11) Chris Finke - Warehouse Syndrome [Hidden Records]
12) Terrence Dixon - Minimalism (Ben Klock Remix) [Tresor]
13) Phuture - Spank Spank [Trax Records]
14) Revalation Of Noise - Hourmete (Chris Finke Remix) [Affin Records]
15) Nick Dunton - Estrangement Of The Past (Surgeon Mix) [Surface]
16) Lakker - Coal Bath [Candela Rising]
17) Skinless Brothers - Backyard [Memory Foundation]
18)Technetium - Holzig (Jonas Kopp Remix) [Torque]
19) He/aT - A Gentleman's Agreement [He/aT]
20) Chris Finke - Don't Try This At Home [Hidden Recs]
21) Trade - Half Nelson [She Works]
22) DJ Hell - Like This! [Disko B]

For more information on Chris Finke you can check out his Facebook Fan Page or you can follow him on Twitter. To find the rest of the Slash Dot Dash Podcasts you can head over to our Website

Marcel Dettmann & O/V/R @ fabric (9th Mar 13)

fabric have been pulling out all the techno stops for the month of March. Last weekend saw Cosmin TRG and A Made Up Sound join Terry Francis in Room 2. This week his accomplices are none other than Berghain resident Marcel Dettmann teams up with Blueprint Records' production duo of Regis and James Ruskin, that go by the name of O/V/R.

With Levon Vincent and Delano Smith taking their place alongside Craig Richards in the main room, this is a night to get the technoheads salivating all the way to the former meat locker.

Tickets are available from the fabric website

We Fear Silence pres Blueprint Records @ Cable (16th Feb 13)

The first Blueprint Records of the year at Cable and the big names don't stop as Dutch Techno pioneer and Electric Deluxe boss, Speedy J, comes to town, joining Blueprint main man, James Ruskin, Regis and Daniel Miller. Room 2, as ever, is taken care off by Colony with Blueprint's latest acquisition, Lakker.

I could bang on about how great all the artists are, but instead I'll let you find out for yourself with some audio and visual treats. Firstly we have Speedy J's four hour recording from Berghain...



Then we continue with Regis live in the Boiler Room

And finally we conclude with and exclusive mix that Daniel Miller has done for We Fear Silence


Tickets for the event are still available through the We Fear Silence Website. More information on Blueprint Records can be found on their Facebook Fan Page or follow them on Twitter for more updates.

Stefan Gubatz - Distanz Varianz (Telrae 015 V)

On of our favourite labels, Telrae, is on too their 15th 10" vinyl release and it's a 4th on the label from Stefan Gubartz. Fresh from the release of his debut album 'Distanz' (available direct from the Telrae webshop) on the imprint late last year Stefan uses 015 as an opportunity to revisit and rework two tracks from the album.

'Byte and Scratch' entertains and enthralls with wave after wave reverb'd chords and a spattering of high hats. On the B Side we find 'Offshore' and a slightly more muted affair. Again blissful chords provide an altogether calming yet uplifting influence. It's one of those records you want to listen to in a dark room, all alone with your thoughts.

Check out the samples from the soundcloud player below


As with all Telrae releases it's available exclusively from Decks.de and should be in the store soon. More info on Stefan Gubatz can be found on his Facebook Fan Page and the same goes for Telrae or alternatively you can head over to their website for info on all their previous releases.

Slash Dot Dash Podcast 016: Abstract Division

After what already seems like the longest winter (and it’s not even over yet) we’re back with our first podcast of 2013, and after Charlton provided an aggressive techno workout for 015, we’re back to the Netherlands for the duo of Paul Boex and Dave Miller, otherwise known as Abstract Division.

Abstract Division is a young and exciting collaboration between two veteran techno artists; Paul Boex and Dave Miller. Paul is label-boss of the respected Dynamic Reflection imprint, experienced DJ and producer, and the driving force behind the series of succesful Mental Evolution events in the Netherlands. Dave has earned his stripes through his longstanding career of (vinyl-only) DJ-sets, productions with Damian Keane and as part of the Audiosculpture collective. Combining their love of and keen ear for techno that stands out from the gray majority, Abstract Division knows how to surprise, teach and get people dancing their faces off all at once.

Conveying a characteristic sound that stems from a mutual background in Detroit, Berlin and Birmingham techno Abstract Division merges a basement vibe with a warehouse feel; drones and soundscapes meet straightforward uplifters in a way that simply makes sense. With well over twenty years of shared experience in playing out and producing tracks under their belt, Abstract Division knows their game and fits any bill perfectly. Getting a room in the right mood, building on an present vibe or tearing a club a new one; leave it to them to deliver on all occasions.

Abstract Division is actively putting out new material at the moment after having released their first lauded trilogy “Form and Function” containing original tracks and remixes by among others Norman Nodge, Mike Parker, Ben Sims and Delta Funktionen on Dynamic Reflection. They are set to release their “Relevance” EP on Labrynth shortly and more material, including a remix on Orbis Records is planned for the near future.

The podcast was taken from last months Berghain Mixtour event, in Utrecht, as Abstract Division warmed up the night for Marcel Fengler and Norman Nodge to follow. Using a combination of hypnotic rhythms, solid percussion and atmospheric textures they subtlety build the energy to have the club set to a frenzied level before the Berghain residents take over...

You can stream and download the mix from the soundcloud player below, or subscribe to the podcast in iTunes

Dasha Rush: All You Need Is Ears

We've made no secret of our love for Fullpanda Records and Hunger To Create boss, Dasha Rush. Whether she's working as part of LADA with Lars Hemmerling, or releasing solo material on her own labels or Adam X's Sonic Groove imprint, her music is nothing short of breath taking and it's easy for us to see the extent at with she lives her art.

Resident Advisor's Sanjay Fernandes spent sometime with the Russian to get to know more about her early days and her first inspirations in music right through to her current projects....

"People tell me to pay money for promo of Fullpanda but I'm definitely never paying any money for promo of my label," says Dasha Rush. "If people want to buy a record they will buy a record." It's this sentiment that has made the Russian-born producer familiar to only a small fraternity of artists and audiences. And if you haven't heard of her, well, it's probably for the very same reason.

Since 2005 she's experimented with techno and ambient on her labels, Fullpanda and Hunger to Create, releasing two full-lengths and a handful of EPs. Her work has also appeared on Sonic Groove, the imprint run by her friend Adam X. It's impossible to pigeonhole her: she brings a unique sensibility to the darker strains of techno and industrial, and also excels when DJing experimental and ambient records. Her most recent live project, LADA, with her partner Lars Hammerling, is another attempt to find what she calls "the missing element" in electronic dance music today. Hers is a strong, independent voice that electronic music often lacks. But she's not going to try too hard to make people listen. As she says, "All you need is ears." 

Can you tell us a little bit about your early working life and how music became a greater part of it?

I lived in Russia till 1995. I left Russia in January 1996 when I was 16 and went to Paris to model. It was just a way to get out of Russia. After moving to Paris I started to travel with work—I lived in London and Japan, and by that time I was investing a lot of the money I was making into my music. I'd started to DJ before I left Russia but I was using other people's records.

What kind of records were you playing at 14 in Russia?

It was quite difficult to get records at that time. Someone would have a friend going to Amsterdam and he would bring us a couple of records. I like dark acid techno and then actually, later on, I was playing hardcore and gabber [laughs]. That was a spread of my anger and adolescent thing—to be hard, you know? So I guess that was influencing the music and the records. But when I moved to Paris I could start digging and collecting my own stuff.

You moved to France and stopped playing gabber?

It kind of morphed into what I really liked, as I'd calmed down with my rage and then also developed my taste in music. It's not that I stopped, it just morphed to techno, but I still have my rough moments.

When did you start producing?

Around 1998/99. I had a friend in Russia who was a computer freak. He basically showed me things that I didn't know and I started learning. He was living in Moscow and we were staying in touch all the time, and when I was visiting we were doing music with him and then I just started doing it myself.

So there was a long period before you began Fullpanda?

Yeah Fullpanda is much further on, around 2005. I guess that was a natural moment when I felt like I wanted to share something and put something out. All the guys that I had rang liked hard music, so the first Fullpanda was not hard enough for them. They were saying, "Can you do some hard tracks for us?" I said, "No, this is actually what I want to do." So I thought the best way was actually for me to do it on my own. So I just figured out how to do it and did it on my own. It was not easy, but it was the easiest way for me to put music out. I was earning some money at that time with the modelling so that gave me a certain freedom to do it the way I want. I always want to do it my way.

Yeah, that's interesting, because I think your first album on Fullpanda wasn't hard at all.

I have one track, where a vocal or element is not in the place you'd expect it. That's the sort of music I want to make. With music itself, it's not always related to dance music, which is why I have a problem writing an album because I spent too much time playing techno at gigs. And I love techno, and I love dance floors, but sometimes I really need to do something else. I think it's important to explore those fields of music where you cannot have a definition of style, which you can't put into this frame, or that frame. And I guess for the listener they do it, but personally I follow my intuition.

I say I never follow a tendency but then I realise that when I talk to my friends and colleagues like Adam [X] and Donato [Dozzy], we're all saying, "There is something missing" and then we realise that we're all experimenting trying to find this missing element. Isn't that following a tendency? But then, we're connected to a similar perception of musical flavours so it is probably something that makes us all feel that way. Even if no one else would be doing something like that, I'd continue to experiment. It's hard to put this "missing element" into words. In one way you know what it is, but for everyone it's different. Perhaps it's a man/woman thing. There is a gender sensibility that is very different. Adam is very clinical and productive, whereas I am very flustered and over excited.

So how does gender play a role in these "missing elements"?

I don't know how it works for all women. I know how it works for me in my own creative process. If I have to put a word on it it's a "spontaneous" thing. I'm not so calculated or productive.

I'd like to talk a little more in-depth about your perspective on gender because I don't think serious conversations take place, especially in techno.

That's because it's not easy to talk about, because there are a lot of clichés. I'm not really a feminist or gender theorist. If I like the artist it doesn't really matter what sex they are, but there is a certain difference in the sensibility of men and women by default. It's a natural thing. There is something. Even the way to express or approach things. Music, literature, any kind of expressive activity or art, and it is different. For women, they have this cycle every month, this hormonal cycle that influences perception, reaction, expression, impression. It's different for men. I feel my sensibility is more psychotic during that part of the month [laughs] and then two weeks later it could be something different... I feel my feminine sensibility is related to my hormonal cycles. That's biology. So I can't deny it. This is part of the whole aspect of intellectual, creative process. You have to accept it, and work with it.

OK, so that's how your biology influences your creativity, but what about how the scene receives you as a woman?

There is the other side of it, that "techno music is masculine music." [It] is not really masculine on purpose. It's just a society that's developed a certain way. There are certain situations, ridiculous situations, where people are very sexist. I know women who bring their sexuality to DJing and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I have a colleague of mine, she was playing Panorama Bar, and she very "girlish," which is cool.

This critic, a friend of a friend, said, "She's just moving her bottom and moving her tits, it was not about the music," which was totally not true! It's just not the way the music would affect him. The music is sexual. Personally, I think techno is liberating—like any music, actually, if it's good. But for me, it's the physicality of techno. There is a proved theory I think, where they found a certain range of frequencies of very, very low bass—I can't remember the exact hertz—that provokes excitement on a women's organs. The woman likes bass.

You mentioned above that you like to do things your own way. I'd like to know how this translates to your live duo, LADA?

For Lars [Hemmerling] and I it's difficult because when you're a duo I think there's a first exchange between the two and then it goes to the crowd. So it's hard in that first exchange because sometimes we argue, music-wise. Or where the kick trigger is located when we're playing because it's not too accessible for me, it's too far. And I like to have to control that. Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn't. When we're playing live we do have elements and things prepared, but at the same time there's a space to improvise and there is a space to feel each other. Sometimes we do feel each other and it works, and sometimes we don't feel each other and it becomes a mess. But sometimes our disagreement or friction can create something that is out of our control that is really cool, you know?

So LADA offers a lack of control?

Not exactly. When the music is too calculated to make you dance and to make you do something, when it's too functional, it's boring. Dance music is diverse. I would say 70% of the music is a product made to make you move your butt because you have to bring a lot of people because the club has to work. So it's an industry. So I don't mind music as entertainment, and I can cope with the business to a certain extent, but it has to have a heart. Music is an art as well as entertainment. If I lose this artistic element I will stop making music. If I hear music that is only functional, everything is so perfect and arranged in a box, it's boring. With LADA we try to perform music that's there [points to head], there [points to heart], not only there [points to bottom]."

All You Need Is Ears has now become a regular fixture at the legendary Tresor basement, so much so that when the German superclub bring their showcase to London for the first time next month, Dasha will be coming along for the ride...

She'll be performing a live set alongside other Tresor favourites, Juan Atkins, DJ Deep and Psyk. Tickets are still available on the Resident Advisor Event Page, where you'll find all the info you could possibly need.

fabric introduce Staffan Linzatti with an interview and exclusive live set

Ahead of Staffan Linzatti's debut performance at fabric this weekend, the London club's blog got to know a bit more about the Swede with an interview to accompany an exclusive set that he's recorded as a precursor to mark the occasion.

You can stream the mix from the player below...

and you can read the interview on the fabric website

As we stated earlier, Staffan will be making his first appearance at fabric with a live set in Room 2, alongside Sandwell District and Locked Groove, this Saturday.

Tickets are available through the fabric website. To find out more about Staffan Linzatti, his tracks and where he'll be performing in the next few months, head over to his Resident Advisor page