About 15 minutes ago, Pete Tong took to his Facebook page to announce that Daft Punk will be joining him on the airwaves for this Friday’s edition of his BBC Radio One show. We are not quite clear on the details of the show but we do know that if it is anything like their last BBC visit in 97′ where they recorded their infamous essential mix, we will be in store for a treat. We can hopefully expect to hear some exclusive listens of their upcoming album Random Access Memoriesand for that we will be sure to stay tuned to our radios come this Friday night at 9 pm.
Okay, so maybe we are a bit late on this one, but RL Grime is obviously about to have a huge Summer & this remix of Cheif Keef’s hit “Love Sosa” is just a physical example of how hard Mr. Grime is going to roll. We are huge fans of this tune and we already know you are too judging by the 85,000 plays and counting that this tune has racked up on RL Grime’s Soundcloud alone. The remix is huge, and even bigger, it’s a free download. Grab your copy and bump it hard!
Listen and Download: Chief Keef – “Love Sosa” (RL Grime Remix) on Soundcloud (Thanks TSIS for the WP Code):
The long awaited return of PANTyRAiD to our speakers is finally here. Welcoming their second full length album, PillowTalk, front men Ooah & MartyParty aka PANTtRAiD are getting ready to take the world on a journey through the next episode of their increasingly exciting saga. In anticipation of the album drop, the duo dropped their remix of Rihanna’s “Pour It Up” taking the radio hit and getting it fucked up on drugs and alcohol until it is just incoherent enough to make your night the “best one ever” while not remembering a single minute of it. PANTyRAiD somehow know’s how to strike that “let’s get fucked up” nerve in our souls and they are definitely very good at getting the freaks grinding on the dancefloor.
With PillowTalk dropping on May 28th, PANTyRAiD wants to offer their fans a glimpse into the album, so with any pre-order, you will recieve a download of the single from the album, “That’s The Spot”. Something about this album gives us the feeling that there will be no stopping PANTyRAiD this year and in the future. Make sure you don’t sleep on this one!
Boom the first official remix from GRiZ’s break through album Mad Liberation has made it’s way into our speakers and it is in the form of a rework from legendary DJ Green Lantern on the hit track “Too Young For Tragedy”. The remix encompasses all things trap to the fullest and could potentially feature a break that could be as hot as Baauer’s “Harlem Shake”. The remix, premiered exclusively by our friends at This Song Is Sick, is available for FREE download. Make sure you grab it and bump it loud!
Many have attempted and all have failed until now. Finally, we have heard a good remix/bootleg of Bassment Jaxx‘s classic hit “Where’s Your Head At“. Two of Chicago’s heavyweights, Team Bayside High & Willy Joy, teamed up to produce this tune and we are quite the fan. Turning the electro banger into a trap adaptation, the two production entities have polished this bootleg into a tune that will get the dance-floor poppin’ with nostalgia and energy. We hope to hear this tune in a live set soon! Enjoy this classic and make sure to grab your free download!
There is something magical in the air when L D R U is blasting through our speakers. Following a pack of well received originals, remixes, and mixes, this Aussie bass manipulator is on the verge of making a huge name for himself with his latest tune entitled “Cocus“. Featuring sounds that place our energies on a beach in some tropical country, we are stuck in the warming Midwest left only to dance and dream. “Cocus” radiates a sunshine feel and is guaranteed to turn any frown upside down. This is the type of tune that you would hear at the end credits of a dank episode of Entourage. You could say that we were basically waiting at the edge of our seats for this new tune from L D R U and we will be back on the edge until the next drop. Available for free download, this track should be snatched up instantly. We hope you enjoy what you hear!
Listen and Download: L D R U – “Cocus” on Soundcloud:
It is very fitting when producers like Two Fresh team up with up-and-coming hip-hop emcees like Purple Monk and Miyagi from Ziggurat Records. This tune, entitled “ALOHA” shows how true Two Fresh really are. Taking an old-school elevator esque ditty and turning it into a flossed out hip-hop beat, Two Fresh set this one up for pals Purple Monk and Miyagi and they hit a home run. Originally posted exclusively through ThisSongIsSick.com, this tune is everything we look for in a hip-hop song. For now, this shit will stay underground but everybody better brace for a full world takeover by Two Fresh and every other producer doing what they do and staying true to their roots. We are super down with this and we know you will be too. Oh, and there is a super ill music video to pair with the song. As they say in the track, “Hola, aloha, roll up the doja, let’s smoke, so nice to know ya”. Peace!
Listen and Download Two Fresh – “ALOHA” (Ft. Purple Monk & Miyagi) on Soundcloud:
Watch The Music Video For Two Fresh – “ALOHA” (Ft. Purple Monk & Miyagi) on Youtube:
Announcing his next album The Age Of Reason,Gramatik has dropped the first single entitled “Bluestep” to come off the release. Pairing the new tune with a brilliant 2012 recap video, Gramatik gives his fans an inside look into Gramatik on the road during the past year. Including a trip overseas and a slew of huge festivals, the video shows the progression of Gramatik as a live act and builds our excitement for the Gramatik live show! The new tune is a mash of blues samples and breaks with a smooth dubbed out feel. We are stoked to hear of the new material coming from Gramatik and we look forward to reporting official dates and such soon. A free download of “Bluestep” will be released on Thursday through Soundcloud, be sure to grab it. Check out the new tune and watch the sick video. As always, Enjoy!!
Listen and Watch Gramatik “Bluestep” & 2012 Recap Video on Youtube:
When we think of live music these days, its hard to not rank Big Gigantic as one of the growing greats.”We’re always just trying to learn from where we were at, from what we’ve done, and really try to push the envelope” expounds Big Gigantic producer and saxophonist Dominic Lalli, “Getting better, getting bigger, we’re definitely in that business.” Performing on a level that rivals any touring group in music today, Big Gigantic has gotten in the habit of doing things huge. On the front-end of their Winter Tour 2013, Dominic and drummer, Jeremy Salken are prepping for the biggest Big Gigantic tour yet. We had a minute to catch up with Dom yesterday and posted our phone Q&A below.
The Big Gigantic Winter Tour 2013 kicked off last week with a handful of dates in the south with support from trill twins Two Fresh. The tour features a brand new stage design that is bigger, badder, and better than anything you have seen from Big Gigantic before. With thirty stops on the tour, there is so much to look forward to. “We’re playing some awesome venues that we’ve never gotten to headline”, Dom excitedly explains, “We’re going to lots of places we really love to go too. It’s cool to be back in a lot of these cities”. The tour continues with support from Kill Paris, Manic Focus, and HeRobust on select dates.
We are also excited to hear that Big Gigantic is planning on releasing a new album come Fall. Dom tells us about keeping his production levels high on the road, “I’m always trying to figure out how to become more efficient. All I’m doing is working on music the whole time on this tour.” he explains. We are thankful for that and can’t wait to hear what the dynamic duo have in store for their fifth album. For now we can be sure to sneak some previews of the new tunes on this tour.
You can catch Big Gigantic on any of the Winter Tour 2013 stops. Big G rolls into Michigan this Friday, February 8th for a sold out performance at The Orbit Room in Grand Rapids followed by a huge show on Saturday, February 9th at Royal Oak Music Theater in Royal Oak. Get your tickets now because you definitely do not want to be left out. “This tour is turning out to be the best tour ever,” Dom proudly boasts and we look forward to being able to attest to that!
WIN TICKETS TO SEE BIG GIGANTIC IN MICHIGAN:
Watch Last Year’s Curated Conversation Vol. 3 with Big Gigantic on Youtube:
There are some up-and-coming producers that stand out as that special gems in the pile of jewels. Manic Focus seems to be one of those gems. We have been fans and friends of Minnesota born/Chicago based producer since we first discovered his music just a couple short years ago. Since then, Manic Focus has been proving to the world why he is the next big bass producer. With two original albums, a remix compilation, and a huge catalog of singles under his belt (all for FREE DL), Manic Focus is a slave to the music. Whether it’s hiding in the studio or spending weeks at a time on the road, the madman won’t stop.
Coming off a huge NYE show with Big Gigantic & GRiZ in Chicago plus a few dates with Future Rock in the Midwest, MF is well rehearsed on putting the show on the road. Manic focus is now gearing up for a dozen dates on the Big G Winter Tour. In honor of the tour, Team MF released a smooth promo video that features a brand new track from the genre defying producer entitled “Free Man” that can be heard on the road and will be on the upcoming EP from the bass master. With all of this excitement in the world of Manic Focus, Curated Music found it fit to catch up with the young gun. You can read the interview below:
Curated Music: Your sounds reach a multitude of genres. How do you decide what type of track you are going to produce? Manic Focus: It really depends on my mood and life experiences. I made We Won’t Land at a time when I didn’t have a lot of gigs and several of the gigs that I did have got cancelled due to crappy promoters. Many people told me that I shouldn’t quit, so I put those emotions into the track. When it comes to remixes, I usually like remixing tracks that my friends suggest. The Mad World remix was my friend Ryan’s idea. I had started working on it in the fall of 2010 but then lost interest in working on it, and Ryan bugged me for months to finish it. I’m glad he did, it turned out nicely.
CM: Are there any specific artists that influence the Manic Focus sound? MF: Moby’s Play album was what really got me into making beats when I was a kid. The Crystal Method was also a big influence. I was a huge hip-hop head too, and grew up listening to Atmosphere, Brother Ali, Eyedea and Abilities….pretty much the whole Rhymesayers label. Today, my main influences are Pretty Lights, GRiZ, Big Gigantic, Bassnectar, Gramatik….too many to name actually. The whole EDM scene is very inspiring.
CM: We are huge fans of your remixes (Red Hot Chili Peppers, MIA, Umphrey’s McGee, an official Rebelution). What makes a specific track or artist more or less appealing to remix to you? MF: While a lot of my remixes come from my friend’s suggestions, the four you listed came about in many different ways. I usually like remixing tracks that have an official a cappella, like Dani California and Bad Girls. The Umphrey’s remix came about from a contest I entered over a year ago, and Umphrey’s provided the stems to the track. My friend Emily hooked up the stems for Rebelution. Basically, if there are stems or a capellas, I’m usually down to remix the track. I won’t remix Katy Perry though.
CM: You are an accomplished instrumentalists. What instruments do you play and have they ever been featured in a Manic Focus track? MF: Piano is my instrument. I can’t play everything I compose, but more often than not if you hear a piano or an organ, that’s me jamming on the track. I play the strings and synth lines on my keyboard too.
CM: You deffinetly have dedicated fans. How do you stay connected with them? How can they stay connected with you? MF: I try to stay connected to my fans by constantly releasing music. I definitely need to up my twitter game. Facebook is really the main way I stay connected with fans. I can also be contacted through my website.
CM: We have imagined you collaborating with a number of different artists. Will our dreams come true? MF: I sure hope so! I have yet to meet a lot of the guys I’d like to collab with, and the ones I have met seem to always be on the move, so there is very little time to socialize. I’m also very new to the scene and honestly feel like a bit of an outsider at the moment, but I have a feeling that will all change this year.
CM: 2012 was a big year for Manic Focus. You crushed Summer Set Music Festival, played a slew of dates with some other awesome artists, released a ton of amazing singles and remixes plus two albums, and ended 2012 with a huge show in Chicago for NYE with Big Gigantic and GRiZ. How do you plan to keep that high level of productivity up in 2013? MF: On NYE I asked Grant (GRiZ) for advice going into 2013, and he said “keep making music”, so I’ve been grinding hard to make as much music as I can. It can be tough to get in the zone sometimes, and its also easy to get burnt out on work, but listening to music while zoning out on Xbox surprisingly helps for coming up with ideas and refreshing my ears. I live a few blocks from Lake Michigan, so I’ll walk there on occasion to clear my head. I stumble a lot too. As much as I try to make deadlines for myself to finish tracks, rushing the creative process is usually a bad thing. It has to flow naturally. When inspiration strikes, I can get my ideas down pretty quickly. I’ve been putting a lot of pressure on myself to make bigger and better tracks, but I think I’ll be releasing some simpler beats in the near future just so I don’t get too strung out.
CM: You are joining Big Gigantic on a dozen dates next month, are you excited? MF: Hell yea! Its gonna be nuts!
CM: We heard you have some awesome news on the business end of Team Manic Focus. Can you leak anything to your fans yet? MF: 2013 will be crazy. I’ll be playing a lot more shows, and I can’t wait for festy season.
CM: What would be your dream studio setup? MF: Most of my studio is in my laptop, so other than a crazy beast of a laptop, I’d want some place with a awesome view and a mic facing the view so any singers or emcees I’d work with could take in the awesome view while recording.
CM: What equipment are you using in the studio and on stage now? MF: I mainly use an MPK49 and an APC40 to control Ableton and a bunch of plugins, but I’ve got an MPC1000, a KP3, and a bunch of other noise making/warping devices. On stage I’m currently using just my laptop and APC40, mainly because setup and takedown is easy, and it fits in my backpack. I’ve definitely got some tricks in the bag for down the line.
CM: What was your best memory of 2012? MF: The whole year was amazing, but NYE at the Aragon was surreal.
CM: What message is Manic Focus sending out to fans? MF: It doesn’t matter what religious, political, or social views you have, everyone gets down to Chumbawumba. I’ve seen it. Its ridiculous.
CM: Thanks brother! MF: Thanks for the interview! Download the music for free at manicfocus.com
Watch Manic Focus – Winter Tour 2013 with Big Gigantic Promo Video on YouTube:
About 15 minutes ago, Pete Tong took to his Facebook page to announce that Daft Punk will be joining him on the airwaves for this Friday’s edition of his BBC Radio One show. We are not quite clear on the details of the show but we do know that if it is anything like their last BBC visit in 97′ where they recorded their infamous essential mix, we will be in store for a treat. We can hopefully expect to hear some exclusive listens of their upcoming album Random Access Memories and for that we will be sure to stay tuned to our radios come this Friday night at 9 pm.
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