Category Archives: Trance

For the first time in years, Joe Mount is a very busy man again. After dialling his number, were met with a customary beep! Hi! This is Joe. Leave a message and I may or may not get back to you. Its the day after Metronomy have dropped their seventh studio album Small World, and hes in the thick of celebrations, loading into a venue in his hometown of Totnes for a release show.

When Mount does get back to NME, hes crackling with a warm, excitable energy: Were playing at The Civic Hall in the centre of town. Its quite charming; it must have been built in the 60s or something. We were at Rough Trade [in east London] yesterday and then we slept on the bus for the first time in two years and then woke up on an industrial estate back home. A lovely start!

Its a routine hes simply getting reacquainted with. Metronomy have always proved an unwavering live force as a fixture on British festival bills, pulling their brilliant and offbeat electronica forward with each album, never losing sight of their sense of youthfulness and invention. Is it strange being back given the pandemic held them away for a while? Its not weird being back in venues, the frontman replies. The odd thing is that its been such a long time. Its noticing that you feel a bit older, I guess. Its really fun. I think Im pleasantly surprised by how excited I am.

I think Im always just relieved that people are still interested [in our band]. It feels like the longer you do it, the more impressive it is that people are willing to humour me.

He neednt have been worried. Small World is an album brimming with the confidence and spritely energy weve come to love the five-piece for over the years, but its not exactly the Devonshire band as we know them. This time, Mounts songwriting thrives as intimate acoustic pop dealing with matters of love, life and the passing of time, without their glossy-floor filling beats.

He says Small World is something of an antidote to their adventurous and epic predecessor 2019s Metronomy Forever: I thought it would be nice to make something much more concise and focused. I think for me there was something slightly fun about trying to make a Nashville Metronomy record, a grown-up record, so I thought that would be quite eclectic to be, like, were taking ourselves seriously all of a sudden.

Its a testament to the bands sense of youthfulness that theyve finally penned their growing up album approaching 20 years into their career. He says that sense of adventure has been central to their longevity: Its entertainment and you can have fun with it. At this point in our career, you dont have to stay in your lane, you can enjoy the freedom that youve got. I realised I could make a record like this and then the next one could be psy-trance.

The change in gear didnt come out of the blue, though. Mount relocated to the countryside with his wife and two kids a few years before the pandemic struck, and this offered space to enjoy lifes simple pleasures away from touring schedules. Its a factor that flows wholly through the record notably on the radiant good to be back, when the glitchy bop opens up and Mount accepts: Yeah, I see the world / But sometimes not whats right in front of me.

Today he explains: I already wanted to write more about myself what I feel and then the pandemic happened and it clicked with what I was already thinking and feeling. He pauses, before pondering on the sacrifices of being a musician: You end up for long periods of time away from your family so when youre suddenly presented with two years of time at home its really unusual, which is quite sad. I remember saying to my fianc: We have to enjoy this, because it will never happen again. So from the word go it was not lost on me that it was a really unusual situation.

One of the records many highlights in the form of the dizzying and romantic Hold Me Tonight, a duet with Porridge Radios Dana Morgalin, who offers grungy and heartfelt vocals that summon all the passion and uncertainty of an early romance: And I dont know who Ill talk to / I dont know who Ill cry to / And I dont know what Ill do / Instead of loving you.

Mount says that collaboration is vital in keeping their flame alive: When youre lucky enough to have been doing it for this amount of time, you dont want to forget that early excitement. Every time I work with a newer act you can feel that and feed off it like a vampire. He chuckles before acknowledging the age gap between himself in his late 30s and bands nearly half his age: That distance creeps up on you and you realise that theres quite a big gap.

Does it bring about nostalgia of when he was a fresh faced artist starting out? Absolutely, he says. Its like when you watch interviews with old bands and they say, Oh, I remember when we were driving around in that little van. Its because you never forget and I think the people the reason always go on about it is because its the most exciting time in your career. Its great to work with someone who is so open-minded about everything; its refreshing and inspiring.

metronomy have done a fair share of looking back on their own breakthrough days in recent times, with their classic albums Nights Out and The English Riviera receiving 10-year anniversary treatments. Mount says its good to take stock of the journey so far: Every time I put out a record I go down a bit of a rabbit hole. Sometimes Ill try to find an ancient interview, watch it and see what I said and whether Ive done what I said I would.

Well, has he? I do feel very proud and happy, he admits. We were a young band 10 years ago and you realise there was this potential to develop into what we are now. Its like, What kind of musician will I be for the next 10 years? Its rewarding to stop and reflect. Its quite a nice position to be in because there are people who are still interested to find out what comes next. Having a 10-year anniversary of a record kind of just reminds everyone that theyre 10 years older, as far as Im concerned. Its not just me; its the people that listen to it as well.

At this point in our career, we dont have to stay in our lane. The next record could be psy-trance

Joe Mount every right to be proud: few buzzy bands who emerged in the late 00s have seen it out and continue to make some of their best work. Hes proud of that in itself: There are obviously a lot of bands that come and go but that is a part of the deal as well. Some bands are only meant to exist for maybe one youthful, exciting record theres room for everything, I guess. I think what I will always enjoy is that we were never at the beginning heralded as the ones that would get that far; I like the idea that we stealthily did it in our own way.

So whats next for the band? Theyve headlined Glastonburys John Peel Stage and have a show packed summer on the horizon, including a slot headline at Green Man in the Brecon Beacons. Im not sure whats left to tick off, Mount reflects. Most of us are going to be in our 40s soon, so its like, Oh, what landmarks are on the horizon?

Metronomy. Credit: Alex Lambert

NME suggests theres always time for a slot on the Pyramid Stage. Mount laughs: I will give you a million pounds if we do the Pyramid, and actually I cant give you that amount of money Ill give you a hundred.

Well take our chances on that bet. Metronomy have climbed the hill in their own weird and wonderful way. If they continue to do so, nothing is out of the question.

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Indie survivors Metronomy: "I like the idea that we stealthily succeeded in our own way - NME.com

Alai K grew up surrounded by the traditional music of Kenya, soaking up ancestral songs and rhythms passed on by his father and great grandmother, both professional musicians, while nurturing a reverence for the ritualistic power of music that he believes transcends borders both geographical and cultural.

Years later, formative experiences in the clubs of Berlin led Alai to draw parallels between those traditional rhythms and the hypnotic 4/4 pulse of contemporary techno. I love techno and believe that African drums influenced the percussion and programming," he says.

"lts coming from the same place; with both you get extended periods with no chorus or verse, just occasional chanted or chopped vocals. In Africa people play drums and dance for hours, which is the same experience as western electronic music."

On his latest release, Kila Mara, Alai joins the dots between the feverish techno of Jeff Mills and DJ Bone and the music that he grew up with: Giriama music, Taarab music, polyrhythmic patterns from across Mozambique, Malawi and Mombasa. I want to express the patterns of electronica, but not necessarily by making straight techno." he says of his ambitions for the project.

"Its magic how repetition can drive dancers into a trance-like state, but my structures are less rigid; theyre not confined to 8 or 16 bars, for example. I want to express the feeling of techno, but bring something new, from somewhere else. Drums are spiritual however theyre used.

When did you start making music, and how did you first get started?

Ive been making music since 1995. I started in Kenya, with a group called Ukoo Flani - they were the first hip-hop group in Kenya. I was rapping, and singing with the group. Some years later, I started playing music live with the band, composing my own songs and touring, playing festivals.

We were working with different producers, different studios, but the end product wasnt the way I like it. Many of the producers in Kenya, theyre the type to just give you a beat, and youll write lyrics on top - that wasnt really my thing. Every time I was going to the studio I was missing something.

It shouldnt be that techno music is played only with machines - this gets boring sometimes, just going to the club and DJing. I want to play this music live

The Goethe-Institut started a project called BLNRB, where they brought some German producers to Nairobi, artists like Modeselektor, Teichmann and Jahcoozi.

"They set up studios in a townhouse and invited all these artists from Germany to work with Kenyan artists, including my hip-hop group, and this really opened my mind to music production. After that, I started producing my own music, and its been about seven or eight years now.

Talk to us about your new album - what inspired this project?

I moved here to Germany, and I was alone here. I always make music with other people, so I didnt know what to do. I went to the clubs to find out whats really needed, whats not there, you know?

"I have a friend in Hamburg who is Kenyan, Izo Anyanga, hes a percussionist. I was visiting him, and we started jamming and doing some small recordings. We invited another guy, Chalo T, and started recording in Hamburg, recording session after session then coming back to Berlin to work on them, translate them and try to bring out something different, something that is coming from my heart.

Living in Berlin, did you find the music thats prevalent there seeping into your own work? Was that an influence?

On some tracks, yes, they really influenced me. Not so much on this album - I have a new album Im working on, Disco Vumbi Vol. 3. This is only inspiration from Berlin, club music, discotheque music. Kila Mara is mostly inspired by traditional music, trying to bring my traditional music into electronic and give it a new look.

When I came here for the project with the Goethe-Institut, I went to so many clubs here. All the clubs were only playing techno music - I was dancing, and they would give me a microphone to jam with them, you know?

"Every time I listen to techno it reminds me of spiritual music, tribal music, like its done in Africa. This is our style, before classical music came, it was more just patterns, rhythmic patterns. This is how I see techno myself, and every time I listen to techno I hear these patterns.

Music from Mijikenda, Giriama music, Taarab music, this is whats influenced me

I said, okay, why is there only beats in techno? Why are there no patterns for vocals? This was my idea, having these repetitive vocals. Chorus after chorus, not chorus then verse then chorus, and so on. This is my way of trying to bring something new - I dont know if its going to work, but I feel like it should be done.

"It shouldnt be that techno music is played only with machines - this gets boring sometimes, just going to the club and DJing. I want to play this music live, people should experience this music live, with drums and vocals and electronic sounds.

Tell us about your studio/set-up.

I have a home set-up. Mostly Im using my Maschine, and Ableton. I use this studio mostly for creating and arrangement. I go to another studio, in a youth centre - this is where I make most of my productions, because I can make noise, I can sing loud.

"At home its just small arrangements, always using my headphones. All my arrangements I do at home, and all my mixdowns I do at home. But all the live recordings, vocals and everything, I do in the other studio.

So the track ideas are mostly starting in a live context, then youre laying them down in the DAW?

Yes, the whole of Kila Mara - every track started live, nothing was started on the computer. Percussion, marimba, kalimba, sometimes vocals, this is how all the tracks were started.

Are you mixing the live, recorded percussion with software instruments or samples?

It depends. The next album, Disco Vumbi Vol. 3, is me playing electronic percussion, then recording vocals. I make beats out of feelings. I start with an idea of what I want, and maybe some vocals, I repeat the vocals, record them, chop it up and make a beat out of it. But with Kila Mara, everything was jamming, everything started live.

Were there any tracks or artists that were particularly influential on the new record?

Its not so much influenced by other artists, but more influenced by traditional music from Kenya. Music from Mijikenda, Giriama music, Taarab music, this is whats influenced me.

"Its music I listened to when I was young, nobodys giving a damn about it - people think its too traditional, they say we are young, why should we listen to this kind of music? So I want to approach this music in a new way, so the young generation can listen to it, and the older generation can still enjoy it.

My great grandmother from Malawi, she was a writer and a great singer too. I didnt meet her but when I was growing up, I had so many stories from my mother, and she would sing her songs. This is what inspired me, traditional music from my people.

Alai K's new album, Kila Mara, is out now via On The Corner Records.

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Alai K: "Every time I listen to techno it reminds me of spiritual music, tribal music, like it's done in Africa" - MusicRadar

ALBANY PARK The early Monday fire that tore through an apartment building and multiple businesses in Albany Park left people scrambling to find housing and owners and workers of the impacted companies trying to rebuild.

Multiple fundraisers are underway for the businesses, residents and even a skee-ball league impacted by the devastating extra-alarm fire, which is still under investigation. Heres how you can help:

The Christ Lutheran Church set up a GoFundMe to support residents of the apartment building displaced by the fire.

We hope to make contact with all residents of the building, so that we can support them in this difficult time, the church wrote on the page. We ask all Chicagoans to please contribute to help them recover as quickly as possible.

The 4335-39 N. Richmond St. apartment that caught fire had 21 apartments, though three were vacant. Residents had to evacuate, and although the city had the building might be saved, all of the residents were displaced.

Red Cross volunteers were on the scene Monday afternoon and are currently assisting ten people from ten apartments with temporary shelter and other accommodations, spokeswoman Holly Baker said.

Imagine losing everything in a matter of moments your house, your car, your clothes, everything, Baker said. In the middle of the night there were people standing on their sidewalk, in their pajamas, wondering What do I do now?

Ald. Rossana Rodriguez (33th) tweeted the fundraiser and said Monday her office is reaching out to our neighbors to provide assistance.

As of Wednesday morning the GoFundMe has raised more than $9,000.

One of the businesses decimated by the fire was Twisted Hippo Brewery. Its three-year-old taproom and the adjoining brewery were destroyed. The building will need to be demolished because of massive damage.

The Chicago area craft beer community immediately jumped into action to raise money to help the workers and the business. Mikerphone Brewing in Elk Grove Village launched a GoFundMe to support Twisted Hippo, and scores of other breweries pitched in.

By Wednesday morning, more than $137,000 was raised from more than 1,600 donors, including customers and fans of the brewery.

Its what Chicago breweries do, said John Carruthers, communications manager at Revolution Brewing, which contributed $1,000. Its owner Josh Deth, also gave $1,000. Its one thing to say lets all be friends and have a beer, its another to really step up financially.

The other business destroyed was Ultimate Ninjas Gym, which sat adjacent to Twisted Hippo.

Melissa Rogers, a coach at Ultimate Ninjas Naperville, set up a GoFundMe to support the sister location in Chicago with business expenses, salaries for managers and trainers and funds for part-time staff not covered by insurance. As of Wednesday morning it has raised over $33,000.

Professional ninja gyms featuring obstacle courses from warped walls to rope climbs took off in the U.S. following the success of the American Ninja Warrior TV show, Rogers said. Ultimate Ninjas are one of the OGs, and ninja gyms across the country have sent in donations.

Its a unique community, and a very fast growing sport, Rogers said. Ninja is about overcoming obstacles. This was an obstacle we never thought wed have to overcome, but if there is any sport that teaches you about overcoming obstacles, it is ninja.

Ultimate Ninjas four locations in the Chicagoland area each have elite youth teams that practice together, travel to tournaments and battle for bragging rights in their own competitions. Derrick Pizza Ninja Pavoni, who appeared on American Ninja Warrior three times and coaches at Ultimate Ninjas Chicago, took his kids to the Glenview location on Monday night to grieve with their fellow ninjas.

So they could feel what they needed to feel together as a group, if that was talking to one of the coaches, reliving the memories, or just honestly goofing off on the obstacles, Pavoni said. For the kids who have been around since the beginning, this is a really big loss. They literally grew up at the gym.

Rogers said her daughter, 10 year-old Cecily who goes by her ninja name Lil Beast, was moved to support the cause.

It was past her bedtime, and she came to my room and was trying to figure out how to put a little fundraiser together on TikTok, Rogers said. She did a sweet little post about how ninja is her life and how this happened to her friends, and she wants to be able to help.

https://vm.tiktok.com/TTPdS2rx61/

For over 10 years, Mike Fraser supported himself by running competitive skee-ball leagues at bars across Chicago. Last summer he partnered with Twisted Hippo to host a league and lugged over three of his vintage Beer Ball machines, an offshoot of Skee-Ball with unique wooden finishes.

On Monday morning, he rushed to the scene of the fire with his 35-week pregnant wife, made a beeline past caution tape, firefighters and news reporters to the site of the Beer Ball machines. They were ash and rumble.

I was in a trance, Fraser said. Skee-Ball is my livelihood and my passion.

Frasers league at Twisted Hippo is currently in the middle of its season with 18 teams and 65 rollers. The last two Beer Ball machines ever manufactured were lost in the fire. If he can track down others, they cost about $6,900 each.

The top-scoring player in the Twisted Hippo league, James The Shark Schwark, set up a GoFundMe to help Fraser replace the machines. As of Wednesday morning it has raised over $17,000. Other leagues across the country rolled in donations.

Fraser called the support bananas and thinks Schwark just really wants to win the league.

Everyone is joining together in unification over Skee-Ball. Which is just really cool, Fraser said. Ive cried more in the past couple days than I care to admit, and every now and then you see the funds rolling in, you see that so many people care enough to help support my dream.

The Twisted Hippo league will not miss a beat and plans to resume play at Glascotts Saloon, 2158 N. Halsted St, at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Fraser said the league hasnt lost a single roller.

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Here's How To Help Albany Park Neighbors And Businesses Trying To Rebuild After Devastating Fire - Block Club Chicago

The production powerhouse that is Terry Golden has cut a reputation for himself over the last year on the back of a relentless release schedule of heavyweight main room records that have earned him the respect of industry peers, DJs, fellow Producers and a string of record labels that have been proud to add him to their ranks. Into 2022 it seems like Terry has only one thing in mind global domination. With more releases that are keeping up this incredible release frequency and his Art of Rave weekly radio show growing exponentially to the point of now broadcasting on over 40 global radio stations every week, theres only one direction of travel for Terry and that is very much up the ladder of the industry.

Final is vintage Terry Golden in every sense of the word. Its bold, unforgiving, euphoric and devilishly tasty in the melodic and feel-good departments. After a hectic intro of slamming drums, synths and bass, Terry takes us back to the golden days of classic uplifting Trance with a stunning supersaw lead and breakdown that builds up into a frenzied crescendo before he unleashes the full power of Final. Shimmering higher end leads and mid-range melodics balance as a counterweight to the forceful sub bass and kicks that engulf the low end of the frequency spectrum with an experts touch in mix and separation of instrumentation that only the top tier of Producers know how to achieve. The full stack of the production is crisp, clean and utterly powerful to listen to at volume and will no doubt be doing the damage on the airwaves and on dancefloors across the globe in the coming weeks and months.

We have given you all plenty of warning about the rise of Terry Golden over the last 12 months and were now seeing the fruits of labour materialise into serious success.

Final is out now on Undertake Records and is available on all good online dance music stores and streaming platforms.

Stream & Buy Online Now:https://mtxmusic.ampsuite.com/releases/links?id=299

Terry Golden Online:https://soundcloud.com/djterrygoldenhttps://www.instagram.com/djterrygolden/https://www.terrygolden.com/https://www.facebook.com/DJTerryGolden/

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Terry Golden Shows Off His Production Talent With Final - One EDM

Is it too much to call Egypt an everlasting source of inspiration, one that keeps creative minds brewing with revelations? We wouldnt say so. While on a trip to Cairo and Luxor, Istanbul-based Ukrainian designer Katerina Bielobrova was captivated by Ancient Egyptian architecture. They reminded her of the work of Italian surrealist painter Giorgio de Chirico, who founded the metaphysical art movement, compelling her to create these bright and colourful abstract illustrations titled The Scale.

I was observing the architecture of Hatshepsut and Karnak temples, and it felt surreal, Bielobrova, a member of the Association of Illustrators, tells #SceneHome. Their physical scale and perfection of shapes absorb the air and make you question if youre still on earth. She adapted the design elements of these iconic temples to Chiricos art which constantly featured architecture - akin to taking a lucid trip into the dreams of late 19th and early 20th century artists.

Recalling the visuals of her 2021 trip, Bielobrova played with perspectives and altered the scales of things. One of Karnak Temples main attractions are its great columns, a forest of 134 giant sandstone columns over 20 metre in height with blossoming papyrus capitals. Bielobrova decided to make this iconic scenery even more enormous by viewing it upwards, and scaling down the sun.

While Bielobrovas project was inspired by Chiricos art, she isnt alone. Chiricos paintings helped inspire books, music and even video games. Through the times, Chiricos work responded to art and architectural movements such as neo classical and neo-baroque styles, while always maintaining his metaphysical themes.

This metaphysical perspective played to Bielobrovas strengths. Self-proclaimed graphic designer by day and illustrator by night, Bielobrova focuses her work on posthumanism and modern society. Speculating human consciousness and its future, she paired the painters style of incorporating architecture into art with her exploration of compositions, shapes and spaces with eye-popping colours to create these rescaled illustrations of Egypts monuments.

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Fall in a Trance With These Abstract Artworks of Egyptian Monuments - CairoScene

Music lovers in the city flocked to Empress Botanical Garden last weekend to attend the Sufi and mystic music festival, Ruhaniyat. Hosting its 21st edition, the festival managed to transcend the audience to virtuosic paradise.From the exuberant performance of Gujarati bhajans by Hemant Chauhan and group, to mystical Baul songs by Bengal's Paravathy Baul, the crowd witnessed an array of diverse music from all across the country. "All the performances were thoroughly enjoyed by the audience and every artist received a standing ovation," said Sachin Mane, organiser. Other performers included Narayanji Dhongade, Mukhtiyar Ali and Hifzur Rehman , with their respective groups. Returning to the city after a span of two years, Ruhaniyat offered a musical blend of euphoric devotion and spirituality. Most importantly, the festival ensured that living traditions and unique aspects of intangible heritage were nurtured. "The response has always been fantastic and encouraging in Pune. However, it felt amazing to come back after two years to the city of music lovers," shared Sachin.All COVID-19 protocols were followed at the event. Wearing masks and temperature checks were mandatory. "Due to COVID protocols, we had to limit the audiences to 50 per cent. However, we were overwhelmed by the cheering and standing ovations received," added Sachin.The occasion was graced by many well-known names like Dinanath Kholkar, Milind Lakkad, Sacheen Ratnaparkhi, Phiroz Poonawala and Dr Tarita Shankar.

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Punekars transcended into a Sufi trance - Times of India

Since the very dawn of man and his beating of a primitive percussion instrumentarguably the first semblance of music he also likely nodded his head or tapped his ape-like foot in the artistic expression of dancing.

But music and dance don't always go together. Consider that classical music aficionados usually appreciate the symphony while seated in a chair.

On the whole, it's safe to say music as an art form has a connection and correlation with dance. Music can motivate humans to abandon themselves to their movements, as in "dance like no one is watching."

This week, Music Historicity's ongoing examination of various musical genres presents a discussion of EDM, or Electronic Dance Music.

Dance may not be a necessary element of music, but music surely is a needed element for the art form of dancing.

The 1984 historical comedy-drama "Amadeus" contains a memorable scene where the Emperor attends an opera rehearsal and sees actors dancing to no musical accompaniment. The odd sight causes the ruler to then nullify his own previous decree against ballet being permitted in operas.

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Music and dance are inextricably linked in numerous song examples such as The Twist, The Loco-Motion, The Humpty Dance, The Monster Mash, Le Freak, The Hustle and The Safety Dance.

The advent of the Moog synthesizer in the late 1960s boosted momentum for electronic popular music.

It was Wendy Carlos then known as Walter Carlos who, in 1968, released "Switched On Bach," a collection of 12 public domain tracks by the classical composer, as performed on a synthesizer keyboard.

The album rose to No. 10 on Billboard, won three Grammy awards and reached Platinum sales in 1986.

The use of synthesizers buoyed the development of a musical style that seemed well-suited for dancing --Disco. An early example can be heard in Donna Summers' "I Feel Love" and other similar dance hits.

The electronic side of synthesizer music is well known in the German band "Kraftwerk," whose self-titled 1970 debut album set an early standard for EDM. In 1975, a 3:28 abbreviated version of the original 22-minute-long title track from their fourth album, "Autobahn," reach No. 25 on the US Billboard charts.

Check out Kraftwerk's 1981 "Computer World" album, one of my favorites.

Originally from South Florida, Mark Potzler is a talented music professional who has years of experience as a club DJ.

"I have a problem with the tag 'EDM,'" Potzler recently told me. "Even though it's a catch-all phrase for electronic dance music, all electronic music isn't all about dancing. Kraftwerk, for example, is not necessarily dance music, but the band definitely is electronic."

His point is that electronic music and dancing are mutually exclusive concepts.

The start of the 1980s saw the emergence of different sub-genres of electronic music such as Synth-pop, House, Techno and Freestyle.

"When I was growing up, the popular style was called 'Techno,' which is what everything electronic was referred to as," Potzler said. "But now, Techno is its own genre and EDM is more specific. The point is, people have to realize that the term 'EDM' has evolved and now means so much more than it used to."

By the 1990s, more EDM sub-genres had become prominent, including Progressive House, Breakbeat and Trance --which in turn has its own sub-genres such as Progressive Trance, Tech Trance and Uplifting Trance.

Various sub-genres can be specified by the beats per minute, or bpm, of the drum or percussion track. For example, Trance music is generally 120-150 bpm. It's also characterized by the building of tension and electronic elements throughout the song, culminating with a release or "drop."

Some well-known Trance artists include Paul van Dyk, KLF, Art of Trance and Age of Love.

Moving into the 2000s, emerging EDM styles included Trap music, Dubstep and Electro House. Example artists are Lil' John, Oris Jay and Daft Punk, respectively.

"To me, Daft Punk is the modern day perfect production," Potzler said. "For the older generation who appreciate Steely Dan and their production quality, Daft Punk is the same way with quiet and gentle songs as well as some that are big and loud. The dynamics in their songs are just amazing --they're clean, rich and full."

Today, EDM festivals are held around the world, the largest in North America being the Electric Daisy Carnival. The three-day event is held in Las Vegas, in May, features dozens of DJs and is attended by well over 100,000 people per day.

If you want to buy a pass to all three days of EDC this year, it will cost you only $430.

As a DJ, Potzler realizes that playing recorded music at a club can be a performance not unlike that of a live band.

"It depends on my mood," he said. "As a DJ, you can influence everyone's mood by playing certain songs at a certain moment. As long (as) I sense that everybody on the dance floor likes a tune and can relate to it, they'll dance to it."

Potzler said his mood for playing music at a club can range from Hip Hop to Reggae to Rock music.

"I like the light-hearted, fun, party music, no matter what genre," he said. "I don't get deep into poetry. It's okay, but I don't want to have to think too deeply about lyrics because you'll lose me."

When he's driving in his car, on his way to work, Potzler plays "what some would consider workout music. Something fast-paced and exciting. 'Sun Came Up,' by Sofi Tukker, is not so much a story song as just an expression of a love of life.

"For the drive home at the end of the night, it I might be really tired and I need music to keep me awake. Or it could be that I'm so cranked up that I need some Chill music to bring me back down," he said.

An example of Chill music would be "You Wish," by Nightmares on Wax. Sirius XM has an entire music channel devoted to Chill.

"My favorite part about EDM is that producers and creators have been able to turn an otherwise boring song into something fun and danceable," Potzler summarized.

For your humble narrator, my EDM favorites include the aforementioned "Computer World" album by Kraftwerk, Major Lazer, Thievery Corporation and the first five Devo releases arguably not EDM, but heavy on the synthesizer.

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Music Historicity | Drop the beat: Electronic dance music covers a wide spectrum - The Southern

Plymouths very own trance record label, Cohesion Records are delivering their first event post lockdown at the popular night-time venue, The Depo.

This epic event will be bringing in former Radio 1 DJ and Dance Anthems founder, Dave Pearce alongside other local artists delivering a night to remember.

On Saturday, February 12, Dave will be playing a trance set, showcasing all the tracks that he has made household institutions to those who have heard him on Radio 1 over the years.

Read more: Footloose The Musical with Jake Quickenden bursts back onto Theatre Royal Plymouth stage

Dave has been prolific during lockdown with his livestreams attracting hundreds and thousands of viewers and last year his trance anthems album returned to the top spot in the Top Ten UK Dance Albums on Apple iTunes. He also is spreading airwaves with his globally syndicated radio show, Delirium .

Just this week both of his dance Anthems and trance anthems have reached the top 10 on the Official UK Dance Album Charts - so get your dancing shoes on.

This weekend he will be bringing his epic set to The Depo.

Cohesion records are a Plymouth-based record label and owners, Matt Edwards and Simon Mcann have both made their mark on the music scene- especially locally.

The duo has released music by numerous local artists such as Nick The Kid, Hakka, Kyle Pepper, Felicity Wiseman, James Lord, Evolving Sounds Audio and Sam White amongst others in the industry.

From there they've also played extensive prestigious gigs at events including Ministry Of Sound and bookings in Ireland, Ibiza and Thailand.

The local record label has had massive league support from Armin Van Buuren, Paul Van Dyk, Ferry Corsten and amongst others and Dave has signed one of the tracks called meltdown to his Whos Afraid of 138? label.

The Depo will welcome trace-lovers through the door this weekend and alongside Matt, Simon and Dave there will be Plymouths own Tommie Quick, Aiden Howard and Taz Dore.

A Cohesion Records own Racheal Shock, who is known as the duo in Brainbashers, will also be joining the set.

To buy tickets for the epic event at The Depo, you can see here .

You can stay up to date on the top news and events near you with PlymouthLive's FREE newsletters enter your email address at the top of the page or go here .

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Epic trance music DJ Dave Pearce performing at Plymouth club this Valentine's weekend - Plymouth Live

The Mark Morris Dance Group will visit Hancher Auditorium on Friday with their performance Pepperland, a tribute to The Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band album. It will be their first time in Iowa City in 25 years.

Dancers costumed in fluorescent 60s style suits move in a trance-like dance to reworked music from the Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. This is the Mark Morris Dance Groups Pepperland and theyll be at Hancher Auditorium on Friday, Feb. 18.

The esteemed Mark Morris Dance Group hasnt been to Iowa City in 25 years, and Chuck Swanson, Hanchers Executive Director, is excited for their return.

Mark Morris is a very important choreographer in the world today, he said. Weve really presented over the years [in the world of dance] some of the best, some of the finest, and so yes, its time that we do bring Mark Morris in.

Swanson said he is particularly excited for the Pepperland show because of its colorful aura and the celebration of familiar 60s music. Being able to remember when the album came out makes it even more special for him.

RELATED: Hancher director Chuck Swanson announces retirement

Company Director for the Mark Morris Dance Group, Sam Black, said that the group also looks forward to seeing Iowa City again, and experiencing Hancher for the first time.

None of the current dancers have ever performed with MMDG at the Hancher Auditorium before, Black wrote in an email to The Daily Iowan. Weve heard wonderful things about the new theater, and cant wait to see it in person and perform there.

The city of Liverpool asked Mark Morris, founder of the Mark Morris Dance Center and choreographer of Pepperland, to create the production for the 50th anniversary of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band in 2017. The group has regularly performed the piece ever since.

Morris said that when he was approached, he found the idea for this type of tribute crazy and good, which is why he decided to do it.

Both Morris and Black said that they look forward to being able to tour around the country again, and particularly getting to share Pepperland with a wider audience.

I would like people to leave the performance feeling like theyve had just enough, and they adored it, and they want to go have a drink and talk about what a wonderful time they had together, Morris wrote in an email to the DI.

Pepperland was scored by composer Ethan Iverson, specifically inspired by The Beatles songs Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, With a Little Help From My Friends, A Day in the Life, When Im Sixty-Four, Within You Without You, and Penny Lane.

Iverson has a long history with Morris, including being his music director for five years. He was also in a jazz group called The Bad Plus, which he said gave him experience reworking rock music.

When Morris asked him to write the music for Pepperland, Iverson said he recalls heading to an old friends house, listening to the original record while holding the cardboard cover in his hands, and calling Morris back to say, I can do it.

Pop music often has an underlying dark side as opposed to the original sound, Iverson said. His reworked version of With A Little Help From My Friends in Pepperland has some unexpected starts and stops through the music, as well as a wrong baseline, composed specifically with Morris choreography style in mind.

There are way too many Beatles tributes out there, in fact since we launched Pepperland there is even more than before, Iverson wrote in an email to the DI. However, there is still room to do something unexpected and valid if you know how to look.

Link:

Beatles tribute 'Pepperland' to hit Hancher stage - UI The Daily Iowan

Courtesy: Olivia Parks

From the six-year-old in a fabric Speedo cap with goggles too big for her face and the woman she became we bid you goodnight, swimming. You watched my first belly-flop dive transform into the final stroke of my career. Now, after fifteen years, cheers to alarms set before dawn for hesitant leaps into frigid pools. Obsessing over the clock, down to the very hundredth of a second. Moments of helplessly laying on deck, staring up at the sky with legs dangling over the pools edge in a desperate attempt to gasp for air. The crawl to class from exhaustion and seemingly permanent soreness. The stench of chlorine seeping through pores to the chagrin of fellow classmates. Perpetually raccooned eyes from goggle burn. And, the ever-so classic rejection of plans: Sorry I cant, I have practice.

Helplessly in love with you from the age of six, you are the life I chose. Dedicating not only my body to you, but my heart and soul. Hours, days, and years devoted to staring at that incessant black line. Asserting my entire existence into training with a hypoxic gaze. Nevertheless, nothing about you is simple. Among the many wins, I have had my fair share of losses. The highly anticipated last lap, hitting the wall, then checking the scoreboard . . . only to be flooded by utter devastation. All I can say to this is: there has never been and will never be a boy who can break my heart like you. There have been months in which you were my greatest enemy. Still, in a chlorine trance, I came back.

In spending my youth perpetually chasing down endless lane-lines, I proudly look back with no regrets. For fifteen years, I have relied on you for structure, confidence, and friendships. Before and after school, with absolute consistency, there you were: waiting for me. Of everything youve done for me, you introduced me to my teammates and coaches: the people I love. Because of you, I have been fortunate enough to work with Coach Marko Djordjevic, Coach David Marsh, Coach Joey Gracia, and Coach Kirk Kumbier who have made monumental impacts on my life on and off the deck. Most of all, you led me to Coach Abi Liu and her partner KR Liu. No words can describe the influence these two women have had on me. All I can do is strive to live by their example every day. These are the people who made every grueling set, post-race heartache, and the all-encompassing hardships of life worthwhile. For that, I am forever grateful.

However, in the last three years, the dream of completing my career of you became more like a memory. Dealing with the following matters since high school, you were still by my side. Despite a panic attack disorder, severe depression and anxiety, the trials and tribulations of psychiatric medications, and an eating disorder that landed me in an outpatient program, I clung to you for dear life.

In the wee morning hours before UCSD left for the 2019 Division II NCAA Championship, I laid helpless in an Urgent Care bed at 3 a.m. Amidst one of the best seasons of my career, there I was: hyperventilating and trembling from a vicious panic attack. Unfortunately, this wouldnt the only time I end up here. Come 5 a.m., a few hours prior to our flight to Indiana, I was discharged. Some may think the pressure of you induced this episode; but its impossible to blame the genetic inevitable. Completely exhausted and drained, I got on that plane by 8 a.m., motivated by the desire to compete for the team I love. Two days later, I stood alongside three other teammates on the second place podium for the 200 Medley relay; I became an All-American athlete that day. As I received my trophy, the same question Ive asked for years looped through my mind: What is wrong with me?

The priority of you got me up in the morning, forcing me to seek treatment and hold myself accountable. Regardless, uncontrolled galactic highs and profound lows persistently cycled without definitive reason. What is wrong with me? continued to play on repeat. Just five months shy of the final victory lap of my career, we sat side-by-side in silence, listening and processing my clinical diagnosis of bipolar disorder. The dream of you began to slip away faster than ever. Feeling isolated and ashamed, the unconditional love of family, coaches, and teammates overpowered those initial thoughts. To everyone reading this, its okay to not be to okay. Being an athlete, in any sport, is so difficult even without lifes afflictions or curveballs. That being said, embrace asking for help and please, hold yourself as the priority. Jordan Phillips team captain, my roomie of four years, and ultimate best friend gifted me my dearest memory of you after my last practice. Still in the pool, Jordan told my weepy self to follow her. Confused as ever, I obliged and stared at her as she settled underwater in a corner of Triton Pool. Then, she pointed out beyond my gaze. When I turned around, there it was, simple, symmetrical, and stunning: an empty 25 yard by 50-meter pool. We sat there on the bottom, silently admiring how this concrete hole has given us a world of possibilities. By the hand of circumstances we would have never fathomed nor predicated, this unexpected version of my finish line was met at UCSDs Senior Day. After everything, I decided not to compete. Instead, I celebrated our decade and a half of memories together. If anything, this is my final race; the embodiment of all of the chlorine burn, sweat, and tears leading up to this moment. Even after my tan-lines fade, the athlete mindset youve ingrained in me has changed my narrative: this disorder isnt a hindrance, just another challenge to overcome.

Despite the titles, school records, and awards that accumulated in my athletic portfolio over the years, none of them compare to the opportunity Coach David Marsh and Coach Joey Gracia granted me: the ability to give back to you. Coaching the kids of Coronado Swim Team Elite has completely reshaped not only how I see you, but myself. Being around younger athletes as one who has just finished her career spins a fresh outlook on what it means to be a young person in a sport like you. Resonating with their excitement, joys, and silliness is reminiscent of how I was at that age: the possibilities unlimited and the need for speed boundless. Without you, I would have never met them: my little heroes. Therefore, I am most thankful, rather unmeasurably grateful, for this aspect of you.

I say good night, because Ill see you in the morning. I wont be putting on a cap and goggles tomorrow but the qualities you have forged will follow me for life. Such as a permanent internal clock doomed to consider 7:00 a.m. as sleeping-in on a Sunday morning. The certainty to give 110% to expectations or tasks in any future career. Understanding how to allocate time wisely. How else would balancing coaching, being a full-time scholar-athlete at UCSD, and somewhat of a social life be possible? Although at times met with absolute disdain, appreciating a body that has allowed me to achieve goals I once considered impossible. Looking back at everything I have done and been through; then confidently looking forward to everything I will do.

With that, goodnight from my six-year-old self in the fabric Speedo cap and goggles too big for my face and the woman I am now. After everything weve been through, I owe it all to you.

Thank you; I love you.

More:

"Goodnight, Swimming": A Retirement Letter To The Sport - SwimSwam