sQuare productions

Change your pitch up

2006-05-05T00:50:00.000-04:00

The new site is here:

JFF PFM and SiC

2006-04-18T00:39:00.000-04:00

Funny how things work. This Thursday, we have a special guest at the club night we co-host, called Make It New (a name inspired by Ezra Pound, fwiw) and he was reviewed in hipsterati music site Pitchfork Media just this morning.

James is an industry friend (meaning we met him at conventions and so forth) who's turned into a better friend, and, more importantly, a nationally-known DJ. And I'm going to try to open for him. Here we go.

We'll use the opportunity to promote the film a little bit (naturally) and keep the interest up in electronic music in general. It may not be an entire coincidence that PFM and sQuare linked up, being that I used to write for them early on (visit some pretty awful early reviews here) and our co-producer writes for them. More likely, though, is that PFM is just a stand-up organization.

They are fast becoming the first stop for industry cats and music heads worldwide, and have done a brilliant job maintaining independence and thier enthusiasm for electronic music. That they have Dominik Eulberg and Koln's own Ada playing their music festival is awesome enough, but they also give careful consideration to a lot of the music that's in our film. Long live Pitchfork.

We have plenty of screen shots of our investor DVD forthcoming, as it turns out. Director Grill has set up an edit suite in the dining room and the more footage we log and splice together (over 120 hours at this point) the more it's clear the film is about people and a desire to see things change through independent means.

James is independent, so is Mutek, Bunker, Forced Exposure and the others who have made it to the edit screen. They're all so well-intentioned and unique it makes for good footage, and apparently our initial investors agree.

As we prepare for the rest of the shoots this year, songs jump out as relevant, true and nourishing. One such track comes from a recent compilation of the Hacienda club, perhaps the greatest club of all time. The inclusionary, deliberate sound and look of the night still remains a standard for every dance party that's thrown. The final track on the 3CD set (it's a brilliant set, btw) is Candi Staton's gospel-tinged, deep electrohouse anthem "You Got the Love".

There's no denying that the dedication some people have to dance music borders on the religious, and the song sums up the pinpoint strife of maintaining in a world where you think nothing you do matters.

The Source - "You Got the Love (with Candi Staton)"

The new electronic underground is soulful, determined and full of enthusiasm -- especially when enthusiasm might be all you got.

In the Good Life

2006-04-11T00:11:00.000-04:00

Our ambient night happens again tomorrow, sort of snuck up on us, but it's pretty clever. We get a lamp, some lovely projections (last time it was all moon landings and ocean life) and play some of the finest ambient music we have. It's hosted by myself and Billy Kiely (aka UFO) one of the gentlemen of Boston. He's also the head of sales over at my day job.

It's a relaxing good time.

As for the film we're making (Speaking in Code), we're considering changing the subtitle from "Stories from the New Electronic Underground" to "Adventures in the New Electronic Underground" to give it an added jolt. It really is a series of adventures.

Also, as I write, our director/producer is in the other room cutting together a series of "magic moments" to provide our potential/current investors. These moments represent best the characters and segments of this new worldwide scene. A scene which includes tiny labels like Unlockedgroove and brilliant cottage empires like Kompakt as well as parties like the M3 Summit, and so forth. We'll post them as they go through the process.

In Boston, we're also curating Free the DJ on Wednesdays and have Make It New this Thursday with Kiely and Pearson on the decks, and next Thursday, special guest DJ James Friedman. A lot of which we are promoting via My Space, a site which has taken on a kind of undeniable, if apocalypic, momentum.

Which isn't to say we're losing site of the music. Today I heard a 3CD set from the Hacienda, a famous Manchester club, and was reminded of "Good Life" from Inner City -- a duo founded by Kevin Saunderson, one of the legends we mentioned in the previous post. "Good Life" is what we might call an ATC or, All Time Classic.

Our DJ at ZuZu this Wednesday has a residency at the Good Life club in Boston. It ties together, then, with our ambient night. Here's a fab acoustic mix, from one of those ubiquitous Ibiza chill-out comps. This mix is quite pleasant, though, and the genius of Paris Grey's vocal maintains. Inner City is a group whose status endures as the techno community ages.

Inner City - "Good Life (Acoustic Mix)"

And now I think -- we get some sleep.

Detroit Don Juan

2006-04-05T01:03:00.000-04:00

There is the kind of electronic music that cashes in pretty quickly, and the kind that endures for decades. We know about the scene that is cashing in (Paul Oakenfold played Boston tonight, fwiw) and the Detroit originators have legendary screen time, but where is this new indie scene?

One of the biggest stories of the year has been the handing of the old-school DEMF festival over to the new crop of minimal funkeers known as Paxahau.

The festival, usually sponsored by Ford, will take on a new perspective under these guys, focused more outside of the US than inside. How many internationalists can fit into Detroit? Can the city re-define its sound again? Detroit has long been home to some of the best music in America (Motown, Madonna, Iggy Pop, MC5, Techno, etc., etc.) and it will host quite the group of new indie techno elite.

Of course, we think this is pretty astounding (and may even have to take our cameras there). Plus they are featuring a documentary (and we love documentaries).

High Tech Soul is the latest film to try and capture the essence of Detroit Techno and, from what we can tell, does it pretty damn well. It's strong music from a strong town, a town where they give tours of ruins.

This year in Detroit, elements from our film in progress will meet this old school aesthetic and, with paxahau organizing, this could be the most combustible US music festival in decades.

It's perfectly reasonable, then that we are one of the hosts of Juan MacLean this Thursday at the Middlesex Lounge. After all, dude gets his first name from Juan Atkins, one of the heralded Detroit legends.

Juan is taking a little break from his tour schedule to play our night here and we think its fab. It's free this Thursday. Oh, and next week he's playing Fabric in London. So, you know, he for really real. And he is part of that new indie scene, with a record deal on NYC indie DFA Records and growing up as a punk rock kid.

Juan Atkins is a brilliant mind, and had a bit of a pop group in the 80s with Cybotron. Recently, a track of theirs was sampled by Missy Elliott (always the pro sample-selektor) for her runaway club smash "Outta Control" a song we blogged about quite some time ago.

If you don't have it yet, well...

Cybotron - "Clear"

Now you do... and find a way to get to Detroit (and, you know, Middlesex).

Miami Stories

2006-03-29T00:55:00.000-05:00

In terms of Stories from the New Electronic Underground, Miami is hardly home to much. This being the subtitle of our movie, I think it's likely people will ask "why Miami?"

The Winter Music Conference is the premier event for the ghettoized dance culture. That is, the big beat Ultra Music Festival is there, along with events that actually give AWARDS to people like Paul Van Dyk, Sasha and Digweed and Crystal Method.

Our film, Speaking in Code, has nothing to do with these dudes. It's about the characters dispersed throughout the independent dance scene and how they interact. And despite rumors to the contrary, there were many indie events in Miami, and we tried to film as many as we could. At places like the district to see Matthew Dear and Juan MacLean. Or onto B.E.D. to catch Marc Houle and Richie Hawtin.

There were professional reasons to go, as well. (Needed to meet up with cats like Marcus and Carsten. Needed to write a column about this show and deliver some papers. Needed to get to places where I was going to dance, and I didn't bring my camera. And needed to enjoy some patented Miami service.)

The movie's going swell, we have a few investors now and some considerable interest, so that's good. Over 110 hours of stories, characters and brilliant shots of this new scene. Out 2007. New trailer to come (swear to god, people).

And, wow, a month where we don't have to go anywhere or do anything! Except host DJ Juan MacLean at Middlesex April 6, and James F!@#$%^ Friedman April 20. (Both nights are free)

Sleeparchive is playing live in Boston this Friday (RSVP to zzz [at] zer0gsounds.com or rsvp [at] robotlovesongs.com before 12:00 noon on Thursday), The Orb is here this Wednesday and all is right with the world.

Sleep not on sleeparchive. Dude takes it back old school (he's also Skanfrom!), knows what a blip can do and rocked Avalon last weekend. He's playing a private party, so you have to RSVP and it's only $10. I know the space and it's super cool.

The music will be too. Not only do you have DJ Heemin Yang, but Function is coming up from NYC. The bill is super tight.

And the music? Well:

Sleeparchive - "Bleep 4"

Stone cold.

Robot Love

2006-03-21T00:04:00.000-05:00

Returned from a whirlwind NYC weekend where we visited Bunker for the indominable Sleeparchive, absolutely essential record store Other Music, Avalon NYC where we saw Feadz (with Uffie!), the Robots crew and much much more.

Probably the most enjoyable event was Leftovers at Love, where our friend DJ Spinoza, Derek Plaslaiko (above by Will Calcutt) and the Wolf and Lamb crew threw down on what Theo Parrish himself called the best sound system in the world.

And it is. The Wolf and Lamb duo have free music available at their website and, even more impressively, the Ableton Live files that make up the track available as well. This way, you can download the code and remix it yourself. I don't think anyone else has ever done this. And as they mentioned to us, they want their netlabel to be all dancefloor music, not digital detritus. Judging by the way the crowd moved, I'd say they succeeded.

Now with its first investor, a new Boston-based editor, a growing industry buzz and a schedule booked to the hilt, Speaking in Code takes off for Miami in a few days. We're tired but looking forward to the challenge.

In addition to filming and speaking at conferences (and buying lots of records from Chris and our friends at Other Music) I wrote two pieces for the Phoenix while we were in NYC. One on the Orb, who play live in Boston Monday 27 March and Hot Chip. The other piece is my weekly Circuits column on Boston superstar DJ Alan Manzi and Reggaeton DJ Hectik. Pick it up if you're in the area. Or, just click above, they're already on-line.

Speaking of Hot Chip (see below) it was a blast to DJ at their show. They spoke with me for the Phoenix article afterwards and asked a number of questions about what was spun before they came on, specifically about Booka Shade, the live electronic duo we plan to catch plenty of in Miami and remarked specifically about this track:

It's from the Kitsune X CD/2LP compilation which never ever leaves my record bag. Kitsune is one of the finer labels on earth. A boutique label from chic Paris. Two other people asked about it as well. So...

The Mogs - "Kelly Blame (Vocal Mix)"

And we're out.

See you in Miami.

Hot Chip, Juan and You

2006-03-12T22:07:00.000-05:00

On the news front, David Day DJs tonight for super-cool UK disco-rock combo Hot Chip at Great Scott in Allston. Only $8.00 gets you to see the five-keyboard maschine alongside the Blanks and rad ravespoilation duo Big Digits. Gonna be a lot of fun.

Also happy to say we have confirmed the second guest ever at Make It New, the night we share the decks with the Forced Exposure Sound System (Billy Kiely, Mike Uzzi and Erik Pearson).

Very proud to have New England's own worldwide superstar Juan Maclean put in a guest DJ gig April 6th at our night in Central Square. It will remain free to the public, but you might want to get there early. Juan goes on at about Midnight or so to spin his favorite tracks that he's collected as one of the premiere live elctronic acts in the US. MacLean records for the venerable DFA label out of NYC. His album Less Than Human continues to sell, and his singles, like "Give Me Every Little Thing" and "You Can't Have It Both Ways" are stone-cold classics. Flyer coming soon.

As for the movie, we've just returned from a dinner meeting with Jason Redmond who gave us more valuable advice and pointers as we begin to field the interest from potential investors out there in the world. Redmond festival kicks off in Boston April 19-24th and from what he's let us in on, will be bigger and better than ever before.

The movie begins to film in New York City this weekend, starting with ground zero of the neu-electronic underground at THE BUNKER, where promoter and DJ Bryan Kasenic aka DJ Spinoza is a resident. Kasenic is also kicking off a new afternoon techno experience called Leftovers at Love, which, as far as sQuare knows, is the only afternoon/early evening party of its kind. See you there perhaps.

We featured Hot Chip's "Playboy" cut on one of our early sQuare sound compilations. Their "blue-eyed crunk" style has recently landed them on the cover of XLR8R magazine. Their shows, wherein all the members are on keyboards, playing various other instruments and generally creating super-powered party mayhem, are starting to become stories in and of themselves. Turns out we'll see them a few times in Miami, but this venue will be extra special.

It all ties in together, of course. Not only does Hot Chip have a keen ear for future funk styles, it also has excellent taste in its remix pool. Solid Groove, Naum Gabo, Jamie Lidell, Scissor Sisters have all come under their edit block.

The latest to join the fray is Kompakt records own Justus Kohncke, who appears in our documentary. Justus had to cancel his US tour at the last minute (sadly), but still garners quite a following inside America, thanks in part to love from hip record review websites like Pitchfork Media.

Here's the remix. A brilliant rework of Hot Chip's already lovely pop track "Over and Over" (check the video here), which strikes us as an ode to dance music and techno. The lyrics go: "Over and over and over and over / Like a monkey with a miniature cymbal / The joy of repetition really is in you." We would be remiss if we didn't point that Justus, in his definitive cheeky-disco style, samples Laid Back's "White Pony" surely a reference to the opening line:

"Laid back / Laid back / Laid Back / We'll give you laid back"

Nice.

Hot Chip - "Over and Over (Justus Kohncke Remix)"

Furniture Music

2006-03-04T17:29:00.000-05:00

Our Director/Producer is in LA for her work, but is keeping her ears open for some contacts with "the biz" and our producer is super busy putting together his film festival.

But we've had great feedback and contacts from some potential new producers and friends. Thanks to everyone who is reaching out.

Back in Boston, we're watching tapes from last weekend. sQuare filmed the Wighnomy Brothers in Montreal then, now putting our film archives over the 100 hour mark. The trip was a success, if for no other reason the drama getting there, wherein your intrepid film crew drove through a Vermont snowstorm (and past about 12 accidents) to get the footage for you.

All their friends were there, including Alain from MUTEK, neu-techno Godfather Akufen and sQuare friend and all-around genius/great guy Deadbeat. All these types and timelines add to the film's narrative. The way in which the Wighnomies are confronting their new success is compelling enough, but add the richness and complexity of the network, the emerging scenes and things start to take on new meaning.

Back in Boston, we're helping with a new concept in nightlife. A night of Ambient visuals and Ambient sounds called FURNITURE MUSIC.

Our partner in the night, Nog a/k/a Billy Kiely a/k/a UFO is the head of sales at my day job, Forced Exposure, a company which I cannot be more proud to say I work for.

Mike Uzzi, one of the Boston crew trying to break techno in what they call "The Hub" is spinning the local House night (BUMP!) in Central Square 26 March alongside charismatic DJ type Alan Manzi. Should be fun.

The column this week is about Jon Schmidt, a local beatmatching master, who's making a fantastic trip to Montreal himself on 10 March to open for Matthew Dear. Jon is a super-slick DJ with some great taste. Gotta go interview him right now, in fact...

What else? Oh yeah, tunes.

Border Community is one of the hottest labels on the planet, and BC chariman/capo/CEO James Holden is the hottest DJ on the planet. His At The Controls 2CD mix set is coming out at the end of the month and it's amazing. The tracklisting is fire.

Their MFA track "The Difference it Makes" is currently the song in the Speaking in Code teaser trailer, their resident music savant, Nathan Fake releases a lovely full-length soon, and their various appearances around Miami at the end of the month are eagerly-anticipated, to say the least.

This is Fairmont, an alias for Canadian Jake Fairley, with "Gazebo" -- a lovely dancable ditty that touches on a sound sQuare would like to hear more of: THE SINE WAVE.

Fairmont - "Gazebo"

Speaking in Cash

2006-02-13T21:46:00.000-05:00

85 hours of beautiful footage, from Robotspeak in San Francisco halfway around the world to The Kassablanca Club in Jena Germany is slowly being logged and notated, watched carefully by our director and a few volunteers when they have the time.

Speaking in Code, sQuare's work-in-progress documentary about the people who drive the new electronic sound is starting to become too big for our small team to work through. Plus we will be filming through the end of the summer, with tentative plans to visit the M3 Summit in Miami, a second, more experienced, visit to The MUTEK festival, a full schedule in New York City and certainly a stay at the Sonar electronic music summit in Barcelona -- plus wherever else the developing story may take us.

So now we're looking for money.

What we need is funding for production and travel for the rest of our journey, money to pay off the credit cards we have taken on to get this far to begin with and a dedicated professional editor who could also give us a new perspective. And of course, much more.

What is developing is a remarkable story of how the scene operates outside of the mainstream -- building an alternative distribution network, lifestyle and ethic to maintain its trust -- while preserving the quality of the new sound such characters have pioneered.

It's a universal tale with universal appeal: artists doing their thing in the sanctity of friends, followers and fans.

We certainly have time and money left, but without investors the film cannot be as good as it can be. Which is to say... excellent.

Opportunities to invest in Speaking in Code come with benefits, to be sure. Executive Producer, Producer, Associate Producer credits, (Special Thanks and so forth), the excitement of watching the film change and grow, the satisfaction of bringing this sound and story to a much wider audience and all the accolades and opportunities that come with it.

But this isn't a sales pitch. The interest the movie has already generated, and the webhits, downloads and emails of support and offers of assistance are greatly appreciated.

And one way or another, we're making this movie.

But if there is a soul out there in the cyberweb with the means and ability to assist this project reach its full potential, we encourage you to drop us a line. We're not about the hard sell and any and all input is appreciated.

To further interest, here's a few of the artists and personalities we have already committed to tape:

Akufen • Deadbeat • Isolée • James Holden • Justus Khöncke • Michael Mayer • Reinhard Voigt • Richie Hawtin • Robag Wruhme • Roberto Mendoza • Superpitcher • The MFA • The Original Hampster • Wolfgang Voigt • Luomo • Wighnomy Brothers • Deadbeat • Monolake • Modeselektor • Sascha Funke • Mathias Kaden • Mike Uzzi...

Nick Sylvester, Village Voice/Pitchfork Media • Alain Mongeau, MUTEK • Jimmy Johnson, Forced Exposure • Alan Stewart, Robot Speak • Tomas Palermo, XLR8R • Tobias Thomas, Spex • Scott Plagenhoef, Pitchfork Media • Dubplates and Mastering • Freude-am-Tanzen • Poller Wisen • Kompakt • BPitch Control • Unlockedgroove • Mutek • Hardwax • F-A-T Plastics

... &c.

Now, more about the music.

Sascha Funke is one of the characters which crossover the various potential narratives within our film. First off, he has recorded for both Kompakt and BPitch Control (where we interviewed him in Berlin). Second, his music is a favorite in the DJ set of one of our Boston friends, Mike Uzzi. Third, the remix is courtesy of Lawrence, who, with his involvement in Dial Records, wears his left-leaning politics on his sleeve.

But most importantly, the song is emblematic of one of the differences the music and music-makers we are filming transcend the stereotypes of dance music.

When most people think house or techno (or raving for that matter), an image comes to mind of an exhuberant, overly-happy music where the "vibe" and the "groove" is constantly upbeat, lifting you to a kind of wonderland where bad thoughts cannot enter.

This struck me a few weeks back when I went to check out a legendary Boston club to watch the scene. What I saw was a world that exists in a vacuum, everyone dancing, vibing-out, getting wild but not touching, etc. I thought what would happen if I DJed there and this song came to mind -- a song such a scene would recoil at. I would hear boos, and I imagine I would ultimately be asked to leave.

Sascha's sound is imbued with a kind of melancholy and minor-key that you simply don't hear in mainstream house or dance music in general, and it's exactly one reason why this music is finding success outside the club with rockers, radio geeks and record heads around the world.

Can people actually get down to this kind of real-life lyricism?

Oh yes, and we have it on tape.

I can't get up...
If you won't get down

Sascha Funke - "Forms and Shapes (Lawrence Remix)"

sQuare at Sundance

2006-01-30T21:04:00.000-05:00

sQuare productions' Amy Grill returned from Sundance last week empty-handed... which is a good thing.

Grill, Speaking In Code's Director/Producer, left Boston with 22 CD/DVD promotional packets. At Sundance she met up with Jason and his team.

The DVD, a broader, four-minute version of our teaser trailer, with footage from our first visit to Köln, Montreal and tape from San Francisco. The CD contained the following:

1. Sascha Funke Forms and Shapes (Lawrence Mix)
2. The MFA The Difference It Makes
3. Isolee Enrico
4. Baxendale I Built This City (Michael Mayer Remix)
5. Robag Wruhme Wuzzelbud KK
6. Rex the Dog I Look Into Mid Air
7. Rainbow Bright The Rollah
8. Akufen Deck the House
9. Justus Kohncke 2 After 909
10. Wighnomy Brothers Wombat
11. Nathan Fake The Sky Was Pink (James Holden Remix)
12. Gas (Wolfgang Voigt) Untitled

The idea was to give interested parties an teaser of the film and an intro the kind of music we're referencing in the movie. Clearly, there is a long list of music we would like to include but at this point it is a reasonable sampling. sQuare got familiar with Sundance, how it physically works, and shored up a bunch of great contacts in the process. Some people (Americans aching for a new sound, no doubt) we're quite thrilled with just the CD even.

The packets were dispersed with a quickness.

To be sure this film is less about the kind of music -- the specifics of the sound -- and more about the characters that make it and what happens to them: how they contribute to each other's work and how they get their music, and message, to the masses.

At this exact moment, we are watching the footage from our second visit to Köln. On the screen: artist and editor Tobias Thomas, artist and editor Philip Sherburne, certified legend Wolfgang Voigt and pop star-to-be Superpitcher (who heads to NYC February 9). It all looks great.

I can't wait to see the footage from Jena.

Speaking of Köln, we were fowarded a link to a DVD about the scene coming from the very festival we filmed, c-o pop. It is another survey DVD, (like the monthly Slices DVD, which is a promotional vehicle for T-Mobile) and is a good overview.

Speaking in Code is not an overview. It is, if you will, an underview of how a group of artists, doing something new with music, struggle to get heard by setting up a network outside of the mainstream, without compromising their intergrity. And it's not a DVD. It's a movie.

It all sounds high-falutin, for sure, but there are some genuinely funny moments on film and some genuinely charismatic characters to take you there.

For now, we plan to film the Wighnomy Brothers, from the shire of Jena, as they play North America for the first time. And we've begun preparations to visit the scene as it coalesces each year in Miami around the WMC and the M3 Summit.

The music of Gas, one of Wolfgang's numerous aliases, has come up a number of times in our travels and with good reason. For many of these characters, Gas represents the purest techno ever made: just sound. A few people have said Wolfgang went on hiatus because he couldn't do any better: Gas was his perfect achievement.

Maybe they're right.

Gas, and much of Wolfgang's output, is long out of print, a result of limited pressings or bankrupt record labels. Some of it has been resurrected at Kompakt's MP3 site. Worth seeking out.

As a sample, here's the first track from Königsforst, Voigt's second album as Gas on the now-deceased mille plateaux label. All the songs are untitled, which further ads to its artistry.

Gas - "Untitled"

Turn it up.

PS: For those of you in Boston, we have a new night starting up on Wednesdays called FREE THE DJ, wherein we invite our favorite DJs to spin whatever they want, their influences, their inspirations and their secret hits. It's free at ZuZu in Central Square and starts this Wednesday. They have a phat new soundsystem too.

This week it's DJ RNDM.

Updates here and also here.

Speaking in Code Returns

2006-01-16T17:04:00.000-05:00

Director Amy Grill and DP Scott Sans returned from Germany this weekend with a host of brilliant stories and 25 more hours of footage to add to the Speaking in Code archives. More to come at our website.

Co-producer Philip Sherburne, Earplug editor and Pitchfork columnist, also flew in from Barcelona. His post on the trip is here.

Thanks to Monolake, Sascha Funke, Modeselektor and BPitch Control, Dubplates and Mastering and Kompakt Records for letting us back into their world for some follow-up on an extraordinary organization.

Kompakt star Superpitcher returns to NYC at the Canal Room Thursday 9 February. Sleep not. (His mix CD Today was one of the year's finest).

Big shoutout to the Jena-based duo the Wighnomy Brothers (illustration above) and their label family who hosted our camera crew for three days: setting up trips to the mountains, dinners and being about as hospitable as a label could be. Jena is a town of 100,000+ in Southeast Germany where the DJ duo set up their label Freude-am-Tanzen (Joy-In-Dancing). The F-A-T Record Shop (Fat Plastics), the Kassablanca club and the label make up an organization deep inside Germany who are creating a kind of communist/techno utopia.

The label is more than the Wighnomys of course, and has a depth of talent and personality. Artists like Metaboman, Mathias Kaden and Marek Hemmann all make their home at F-A-T.

In even bigger news, The Wighnomy Brothers are coming to North America. Averse to participate in our capitalist system, and uncomfortable with the English language in general (their East German roots show in both their label philosophy and language preference), the Wighnomys are headed to Montreal Saturday 25 February.

Book your hotel rooms now. sQuare is making plans to be there. You should too.

The event is being sponsored, in part, by the Mutek organization. Their mailing list is here.

Monolake (aka Robert Henke) is the brilliant creator of Abelton Live, the music production program that many of these artists use. Henke gave our cameras a decent outline of the program's fascinating facets.

He is also a producer of music and one of the better-known techno acts here in the US, having recently toured on a visit to the Decibel festival out in Seattle.

His music is deeper than most because his knowledge is deeper than all. Monolake's music is from another place beyond pop, beyond disco and some would say beyond techno. From 2005, the deep and seductive "Invisible":

Monolake - "Invisible"

Amy and Producer Jason Redmond head to Sundance 2006 on Thursday to further establish funding and distribution contacts.

The story continues...

Modeselektor goes off

2006-01-09T23:05:00.000-05:00

Back to the grind in the New Year. 2006 is shaping up to be something special in the sQuare world.

First off, Speaking in Code is making great progress overseas on our second trip into Germany. Director/Producer Amy Grill is sending limited blackberry texts, but each one tends to make me more jealous than the previous. "It's awesome here" (in reference to our second visit to the great city of Koln) and "Loads of great stuff here" (in reference to Berlin and Monolake) and "Modeselektor freaking rocks"

Modeselektor is a DJ duo on BPitch Control who have recently crossed over into production, floating the brilliant Hello, Mom! in 2005, which was just nominated as album of the year at Qwartz. The pair specialize in a kind of garbage-bag techno that splices elements from Grime, Hip-Hop, Booty Bass, Detroit, Acid and all sorts of other genres until it becomes junkfunk. Their DJ sets are absolutely mad as well. sQuare caught them on the ground in Berlin and visited the BPitch offices alongside co-producer Philip Sherburne.

One of the gems from the new CD is the lead-off track which features the vocal stylings of French Hip-Hop act TTC. We've long held out that French hip-hop is the next to blow and TTC are one of the reasons why. The combination is ruthless:

Modeselektor - "Dancing Box (Feat. TTC)"

It's so ill sQuare soundsystem member Erik Pearson played it during our night at the Enormous Room without skipping a beat. Needless to say Erik was skilled in the mix. So much he had me asking "What is this?" after I had had the CD for about 3 months.

Their new remix 12" out soon features work from the massively buzzing sleeparchive and the superkid from Ghostly records: Dabrye.

We've also been keeping busy with our allies over at the Boston Phoenix who have been really happy with the way Circuits is being read. Thanks to everyone who has been reaching out to let us know what is up around town. Always reciprocated.

Circuits in the Boston Phoenix
Marinate
TranceLab

And it'll go out to the email list but this Wednesday we're doing a night at ZuZu in Central sQuare with Unlocked Groove's Six Million Dollar Dan. We're also on for Make It New this Thursday at the Middlesex and Pan Am Fridays at Enormous Room.

Circuits update / NYE

2005-12-22T02:38:00.000-05:00

______________________
Circuits in the Boston Phoenix

2005
Non-Event
Gianelli
Mike Uzzi
Juan Maclean
The Pill

Some new techno:
Sian - "Sei (Steve Bug Remix)"

And
a party.

Speaking in Code Teaser Remix

2005-12-06T23:02:00.000-05:00

The main point to this blog is the movie we are making, called Speaking In Code. In the voice of the Director:

"One thing to know: we plan on to show the influential people in this underground scene as they make it happen. This isn't a film about history - it is about right now - and it isn't a survey of every person who contributed to electronic music's past."

The idea here is this is a living, breathing documentary, designed to bring the viewer into the world of electronic music. Not to teach them about it as much as welcome them in. It's a narrative, it's meta, it's a pleasure to watch.

In our research, we've watched all the electronic music documentaries, and, well, they can be pretty brutal. Tilted camera angles, too-dark shots, too many effects and a kind of hitting-you-over-the-head, you-should-like-this mentality that is off-putting right from the get go. Not the case with SiC. This is new and fresh.

The teaser below, along with cuts in progress was scripted and reworked many times by Director-Producer Amy Grill.

Plus, we now have a trailer editor that is helping us remix our teaser, a fellow named Nate DeYoung out of New York City (currently with Kinetic), who also writes for the fabulous Stylus Magazine.

We also have a Producer -- a real clever guy named Jason Redmond is putting us up on our feet. Jason is the executive director of the Boston Independent Film Festival, the most successful film festival in Boston. He knows what works and has given valuable insight and support so far.

See the video page at squar3.com for more details.

So, Amy Grill, Philip Sherburne, David Day, Nate DeYoung, Jason Redmond and a whole slew of decent kids at Emerson College present the newest SiC teaser for your pleasure.

Watch it a couple of times and watch see how it's cut to the beat, with some keen visual edits and insights thrown in.

Speaking In Code - Teaser Remix (.mov)

Any feedback and questions are fully encouraged to amy [at] squar3 [dot] com.

Those interested in getting involved in SiC can contact jason [at] iffboston [dot] org.

More to follow.

sQuare sound III complete

2005-11-24T11:56:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving from sQuare productions. About every six months, we start burning out favorite current music onto compilations that we then give away for free. The aim is purely promotional, and maybe to say thanks.

It's a two disc set, nice package, etc. We should have them on us, so if you see us, ask svp. If you're out of town, drop us a line and we'll get one out.

Disc one is for when you and friends stay in (it worked great at a cramped apartment the other night). Disc two is for blasting in your car when you are out on the town. Open the moonroof.

We should have a release party soon... in the meantime, a tracklisting:

DISK 1 _ in

1: Jan Jelinek / Universal Band Silhouette
2: Tepr / Yto
3: Metronomy / This Could Be Beautiful
4: D.M. Project / Habibi
5: Cidinho e Doca / C.I.D.A.D.E. D.E. D.E.U.S.
6: Abba / Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie
7: Nego Mocambique / Watcha Gonna Do
8: Jay-Z/Kanye West / 99 Golddiggers (Erik Pearson Mix)
9: Negreton / Dile
10: Tego Calderon / Salte Del Medio
11: Unknown / Hypnotizing Stalag
12: I-Wayne / Lava Ground
13: Michael Jackson / I CanÂt Help It (Tangoterje Mix)
14: Sa-Ra Creative Partners / So Special
15: Kanye West / Gone (feat. Consequence & CamÂRon)
16: Kim Jung Mi / Now

DISK 2 _ out

1: Lindstrom & Prins Thomas / Forelopic Bit
2: Flat Pack / Sweet Child of Mine (Linus Loves Mix)
3: Rainbow Bright / The Rollah
4: Solid Groove / This Is Sick
5: Baxendale / I Built This City
6: Switch / A Bit Patchy
7: Argy / Love Dose (Luciano Remix)
8: Slam / This World (Wighnomy Bros. Remix)
9: Yoshimoto / Du What U Du (Trentmoller)
10: Rex the Dog / I Look Into Mid-Air
11: Röyksopp / 49 Percent (Ewan Pearson Half Full Remix)
12: Tamat 3000 / Feeling Love
13: Pier Bucci / Tita

and a runner-up:

Unai is a kind of micro-soul group from Sweden who have been remixed by Trentemoller (see below) and appeared in the record bag of one Michael Mayer. So that's good peoples.

This track never quite fit in the sequencing, but it's special as hell. Most of their tracks have supple vocals, and an exquisite attention to detail. This is a stuttering fluttering instrumental track. On the Disco Inc. label.

Unai - "Lucky Bastard"

sQuare update 008

2005-11-15T00:09:00.000-05:00

Hi from sQuare,

Updates / mp3s / un/subscribe

______________________
This Thursday 10 November, Make It New presents a special night of QUADROPHENIA. That is, all four resident DJs will be in the house: Billy Kiely, Erik Pearson, Mike Uzzi and David Day going one, one, one, one all night long. It will be a fun good time.

We call it 4ROPHENIA

Come out and show your support. Free. The hottest club in town.

______________________
Pan Am Fridays are all new at the Enormous Room

This Friday we bring our 2 special CD mixers and not one, but TWO subwoofers to bolster the sound system. Erik's blending skills are pretty mad, too.

______________________
Circuits in the Boston Phoenix

7L
Randy
Chez Moi
Grizzly Bear
Sonic Heart
Cut Copy
Tom Vek
Kanye West

Every week, catch the Circuits column on front of the local music page. It's about electronic music and hip-hop music, written by me. I do other things, too.

______________________
Speaking in Code the movie gets a producer and editor, buzzes in NYC

Recently Amy Grill has had the chance to meet with a promising editor talent to help us get through a lot of the film, and a mutual friend found us a fellow that has agreed to help us make the rounds on the film scene.

For a one-sheet on our documentary about electronic music, email Director Amy Grill (amy@squar3.com).

______________________
sQuare sound III in development

Yeah, still working on this one. Hey, MP3s are on the site folks!

In the meantime, check sQuare ally Michael F. Gill and his brilliant ADD mix over at the Stypod

"We're doing big things here kids" -- Slick Rick

david day / sQuare productions
http://www.squar3.com/

Luomo in Boston

2005-11-03T23:54:00.000-05:00

Luomo will stand the test of time as one of the greatest producers of dance music ever.

He's playing this Sunday at the Enormous Room in Boston.

You can buy his monumental Vocalcity CD here. Or download whatever scraps you can via Soulseek. Whatever you can do, you'll be happier.

Because Luomo makes music that makes life better.

Scandinavia Burning Up

2005-10-25T22:35:00.000-04:00

It’s a funny situation, as we film Speaking in Code (9 Minute preview coming soon) seems each week we learn of a new place we want to go. The documentary, which details stories from the electronic underground in crucial scenes here and in Europe, is quickly filling up our free time.

I suppose it's part of the hazard on making a documentary about current movements and sources, but we have kept focus on those organizations which will remain for years to come and the artists with staying power.

Of course, we can’t get to all of the scenes, but lately one has consistently drawn our interest: Scandinavia. Most recently within a lengthy article by the trendmakers at XLR8R magazine, who’s newly redesigned website should be bookmarked immediately. It comes complete with mp3 downloads, updated news and new reviews.

Trentemöller

Denmark’s Trentemöller has been jamming the file-trading class with remix after remix. His rework of Yoshimoto’s “Du What U Du” is astounding:

Yoshimoto - "Du What U Du (Trentemöller Remix)"

Martinez

With tracks like “Minimal Deepness” and “Moonglow” you know what to expect with Martinez. And the fellow delivers. Coming from Copenhagen, Denmark, Martinez has a label Out of Orbit Recordings, which in just a few releases has become a must have for the discerning DJ.

Both Martinez and Trentemöller join forces to complete the best Danish cut in recent memory. The stutter at 4:32 is emblematic of their sound:

Martinez- "Shadowboxing Compressed (Trentemöller Remix)"

The Field

Probably the most refreshing sound is that of the unheralded Axel Willner, a k a The Field. With a 12” on the venerable Kompakt label (lifted from what must be the greatest demo pile in the world), The Field took everyone by the ear. Little is known of Willner aside from his labels fascinating website.

Some of these demos are on the Internet, one of which is “Sun and Ice”. I am not kidding when I say the first time I heard this track, I had to pull over to the side of the road. It’s dangerous when it’s turned up; a woozy, swaying sound begins to fuzz your ears. It’s like watching the sunset, and as the sun hit the horizon, the whole landscape changes.

In the perfect pop ambient sound of Kompakt, with a vicious dissipated bass kick. Like Kompakt’s respected leader, Wolfgang Voigt and his Gas project, it's music to be turned up and smothered in.

The Field - "Sun and Ice"

We may not get to Sweden, Norway and the rest of the Scandinavian scene, but rest assured they’ll certainly be around, and Speaking in Code will be there to watch it develop.

Techno Melody

2005-10-09T16:16:00.000-04:00

As we make our movie, one of the many things sQuare Productions has learned about the intricacies of the scene is that for techno purists, vocals are unnecessary, garish and take attention away from the all-important beat. In fact, for many old ravers, vocals are straight disgusting, an instant reminder of top 40 remixes and diva house music.

Of course, like many of the old techno paradigms, this is shifting. Just as rockers are coming around to jacking beats, some of the surviving techno purists are coming around to melodies and vocals. This is best exemplified in the work of one of the mystery artists of techno: Rex the Dog.

Rex came from a demo sent into Kompakt marked with a single paw print. From there he released two singles, “Frequency” and “Prototype.’ Two slabs that went to the top of playlists world-wide (both of which are available from the Kompakt MP3 store).

On the strength of these two singles, Rex (in fact an old techno purist himself) was offered remix after remix. The top dance acts in the world came calling: Depeche Mode, Prodigy, Mylo, Soulwax, etc.

All of these acts used vocals, but there was one remix that eclipsed the others -- a remix of a Swedish brother/sister duo called The Knife.

Here's where vocals are most effective in techno music. When the melody is eager and passionate. First the original song from the The Knife themselves: a plaintive, padded synth-heavy track reminiscent of 80s kinky-brunette pop.

The Knife - "Heartbeats"

Rex is called in and gives it a dancefloor rework: speeds it up, adds rumbling stabs and teasing vocals clips that go off like TNT.

The Knife - "Heartbeats (Rex The Dog Remix)"

But where the melody really shines is on a cover version by José Gonzales, a Swedish songwriter quite popular with the O.C. crowd. Gonzales takes his timbre and cue from Rex, but includes the bridge from the original. Point being: a melody like this, in a techno track, a rave-enabled remix or on a simple acoustic set, works each and every time.

José Gonzales - "Heartbeats"

Some of the Boston Phoenix columns here:

DJ Kon
Negroclash
Certainly, Sir
Boy In Static
Skippy White

Wighnomy Soundform

2005-09-26T20:31:00.000-04:00

One of the biggest joys of sQuare's recent visit to Köln was seeing the reclusive East German act that call themselves the Wighnomy Brothers. The duo, composed of producer Robag Wruhme (on the left above) and his rambunctious DJ cohort Monkey Maffia (on the right), is quickly becoming a force all around the techno world. Their label, Fruede Am Tanzen (which means "Joy In Dancing") will soon release a compilation of their greatest tracks and even the mighty Mute Records has picked them up. Remikks Potpourri was released by the label's German arm, and it includes 12 trademark Wighnomy mixes.

The Wighnomy's are unique for a number of reasons, but clearly their sound leads the way. Its clipped, dubbed echoplex is easy to pick out of any mix. The duo's stuttered, sharp beats appear in every one one of their songs, too. And it never seems to get old -- which is pretty brilliant.

sQuare interviewed the two, and, being that they were raised in East Germany, their second language was Russian, not English. So they instead spoke mostly in German, but we Americans were able to glom onto a few phrases, the most obvious being when I asked them, via their label manager Grit, about their inspirations.

They replied in German, but soon out came "Breaking 2: Electric Boogaloo" and my ears perked up. Seems the government in their small Communist town (Jena) would bring in movies to show in the square and, somehow, ended up showing the definitive commercial hip-hop/electro movie.

Well, it suddenly all made sense. Wighnomy does simple techno better than just about anyone. The elements they use: dropedit beats with a wobbly cadence, are a derivative of hip-hop, just like the house genre they work within (their elegant sister label, Musik Krause is more break-oriented).

One of our favorite moments on film came when we asked Robag to describe his sound. In broken English he said "I don't like just hi-hats, like ting-ting-ting-ting..." he turned his eyes up to the ceiling and back down. "I like CLAP!" he clapped, "BANG! SMASH!", his eyes getting bigger, "and WOOOOOOSH!" as he spread his arms out and smiled real big.

Couldn't have said it better.

There's a host of tracks that could define their soundform, but we settled on posting two.

Here is the first song from their forthcoming label compilation. It might well represent the sort of utopian hippie-techno community they've carved out for themselves in the small East German town:

Gamat 3000 - "Feeling Love"

And their remix of Slam feat. Tyrone Palmer is a megalith, with all the trademarks of a Wighnomy imprint. Plus I am more than sure they picked this song in part because of its social message.

Slam feat. Tyrone Palmer - "This World (Wighnomy Bros. und Robag Wruhme Bukkelflipps RMX)"

To start with the Wighnomy family, I would recommend picking up anything Robag but for sure Wuzzlebud KK, his magnificent solo debut. You can buy it here.

Wighnomy has yet to visit America. But believe me, that will change as soon as they want it to.

Isolée at the Middlesex Lounge

2005-09-22T19:32:00.000-04:00

Well, we're puttin on a show (scan down to buy tickets via paypal). It's Thursday 22 September and it's with new-sound of Isolée (aka Rajko Mueller), who will produce layered but physical dance music live before your eyes. Also playing: Rainbow Bright (aka Mike Uzzi and Jay Flower) live and DJ Caulder.

Beau Mot Plage was Isolée's first smash hit, from his first CD Rest. It smashed cause everyone was playing it, from househeads like Derrick Carter to trancier types like Danny Tenaglia. But it came from the underground:

Isolée - "Beau Mot Plage"

Then Rajko took a few years off, playing live and doing a host of classic remixes. He returned to the Playhouse label and a second single:

Isolée - "Can't Sleep All Night"

But it wasn't until this year's We Are Monster when Isolée really took off. The album has been rumored to be licensed for America a couple of times. Consider "My Hi-Matic," a track that breathes and bleeds.

Isolée - "My Hi-Matic"

Play it louder than that.

His "Enrico" was put on the Dawn disc of our handmade promotional Square Sound II which many of you have. More on Isolée here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

Buy music from Isolée (We Are Monster is thoroughly lovely) at Forced Exposure:

Isolée

Opening are local electro-artisans Rainbow Bright, whose own monster "The Rollah" is about to storm dancefloors. Run for your life.

Tickets to Isolée at the Middlesexlounge will be kept at the door that night under your name. We'll move the furniture downstairs so there'll be plenty of room.

Each ticket costs $12.00. Capacity is limited, of course.
We're doing it through paypal, sorry if that's a hassle.

There is a maximum of 4 tickets per purchase.

Isolée
Rainbow Bright
DJ Caulder

Middlesex Lounge
315 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA

September 22nd, 2005
9pm - 2am

ADVANCE TICKETS TO ISOLEE HAVE BEEN CLOSED
THERE WILL BE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF TICKETS
AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR. THANKS

George Bush Remix

2005-09-11T02:34:00.000-04:00

Pretty Good.

Legendary K.O. - "George Bush Doesn't Care About Black People"

Gimmie Shelter

2005-09-06T00:46:00.000-04:00

New Orleans blogs.

Kanye On NBC

NOLA's mayor Ray Nagin in an interview (15 mins)

Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard on today's Meet the Press

RI

"merry clayton - gimme shelter.mp3" (4954 KB)

Circuits

2005-08-31T22:18:00.000-04:00

Last week, The Boston Phoenix began running a column written by yours truly. You can read it here.

The new issue out today has the second column. This will be a weekly thing. It's called Circuits and it's designed to give the long-overlooked Boston electronic scene some regular coverage. It will also include scenemakers and beatmatchers, from the electronic music promoter to hip-hop DJs.

Add circuits@squar3.com to your local announcements list if you please.

And check out this page for more photos of Köln.

Oh, and speaking of Köln, here's a track we heard everywhere, from Hawtin throwing it out towards thousands, to Koze making it at 5am, to the very shop Kompakt itself when people started to nod their heads like Republicans.

And with good reason, it shines and shines. From the fire-fueled Poker Flat label. Greek techno. Luciano-style, naturally.

Argy - Love Dose (Luciano Remix)

Total 6

2005-08-27T11:29:00.000-04:00

Kompakt is such a remarkable organization. It's hard to overstate their ability to maintain ranks, quality and output all at once. The Total party, held every year around this time, celebrates the company as a whole, and every member of the roster contributes, right down to the cook. We feel privledged to have witnessed Total 6 both with our eyes and with our cameras (that's Scott Sans the Speaking In Code DP across the room on the catwalk above).

The highlights were too numerous to mention, and we hope some of our blogger friends can contribute with other photos, because it was impossible to be in three places at once. When Rex the Dog, Michael Mayer and Superpitcher are all playing at the same time, what do you do?

Some photos of our favorites. Click to enlarge:

Rex the Dog live on decks and efx. At one point his sequencer came unplugged. I hopped up on stage and plugged it back in. Just doing my part ha.

Reinhard Voigt live downstairs. Thought my camera was going to malfunction. It was quite steamy. Voigt had the crowd eating out of his hand like they were a stray cat.

Justus Kohncke. This is a picture of the audience because the front was so jam packed it was insane. Justus and band (three people in all) were like a cosmic disco dream.

DJ Koze closed out the night upstairs with a ridonkulous 4 hour set of clangy, rambunctious teschno that was accompanied by the sound of so many empty glasses crashing to the floor. He was as animated as any DJ I've ever seen. He loves it.

Tobias Thomas might have been our favorite. Maybe it was the length of his set (5+ hours) or the fact it was so late and he was so smooth, but we also heard a lot of our own playlists. The journalist/Kompakt all-star threw memorable moments from NY Excuse to Phoenix.

Before we crept into daylight, the remarkable Herr Thomas dropped a tune from Mathias Aguayo: the most-anticipated Kompakt release of 2005. Aguayo plays a sleek, seductive techno-lounge style. Here's "De Papel" which features German artist Max Turner on vocals. It sent the crowd (that was left) into a swooning sway.

Mathias Aguayo - "De Papel feat. Max Turner"

Köln

2005-08-22T00:39:00.000-04:00

Germany is to techno what Tennessee is to Rock and Roll: a sort of musical melting pot which was fed by technology. In the case of Tennessee, it was better guitars; in Deutschland it’s better drum machines. So, Kompakt is the Sun Records of the new electronic sound.

Starting Wednesday, the C-O Pop festival takes hold of Köln (Cologne) Germany and an endless list of talent is slated to be, well, city-wide. The heart and soul of the new scene, though, is Kompakt.

Kompakt is a cultural cooperative that incorporates production, distribution, retail and promotion. There are few labels like it in the world, if any. Housed in one building in Köln, it maintains all it’s facilities under one roof. Record studios, shops, offices and kitchens.

sQuare productions is going to Köln to film the third segment of the documentary Speaking in Code. And to take as much of it in as we can.

I hope we can blog a little from Köln, and some photos as well. We shall see.

Kompakt recently launched an MP3 site, which is a pretty brilliant move, considering the label has devoted fans in far-flung places. It’s also massive as they can maintain their aesthetic as a distributor, as a shop and as a cultural entity. Click around and buy some things.

Kompakt MP3

The Total series is available in the US on CD/LP at
Forced Exposure.

In Our House

2005-08-16T00:13:00.000-04:00

To be sure, the documentary we are making here at sQuare productions does not revolve around a certain type of electronic music (like, say, the exquisite microhouse of Montreal/Mutek), but rather the different communities which are developing and the sounds those communities are supporting, as well. Like electro-house.

Electro-house is a fevered, ecstatic 4/4 sound that is as dynamic as rock, as pulsing as Chicago acid house and usually ropes in vocals, shouts or other exuberance. So tagged because in incorporates the digitalis of electro (the vocoders, the acid beats, the booty bass) with the boompty-boomp. It's pretty much what I play out, and what US producers are starting to glom onto. And with good reason.

The scenes developing around this type of sound include communities like BPitch Control, and figures like Erol Alkan, and Damian Lazarus. There are a few duos as well like Tiefschwarz and the whole reason for this post: Simian Mobile Disco.

Turns out, Simian Mobile Disco is playing in Boston (well, Cambridge, but whatever) this Thursday. We'll be sending out the details about the show via the sQuare productions email list tomorrow.

In the meantime, you can find an exclusive mix inside the picture above, or here. And here's a track which was featured on our promotional, handmade 2CD set sQuare sound II.

It goes "1!... 2!... 3!... 4!"

Simian Mobile Disco - "The Count"

Patagonica

2005-08-14T17:33:00.000-04:00

As we've mentioned, this time around the underground dance scene extends far beyond the traditional berlin/detroit access. The sleek sound has seduced pockets of fanatics in all corners of the world, and none holds more promise than the South American sound.

Headed up by Luciano, German transplant Uwe Schmidt, the golden girl Miss Dinky, worshipped Chilean émigré Ricardo Villalobos and others, Patagonica integrates techno with the shuffling bounce and lilting cadence of Latin American beats.

What is brilliant about the new sound (in Chile, Argentina and, well, worldwide), is what we know of, and what we have heard of, is influencing a new generation of beatmakers. There are gazillions of new kids coming up, laptop in hand, sodering iron in the other, who are following the design of these luminaries. And who knows how good those kids’ll be.

In the meantime, it is the internet, so sites like Buenos Aliens and Loop are just a click away. Thank goodness.

One star of the sound came out in full effect at the trend-setting Mutek festival: Pier Bucci. Bucci DJed with electronic music godhead Luciano at the fantastic Piknic Electronik in Montreal (it's electronic music Sunday in the park on the riverbank. Marvelous).

Bucci comes from the Patagonica sound and has released a number of 12s and remixes. He is also a member of the Monne Automne duo with Luciano, and plays with Mambotur. Vinyls so hot they start to warp in the racks. Seek them out.

sQuare was fortunate to get out hands on a live (30 MB) demo of his work. Live as in: live. This music is created as you hear it, and while some sounds are preprogrammed, the setup and sound design are happening in real time. And I guarantee you it is a skill requiring dedication and talent. This aint just pushing buttons.

A sneak peek at live Patagonica.

Pier Bucci - "Live Demo"

Trance Grows Down

2005-08-08T23:35:00.000-04:00

Like many aspects of the new electronic underground, the music is changing with young ideas. For years now, the drugged-out sounds of psychedelic trance and progressive house have been confined to the critical ghetto. Whether it was considered too garish or too damaged, you'd have a hard time calling it art unless you were in a K-hole somewhere.

James Holden is certainly changing all that. His sound, maximal and delicate, doesn't hit you over the head the way olde Gatecrasher comps do, nor does it employ one-too-many outrageous effects. Rather, it acts like ambient or pastoral music: recalling vistas or landscapes. Holden, like Jonson below, came from outside club culture, and trained on violin and piano. A lot is made of his young age (he's 25 now), his math degree and mostly his rapid ascend to most-wanted.

But it shouldn't be. The worlds of people like Holden, Superpitcher, Allien, Isolee, Matthew Dear and so forth are colliding -- and the reason could well be the listeners themselves. Looking with a tailored aesthetic, different types of people are settling on the same dance music: the type that sounds the best.

"The Wheel" first appeared on his Balance 005 mix a few years back, and finally was released last year on the Cocoon compilation.

Psychedelicate trance.

James Holden - "The Wheel"

Speaking in Code

2005-08-03T00:32:00.000-04:00

Lately, underground dance music has assumed a new role in the world.

Internet distribution has flung trax all over, and allowed for artists and scenes to collaborate and communicate with each other at an accelerated pace -- and at longer distances.

It has also become more sophisticated. Generic trance sounds and pre-programmed samples are kept at a distance as they relate to the more careful production done today. It gets deeper and more effecting. It's no longer trapped in warehouses and headphones, but also played in chic hotel bars, plaza squares and primetime commercials.

All types of listeners are interested now, as well. Consider the indie rock kids who've turned dancefloor enthusiasts, the Europeans born post-Kraftwerk or beat producers sampling late disco synths, &c.

The real point to the documentary has yet to come into sharp focus, but broadly it is:

who is making this music?
who is listening to this music?

We wanted to see how big the scene really is. And, well, it's pretty flippin big... as in practically worldwide.

Speaking in Code is designed to map the scene through narrative, characters, music and of course, devine footage. We've already talked to multiple artists, journalists and fans. We want to talk to many more.

Our director: Amy Lee Grill, an experimental filmmaker who runs Emerson College Television. This is her first feature-length documentary. Astounding angles, stills and perspective. I can assure you the movie will look like none other.

Our Director of Photography: Scott Sans, young film savant, has a mastery of light and motion... and is working freelance all over the USA. Literally.

Co-producers: Me, David Day and Philip Sherburne a writer and editor extraordinaire.

He most recently put together this piece for Slate magazine. Class act.

This is one minute of the 30 hours we've filmed so far. More To Come.

Download this link to your desktop, open quicktime and play.

If that doesn't work for mac users, here is a link to another location for the file.

Mr. Jonson

2005-08-02T23:12:00.000-04:00

The new face of undergound dance music are characters like Mathew Jonson, a kid from British Columbia and a music genius who seemed to be able to pick up anything and play it. Well, it seems he found some electronic gear quite early on. What he does and what he does it with are equally remarkable. sQuare productions heard this cut laced throughout his live sets at Mutek.

"Return of the Zombie Bikers" is his latest 10+ minute development. The endearing morse code sound (a la "rocker" and the rest) through the first three minutes of the track meets a bass doppelganger around 3:39. Then M.J. kicks it into the dub bin. Put it on in the club and note the exits.

You will get a peek at Jonson in action when our 1-minute web teaser for "Speaking in Code" shows up here... yeah, that's hype. Believe it.

For now, Mathew Jonson's latest slab:

(The volume knob goes clockwise, s.t.g.):

Mathew Jonson - "Return of the Zombie Bikers"

We Are Monster

2005-08-01T08:50:00.000-04:00

Dance music has, for generations, been misrepresented as repetitive, callous party music. These days, undergound dance music is developing at a pace so rapid, so effusive, that 10 years from now, we will consider it a kind of golden age.

There are a multitude of reasons, but in general it is the result of people growing up. Techno and house heads have been integrated into society, yet keep tuned to the progressive sound of electronic music and its advancement through technology.

Music and technology fit together like art and science, one mirroring the other. There were always better drums, better lutes, better trumpets. Electronics amplified this relationship and now there isn't a track you hear that hasn't been maintained on technological avenues. And as artists become more equipped and familiar with technology, the music gets better.

Isolee is the latest example. His release, which is enthusiastically rumoured to appear on a US label sometime soon, takes this whole process to a new level. We Are Monster is impeccable. Dance music that shifts like dunes. A propulsive sound that crests and spills like tides... The analogies are natural because the music itself is natural, no longer hemmed in by technology but in fact quite the opposite. It's the combination of programming and creativity that lets the sound move like a cloud -- always there, always different.

We'll write more about this as sQuare productions continues to film our electronic music documentary (working title: Speaking In Code). Demo reels have been edited, we have a title sequence &c. It's all rudimentary, but an idea and look is taking a sharp focus. .MOV posts to come.

In the meantime, enjoy a track from one of the greatest albums of the naughties, and a lock on many top 10 lists in the world: Isolee's We Are Monster. Coming soon to a store/download shop/city/place of business near you. Worth every penny.

Gloriously psychedelic dance music.

Isolee - "Enrico"

Loose Joints

2005-07-28T08:47:00.000-04:00

A few posts ago I made mention of the Disco saint Arthur Russell, a boy from the heartlands who went on to record some of the most cutting-edge dance music ever written. His is an atypical story of heartbreak and overlooked talent but what he did leave behind was a collection of songs people will cherish for generations.

(Thanks in part to labels like Audika Records in NYC, which is single-handedly reviving some of the songwriters lost tapes and out-of print classics.)

One such OOP Classic comes from the from the quite difficult to find yet widely-heralded Disco Not Disco compilation, Volume I. "Tell You Today" is a 7 minute yarn of horn stabs, conga-line percussions and... slidewhistles. The beat is infectious, as cowbells lead your hips from side to side, trombones plod like circus elephants and exuberance leaps from the disco bandshell.

Teased throughout with the "Tell You" hook, the vocals appear like magic towards the end (almost 5 minutes in) lilting and melodic:

Walking down the street, I knew it was my chance
A chance today
New shoes on my feet, I thought that they could dance
Dance away
It makes me come alive, I remember, the look of sadness on your face.

But that was before,

I want to
Tell you today.

Loose Joints - "Tell You Today"

Russell's reissues and more can be found at websites like OM or at any self-respecting download shoppe. It's all magic.

Lose Control

2005-07-27T09:30:00.000-04:00

As if the song isn't big enough, Elliott did the smartest thing and hired Le Remixeur Extraordinaire Jacques Lu Cont to rerub it into a nearly 8-minute long uber-track that eats clubs for lunch.

Lu Cont has a certain formula, to be sure, but it has yet to not work, so why stop? Check all his productions. He's had a hand in groups like Les Rhythmes Digitales, Zoot Woman and has towering remixes out there under Thin White Duke and Jacques Lu Cont. Some for Madonna of Detroit.

As for Missy? Same Missy. Outrageous, on-the-edge, perpetually in front of the rest. History will look quite highly on Miss E, for sure. Seen the video to "Lose Control" yet? Totally radical.

As for her style, what she does better than most is respect the connection between hip-hop and electro. Timbaland for sure grasps this, as his productions are purely electronic. At times, Timmy can recall the house music that was born from hip-hop. So, hip-hop was born of electro, which was born of disco. Disco -> Electro -> Hip-Hop -> House. Or close to that. They all belong together, anyhow, and no one puts the pieces together better than Missy and her man JLC:

(YSI: right click open in new window)
Missy Elliott - "Lose Control (Jaques Lu Cont Remix)"

Also, my friend Michael F. Gill, promo director for Stylus Magazine (linked on the right there) put together a killer mix of electro-house you can download your own self. A well-concieved crescendo of current cutting-edge dance music. Funky, tweaky in the right spots, and bumpin like Luke.

See you tomorrow night at Middlesex.

Nublu and In Flagranti meet in NYC

2005-07-26T08:50:00.000-04:00

Another NYC phenomenon happens in a little spot called Nublu, somewhere in the East Village, behind a small blue light. It was a bar which became an art-space which became a jam which became a band (The Brazilian Girls). Their newest project is Kudu, a shoulder-shaking phreek funk project that recalls Grace Jones as much as it does the Pointer Sisters. The new single is "Barstar."

Your remixers, In Flagranti (Sasha Crnobrnja and Alex Gloor), house themselves at Codek records, a label that grew out of the old Organic Grooves parties, where live musicians (percussions, mainly) would sit in with DJs. It was nice.

Codek is also the label for the fringe phunk of G. Rizo, the Organic Grooves compilations and a full bag of party-starting 12s.

Most of In Flagranti's stellar remixes are dirty discoid reworks, inspired by italo disco and what I like to call electrobaclash. With thier Kudu remix, they throw in pieces from the dance music underground. You can hear slices of classic jams throughout the track. 'S pretty hot.

Kudu - "Barstar (In Flagranti City Mix)"

sQuar3.com mailing list update 004

2005-07-21T08:30:00.000-04:00

(save target as for John Tejada's #1 dance track "Sweat")

Contents:

1. Make It New tonight with Double D and UFO
2. Pearson/Day also work this Friday @ Enormous Room
3. sQuare productions finishes demo reel
4. Mr. Blair of Music For Robots coming to Enormous
5. sQuare blog updated daily.
6. sQuare Sound II continues

_____________________ 1.

Make It New goes off again on Thursday, as per usual.

Tonight, the sounds of UFO (Forced Exposure) and David Day. Electro-house, Detroit Techno, Acid, &c.

Middlesex Lounge

_____________________ 2.

E. Pearson and D. Day sling tracks all night.
10pm-2am $3.00

Enormous Room

_____________________ 3.

sQuare productions has completed the demo reel of our documentary film. Will put it online asap. Check http://www.squar3.com regularly or:

Amy Grill

_____________________ 4.

Friend of squar3.com, Mr. Blair from top 5 mp3 blog Music For Robots will break Enormous Room down this Saturday.

Music For Robots

_____________________ 5.

Our blog will continue to be updated with links, mixes and mp3s.
Right click -> bookmark.

sQuare blog

_____________________ 6.

We should have copies of our promotional 2CD sQuare sound II compilation on our persons at all times. Grab one or ask.

sQuare sound II

Thx.

Tralala

2005-07-19T09:18:00.000-04:00

Here's a band that might become legend simply because it is an anomaly.

From the label that reissued the albums of disco saint Arthur Russell and from a New York underground picked apart by major labels -- but still thriving -- it's the meta-marketable psychiatric pop of Tralala.

At the face of it, four girls singing, three guys playing pop rock, it sounds like a marketing ploy. Recorded with precision, what is heard sounds power-pop hot, potted up and tracked to the limit. But there's some trickery here. For one, the whole plan is clearly intentional and those involved are making their entry with this. So what do they say? Musically it gets pretty raucous.

Like the opening track, which sounds more like the chant at a riot than a come on:

Tra La La - "All Fired Up"

The lyrical twists keep coming in

Tra La La - "No Pain No Pain".

Yet the cleverest cut has classy, syncopated beachbum harmonics and a killer self-loathing twist in the joyous chorus:

Tra La La - "The Girls Say"

There's tons of other kicks on the CD, but imagine seeing this live and the item becomes another thing altogether: an invitation to rebellious NYC-party music, designed to be debaucherous against all odds. But while it keeps you carousing all night, lyrically, it has you in therapy.

The desperate abandon of pop-punk gluttony with a twist.

Turn it up.

Whimsical Techno

2005-07-18T08:06:00.000-04:00

Luciano (aka Lucien Nicolet) is one of electronic music's most beloved new producers. His recent epic remix of M83's "Teen Angst" has given him a wider audience, and if there is any justice, he'll go wider still. Luciano has kept a heavy work schedule, from relaunching the Cadenza label to playing extended DJ sets at festivals like this years Mutek festival. It was there he stepped in when his Sense Club partner Ricardo Villalobos failed to show and threw down a kind of statement set of shake-fisting, aggro-micro strength.

Over the years, he's maintained a level of consistency in his remixes and collaborations so that if you see his name alongside another, it's probably worth picking up. Consider his Amelie remix from early-on in his career:

Yann Tiersen - "Amelie (Luciano Remix)"

Shimmering, metallic, chimey trance music that bounces around a club. Yann Tiersen, like most of Luciano's source material, has a sense of melody that can be lifted right into our Chilean's fluffy static. By the end of the song, you're swaying in pulses.

The song can also be found (in much higher fidelity) on his remarkable live mix CD. It's the one that looks like a box of q-tips:

Brilliant idea, that. And the sound within, of course, is forward-thinking club music of the highest order.

Pure as New York Snow

2005-07-15T08:23:00.000-04:00

As happens every two weeks, our night of dance music shift down the street in Central sQuare tonight to the Enormous Room and all st*rs have eyes.

Last night at Middlesex was packed, as Erik Pearson and I turned knobs clockwise until they stopped. Thanks to the fine folks at the Middlesex who, despite some cranky tippers, still managed to keep the crowd happy.

We did our part, also, especially with help from Mylo, the Scottish supergenius who stormed dance floors early last year with his album Destroy Rock and Roll. Since, he has worked remix after remix into the crates of the world's best DJs. His current world-wide smash (er, the world sans our country), is "In My Arms", a splendid filtered disco number that cherry-picks the best 80s riffs and puts them into one spotless <4 minute pop chune. (I heard last night that after 15 months, the album might come out in America this year. Remarkable.)

In the meantime, create a folder on your hard drive, name it Mylo, and get everything dude has ever done.

The sparkling main riff comes from Kim Carnes and "Bette Davis Eyes" one of the only pop hits from the 80s with neither an electric guitar solo nor a saxophone solo. Imminently listenable.

Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes

"Did you mean Hugg and Pepper?"

2005-07-14T00:07:00.000-04:00

I believe Jesper and John Dahlback aka Hugg and Pepp named the four tracks off their new EP after Elephants. There's Dumbo, Babar, Pellefant (?) and Snabeln. Any help with the last two is appreciated.

This is Snabeln:

Hugg and Pepp - "Snabeln"

sQuar3.com newslist update 003

2005-07-13T23:45:00.000-04:00

http://www.sQuar3.com/ update 003

Contents:

1. Make It New tonight with Erik Pearson and David Day
2. Pearson / Day also storm the booth This Friday @ Enormous Room
3. sQuare productions heads out to SF
4. Brian Merz on the Stypod
5. Uzzi & Unlocked Groove hit NYC
6. Sylvie Marks Mix

_____________________ 1.

Make It New goes off again on Thursday.

This week it is Erik Pearson and David Day on the decks. Expect selections from
sQuare sound II and the newest dance tracks (Here's a hint: a remix of the new Missy Elliott "Lose Control"). BTW, we've heard sections of our 2CD set around town. Expect the third one before the end of the summer. There's too much good music.

_____________________ 2.

all st*rs have eyes continues to amaze and confound at the Enormous Room. Our new DJ addition Erik Pearson is starting to warm up to inevitable hip-hop/dancehall turn at midnight. You should have seen him last week. Smashing. We had the place bumping... Again.

10pm-2am $3.00

all st*rs have eyes

_____________________ 3.

sQuare productions travels to its second location for our documentary (working title "Speaking in Code"). After logging 20+ hours of footage in Montreal, Director Amy Grill and DP Scott Sans head to San Francisco next weekend. The adventure continues.

Amy Grill

_____________________ 4.

Friend of sQuar3.com Brian Merz is the guest on our favorite podcast:

Michael F. Gill's
Groovin With The Millimeters:

listen here.

Thesis is in rare form discussing the mortality of robots/trying to bed Brian.

Funny stuff.

_____________________ 5.

If you're down in NYC, or know someone who is, the Unlocked Groove crew is about to storm the place. "Boston's hottest new techno imprint" and "rising stars in the East Coast minimal scene."

Localfields & Smartypants / Heemin Yang / Jamie Rollins

subTonic / 107 Norfolk Street
(212)358-7501 / http://www.klever.org/thebunkernyc / 21+, 9p-4a

_____________________ 6.

Of course, no newsletter would be complete without a link to an MP3 mix. Here's one from Sylvie Marks from the Bpitch Control label.

http://..../
http://..../

C.U.,

mailing list

Galoppierende Zuversicht live set; Swiss Miss

2005-07-10T18:00:00.000-04:00

Swiss phenoms Galoppierende Zuversicht, who trampled over this years Mutek festival recently played out in San Francisco at the Kontrol party. Galoppierende Zuversicht is translated as "Galloping Confidence". Styro2000 and bang goes (the two guys in GZ) hop behind their equipment as if on a horse, really, and their exuberance is as contageous as the flu.

Kontrol put up the LIVE performance here.
(right click to save)

One thing Gallop-ee-ren-day Zoo-ver-sitch made abundantly clear was the rising tide of Swiss techno making waves in int'l waters. Labels like Imploz, Bruchstuecke and clubs like Weetamix are fast becoming words people are learning to pronounce.

Mental Groove, one of the hottest-tipped labels on the earth, recently posted a whole host of mixes from the likes of St. Plomb, Water Lilly, Crowdpleaser, &c. Get them while you can:

Mental Groove

Their latest export is a half-tibetan/half-european girl named Kate Wax:

Alps is melting.

Other Music at the Enormous Room

2005-07-09T13:25:00.000-04:00

J. Dennis, mail-order guru and floor clerk at Other Music and DJ for APT and Triple Crown makes his monthly appearance at the Enormous Room tonight.

You might remember him behind the counter at the "legendary" Other Music Harvard Square. Being that dude is always around cutting-edge music and DJs, J. has some advanced taste that always challenges the regular crowd at Enormous. Although he doesn't much care. Any fan of sQuare productions would love it, and you should certainly drop by tonight. $3.00

DJ Isound mix

2005-07-07T01:25:00.000-04:00

There is hardly a single underrated DJ in NYC. Most have their nights, most have considerable press, most have a residency. DJ I-Sound is underrated. Dude is a sound engineer, avant-garde performer and an off-the-tracks DJ.

His latest mix, Wasteland II is out now and it's a scorcher. You can order it from his website. You will also get a free T-Shirt.

In the meantime, here's a links to Wasteland I for those of you lucky enough to show up here early. Unlucky? http://www.isoundinfo.com/ for reals.

Wasteland I is here:
http://s48.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=1LEXAPQUQ05D41BG1D1156OBQ0

Turn on yr. pop-up blocker, yo.

eavesdrop Up at sQuare

2005-07-04T00:33:00.000-04:00

We put up our old eavesdrop site, complete with weekly emails and pics and such over at our site. Eavesdrop was a weekly listening party, complete with giveaways and two DJs a week we had over at River Gods. Fun to read through some of those old emails. We had numerous events, including listening parties for everything from BPitch Control to Soul Jazz and local-artists-as-DJs included Chris Brokaw, Neptune and Alex McGregor. I believe eavesdrop ran for about a year and a half.

River Gods, now a Cambridgeport staple, is one of the better pubs in Cambridge and continues to support new music and new music events. If you haven't been in a while, maybe it's time for some of their award winning fries and sounds. Thanks to River Gods for their continued support and dedication to the scene. 125 River St. in Cambridge.

sQuare sound II out now

2005-07-02T14:08:00.000-04:00

Our new 2CD set sQuare sound II is done.

Here's the playlist:

disQue 1: twilight_

1. Geiger / Cocain-e
2. Cansei De Ser Sexy / A La La
3. M.I.A. / Do Ya
4. Musical Mob Royale / Mr. Wong
5. Snoop Dogg ft. Charlie Wilson & Justin Timberlake / Signs
6. Amerie / One Thing (Siik Remix)
7. Sa-Ra Creative Partners / Hollywood
8. Cybotron / Clear
9. Mr. Flagio / Take a Chance
10. Simian Mobile Disco / The Count
11. Panico / Transpiralo (ft. Crazy Girl)
12. Tom Vek / I Ain’t Sayin My Goodbyes
13. Freestyle / Don’t Stop The Rock
14. Claro Intellecto / 2000
15. Lady Sovereign / Random (Menta Remix ft. Riko)
16. Tori Alamaze / Don’t Cha
17. Kelis / Get Along With You (FakeID Remix)

disQue 2: dawn_

1. Play Paul / Yesterday
2. Juliet / Avalon (Thin White Duke Remix)
3. Phonique ft. Die Elfen / Red Dress (Tiefschwarz Remix)
4. Superdiscount / Someone Like You (Fast Version)
5. The Knife / Pass This On (Hugg ‘n’ Pepp Remix)
6. Nalin & Kane / Beachball
7. System 7 / Planet 7 (James Holden Mix)
8. Annie / Heartbeat (The Field Remix)
9. Ada / Maps (Michael Mayer / Tobias Thomas Remix)
10. Robag Whrume / Wombat
11. Isoleé / Enrico
12. The Egg / Wall (Radio Edit)
13. Alyoa / Been Too Long

If you want a copy, drop us a line.

We should always have some available at our gigs. Just ask. Free innit.

Comes in a slim dual-DVD case. Artwork by Amy Grill. It's nice looking.

Google Earth:
http://earth.google.com

Our documentary in the Boston Phoenix

2005-06-28T17:05:00.000-04:00

Nick Sylvester wrote this article for the Boston Phoenix about Boston, electronic music and his experience at MUTEK this year. He mentions our documentary production in progress: Speaking in Code.

We interviewed Nick in Montreal (pictured here) and plan on catching up with him again this fall in NYC.

Boston Phoenix / Best Music Poll

David also got props in the Boston Phoenix Best Music Poll.

Make It New in Stuff @ Night

2005-06-25T18:30:00.000-04:00

http://www.stuffatnight.com/rd0405/partying/documents/04772059.asp

When my girlfriend and I showed up on a recent Thursday for the weekly "Forced Exposure Sound System" night, the room was packed, folks ﬁghting to catch the attention of a bartender or one of the frazzled-looking waiters. One of Middlesex’s unique features is its movable seating: wheeled ottomans, which serve — along with the minty fresh mojitos, which everyone seemed to be drinking — as additional social lubrication, since clusters form and transform as people come and go, encouraging interaction among patrons. We walked in, pushed our way to the bar, ordered up a couple of six-dollar Tanqueray-and-tonics — not bad, considering there’s no cover Sunday through Thursday — and asked a few friendly looking folks if we could join their semicircle. "Yeah, but only if we can guess your ages," was their response — a strange request, but fair enough. They conferred with each other and made their guesses, overestimating a bit, which was ﬁne by us younglings.

It turned out they were coworkers from a nearby technology ﬁrm, on a company outing of sorts and looking for someplace to shake a tail feather. Given the fat, pulsing quarter-note bass-drum beats that DJs David Day and Mike Uzzi were pumping through its loud and warm sound system, Middlesex seemed a good place to get down. But the dancing was sparse — either a byproduct of the clientele’s self-conscious coolness, or simply for lack of space. Despite the hipper-than-thou aura that seemed to hover in the air, the vast majority of people were surprisingly gregarious. On my second trip to the bar — this time for Miller High Life, the cheapest offering at $3 — I wondered aloud why so many people were drinking mojitos. A guy turned around and looked at me. "Just try this," he said, thrusting a glass in my face. I took a sip, catching a fresh mint leaf in my mouth, and began to understand. "No, no, no. You gotta get down there with the straw and get some of the sugar." I took a second sip of the smiling stranger’s drink and this time got the full effect. Good stuff.

DJ Spinoza Tears Off Roof

2005-06-25T16:58:00.000-04:00

Big ups to miighty DJ Spinoza (http://www.klever.org/thebunkernyc/) who came up from NYC and ripped Boston to shreds (http://www.middlesexlounge.com/). At onepoint, we killed the lights it was awesome.

In honor, I give you the 1 song Bryan let me slip into his set. JohnnyDangerous and his "King of Clubs". Brain-blowing circus/pomp/piccolostomp-house.

"ohmigod" ... The King. Just. Wow.

http://s45.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=38K9A9IRUTQNT0Y2YYU8U73I8R

from DJ Hell's My Definition of House series. LOVE it when DJ let outtheir best/favorites. I think the original came out on Nite Grooves?

More please, Mr. Hell.

sQuar3.com newslist update #001

2005-06-25T16:21:00.000-04:00

Four things to explicitly tell you.

1: our site is now live:

http://www.squar3.com/

Please do me a favor and sign up for the email list on the site.
(Expect updates at least every week with playlists, news and links)

Thanks a ton to Nick at Prod he rules:
http://www.prod4ever.com/

2: sQuare Productions is in the Boston Phoenix this week:

http://www.bostonphoenix.com/boston/music/other_stories/documents/04755928.asp
We’re in the process of making a documentary about new electronic music. The working title is “Speaking in Code” … thanks to Nick Sylvester for the mention. Director Amy Grill’s busy putting together the demo reel now. Then we’ll try to get funding that’s not plastic.

DJ David Day also got a mention here.

3: DJ Spinoza is coming to the Middlesex this Thursday

RSVP at site below

Listen to his set here:
http://www.klever.org/thebunkernyc/spinoza.html
It’s like psychotronic dub kinkyfunk sound. Wicked.
He’s one of the best DJs on the east coast as far as sQuare is concerned.

With DJ Smartypants (Unlocked Groove) and UFO (Forced Exposure) opening.
9pm-2am 315 Massachussets Ave.
http://www.middlesexlounge.com/

To make it a nice nice night we got a liquor sponsor! BUT
Due to ye olde Boston lawbooks, you have to RSVP DO SO HERE:
http://www.bostonofftheradar.com/

4: Cosmo Baker at Enormous on Friday

Know Catchdubs? Know Certified Bananas? Cosmo runs with them:
http://www.cosmobaker.com/
There’s a free mix on that site too.

all st*rs have eyes
930pm-2am $3.00
567 Massachusetts Ave.
http://www.enormous.tv/

Opening: DJ David Day and Erik Pearson
http://www.squar3.com/site/index.htm

sQuare productions has a lot more to offer in the months and years ahead.
Get to the venues early, tip well and well… that’s it.

Don’t forget to sign up for the
newslist@squar3.com
at: http://www.squar3.com/site/contact.htm

That’s all.

sQuare events Memorial Day Weekend 2005

2005-05-26T09:34:00.000-04:00

TONIGHT, THURSDAY MAY 26

Snowball w/

DJs David Day and Erik Pearson
Rubups, Breakdowns, Electro-House jams
The latest and greatest.

Expect to hear: Mylo, Tiefschwarz, Tiga
Hugg ‘n Pepp, Technotronic, Diplo
Missy, M.I.A., James Holden, Isolee
Simian Mobile Disco, Poni Hoax, Lady Sov
Play Paul, Luciano, Sa-Ra, etc.

9pm – 2am
Free

TOMORROW, FRIDAY MAY 27
all st*rs have eyes

partytronica
w/ DJ David Day (& Erik prolly)
slideshows by amy lee grill

More quality Dance Music, Grime, Hip-House
Electro, Freestyle, Lost Classics, Found Dope

930pm – 2am
$3.00

SUNDAY MAY 29
Floating Gallery w/
Bootstrap Productions and
sQuare present:

Oddbird
http://www.floatinggallery.org
Exhibits, Art, Music, Projections
a not to miss art party/happening in a funky, historic
home on a hill near the forest hills cemetery

1-7pm or something
39 Yale Terrace
Located next door to beautiful
Forest Hill Cemetery
Free

projected photo animations and photos by amy grill
James Merenda's Masked Marvels Jazz Band
DJs Claudeski, Caulder & David Day
local filmmakers and poets

Featuring Floating Gallery Artists
George Cox / Amy Grill / Kerri McGill
Bruce Myren / Riki Moss / Justin Pike
Stanley Stamatel / Mark Taber / Doug Truth

Google map here:
http://tinyurl.com/a2xtf

driving directions
93 to exit 18 (Mass Ave exit) to Melnea Cass Blvd to end
LEFT on Tremont/Columbus Ave RIGHT on Washington St.
Go all the way to the overpass near Forest Hills T station 1st LEFT underneath the overpass Go to rotary - bear RIGHT UP Yale Terrace (Bicon Dental)
*additional parking on Forest Hills cemetary road From Forest
Hills T station: Pass courthouse to Rotary

Then it’s off to Montreal for
MUTEK.

Don’t Forget:

MAKE IT NEW
w/ the Forced Exposure Sound System
Every Thursday

new electronic dance music

June 2:
Erik Pearson
Billy Kiely

June 9:
David Day
Mike Uzzi

June 16:
4 of us
… Make It New

Make It New debuts tonight

2005-05-05T14:52:00.000-04:00

Tonight the Forced Exposure Sound System begins its official, regular Thursday night schedule at the Middlesex. For now and into the forseeable future, the first three Thursdays of every month belong to us. So, get out your calendar and mark the first 3 Thursdays of each month: "FE @ MSEX" You'll be glad you did.

Tonight DJ Caulder (aka Erik Pearson) and David Day (aka Easy) handle the decks from 9pm until 2am. I can't begin to tell you what hot stuff we have. So let's just:

the Forced Exposure

Sound System presents:

555

Fünf Von Mai

(Cinco de Mayo)

w/ DJs Erik Pearson

and David Day

playing dance music

9pm-2am

Due to lines and extended stays, it's recommended you come early and get up to get down. The night is free of charge. Mark. Your. Calendars. It's. On. Thursday.

Forced Exposure is one of the premiere distributors of electronic music in America and your DJs: Billy Kiely (UFO), Mike Uzzi (aka Smartypants), David Day (Easy) and Erik Pearson (Caulder) always have the freshest electronic dance music on the planet. Our thin wallet is your phat fun.

MAY 5 12 19 JUNE 2 9 16 JULY 7 14 21 AUGUST 4 11 18

IN OTHER NEWS

-- In lieu of DD headed to NYC for mini-Mutek, Nick Catchdubs, one of the hottest DJs in the US, plays at the Enormous Room this Friday. Don't miss that.

-- There's a new Cambridge-based electronic music magazine called Sonic Heart. Check out the interview with River Gods superman Rory Keohane and other nice stories.

-- Erik Pearson (DJ Caulder) is the best Boston DJ I've ever heard and he throws down free Fridays at River Gods with the newly-christened POLYPHONY.

-- May 20th Edan plays the middlesex. Edan is a rapper and DJ from Boston. Edan runs the game. The UK loves him to deaf, find out why.

Gonna be a hot summer.

http://www.forcedexposure.com

http://www.middlesexlounge.com

http://www.unlockedgroove.com

http://www.marzentertainment.com

http://www.robotlovesongs.com

sQuare productions in the Globe

2004-12-03T18:47:00.000-05:00

Page D1:
http://www.squar3.com/site/images/globe1.jpg

Page D8:
http://www.squar3.com/site/images/globe2.jpg

thanks to the good folks at the Globe
for putting together this piece in your paper
this morning:

He never misses a beat

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2004/12/03/he_never_misses_a_beat?mode=PF

If it's Friday it must be DJ David Day, mixing a
house-party vibe at the Enormous Room
[scroll down for the article in full.]

sQuare productions

presents

all
st*rs
have
eyes

Friday, December 3rd
Enormous Room
567 Massachussets Ave.
9pm - 2am
http://www.enormous.tv

Each Friday, sQuare productions takes the helm down at the enormous room for a weekly celebration of art, music and personalities. Come down sometime and get your groove on.

all st*rs have eyes

sounds by david day, slideshows by amy lee grill.
only $3.00

____________________

Also, this Saturday, XLR8R magazine [http://www.xlr8r.com] and Adidas is releasing Bedroom Rockers, a book featuring the DJ setups and record collections of some of your favorite Boston DJs. We'd be remiss if we didn't mention that sQuare productions is represented.

Bedroom Rockers Book Party
From Noon - 8pm at the Adidas store: 1270 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge. DJs all day long.

Pick up the year-end issue of XLR8R magazine, too, which has quotes from david day within... XLR8R is easily the best music magazine in America.

____________________

AND, if you're a little closer to Jamaica Plain, this December david day is DJing at the Milky Way Mondays. NO COVER.

sQuare productions presents
CHILLAX MONDAYS

Monday December 6th
Monday December 13th
Monday December 27th

http://www.milkywayjp.com

Expect a mix of minimal grooves, reggae/dancehall, disco beats and downtempo loveliness.

He never misses a beat

If it's Friday it must be DJ David Day, mixing a house-party vibe at the Enormous Room

By Christopher Muther, Globe Staff December 3, 2004

Perhaps they were too tipsy to notice Jellybean Benitez. They even let Cyndi Lauper slip through without so much as a whimper. But all previous signs of placidity from the crowd evaporate when Hall & Oates find their way upon the turntable.

"C'mon, maaaan, play some hip-hop," the gadabout in the long leather coat pleads with David Day. "The ladies aren't going to dance to this."

It's just past midnight at the Enormous Room, and Day, the DJ and artistic soul of a new Friday scene called All Stars Have Eyes, has been having his way with the room for the past two hours. There are few other spaces in town where a DJ could play an obscure track from a German electronic music label, followed closely by "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," followed by a Mos Def track. But Day makes the unruly pastiche sound as if it were intended to be mixed in this exact order.

And when he submits to the wishes of the leather-clad gadabout and plays hip-hop, he brazenly mixes it directly into Hall & Oates's "Crime Pays." Against all logic, it flows smoother than Godiva liqueur over ice. The creamy blend is a perfect fit for the laid-back vibe of these nights -- a smart mix of cool lounge and lively club.

"David's more of an ethnomusicologist on some level than a DJ," says Enormous Room owner Gary Strack. "He's putting together styles and genres in a way that simply isn't done anywhere else in Boston."

What's even more unusual is that the scruffy 30-year-old Day began DJing just three years ago, with no previous club experience. Where most DJs begin spinning records in their living rooms, then work up to house parties, eventually finding their way into clubs, Day, a former manager at the now defunct Cambridge branch of Other Music, began spinning on a lark.

Once a week, Other Music, a New York-based independent record store, held a night called Eavesdrop at River Gods in Cambridge (Other Music closed two years ago, but Eavesdrop is still alive). At the weekly party, a forthcoming new release was previewed for an audience. But before and after the new album was played, DJs played their own mixes of music. As manager at Other Music, Day had the opportunity to DJ, and he quickly fell in love with the turntables.

"I would spin eclectic but thematic mixes," says Day, who often used the forum to spin $1 Ambrosia records he found in used music shops. "I just loved it so much that I wanted a single night to DJ, so I moved to Friday nights at River Gods and started to do four hours a night. And that's when things got challenging."

Instead of simply playing one song after another, Day had to learn the technique of beat matching, which entails blending one record into the next, and he had to learn the skill in an immensely popular, crowded club on Friday nights.

"I know there were times when I was making mistakes, but I think people were enjoying themselves too much to notice," Day says. "And also, I don't really subscribe to the idea that the DJ is a robot. I see DJs as human party enabler. A lot of that has been lost with this DJ-as-superstar idea."

And if enabling parties is his goal, Day appears to have hit his stride at the Enormous Room, where he began spinning this fall with All Stars Have Eyes (the name was chosen because it "sounds European," he says). Fridays at the Enormous Room feel like a well-run house party. A crowd, generally fresh from dinner, lingers comfortably on sofas and rug- and cushion-covered platforms, sipping key lime martinis and chatting. The space is barely lighted, which makes the club a strangely romantic spot, a fact that isn't lost on couples who make out to a soundtrack that changes ambiance at the pace of a fickle teenager's mood ring.

"It's basically a great place to hear some really different music," says 24-year-old Somerville resident and self-described music junkie Julia Howard. "The people-watching isn't bad, either."

Day doesn't mind the loungers, the people-watchers, or even the smoochers, but his current mission is to get the very diverse crowd at the Enormous Room up and dancing.
"It's so great to get people to move to something and let their inhibitions go," Day says. "It's really fun to find the record that unlocks the part of the brain that allows dancing. Although it probably has something to do with alcohol, too."

If the patrons at the Enormous Room choose not to dance, Day gives them another option. Throughout the night, digital snapshots of abstract urban landscapes are projected onto a wall. The photos are the vision of Day's wife, Amy Lee Grill, who is working on a master's degree in documentary filmmaking.

"A lot of these projectors in clubs around town will show movies," Day says. "But then people start watching the movies, and they're not watching the crowd."

"I think bringing art into a DJ space promotes interaction and thought, as opposed to just staring off into space," Grill adds. "You can talk about it, actually start up a conversation with someone about it."

In the Enormous Room's diminutive brick DJ booth, Day has a small LCD screen that displays the digital photos patrons are observing. He uses his wife's images as a visual guide to inspire the soundtrack he mixes. It's a blend of obscure tracks, old and current, that dances around the mainstream but never fully commits to the familiar. He finds many of the records through his day job as publicist for Forced Exposure, a local company that distributes independent records.

"The goal is to spin music that's electronic in nature -- whether it's early electro, early hip-hop, freestyle, '80s pop," Days says. "It's all synthetic. But it's also about keeping people on their toes. If you played house music all night, you'd end up with about a third of your crowd really into it, and the other two-thirds would probably leave. You have to keep as many people interested as possible, and by doing that, you keep yourself interested."

Which is why Day has been able to hold the attention of French tourists, Harvard grad students, and Central Square club kids. Even the gadabout in the leather coat continues to bob his head when Day stealthy mixes in an electropop track after a string of hip-hop tunes.
"David definitely has a following of people who come in to hear him and who know about him," Strack says. "Not everyone there is as sophisticated about music as he is, but they go there because they know he's going to play things they're not going to hear anywhere else.

"I think people who go to clubs are much smarter than most DJs give them credit for. They want to have fun, and they also want to be challenged, and David knows that."

All Stars Have Eyes debuts Friday

2004-09-23T17:00:00.000-04:00

you are cordially invited
to the inaugural edition of
the new Fridays at the
Enormous Room

sQuare productions

presents

All
St*rs
Have
Eyes

Friday, September 24th
Enormous Room
567 Massachussets Ave.
10pm - 2am
http://www.enormous.tv

Join us and the Enormous Room staff for a 4 hour mix of dance music, as All Stars debuts a new kind of dance party. During our previews in September we've tailored the set list, tested the segues and... oh yeah... bought a goddam tonne of music... now we can mix it for you.

In the weeks ahead, expect eclectic guest DJs primed for the A.D.D. world. DJs from Bosstown, New York, Canada and all around New England. The new mix is one that switches things up, drops party favorites but respects cutting-edge rhythms. DJs like Diplo [and Hollertronix, Philly], Too Many DJs [Belgium], DJ Language [NYC] and Optimo [UK] have marketed this eclectic mix style, and this Friday Easy [Boston] will join the fray.

All Stars is about that new sound: expertly selected, top-shelf jams and hits. A set that can adapt swiftly and change gears without slowing down.

Hey, we'll even take requests...

After all, it's not about a respecting one genre and it's not about naming a scene. It's about having a party.

Stop by on Fridays, come early, stay late.

... and join the party

all st*rs have eyes

sounds by easy, slideshows by amy lee grill.
only $3.00

Preview: All Stars Have Eyes

2004-08-25T16:56:00.000-04:00

you are cordially invited to sneak preview
a new night at the Enormous Room

sQuare
productions

presents
All
Stars
Have
Eyes
Enormous Room
Friday, August 27th
10pm-2am
http://www.enormous.tv/

Visuals provided by sQuare productions. Snythian, washed-out dance funk from Easy [a k a Tim Osman, a k a David Day].

Until 2am, All Stars provides a respite from the world outdoors. Dim lights, slideshow visuals and warm sounds of cold edits. Brand new smoothed and groovy electro, house, disco. + new clubrock hits. The kind of night you don't want to tell people about, because it's yours. A soiree and we'd love you to attend.

Friday night at Enormous is always a party, and All Stars Have Eyes intends to continue the guest DJ tradition, bringing up talent from New York, down from Montreal, all around New England and, of course, the best from Boston. After a revamped sound system and a new video projector, the always engaging Enormous Room is now better than ever. Add to that the supple, harmonic DJ sets from Easy and the photos of ALG and it's a good reason to hit the town...

All Stars Have Eyes. A special impromptu preview this Friday at Enormous.

music from: Ghostly, Kompakt, DFA Records, Domino, Fat Cat, Playhouse, Traum, Perlon, Turntablelab.com, Other Music, Forced Exposure, Output Recordings, Star Trak, Clone, Plant, Zero G Sounds, and a healthy selection of dance classics...

After eavesdrop and Diversion at River Gods, this is Amy Lee Grill and David Day's new party at the Enormous Room. We'd like to make this a regular thing, so bring someone you might dance with.