A year ago Particle People had our buddy Derek Plaslaiko out to party. That night we recorded the set and forgot all about it! A few weeks ago Derek sends this email…
“Look! I forgot we recorded this!”
A little surprise for all of us and we would like to share it with you!
Jack Cast 011 - Derek Plaslaiko
From the vault… A special exclusive mix from Derek Plaslaiko!
VOODEUX
I first found out about Voodeux in the winter of 2007 when I heard “The Curse” on a promo mix by Claude VonStroke. Right away I was blown away by the spooky and sexy sound. The creepy synths and the big pads just stuck with me. I think I played that track in every set for about 6 months and just craved more.
When I found out that they were launching their new full length album with a rare live performance in Detroit last year I had to hear it! I ran around like crazy that night, a psycho cab driver, and a huge line later there I was front and center, hands in the air once again blown away by their sound. I knew right then that I had to get them to Minneapolis and when I found out they were available during a fellow Particle Person’s birthday it was an obvious choice.
Not only are they amazing song writers and producers they are also funny and personable, I was happy to take some time for an interview with James and Tanner of Voodeux. What follows is our conversation as well as a special after hours JackCast from Tanner Ross and a stream of Voodeux’s promo set just to get a taste of what is to come this Saturday at Black.
Voodeux Promo live mix
Voodeux Live
Guys… To start I would like to get you introduced, Could you tell us a little bit about the concept behind Voodeux?
James: The concept sprouted from the combination of my hermetic obsessions with the occult, and Tanner’s horror flick affinity. It sorta grew on its own, and the whole thematic idea of what Voodeux stands for is still evolving. I’m really into combining the funkiness of raw dance music and the deep hypnotic nature of techno. It’s about creating tension and dramatic sequences and engaging the listener with white knuckles, unclear what’s around the corner.
Tanner: Ditto
You both live in different states, how is that? What is your writing process?
Voodeux: We just share project files and send them back and forth via internetz.
James and Tanner
Tanner and James, The last 3 years have been quite eventful for you two, from taking off on your own productions, a remix of the biggest underground track of 2007 (Tanners remix of “Who’s afraid of Detroit”) To the first big single on Mothership Records (the Curse) and now one of the hottest full length albums of 2009 on one of Americas top techno labels. How does that feel?
Tanner: The past few years have been a huge whirlwind of craziness. I spent my last semester of college on an airplane doing the Voodeux tour and dj gigs. I was a music arranger and producer for a National Geographic Documentary. All of these experiences have really shaped who I am now. To be exact, I cannot put a finger on those details. My work ethic has really improved over the years. I used to just pick at ideas here and there and now I am staying focused. The result of the concentration is, productivity.
James: It’s been pretty exciting, but sometimes overwhelming when everything’s thrown at you at once. It’s definitely given me the chance to discover what I like and don’t like, and how to find longevity within it. Tourwise, eyes are open for meaningful events, where promoters pour their hearts into building creative experiences and creating landscapes for optimal listening. As for the music, it’s great to have the wonderful support and vision from Barclay and Dirtybird/Mothership, as they put so much careful work into intelligently pushing things forward on a global scale. Knowing The Paranormal is so well-received is great, and we’re harnessing that energy for our 2nd album.
Are there any new Voodeux projects in the works?
Voodeux: We are in the brainstorming process for the next album. Recording starts in Feb.
How did the relationship begin with Mothership and DirtyBird?
To make a very long story short…
A magical beam of light came out of the sky, following the beam, a seimic low frequency wave produced by an 808 bass hit me to the ground. I found the answer and everything has been absolutely fantastic since.
Just a Spoonfull
Voodeux: We are brothers from different mothers.
Tanner, I recently read in an article where you mentioned you were just recently getting in to DJing the last few years. What encouraged you to pick up such a nasty habit?
Tanner: I think it is just a natural progression for me. I love playing and I will continue to until I physically unable.
James, you have been producing records for years now. I remember playing your records and reviewing them on Nu-breaks forum back in the early 2000’s. How has your music progressed over the last few years and what new projects are you working on?
James: I hope it’s progressed and still progressing. I’m working on EPs with Thoughtless and Harmonious Discord, and just finished a vocal album with Amagine, a time-traveling multidimensional MC here in Philly. I’m staying busy, and one of the main focuses for 2010, and what I’m getting very excited about, is the Voodeux followup album.
Tanner, you seem to be busy as well, I heard a rumor of even a dubstep project, what can we expect from you in the near future?
I did work on about 6 dubstep tracks. After some thought I decided it wasn’t my calling. That said, I have learned a lot of new things by experimenting with that sound and it is starting to really effect the way I approach music. I am working on a bunch of new projects this year. I released an ep on Airdrop with Sergio Santos at the end of 09 and we are starting to work on our next ep along with a few remixes. Sergio and I are also working with Soulclap as a group called SECT. SECT is going to be releasing an ep on Culprit early this year followed by more eps. SECT came about because Chalrie of Soulclap has been my roommate for three years now aswell as Sergio and it wouldn’t make sense for Eli of SC to not work with us. I am really excited about this project, I think we are making something really special.
Both of you have amazing use of sound and sound design, Tanner I believe you even went to school for sound design. Its abundantly clear in both Voodeux and in your own productions. Any chance of a Sample Pack from you guys?
James: I dunno… I like sample packs, but I found I have an incredibly short attention span for putting them together. It seems like something that would better be created by us sitting in a room for 12 hours just recording strange and eerie noises nonstop. That in itself could be dangerous.
Tanner: I don’t really have the time to do a sample pack. I have always wanted to make some really cool kits and such. Some day I will get around to it.
Mothership Records
James: Lots of granular synthesis. Granular-To-Go, Grainstates, KTGranulator. I’m also really digging Camel Audio’s Alchemy right now.
Tanner: Ditto and lots of reverb.
Another thing I love to ask and I think it really gives people some idea as to where you come from… Whats on the Ipod, what do y’all listen to when its not Techno time, or is it always techno time for you?
Tanner: Missy Elliot is always on rotation along with Grave Diggaz, Timbaland and Magoo, Lil Wayne, Detroit Grand Pubas and random things. I don’t listen to techno much these days, more underground house music and music for the party after the after party.
James: No way, you can’t listen to techno all the time because it’s a dead-end street. Inspiration comes from everything else. You have the experiences, you hear the music, you’re moved by the music, and you go into the studio and pour out what you’ve learned. Techno is a continuous ever-flowing tapestry of sound, a global collaboration of sonic synthesis. Techno inspires more techno of course, but if there’s no other music, we reach a point where we’re just recycling the same sounds over and over. I guess when that happens, we call it a “sub-genre” and move on. For me though, right now I’m listening to the works of Jacaszek, Offthesky, and Steinbrüchel. And I just had a spontaneous 12-hour Nine Inch Nails listening session the other day. Dunno where that came from.
As an extra special treat, Tanner was nice enough to record a special after hrs mix for Jack the Box!
Tanner Ross JackCast010
Goldwill – Matikal
Nina Kraviz – I’m Gonna Get You
Wolf + Lamb – If U Had ( Shaun Reeves Edit )
Baeka – Right At It
Taron-Trekka – Shiori
Adrien – Underground
Nize & Nyce – Levon Whitney
SECT – Man Of Wisdom ( SECT=Soulclap, Sergio Santos and Tanner Ross)
Tanner Ross & Sergio Santos – Space Cakes
Nicolas Jaar – Time For Us
Join us this Saturday at BLACK for Voodeux Live with Residents Arron Bliss and Milosh
Interview by Aaron Bliss
Loud and Clear
On Saturday, January 16th BLACK hosted by LOUD & CLEAR is pleased to present…
KIDDO (Chicago, IL)
[Resident Advisor, Newcity Magazine]
Much like techno itself, Kiddo’s dynamic style is always evolving. She has shown her mettle in all types of environments. Whether it’s an outdoor festival, a radio program, a loft party, a gallery, a lounge, a restaurant, or one of Chicago ’s many fine dancing establishments, she has a knack for tailoring her DJ sets to every type of occasion.
Influenced by the sounds of Berlin , Detroit , and Chicago , Kiddo’s style is a melding of numerous genres of techno and house music. Her sets may range anywhere from glitchy, shuffling micro-house to sexy, melodic tech-house to more dark and sinister techno. Lately she’s been moving the dance floors with seamless mixes of up-tempo tech-house and deep house with the occasional jackin’ cut thrown in for good measure. She is known for her enthusiasm behind the turntables, connecting with the dancefloor through the combination of a charismatic smile and energetic mixing.
In 2006, Kiddo held a monthly residency at one of Chicago ’s favorite underground night spots, Smart Bar. In 2007 she made her Miami debut at the WMC, where she performed alongside Adam Beyer and Joel Mull, among others. As a vocalist trained in classical and jazz performance, she contributed vocals to Decimal’s Technicolor Lover EP on Soma Quality Recordings. In 2009, she traveled to Spain to perform at the world famous club Mogambo in Valencia . She also acts as a contributing writer for Newcity magazine and Resident Advisor. Join us as we welcome one of our favorite Chicagoans back to BLACK.
Also appearing…
RYAN SIMATIC (Minneapolis, MN)
*LIVE PA*
Ryan Simatic exists in the margins of the techno community. Although he has been DJing for over 10 years, his gigs are primarily family affairs located in haunts common to those into Minneapolis electronic music. Along the course of these 10 years, Simatic has done what most American techno fans have done: worked hard in educating themselves and working in careers outside of the tiny US techno scene. But Simatic has also accomplished something else: he’s created some quality original tracks and DJ mixes. As his production skills have matured, so has his sound, garnering attention from beyond Minneapolis. Look for Simatic originals released on DaeTree (Wisconsin), Dope Recordings (Denver), and soon on Subtrak (NYC).
And…
CARBON UNITS (Minneapolis, MN)
*John Bro and Daniel Paul – 2 Hour Opening Set*
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Websites:
(Check out new mixes from Kiddo on her website above)
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The Info:
Saturday, January 16th from 10pm to 2am
$5 / 18+
BLACK at First Avenue VIP Room (enter through side door on First Ave N)
Extra sound to be added for this show
Free cross-over to Too Much Love — THE BEST DRINK VALUES DOWNTOWN
Beat Session w/ Dustin Zahn
Chemistry
Jungle Joints
Smart Bar
Too Much Love
Chemistry Presents
This article was first posted by RA by Todd L Burns last year and I just had to share it because we recently had one of the UQ crew here in Minneapolis and his name was Levon Vincent. Yea.. He pretty much blew my mind and melted my face and ass all over the floor, Thank you Levon, Ive been meaning to loose some of that holiday fat.
to view the orig post on RA please follow the following Link… Link to RA post here
I LOVE NYC
The NYC House renaissance
New York City house music was stuck in a rut in the early ’00s, but a new batch of producers centered around Jus-Ed’s Underground Quality label
have recently emerged, and pushed it into a new era. This is their story.
For all its talk of the future, dance music has a decidedly classicist bent. Some of the best music currently being released is unabashedly backward-looking, whether it be in the purist strains of Berghain techno, nu-disco’s Balearic fixations or house music’s deep resurgence. The latter is being pushed by artists around the world, but few are doing it with the same sort of vitality—and coherence—as a group of New York-based and -influenced artists centered around Jus-Ed’s Underground Quality label. Some are calling it a New York house renaissance, and based on the incredible music and parties that have been emerging from the likes of Ed, Levon Vincent, Black Jazz Consortium, DJ Qu and Anthony Parasole, it’s hard not to see that something is happening there. And that 2009 may be its tipping point.
To call it a New York house renaissance, though, is slightly misleading. New York is a big place. But of the five artists largely responsible for this sound, only two actually live there. Parasole, who co-helms the Deconstruct imprint and co-runs the House-N-Home party, is in Brooklyn. While Black Jazz Consortium, AKA Fred P, is based in Queens. DJ Qu (New Jersey), Jus-Ed (Connecticut) and Levon Vincent (Indiana) each have strong ties to the city, though. Record stores, record distributors and parties in New York have all left an indelible mark on each.
The story of how this group came together revolves around a record shop called Halcyon. Set—at that time—in Brooklyn’s Carroll Gardens neighborhood, the store, which doubled as a cafe, was among the finest that the city had to offer. As Jus-Ed remembers it, “You had to fill out an application to play [an in-store show] there. There were a lot of big-name DJs that wanted to play there that never did. I was lucky to be with Vic Money, the big dog at 98.7 KISS FM, and we still got the shit night. Mondays from 6 – 9 PM.” Levon Vincent, an employee at the time, quickly grew to love the slot, though, warning off any fellow co-workers from taking that shift so that he could listen to Ed’s sets each week.
Parasole also worked at Halcyon later on, and eventually became a buyer, purchasing some of the first records that DJ Qu released to stock in the shop. Vinyl that Ed had championed to New York distributor Downtown. And Fred P? The producer did a remix for Ed’s wife, Jenifa Mayanja, on an Underground Quality EP of a song called “Time Waits For No-One” that piqued Ed’s interest. In talking with Fred about his experiences in the industry, they immediately realized they shared common struggles, as well as similar sounds.
That sound, despite being house-based, though, is hard to pin down. The music that is being released by Levon Vincent and Anthony Parasole’s labels has a toughness to it that is finding fans in the techno community. DJ Qu’s tunes appeal to the old-school house heads. Fred P, meanwhile, is charting a course towards a deep house that is equal parts darkness and light, simple and complex. And Jus-Ed simply mixes it all together seamlessly, making it all sound like one big canvas upon which these artists are painting.
Jus-Ed is the Godfather. The central figure in the New York house renaissance, his label Underground Quality and weekly radio show on myhouse-yourhouse.net are the first port of calls for anyone interested in learning more about the artists talked about here. Ed never asked to be the mentor to these artists, but due to his gregarious nature and his record business experience, he’s given plenty of advice to Parasole, Vincent, Qu and P in their efforts to launch their own labels. And, crucially, plenty of advice on how to represent themselves, and Underground Quality, at gigs.
“The one that I impress upon the guys is professionalism. I tell them, ‘How you are received, is how we are perceived.’ You want to keep the door open for the next person, whoever that may be. When Fabric came calling the first time, I said, ‘Finally! This is my Shelter moment!’ Now I have to make a good impression, because I know these people are taking a risk creatively having me here. It’s been a while since they’ve had this type of character. And they’re not even clear on who this character is! But I went over there with Qu, and we played together and we kicked ass. They had to throw us out of the room. They had to tell the boss, Judy, who was in there jamming to shut us down. Normally they close it at 5:30, but that night we had it open until 6:30. The next time, we were there until 8!”
Ed’s tireless work ethic only comes into focus, though, once you realize that despite his gigs around the world, he still maintains a full-time job back in Connecticut. Our conversation is peppered with quick phone interruptions about perennial flowers and tax talk, as Ed graciously relates the history of how he met each member of Underground Quality—even the ones not affiliated with New York—in painstaking detail. It’s clear that he revels, to a certain degree, in multi-tasking. Or that he’s simply become accustomed to it. Needless to say, however, his joy for DJing has never dimmed. “If I could get enough money to pay for my kids to go to college, I’d do every gig for free,” he tells me before breaking into his trademark laugh.
Levon Vincent is the survivor. Each of the artists featured here have gone through a lot, but anyone that has met Vincent at his increasing slate of international DJ gigs knows that he’s had to endure a lot in the past few years. Vincent walks with a cane, the result of a back injury sustained in New York. It’s one of the reasons that he decamped to Indiana early in 2009 to focus his energies on music, after the usual run of odd jobs that never amounted to much in the way of health insurance. The injury, as Vincent will admit, though, was a blessing in disguise. Without any distractions in Indiana, he’s produced the best work of his career, releasing track after track that bridges the gaps between house, dub and techno in a novel way.
Releasing on his own imprint, Novel Sound, and a label that he co-runs with Anthony Parasole called Deconstruct, he’s seen his star rise over the past six months to a level that he likely never would have predicted when he was working at Halcyon, making sandwiches and working the register. Vincent, like the others, has had a long history in New York, but perhaps the most formative experience was working at designer Pat Fields’ shop in the mid-’90s. It was there that he saw many of the wild characters that made up the local dance scene up close and personal. He was even booked to play The Limelight for the first time the night that notorious club owner Peter Gatien was hauled off to jail on federal drug charges.
It was seemingly an apt metaphor for Vincent’s work up to that point: While he made initial forays into the club world, it was only years later that he was able to truly find his own niche, taking the musical lessons he learned when studying at the State University of New York and applying them to the wisdom taken from watching Jus-Ed and others work the floor. As Vincent put it in a recent interview with Bodytonic, “I am a scientist working in the field of ass-shakery.”
Fred P is the quiet genius. Humble is the word that was uttered over and over to me when I asked the other artists about Fred Peterkin, and you can hear it quite clearly in his music. Recording under the Black Jazz Consortium moniker—”It was originally called Brooklyn Jazz Consortium. But then I moved,” he laughs—Peterkin has carved a niche for himself in the deep house community. But, as Philip Sherburne noted in a recent column for Pitchfork, Peterkin stands above many classicists. He points to the sneaky complexity to his rhythms that contrast the simple and beautiful sentiments contained within the keys that he often plays over top. In listening to his latest album, Structure, or one of his best singles preceding it, “God’s Promise,” it’s hard not to agree.
Structure almost never materialized, though, as Peterkin had given up music completely in the mid-’90s in favor of a full-time job. It was only a good friend bringing him mixtapes with music from the likes of 4 Hero and Spacetime Continuum that got him back into production again. Inspiration only went so far: “[When I started producing again] I couldn’t get arrested in this town. ‘Too this, too that, could you make it this way, could you make it that way.’ The music I was making wasn’t right for that time period though. It was too raw. Everything back then had a finished, glossy, beautiful kind of feel to it. And I was living in a room filled with cigarette butts, y’know?”
Like Vincent, Parasole, Ed and Qu, Peterkin went out plenty during the late ’80s and early ’90s to clubs like The Sound Factory, The Red Zone and The Tunnel, but you get the sense that in listening to Black Jazz Consortium that it’s music borne out of hours of studio work. While Qu was dancing in the middle of the floor, Peterkin was busy studying what was making them dance. Peterkin is no slouch behind the decks, though. His mix in advance of the crew’s appearance at Berlin’s Tape club may be the set’s best. “I’d definitely like to play more, but I know I’m a bit different than what is happening now. I’m not reinventing the wheel, though. I guess it’s just because it’s where I’m at, or where I’m starting from.”
Anthony Parasole is the party maker. His major contribution thus far to the New York house renaissance is via his DJing and his crucial House-N-Home loft party, an event done with The Bunker’s mastermind Bryan Kasenic. Coming up on its first anniversary, the loft party has hosted the likes of Patrice Scott, Keith Worthy, Dixon, Mike Huckaby, Move D and more to the 12 Turn 13 space in Brooklyn. But just as it has showcased international and domestic talent, it’s also served as an unofficial UQ residency, giving space to Vincent, Fred P, DJ Qu, Ed and of course Parasole on a regular basis to push their sound at an ideal location.
Unlike many of the other excellent parties that UQ-affiliated artists play at, such as the Tuesday deep house soiree Deep See, DJ Qu’s aforementioned House Dance Conference or the outdoor summer series Sunday Best, it’s one of the few that brings together disparate crowds—old-school house heads ready to dance, The Bunker’s techno-loving crowd in search of a house alternative, those simply looking for a good loft party. Parasole often opens or closes the night, breaking out a mix of classics and future classics that you’ll have rarely heard before. His recent mix for mnml ssgs is as good example as any of his talents.
After many years of being ensconced into the New York scene, it’s clear that Parasole is finally reaping some of the benefits of his hard work as a DJ. The reason that you haven’t heard much out of Parasole in the production arena? Like Ed, he has a full-time job, which occupies a great deal of his time. But he’s also resistant, like many of the UQ-affiliated artists, to delve too deeply into new technologies. (That’s also a major reason why Deconstruct, his label with Vincent, is still an entirely vinyl affair thus far.) He’s set to release his first remix, an effort done with Fred P, on the next Deconstruct.
DJ Qu is the dancer. Now known primarily as a DJ, Qu made his start in the dance music world through dancing. Traveling the world as a dancer for a variety of artists, and then going on to teach classes and workshops alongside his mentor Brian “Footwork” Green and friend Joey Anderson on house dancing, when Qu talks about tapping into the spirit of true house music, you can be sure he knows exactly what he’s talking about. Over the past few years, Qu has largely given up dancing and instead focused his energies toward DJing, production and the House Dance Conference party, an event that was started by Green in 1999. It’s a night for true heads, with people flying in from all over the world to visit.
“I had been wanting to DJ at their party for a while, because I consider myself the dancer’s DJ,” Ed laughed, when I asked him about how he met DJ Qu. It’s a common sentiment for each of the UQ DJ’s: Their music is embraced by connoisseurs of the genre, those who have either lived through house music’s golden age, or those seeking to capture a little piece of what they imagine it must have been like. Qu’s music is some of the most stripped down of the artists working in the New York house scene at the moment, carving out deep grooves that reflect his tendency to favor the dancer above all else. You can hear as much in his recent mix—part of the six-mix CD that the label is using to promote their upcoming night at Berlin’s Tape club—whose irresistible rhythms are perfect for fancy footwork.
Like Ed and Parasole, he also has a full-time job, which limits his time, but he’s nonetheless been able to build his Strength Music imprint into a respected label based on the quality of what are largely his own productions. Qu has a shorter production resume than most. In fact, his Strength Music label hasn’t issued a single released in 2009. He’s spent the majority of the year focusing on remix work, and is set to relaunch the label in September with The Semesters Pt. 2, as well as a DJ Qu album which will likely hit stores sometime in 2010.
TimeFog004 DVS1
Jack the Box is proud to announce the arrival of a new EP by not only one of our own but also from a label that is as home grown as the artist who wrote it…
Timefog 04 – DVS1 Flight to No Where EP (w/ Drumcell vs. Audio Injection rmx)
Hardwax described DVS1’s debut on Ben Klock’s Klockworks label as “Pure and crafty techno”. The EP stormed techno charts from Derrick May, Samuel Sessions, Luke Slater, James Ruskin, Stephan Goldman, Funktion, Dj Deep, Tommy Four Seven, Tamo Sumo, Martin Landsky, Efdemin, Dustin Zahn, Dario Zenker, Ryan Elliot, Insideout, Jonass Kopp, Par Grindvik, James Ruskin, Marcel Fengler, Kevin Gormann, Tobi Neumann, Monika Kruse, Dos Santos, Kevin Saunderson, Mike Shannon, Ben Klock, Rejected, Camea, the Oct09 “Best of Beatport” chart, and on and on! This Minneapolis-based artist’s Timefog release proves to be equally pure and crafty, with more powerful raw emotions explored at the edges of the spectrum. With projects in the works for Derrick May’s Transmat label as well, DVS1 is one to watch!
Falling –
An urgent, taut kick and rusty switchblade high hats snap to attention, sliding on titanium railways, as clanking, alien sonic flotsam rattles upward through your vertebrae. Cavernous toms pick up the cadence as the lights get lower. Flickering red lightbulbs overhead signal that liftoff is about to commence! Sure to be a hit with the likes of Ben Klock and Marcel Dettmann.
Falling (Drumcell and Audio Injections Finally Falling Mix) –
The DROID crew from Los Angeles delivers a remix from Drumcell and Audio Injection. Profound bass and a sleek polish shine the rusty robots into gleaming machines, firing in a dramatic, powerful, linear trajectory through a parallel universe.
Departure –
This is serious, deceptively simple big room techno at its finest, dry as dust. Taking a confident jump into faster BPMs, this is a track for people who still like to be pounded sometimes. Badly behaving robots drop like comets on a misaligned course into a pit of steamy bodies, heaving sweat, and nihilistic abandon as the synths growl their approval. Claps and saw blade cymbals punctuate the mayhem with authority, and the hook will certainly be one to remember…
Arrival (with break) –
The runway lights appear in the distance as gauges click into place. The fasten your seatbelt sign has miraculously been turned off as beautiful silhouettes increase the cabin pressure. A warm yet melancholic descending bassline and spacious breakdown welcome us back to a lucid, womb-like reality as euphoric pads linger in the dream of the escape.
Arrival (No Break) –
The same feel with no breakdown, for those who aren’t ready to land just yet!
Support is coming from all over! Support from: Laurent Garnier, Par Grindvik, AlexiDelano, Chris Liebing, Luke Slater, Len Faki, Alland Byallo, Dustin Zahn, Paco Osuna, Slam, Jacob Hoffman, Aaron Bliss, Jesse Jakob, Butane, and on and on…..
AN INTERVIEW WITH VOODEUX --
Tanner Ross and James Watts make up the creepy techno duo called, “Voodeux.” These east coast tech wizards are debuting their first album on mothership this June.
—- Where did you guys meet and how did this project all get started?
JAMES::We met on a forum with musically like-minded folk years ago, and eventually began trading files back and forth to collaborate. I think the first thing we did was a ridiculously bass heavy grimey track. I’m not sure what happened to that, but I think I might laugh if I heard it today.
TANNER::To make a long story short… I stumbled upon a great producer named KiloWatts ( James ) and I contacted him just to say I really enjoyed his music and we built a friendship from there. When I was 20 I felt comfortable enough with my production skill to ask him if he wanted to collaborate on some music for fun. Fast forward 6 years and we put out a track on dirtybird called “Kruger Fingers”. This release is essentially what started the ” Voodeux ” sound. Fast forward a few more years and Mothership was born and we switched rosters and started fresh as Voodeux.
—- How did you come up with the name, Voodeux?
JAMES:: Our sound is focused on the eerie, dark and mysterious. We toyed around with a few names to suit that vibe, but settled on the idea of ‘voodoo’, a religion often based on the belief in mischevious spirits that interact with human affairs. We’re into unexplained paranormal phenomena, and hypnotic trippy techno can often bring about such things in the minds of listeners. So, we changed the spelling a bit, to suit the ‘two’ of us, and Voodeux was born.
TANNER:: We finished “The Curse” (on mothership) and we were trying to come up with a name for our new project. At the time I was watching this crazy ass video of Screaming Jay Hawkins doing “I Put A Spell On You” and he was dressed up in this wild Voodoo type costume and I thought… “THATS IT! VOODOO!”. I searched to see if there was already an artist named that and there was so I was trying to figure out how I could switch it up and have it still sound like Voodoo and I came up with Voodeux…
—- James, you already have an extensive production background with lots of releases under various aliases. Can you tell us about some of the things you have done in the past?
JAMES:: All of my solo material is done under the name KiloWatts, and collaborations usually take another name. Most recently Bil Bless and I have combined forces to create Skeetaz, and I’ve recently finished an album with MC Amagine out of Philly under the name Super Galactic Expansive, which ended up to be some kind of futuristic mind-warping digital hip-hop. For my solo releases, I’m following some sort of evolving path, making whatever seems natural to come next. Most recently is a nearly all-ambient album on Somnia Records.
—- Tanner, you are graduating from music school this summer. Can you tell us a little about the school, what you studied and how it effects your productions?
TANNER:: I study Berklee College of Music in Boston. Basically I study synthesis and sound design through applications like Logic, Prootools, Peak, C-sound, and modular stuff like the Nord G2 and Reaktor.
—- I know you guys produce together over the internet. How does that work?
JAMES:: It’s fairly easy because we can work on stuff without having to coordinate schedules. Tanner usually heads things off with the beats for continuity’s sake, and I’ll start with a bassline or a few loops. Back and forth we go, usually 2 or 3 times, and it’s done. It’s gotten quicker now that we understand each other’s production values and techniques. It’s easy to just roll with it now.
TANNER:: We basically create a project file and pass it back and forth via dropbox or servers until its done.
—- What can we expect form your new live show?
JAMES:: Violence!@
TANNER:: Well the album is very complex and almost song based so for the live show we are going to basically kinda.. make it a bit more underground and stripped down but try to keep some of the more complex elements in there as long as we can do it live.
—- The album is really creepy and moody, almost like a slasher film. Where did this sound come from?
JAMES:: On my end, the sound came from nightmares and bad trips. But there’s also a deeper hypnotic vibe I was trying to tap into that doesn’t necessarily always resonate with ’scary shit’.
TANNER:: Listening to a lot of Wagon Repair, Pokerflat, Nine Inch Nails, and Minilogue records while watching a lot of “Tales From The Darkside” plus David Lynch and Alfred Hitchcock films.
—- What do you think about the state of American techno?
JAMES:: There’s a lot of great music coming out of America. People who are paying attention realize this, even if it seems like everything’s coming out of Germany.
TANNER:: Thats a tough question… there are the American staples that are always contributing to building and keeping the scene fresh in America but labels like Mothership, Wolf + Lamb, Airdrop, Culprit, FXHE and Spectral Sound, which aren’t purely techno label but they are pushing the sound to the next level giving America a brand new super fresh reputation.
DOWNLOAD VOODEUX PROMO MIX HERE
Setlist From Demo Mix
Voodeux, ‘Just A Spoonful’
Rodriguez Jr, ‘Pina Colada’ (Voodeux Brew Mix)
Constar, ‘Sunset Tribe’ (Voodeux Dusk Mix)
Voodeux, ‘Deadend Motel’
Voodeux, ‘The Spell’
Voodeux, ‘The Curse’
Voodeux, ‘Skeleton Key’
Voodeux, ‘Bones’
BLACK VOODEUX
The boys at The MexikanTeknoMafia started a brand new blog and its for sure worth checking out for news and updates inside the Mexican Techno scene as well as updates on Mexican EDM artists. Expect to see lots of podcasts, artist profiles and party updates from around the world.
http://mexikanteknomafia.blogspot.com/
VIVA LA MEXICO
Its finally here and we are all f#$%ing stressed with the holidays. Dealing with family, friends, loved ones, holidays, shopping, parties, entertainment, driving, eating, drinking, traffic, weather…….the list goes on.
Its enough to go crazy, right?! But fear not party people. HotDish is coming to rescue you not on the day of your hangover, but the day after. The day when you think to yourself, “I can party like that again. Lets go get a cocktail and get reckless!”
This Saturday, January 2nd, 2010 (wow, did I just say 2010?) HotDish is bringing the funk per our usual naughtiness with a local DJ treat. To top of your festivus fruitcake, we got a big spoonful of Jackcast featuring local legend, Alex Jarvis!
Check out his Jackcast and read on to hear more about this months HotDish shows.
Tired of the familial merriment? Too much “Roast Beast?”
The best way to cure a New Years hangover is MORE HOUSE MUSIC! So…the chefs at HotDish are digging in your mama’s fridge for tasty leftovers and whipping up a regional pan-warmer you can sink your teeth into without gaining another pound!
Saturday, January 2nd HotDish Presents “HotDish Holiday Seconds” featuring local favorites: Alex Jarvis, Nancy Cheng, Saint Lewis, Nate Laurence, J Matthews, and “Jack” - our 8-foot blowup snowman who had a successful lung surgery following our last show (he simply couldn’t handle being mounted that much in one night but is back for more)! And so are we!
Alex Jarvis: a hometown favorite since most of you were in diapers. We’re taking advantage of his rebirth of total ill-ness. Every set this guy has been throwing down lately has made us misty so we can’t wait for more!
Nancy Cheng: With absolutely NO shortage of character and charm, we were in need of a little spice for our feast and a dope DJ to boot. So, we’re inviting Nancy to rip the wheels and…well…melt your face!
Saint Lewis: We love this guy! Why? Because he has always stayed true to what kicks dance music aficionados in the ars. Just when you thought the music was starting to get hygienic, the “Saint” shows up and makes sure he dirties every dish on the table!
HotDish hosts Nate Laurence & J Matthews: If you’re true…you know how we do! If you haven’t caught us sweating our old-guy butts off behind the decks, join us!
Once again:
TOO MUCH LOVE freaky (Crisco Twister) lovers: REMEMBER that when you enter the side door, you get free crossover to TML. Double your pleasure, double your fun! You’re invited. We’d love to see you in the VIP!
Additional “Boomin Granny” Sound being brought to you by: Son Carciano.
10PM / 18+ / $5 / Enter Side Door!
We party every first Saturday of the month in the VIP room and it is always a good time. Last month was insane with Lee Jarvis from Lodon, UK and this month will prove to be the same. Dont miss out, Alex Jarvis (quite possibly distant cousin to Lee) is guaranteeing the same pleasures and debauchery.
HotDish has also been invited to play this NYE at International Market Square. To learn more about that, just check out their website or go here www.nyempls.com or click on the picture. 
