Akira Yamaoka

He is most well known for his work for the Silent Hill series of video games, for which he composed all the music and sound effects in the whole series.  Yamaoka’s sound commonly contains strong melancholy undertones and generally identifies with the dark ambient, industrial, and trip-hop genres. Since Silent Hill 3, he also started working in collaboration with Mary Elizabeth McGlynn and Joe Romersa for vocal compositions.  Much of his work from previous titles has been compiled for the 2006 Silent Hill movie adaptation, directed by Christophe Gans.  His music from Silent Hill 2 was performed live in 2005 at the third Symphonic Game Music Concert in Leipzig, Germany. Yamaoka also performed music from Silent Hill at the world-premiere of PLAY! A Video Game Symphony on May 27, 2006 in Chicago, Illinois, and accompanied the orchestra with an electric seven-string guitar.

Site – http://en.wikipedia.org/

Suicide Sports Club

B_Rock is a sub label of Bedrock, set up by John Digweed with a view to promote artists whose musical fascinations transgress the boundaries of electronic dance music. Luke Branaccio and Bruce Aisher, chosen as the first producers to be released on the label, combine in their “Electric Mistress” album electronic music and rock. The result is amazing. It’s a crossover sound with diverse compelling vibes. I didn’t want to stop listening even for a while. 2 20 Girl has to be my favorite song on the album. I discovered it after hearing many remixes of the song on John Digweed’s KISS100 show.

Site – http://www.suicidesportsclub.com

Blue Foundation

After two years of composing, recording and experiment in a 3m x 4m top-floor atelier in Vesterbro, Blue Foundation have whittled down more than 30 pieces into their second album (out on Virgin on 02.02.04), the 11-track ‘Sweep of Days’. As with the critically acclaimed first album, the Danish members of the band, Tobi, Kir and Bo, have once again combined their instrumental, vocal and programming talents with the London-based Japanese turntable maestro DJ Tatsuki, and with the English lyricist and performer MC Jabber.

Site – http://www.bluefoundation.dk

The Essential Mix

The world’s best djs on the world’s best turntables, The Essential Mix quickly established a strong reputation within the dance music community and has gained prestige both in the UK and internationally. Although Eddie Gordon originally had his work cut out attracting big names to the programme due to their busy DJ schedules but armed with determination and a broad knowledge of the big name DJs dance music styles plus the hugely successful live Essential Mix Shows the list of performers now essentially reads as a “who’s who of dance music”. The shows success can perhaps be partly attributed to Radio 1’s unique ability to offer DJs the chance to play a relatively long set on radio uninterrupted by advertisements, something which cannot be matched by the BBC’s commercial rivals (the BBC is funded through TV Licensing). The absence of any kind of interruption in music has led to the show being touted as a “two hour musical journey” rather than as simply an assortment of records. The show has been used as a platform for artists to showcase their talents, and for some is seen as a major boost to their careers.

Site – http://www.bbc.co.uk

Late Night Alumni

The Late Night Alumni project came about when Finn heard Becky sing on a local Salt Lake City Christmas compilation and, impressed by what he heard, tracked her down to provide some vocals on a song he had recently written. After working on a couple songs together, they realized something special was happening. The combination of Finn’s dreamy yet solid production and Becky’s soft and sensual vocals seemed to be a match made in heaven. Seeing where the music was heading, Finn and Becky brought John into the fold to offer his expertise in strings, which served to give the tracks the lift and texture they needed. Ryan (probably the best known member of the collective, due primarily to his DJing and highly respected work, alongside his co-producer Finn, under the Kaskade guise) proved to be the final piece of the puzzle, with his years of acclaimed beat making providing the innovation that brings all the elements of the album together in fine style.

Site -  http://www.latenightalumni.com

DJ Krush

DJ Krush (real name Hideaki Ishii) was born in 1962 in Tokyo. At an early age, Ishii dropped out of school, and joined a local gang, and a few years later, Yakuza. One day in the early 1980s, after watching the film “Wild Style”, he was inspired, bought some turntables, and started to learn the art of turntablism. In 1987, he formed the Krush Posse, which made numerous appearances as a group in late 1992 and gained him recognition by becoming the first DJ in Japan to perform with live musicians. He released his first album “Krush,” which stated his presence in the scene, and he has since released eight more. He has had recording contracts with Chance Records, Ninety Nine Records, Mo-Wax (he was the first Japanese artist to join them), Apollo and Sony/Columbia. He works internationally as a producer, re-mixer, DJ and recording artist, bringing the unique flavour of Japanese hip hop to the world.

Site – www.mmjp.or.jp/sus/krush

James Holden

Far from your average DJ-producer. With his shaggy hair and vintage Judas Priest t-shirts (with authentic holes) he sticks out like a sore thumb amongst the clean-cut short-haired bloke’s bloke DJs whose unremarkable faces adorn the pages of the dance music press. (“I don’t trust anyone who is cleaner than myself!” jokes James). Musically he is also a million miles from the faceless repetitive beats mentality of so many of his peers, much more likely to be listening to leftfield albums from the likes of Mogwai, Four Tet or Boards of Canada than the latest essential mix CD. James Holden is a young man plotting a course through the music world all of his very own, putting some personality back into dance music and refusing to stay in the pigeonholes where other people seem so keen to shove him.

Site – http://www.jamesholden.org

Hybrid

Hybrid is Mike Truman and Chris Healings from Swansea South Wales. They are the accomplished architects of house and progressive breakbeat who ventured further beyond the ecstatic knee-jerk response of the dancefloor by fusing their beats with powerful orchestral and cinematic soundscapes. Hybrid formed back in 1993 after bonding over Truman's remix of Pink Floyd's 'Another Brick In The Wall’. They debut LP, 'Wide Angle' (released 1999) and its sister release 'Wider Angle' (remixes and live recordings of Japan tour) sold a total of 100,000 copies world wide. This lead to Mike and Chris DJing and performing live in the UK, Asia, Australia and USA.

Site – http://www.distinctiverecords.com

Steve Lawler

Steve Lawler is a definitive DJ and producer; a tastemaker whose sets combine quality house music with the power to move dance floors around the world. In the last few years, he's wowed crowds in such far flung places as Zouk in Singapore, Groovejet in Miami, Twilo in New York and the mighty Space in Ibiza. Courtesy of home, he provided the most groundbreaking sets of the season for many of those lucky enough to hear him. After two months he had been crowned 'King Of Space' by the locals – a rare and well deserved honour.

Site – http://www.djstevelawler.com

James Zabiela

Space, the final frontier. As the smartest club in Ibiza opens its doors to welcome in their shiny new resident, James Zabiela just smiles and blinks a little. See, the ride here has been kinda fast. And while its been a relatively bump-free trip to acceptance and ubiquity, it’s still blinkin’ quick. Two years ago, James Zabiela popped his Balearic cherry by warming up for Sasha at the place the island calls Inside At Space. Wowing the crowd – and We Love boss Darren Hughes – with two hours of snappy, synth-fixated, breakbeat action – it was a defining moment in his DJ career. Two years later, he’s now the club’s new bi-weekly resident. It’s official. Now “that’s” what I call progression.

Site – http://www.jameszabiela.co.uk

Sasha

There are DJs who turn up, play records and make people dance. And there are producers who make the dancefloor-igniting records those DJs will kill for. There are very few people in dance music who can do both and Sasha is the leader of the pack. Ever since he rode in on a tidal wave of adoration from the North of England’s explosive early 90s club scene, that magic touch has made Alexander Coe one of the most famous, most revered DJ on the planet. In 2002 he released his first solo LP, Airdrawndagger, a result of collaboration with Spooky, James Holden and Junkie XL. The album enjoyed excellent reviews upon its release, and recently a wave of quality remixes by various producers has re-kindled interest in Sasha’s production work. 2004 saw the release of Involver, his third in the Global Underground series. This mix album differed from previous albums in that each track was completely reproduced in the studio, as opposed to simply being blended together. More recently, in 2005, Sasha began moving away from mixing with records and CDs in favor of a new approach with computer software and a dedicated controller for his live sets. With the sequencing/mixing software Ableton Live and a custom controller that Sasha helped to design, he is able to use mixing techniques that are difficult or impossible with conventional methods, including mixing together many sources at once, adjusting pitch and tempo of sources independently, and cutting up and rearranging songs. His most recent mixed CD, Fundacion, was recorded using the Ableton Live software and the album bears the name of his monthly residency nights in both New York and Los Angeles.

Site – http://www.djsasha.com

New Records!

Some really great progressive house music going around right now…

Aya – Sean (Naked Music US)
Ethan – In My Heart (Electronica France)
Chelonis R Jones – I Don’t Know? (remixes) (Get Physical Germany)
Pacific 2 feat. Anita Kelsey – Have 2B With U (Matthew Dekay remixes) (Yeti Belgium)
Jasefos feat Claire Sky – Do What You Want (Infusion Mixes) (541 Belgium)
Petter – These Days (Sasha remix) (Trojan)
Sapphirecut – Together (Twisted US)
Rachael Starr – Till There Was You (You US)
Gabriel & Dresden feat. Molly – Tracking Treasure Down (Everybody)