Nov112011
This extra special BeatCanteen release is a big shout-out to Eric Prydz! His fantastic version of “MIGHTY LOVE” continues to be one of the most celebrated, yet unreleased, house tracks around the globe. In August of this year, John Gold released his bootleg of “MIGHTY LOVE” to bring this floor filler to the masses (http://beatcanteen.com/track/mighty-love). The feedback has been phenomenal and brought together five of the most recognized up-and-coming international house producers - Zach Le Sage from the UK, DeeJMD from Greece, Skingz from Germany, Funkhameleon from Finland, and Levantine from Mexico. Together they took on “MIGHTY LOVE” for one the most exciting BeatCanteen releases: the “MIGHTY LOVE” ALL-STAR REMIX EP!
All tracks are available as FREE DOWNLOAD in HQ mp3 or wav:
http://beatcanteen.com/album/mighty-love-all-star-remixes
About the All-Stars:
Zach Le Sage
Zach Le Sage from the UK is among the most talented and musically diverse up-and-coming house producers of 2011, mastering tracks that range from house and electrostep through drum & bass and dubstep. Zach remixes have shaken up various international remix contest, including John Gold’s “Afterglow” release.
DeeJMD
DeeJMD (aka Dimitri Iliakis) from Athens, Greece has become famous for his unique oldschool funky/disco house sound influenced mainly from the likes of Le Knight Club, Thomas Bangalter, DJ Falcon, Sedat and many other artists of the late 90′s and early 00′s. His last EP “Discomania” on Wicked Recordings won widespread acclaim and his tracks are frequently among the most popular releases on SoundCloud.
Funkhameleon
Finnish house and disco producer Funkhameleon (aka Max Huttunen) has rightfully become known for his disco-injected feel-good tracks. This SoundCloud heavyweight frequently remixes international house artists, and his solo EP “Feel Like Jackin’ “, released in July 2011, has left its mark on the global funky house scene..
Levantine
Levantine is the project name of musical multi-talent Oscar Avendano from Mexico: music producer, bass player and keyboarder. His recent EP “Montmarte” was released on the Chilean record label NotMadeForDance Records, and his new track “Marianne” has been exclusively featured by Italian magazine LOVE SEX DANCE. Levantine himself has remixed artists like Disco Ball’z, Arcadis, Austin Groove, Le Nonsense, Skibblez and more.
Skingz
SKingz is among the most watched discohouse DJs and producers from germany. Homebased on his own label 4DISCO Records (www.4discorecords.com) he delivers his refined house sound to labels like Bangin Grooves, Disco Galaxy, Stardust Records or Groovetraxx.
Jul092011
As a DJ, I buy a fair amount of mp3’s online. Most of my spare time is taken up with listening to promos or browsing through dance music online. There are several places that I go online that cater for my specialist Funky House niche and one of those places I go to is djdownload.com which I reviewed over a year ago along with 8 other sites.
Below is a list of reasons why I love DJD so much. Quite a few of the reasons are common to other online music stores but for me personally, DJD has all these things in one place.
You Don’t Lose You Place When You Log In
This is one of those small subtle changes that make a world of difference when visiting a site. When I used to visit DJD to browse music, I’d find a track on their site that I liked and wanted to buy but wasn’t logged in. I would go to log in but as soon as I clicked the “log in” button I was sent back to the home page and subsequently lost the page I was previously on. Now what happens is that you stay on the same page when you log in. Sounds like an obvious minor detail but not all online stores do this and if you allow your browser to remember your details you can log in in just 2 clicks.
Good Choice Of Options When Downloading Tracks
Once your purchase is complete you can choose to download all the tracks in one go or grab them one by one. If you even feel like downloading them at a later date you can do this too. For me, the one click download everything option is great as I can get all my purchases with the minimum of fuss and effort. The tracks are bundled and delivered in a ZIP file which means you get them on your computer that little bit faster too.
3 Prices For 3 Levels Of Audio Quality
DJD’s pricing is nice and simple and the options they give you for the music you want to download is straightforward too. With most tracks on their site you can grab a 192kb mp3 for around 99p suitable for playback on mp3 players, or you can grab a club-quality 320kb mp3 for around £1.30, or if you want that lossless sound then grab a WAV for a few pennies more. You don’t need any more options than that and the tiered pricing is sensible too.
Better Prices Than The Rest
For me, I have found that the prices on DJD are generally the cheapest around. I know that based on the music I buy, a typical basket of tracks bought on Beatport for example will be more expensive than the exact same basket on DJD. It’s possible to buy the entire top 10 tracks on the home page of DJD for a tenner which means you are spending just £1 a track. Bargain!
They Give You Free Music
For every 10 tracks I purchase, I receive a download “token” to use to get any track I like for free. I don’t know of any other store that does this and it’s a nice little touch to reward loyal customers. I like to keep hold of my token (I don’t think it expires) and use it on some of the promos/new releases that are priced a little higher than other tracks so I can get the full benefit from the free download token.
Great Memory
When browsing music, often I will not make a purchase that same day; perhaps I might like to come back a few days later, add more things to the basket and then get all my music in one go. DJD allows me to do this when I’m logged in by remembering what was in my shopping cart the last time I visited. I can then line up a number of tracks for purchase throughout the week and buy them all in one go at a later date. This is useful as it helps to avoid the small charge levied for transactions under £3, a charge that is common to many other online music stores and not just DJD.
One Of The Best Online Customer Services In The World
I have rarely found the need to get in touch with DJD, but as I have been a customer of theirs for several years it’s inevitable that I have been at some point. The customer service I have received from DJD on every occasion has always been absolutely spot on. Staff on the phones and in emails are the nicest, most polite people I have ever met working on customer helplines in pretty much any industry.
Methods Of Payment
I can pay by credit card, Paypal or online ‘wallet’ (if you like you can deposit an amount into a virtual wallet where it is kept until you decide to use it). DJD will store my card details to make checkout a fast and simple process - all that is required is my CVV number from the back of my card and checkout is complete. Simple and fast - two important things I look for when shopping online. A lot of, if not all other, stores do this, but I find DJD’s to be the slickest and hassle-free.
It’s not all roses and cupcakes however, there are a few areas I feel DJD could improve on:
There’s No Specific “Funky House” Genre
Both Juno and TrackItDown have a “Funky House” genre, sadly DJD does not. If it did, this would help me to specifically filter out the tracks I don’t want to listen to and would save me bags of time in the long run. However it has to be said that some of the little gems I’ve come across in the past have been when I’ve strayed unknowingly into a different sub-genre of House so maybe it’s a blessing in disguise. I’d still like it as an option though.
The Audio Player Is Slow And Clunky
DJD was one of the first stores to use the needle-drop technology of previewing a song in its entirety prior to purchase and being able to jump to whatever part of the track you wanted to listen to is a bonus. Nowadays this is quite a common thing to see on other sites and it has to be said that other sites do it much better than DJD, Beatport currently being my favourite in this respect. The trouble with DJD’s player is that it is very slow and clunky to use. For me, the tracks take a long time to load in to the player and do not always start straight away; an unwanted frustration when trying to fly through a load of different tracks.
They Don’t Know Me
Although DJD likes me enough to give me free music, they aren’t too hot on recommending new music to me. When I log in to my account there is a list of tracks that DJD think I will like based on my previous purchases. Unlike Amazon for example, I find that they miss the mark quite far with this feature. The tracks they put forward are rarely good matches for the style I like and often they will suggest music I have already purchased previously. If this was tightened up a bit I feel it would make discovering new music easier, faster and more enjoyable.
In Summary
I hope the guys at DJDownload appreciate all the nice things I have said about their online digital music store and will take on board some of the things I have mentioned that could be improved. All in all they are a great place to shop for music and are easily my favourite simply because they stock the music I like for the best price and give me a free download once in a while combined with great customer service.
All content in this article is correct to the best of my knowledge at time of publication.
Oct192010
Today might be your lucky day - I’m giving away a pair of tickets to see the Cut Up Boys live at Sakura in Reading on Friday 29th October 2010.
The Cut Up Boys are probably most well known for their Mash-Up Mix series and are definitely not to be missed!
All you have to do is drop me an email to dj@paulvelocity.co.uk before 26th October and I’ll sort it out for you. If I get more than one email then I’ll pick one winner at random.
I’ll only be contacting you if you are chosen. There are no physical tickets - your name will be added on the door. I will not be there on the night, I am basically giving up my guest list spot so someone else can go. You will receive two free entries to the club - you plus one. I cannot guarantee you entry to the club - you must observe their dress code and club rules. ROAR. Please don’t be daft and get thrown out or something equally stupid.
Good luck!
Aug192010
Twitter DJ is the latest brainwave from Richie Hawtin, that allows for real time broadcasting of all tracks played during a DJ set. Developed in-house by Bryan McDade at Hawtin’s Minus label, it works as a conduit between Traktor and the online messaging utility Twitter. Minus and Native Instruments worked closely together to optimize the Traktor software for this special use.
The Twitter DJ application utilizes feeds from an updated version of Traktor’s standard broadcasting technology to send 60 second updates during Hawtin’s set of what’s currently playing to a designated Twitter account, allowing anyone following the Twitter group to obtain a unique insight into how a DJ builds the atmosphere and dynamics of a set, track by track, and in real time. The track information is freely accessible from any Twitter configured personal mobile devices (even from the dance floor) and archived online on the Twitter page. This concept is also a significant step towards helping smaller independent record companies and artists to gain further recognition and free promotion when their releases are played as digital files.
However, the real potential comes to light when considering the benefits for performing rights societies: “By providing the necessary information to track what is really being played in clubs, the Twitter DJ application would not only drag the likes of GEMA, PRS and SOCAN kicking and screaming into the 21st century, but make sure the real artists get paid instead of performance payments simply being carved up between the Madonnas and U2s of the world.
The Twitter DJ application can be downloaded from Minus via twitter-dj.com together with the installation guide and instructional video.
Jul202010
The BIG Defected Summer Sale has begun. Choose 3 summer albums and get one free! Choose from a selection of Ibiza albums from Defected, Strictly Rhythm, Subliminal, Bargrooves and Azuli. Clothing, wall art and DJ Gear is now reduced by 20%.
The summer sale ends 31st July. Discount will automatically apply at checkout.
Go to the Defected Sale
Jun092010
Developed over the span of four years in collaboration with some of the world’s top musicians, DJs and producers, the Crossfade LP delivers epic sound with a distinct design composed of luxurious fabrics and lightweight metals. Designed to be the ultimate versatile and multi-purpose headphone, Crossfade LP is made for people on the move, at the gym or on the stage.
Featuring patent pending 50mm Dual-Diaphragm High-Definition Drivers, the Crossfade LP delivers the sound of multiple drivers with the efficiency of a single smaller driver. The result is deep vibrant bass, juicy mid-range, and crystal clarity on today’s portable devices without the need for any batteries. The driver’s diaphragm is constructed of a harder inner ring providing an extended high range and a softer outer ring for deep lows, resulting in an unprecedented sound. Supple memory foam ear cushions isolate noise and immerse you into your own world of sound.
- Frequency Response: 5 Hz - 30 kHz
- Impedance: 32 Ohms
- Speaker Driver: patent pending 50mm Dual-Diaphragm High-Definition Driver
- Cables: Kevlar® reinforced, 69” stereo audio cable and 36” remote/mic cable
- Plug: 45 degree, 24k gold-plated 3.5 mm (1/8″) stereo plug
- Adapter: 3.5mm (1/8″) to ¼” adapter included
- Weight: 280g
Read more
May182010
You can now download Rekordbox, Pioneer’s Professional DJ music management software, free of charge. The recently introduced Rekordbox Link feature enables DJs to drag and drop music from their laptop to the CDJ-900 or CDJ-2000, essentially making Rekordbox the iTunes for DJs.
Rekordbox is an application for managing music files which can be played back on a Pioneer DJ Player (i.e. CDJ-2000, CDJ-900).
- Rekordbox can be used to classify and search for music files stored on your computer and create playlists used for DJ performance.
- Rekordbox allows you to detect, measure and adjust the beats, tempos (BPM) and other elements of your music files prior to performance.
- Rekordbox can be used to set and store point information (for cueing, looping, hot cueing, etc.) prior to performance.
Data that has been detected and measured, as well as any points which have been set and stored using rekordbox, can be used in combination with a Pioneer DJ Player (i.e. CDJ-2000, CDJ-900) to achieve outstanding DJ performance.
Take a peek, download Rekordbox here.
May112010
Worm Sign’s slogan is “Passionate about T-Shirts and inspired by music” and it really does sum up what they’re all about. Worm Sign began life in 2009 as a collection of T-Shirts designed for DJ’s and music fans, taking inspiration from the World of music. Their passion for T-Shirts extends from selling their own designs to showing off T-Shirts that they love from around the World on their Blog.
Worm Sign have given me a very special discount code that I can share with you. If you enter the word wormfriend into the voucher code box, you will get an instant 10% off your order.
Check it out: wormsigntshirts.co.uk
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