With immeasurable amounts of hype finally drawing to a peak this week after Random Access Memories became available to stream on iTunes, Daft Punk continue to leak secrets and stories including Part 2 of their Pete Tong interview during Coachella. In endearing French accents, the pair give a background look into the inspiration of praised single “Giorgio By Moroder,” their rooted love for classic disco and rock music, how they ultimately picked their collaborators and why they’ve chosen an anonymous lifestyle. Read what Dancing Astronaut editors thought of the album here and don’t forget to join in on the discussion.
Presenting us with the hottest in new music from around the globe, Pete Tong showered us in delicacies last night during his weekly BBC Radio 1 dance music marathon. Kicking the show off with the world premiere of Kaskade’s autonomously sung and produced new single “Atmosphere,” moving on into Sander van Doorn’s electrifying “Neon,” and the bouncy, big room Hardwell remix of Krewella’s “Alive,” followed by other progressive anthems.
Pete’s coveted “Essential New Tune” went to none other than ex-SHM member Axwell for the remode his new single “Centre of The Universe,” replacing Francesco Rossi’s enigmatic tune “Paper Aeroplane” from last week. Daft Punk continued the discussion with Tong in Part 2 of their Coachella interview while immersing in new tracks off RAM “Giorgio By Moroder,” “Loose Yourself to Dance” and “Instant Crush.”
London-based techno producer Scuba ran through his picks for week’s “Goodie Goodies” including Locked Groove’s “Do It Anyway” and favorite tune of the year Dusky’s “Vanishing Point,” while house legend Kerri Chandler was knighted into Tong’s “Hall of Fame” while explaining the compelling story behind “Bar A Thym.” Tong pins Blond:ish as his future star, ending of with a hot mix from Israeli tech-house sensation Guy Gerber.
Listen via BBC Radio 1 here.
Infamous musical maestro and Chic guitarist Nile Rodgers has been confirmed as the scribe of the official International Music Summit (IMS) anthem for 2013. Rodgers, who spilled the beans on collaborative duties with Daft Punk during his keynote speech at last year’s conference, looks to build on the hype stirred by his involvement in the duo’s first album single “Get Lucky” with British house evangelist Eats Everything providing official remix duties.
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Krewella‘s “Alive” has escalated to become one of the biggest dance tracks of 2013; from the original mix that has been featured on national television to Cash Cash and Kalkutta’s remix that has dominated the early days of festival season. As the temperature is soon to be cranked up and summer events to be full swing, the Krew’s renowned single is slated to reach new heights. Teased by Hardwell at Coachella and the inaugural I Am Hardwell show, his own remix of “Alive” has been debuted by Pete Tong for this week’s Essential Selection, a likely indicator of an imminent release. Hardwell builds an uplifting presence around the vocal but swaps the melody for a profound drum-driven beat after the hook, giving the track yet another outlet amongst the dance scene.
Officially kicking off his born-again solo career this month, Axwell is finally making way for a production that has been in the works since 2009. Premiered by Pete Tong on last night’s Essential Selection, the remode of “Center of the Universe” remains constructed by the paralleled piano and vocals of the original while offering an all new groove with the percussion. Modernizing his longtime secret weapon, Axwell produces his forthcoming single with stylings similar to his recent remix of Discopolis’ “Falling,” finding a vintage dance vibe through a balance of easygoing and hypnotic rhythm. Due for an Axtone release, the remode of “Center of the Universe” has yet to receive an official release date.
This past Friday, Maya Jane Coles returned to the Radio 1 decks for her second appearance on the legendary show. MJC is one of my very favorite producer/DJs, so I was thrilled to learn I’d be able to digest another mix of hers less than two years after her debut in July of 2011. Her production style has that certain je ne sais quoi – quirky instrumentation, major grooves, and an undeniable sex appeal. In live sets, her DJing has always struck this perfect balance of emotional and danceable, introducing me to new material while playing the deep stuff she knows her fans want to hear. On top of her jaw-dropping number of accomplishments at the tender age of 25, she also emanates this air of effortless cool, DJing her way around the world with her stylishly cropped coiffure and docile demeanor.
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In a world where the dividing line between “underground” and “commercial” dance music is often contentious, there are few tracks that seem to easily fit in both worlds. Enter Italian DJ Francesco Rossi’s pop friendly deep house tune “Paper Aeroplane,” a cover of Angus & Julia Stone’s song of the same name. Rossi electrifies the jumpy guitar licks and weighty vocals, not only transforming the soft indie song into a punchy four-on-the-floor favorite for late nights or early mornings. It’s already been quite heavily rotated on Radio 1, and Maya Jane Coles even selected it as one of the tracks on her most recent Essential Mix. It’ll be available on D:vision on May 14th.
With the recent influx of dance music veterans venting over what the American movement means for the industry, none is as well versed or qualified to offer an opinion than Mr. Pete Tong. The man has been a part of the culture for more than 30 years, involved in everything from A&R to mixing to producing globally influential radio shows such as Essential Selection and Essential Mix, leaving a far-reaching legacy behind him. Tong sat down with music publication The Daily Swarm to discuss his views on the recent phenomenon.
Pete starts out by explaining the three elements he believed contributed to the movement’s explosion including the influence of festivals, the often-cited track “I Got A Feeling” by the Black Eyed Peas with David Guetta’s production expertise, as well as Daft Punk’s performance at Coachella:
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In a special Miami edition of Essential Selection, Pete Tong showcased the best in dance music while catching up with Jamie XX, Sebastian Ingrosso, and Flashmob. Hand picking his Essential New Tune of the week, he turns to Armin van Burren’s sultry lead single, “This Is What It Feels Like,” coming off his upcoming artist album.
Would it be an Essential Selection without homage to Eric Prydz? Pete provides us with a world exclusive of the new Pryda single, “Powerdrive,” which made waves as an ID on Epic Radio 007 and in his popular Essential Mix last month. The track has been “driving the blogs crazy,” according to Tong – we concur.
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After the announcements of UMFTV streaming all six days of Ultra, and UMF Radio bringing Miami Music Week coverage to Sirius XM, listeners can already experience the South Beach festivities from their laptops or cars. Clear Channel Media and Entertainment have taken another step in that direction with the launch of Evolution 93.5 Miami, a twenty four seven EDM-dedicated radio station that is slated to broadcast its inaugural live show from the All Gone Pete Tong party on March 22nd, hosted by Pete Tong himself.
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