For me this is a very, very exciting post. This artist has one of the most powerful and electrifying live shows I’ve seen, and it’s a true pleasure to showcase the very talented Spamtron on my blog.

As a taste of what this guy has been pumping out, one of my favorite songs of his “Martian”, and a Pokemon remix!!! of fuck yes, POKEMON.

Martian.mp3

Pokeballs21.mp3

So now, you love him. I sat down (virtually) with Spamtron to ask him about what he does, here’s what I got.

But First! Spamtron will be headlining my next installment of World Beats and Urban Streets, an all-ages dance show at KTUB..come by and get down

INTERVIEW.

1. How did you decide on the name Spamtron?

I think it just popped into my head while reading through some spam junk e-mails. I was laughing at how ridiculous spam is when the text is randomly-generated. It seemed appropriate then, and still does; I want to create ridiculous music.

2. The level of texture, emotion and raw energy in your songs is really something..what most inspires you when it comes to your productions?

Thank you! That means a lot. 😀

I’m really inspired by how intense detailed and chaotic this world is! There is SO MUCH STUFF in this world. There are so many people, books, movies, TV shows, records, genres, plants, chemicals, cities, mammals, insects, fish, planets, stars, and galaxies in this world. This world is infinite. Thus, I want to create worlds with my music.

I also use music as an outlet for the types of energy that have no other way out of my brain. There are abstract thoughts, feelings, and ideas that I can’t accurately describe in words. For example, there is no word for the awesome feeling you get while listening to Daft Punk or Aphex Twin. There is not yet a word for the specific nostalgia and memories all the times that we listened to Daft Punk when we were younger. So, I try to materialize all kinds of thoughts, ideas and feelings with my music.

I love both popular/accessible and experimental/technical/weird music. In my music, I aim for a balance between the two.

3. Who are some of your favorite artists?

My favorite electronic artists are probably Kid 606 and Aphex Twin.

My favorite artists in general are probably Beatles, Michael Jackson, and David Bowie.

The past year, I’ve been really into Built To Spill, Passion Pit, and Dungen. Also, Meshuggah and Black Sabbath are awesome. I love metal AND hipster music. I try to listen to everything and keep an open-mind, as I strive to be a composist (a term coined by my awesome friend, housethegrate). I just love music in general.

4. What is the electronic music scene like in your part of Portland?

Hmm, let me get back to you on that 🙂

I gotta be honest: I’m still living in a boring suburb outside of Portland. As soon as I move into the city, I’ll go to shows way more often. Then, I’ll let you know! lol.

5. Any big plans/shows for Spamtron in 2010?

– First, I’m totally stoked about this upcoming KTUB show.
– I have a ton of awesome collaborations planned.
– I’m transferring to a certain college in Washington this Fall. At that point, I’d like to perform far more often.
– I’ve also decided that in 2010, I must spend more time and energy on music than ever before. I am determined to BRK into the game music industry.

http://www.myspace.com/spamtron

I’m in certain you will my friend!

Want more free music? 2 Full-lengths here

Go Spamtron!

DJ Phantom

Check em’ out! Seattle’s got the soundz! I’m really getting into this duo.
Singles by SPLATINUM

INTERVIEW.

1. There is a smooth, funky style with Splatinum infused with more edgy,
wobbly sounds…how would you describe your music?

Dosadi: We make the most serious style of dumb shit in town. Throughout everything we create there is a deep current of Der Schplatzl running through. That’s the illusive substance that ignites dancefloors and melts brains. Lately we’ve been channeling a purified strain of Schplatzl and really trying to push our sound as far to the edges as we can. When we first started writing it was all face punchers and barn burners all the time. We only wanted to write heaters because that’s what would make people stand up and take notice. Now that we have people’s attention we’ve felt free to broaden our sound. We’ve been writing deeper tracks that explore a more diverse range of our influences. In particular we’ve been fusing the intimate and sensuous aspects of 2-Step with neon smeared west coast wobble ,crisp edged Dubstep, and saccharine sweet synth-pop. You have to evolve to survive and the age of genres is over! We try to write in as many different styles as possible. Unpredictability is vitally important to making great music. It takes a lot of forethought to seem like you don’t give a shit.

Andrew: I think Adam just used all the adjectives I know. But yeah, I’ve been getting deeper and more minimal just to provide the contrast in the parts that are blowing up. We like to make music that explodes. That’s definitely part of the whole splat concept. We’ve watched the whole Dubstep thing evolve from Garage and Breaks and Trip
Hop, so we’re just pushing forward with what we feel and trying to make something unique while using musicality to make it accessible.

WE ARE SPLATINUM by SPLATINUM

2. How were you two first introduced to electronic music?

Dosadi: In the womb. My parents were fans of all sorts of “out-there” music. I grew up listening to Vangelis, Tangerine Dream, Brian Eno, and Steve Reich. Then my older sister got me started on Synth Pop and industrial and before long I found my way to these crazy things called raves and it was all over from there! I ran my first clubnight when I was 17. I wasn’t even old enough to get in the door!

Andrew: 80s pop music and MTV for me…my dad and I were big Miami Vice fans, so Jan Hammer was pretty much a god to me. He also had loads of rock records with synthesizers that I was really into…was a big Moody Blues fan at a young age too. I was mostly into rap and grunge and had triple copies of Pretty Hate Machine on CD. My
industrial phase was short, but I soon discovered Aphex, Photek, FSOL and others through MTV’s AMP show. I bumped that big beat sound pretty hard as a teenager. Not long after I got into Florida breaks -it was what rocked the big parties in the Southeast.

3. Splatinum is a duo consisting of Andrew Luck and Dosadi, what have the two of you done individually prior to this collaboration?

Dosadi: Before embarking on our galactic quest for Der Schplatzl, I had a few vinyl releases back in the late ’90s and early ’00s. I’ve been performing live PA since ’97 and DJ’ing since ’00. This was all back in the Southeast. NC, GA, TN, SC, etc… Then I retreated Yoda style and spent a few years making music only for myself. Andrew and I started hanging out and writing around the same time as I felt the desire to start playing for crowds and sharing what I was doing again. Seattle has been great and I
feel really lucky to be part of an inspiring community of intergalactic-inter-disciplinary artists.

Andrew: I have a label with Knowa KnowOne called Street Ritual http://streetritual.com/. We went to school together in North Carolina, where we started spinning and futzing with tunes. I had my first release as Levitation Device in 2006 on an experimental label called Waveform Modulations…still have a lot of boxes on my musical to do list to check off!


4. How is 2010 looking for Splatinum?

Andrew: It’s a big year!

We have three releases on 04/20/2010!

1. Der Schplatzl 2010 – original mix CD (only) featuring 16 tracks and remixes.
2. We Are Splatinum – 45 minutes of DJ friendly full length Splatinum tracks available on Addictech, iTunes, etc.
3. Love for Dem Hustlaz EP – A FREE collection of bootleg hip hop cuts
we’ve synthed up and glitched out. Stay tuned!

Event wise it’s big too!

1. 04/20/2010 Der Schplatzl release party in Westlake Center from
6-9PM. We’re gonna get freaky in downtown Seattle on a KV2 system.
It’s the first Intergalactic Masquerade Dance Party. Not to be
missed!

2. We’re definitely hitting Burning Man this year – and really excited about it!

3. There’s a steady stream of shows posted to our website weekly.
We’ll be hitting the Southeast US for a mini-tour this July and headed
to the Southeast regional burning man event, Transformus. (tradition)

More info on events and releases @ http://splatinum.com

DJ Phantom

With the official release for Live Animals “Fruits E.P.” fast approaching, Leon Nite and I put together this remix, stay tuned for all the release information in the very near future!

Kiwis (7DEADLY Bootleg).mp3

Get fruity.

-Leon Nite & DJ Phantom

This crazy animal has been pumping out the DJ mixes! I’m happy to have him on my blog and share his latest projects with all ya’ll.

2 of his favorite DJ sets, please take a listen!

44.1.mp3

Ripping and Tripping.mp3

INTERVIEW.

1. What influenced the name Laughing Fox?

When I got to the point where I realized DJ’ing wasn’t just going to be a hobby, and would be something that I’d like to you know, maybe get paid for in the future, I, like most budding artists recognized the importance of something listeners could latch onto and remember. I didn’t want to use my real name, it just didn’t have much of a ring to it you know? I thought about using my initials, C.J.D.J. (yeah two middle names is rather odd), but felt that including “DJ” in a name was a little passe`. So I was brainstorming, kicking around different names, but nothing really felt right. Then one day I remembered this Native American simulation I did in like the 4th grade, and my Navajo alter ego I called Laughing Fox. I like the animalistic feel, as I’m very much an “earth spirit” type of person, and the imagery of a fox in mid guffaw sealed the deal. Very conducive to logo work. lol

2. What’s your role with Central Washington’s 88.1FM The Burg?

About two years ago I brought back the Electronica show at my college radio station, “The House Special”, and have been developing that, working with local mixers and producers to get them some time in the spotlight. I think there is a lot of talent in the Seattle area that hasn’t been given an adequate chance to shine, and I feel an almost moral obligation to do what I can to help foster the community. Beyond the show, I’m also the Production Director, so I maintain our digital music library and our automation system, as well as produce all station imaging, commercials, PSAs, and whatever stuff the show hosts want for their programs. Its an awesome job, I have a studio office all to myself, and work with some really sick equipment that allows for alot of freedom in my work. We have a huge library of samples and loops to work with, but also have an EMX-1 synth/sampler/sequencer and a KP3, so the sky is really the limit.

3. How were you first introduced to electronic music?

I think my first exposure to Electronica was probably in the womb, as my parents were always huge fans of 80s pop, as well as the forerunners of modern techno like Depeche Mode. My first “techno” album was, almost laughably, Eiffel 65’s Europop, the one with the Blue song. It was the late 90s, so forgive me. After that, I got into Groove Armada, Daft Punk, Oakenfold, The Chemical Brothers, you know, the classics. The rest is history.

4. Your DJ’ing style feels very swirly and driving, how would you describe your approach to mixing?

I’ve heard from several people about my mixing seeming “swirly”, but I don’t quite know where that comes from. It isn’t something I try for, but I guess its how I “feel” the music. I’ve always had a love for the more psychedelic aspects of life/music, so it probably stems from that. As far as driving, that is most definitely on purpose. For me, whether DJ’ing for a few friends or a party or whatever, I want to get under people’s skin, get into their core, and help them unleash the incredible energy locked inside us all. I think to be a real standout DJ you need to have a presence, a commanding authority with your music, so that people will have no choice but to dance their asses off.

5. What’s in the works for Laughing Fox in 2010?

What’s next, hmm…I kicked off this year with a massive benefit event for some Chimpanzees that live on campus, and the response was really incredible. I’ve had people clamoring for more, so I’m working on putting together more shows like that. Whether they are big legit events like that one, or smaller shows, I don’t know yet. I’m also kicking around some ideas for some renegades, but you’ll have to stay tuned. 😉 Other than shows, I’ll still be doing the radio every Friday night 6-8. I’ve got some great artists lined up for the rest of this season, namely Rob Noble, a tech DJ in Seattle. Probably release a few more mixtapes, maybe some remixes. I’ve also been fortunate enough to be tapped to help with Decibel this year, and potentially Photosynthesis as well. It seems that things are just beginning. 🙂

I’ve got a lot of ideas swimming around upstairs, but sometimes my ambition can overwhelm my resources. Lol

6. Any last words?

Listen to the show! www.881theburg.com you can stream the show anywhere in the world, and we keep the electronica going all night long. Fridays!!!

SUPPORT LAUGHING FOX’S SHOW FOR THE BURG. “THE HOUSE SPECIAL”, Friday’s from 6-8PM

DJ Phantom

These two together are just phenomenal.

Released on Alkan’s label, Phantasy Sound..If you can make your way down to Coachella this year Erol Alkan will be performing, with Boys Noize performing at this year’s Sassquatch Festival!

DJ Phantom