Archives for posts with tag: Decibel Festival

I remember the first time I interacted with Machinedrum aka Travis Stewart. I was given the opportunity to perform at Decibel Festival 2012’s Warp Records Showcase, opening up the night for Jimmy Edgar, Clark and Travis. It was the highest profile show I had played so far, and the challenge was just what I needed to think bigger and further develop my own voice. I remember him coming on stage towards the end of my set when I was playing some Slick Shoota, bobbing his head and singing along. From then on, I become more and more enamored by this man, both for his hefty amount of quality productions, and his friendly demeanor. Daft Punk are still my main dudes, but I watch them from afar. It’s just a pure gift to cross paths with Machinedrum over the years since that Warp show. He is truly one of the most talented and visionary artists around. I was there at the Vapor City Live debut at dB Fest 2013, the Jets show that same year, Vapor City live in Portland in 2014, and now this Machinedrum show at Crocodile in 2015. Once again, I felt like this was a culmination of everything I had learned, and another challenge to better myself and add my own energy into the night. This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for the artists creating these songs. Followers of this site should recognize a few friends that have come through in interviews over the years. Big shout-out to my favorite producer to come thru Disco Droppings, XI, whose on the very first track of the mix. Shout-outs to Embassy Recordings, Broodlings, Slick Shoota, HxdB and WD4D, who you’ll also hear. And respect to DJ Rashad and the Teklife family, who you’ll see represented..

It was a total joy to work with The Crocodile on this show. Thank you to all the staff, and especially Shaina for allowing my intern Beck Ninneman and I to bring in additional lights, and granting us some brand new subs. The vibes were fierce and rowdy. It was that show I’ve dreamed about since I started, where everything just clicks.

Tracklist

XI – Trinary

The Bug – Skeng (Kode9 Remix)

Broodlings – Two, Three (Embassy Recordings)

Stray – Chatterbox (Original Mix)

WD4D & Suttikeeree – Up On Something (Unreleased)

At The Drive-In – Pattern Against User

Ital Tek – Challenger Deep

Nine Inch Nails – Survivalism (Jimi Jaxon Remix) (Version 1)

DJ Rashad – Ride Dis Dikk (DJ Earl Remix)

HxdB & DJ Cure Feat. MC ThinkTank – Sound The Alarm (Firestar Soundsystem Remix)

Mincha & Ghost Town – Aberdeen (Howie Lee Remix)

Drake – All Me (DJ Paypal x DJ Taye)

Fracture – Loving Touch (Original Mix)

Rvdical The Kid – Tokyo

DRJ – With You

Etherwood – Unfolding (feat. Laurelle Robichaud)

SpectraSoul – Light In The Dark (Feat. Terri Walker)

DJ Jy – Kesha Wif The Fatty ;] (Drippin x Slick Shoota Remix)

Pascal – P-Funk Era (Original Remix)

DJ Rashad, DJ Spinn, Alix Perez – Make It Worth (Original Mix)

DJ Earl, DJ Taye – Wurkinn da Bass (Original Mix)

Shy FX – Bambaata (Dillinja Remix)

 Video Credit: Cameron Jessup

Mix also available on Mixcloud, Video also on Vimeo

– Jimi Jaxon

clark-iradelphic-photo2

Clark, Clark, motherfuckin’ Clark. It’s surreal to say that just last year I played alongside this revolutionary producer for Decibel Festival 2012. Alongside Jimmy Edgar and Machinedrum, we represented the Warp Records Showcase. I tried with all my might to create a mix that would compliment these awe-inspiring artists, and the experience helped my art evolve to new heights in a very short period.

 

Fresh off the press, I was so excited to see Clark in charge of the latest XLR8R podcast. I’m always curious about what this dude is up to, and now I have new insight. It’s a bizarre, adventurous mix, demonstrating Clark’s wonderfully twisted perspective that I’ve come to love dearly.

 

For those of you living in the Seattle area, Decibel will be bringing Clark back towards the end of November. Jon Hopkins headlines with support from Nathan Fake. No way in hell I’m missin’ this.

 

Clark – Twitter Facebook

– Jimi Jaxon

1098274_599069216812587_1541374786_n

When I’m mixing in the juke realm, Slick Shoota is a go-to producer. Some of his superb tracks have been in my sets lately, opening for Bok Bok in Seattle and in my upcoming set for the Decibel Festival Hyperdub Records Showcase. I now have a couple more tracks to add to my Slick arsenal. Make em’ yours.

 

 

Slick Shoota – Facebook Twitter Soundcloud

– Jimi Jaxon

hyperdub

Decibel Festival celebrates its 10 year anniversary next week, and I’m putting the spotlight on a few artists and showcases. When I first found out that a Hyperdub Records Showcase was happening (9/25 @ The Crocodile, All-Ages, 21+ Bar), I lost it. I felt confident it would be one of the best ones to experience at dBx. Seattle is quite blessed to have the hugely influential Hyperdub Records, with label boss, Kode9. Real name Steve Goodman started Hyperdub in 2004, innovating with releases from Burial, Zomby, King Midas Sound, Ikonika and more recently DJ Rashad, Laurel Halo and a personal new favorite of mine, Walton. Styles include Dubstep, 2-Step, Grime, Funky, Juke, Techno, House and Future Bass. Basically, Hyperdub covers a lot of ground with its mutated rhythms, and the music can often times have a darker perspective.

 

In a detailed conversation with Red Bull Music Academy, Kode9 understands that “the DJ has this kind of shamanistic role, a circuit bender, mediating between an abstract and a physical realm.” Last year, I traveled with Decibel Festival founder and curator Sean Horton to Vancouver, Canada for New Forms Festival. One of the main acts of 2012 was Kode9 and his DJ set was one of the best I’ve ever seen. Knowing that Goodman is a professor, with a Ph.D in philosophy, his New Forms performance felt like an education of dance music. Almost every strain of rhythm currently at work in the dance world seemed to be in his set, effortlessly strung together. It had so much raw energy, demanding movement and engagement with the audience.

 

I enjoy the imagination in Ikonika‘s music. Her newest album Aerotropolis on Hyperdub is an adventure, invoking feelings of the past and future, fantasy and reality. Those who appreciate house music, video games, sci-fi or the 80’s will find something to love in Ikonika’s sound. If you’re about to see her at Decibel Festival, I like knowing that she connects a club to a church, believing “It’s a place to meditate, it’s a place to find something new, it’s a place to remember something. (Quietus Interview)”

In addition to her work with Hyperdub she runs the Hum + Buzz label with Optimum.

 

Come to The Crocodile on Wednesday, September 25th, 2013 and experience the Hyperdub Records Showcase. I will be opening the night with a 9-10pm DJ set. Visuals by Zach Walker.

Hyperdub – Facebook Twitter Soundcloud

hyperdub.net

– Jimi Jaxon

5774e11c95aefe5cfe5719d1e4160cb2

Lately, I’m either thinking about Machinedrum or talking about his music at least once a day. I am buzzing over his new productions, which only add to my sheer amazement of this artist. The amount of ideas and fresh vision coming out of Travis Stewart is so huge. Some don’t fully understand everything he offers to the world.

This “Eyesdontlie” video astounded my friends and I. What resembles those Roller Coaster Simulator rides carries you through a district of Vapor City. The environment becomes increasingly trippy, kinky and colorful, eventually fading into nothing.

 

In this interview with The Creators Project, Machinedrum talks about the dreams that inspired this new album on Ninja Tune..

“I would kind of be transferred to this same city in my dreams where it felt familiar, even though I knew I’d never been there. In the dream I felt like I knew all the places, I kept seeing the same streets, the same shops and clubs. Same amusement parks and weird little details that I kept noticing were recurring and it really started to freak me out that this kept happening—and it was also happening the first half of the year that I lived in Berlin.

So it started to form this sort of combination architecturally between New York and a bit of Berlin. A sort of old-meets-new sort of architecture. But it was very vast. And I could almost, in the dream, sort of zoom in and see the city for what it was, and kind of get an idea of where I was in the city. But it was crazy that I kept having this dream and it started fading out as I was living in Berlin but I thought it was definitely something I should explore more creatively, there was definitely a reason I was having this dream.”

When you make it out to Decibel Festival 2013 next month, make sure you experience the world debut of Vapor City Live on Friday, September 27th @ Showbox Market. It’s a part of the What The Festival Showcase with additional performances from XXYYXX, Giraffage and Timeboy (visuals by Zach Walker).

895a865740b8ede182551c7369260503_vice_670

Vapor City will be released on September 30th

Machinedrum – Twitter Facebook Soundcloud

machinedrum.net

– Jimi Jaxon