Asian Dan

Matt Van Schie released a solo EP this year entitled “Balmy Nights”, a collection of songs that take a nod to some of the great smooth Yacht Rock sounds of the late 70s and 80s with a touch of New Wave as well as some Aussie warmth. So don’t be surprised when you find some 80s gems that topping his 2010 list. Do yourself a favor and give Michael Sembello’s Cowboy a listen – we need more hooks like this in music in 2011.

Matt Van Schie’s Top 10 of 2010:

1. Bob Welch – Lose Your Heart
2. Alessi Brothers – Sad Songs
3. Caribou – Odessa
4. Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Round And Round
5. CEO – illuminata
6. Kanye West – Runaway
7. Jamaica – I think I like U 2
8. Michael Sembello – Cowboy
9. Catcall – Swimming Pool
10. Mario Basanov – Do You Remember (Arithmatix! Remix)

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/DEC%202010/02%20Sad%20Songs.mp3]
Alessi Brothers – Sad Songs

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/DEC%202010/05%20Round%20and%20Round.mp3]
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Round And Round

Jean Nipon is releasing a his “International Meek” EP on 1.10.2011 on Institubes featuring 2 new tracks and 2 remixes by Tony Senghore and French Fries. In honor of this new EP here is brand new 30 min mix by Mr. Nipon. Definitely a treat that I have been looking forward to for quite a while especially with such great mixes that are circulating on the web by him like the Asian Dan Presents Jean Nipon “No Sex Last Night” Minimix. I will let this new mix’s tracklist speak for itself as Jean Nipon delves deep into House. Enjoy!

Download: Jean Nipon – International Meek Mix (Mediafire.com)
Jean Nipon – International Meek Mix (ge.tt)

International Meek Release 1.15.2011 Party Flyer
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We have now come to the end of the Todd Edwards guest blog series for Asian Dan. He has shared with us some of his favorite House tracks that have helped shape his sound, a sound we all know and love.

Thank you Todd for taking the time to put together these post and sharing the music you love with us.

“Another great example of MK’s dark and moody tracks is his remix of the Pet Shop Boy’s “Can You Forgive Her?” (One of my all time favorites!)MK’s influence became more than a third of the ingredients of what I do. I tried immitating his style with my remix dub of “Love Me Tonite”by JD Braithwaite. I became very fascinated with use of vocals.”

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Oct%202010/Can%20You%20Forgive%20Her%3f%20(MK%20Remix).mp3]
Pet Shop Boys – Can You Forgive Her? (MK Remix)

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Before MK, vocal samples were very straight forward. They were used as hooks, a few words looping. MK opened new doors for vocal use, and I explored the different ways you could use vocals in tracks. The track “The Praise” on my Nervous ep The Sample Choir was highly inspired by MK’s sound. Even my secondary sound known as the Sunshine Brothers was actually born out of emulating MK’s remix of Bet Midler’s “To Deserve You” My music exists because of his influence. Do yourself the favor if you haven’t already, look at his full discog and get all of his work.

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Oct%202010/32%20To%20Deserve%20You%20(MK%20Mix).mp3]
Bette Midler – To Deserver You (MK Remix)

RYNECOLOGIST – Still Thinking Pt. II (The OZ Edition) [2010] by RYNECOLOGIST

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This week Todd brings us a classic House track from Marc Kinchen aka MK. It is a dub track of MK’s remix of Nightcrawlers’ “Pushing The Feeling”, a classic track and sample you will all recognize.

It was the catchiest hook I ever heard. What was it saying? Nothing. It was put together by sampling bits of the vocal and constructing a new pattern of cut-up vocals. GENIUS!!! Aside from one of having one of the biggest remixes of the time, MK (Marc Kinchen) went on to do what he does best for artists like Celine Dion, Bet Midler, Masters At Work, The B 52’s, and Jodeci to name a few. Here is another example of an artist with a signature sound. He had cut-up vocal hook runnings, along with some great keyboard playing. MK used piano, organ, and synth sax sounds to create melodic hooks with dark basslines to finish them off.

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Oct%202010/02%20Push%20the%20Feeling%20On%20(The%20Dub%20of%20Doom).mp3]
Nightcrawlers – Push the Feeling On (The Dub of Doom)

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This week Todd brings us a track by Martha Wash, a track produced by Masters at Work. FYI Martha Wash had her starts as a backup singer for the disco legend Sylvester. Check out this alternative mix by Masters at Work.

MAW produced Martha Wash’s “Carry On.” To a young producer, hearing a track like this, words don’t do it justice. I was just learning, and I’m hearing all these musical elements that are overwhelming, and the thought that drove me was, “How did they do that?” I don’t know where Kenny Dope got his drum sounds but they were the strongest sounds I ever heard. Tony Humphries played on Kiss FM Saturday nights. All of a sudden I here this wah filter keyboard riff being mixed in. Then this amazing drum pattern that seemed to be using some vocals laced in as snares. Then small snipets of a vocal…it sounded like Martha Wash. An unreleased dub of “Carry On?”. It had to be. The drums sounds showed up in the MAW remix of “Erotica”. That unreleased dub inspired the keyboard work in my vocal remix of Veda Simpson’s “Ooh Baby” On Nervous Records

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Oct%202010/Carry%20On%20(Louie%20Vega%20&%20Kenny%20Dope%20Alternative%20Mix).mp3]
Martha Wash – Carry On (Louie Vega & Kenny Dope Alternative Mix)

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A continuation of Todd Edwards’ stroll down memory lane, as he looks back at the important Sound Factory moments and tracks that shaped his music.

After Sole Fusion, Little Louie played MAW’s dub of Barbara Tucker’s “I Get Lifted” with those wah-wah filtered organ chords running under Barbara Tucker’s vocals. That night I went home inspired. In two weeks I made four tracks, “Dancing For Heaven, Stronger, FOT, and most importantly “Saved My Life”.

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Sept%202010/03%20I%20Get%20Lifted%20(The%20Bar%20Dub).mp3]

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This week Todd dives into one of his favorite club memories at the Sound Factory Bar back in its heyday. Yet another classic track by Masters At Work.

MAW feat.India “Can’t Get No Sleep” The best memory at the Sound Factory Bar…India performing “I Can’t Get No Sleep” Every producer knew when this song was being mixed in during a dj set from Kenny Dope’s recognizable drum snare (Like a banging hollow plastic tub, that’s what I thought it sounded like) It wasn’t until that familiar Sax riff came in that everyone recognized the track and cheered. But to see India perform it live…goosebumps!!!

You may or may not know the song, (though I don’t see how you wouldn’t) but halfway through the song India sings the phrase “You’re the one I’m thinking of” sliding the last note upwards with a crescendo, and the mood of the track goes really deep and jazzy. At that moment the crowd went NUTS!!! As if we all were hitting that note with her. The cheers were so loud. I know anyone that was there that night cherishes that memory. I know I do.

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Sept%202010/14%20I%20Can’t%20Get%20No%20Sleep.mp3]
Masters At Work – I Can’t Get No Sleep feat. India

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Yet another installment of guest posts from Mr. Edwards, this time a lovely remix by Masters At Work of Bjork along side the tune that it inspired, The Sample Choir “Feeling Lonely”. Hope you are all enjoying and learning from this House music history less from Professor Todd.

Masters at Work’s Bjork “Violently Happy” Dub, another of my favorite MAW productions. It is Taken or influenced from an interlude by Kool And The Gang, the musical riff is one of the catchiest and most uplifiting used in an MAW dub. Once again, Kenny Dope’s use of hard snares and reverb drive the track.I attempted, once again, to emulate their work. This attempt came in the form of my track “Feeling Lonely” on The Sample Choir EP…I didn’t come close. 😉

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Sept%202010/02%20Violently%20Happy%20(MAW%20dub).mp3]
Björk – Violently Happy (Masters At Work Dub)

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Sept%202010/07%20Feelin%20Lonely.mp3]
The Sample Choir – Feeling Lonely