Asian Dan

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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)

Here is a new track from my favorite French popster’s Stereolab off their upcoming album “Not Music”. It is a sunny pop song that starts with a catchy groove in 7/8 then kicks into their usual Stereolab Pop sound care of a driving Steve Reich-esque marimba part. Definitely looking forward to this album which is out on 11.16.2010

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Oct%202010/10%20Sun%20Demon.mp3]

A super fun (as in Whitney Houston “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” fun/Passion Pit bubblegum pop/Toto “Africa”) remix of the Aussie duo by way of London, Gypsy & the Cat by Belgium’s now solo Aeroplane.

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Oct%202010/Gypsy%20&%20The%20Cat%20-%20The%20Piper’s%20Song%20(Aeroplane%20Remix).mp3]
Gypsy & the Cat – The Piper’s Song (Aeroplane Remix)

I am quite excited to announce this news. I, Asian Dan shall be joining Jamaica on their North American tour. I will be filling in on bass as Flo takes care of some business back home. Get ready for a serious IRL blog on band collab which shall be hitting 9 North American cities. What better way to experience America but with Jamaica and Asian Dan. Game on.

Oct 13 2010 SOUNDWAVE SAN DIEGO
Oct 15 2010 ECHOPLEX LOS ANGELES w/ French Horn Rebellion, Parallels
Oct 16 2010 TREASURE ISLAND FESTIVAL SAN FRAN w/ LCD Soundsystem, Miike Snow, Four Tet, Die Antwoord
Oct 17 2010 REPUBLIC LIVE AUSTIN
Oct 18 2010 LINCOLN HALL CHICAGO w/ The Bloody Beetroots
Oct 19 2010 WRONG BAR TORONTO, CANADA
Oct 21 2010 MAKING TIME PHILADELPHIA
Oct 22 2010 WINDISH CMJ SHOWCASE @ WEBSTER HALL NEW YORK w/ Grum, Matthew Dear RSVP Here
Oct 23 2010 MAKING TIME CMJ @ PUBLIC ASSEMBLY BROOKLYN w/ Kisses, Gold Panda Buy Tix

Follow the antics via twitter:
@JAMAICATWIT
@ASIANDAN
@JAMAICAN_DAN

Sponsored by Scion

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)

Chicago Trio Hey Champ were recently invited to take part in remixing their friends Gemini Club’s new single “Ghost” as part of the run up to that group’s new album release. Hey Champ infused the single with their signature futuristic sound, taking a stellar original to a parallel dimension.

Gemini Club returned the favor with a frosty back room remix version of Hey Champs hit single “Cold Dust Girl”, from their recently released debut album Star. The record has been praised by the likes of Venus, Time Out Chicago, Pop Matters, and the Wall Street Journal for their “infectious synth pop”. They’re currently on tour showcasing material from the album with energetic performances that had even the most bashful crowds moving. “They brought the house down,” wrote the LA Weekly about a performance in Los Angeles last month. “Armed with only a synthesizer, drum kit, and guitar these guys have put together a debut album of well-crafted, ’80s tinged dance pop.”

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Oct%202010/Ghost%20(Hey%20Champ%20Remix)%201.mp3]
Gemini Club – Ghost (Hey Champ remix)

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Oct%202010/Cold%20Dust%20Girl%20(Gemini%20Club%20Remix).mp3]
Hey Champ – Cold Dust Girl (Gemini Club remix)

The elusive Alvin Risk just released his debut EP, “The Making Of” for free on the interwebs last week. A a collection of 4 songs that highlights his ability to balance great concepts, songwriting, production and musicianship – a task that very few artists are able to achieve these days. A favorite track of mine off the EP is “Someone”, a song that reminds me of a Balearic Banger. Imagine Washed Out adding some slap bass and some serious compressed drums and cleaning up his “lo-fi” sound. I love the whispery vocals that float over the heavy track. Overall a song that can work in your bedroom or on the dancefloor.

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/Oct%202010/Alvin%20Risk%20-%20Someone.mp3]
Alvin Risk – Someone

DOWNLOAD: The Making Of EP