Asian Dan

Pete from Hey Champ just sent me over this new remix they just finished for their buddies, French Horn Rebellion. Hey Champ channels their french disco/house side and produces a track that Fred Falke, Alan Braxe, Allure, and Breakbot would be proud of or either upset about because a bunch of American’s are stealing their sound. Either way cheers boys!

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/June%202009/Beaches%20and%20Friends%20(Hey%20Champ%20Remix).mp3]
French Horn Rebellion vs. Database – Beaches and Friends (Hey Champ Remix)

Alan Braxe strikes back with a new remix of the British band, Fenech-Soler. Beautiful remix, Braxe changes the vibe of the track completely into this slick modern RnB sounding tune, I especially like what he does with the vocals.

Cheers, Discodust

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/May%202009/Fenech-Soler%20-%20The%20Cult%20Of%20Romance%20(Alan%20Braxe%20Remix).mp3]
Fenech-Soler – The Cult Of Romance (Alan Braxe Remix)

Das Glow always produces solid tracks, I have always been a big fan of “Sunburnt”. “I Want to Wake Up With You” is very smooth filter-house track with a horn sample that is super slick, I guess it is because he released this on Vulture Music, Alan Braxe’s label, so some of his influence rubbed off on this track.

[audio:http://diestruktur.com/asianmandan/music/April%202009/I%20Want%20To%20Wake%20Up%20With%20You%20(Original%20Mix).mp3]
Das Glow – I Want to Wake Up With You

DatA’s Supreme Mix
1 – DATA – BLOOD THEME (INTRO VERSION)
2 – TEPR – MINUIT JACUZZI (DATA REMIX)
3 – CHAZ JANKEL – WITHOUT YOU
4 – DEATH FROM ABOVE 1979 – BLACK HISTORY MONTH (ALAN BRAXE & FRED FALKE REMIX)
5 – CHANGE – PARADISE
6 – SHAPEMODE (FEAT. SNAX & JAMIE LIDELL) – LOVE’S TOO MUCH
7 – DATA – ELECTRIC FEVER
8 – JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE – SEXYBACK
9 – THE BEATLES – TWIST AND SHOUT
10 – GARY’S GANG – DO IT AT THE DISCO
11 – LES RYTHMES DIGITALES – FROM : DISCO TO : DISCO
12 – FATBOY SLIM – DON’T LET THE MAN (JUSTICE REMIX)
13 – LIPPS INC – HOW LONG
14 – SLY & THE FAMILY STONE – DANCE TO THE MUSIC
15 – BREAKBOT – HAPPY RABBIT
16 – KENNA – SAY GOODBYE TO LOVE
17 – CHROMEO – ME AND MY MAN (WHITEY REMIX)
18 – DISCODEINE – RING MODULATION
19 – METRO AREA – SOFT HOOP

Photo by Derrick Wildstar
1. What made you want to start making music? Did your upbringing and family have a big influence on why you decided to make music? Has music always been your main job and only way to make money?

My father was a pianist, and we had a piano, so I spent a lot of times listening to him and playing. Also I’ve always enjoyed listen to records since I was a kid.
I screwed up my studies, so my only job has been music, always.

2. Brian Eno once said “Play more things that make me dance around and less things that make me sit and look miserable in a plastic chair”. I definitely see that this mindset has infiltrated mainstream music in the past few years. What are your thoughts on this?

When I record a track, I always think: “Would I like to listen to it and dance?” This is the way I like music, I want it to make me feel good.
Also I like to listen to the music that suits my mood, sometimes when I feel like sitting down and relaxing and it’s raining outside and I listen to Satelite of Love by Lou Reed and I feel so good, not sad at all. That’s the magic of the music.

3. Who are your favorite producers? Who are your favorite bassists?

The Neptunes are brilliant, simple and massive production, i like them!
I also like Snoop Dog, for the same reason, simple ideas, and big sound, it goes straight into your mind! And of course Kanye West, he’s legend.
As for bass players, I’ve listened to a lot of them while studying bass guitar, but only a few keep driving me crazy, the best of all is the late GARY KING, just awesome, brilliant musician and bass player, I love his sound and every bassline he recorded is just magic to my hears, he is the best. Also John Entwistle from The Who was a big influence to me, he always plays the right note @ the right time, and makes the songs so big.

4. What are your top 3 songs that make you dance? What are your top 3 albums/tracks that make you want to rock?

Soul Bells from Le Knight Club
Unplugged from DJ Falcon
Deep Snside from Hardrive

Rockwise:
The Who “Who are You?” – I can listen to it endlessly.
Ozzy Osbourne, “Live@Budokan”
Incubus “Light Grenades”

5. What have you been listening to lately? What music today excites you and see going places in 2008?

Latest album from Katalyst, so good, I dig that 60’s vibe, and the band Sparkadia, they are really great.I like many kind of music, hip-hop, pop, dance, rock whatever makes me grind and dance is cool! I think the mix of the genres is what makes music go further, to the next step.

6. What is your favorite piece of musical gear? What is your favorite envelope filter for bass?

My E-MU SP1200, this is the best music gear ever, so simple to use the sound is banging, you can make an album with it!
For bass I have my old Mutron 3 and a Meatball Filter, they sound so cool.

7. Any plans of starting an all-star electronic “band” like Steve Aoki, The Faint & Boys Noize? It would be impressive to see all of you DJ’s and producers “rock out”. Maybe a big collaboration with Alan Braxe, Kris Menace and some your other dance colleagues is in the works? Any big releases or exciting news you would like to share? When are you coming to the states?

Alan & I are not working together anymore.
I’ve met so many talented people I wish to make music with, Knightlife, Miami Horror, Kris Menace…we just need to catch up in studio.
I’ve just finished a remix for Lykke Li a singer, great voice, and also I’ve finished my next release, need to get it signed now , hahah!
I’ll be working on my own solo album in the next few months.
I Definitely want to play in the USA!!!
The sooner the better, need to get gigs, any promoters reading? 🙂

Fred Falke Myspace

JFK on the MSTRKRFT Message Board talking about Electronic musicians “playing live”.
MSTRKRFT Checks in from Studio – Pitchfork
“I guarantee you when this record is done and people have heard it, everyone will want to talk to us again. I think we’re actually going to do something different in a climate where everything sounds the same. That’s our goal. And we won’t rest! [laughs] Until our enemies are vanquished! [laughs] Oh, and everyone should go see Rambo.” – JFK

“when DJ falcon plays off ableton, its the most involved ableton setup ive ever seen… and ive seen everyones. everything was broken down to 2 bar sections and he was combining and mixing like, 4 things together at all times…. thats more involved than many ‘live’ setups, yet he calls it what it is… DJing. ?” – JFK
Alan Braxe & DJ Falcon Live @ The Viper Room LA
This is an amazing set by DJ Falcon mixing and mashing up songs into a musical pastiche. Take that Girl Talk.

This sounds like a badass version of Timbaland’s “The Way I Are”. This is off the new Kitsune 5 Compilation. Alan Braxe – Addicted *Download NOW!*
Alan Braxe x Fred Falke
Alan Braxe x Midnight Juggernauts

Crookers Kiss FM Mix
Tracklist:
Manu Chao “Politik kills” (Crookers beat)
*Cazals “Life is Boring” (Crookers Zuppa del Cazals mix) (Soon on Kitsunè)*
Dizzie Rascal “Old School” (Dj Beware mix)
Mika “Lollipop” (Boy 8-bit Running man rmx)
Crookers “Knobber” (Feb 2008 Southern Fried)
Mark Ronson feat Amy Winehouse “Valerie” (Count of Monte Cristal and Sinden remix) (Sony Bmg)
Rodion “Electric Soca” (Crookers mix) (Gomma rec)
Crookers “Big Money Comin’” (Feb 2008 Southern Fried)
Bloody Beetroots “We’re from Venice” (Secretool 😉 + Salmon dance AKA
Richard Cheese “Milkshake”
JUS†ICE x The Bloody Beetroots
Checkout this wild mix in a bathroom by 1/2 of The Bloody Beetroots & 1/2 Crookers. I love what they do with the Van Halen intro. Download @ Kidz By Colette

Asian Dan’s Favorite Artists/Bands Discovered in 2007:
1. Sébastien Tellier
La Ritournelle, is all I have to say. It is a song that takes you on an emotional journey and leaves with a feeling of what could be and what could have been. Plus both videos are gorgeous. He is an amazing songwriter and I cannot wait for, Sexuality in 2008.

2. New Order
I have always loved New Order’s sound especially Peter Hook’s basslines but this summer I really discovered how good they are and decided that Temptation is my favorite song of all time. Oh and the fact that Radiohead covered Ceremony soldified their greatness in my eyes.

3. Hall & Oates
They were the original Daft Punk. Ha. I picked up their greatest hits after discovering how amazing the song Private Eyes was and I was blown away by how many hits they wrote. I would go through each track on the greatest hits and go wow that was them?! I cannot wait for their collaboration with Chromeo.

4. Todd Rundgren
The first song in Electroma is International Feel by Todd Rundgren the opening track of the the magnum opus, A Wizard, A True Star. Todd Rundgren is a songwriter/producer that has stayed under the mainstream musical radar but has produced everyone from Meatloaf, The Cars, to Hall & Oates.

5. France Gall & Françoise Hardy
Both these lovely ladies were proteges of the amazing Serge Gainsbourg and are quinessential 60s French Pop. They are defintely my favorite Yeh-Yeh Girls.

France Gall – Toi Que Je Veux
Françoise Hardy is my dream girl.6. Steely Dan
Aja is such an amazingly well crafted album. Peg blows me away especially Michael McDonald’s backup vocals during the chorus.

7. Alan Braxe
The Paradise – In Love With You, Stardust – Music Sounds Better With You. Genius tracks. I love the feeling of floating that you get when you listen to an Alan Braxe produced track.

Asian Dan’s Favorite Tracks Discovered in 2007:
1. Sparks – Tryouts for the Human Race
Justice spun this track when I saw them back in February in Paris at the Ed Banger Records 4 Year Anniversary party. I didn’t know what the song was but all I remember was dancing so hard to the synth bass line and that falling synth line. This summer I found out it was by Sparks and produced by the great, Giorgio Moroder.

2. Hall & Oates – Private Eyes
The hand claps are in the chorus are crucial and I believe that any song with handclaps are elevated to a new level that Daryl & John would approve of.

3. Stevie Wonder – All I Do
Stevie Wonder & Michael Jackson, thats all I have to say.

4. Van Halen – Dancing In the Street
The synth line in this song is amazing and you cannot resist to dance. Van Halen cannot be denied.

5. Alessi Brothers – Oh, Lori
At the beginning of the year I started listened to a lot of Andy Gibb, the younger brother of the Brothers Gibb (The B.G’s.) and decided to delve deeper into the world of Disco. This track by the Alessi Brothers is pop perfection. Everything about it is so pleasing, production-wise as well as songwriting-wise.