DAN’S DANCE PARTY

Click on the turntable on the left to listen to a continuous stream of music featured on Pretty Much Amazing - updated every day. For more, you can check out the Best Songs of 2011, or our Best Albums of 2011.

The first time is the hardest, or so they say.  While this might not apply to activities you can do while shitfaced drunk (sex, riding a bike, driving, delivering a baby), it DEFINITELY applies to writing for an awesome, successful blog.  My name is Dan, and I’ve been word-masturbating (writing a blog with 5 readers) for a while, but now I’m about to have word-sex with all of you, and I’m a little nervous.  I’m here to let you know that breaking it down is the SHIT, and to bring you the newest developments and most awesome artists in the “breaking it down” umbrella of musical genres.  So!  Once a week,  you’ll get to read my f*****g AWESOME words, in one of 3, that’s right 3, fan-tas-tic formats:

1. This Week In…

   In which I will pick from my giant hat of electronic music genres (it’s a bright purple top-hat made out of purest silk and crushed drugs, and yes I really do have a giant hat I will use), and then let you know what I’ve been listening to in that genre, why YOU should be listening to it, etc.  For example: this week in DUBSTEP, I’ve been listening to Manchester local and current golden boy of the blogosphere, Joker.  Joker brings a smooth hip-hop/r&b sensibility to the grinding gears and face-slicing-lazer-bass of the U.K. born dubstep sound.  Dubstep is “so hot right now” (note: people on the internets have WAY TOO MUCH FREE TIME), and like any flavor of the month, a lot of it is shitty, bland, and redundant.  Joker is so awesome because he is a member of the, small, elite cadre of dubstep producers (Rusko, Caspa, Skream, and uh… and… uh…) who manage to make dubstep still feel fresh.  Plus, you know, GIANT LAZER BASS.  I just can’t get enough of that shit.  I’ve also been listening to the same Caspa songs that have been my go to for a more chilled out side of dubstep for months now.  Caspa is old hat for the real scenesters by now… but f**k those people, his stuff is still the best combination of syncopated beats, waump-waump bass, and floating vocal samples and melodies out there.  So yeah, it’s old, but I was listening to it this week and that means it works for This Week In…

   The Heavy – [download id="212"]
   Art of Noise – [download id="213"]

2. Places I’ve Been..

   In which I go break it down in the greater Los Angeles area, and let you all know the relevant who, what, when, and where factors involved in making me FREAK OUT and shake my legs like I’m Gumby, but if he had seizures.  If I can, I’ll try and stay coherent enough through the night to maybe be able to let you all know why you should party like I party, but furthermore, to let you know which dj’s and such rock the 1’s and 2’s with much skill, and which make me want stab myself with a $6 beer.  My frequent haunts are Cinespace Tuesdays, the monthly Scion House Parties, and basically anything I hear about from the Dim Mak/Danceright mailing lists. If YOU know about some rad times going down in LA, where the beats are fresh, the drinks are cheap, and people aren’t (excessive) douchebags, send me an email and I’ll hit it up then write it up..

3. People I Know…

   In which I interview some up-and-coming artist in the dance/electronic arena, who I may or may not actually know.  Basically, while you’ll probably get a taste of who I think the paragons of the scene are in my other columns, I want a space to really single out a dj or artist who is bringing that hot fire right now, so in 9 months when they’re blowing up and you keep hearing their remixes in the club and that bro in your class with gelled hair and stunna shades asks you if you’ve heard of them you can be all… “WELL, Dr. Douche, I actually know that they put Sriracha on their cheerios, brush their teeth with Jim Beam, and found their musical inspiration in the late career works of Joni Mitchell, AND I’ve got a track from their new EP, AND I had it 9 months ago, so go back to the Fratterhorn and listen to D.A.N.C.E. and Day N’ Night about 100000 more times while shoving an XBOX controller up your ass, PEACE.”  It will be just. like. that.  Oh yeah I’ll also see if I can’t get some new tracks to post too, depending on how much money I have for bribes.  Again, if you know someone I should be interviewing, just hit me up.

Well, that’s about all I got right now folks… OH YEAH.  Since it is entirely possible that you read all of this shit and still have no real idea what sort of music I’m going to be featuring here (although if you actually read it then I already believe the impossible can happen), I’ve put together a nice little collection of tracks, some old, some new, that I think encapsulates what I’m all about.  The mix starts with the track, Get Down by Jack Beats, that I reviewed for the little application that got me this damn gig, and runs through some dubstep, some bassline, some CRAZY SHIT, then settles down for some disco-esque grooves before getting f*****g CRAZY again.  So if you download these bad boys and find yourself tapping a toe or bobbing a head, or, if you’re awesome enough, full on BREAKING IT DOWN, then check back in next week, and we can keep it going.  As always, if you really like a track and want to feel like a good person, buy the damn thing on itunes/beatport.

I hope we can be friends, and have many dance parties together.  PEACE OUT.

TRACKS TO GET THE DANCE PARTY STARTED.

[download id="211"] – 175 MEGABYTES, ZIPPED

Jack Beats – Get Down – DOWNLOAD – what started it all…

Bionic Commando – Bionic Commando (Rusko Remix) – DOWNLOAD

B. Rich – Make Me Dance (Sticky Remix) – DOWNLOAD

Chester French – She Loves Everybody (Pance Party Remix) – DOWNLOAD

Classixx - Dial 1 – DOWNLOAD

The Emergency – Too Much (SHAZAM Remix) – DOWNLOAD

Friendly Fires – Skeleton Boy (GRUM Remix) – DOWNLOAD – highest recommendation.

Graveleaf – The Crusade (Royal Rumble Remix) – DOWNLOAD

The Bloody Beetroots – Second Streets Have No Name – DOWNLOAD

Little Jinder – Youth Blood - DOWNLOAD

Lykke Li – Little Bit (AutoErotique Bootleg Remix) - DOWNLOAD – 2nd highest recommendation.

Major Lazer – Cash Flow (Classixx Glass Bottom Dub Mix) – DOWNLOAD

Mika – We Are Golden (Calvin Harris Radio Edit) – DOWNLOAD

Blaqstarr – Get Off (Jack Beats Micro Genius Dubstep Remix) – DOWNLOAD – only for the brave.

Proxy – Who Are You? (The Bloody Beetroots Remix) – DOWNLOAD

The Bloody Beetroots – Rombo (feat. Congorock) - DOWNLOAD

Proxy – Tha Raven (Kazey & Bulldog MPC Reverse Remix) – DOWNLOAD

by Daniel Siegal on September 3, 2009 ‡ 1 reaction