Martin Solvieg "Jealousy" (though I swear it the singer was saying Tennessee)
Timmy Vegas "Dutty Funk" (the instrumental is so hot, I can only imagine how hot it will be when Barbara Tucker drops vocals on it)
Jean Claude Ades "Someday"
Sueno Soul featuring Lelani "A Better Love"
Wellenrausch "Carry On" (Torten Fassbender Remix)
Eyerer & Chopstick "She Loves It"
New Order "Waiting for the Sirens Call" (Asle/Filterheadz/Punkrox Remixes)
Orfeo I attended the opening of the Dance Opera Orfea and I am left with some unresolved issues. The presentation featured original music by Geert Huinink (Tiesto's producer) and Rank One so needless to say the initial buzz excited me. I say presentation because it felt more like a musical rather than a traditional opera. I am by no means an expert of the opera, but the production felt like it was trying too hard to update a classical story with contemporary music.
The crowd reaction was decidedly mixed. The majority of the people were opera patrons who were intensely watching the story thinking that they were observing the voice of the youth trying to tell a story. The dance music industry attendees seemed not to be positive and the words "high school musical" were overheard several times.
Maybe there was a language barrier and I couldn't follow the story but when I saw the puppet dragon, the evil effeminate villain and the character perform sound effects "Police Academy" style for a martial arts battle, I knew something didn't compute.
The performers were talented and were doing the best they could for the production but when I think of dance opera, I imagine the incredible Yomanda remix of Emma Shapplin "Spente Le Stelle" or the Operatica records that E-Magine released a couple of years ago. Let's just chalk Orfeo up to a creative idea trying to bridge a gap and losing something in translation.
Defected in the House at Hotel Arena
Ok, I realize I should strive to attend several parties and listen to a diverse variety of music. That's what I do in Miami at Winter Music Conference where I aim to attend 5 or 6 parties every night and hitting each at its peak. Its a magical science - timing parties and when the stars align its amazing.
But tonight, I wanted to dance and hear good house music so I went to the Hotel Arena and delighted in the luxury of 4 hours of Defected house. Arriving shortly before midnight to a full dancedloor (which is not bad considering doors opened after 11pm), Simon Dunmore was on the decks playing wonderful house music. He kept people guessing jumping between styles and the crowd was definitely up for it. The Reel People performed a live set complete with trumpet, two wonderful vocalists and complete instrumentations. It is definitely a luxury to see house music performed live and not just a vocalist and a DAT. The crowd definitely knew they were being treated to a very special performance.
Martin Solveig came on next and I thought my legs were going to fall off. Whether he was feeding in loops from "Most Precious Loops," dropping down to ethnic folk chants or playing original tracks (loved the mashup of his "Everybody" track with the classic Ruffneck featuring Yavahn "Everybody be Somebody"), Martin worked the crowd like a superstar DJ should. My only minor quibble was the mini MissyElliott megamix, but then again I needed a little breather before my shirt became completely transparent from sweat. If you ever get a chance to see Martin Solveig spin live, for heaven's sake - go!
