US of yippy-yai-yay.

New York hosted its first festival dedicated to electronic music on the weekend of September 5th and 6th, entitled 'Electric Zoo', where many of the world's DJs came together to put on a critically acclaimed show. What really astonished me was the fact that this is the first electronic music festival in one of the biggest cities in the world and leaves me pondering over why the US of A hasn't caught on to a thriving dance music scene like us Europeans have?

A recent article on the Reuters website had me thinking and Googling away. That article can be found by clicking right here.

I've personally clubbed my feet away on a few patches of European territory and found it accommodating to the liks of me, a 'foreign' visitor - it was easy to feel part of an inclusive, hedonistic vibe. The small difference would be communication barriers as English was in some parts non-existant or more strongly accented than here. Well, unless you find yourself in Liverpool... or Newcastle for that matter.. I guess Scotland too. Come to think of it, there are fewer differences than I originally thought.

Now, it isn't all Dollywood, rock and R&B in the States - the most prolific celebration of dance music in any dance fanatic's diary is the annual Winter Music Conference in Miami. This is where not only hundreds of DJ's gather to put on unforgettable performances but industry professionals, record labels, statutories and more find breeding ground for innovation within production and networking. It is your very own microcosm of a summer in Ibiza. Miami is the perfect location for such an event, with great venues, beautiful weather and plenty of dollars to invest in state of the art equipment, yet in no way does this event reflect the tastes of the wider American population.

As in the article posted above, electronic music only accounts for 1% of all music sales in the US, whereas here in the UK it accounts for 8%. This in comparison is approximately $49.8 million against $99.9 million, respectively. Bear in mind that revenue created from all genres and media of music sales as a whole in the US is more than triple that of the UK - $4.9 billion and $1.2 billion, respectively. The figures show just how much us Brits like those to boogie on down to those electronic beats, spending just under double that our stateside competitors.

Some American 'experts' argue that the American population can't relate to a lyric-less track. So, enter David Guetta. He is taking the US by storm and it is down to his collaborations with prolific urban stars such as Akon and Kelly Rowland. His current smash 'When Love Takes Over' has taken the world over, achieving a number one chart slot in 10 countries, including the US Billboard dance chart. The lyrics commercialise a solid piece of house music, even if it has sampled Coldplay's 'Clocks', who’s piano riff is infectious and the trance-like synths add a reflective, beach worn feel to it.

Guetta has the right idea by maximising his audience, spreading his cheesey work to the US. He isn't doing anything differently to what he was before except for landing some high end collaborations, which is making America listen. Maybe he'll be the one who turns electronic music in the US into a mass market and if that happens prepare for a global dance session.

Here's the Parisian dropping the tune in New York, to a nice, echoed reception.



**

Web
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_industry#Recorded_music_retail_sales

http://www.ifpi.org/content/library/Recorded-Music-Sales-2008.pdf

Music matters

Ibiza plays on my mind. And after seeing this:



it was in my nature to go and find this:



and then put this on repeat:




That is enough shaketh booty love for tonight.
Peace.

Single: Basement Jaxx - Feeling's Gone

Jaxx's second single from their forthcoming album leaps away from a blatant experimental beat with which fans are in tune - to something that more resembles an advert for a moralistic victory.

There's no doubt that this Europop styled single does grow on you in a vaguely uplifting way but it does lack the typical edge the London duo are renowned for. An exception is made with an intro that lures you in to a false sense of Jaxx security, where credit is due for the hard slap of convivial character that lies past these erratic electro sounds. If anybody were to astonish with flippant changes in one little intro, it's the legends themselves.

The fifth album, Scars, boasts a heap of guest contributors and for this track there seems nobody more suited than the soulful Mr Sam Sparro. His voice complements the steel pan, carnival atmosphere, contrasting starkly to lyrics that encapsulate a bittersweet romantic desire.

One thing Basement Jaxx have achieved is yet another reshaping of their twisted mould. The spirit of this song is credit to a world stuck in gloom, and who knows, maybe legions upon legions will relate the chorus of 'will you walk with me until the feeling's gone' to a bygone era of financial crisis.

Maybe.

Buxton and Ratcliffe are experts at working a mass crowd and 'Feeling's Gone' is to be a sure fire hit making its mark on commercial dance floors across the UK, but it doesn’t hold that elusive flair apparent in the rest of the album.

Rating: 3 stars




::Afterthought::

If this doesn't work for you, listen to the acoustic version for a more chilled experience where the lyrics can really be absorbed. Found here.

Ibiza: Chilled Beef.

Ibiza.

My holiday to the white isle is in close proximity, so close I can preempt the satisfactory taste of sweaty ceilings - the conclusion of this anticipation is a child-like excitement that manifests itself into involuntary outbursts of mini orgasms. Nice. Surrounding me are messages of Ibiza in various mediums such as an array of compilations, radio sets, trashy TV programmes depicting displaced chavvy lifestyles and, yes indeed, swine flu. Yes, even that cheeky swine reminds me of Ibiza in a completely irrelevant way. Maybe that's down to my mild obsession with all things Ibz.

To commemorate such rave-fuelled attitude I lend way to visions - of dancing recklessly to various bassy tunes. One tune I predict I will hear whilst tapping my melodious feet on the holy grounds of super superclubs Space or Pacha is posted below. It's by Analog People In A Digital World, or the rather digitalised acronym APDW, that is a formation of two Italian men who have stayed largely underground for the past year or so. 'Rose Rouge', is receiving high profile support. If I don't hear it in Ibiza I'll personally email Pete Tong (who listed this beast of a stomper as 1 of 3 essential summer tunes 2009) and ask him 'Why, god damnit... why!?'

So, for the next 3 weeks here in the UK, I will sit in my unemployed daze and daydream of beaches so sunny, skimpily dressed ravers and world renowned DJ's. If you're heading to Ibiza or have had the pleasure of experiencing it already - you are of an elite I call lucky bloody devils.

He brings dem tunes.

On my friend's advice, I've finally set up a blog dedicated to the thing I immerse myself in most, very typical of the mass population - music. 'Dance' is a rather vague term within the music industry in these fertile genre-making days where anything musical is possible. Sub generic babies are crawling their way onto dancefloors around the UK, working the many crowds with their baby arms and mini Prada sunny's until, inevitably, they evolve into adult beings, fully established and fixed in those same, vintage shoes. The story of this evolvement tends to happen fast and before long it's closing time.



What I aim to chart in this blog isn't going to be specific per se, but it will relate to, in some way, electronic music - the scenes, the weird, the history, the future, the local, national and international, the funnies, the tragedy, the clubs, the reviews and stories... I'm aiming to get behindthedecks. Let the finger dancing commence....