As you may have read in our Major Lazer feature from earlier today, Diplo is one seriously hard worker, and he’s got a discography miles long. We picked out a few choice cuts from that long list to get you started.
There’s no denying it that Diplo (aka Wesley Pentz), the Grammy-nominated producer, remixer, and and head honcho of Mad Decent Records, is one of the hardest-working men in the music business. Through unending curiosity and exploration of the world’s vast musical heritages in Jamaica, Africa, the US, and beyond, Diplo has a knack for seamlessly connecting the dots between the global underground and the commercial music mainstream. And in connecting those dots, he’s racked up production credits for MIA, Santigold, Drake, Usher, Snoop Dogg, Beyonce, and Bruno Mars, among many others.
Whether you’re a first-time producer or years into your career, even seasoned pros will tell you that there’s always something new to learn. So we’re excited to bring you a series of studio tips and tricks in collaboration with four awesome online production schools: Dubspot, Point Blank, Berklee School of Music, and Pyramind. Today we team up with Dubspot to show you how to create your favorite trap and techno sounds, with tips on everything from building instrument racks to crafting unique basslines. We’ve also selected some nice sounds packs to go along with the videos and to keep the inspiration flowing.
So, you’ve heard all about the contributions from Pharrell, Giorgio Moroder, and Gonzales to the new Daft Punk album, but do you know about the guy who made their $72 pizza? Then you’ll probably want to check out the duo’s latest collaborators video. Plus, we’ve got Loco Dice travel tips, a hot mid-’90s mix from Richie Hawtin, and a statement from Anjunabeats on Will.i.am’s less-than-diligent sample-clearance job. Let the weekend begin!
Producer AraabMUZIK, who just weeks ago stopped in to Beatport Live to punch out some beats on his MPC, is alive and well after being shot on Wednesday night. Billboard reports that he was the victim of a robbery attempt and was shot in the scuffle. No specific information as to the location of the crime has been released.
Toronto duo Zeds Dead (yes, we know the name is grammatically incorrect) really know how to throw down a live show. In fact, sometimes their sets are so crazy, the show gets shut down before they even take the stage! Of course, we kid you, but members Hooks and DC sure do know how to bring the bassy mayhem, crafting a signature hybrid of dubstep, electro house, drum and bass, and more for one seriously live low-end free-for-all. Read on to see how they do it, according to Hooks.
Well, it’s just the way that it goes these days, with festivals offering up drips of information along the way, teasing us fans endlessly as they loosen the faucet every once in a while. Today, Detroit’s Movement Festival, which takes place over Memorial Day Weekend at Hart Plaza, has announced its full stage and date lineup. Naturally, we’re hugely excited about what we’ll be co-presenting at the Beatport Stage, but of course, the rest of the fest’s schedule is jam-packed with excellence.
Guys, seriously, throwing stuff at Jeff Mills is not cool. Throwing stuff at anyone on stage is not cool—unless, say, it’s a hardcore show, and the band is spitting on you—but it’s especially not cool to throw stuff at one of Detroit techno’s true masters. I mean, c’mon!
Chilly Gonzales (aka Jason Beck) is a bit of an anomaly in the music world—in fact, we can’t even say “dance-music world,” as his oeuvre focuses more heavily on odd-ball rapping and classical-style piano than it does banging beats. He’s worked with Feist, Peaches, Buck 65, Drake, and tons of others, and now it’s been revealed that he’s also an integral player on Daft Punk’s new Random Access Memories album, due out on Columbia on May 21.
The summer season is nearly upon us, and, like you, we can’t wait to get partying in the sun. Fortunately, there’s a slew of awesome festivals in our midst, a few of which have just announced their lineups. Without further ado, here’s a handful of gatherings we’re getting stoked on.
