Gilles Peterson @ BBC Radio 1

Since he ran a pirate radio station out of his back garden shed in south London during his teens Gilles Peterson has devoted his life to promoting the jazz spirit and it’s contemporary urban manifestations around the world. As a DJ he initially honed his skills and deep knowledge in the tough, jazz dance atmosphere of the Electric Ballroom, a club that thrived in the musical and lyrical shadows thrown by emerging electro funk and hip hop. He boldly expanded his influence by taking on the Monday nights at Soho’s bohemian Wag Club and maintained his "soul boy" links through the Special Branch, a club with a DJ roster that included Pete Tong, Nicky Holloway, Bob Jones, Chris Bangs and Danny Rampling.

In addition, his experiance as a DJ for Radio One, KISS FM, Jazz FM (from which he was "sacked for playing peace jazz"), Radio London, and those classic pirate stations like Invicta and K-Jazz, Gilles continues to fuel a serious passion for broadcasting. You can listen to Gilles Peterson every Thursday from 2pm-4pm. This week's show was especially soulful, featuring music from Christian Prommer, Little Dragon, Theo Parrish and Bassment Jaxx. Plus Gilles hosts an exclusive recording of Theophilus London performing a live version of his "Cold Pillow Remix". Listen ot this week's broadcast.

Tracklisting:
Sam Sever & The R.O.T.L.A. – ‘Do You Understand’ (Test)
El Michaels Affair – ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’ (Fat Beats)
Lee Fields & The Expressions – ‘Do You Love’ (Stones Throw/Truth & Soul)
Sly, Slick & Wicked – ‘Sho’ Nuff’ (Deca)
Mayer Hawthorne – ‘I Wish It Would Rain’ (Stones Throw)
Take – ‘Fall N Luv Remix’ (Test)
Eddie Harris – ‘Exodus’ (Trip)
Melody Gardout – ‘Who Will Comfort Me’ (Verve)
Little Dragon – ‘Never Never’ (Peacefrog)
Dam Funk – ‘Kill Dat’ (Stones Throw)
Kromestar – ‘Kalawanji’ (Deep Medi)
Theophilus London – ‘Cold Pillow Remix’ Live
yU – ‘Fine’ (Test)
Lee Fields & The Expressions – ‘Honey Dove’ (Stones Throw/Truth & Soul)
Charles Hamilton – ‘Brooklyn Girl’ (Interscope)
yU – ‘Fine’ (Test)
LCD Soundsystem – ‘Lies’ (Theo Parrish Edit) (DFA)
Floating Points – ‘Like This Dub’ (Eglo)
Lone – ‘Mon Ami’ (Test)
Seiji – ‘Rave A’ (Test)
Critical Point Ft Vikter Duplaix – ‘Messages’ (Aaron Jerome Remix) (Test)
Bassment Jaxx & Jose James – ‘Gimme Somethin’ True’ (XL)
DJ Mitsu – ‘Free Your Mind’ (Jazzy Sport)
Boz Scaggs – ‘Lowdown’ (Columbia)
Deodato – ‘Whistle Bump’ (Warner)
Caetano Veloso - ‘A Cor Amarela’ (Wrasse)
Quantic & The Combo Barbaro – ‘New Morning’ (Tru Thoughts)
Chuck Mangione - 'Land Of Make Believe' (Polygram)
4Hero – ‘Planeteria’ (Christian Prommers Remix) (Test)

Dethlab - "The New Black"

Veteran multidisciplinary artists Bethany Shorb and Michael Doyle have been working together as Dethlab since 2005. As event producers, they have brought international live acts such as Vitalic, Motor, Lowfish and Solvent to Detroit. As DJs, they have performed by invitation at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, the 2006 Movement Festival at Detroit's Hart Plaza and have opened for acts including T. Raumschmiere, Chemlab, Ectomorph and Pas/Cal.

With the Dethlab project, Shorb and Doyle seek to define "the new black" - connecting the dots between trends in music, fashion, design and culture: mashing Ballardian reality with a romance for the glory days of postpunk and the cyberpunk future promised by Blade Runner. Like a modern day McLaren and Westwood, Doyle and Shorb are obsessive consumers, creators and curators of all things dark, innovative and beautiful... often with tongue firmly in cheek. In addition to DJing and event production, they are currently recording original music, have facilitated "outings" such as Alice In Wonderland themed tea parties and period costumed croquet socials in abandoned factories, and have used nearly as much fake blood as GWAR since the project's inception. Both have collaborated closely with Ann Arbor/New York-based indie-electronic label Ghostly International on package design and merchandise development, and share the idea of "one foot in the gallery, one in the club." The Machines That Feel series is the best example to date of their combined interests in art, music and social commentary.

Lately, Dethlab has providing a bountiful supply of aural intensity. This evening, they're hosting a very special event in Hamtramck featuring Nitzer Ebb members Fixmer/McCarthy. In addition, they've compiled this recent dj mix entitled "Hurrah, die Butter ist alle!", full of techno, electro, and industrial goodness. Look, listen, and get acquainted with the aura of Dethlab destruction.

Download Mix
Intro by STEVIE
Einmusik - Jittery Heritage (Egoexpress remix)
Play Paul & Nicos Marcos - Breathe
Alva Noto - Xerrox Monophaser
Imiafan - Epidemia (Sneak-Thief Paranoianoia remix)
Circlesquare - Dancers (remixed by Lowfish)
T.Raumschmiere - Lass Knattern!
Goose - Masters On Top
Gui Boratto - Atomic Soda
Robbie Parodel - Digdagger
Les Petits Pilous - Jolie Fille (The Bloody Beetroots remix)
T.Raumschmiere - E (version)
Motor - Death Rave
Julien-K - Someday Soon (Motor Deconstruct Mix)
Fixmer/McCarthy - Come Inside
Andreas Henneberg (STEVIE darkk edit) - Federschwarz
Neo Filigrante - Right Hand Bob
Adriano Canzian (feat. David Caretta & Gigi Succes) - Letherbich 01
Miss Kitten & the Hacker - Party in my Head
Sad Mafioso - The Lamb
Goose - Everybody (Les Petits Pilous remix)
Butter - The Bloody Beetroots
Greg Punkov - Soda So Prompteleks
Polygamy Boys - Ghostz
Rude 66 - The 1000 Year Storm
Ricardo Tobar - With You
Micron Sixty Three - Anatomy Of No Escape

Woodward Light Rail Project

A fellow student in my urban politics and policy class introduced me to this simulated demo of the hypothetical plan for Detroit's Woodward light rail transit. The proposal calls for a 9.3 mile stretch of rail that extends from Downtown Detroit to the Michigan State Fairgrounds, including 13-15 stations along the line. Right now, the starter costs to construct the line exceed $371 million dollars, with 50-60 percent funding allocated by the federal government. MDOT and other regional governments predict that Detroit's light rail could generate up to $933 million dollars in economic development, as well as 12,000 new jobs. In addition, local officials have talk about the creation of economic development zones along the Woodward corridor to help retain capital for even greater long-term transportation infrastructure in the region.

Seriously, this is first time in over thirty years that our region has even remotely considered a regional approach to transportation. Forget all of the Detroit versus suburbs bitching and let's work collectively to get behind these kinds of projects. Remember the utter failure of the People Mover? Yeah..... the region should save themselves the risk of another embarrassment. Visit www.woodwardlightrail.com for more details.

Trent Abbe DJ Mix | 11-11-2000

From now until the Detroit Electronic Music Festival, we will be supplying mixes from all of the performing guests featured at the Blank Artists Afterglow. For the first round of music, we're offering a set of techno and house classics from dj maestro, Trent Abbe. Enjoy!

Mixed By: Trent Abbe
Length: 1:13:57
Format: MP3
Bit Rate: 192 KBPS
Link: Download

Tracklist
01. UR-004 - Adrenalin
02. Groove Sector - Release the Energy
03. Eddie Fowlkes - Standing In The Rain
04. Emotive Records M1 - Erotic Signals
05. Suburban Knight - The Groove
06. Reese - Just Wanted Another Chance
07. House Nation - Hypnotic Cause
08. Reese - Gonna Dance
09. Emotive Records M1 - Get You
10. Mike Hitman Wilson - Making House Music
11. Smokin Gang - Take It From The Top
12. Farley Jackmaster - It's U
13. Matt Warren - Bang The Box
14. Digital System - Hood And Easy
15. Juan Atkins - The Bedroom Scene
16. LNR - Work It To The Bone
17. Reese & Santonio - The Sound
18. Lil' Louis - Music Takes You Away
19. Todd Terry - The Dream
20. Raze - Break For Love
21. Nightmares on Wax - Dextrous
22. UR-SID-004 - Transparent
23. Phortune - Can You Feel The Bass
24. Mr. Lee - I Can't Forget
25. Frankie Knuckles - Baby Wants To Ride
26. Baby Ford - Ford Trax
27. Mr. Fingers - Can You Feel It

Babes in HiDef

Babes in Hi Def is a new program on WDET HD2 that encourages the best of classic and future antiquity within electronic, rock, funk, and dance music. Josh Dahlberg and Drew Pompa, both of whom share duties over local record label Blank Artists, host the show

In the context of this program, the term “babe” isn’t used as to depict the beauty of an individual, rather as slang to reference how exciting or groovy a particular song is, otherwise often referred to as “jams” or “hits”.

The first episode of "Babes in Hi Def" aired this past Wednesday and featured Tour Detroit members Ernie Guerra, Joe Vargas, and Stephen Roberts. This week's guests include Dethlab members Mike Doyle, David Blunk, and Bethany Shorb. The show airs Wednesday nights from 9pm-12am.

WAMM Video Contest Results

The Windsor Arts and Music Monthly held its first annual music video contest last month, opening the field to any anyone eligible in the Windsor area with the means and creativity to create a short film for a piece of local music. The contest was judged by a group of directors and industry professionals, including world renowned, Michel Gondry. To our overwhelming excitement, and hopefully yours, we're proud to announce that this year's winner is Sean McLeod, director of "Damages" by Peril Elle. "Damages" will be featured on Peril Elle's debut Album for Blank Artists, which is due out the end of summer/early fall 2009. Check out the full contest results HERE.

It's Good 2 Be Humble @ C-Pop Gallery

For nearly 15 years, ©POP Gallery has championed the unknown and untested artist, from local to national, with many from its roster of hundreds achieving international notoriety. In 2007 ©POP launched its ©POPportunity contest, which harnessed internet social networks like Myspace to get the word out to artists working in every medium and in any location, from Detroit to Denmark, Livonia to London and just about everywhere in between, in a call for entries that both recruited new talent and showcased these emerging artists a world class gallery in which to show.

This year, five winners culled from the acclaimed ©POPpor2nity 2008 are featured in their own exhibition entitled, "It's Humble 2 Be Good,". The exhibit extends from April 4th until April 27th and artists include: Shayne Labadie, Rudy Fig, Josh Buckenberger, Laura Barnhard, and Dennis Jacobs. A photo recap of the opening night can be accessed HERE.

Detroit Film Theatre: Live In Time

From: In The Burrows

LIVE IN TIME is an exploration of genuine Inter-media art – sound creating image and image creating sound. It is an audio and visual collaboration featuring live performances by VIRGIL MOOREFIELD, NOSPECTACLE, and MERGE.

LIVE IN TIME brings together three live Inter-media performances. It is a collaboration between artists whose work lives in dual realms; sound and sight. The performances focus on live video and sound with a heavy emphasis on the use of technology in art. While all of the performers are veterans of electronic music who have performed around the world, they also continue to delve into burgeoning technologies and new art forms. LIVE IN TIME explores what sound looks like, what sight sounds like.

LIVE IN TIME displays the differences between various practitioners of Inter-media through the uniqueness of the artists. Each group employs their chosen tools in vastly different manners, from live video mixing, to visual programming with Max/MSP; live performance on acoustic instruments, to loop-based music created on-the-fly with modern software. The result is a wide array of work that encompasses everything from cutting edge electronica to pure sound art.

The Detroit Film Theater and the Detroit Institute of Arts have always been at the forefront of presenting groundbreaking new arts and media. The producers of LIVE IN TIME are partnering with The Detroit Institute of Arts on the 21st of May, 2009 in order to create the perfect environment for this special event. Music is provided by People Mover Productions' Colin Zyskowski, melding both audio and visual stimuli, in collaboration with Alvin Hill (Dj Munk).

This date has been chosen because it coincides with the kick-off of MOVEMENT – Detroit’s Electronic Music Festival. The production company behind Movement, PAXAHAU, has agreed to sponsor the event through promotional support and advertising..

BLNK-15 Vinyl Pre-Order

Blank Artists is now accepting pre-orders for a 12" copy of Jared Wilson's upcoming EP, Bangkok Four Seasons Hotel. The record will also include the vinyl-exclusive track entitled, Tokyo Claska Hotel. This release will be a limited pressing, so reserve your copy today. Pre-orders will ship on or before June 1st.

The Blank Artists Afteglow

Blank Artists is proud to announce their first ever D.E.M.F. afterparty - the much anticipated Afterglow event. The event is taking place on Saturday, May 23rd at Park Bar in downtown Detroit and marks a very special inaugural visit of Tim Sweeney to Detroit, along with Spectral Sound's Osborne and local ledgendary dj, Trent Abbe - three stellar performers with a combined record collection more powerful than an Avenger Combat Laser System. Get your advanced pre-sale tickets HERE.

Also, be sure to check back frequently. From this point on leading up the the festival, we will be updating the blog regularly with mixes by all Afterglow performers. Word is Bond!

Vacuum Live @ More Or Less / Baltimore

Let's be clear -- Vacuum is a dirtbag. A dirtbag and a burnout, in fact. Truth be told, the only thing separating Matt Abbott (aka Vacuum) from your run-of-the-mill, drug addled, lowlife, redneck, hoodrat motherfucker is that he is the owner of a laptop computer and a stellar record collection. With these two resources, a good ear, and a brain wired for weird, Vacuum turns out quirky, funky, techno and house jams, as well as disco re-edits and the odd yacht rock & coke rock compilations. Matt Abbott's got more psuedonyms than can be listed here, and has remained a bright light in Detroit's on-again, off-again, party scene since the 90's as a DJ, live act, and party promoter under CPM (City People Music). Here is a recent mix by Vacuum full of sleazy rape beats.

Vacumm Live @ More or Less - 3/27/09

Ghostly Cast #21: Todd Osborn

This month's ghostly-cast features the the obscure nature sounds and whale-mating calls of paleolithic dragon-slayer, Todd Osborn. This shit is so dangerous that Ugandan government officials have raised their threat levels from Patrick Duffy to HOLY FUCK....., it's hard-ass Mark "Skid" McCormick. Chaos has ensued and the New Vision headline reads "Dragon Slayer tramples Universe And Eats Cereal Bowl Full Giraffes". You think you're ready for this, hot rod? You think your ready? Try me.... I dare you!

Listen to Osborne

Planet E @ Cliff Bells

Planet-E label owner, Carl Craig, hosts an event tomorrow evening at Cliff Bells in Detroit. The show includes a special live performance from Barcelona native, Fransisco Tristano, winner of the 2004 Orleans International Contest - a highly prestigious competition dedicated to 20th Century classical music. The show runs from 9pm to 1am and is free of charge.

Drexciya Interview By Liz Copeland

Legendary WDET Radio Host, Liz Copeland, interviews the elusive and enigmatic Detroit Electro outfit, Drexciya. For the interview, Liz sits down with late Drexciyian member, James Stinson, just before his untimely death. This is a great interview and it reminds us of the huge contributions from both Liz And James that will continue to serve as important dialogue within Detroit's storied musical history.

Sound Opinions Radio Program

From: Chicago Public Radio Online

Based in Chicago, Sound Opinions is hosted by Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot, two of the finest and best-recognized pop music writers in the nation. In addition, they are the top music critics and dedicated competitors at Chicago's two daily newspapers, the Chicago Sun-Times (Jim) and the Chicago Tribune (Greg). They are also both critically acclaimed authors who write for some of the nation's most prestigious rock magazines, including Rolling Stone, Spin, and Vibe.

Every week, Sound Opinions fires up smart and spirited discussions about a wide range of popular music, from cutting-edge underground rock and hip-hop, to classic rock, R&B, electronica, worldbeat, or just about any other genre you can name. The consistently informed, engaging, and controversial dialogue makes it a unique and essential source for the top stories, albums, and trends in music. Sound Opinions airs on Friday at 8pm and Saturday at 11am, on Chicago Public Radio. Access the show archives here.

Dan Sicko Interview

From: Andrew Duke @ Cognition Audioworks

Ten years ago this month, back in a time before MP3,
IM, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, and the like, Cognition Audioworks' Andrew Duke spoke to author Dan Sicko about Techno Rebels: The Renegades Of Electronic Funk, his book that would go on to be published in June 1999.

To celebrate the forthcoming tenth anniversary of this important book outlining the emergence of Detroit electronic music culture, Andrew Duke has re-added his interview with Sicko online. Listen to the entire audio audio interview. Here is also an additional interview with Dan from Little Detroit.

Design Like You Give A Damn

From: Design Like You Give A Damn

Edited by Architecture for Humanity, Design Like You Give a Damn is a compendium of innovative projects from around the world that demonstrate the power of design to improve lives. It is the first book of its kind to offer a history of the movement toward socially conscious design and showcases more than 80 contemporary solutions to such urgent needs as basic shelter, health care, education, and access to clean water, energy, and sanitation. Featured projects include some sponsored by Architecture for Humanity as well as many others undertaken independently, often against great odds. This book is a great read for those individuals who are engaged in either humanitarian organizations and architecture. Purchase and preview the book through Amazon.