Saturday Night Main Event

The Tour marches on through the Dog Days of Summer
with a double dose of Detroit Hip-Hop from special guests:

- Stoopz n' Breeze (Butter Made). live!
- Mattic (TransformersDetroit). 1's and 2's!

With Resident Sound Selectors:
Joe Vargas
Steven Robert
Erno (the inferno)

August 1st, your favorite Tour guides land you
right in the heart of Woodbridge @ The Shack!
1520 Merrick. Starts @ 10pm

Placid Dj Mix - Deeper Than Deep

UK disc jockey, Placid, is a fine purveyor of all things acid-house. However, confining his tastes to a mere of acid-house would be insufficient, at best. Rather, we could describe his style as encompassing both the retro and future sounds of techno and house - a formula that still firmly retains its place in dance music today.

The overlords at Blank Artists first took notice of this British baller back in the fall of last year, during a dj gig he performed in Detroit alongside Kevin Reynolds. Since then, he's kept us captivated with his consistent output of mixes and this latest set entitled, "Deeper Than Deep", continues on with the techno and house theme, all the while paying homage to one of our own labelmates, Jared Wilson. So take our advice - catch a break from that 9-5 and strap on a pair of headphones.

Mixed By: Placid
Length: 1:59:23
Format: MP3
Bit Rate: 320 KBPS
Link: Download

Tracklist
Blue Daisy - The Fall - Black Acre
Beat Pharmacy - New Dawn - Deep Space Media
Vakula - Loop For My Friends (Lerosa's Unsavoury Mix) - Uzuri
Kandis - Claps - Karaoke Kalk
2loop - Deeper Shade of Blue - Altered Moods Recordings
Chymera - Wish (Will Saul & Tam Cooper Remix) - NRK Sound Division
Herbert - Oo Licky - Phono
Omar s - For Us All - FXHE
Levon Vincent - Invisible Bitchslap - Deconstruct Music
Tevo Howard - Everyday House Music - Beautiful Granville Records
Kevin Yost - Move Your Mind - Distance
Lovelight - Journey Rhythm Dub - Lightworker Music
Nick Solé - Lost And Found - Mojuba
Jared Wilson - Bangkok Four Seasons Hotel (Osborne Remix) - Blank Artists
Rezkar Arabian Nights - Altered Moods
Orpheos - Love Was A Pitstop (Charles Webster Remix) - Thermometer
Vince Watson - Moments In Time - Ibadan
Kelvin K - G's Groove - Hudd Trax
Anton Zap - Alice Miracle - Uzuri
DJ Sprinkles - Deep Into The Bowel Of House - Mule Muziq
Beat Pharmacy - Drifter - Deep Space Media
Lovelight - Habitable Zone - Lightworker Music
Manuel Göttsching - Shuttlecock - MG Art
Bitstream - Double Density - Signal

* Photo Cred: Ayreonaut @ Skyscraperpage

BFSH @ the Ghostly Store

Bangkok Four Seasons Hotel has found another online home today. The new 12 inch from Detroit acid-house stalwart, Jared Wilson, can be purchased at the Ghostly International webstore. Each record comes with the vinyl exclusive track "Tokyo Claska Hotel" and a unique mp3 download card for all you digi-users. Reserve your copy of BFSH here.

Body Tonic Music - Traxx: Files #7

Blank Artists was recently fortunate enough to garner the attention of Body Tonic Music's Kenny Hanlon for his monthly article series entitled "Traxx: Files". This month, Hanlon imparts his fascination with Dutch and American electronic music, via Detroit and Chicago.

Mentioned in the article are reviews for the newest offerings by Alden Tyrell, Rick Davis, Patrice Scott, and Rick Wade. However, included alongside those electronic music heavyweights is a review for Blank Artists' most recent 12" inch release, Bangkok Four Seasons Hotel, in what Hanlon describes as "A nicely odd gem, featuring acid, electro and house influences with some musical nods to the sort of weird harmonic interplay that Aphex Twin attempts occasionally". Thanks alot, Kenny! We're happy to have made the cut amongst all those other amazing artists.

Read the entire article here.

Movement Festival Sets 2008

Paxahau Event Productions, the company responsible for producing Detroit's annual electronic music festival, has finally uploaded last year's Movement festival dj/live recordings. This comes as great news for the Blank Artists camp since last year proved to be our heaviest label representation to date. Included in the list are sets from Josh Dahlberg, Jared Wilson, Drew Pompa, and G.O.D., who is comprised of E.Spleece & Vacuum. Browse and listen here.

The Disco Files 1973-78: New York's Underground

With reviews of every disco record worth knowing about, weekly reports from New York’s club scene, classic magazine articles, and 800 contemporary club charts, this is the definitive chronicle of disco. It's the personal memoir of Vince Aletti, the very first writer to cover the emerging scene, bringing to life the clubs, the characters, and above all the music. The first book from DJhistory.com. Vince Aletti recently sat down with Resident Advisor to talk about his favorite disco records. Read the article here.

Download FREE 30-page sampler pdf of Disco Files(560KB)

Friday Night Main Event

Hook & Sling revival committee presents PLEASUREDOME

with the sweltry disco & boogie sounds from:
SECRETS - secret mixes fixes - NYC
ANDY CAPP - bang the party/gang of two - TORONTO
ERNO THE INFERNO - tour detroit - DETROIT
DANNER - early retirement - DETROIT

11pm-?
arrive early-stay late
$5 before midnight/more after
2125 Michigan Ave, Detroit

Detroit's Historic Preservation Battle

If you live in the city of Detroit and make it a point to keep current on local events, then you've probably become afloat in a sea of preservation news. With one of the of country's largest stock of pre-WWII beaux-arts, art-deco, and neo-classical architecture, Detroit remains ground zero for urban historic preservation. Unfortunately, an abysmal municipal budget deficit and shrinking tax base have made it all but easy for the city of Detroit to rehab its buildings alone, and everyone from the National Trust For Historic Preservation to Next American City Magazine have taken notice our diamonds in the rough.

The most recent tower to fall victim to demolition scrutiny is the Lafayette Building. Located at 144 West Lafayette Boulevard, behind the Book Cadillac Hotel (a luxurious tower that successfully thwarted the wrecking ball), the Lafayette Building has been deemed a lost cause by the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation. However, Richard Hosey, who is Senior Vice President of Bank of America's regional Detroit office, disagrees with this assertion and Crains Detroit Business examines his formula that tests the rehab viability for the Lafayette Building.

Read the entire article here if you have a subscription to Crain's. If you don't have a subscription to Crain's, you can access the re-post at Detroit Yes.

Itzone - Vidas - PMP014

Detroit's People Mover Productions offers up another workout from label mainstay Itzone. This newest release, entitled Vidas, is a frantic trip through an ion nebula. It moves along with a constant barrage of clicks, kicks, and hits that leave the listener feeling as deep as they do quirky. The lead synth line bounces on the upbeat, while the bass and kick keep this track firmly underground.

The Andy Toth remix takes the groove and draws it out to its final conclusion - a mesmerizing vamp featuring familiar voices from the original, but with a new thump and varied sample base. If you're already familiar with Dr. Toe Finger or the Detroit Grand Pubahs, then this is classic Andy Toth you won't want to sleep on. Listen and buy Vidas, exclusively on Beatport.

Norm Talley Mixes

Born and raised on Detroit's west side in the late 60’s Norm Talley's addiction to music began at an early age. By the age of thirteen, Norm’s diverse musical outlook consisted of disco, progressive, and jazz. Eventually, he was introduced to legendary Detroit dj, Ken Collier, who served as a main inspiration to the record collection that Norm has amassed - certainly a mentorship that all of us dj's and producers are envious of.

These two mixes were posted at Infinite State Machine, by Lee Bolton, who recorded Norm for one of his last radio shows, while in Pittsburgh. They are a ton of great records in these mixes, so we hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Norm Talley - Deep House Radio Mix
Norm Talley - Disco Classics Radio Mix

Beastie Boys Announcement

Adam Yauch, a.k.a. MCA from the legendary Brooklyn hip-hop trio, The Beastie Boys, announces that he has cancer. Yauch was optimistic in what he called a "very treatable" cancerous tumor in his salivary gland. However, the unfortunate news came amidst a summer tour and album release. As a result, tour dates have been canceled and the album has been postponed to accommodate Yauch's surgery.

The Beastie Boys were responsible for some of hip-hop's most seminal albums including License to Ill and Paul's Boutiquet. We wish Adam the best of luck during his surgery and smooth recovery back to health.

Josh Dahlberg DJ Mix

"This guy... he IS the super rage! Don't get all confused by the photograph above, cause everyone needs a disco nap after a three-day shock and awe cocktail of "what the fuck" and "dude, we gotta get the fuck outta here." Yep, Dahlberg knows how to roll. So's I suggest you get you some time in before the sabbath. Otherwise, you can forget about this day of rest business.

I know, I know. It's not like Dahlberg's on a constant whiskey bender, It's just that he's having more fun. And sometimes, just sometimes, he actually is on that semi-constant whiskey bender. Oh, and there is going to be a healthy pinch of name-calling involved in this game - I've heard 'drifter,' 'squatter,' and even 'predator,' once or twice. Hell, I've even heard mutterings of 'carpetbagger' and 'pistol-whipping Kamikaze' before. The later sound a little fancy for his tastes, but that's beside the point.

When this modern troubadour isn't waxing poetically about future critical views or shedding a tear of joy for Hemingway's gay Danish Warmblood, he's usually found meditating to Pakistani Disco in a sensory deprivation tank or locked away in his room producing 90's R&B edits. I have yet to confirm Dahlberg's technical level of weirdness, but what I do know is that the he puts alot of sass in his muzak! That's what you get when you combine a steady diet of chicken/steak/bacon tacos (hold the lettuce and tomato) with a healthy does of bad-assery. That's right, keep on wishing paperboy. Keep on wishing for that stinkin' American dream. This is the stuff that pipe-dreams are born out of. But don't, because you'll never have as much funk in your junk as the Dahlberg and this current mix is all the evidence you need.

Note - If you're from the west coast or mid-west, be on the lookout for the Blank Artists summer tour, where Dahlberg & Secrets are burning through a city near you. More info at: www.blankartists.com.

Mixed By: Josh Dahlberg
Length: 49:28
Format: MP3
Bit Rate: 128 KBPS
Link: Download

Tracklist:
01. Scott Ferguson – A Track For Aleksandra – Ferrispark
02. Capracara – King Of The Witches – DFA
03. Toby Tobias – The Feeling (John Daly Remix) – Rekids
04. Projections, Woolfy – Neeve – Permanent Vacation
05. Martin Buttrich – Meeting Dave Dish – Four:Twenty
06. Motor City Drum Ensemble – Keep Up – 2020 Vision
07. Love Drop – Take Me Up feat. Davina – Davina’s Dub – Hi-Bias
08. Club Rayo - Untitled
09. Unkniown
10. Was (Not Was) – Tell Me That I’m Dreaming – ZE/Island
11. Colonel Abrams – Trapped – MCA
12. Common Factor – Feel What I Feel – Planet E

Fear of Music DJ Mix Collection

Fear of Music is a collection of mixes aimed at bridging the musical worlds of techno, house, experimental, and dub-step. Among the dj's featured at Fear of Music are Ken Meier, Karl Meier & Jeff Pietro, and Isreal Vines, who's a Detroit ex-pat and a personal favorite of Blank Artists. Included in this series are Dem Now Arrest (which was featured on our blog back in March) and this latest offering by Israel, entitled Silence Envy, which leans more in favor of the dub-step perspective. From thie mechanical industrial sprinklings of Robert Henke a.k.a. Monolake, to mystical inducing tribal beats of Shackleton, this mix has steadily been snaking its way atop the iTunes playlist with much ebullience. Thanks again Izzy!

For more information regarding up coming mixes, visit www.fearofomusic.org. Trackslists are available here.

Mixed By: Israel Vines
Title: Silence Envy
Length: 1:08:12
Format: MP3
Bit Rate: 320 KBPS
Link: Download

Tracklist:
ROBERT HENKE Exit I/CM
SCUBA Tell Her Hotflush
MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO Less Planet Mu
SHACKLETON The Branch is Weak (Geiom Remix) Skull Disco
SCUBA The Upside (Martyn's Down Mix) Hotflush
SURGEON At the Heart of It All Tresor
JUS WAN The Crossing Tube 10
EFDEMIN Acid Bells (Martyn's Dark Mix) Metisse
VEX'D Fire Planet Mu
JUS WAN Action Potential Apple Pips
MARTYN Vancouver 3024
AD VANZ VS GESCOM Viral Fat Cat
MONOLAKE Alaska (Surgeon Remix) ML/I
SURGEON Dialogue (Mick Harris Remake) Tresor
A-LIST The Great Traitor Remnant
69 Ladies & Gentlemen Planet E

RBMA Workshop review

Last night, the much heralded Redbull Music Academy, held a music production workshop at downtown Detroit's River's Edge Grille. Among the highly anticipated software presenters were Mike Huckaby and BMG of Ectomorph, schooling the audience on some of the music industry's most powerful software and midi devices.

I wanted to compile my own evaluation, but then laziness settled in during my last hour or work. However, fellow blogger and Detroiter Denise, who also attended last night's workshop, conveniently relieved me of my duties. Denise compiled a full three page review that included her assessment on the value of software and an insightful view on how each producer approaches the software and studio environment differently. Needless to say, Denise's candid review was relatively similar to my own experience, so I wanted to thank her for cutting me a break. Read the article.

Saturday Night Main Events

A Cultural Dictionary of Punk

From: LA Times

University of Detroit professor Nick Rombes has recently published a book on punk rock. In a LA Times interview he acknowledges it took several years to research his book as he found the intricacies of a historical sound.

In his creative dictionary, Rombes explains the finer points of punk, giving us both critical analysis and creative writing. The encyclopedic tome is laid out in alphabetical order, so readers can take in everything punk from the Adolescents to the Zeros in a tidy fashion. Preview and purchase the book, A Cultural Dictionary of Punk: 1974-1982.

Bodycode's Favorite South African Tracks

Alan Abrahams a.k.a. Bodycode, has been in motion his whole life—growing up in South Africa, coming of age in London, decamping to Lisbon, and finally settling in Berlin—and his deeply syncopated brand of electronic dance music has evolved with every step of the journey. As Bodycode, Abrahams harnesses his desire to “unlock the psyche via the body,” layering martial tech-funk with gorgeous wisps of melody, heady effects, and a liberal wash of otherworldly vocal samples. Somewhere between the beats for the body and melody for the soul, Abrahams believes, lies the Bodycode.

To celebrate the recent release of his latest LP, Immune, for Spectral Sound, XLR8R Magazine talked to Alan about some of the native South African rhythms that inspired his music. Read the article and watch the youtube videos.

Drexciya Essentials

UK's Fact Magazine examines the illustrious output of enigmatic Drexciya members and Detroit electro torch-bearers, James Stinson and Gerald Donald. From the endless number of aliases and secret collaborations to their seminal records on Underground Resistance, writer Narcis Monturiol offers his ten essential records that includes either or both the production work of the legendary Drexciya agents. Read the entire article.

Saturday Night Main Event

Featuring:
Mike Servito
Ava
Joe Vargas
Erno the Inferno
Robert-David Jones

July 4th, 2009
608 woodward ave
Detroit Mi, 48226
(Above Eph Mcnally's)
$5, 12am-6am

Body Tonic Music - Traxx: Files #6

Body Tonic's Kenny Hanlon examines the current fascination with Italo/Disco and it's re-emergence within the electronic music dance scene. Most of what has surfaced media wise, regarding this trend, has either become awash with unholy praises or gaffs of bewilderment. Hanlon, on the other hand, offers a mild critique and assesses a group of artists that he believes have channeled 70's Italo obscurity into something positive. Read the entire article.