DEMF Design Contest

From: ohmdigital

It's January in Detroit and we're already abuzz with news from this year's electronic music festival. Event producers Paxahau Productions, in conjunction with 323 East, have announced a design contest for the up coming festival, which takes place every memorial day weekend. The contest seeks to attract artists, designers, and creative individuals from the metro Detroit area to be the theme designer for Detroit's Electronic Music Festival. The theme designer is responsible for the overall visual aesthetic of the event, including festival advertising, t-shirts, banners and the website. Visit www.mydemf.com for more info.

Front 40 Press

While perusing the libraries at Wayne State University, I came across the uniquely enticing imagery of Signs of the Apocalypse/Rapture, one of the ongoing hardcover collections of artwork from Chicago-based publisher, Front 40 Press. Each book offers an interactive tour sample. In addition to the artwork collection, Front 40 Press engages in music production and activist projects. Get acquainted with their website and check out the blog. Highly recommended!

High Tech Soul: The Creation of Techno Music

From: Plexifilm

HIGH TECH SOUL is the first documentary to tackle the deep roots of techno music alongside the cultural history of Detroit, its birthplace. From the race riots of 1967 to the underground party scene of the late 1980s, Detroit’s economic downturn didn’t stop the invention of a new kind of music that brought international attention to its producers and their hometown.

Featuring in-depth interviews with many of the world’s best exponents of the artform, High Tech Soul focuses on the creators of the genre — Juan Atkins, Derrick May, and Kevin Saunderson — and looks at the relationships and personal struggles behind the music. Artists like Richie Hawtin, Jeff Mills, Carl Craig, Eddie Fowlkes and a host of others explain why techno, with its abrasive tones and resonating basslines, could not have come from anywhere but Detroit.

*Recommended Veiwing!

Tour Detroiter's Top 5

Local dj extraordinaire, Joe Vargas, recently named his best of 2008 list. To much excitement, Mr. Vargas showed a little love to good ol' Blank Artists. Vargas and the Tour Detroit crew offered the city of Detroit some of the most memorable dance parties of the year and needless to say, if BA ever gets around to making a list, Joe will be representing to the fullest. Thanks buddy, we are more than honored. Read the entire list at the 323 East blog.

Top 5 Favorite DJ’s of 08′ (again, in no particular order)
1. Patrick Russel (mentalux)
2. Mike Servito(Ghostly/D*rkwave)
3. Craig Gonzalez (Detroit Bachelor DJ’s)
4. Mike Geiger (Organic)
5. Josh Dahlberg (Blank Artists)

Top 5 Artists/Producers
1. Tadd Mulinix (Ghostly Int.)
2. Todd Terje (Full Pupp)
3. Holy Ghost (DFA)
4. Metro Area (Environ)
5. Juan Maclean (DFA)

Top 5 Tracks played out
1. Every Square Inch- E. Spleece (Blank Artist)
2. Wait a minute- Osborne (Ghostly/Adult Swim)
3. Number one- Chaz Jankle (Tirk) (Rerelease)
4. Eurodance- Todd Terje (Full Pupp)
5. Blind- Hercules and Love Affair (Franky Knuckles Dub) (DFA)

Buddha Machine 2.0

1/16/2009, 8:29 PM
From: Aural States
By: Alex Mudge

Christiaan Virant and Zhang Jian are a husband and wife ambient music duo living in Beijing. Virant and Jian (their group goes by the name FM3) decided in 2005 to forgo the traditional means of releasing material–CDs, or mp3s to be played through computers and iPods. Instead, FM3 took their cue from small transistor radio-like, handheld devices that loop Buddhist chants favored by some devout Chinese. From that notion came the first Buddha Machine–a brightly colored plastic device that contained nine audio loops ranging from five to forty seconds. The small unit was fitted with its own speaker. The loops would play infinitely (or as long as battery life would dictate), or until the listener selected a new loop.

Since its 2005 release the Buddha Machine has taken on a life of its own branching far out from the the ambient music devotees. This thing has become big in the DIY circuit bending world. FM3 encourages listeners of the Buddha Machine to interact with the music, and the loops are available for download under a creative commons license.

Josh Cummings @ RCRD LBL

1/21/2009 2:07pm
From: Rcrd Lbl
By: Samuel Duke

The guys over at Detroit's Blank Artists--the techno imprint that's home to Josh Dahlberg and Codine--have a new multi-artist release out called Primates Love Fun, an installment in a comp series of theirs called Loves Fun. It's led by a side from newbie producer Josh Cummings called "Morning Birds," a really euphoric techno track with bubbly major keys and effects that sound like drowning beetles. The single is rounded out with contributions from Dahlberg and Codine, and is available for purchase over on their site.

Josh Cummings - Morning Birds
Josh Cummings' RCRD LBL Page

Free Download

Label: Pronounce
Catalog#: PRO-CD01
Format: CDr, Compilation, Limited Edition, Metal Box
Quality: 320kbps
Country: US
Released: 21 Mar 2008
Style: Techno, Dub Techno, Ambient
Credits: Compiled By - Ryan Pryor
Mastered By - Brian Kage

01. Decoside - Storm Slowly
02. Biodub - Polar Ice
03. Havantepe - Grey Days
04. Dubatech - All Those Yesterdays
05. Quantec - Particular Reversion
06. Lossless - Surface Exposure
07. Dominique Jacquinet - Absolute Expectation
08. Aku Aku - 7H AM People
09. Atheus - Basic Reaction
10. Grit - Homage