Category Archives: Interviews

Cream Dream Interview + Mixtape!

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Cream Dream,

Lives in New York, produces house music, is 19 years old and has already released two amazing EPs. Total Babe and Paradiso. (not even jealous at all)
Latest tracks by Cream Dream
Not only has he got the two Eps behind his name, he has a whole heap of edits and remixes out there. His style ranges from banging house all the way to the smoothest disco. With a back log like cream dream, he is sure to press all buttons and please the right people.

We  had the chance to interrogate him and bleed him of a mixtape, check it out!

SS: yo yo, first of all. Giants or Jets?

Ahh I’m a Steelers fan but if I had to pick the Giants or the Jets, I’d go with the Gmen.

SS: Late Night No. 7, due for release on PB&J Funk Compilation on the 12th. Having heard the preview. Your sound is getting huge and maturing nicely. Are we expecting a new Ep anytime soon?

Thanks! Yes, I’m currently in the process of working on a full length album due out late Spring 2012… I cant give much more info than that but I can say I’m collaborating with 2 good friends and producers on some tracks, really exciting stuff! I’m also planning to release a small EP before that, hopefully in a month or two.

SS: What goes into the process of creating a cream dream track?

I can’t say theres a specific process really, it depends on the particular track at the time. Since my songs rely on sampling, usually cutting up a sample I like is the first step. That process can be the easiest or the hardest, I’ve had samples ready almost immediately and some take tons of time. After that, I program drums and other elements I think would work together for a track. Then, the most important step for me is playing it all out on my APC20, its basically a live session where I get to feel how each element works together and which ones do not. At the end of it all I take the best sounding bits and make it a track!

SS: You remind me of an early Bob Sinclar, partically his album Paradise. Who are your biggest influences?

I pretty much grew up listening to that whole french house scene including Bob Sinclair, Daft Punk, Phoenix, Alan Braxe, Benjamin Diamond, Air, etc. So all those guys have a special place in my heart but I’m also influenced by artists like Aphex Twin, The Neptunes and Pete Rock. Also my family and friends provide a great deal of inspiration for me!

SS: Have you delved into much of the Analogue world, or do you prefer making your tracks with the ease of the Digital world?

Unfortunately, not yet. I have an appreciation for the Analogue world but at this time I don’t have money to afford the equipment hahaha

SS: Favourite VST?

I try to stick to Ableton’s built in plugins for EQing and effects, the only VST I use is Ozone 5 which is great for mastering.

SS: What gear are you running?

13″ Macbook Pro, Ableton Live 8, APC20 and an X-Session Pro.

SS: Have You been shopping around for any Labels?

Yep, I have a new track, Niltsuh’, that Ive sent to some labels and artists. No reply yet but fingers crossed!

SS: Being underage, are you and your buddies responsible for any of the crazy warehouse parties?

Hahaha no warehouse parties yet but we throw pretty wild house parties regularly.

SS: Any gigs/tours lined up?

I’m currently in the process of working with a agency to start playing in New York City and other places for next year.

SS: Top 5 at the moment?

Brodinski – Let The Beat Control Your Body ft. Louisahhhh

Tim Green – In Love

Flubba – I wanna Know

ASAP Rocky – Peso

Juicy J – Get Higher

 

Now for the main event, part 3 of the solar sunset presents mixtapes.

Neatly hand crafted by the main man . There’s sure to be some goodies in there so listen closely friends…..

DOWNLOAD

Tracklist

1. Blaze – Lovelee Dae (20 20 Vision Acapella)
2. Frankie Soukal – Sidewalk Sax
3. Moon Boots – Off My Mind (Rouge Vogue Remix)
4. Cassius – The Sound of Violence (Franco Cinelli Remix)
5. Esa & Mervin Granger – Verloore (Erefaan Pearce Remix)
6. Tim Green – In Love
7. Cream Dream – Niltsuh’
8. Brodinski – Let The Beat Control Your Body ft. Louisahhhh
9. Eats Everything – Entrance Song
10. Surkin – Harry ft. Bobmo
11. Cream Dream – Untitled (Unreleased)
12. Disco Socks – Do It To Me Motherfucker

Follow him on

Facebook

Soundcloud

Fund his journeys… beatport

 

Enjoy

 

Ashton Edit Interview + Mixtape

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Latest tracks by Ashton Edit

Sydney’s best kept secret Ashton Edit, has not only gone toe to toe with the bosses of the game but produces track after track killing the scene. All though being dormant for a couple of months, he’s back with some of his biggest tunes yet such as his Gotye edit, Kid Goodman edit and his Rambla Boys Valderrambla workout.

Ashton’s French house style has matured nicely, the funky baselines’, string stabs and cut up samples make Astons’ music stand out above the pack. Currently working on his Upcoming EP, we had the time to get a quick interview .

 

SS: G’day Ashton, couldn’t help but notice you were quiet for a little while there, and you’ve come back with some dope tracks. Did you get stuck into producing the new EP or playing live?

Yo! I’ve been in my makeshift studio making noise. A few tracks are done – but they’re not quite what I had in mind for an ep and I haven’t released them. One of them actually made it into the mix – called The Wall. I’ve been too selective in what I’m putting out there. They’re more like experiments – not for the ep though.

 

SS: Have you been working with anyone on the project?

Not particularly – but there’s some good times been happening in Blaze Tripp’s studio. We’ve been working on a side project called Highrises. Also a couple of sessions with a friend Thomas J – but he’s heading over seas so we’ll have to Skype date or something.

 

SS: Working on any new Edits or Remixes?

Just a bootleg for the Holidays called Heavy Feathers. It’s a work in progress – but I put an unfinished version at the end of the mix.

 

SS: What do you use when djing?

Usually I prefer Pioneer CDJ800s. They’re the crappier model below the 1000s – but I like them more because they’re got a great quick loop function. It loops 1 beat, 2 beats or 4 which is great on the fly. Unfortunately clubs stock the 1000s most of the time.

 

SS: Do you prefer Analogue or Digital?

Analogue – for sound and tactile feel. I started DJ-ing when CDJs were still frowned upon – punters all like ‘you’re not a real Dj if you didn’t use vinyl’. Nowadays everybody knows that’s bullshit. Although I’ve never felt a better pitch fader than the one on a Technics deck. Solid. The ones on CDJs feel tacky in comparison. But having said that, whipping out a fresh mix straight from production in the studio then burning it and taking it into the club and playing to hundreds of people is amazeballs. Almost instant satisfaction. The functionality of CDJs and computers far outweigh the romantics of vinyl.

 

SS: What does your setup include?

A random assortment of cheap midi controllers, some 8” KRK monitors, and a iMac running Ableton rewired into Logic. Also some mics, a guitar and an old Yamaha RS7000. Technics, cdjs, vinyl and stacks of unburnt dvds. I have a thing of going to Office Works and accidentally buying 50 packs of dvds and then realising after i’ve opened the pack that I meant to buy cds. Want some dvds?

 

SS: Also your Artworks are all always amazing, do you do them yourself?

Cheers. Yep – I mock em up my my ears need a rest.

 

SS: Who was/are your biggest Influences?

All of the artists that I opened for while DJing back in my home town. Only the best bands were economical to fly to our city, and when they came they came to our club. So that meant I got to open for a whole bunch of great indie dance acts. SebastiAn, Justice, Busy P and also Australians like Cut Copy, Van She, Ajax and the Bang Gang, The Midnight Juggernauts. I was playing indie-dance back then, I’d be throwing my own edits together – looping the intro, and laying a kick under it all. I kept on making these edits of these bands, and started getting more into making whole tracks which is when I really started getting into production.

 

SS: What’s your Top 5 at the moment?

Justice ‘Canon’
Gloves latest remix for Goldfields.
Mayer Hawthorne’s ‘A Long Time’
And that mariachi band that serenades the beluga whale on You Tube. Go google it now, mariachi band plays to beluga whale. Off the chain.
And number 5 – maybe the new one from M83 Midnight City

 

SS: First and Last Record you bought?

First record – probably a hard house record. Yep. Hard house.
GLOVES – p.y.x
The last album I actually bought was The Holidays – Post Paradise. It’s not super new – but I still love it to death.

 

SS: If you could have anyone Remix a track of yours who would it be?

I’d love David Bowie to go all Ziggy Stardust on one of my tracks.

 

SS: Favourite place to play?
Elsewhere on the Gold Coast. Great people, killer sound system, brilliant dance floor.

 

SS: Any shows coming up?

Not any planned. Summer is almost here so who knows what could happen?

 

SS: Other then a new Ep, what else does the future hold for Ashton Edit?

I’ve been getting my geek on developing an audio plugin tool. It’s a completely different side to the music making process. Making the things that make tracks that make people party. Creating software is all so meta and so many dimensions away from disco music, but it’s still totally related. So you might see a new plugin pop up soon.

He was also kind enough to be the second installment in the mixtapes, i can tell you its one for the collection with a killer tracklist.

Tracklist:

Ashton Edit - Lucy

Yazoo – Dont Go (acapella)

Luke Million – Arnold

Madonna – Vogue

Hercules & Love Affair – My House snippet

Azari & iii – Reckless With Your Love

Tensake – Coma Cat snippet

Dana Bergquist, Peder G – Can’t Get Enough (Midnight Savari Remix)

Ashton & Thomas J – Cologne

Carl Cox – Dr Funk (Rhythm Masters Remix)

Ashton Edit – The Wall

Nightriders – Hey (Nom De Strip Remix)

Ashton Edit – Somebody

Shazam – Pool Party

Scott Grooves – Mothership Reconnection (Daft Punk Remix)

Patrick Alavi – Power

Gotye – Somebody I Used To Know (Ashton Edit)

Goldfields – Treehouse (G.L.O.V.E.S Remix)

Blaze – Do You Remember House (Bob Sinclair Remix)

Highrises – Summer Fanfare

Thomas Bangalter – Spinal Scratch

Bag Raiders – Sunlight (Ashton Edit)

The Holidays – Heavy Feathers (Ashton Edit)

 

Grab Ashton’s stuff on..

www.beatport.com

 

Follow Him on…

http://soundcloud.com/ashtonedit
http://www.facebook.com/#!/ashtonedit

 

TF signing out.

Exclusive Zimmer Interview

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Latest tracks by Zimmer Disco Texas have hit the scene hard once again with another stellar release, coming from the one and only Zimmer.

Zimmer’s debut EP “Horizontal Disco” has already made a mark some big names such as The C90′s, Justin Faust, Jerry Bouthier and The Phantoms Revenge to name a few.

None the Less I had the chance to speak to the man himself, and hear what he had to say about the release.

 

SS: Zimmer, Horizontal Disco includes a track for nearly every occasion. Did you have this in mind whilst creating the EP?

I’m glad you noticed it!
It wasn’t really planned when making the tracks themselves, but when deciding on the final track list, it was important. I wanted my first EP to be a statement, covering my entire music spectrum. There’s one track for the pool, one to make love, one to party and one to feel “adventurous”.

 

SS: Tell us about the music video to “looking at you”?

I’m very happy to propose video to go along with my music. It really shows the atmosphere I had in mind when writing the track. Actually in a perfect world we would have shot it in LA, but the budget was kind of short! Anyways, I think Paris looks great in that video, so it’s all good.

 

SS: Who was/are your biggest influences?

Unlike many musicians, my parents didn’t expose me to much music when I was a kid. Therefore, I had to make my own musical culture. I’m discovering wonderful artists from the past every day.

I really like 70s soul music, I’m also a big fan of 90s house. I love anything with great piano chords. Of course, there’s also disco and funk. But I mainly listen to modern music to be honest.

Influences are not that important in my music writing process. I’ve been making music for a very little time, so when starting a new track, I just go with the flow, and see where that takes me. I don’t follow the rulebook, because I still don’t really know it. Sometimes it sounds terrible, sometimes it’s not too bad.

 

SS: What equipment does your set up contain?

I have a pretty minimal setup.
The core is a 13’ MacBook pro running Ableton Live, with some nice VSTs. There’s a pair of Adam monitors. I think monitors are the only real piece of hardware that matters, all the rest can be done just with the computer.
I also have a cheap 4 octave midi keyboard, and recently got Maschine for the drums.

 

SS: Do you prefer Analogue or Digital? why?

I would love to get into hardware synths. I’ll probably start buying some in a couple years, when I’ll be settled somewhere for good.
But still, I love the convenience of digital. Having to re-record everything from an analogue synth when you want to change a couple notes seem too much of a hassle for me…
Sound wise, VSTs are getting so good that the difference between analogue and digital is very thin. And any ways, most people don’t have the listening equipment to hear the difference.

 

SS: What’s your VST of choice?

I love FM8, it’s a software emulation of the yamaha DX-7. It has great synth sounds for chords and arpeggiators.

 

SS: What do you dj with live?

It pretty much depends on the night. I play either Traktor with a Kontrol X1 and the club’s DJM 800 or just CDs.

 

SS: What stuff your working on now?

I’m more in the DJing mood right now, but I’m also working on some edits. A couples tracks are almost ready, I need to finish them now. But that won’t be released before at least 6 months. I like to take my time and do quality stuff rather than rushing releases.

 

SS: Do you prefer working in a studio or do you get more influences whilst on the road?

I like both. I’m usually very productive on trains, not that much in airplanes. Looking At You was written in an hotel room though. Once again, that’s why I love having a digital setup. I can make music anywhere, anytime.


SS: How do you think the crowd has received the music off the EP?

The reactions were very positive! Looking At You really works, because the vibe is similar to Cruisin’. Slave To Your Heart surprised people a little, but I hope it will catch up. Bay Bridge is quite effective in clubs.
Also, I got great feedback from some of the producers I admire the most, like Moullinex and Anoraak. That’s really important to me.

 

SS: What is your favourite place to Dj? Why?

I love small, low-ceiling clubs. You’re really close to the people, and get to build a relationship with them. You interact much more with them than in bigger venues.
I love making music, but DJing is what I prefer. You’re telling a story to the people, taking them somewhere unexpected. There’s not greater feeling than making a club smile and sweat to your music.


SS: What is the most unusual song request you’ve had?

Playing at Social Club in Paris, and some girl asked for hip-hop… I said I only played disco, and 30 minutes she was dancing here ass off.
But honestly, I don’t get that many weird requests. I guess I only play in very “specialized” places, where people know there won’t be Top 40 music.


SS: Is there chance of a Zimmer LIVE show?

I don’t think so… Electronic music is not made to be played live. Unless you’re an hybrid band / electronic act, like Chromeo for example. Live shows are very often fake, with guys just adding effects on a pre-recorded Ableton session. The only 2 good electronic live shows I ever saw where Yuksek in 2009 and Bag Raiders this year.

I’d rather do DJ sets, with nothing prepared in advance, where I can really build something up and adjust to the crowd. People have more fun this way.

 

SS: Before we go, did you wanna do any shout outs to people who helped you on the Ep?

Big shout out to the awesome people at Discotexas (especially Hugo, Luis and Bruno), to Thomas, Manon, Paul and all my friends.

 

SS: Lastly, will you be making the trip to Australia in the future?

I hope so! There’s so much going on in Australia in our music scene, I’m dreaming of playing there.
I’m in the process of signing with a booking agency in North America, I should be touring there in 2012. Maybe Australia will follow…

Thanks to Zimmer, we all have some sweet new songs to party to. Yall can head on over to Beatport to get this.

http://www.beatport.com/release/horizontal-disco/817455

 

Check his Upcoming shows @

11.04 | Ritz Bar, Paris
12.01 | Chez Moune, Paris

 

Plus visit his Soundcloud and follow the Journey on Facebook.

http://soundcloud.com/zimmermusic

http://www.facebook.com/zimmermusic

 

Be sure to check Discotexas, on their old and new releases.