Love and Rockets

Well, I’m back.

I’ve got to apologize for the gap in blog service, my life has been slightly hectic lately. Between not having regular internet access for nearly a month, starting school again, working longer hours and just generally being busy I haven’t had the time that I felt I should put into writing here.

Once again, apologies.

I was planning a mini review of seeing Jesse Rose at the Smartbar in Chicago, but unfortunately didn’t get to see his entire set, the night just didn’t go as planned. It felt vaguely sacreligious to be making the trip to Chicago, birthplace of the music, to see a British DJ/German resident. Perhaps I angered the gods of House.

I’ve had a good year when it comes to seeing DJs live though, so far I’ve seen Derrick May, Theo Parrish, Audion, and a combined Mala/Loefah DMZ set plus Joe Nice. Its been pretty decent all around so I can’t really complain. I just need to stop spending my money to see DJs in other parts of the country.

One of the reasons I’ve been avoiding writing here is that I haven’t had any real musical discoveries of note to pass along. I continue to listen to tons of 2-step and deep house, and have been getting back into some of the newer electro-house stuff. Booka Shade obviously and people like Stephan Bodzin.

What I saw of Rose’s set seemed to be perched midway between slightly aggressive techy stuff with some lighter electro thrown in. That and some very odd breakdowns with R’n'B samples maybe? I wasn’t really concentrating on the music, so don’t take my word for it.

It was a reminder to me that some of the music I like has a steep learning curve and isn’t to everyone else’s taste. It may be pure hedonic stim for me, but not everyone.

One of the side effects of being removed from the world of constant music that is my little corner of the Internet is that I got to spend more time listening to older music. Thus the constant 2-step.

Grievous Angel’s legendary Abstract 2-Step mix

The United Vibes History Mix

2krazy’s Back To The Roots Mixes

These and whatever else I could find in my CD wallets.

(Yes, my Luddite ass still refuses to buy an Ipod).

I’ve really been enjoying Ben UFO’s latest mix as well.

I’m not entirely sold on this variety of techy, swung dubstep as being the genre’s future. Its a future, maybe.

But Pangaea’s tunes remind me of the paranoid skunked out vibe of the early Loefah dubs that first got me into this dubstep malarkey. Its high praise, not even Loe himself has been able to touch those heights recently.

Much respect to the masters as always.

Another side effect of lack of Internet has been that I got bored enough to get out my old comic book collection. Yes I’m a geek, I know, I’m assuming that if you’re reading this you are one too. I ended up reading through nearly the entire two Volume run of Love and Rockets.

Which really comes highly recommended.

Particularly Jaime Hernandez’ Locas stories.

Magic Realism mixed with Punk histories of SoCal.

Some really tender and subtlely human moments in there as well.

Its Worth the Money

Once the weather starts turning here I expect I’ll probably start digging back into my metal collection for comfort. January is Burzum weather around here. Right now its a bipolar September, which leaves my seasonal effective depression slightly confused.

Will it be sunny tomorrow?

Will it be Joris Voorn and Prosumer?

Or will it be Anaal Nathraakh?

Depends on the weather.