How was 2019 for you? Alan Oldham (a.k.a. DJ T-1000): Another great year in Berlin! Health is good, work is good.
Highlights?
Playing the main stage at Movement! Always fun to rock my hometown! Also getting to meet Charlotte De Witte, who I played with in Detroit. She’s a total sweetheart. And releasing my latest EP, Pure Sonik Youth.
Lowlights?
Finding out that Fold London closed soon after I got to play there back in the fall. There’s an online petition online to keep it open. Sign it if you can!
Song of the year?
Not a song, but a mix/live show. Richie Hawtin’s “CLOSE Combined” killed 2019. Sound and visuals. Game-changing. Inspiring. Expect to see copycat live/DJ hybrid setups and shows in 2020.
What’s your New Year’s resolution?
Be less lazy, get back to making comics, try to save more money (it’s hard), and finally try to learn German!
Image by Eva Fredrichs
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A regular contributor to Crosstown Rebels and sister label Rebellion, Los Angeles-based producer David “DAVI” Khanjian – who we’ve been covering on this very site since 2014 – is back with melodic house gem “Lie Machine.”
What’s notable about DAVI’s latest and greatest is that his new single is his first foray into crafting a full-on vocal tune.
Bathed in percolating pads and smoldering percussion, “Lie Machine” is an impressive career milestone. What’s more is that red-hot duo North London Gorgon City handle remix duties for the track that’s out on December 6.
Ahead of the release of “Lie Machine” we connected with Davi and asked him to share his five tracks of the moment. Continue Reading →
Tonight I was talking with my wife at dinner, and Judson Kilpatrick’s name popped into my mind. I have no idea why.
When I was the editor and publisher of Mixer, a monthly DJ/club culture magazine that ran from 1996 to 2003, Judson regularly contributed music reviews.
I pulled out my phone to look him up, only to learn that Justin had passed away on May 25, 2019. He was 55.
Judson Kilpatrick
Needless to say I was shocked and saddened by the news.
While I hadn’t spoken with Judson in more than a decade, I am compelled to share my experience working with him.
Long before writers became “brands” and shilled for influence on social media, Judson was cranking out music reviews for scores of music magazines like Mixer. He did so during his downtime – nights, weekends, lunch breaks – while working a corporate job.
While Justin was contributing to much larger magazines with proper editorial budgets, I don’t think he ever asked to be paid for his work in all of the time he wrote for me.
Judson labored over albums for the purest reason of all: he was obsessed with music, and he wanted to share his opinion with you.
Tonight I pulled out a few copies of Mixer, and sure enough each issue was packed with Judson’s insightful reviews.
In his review of Nikka Costa’s 2001 debut, Everybody Got Their Something, he quite rightly opined that the album “has something for almost everybody, but today’s music scene is so fragmented, she may end up reaching hardly anybody.”
Knowledgable about hip-hop to house, Justin put albums from K.Hand to Mad Professor through their paces with no-nonsense precision, offering readers sound advice on their music-purchasing decisions.
Judson is survived by his wife, Beverley Kilpatrick, and daughter, Courtney Kilpatrick, as well as by his parents, Jeremy and Carlene Kilpatrick, of Athens, GA, and brother, Bart Kilpatrick, of Portland, OR.
My sincere condolences to his family on their loss.
Swedish DJ/producer/musician Rasmus Faber has released well over 100 releases during his two-decade career behind the boards. Though he is widely known for his deep-house signature and affinity for jazz, he was a devotee of two-step and UK Garage back in the day. Another fun fact is that he’s collaborated with the likes of Kaskade, deadmau5, Pete Tong and Axwell.
Faber recently released his excellent third full-length, Two Left Feet (Farplane Records). The album is a stylistic mix of house, Afro, and assorted genres. The LP features a slew of fantastic collabs, including “Shut Down” featuring pop artist Maia Hirasawa.
We connected with the Stockholm maestro and asked him to share five dance floor tracks he’s currently living for. Continue Reading →
