Dance News

Hip hop duo Koolism (aka DJ Danielsan and MC Hau) were snapped up by Mushroom Music earlier this month and have a new album on the way. Having formed in 1992, the Canberra based Koolism have much to be proud of, but being referred to as "the standard-bearer of Australian hip-hop" in a 2003 New York Times article is particularly special. As yet there’s no date set for the release of their “much anticipated fourth record”. In fact, I was pretty sure that their 2006 release, ‘New Old Ground’ was their fourth album, but what would I know?

US trance DJ and producer, Christopher Lawrence, has finally made good on his promise to move to Melbourne. Recognized worldwide as one of the World's top DJs, the move sees Lawrence joining UK techno top-gun, Carl Cox, who also resides at a property on the outskirts of Melbourne for a large portion of each summer. Lawrence will continue his hectic international tour schedule, maintaining a base in Los Angeles, where he has lived for the last fourteen years, while beginning work on his third artist album. He is also scheduled to release a double mix compilation, 'Unfold', in a couple of months time. The move to Melbourne won’t come as a surprise to many as not only is his wife a Melbourne gal, but as early as 2003, in an interview I conducted with him he confirmed, “I’ve already got an apartment and home studio in Melbourne and we’re going to officially move when [my son] Damien starts school.”


Manchester producer, MC and DJ Motley has just signed to Melbourne label Hooded Ink and is relocating to Australia. Already receiving his share of acclaim, having supported and toured with De La Soul, Stereo MC’s, Dilated Peoples, Ja Rule, Nas and Nelly, his production history is no less impressive – he has appeared on releases by Stereo MCs, Dynamite MC , DJ Peril and Bliss N Eso. In 2006, the hip hop artist released his debut LP, ‘Separated at Birth’ that turned heads both here and in the UK. Currently he’s working with Hooded Ink on two national tours, an EP and a mixtape.

Synth-rockin, electro-clash survivors, Ladytron, are set to release their fourth LP, ‘Velocifero’, on June 3 through Nettwerk Music Group . ‘Velocifero’ is the follow up to the band's 2005 release, ‘Witching Hour’, behind which Ladytron toured the world for nearly two years, both as headliners and as support for such acts as Nine Inch Nails and the Chemical Brothers. Ladytron recorded ‘Velocifero’ in Paris’ Studio de la Grande Armée facility, where Duran Duran recorded its iconic 80s hit, ‘Rio.’ The group collaborated with co-producers Alessandro Cortini (Nine Inch Nails touring keyboardist) and Ed Banger producer Andy Gardiner (Vicarious Bliss) who has worked with Justice. The album was completed and mixed in Los Angeles by Michael Patterson (Beck, Diddy).

Ambient pioneers The Orb return later this month with the follow-up to 2005's ‘Okie Dokie It's The Orb’. Entitled ‘The Dream’, the album was made by head honcho Alex Paterson, lifelong friend and ex-Killing Joke bassist Youth, former Dreadzone member Tim Brian and a stack of guests. Paterson describes the album as harking ‘…back to the original spirit’ of their first two albums. And the new single, Vuja De, IS reminiscent of The Orb’s breakthrough single Little Fluffy Clouds.

Never one to steer clear of controversy, Nas wore a t-shirt to the Grammy Awards last week, featuring the title of his forthcoming album ‘Nigger.’ His R’n’B tootin wife, Kelis, and an entourage of other women were also dressed in similar attire to publicise the release. Nas has defended his decision to name his upcoming album ‘Nigger’, insisting the word is symbolic of the discrimination faced by all ethnicities, not just those of African origin. The Hip-Hop lyricist made headlines last year when he announced plans for the title of his new album, but claims he is simply speaking out against all forms of racism in a thought-provoking way.

Hit-heavy hip-hop producer, Timbaland, has announced a deal to make the first "mobile album," which will be exclusively available to subscribers of V Cast, Verizon's mobile entertainment service. Timbaland plans to produce one song per month throughout 2008 with each song to be recorded with a different artist as Timbaland tours the country on the Verizon Mobile Recording Studio Bus. Each mobile Timbaland track will be released days after it's recorded as a full-length download, ringtone and ringback, with plans to release a Verizon exclusive compilation album at the end of the year. Timbaland says he isn't focusing on a particular genre for the project. The first song, which features Timbaland protégé Keri Hilson, debuted on Feb. 8 at a pre-Grammy party.

Adam Yauch, aka the rapper known as MCA of Beastie Boys fame, has grown a serious gray beard and launched a film distribution company to match! Based in New York, it goes by the name of Oscilloscope Pictures and will be part of Yauch's music and film production outfit, Oscilloscope Laboratories. Yauch plan to acquire narrative and documentary features from festivals for release in the U.S. and provide funds to complete and release unfinished films. Former ThinkFilm vice president and now Oscilloscope Pictures head honcho David Fenkel said many of the company's marketing campaigns will incorporate an indie music-style DIY approach in keeping with the Beastie Boys' way of connecting with fans. On the plus side, this isn’t Yauch's first foray into the world of film. Under the alias Nathaniel Hornblower, he showed amazing talent in producing the Beastie Boys seminal concert film, ‘Awesome: I F***in’ Shot That!’ in 2006. However, the precision in Yauch’s prediction that he wants to distribute between two and ten films in the company’s first year fills me with about as much confidence in their business plan as his claim that “we're kind of winging it”. No one wants to see another disaster of Grand Royal (the Beastie Boys bankrupted label) proportions.

Quote of the week:

"Remixing is like having casual sex with someone. You can sleep with everyone." -- Felix Martin

Hot Chip's drum machine master defended the band's current work on Alicia Keys' 'No One' to Blender.


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Email Terry Goldfain

gold@chariot.net.au