Interview: R3HAB

It has been a rewarding year for DJ-producer Fadil El Ghoul aka R3HAB. Having released a list of high-profile remixes for the likes of Lady Gaga, Madonna and Calvin Harris, the Dutchman went on to bag the Best Breakthrough Artist at this year’s International Dance Music Awards. I caught up with the 26-year-old before his gig at Zouk tonight and discussed about his earlier tech and house productions, his mentor Afrojack, and what “Chainsaw Madness” is all about.

Let’s get right into it. This year alone you’ve been on the road for about 250 days. You’ve come a long way from being an unknown 5 years ago haven’t you?

This year has been absolutely crazy! There have been so many wonderful gigs I’ve played and worked with some of the greatest artists in the world. A big highlight was working on the new Enrique Iglesias single, “Finally Found You”. After that I joined him in Miami to work on his new album!

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Singapore’s Nocturnal Playground

[RedBull.sg] In the past two decades, Singapore has grown out of its placid hotel bars and humdrum watering holes to build up a burgeoning nocturnal scene. Now, the little red dot is twinkling brightly on the global nightlife radar.

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From Pacha to Zouk: Luciano Flies The Cadenza Flag

When Chilean born-Switzerland based Lucien Nicolet’s flight to Bucharest, Romania was cancelled on November 17, the DJ, producer and label honcho almost broke down.

He had a gig scheduled, but due to unsafe weather conditions, his plane was grounded. He tweeted, “Sad sad sad! My heart is broken! Here stuck at airport, plane cancel flight due to weather forecast to Bucharest!!! This is so hard.”

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Interview: Redshape

Say hello to Midnight Shift’s mystery guest who will be headlining the label’s 3rd anniversary at Velvet Underground, Zouk tonight. The phantom masked artist, with his Burial-like elusiveness, has a knack of releasing tracks that are either untitled or go against the currents of popular techno beliefs. Burial’s doing great in that enigmatic sense. Redshape rides in the same vein. Whereas at one point, only a handful of people knew who Burial was, I know this much about Redshape: The 31-year-old Berlin-based producer has been releasing his version of Detroit techno since 2000. He went from hard and industrial techno to a more cinematic and mellower variation in 2006 embodying what his alter ego behind that red mask makes. But don’t take my word for it.

In which musical direction did you take in forming your latest album, “Square”?

I’m really happy with how it came out. The production process went exactly like how I planned it to be and was a lot of fun to make. I wanted to fuse many directions I had from my musical taste and also include new techniques in harmony that I learned at that time.

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Interview: The Plastiscines

[RedBull.sg] The French Indie Rock combo The Plastiscines visit Singapore for their first time in November. The female trio believe that French doesn`t fit their music and these “les bébés rockers” (a termed coined for Parisian teenage bands) confess that they are more comfortable rocking out in English than they ever would in French.

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Win a Pair of Tickets to “Breathe And Stop”

Heavy Boogie productions in collaboration with Singapore-based Matteblacc will be unleashing hip-hop’s triple-threat on Asia. Iconic DJs, Ali Shaheed Muhammad (A Tribe Called Quest/Lucy Pearl), Shortkut (ISP/Beat Junkies/Triple Threat), and Maseo (De La Soul) will be dropping their flavorful urban beats and solid grooves across Bangkok to Saigon and Kuala Lumpur to Manila in the “Breathe And Stop” tour. Ahead of the trio’s appearance at Zouk on August 16, the co-producers for the Singapore leg, Matteblacc are kind enough to giveaway a pair of tickets to this much-anticipated event.

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Top 10 Things to Do This Week (Jul 9-15)

For the full listing in July, check out KMC’s The Monthlies.

I Am Giant
Wave House l Free
Jul 11, 7pm

3-years in the making, the London based-New Zealand band’s debut album, The Horrifying Truth, was finally released in 2011. Now the hard rockers have their sights set on Asia with a tour that will showcase some of their hits. “Neon Sunrise”, “Let It Go” and “City Limits” have all made their top-tiered chart appearance in New Zealand, Australia and UK, making the band one of the most successful Kiwi ro#k band in recent years.

This week also features: Re.You, TV Rock, Miss Nine, MAAD Pyjamas, Obedient Wives Club, One Hat Town, Gonzo, KoFlow, Darren Dubwise, Flo, Twinhed, ShiGGa Shay, Basic Soul Unit, Funk Bast*rd, Kaye, Wolfram, Mriz Sidah and Aly & Fila.

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Top 10 Things to Do This Week (Jul 2-8)

For the full listing in July, check out KMC’s The Monthlies.

Heineken Presents Syndicate feat.
Strangeloop & Daisuke Tanabe
The Pigeonhole l Free
Jul 4, 9pm

The first of a two-part Syndicate special this week, the collective will be taking over the intimate premises of The Pigeonhole down Duxton with digital visual splendor as the main course of the day.

Brainfeeder’s Strangeloop –look out for his visuals works for Erykah Badu and Flying Lotus— and Ninja Tune’s Daisuke Tanabe will each flex their visual muscles while dishing forward-thinking tunes. Though the latter is known for his jazz, folk and reggae ditties, he rips the canvas in equal craftiness.

The collective’s Cherry Chan and Kiat will be providing aural support while Brandon Tay works on the “live” visuals.

This week also features: AN21, Max Vangeli, Paul Thomas, Will Bailey, RTYPE, Rachel, Vince Fernando, William J, Great Spy Experiment, 53A, Catalogue V, The Sallys, Bear Culture, The Pinholes, Mono/Poly, Digga Man Dope, Round Table Knights, Mr Thing and Marco V.

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Interview: Ellen Allien

Even before the fall of the Berlin wall, the German techno maven has seen the genre’s birth on the dancefloors of dingy warehouses.

Today, she personifies what techno really was through her 13-year-old label, BPitch control, her eponymous fashion label and her club and festival runs.

I touched based with the DC10 resident ahead of her set at Zouk tonight and found out how techno gave her a reason to live, her musical impression of London and Ibiza, and why no one books commercial DJs in Berlin.

You have been sharing a particular philosophy on life —whether through your releases, BPitch, or your eponymously named fashion label. What does Ellen Allien’s world look like?

I lead an artist’s life: traveling, music, and street life. I started my label, BPitch Control, so that I could have more freedom in the way I work, and to also give a platform to the artists who think the same way as I do.

Networking and breaking new grounds have always been important to me.

At the moment I’m based in Ibiza where I have a bi-monthly residency playing at DC10 every Monday. I try to remove myself from my every day life in Berlin so that I can be more creative and be inspired by new ideas for my next projects.

When I’m in Berlin I’m very involved in the whole label business and the decision making process. Right now I’m handing that side of things over to my team so that I have the chance to be more creative.

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Top 10 Things to Do This Week (Jun 25-Jul 1)

For the full listing in June, check out KMC’s The Monthlies.

Hot Chip - Live in Singapore
Avalon l $65/80 from TicketBooth
Jun 26, 9pm

With a singular sound that high fives R&B, folk-rock and hip-hop, Hot Chip have grown from a geeky novelty-act to one of the most consistent electronic pop groups around and have equally stayed true to their endearing middle-class white kids self. Their style is distinctively evident in their fifth and latest album In Our Heads —breathing just as much empathetic warm-heartedness as the band personifies.

This week also features: Flight Facilities, Van Cliffe.D, Jeremy Boon, Jason Mraz, Third Party, Stassh, Gonzo, Tom Shellsuit, Pushin’ On DJs, Hafez Masterpiece and The Mighty Mighty, Baybeats 2012, Ellen Allien, Funk Bast*rd, RAH, Marco Weibel, Corrinne May, Tyler Made, Parrish James.

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