Wednesday, February 29, 2012

INTERVIEW WITH VOODOO FARM





Whether he's using the grimiest of dubstep or progressive house, disco, or even Marvine Gaye, it would be fair to say that Voodoo Farm (a.k.a. Liam Dirlam) is a genuinely dynamic artist. Even as I'm writing this blog I'm using Voodoo Farm to get my motivation and inspiration rolling. And while I can't seem to tear myself away from this music (or the seriously dope videos), I thought maybe some of you would want to get to know the man behind the music a little bit better. We got to talking with the D.C. native, and it went a little something like this:


Philadelphia Dance Music Collective: First off, tell us a bit about yourself! We especially love the name... where did you come up with Voodoo farm?
VOODOO FARM: I am just a dude who spends all of his time making art and enjoying life.  Mostly music and film, but I try no to limit myself to just those two things.  I moved to NYC (from DC) about three years ago because like they say 'if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.'  I feel very lucky to be living in the center of the universe- it's an infectious place to be if you are an artist.
The name VOODOO FARM was one of a few different ideas I came up with and decided on right before I moved.  At the time, I was listening to Ween's "Voodoo Lady" (the live version from Chicago) like everyday so that word was stuck in my head.  Aesthetically, I think the letters in 'VOODOO' look awesome together.  "FARM" seemed like a perfect compliment because I have always envisioned a group of people combining their creative energies together to create something amazing-- those people are my friends/family and they help me every day of my life.  Without the Farm, I wouldn't be able to accomplish anything.

PDMC: Not that the two have much distance between them anymore, but what do you enjoy more, producing or djing?
VOODOO FARM: DJing and Producing are two different art forms that are miles apart from one another.  It seems like there aren't many talented producers out there who are also killer DJs (and vise-versa) but I think every producer's goal should be to find a way to put on an amazing show for their audience while challenging themselves at the same time.  When I screw up on stage, I don't look at it like "oh man, these people are going to laugh at me", I look at it like "I just took a chance- it didn't work out- time to take another chance and blow these peoples heads off."  Conversely, when I screw up in the studio- it usually turns into a new crazy idea that I never would have thought of before.  People who don't constantly challenge themselves usually aren't remembered for anything other than staying the same.

PDMC: How long have you been a producer and/or djing? Any specific reason you got into this in the first place?
VOODOO FARM: When I was 12 or 13 my pops bought me a beat machine and a microphone.  I produced/wrote/recorded a ton of rap music that still exists somewhere. (it will surface one day and probably embarrass the shit out of me at my wedding.)  After that, I was the lead singer of a 5-piece rock/funk/rap band that played all up and down the east coast-- At that time, I was not producing ANY of the music… just writing the lyrics/melodies.  I also started getting my feet wet by DJing different nightspots in the city for extra loot.
It wasn't until that band split that I started making beats again.  One of my best friends kept begging me to join him to see this trance/electronica band he loved, and I kind of remembering making fun of electronic music… I finally agreed to check the band out and it changed my life forever.
There was such an intense amount of energy in that room-- i looked around and saw joy, carelessness, individuality, gratitude, satisfaction--- it seemed like every person was living their own dream but dancing to the same beat.  I'd never seen so much pure happiness in one place.  I left that venue, looked at my boy (with very dilated eyes) and said "I'm only making electronic music from now on."
It was really only in the last 14 months that I started producing on a serious level though.  I taught myself Ableton Live in December of 2010 when I started working on my Adele remix… Now it has around 370,000 views and I have come a very long way since then.

PDMC: Your music spreads across a wide spectrum of genres. What's your favorite kind of music to work with and why?
VOODOO FARM: I would say that dubstep is the most challenging music I have ever tried to create-- so until that changes, it's my favorite to work with right now.  There is so much shitty dubstep out there- and people assume it's easy-- it drives me crazy as a producer when people trash Skrillex and try to down-play his importance to music.  Making something as complex, melodic, and hard-hitting as that is very very difficult.  EDM producers aren't just musicians or DJs, they are also sound-designers and engineers.
With that said, most of the music you will be hearing from VOODOO FARM is electro-house and in the 128 bpm range.  (Dubstep elements with a driving 4-on-the-floor beat)  I want to make girls dance-- because what dude wouldn't buy a ticket to a show knowing that it's going to be packed with women?  Moombahton, glitch-hop, and thugstep are other genres that I love and will continue to crank out.

PDMC: What (or who) were your main influences?
VOODOO FARM: I'm influenced greatly by eccentric artists- both living and dead.  You look at the history of art and music… what do all the greats have in common?  They were batshit crazy.  I can just as easily draw inspiration from a great film as I can from hearing a great song or reading an interesting article.  The John Frusciantes, Frida Kahlos, Anton Newcombes, Jim Morrisons, Pablo Picassos and Werner Herzogs of this world are what influence me on a daily basis.

PDMC: You've been doing this for a while now. What are the BEST and WORST gigs you've ever done?
VOODOO FARM
WORST GIG: I remember driving a few hours to Myrtle Beach with my old band (all six of us crammed into a Toyota 4-Runner) We show up at the venue… errr dive-bar… and the bartender and 4 customers (all over the age of 50) are looking at us like we are from another planet.  We begin setting up our equipment on stage when an extremely tall/skinny man (could have been Snoop Dogg's uncle) walks up with a big smile and goes, "Yo! I just bought this place yesterday… Who the hell are you guys?"  Without saying anything, we all looked over at our manager at the same time with some pretty dirty looks. He tells Uncle Snoop, "Well, we've been booked here for several weeks… I guess the old owners didn't let you know?"
Uncle Snoop goes, "Nahhh, they got out of here in a hurry! I think they got caught up with the wrong guys… So look, I don't have any money to give you- but I love live music and you guys look pretty cool-- play a couple of songs for me, and I'll give you $50 bucks for gas and a fat sack of weed!"  Naturally, we played our hearts out and earned 2 bags of weed.
BEST GIG:  Never as funny as 'worst gig' stories- but I love coming home to Washington DC and playing for the people I grew up with.  There's no place like home baby.

PDMC: 2012 is shapring up to be an even bigger year for dance music that 2011! What's next for Voodoo Farm?
VOODOO FARM: Voodoo Farm is going to continue to try to push the envelope using visuals.  As far as I know, I am the only DJ/producer out there who is also directing/editing/animating his own music videos-- and that will not stop.  To take things a step further, I am beginning to implement live-visuals to my show… Basically my boy has DVJ's rigged up to a projector so he can spin images/videos just like he would spin music--- and my last show included 3D-mapping projectors as well.  Until I am a point in my career where I have access to $100,000 lighting systems, I am going to make the best of my resources to provide the best live experience possible.  As Buddy Guy once said, "If people pay to watch you perform, make sure you give them their money's worth!"



You can check out Voodoo Farm on Facebook, Twitter, or Soundcloud, but if you're not already addicted to this remix... you're cray!



Soundcloud: http://bit.ly/xsXiJg



Tuesday, February 28, 2012

"Half Android" (FS) (Play Me Records)

Released last week (February 20, 2012) was the new album from the Brooklyn-based dubstep producer FS (aka Fred Sargolini). Titled "Half Android", this album presents a wide range of styles and exhibits skill across many genres. The album opens with track featuring the human beat machine, Rahzel. Labeled by beatport as "Glitch Hop", almost every solid percussion sound you hear are the results of Rahzel's skills, but then immediately following this gritty little gem we're presented with a full blown dubstep banger titled "Swings Joint"! There's a few other collaborations with Calvertron, Reid Speed, and NapoleonSolo, but the majority of the album's 11 tracks seem to be the product of FS himself.


Having founded his own record label (Patriarch Recordings), it should be no surprise that FS could produce something with such varying sounds, but nowadays even getting a full artist album released is hard enough... let alone one that includes 4-5 different genres! My favorite track is either the bass-heavy "iLLest Android" or the Reggae-infused closer, "Touch O Klaas", and although glitch-hop has not traditionally been my style I've seriously warmed up to it after listening through this album a few times. "Dub Combination" might even end up being one of my favorite songs on the album, especially as its the track done with Calvertron!


All in all this is a great album, and FS has really done himself justice this time around. Check him out across the various social networks, and go buy the album on Beatport or iTunes!

Beatport: http://bit.ly/wup94P
iTunes: http://bit.ly/xQMet8

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/qfaOGw
Twitter: http://bit.ly/zHR7VT
SoundCloud: http://bit.ly///yTHmJ6
YouTube: http://bit.ly/wRI8Hl


Monday, February 27, 2012

Venue Spotlight - CLUB RUMOR (Philadelphia, PA)

By now its safe to say that most Philadelphians who frequent the city's nightlife have by now heard of the newest addition to our small/medium venues, Club Rumor! It opened with a serious bang on its first night with Markus Shulz back in September. Club Rumor has since begun the process of filling a much-needed niche in the Philadelphia dance music scene, as both a club and a new venue for EDM artists to perform.  The sound system is nothing to sneeze at, and with some crazy lighting (especially the trippy ceiling squares) and a fairly priced bar this is a venue that the ragers of the city have been waiting on for some time now.  Oh, and I haven’t even gotten to ticket prices yet! As long as you look at it as a concert instead of a cover charge, this place is hard to beat for ticket prices. With tickets for acts like Marcus Schossow, Eddie Halliwell, & Nadastrom hovering in the $20 range (plus or minus a few), this could be amongst the most manageable nights out in Philly… eardrums notwithstanding.



Thus far, one of the biggest acts to land at Rumor (next to Markus Shulz) has not been a person at all but rather an entire production! Club Space (from Miami) has been taking its entire production crew on tour, and every third Thursday of the month you can find them inhabiting Rumor and bringing the party to us! This kicked off with DJ Justin Sheppard, but will continue next month with recently announced act DJ Louis Puig taking the helm this time around. Don’t forget to check out some of their other upcoming shows including Stefano Noferini on (3/9/2012) and M.I.K.E. & Sonny Wharton on March 2 (2012), and of course make sure to stop by every Saturday for their signature “Automatic Saturdays” party. As the city grows and as EDM takes hold, there’s no doubt that the biggest of big-name talent will still choose venues like The Electric Factory or The Starlight Ballroom, but for the small/medium sized crowds Club Rumor may be the new gold standard in Philadelphia!


Show them some love of Facebook & Twitter, and stop by their website for more details and contact info:


Friday, February 24, 2012

Re:Generation Music Project

With a background in sound design, I've always been interested in music that utilizes different genres and innovative new ways of combing sound. Thus, when I saw a movie starring three of my favorite EDM acts (Skrillex, Pretty Lights, & the Chemical Brothers), one of the greatest hip hop producers of all time (DJ Premier), The Doors, Eyrkah Badu, and Dr. Ralph Stanley.... oh man, how could I not see this on the big screen?!? Luckily, the Re:Generation Music Project had two nation-wide screenings on February 16th & 23rd (2012), and I was fortunate enough to catch the latter.


Fair warning, this movie is not just one big combination of inter-genre conflict and wild concert scenes as the trailer would have you assume, and its DEFINITELY nothing like the Swedish House Mafia film "Take One". It most frequently refers back to DJ Premier as a sort of "host", and is really an examination of how best to combine not just musical styles but the work-flows and production techniques that go in to each of these different genres.

Leading up to seeing this movie I had read a lot of different reviews with people claiming this person or that person had gotten the hardest task, but really I think it was evenly distributed. Even Pretty Lights (aka Derek Smith) was able to work country music in to his own unique style once he found the right kind of country music. However, I thought the most interesting scenes in this movie were not those involving music but those involving the personalities behind the music. It was absolutely fascinating seeing how different the cultural aspects of each genre were, and even more fascinating to see music ultimately being able to break down those walls. The quickest combination to embrace one another was between DJ Premier and his various classical collaborators, but I think some of this had to do with the veteran status of both DJ Premier himself as well as the entire genre of Hip-Hop.

In my humble opinion, the coolest moments of the whole movie were Premier's first experience conducting the Berklee Symphony Orchestra and when John Densmore (The Doors' drummer) asked Skrillex for an autograph for his own kid. Just seeing the rockstar persona being passed from one generation to the next was pretty wild, but the eventual respect they found for one another led to an astonishingly great working relationship and some of the coolest in-studio moments of the film. Mark Ronson also provided one of the more engaging characters of the film, although in the end he didn't really produce a fusion of anything as much as he simply made a damn good jazz track. Seeing someone as musically gifted as Ronson just 'at work' was enjoyable in itself though, and there was a genuinely tangible awkwardness in the theater when he met Erykah Badu for the "first" time.


I'm leaving out a bunch of very cool aspects of the movie in the interests of both attention spans and not wanting to spoil the movie, but all in all the Re:Generation Music Project is a blast for anyone that enjoys the creative process behind new musical styles, and especially if you have a bit of tech-nerd in you as the studio and live-show scenes will be extra impressive.The soundtrack is available for FREE (here), and the [rest of] the website has a bit more information of the project and its history.

Click HERE for a gallery from the Re:Generation website!

Monday, February 20, 2012

C.O.T.M

After spending most of the day cleaning my room for the first time in about 8 weeks (#breakingrecords), I found a few tunes that were especially good at helping pass the time. Heres the shit that got me through:


Star Wars - Dubstep Remix
GEEKED OUT let out your inner darth