Frequency of the Week No. 6: Defunk
–Written by Kevin Madert
Once in a while an artist comes along that captures you attention and refuses to relinquish it. Defunk – a native of Calgary and the topic of this week’s FotW – fits that description like a snug sweater. His arsenal of production tools is formidable even by 2015 standards and he possesses a unique dedication to re-imagining the music of yesteryear from a modern-day perspective. With the word “genre” nowhere in his vocabulary, Defunk is a multifaceted producer poised to carve out a serious niche for himself in the world of electronic music.
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Weekend Warm-Up No. 14: Mixed Bag #2
–Words & list by Kevin Madert
Sometimes it’s good to take a step back and remember getting amped up doesn’t require a specific genre or style. Snoop Dogg, Jack Beats, Tipper, and Goldfish all know plenty about the topic – even if they have different ideas about how one gets there. Now, I’ll stop talking so you can start listening.
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Frequencies of 2014: Bass/Beats
–Words and list by Kevin Madert
End of year “best-of” lists are a funny thing. First off, they’re entirely subjective – unless you rank based upon sales, which we all know is often the least relevant factor when considering a work’s merits. Second, they’re often far too ambitious and broad in scope. “The 50 Best Songs of The Year” looks good on the top of Rolling Stone’s website, but what the fuck does that actually mean? The editors and content compilers didn’t listen to every single release from January 1 to December 31, and even if they had there’s no way they could sort through the sheer volume of material and pick the definitive top 50. (Side note: Rolling Stone’s #2 song of the year was “Turn Down For What,” so their grasp on the definition of the word “best” is questionable.)
In my mind, a “best-of” list should mutually benefit the writer and the reader. Rather than futilely attempt to decide which songs or albums or artists were the indisputable winners, these lists should be cross-sections of the year in their respective musical spheres. I’m not here to be the pompous judge over some imagined contest that you signed yourself into appearing in solely by releasing music in the last calendar year. I’m just here – as always – to share the music I enjoyed too much to not talk about with anyone who’d like to hear it.
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Frequency of the Week No. 5: Cloud D
–Written by Reed Eisenhauer
Traveling to the mile high state of Colorado has always been on my bucket list, and I managed to cross it off this past September. While already well aware of the breathtaking scenery, affable locals and (of course) the legal recreational cannabis, what really stood out to me during my visit was the oversaturation of the music scene – not only in Denver but throughout the state as a whole. While shuffling through local magazines and newsletters I came across handfuls of jam-packed venue calendars. There were easily 4-5 different musical acts performing in various locations every day of the week. To put it bluntly, Colorado natives are musically spoiled in the best way possible.
The Daily Frequency (8/14/14)
–Written by Kevin Madert
This is a daily post we’ll be running to keep you as up-to-date on musical goings-on as we can. We’ll be gathering news tidbits from across the music world and compiling them for you towards the end of each day. This is not meant to be an all-encompassing source for music news, but rather a collection of news items we found interesting, important, or otherwise necessary to share.
Today, a lot of things happened in the world of music. Here are some of them.
1. Chicago’s über-rocking RiotFest just released the schedule of events for their aftershows. Whether eyeing the obvious – Rise Against Thursday and Primus on Saturday probably shouldn’t be missed – or the niche – pop-punk is alive and well at The Get Up Kids and Modern Baseball – there are plenty of options. The best by far? An Andrew W.K. DJ set – unquestionably the most party way to afterparty.
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