November 23, 2011 @ 2:11 pm

Prior to Norman Doray’s Cielo premier, I was able to sit down with him and chat about his rising star status in the US. He also was able to make me instill jealous in me about his time in Ibiza and the constant warmth of his adopted city, Barcelona. A true lover of his craft, Doray debuted his new Strictly Records album Strictly Ibiza to Amsterdam last night, despite the dreary rain, bringing an element of sunshine to our (occasionally fair) city. 

What have been your musical inspirations?

I was always influenced by disco and funk; I grew up with my parents listening to it so that was always my biggest inspiration. It was like, music just made something click for me; I knew that I wanted to do it. I can’t describe it, it just made sense and I went from there. I always knew that I wanted to work with music.

How did you get started in the scene?

I spent a lot of time playing in small clubs in Paris, where people don’t really care about the music you are playing. Then, I knew that I had to start producing my own music; that is the key. So I started to make my own stuff and that really brought things to the next level, where I was able to play for crowds who loved the music.

Did the French house scene also influence you?

Yes, of course! Daft Punk exploded onto the scene at that point, Europe was just exploding with music, even like Ace of Base and that sort of thing. There was a lot of inspiration.

How did your new album, Strictly Ibiza to Amsterdam.

Strictly [Records] asked me to do a compilation and they wanted me to do something a bit personal. Like I said, funk and disco have always been influences for me, so I did sort of two kinds of tracks, ones that you can vibe out to during the day, like a party in Ibiza, and big house tracks that you can play by night in a club.

Now that you’re touring so much, how do you balance production?

I used to be able to produce between shows, but now it’s more like, 3 months of touring and a month straight of producing. Of course I bring my laptop on the road for me, so I can tweak songs based upon how the crowd reacts to it. You sometimes see people not feeling a long intro, so I can go back and then cut it shorter and go straight to the middle. Also, I recently moved to Barcelona because I needed a change from the more dreary French weather; I am heavily influenced by weather and the sun has made it so I can produce like, three times as fast as I used to be able to.

Do you prefer small clubs vs. big clubs, or festivals?

To be honest, I prefer the smaller clubs, something like 500-1000 people, 2000 is also ok. Then you can really connect with the partiers, it’s a great thing.

Do you have any favorite venues?

This year, definitely my favorite party was at Ushuaia, with the Swedish House Mafia in Ibiza. The crowd there has changed in the past 10 years; 10 years ago it was something like 90% Spaniards. Now you see the best partiers from Tokyo, New York, Spain, Miami in Ibiza. It’s something special. It’s outside, under the stars, with beautiful women and men, all partying all night. I love it there. For a festival, Tommorowland as nuts; there are some crazy things going on there…

How do you feel about the recent popularity of house music in the US?

The U.S. is a great place now. I was here two years ago, and it was a little bit more difficult, people were way more into the top 40 sort of music so it was hard to get them engaged in the music. But now, it’s totally different, the crowds here are totally crazy. I love it here. Maybe I’ll have to move to the States soon, the main bulk of my touring is here now. Miami is great, but I think that San Diego is the best place. I recently played at Voyeur; it’s a lovely city, great weather, fun people. I really like it.

How do you like New York?

It’s a great city, I have been here 5 or 6 times, but it seems like every time I come here its bad weather! But last night I went to The Standard, it has the greatest view and I have to say, really awesome bathrooms (Eater agrees).

Check out Norman Doray

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/normandoray

Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/norman-doray

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/normandoray

 

November 22, 2011 @ 12:05 pm

So, either you’re back in New York for the holiday, or you can’t stand the thought of going back to the one bar in your hometown to see all the guys you made out with sophomore year and the girls who were mad that you did so. You have made the enlightened decision to go out here on Thanksgiving Eve, and now you need to know where to go. Please peruse the following to avoid getting stuck taking shots at Down the Hatch with stranded NYU students in need of a fix!

Lavo

What: TDD faves and NYC-based DJs The Chainsmokers open for Dutch DJ Sidney Sampson

Location: 39 East 58th Street between Park and Madison

Time: 11:00 PM – 4:00 AM

Tickets: Doorman’s discretion

Scene: Button downs, short skirts

Mr H

What: We Live By Night with Franco V, Elle Diaz & Spencer Product

Hosts: Sophia Lamar, Joshua Menendez, Adrien Wend

Location: Mondrian Soho, 150 Lafayette St

Time: 11:00 PM – 4:00 AM

Tickets: Doorman’s discretion

Scene: Skinny jeans, intentionally messy hair

Riff Raffs

What: Home of the wild Tuesday party, Wednesday’s line-up includes DJs Bobby Nourman and Manero.

Hosts: Lee Jay & James Camp

Location: 360 Park Avenue South

Time: 11:00 PM – 4:00 AM

Tickets: Doorman’s discretion

Scene: Striped shirt / hipster combo, face paint

Hiro Ballroom

What: MeanRed Presents…Tummy Touch 15 Year Birthday Party with live Performances from The Phenomenal Handclap Band, Bing Ji Ling.  DJ Sets by  Horse Meat Disco, Thomas (Rub & Tug, Wicked), Tim Love Lee, Krunk Pony

Location: 88 9th Ave

Time: 11:00 PM – 4:00 AM

Tickets: http://tinyurl.com/85hvgb8

Scene: anything goes?

 

The Blind Barber

What: Reason, Lola & Whitmans with DJ Price

Location: 339 E 10th St

Time: 11:00 PM – 4:00 AM

Tickets: Doorman’s discretion

Scene: Your LES finests

November 18, 2011 @ 11:27 am

Labels Nervous Records and Strictly Rhythm, in tandem with lifestyle website Société Perrier are at it again, throwing an album release party for visiting Frenchman Norman Doray (stay tuned for an interview next week) and NYC based artist Theo. The party goes down next Tuesday, Nov. 22 at Cielo and celebrates the release of Doray’s new Strictly Rhythm compilation “Strictly Ibiza To Amsterdam” and Theo’s new Nervous Records compilation “Nervous Nitelife: School of House”

Doray’s album tracks the presentation of music from day to night, embodied by sunshiney parties in Ibiza and thumping house raves under the stars in Amsterdam.

To get excited, check out the teaser that Doray posted for his track Breakaway, available on Beatport. Societe Perrier and Nervous are being kind enough to sponsor a contest to win a pair of tickets to see Doray and Theo premier their albums at Cielo, enter here. You can buy your advance tickets here and don’t forget there is an open bar from 11-12. See you there!

Cielo, 18 Little W 12th Street 

November 16, 2011 @ 4:00 pm

Russian DJ trio Swanky Tunes finally touched down in NYC November 3 for a one-night stint at Provocateur. Both Swanky Tunes and Provocateur are mysteries to most New Yorkers; the DJs had never been to NYC previously and most people have not had the chance to sashay down the hallowed halls of the club in the meatpacking branch of the Gansevoort. But the guys have been making music together since 1998 and are now gaining recognition stateside with popular remixes such as Tiësto’s “Maximal Crazy” (R3hab & Swanky Tunes Remix).  I had the chance to sit down with 2/3 of Swanky Tunes, Vadim Shpak and Stas Zaytsev, prior to their NYC debut and discuss a few things, such as how they like NYC, where their favorite venue to play is and just what is Kazantip, amongst other topics… I also was lucky enough to see them slay the tiny darkened den that is Provocateur, and they were pretty sick, so hopefully they’ll be back soon to grace us with their presence. 

TDD: It’s your first time in NY, how did this gig come to be?

Vadim: We are really happy, because it’s our first time in NY, and we are playing at Provocateur, the most highly, expensive club in NY and in the USA and it’s crazy. It’s so small and only some people can get in.

TDD: Do you think you’re here in NYC now because your music has become increasingly popular?

Vadim: The manager said that when you release remixes, the wave of opportunity is delayed.

Stas: First you have popularity with DJs, after that with the fans and audience, and only after that from the promoters. That’s why we need to wait a bit.

Vadim: We already have many things in Russia and Europe and the USA. For example, tonight our third member is playing in Russia and his set is all original.

Stas: It looks like the Swanky Tunes is making money!

TDD: what are some of your favorite venues to play?

Stas: About 6 months ago we were at Tomorrowland, which was crazy.

TDD: What was so crazy about it?

Vadim: When you see so many people at one time, you feel this energy.

Stas: For me, for example, it’s better to play in the small clubs, when you can have eye contact with your audience, for me that’s much better. But when you are playing in front of a big crowd, you can sometimes touch them, but it’s another kind of energy.

Vadim: Festivals are very different than the clubs, and clubs have a different feel between small clubs and big clubs. For example, we played Amnesia in Miami and it was 2,000 people but they were very close to us, but we couldn’t touch them because we were up really high. But I did stand on the DJ table and everybody was dancing and I could feel it and I like that. This is different, but I love all kinds of clubs. The most important thing is the club and the atmosphere, for me, big, small anything. Atmosphere is the main thing.

TDD: Do you tailor your set based upon how the audience reacts?

Vadim: We generally play the same kind of music, no matter what the venue.

Stas: We know that our music works for big crowds and for small crowds.

Vadim: We can play “We Are Your Friends” and everyone goes crazy from that track. And that’s a DJ thing; you can put your inner mind out to everyone. Everyone can understand you and that’s the main thing about DJing. DJing is not about playing two records and sleeping on the decks; you can put on a commercial track and everyone will understand you and that plays well. It’s hard to explain what you feel when you are playing and what you’re thinking. You have to see everything that is going on, and how it’s going. This is the main thing; you must think when you are playing and that doesn’t depend on what club you are in.

TDD: How do you feel about DJing live sets versus producing?

Vadim: I like both, because if you are trying to produce a track, you finish it and you have this track in your mind and then you go to the club.

Stas: And you try it out on the crowd.

Vadim: So then you can fix something to this track.

Stas: Previously we didn’t play anything produced; some years ago we only played live sets. But that meant we couldn’t feel the reaction of the crowd, because we played only tracks and songs of Swanky Tunes. But when you’re playing tracks from another producers and yours, you can see the true reaction of the audience to your own tracks. That’s why we decided to play like DJs.

TDD: Did your style of music naturally evolve or did you adapt to the changing music climate?

Vadim: We try to do what we like to do. We understand everything that is going on in the market. For example, we can do something a bit more poppy, but we don’t like it so much. We have another way to do it, we try to make a track that is not so commercial, but it will be commercial when everybody loves it.

Stas: We are trying to straddle a very fine line between underground music and popular music.

Vadim: It’s interesting because you are doing what you are want, you can put in some elements that you don’t need, but you really love the track, you can then let people decide what its destiny will be.

TDD: So, have to say I am very jealous that you went to Kazantip this year. What was it like?

Vadim: Kazantip is a festival that we play every year, in the Ukraine. It’s a big festival, 17,000 people come over 3 weeks. Every day is a party and we go for 4 days and we do our own party and we record the set we play for others to listen to. Kazantip is something different from American or European festivals. It’s not such a big crowd, because there are many stages.

Stas: Each stage is about 1,000 people.

Vadim: Every day, different people play on each stage and if you are a visitor you can go from stage to stage over each day. This is a different sort of feel from a festival like Tomorrowland, which is 3 days. Kazantip is 3 weeks and it’s crazy, really really crazy. People sleep everywhere, drink everywhere, and it’s a strange feeling. You wake up, and something is going on right next to you, just as you are waking up. You go to the beach someone is sleeping there. Kazantip is a republic; they have a visa, a president.

Stas: It’s like a republic….

Vadim: It’s like a republic, they have a government; there are ministers of music and of culture. This is interesting, because it’s Russian and held in the Ukraine, it started 19 years ago elsewhere in the area. Be ready for a really crazy festival if you want to go… Just be ready because it’s different, Russia and Ukraine is a different culture from America. The people and behavior are different, just be ready if you go!

Stas: Everybody is totally crazy there.

Vadim: People go there for different things, but the most important thing is the music. The DJs, music, atmosphere and the crowd are the most important.

TDD: What’s your favorite thing about New York since you’ve been here?

Vadim: The biggest city crowd that I have ever seen in my life is in Times Square. It’s crazy. New York is different from the pictures and we love it.

Stas: All the guys and girls look different from elsewhere in America, but they are so fashionable. Too many girls look like Carrie Bradshaw  (laughter)

TDD: Well we are in Meatpacking, home of Carrie Bradshaw sooo…

Vadim: So many girls look exactly like her (laughter). Girls here don’t wear heels as much, on the streets for example. In Russia you always see girls in heels.

TDD: So do you think you’ll come back to NYC soon, you have to!

Vadim: We want to; it would great to have a show somewhere big here. We will be at WMC in Miami coming up.

TDD: Do you have any favorite young up and comers?

Stas: Alesso, Third Party.

Vadim: Deniz Koyu, Arty, Tim Mason, Hardwell, Nicky Romero. There are so many really good guys coming up!

 

November 14, 2011 @ 11:28 am

I have been documenting the meteoric rise in popularity of electronic dance music (EDM) and written a number of times about how EDM beats have thrust to the epicenter of NYC nightlife.  Now, Lavo’s Richard Wheeler is launching a brand that elevates EDM-chic beyond neon tank tops and furry boots, and provides beat-seekers with fashionable clothing perfect for a night at a club – or a festival weekend. Wheeler has been soft-marketing the line, HOUS, for a bit, but the website goes live tomorrow, finally making it available for cool kids everywhere.

HOUS’s Facebook page will function as a central resource for fans of the line. Everyone who likes the page is automatically entered into monthly swagger contests, ticket giveaways for HOUS events and various other freebies and goodies.  On Tuesday, November 22nd, one Facebook fan will win one of every HOUS T-shirt style; all you have to do is like the page to have a chance to enter.

Wheeler’s sartorial take on EDM is fresh, and already a plethora of familiar faces, from Steve Aoki to Calvin Harris, have sported pieces from the line. Do yourself a favor and be an early adopter for a fellow New Yorker, because HOUS is guaranteed to blow up.

What inspired you to start a clothing line?

If you like skateboarding, you have a brand to wear, MMA you have a brand to wear, hip hop… The list goes on, but what about EDM? The most exciting and fastest growing genre there is today. Think about it… There are no brands that you can go to share your love of the music. I found it incredibly frustrating and decided to do something about it. So I did.

Have you ever dabbled in design before?

Yes, most of my life since graduating with a degree in Fashion Design I have been involved in design.

Where do you get inspiration for your designs? Lavo patrons? DJs? Music in general?

It was standing at the door of LAVO that inspired HOUS. Inspiration comes from everything surrounding me: Music, DJs, friends, events, conversations; in one’s lifestyle always keep an open mind because ideas can come from anywhere.

Do you have any plans to expand the offerings of HOUS?

I already have a thousand ideas; it will be hard to stop me!

Have you partnered with anyone in the music business to work with you on HOUS?

I have been blessed with phenomenal interest and shared excitement by many people in the music business. I prefer to let time tell the story.

The big question: if someone is wearing a HOUS design, will they definitely get into Lavo?

Ahaha!! Doormen are complicated. It could only help right?

Any one DJ that you would love to have wear a HOUS design?

I’m going to have to give you a rubbish and boring answer here! But a true one: there are so many DJs I like for their style and sounds, it cannot be just one.

If you could collaborate with any designer, who would it be?

Something with Yohji Yamamoto, Vivienne Westwood would be fun; that’s a party! Converse would be right for footwear; I have a few ideas so watch this space!