Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Vanessa Daou – Once In A While (Roberto Rodriguez Remix & Dub) | INTHEDEEPEND.AU Review

 

"It's always a hard game to remix a female vocalist in the house game, sure thousands of producers do it on a daily basis, but most of them equate to the aural equivalent of mass produced t-shirts. You know the ones with something scrawled in Helvetica aligned to the left with a full stop at the end. That tee design get's pulled off once in a while.

Which leads perfectly to Roberto Rodriguez' remix for New Yorker, Vanessa Dauo. Aptly titled, his rather lengthy remix which stretches more than ten minutes, further cements that Roberto is on constant top form. I don't think I've heard a remix from him in the past years that I didn't enjoy. Once In A While is certainly no exception, his trademark jumpy electric piano chords lay a solid groove which leads for more subtle variations throughout the track. As always his drum track is too tight to mention, melding analog grit and natural percussive elements.

Those powerful rhythms are capitalised in the gorgeous dub version, which is no doubt my pick of the entire record. Once In A While received the remix rub down from four producers including Roberto, but his renditions stand out like a sore thumb for those seeking dancefloor heat. The tribal vibes are turned up a notch, including the volume of all the percussion and lead melodies. There is a very delicate and majestic use of Daou's sultry vocals deep into the track during the break, with that aside this dub remix is designed for one purpose.

Once In A While is out now on Outsider Music. You can buy it digitally here." 

READ MORE @ INTHEDEEPEND

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

'ONCE IN A WHILE' | NEW VIDEO & EP ***OUT NOW***


ONCE IN A WHILE REMIX EP ***OUT NOW***

Featuring bigroom REMIXS from soulful minimal-tech craftsman ROBERTO RODRIGUEZ with a 10-minute plus workout, and rising, LA-based, gritty progressive electro-house newcomer DJ BANDER, a chugging, dubbed-out afterhours expansion courtesy of PHURRY FREAKS/MISO RECORDS main man CHARLES WEBSTER, and a silky nocturnal groove from TERRY LEE BROWN JR’S downbeat alter ego, NOR ELLE, that pulses at just the right sensual pace...
Download at iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, and all digital outlets

ALSO on YouTube

DJ Bander's 'Down in the Garden' mix

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3APWeYUmTc



Roberto Rodriguez' Reprise:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnu6eDbhZE8 
 

Thursday, February 09, 2012

'Heart of Wax' — News, Reviews & Remixes

"Beauty never beats in a heart of wax, it comes down to that / Lovers never sleep once the conversation comes, they're empty as a drum..." So begins 'Heart of Wax'....

I received an email from a long-time fan who was asking about the impetus and inspiration behind 'Heart of Wax'. 

The beauty of language is the ability to communicate one's feelings, those emotions trapped inside of one's heart and mind, those inner-most sanctums. 

The ever-piercing thorn in the side of every Writer & Poet is the inability of language to every fully convey the manifold shades of meaning. It is only possible to approximate, approach, and tease out ones thoughts and feelings through language through the use of metaphor, similie, analogy, etc.

In the opening line of 'Heart of Wax', for instance, it is unclear whether it is the lovers or the drums that are 'empty' "once the conversation comes".

For me, every song is a reflection, rumination, an offering. Using the metaphor of a burning candle to convey the slow, languorous unfolding of Love , 'Heart of Wax' is a song about the natural defenses a person in love puts up, the invisible boundaries that are drawn until that moment of recognition and surrender, that one is - inexorably, and beautifully - in Love.


'HEART OF WAX'— News, Reviews & Remixes:

'Heart of Wax' — Nominee at the 27th Annual International Dance Music Awards at the WMC

'Heart of Wax' is nominated for Best Chillout/Lounge track at the 27th Annual International Dance Music Awards at the Winter Music Conference in Miami Beach.

You can view the nominees here -


And don't forget to cast your vote for this year's nominees here -




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 Photo by the George Pitts


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  1. Heart of Wax (Richard Morel Mix)
  2. Heart of Wax (Richard Morel Dub)
  3. Heart of Wax (Craig C's Master Blaster Mix)
  4. Heart of Wax (Craig C's InstraBlaster Dub)
  5. Heart of Wax (Emjae Club Mix)
  6. Heart of Wax (Emjae's Subterranean Disco Dub)  
  7. Heart of Wax (Blank & Jones Late Night Mix)

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In case you missed last year's review of 'Heart of Wax' @ the inimitable JOE MY GOD:
"As a JMG exclusive, here's a free download of famed remixer Rich Morel's take on Vanessa Daou's Heart Of Wax. Veteran househeads will fondly recall Daou's epic 1992 classic Surrender Yourself. (Work it, learn it, serve it, bring it to the ball.) I'm loving this new single."

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Scents & Sensory @ Calming Park:


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Tracklisting
 
CD1      
  1. Tommy Bones & Lydia Rhodes - What I Feel - Original Mix     
  2. Karin De Ponti I Am The Moon Chris IDH Remix
  3. Newland & DJ Vivona Ft. Jade - Set Me Free Extended Mix 
  4. Madelin Zero Love The Love Original Mix Edit 
  5. Morel Shoegazer Disco Linus Loves Vocal Mix 
  6. Vanessa Daou - Heart Of Wax Emjae Club Mix
Fierce Angel is celebrating 5 fabulous year ! Set up in 2006 by Mark Doyle the creator of Hed Kandi Fierce Angel has been picking up critical acclaim worldwide. The company is on a mission to provide simply the finest music and the most memorable nights out.
Read more @ FIERCE ANGEL

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Further info @ the ever glamorous & fabulous MAXI
Vanessa Daou and Calming Park Candles have joined forces to illuminate her brand new video for “Heart Of Wax” and your Valentine’s Day.  The organic palm wax candles, made in Grasse, France in Vanessa’s favorite scent Pack Of Cactus, are featured in the video for her sultry new single out on youtube and video outlets Feb 14th.  What’s Valentine’s Day without a little candlelight? Now you can bask in this glow.  

vanessa_calming

Check out Calming Park’s groovy compilations featuring Goldfrapp, Melanie Gardot, Sia and Gotan Project.

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Sunday, February 05, 2012

'Heart of Wax' — Nominee at the 27th Annual International Dance Music Awards at the WMC

'Heart of Wax' is nominated for Best Chillout/Lounge track at the 27th Annual International Dance Music Awards at the Winter Music Conference in Miami Beach.

You can view the nominees here -

And don't forget to cast your vote for this year's nominees here -




The WMC features Panels on Music, Creation & Technology, Seminars, networking events and new this year, an International Record Collectors Show.

As well as voting for the music that you already love, there's a lot to discover at the WMC as well: Tiesto's new radio show 'Club Life', Ellie Goulding, Maya Jane Coles, Dada Life's 'Happy Violence', Claudia Cuseta @ MAXI Promotion.

The International Dance Music Awards cover a full range of genres and categories, from the Best Break-Through Artists to the Best American Record Label and Best Headphones. 

Making the trip to the Dance Music Conference in Miami is a yearly pilgrimage for many, it's a time for bringing the best in the industry together for a few days of some serious all-day schmoozing & all-night jamming........!!

XOV