SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) / WEB BLOCKING

For the last couple of years the three-strikes has been the preferred method of stopping people from downloading music illegally. Now it's court injunctions forcing ISPs to block access to websites that infringe copyrights. This has been successful with websites such as The Pirate Bay, Grooveshark (now blocked in Germany), Megaupload and there are more to come.  In The USA the SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) was trying to be introduced which would be a fast track court process for obtaining such injunctions.  This was met with a lot of objections (the one obtaining most news headlines was Wikipedia going offline for 24 hours in protest).  Opponents of web blocking argue it gives too much power to traditional content companies to censor the internet, fearing any high speed system for blocking access to websites would be misused.

The injunction route does seem more likely to succeed than three-strikes.  Spain has already introduced web blocking, while the White House has recommended SOPA has a radical rethink, but it hasn't necessarily killed off the legislation. For more information on SOPA: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2012-01/17/sopa-101

One day we might finally be able to get on with creating great music and great products that people will want to pay for, rather than wasting so much time on the 'file-sharing problem'. And the industry's PR people, rather than talking up and justifying tougher copyright laws, can put more effort into educating the public about why paying for music is a good thing to do.

GROOVESHARK

As previously reported, a commenter on a Digital Music News story about Grooveshark last November claimed to work for the streaming firm, and said that they were routinely told by bosses there to upload music to the company's servers from labels with which they had no licenses. Officially Grooveshark's users upload music to the site, which means that when music from record companies which haven't licensed to Grooveshark by the labels or other rights holders then there is a takedown process in place which under the DMCA (US Digital Millennium Copyright Act) can avoid liability for copyright infringement against the website (in this case Grooveshark). But Universal Music, in its latest copyright infringement lawsuit against Grooveshark, says it has evidence that staff members at the company also upload unlicensed content, which would prevent the firm from using DMCA provisions to fight copyright infringement charges. Universal's claims are based on upload data it received from Grooveshark as part of an earlier legal dispute, and the anonymous DMN comment. Grooveshark insists that Universal has deliberately misinterpreted the data it provided the major, and that the DMN commenter is a fraud, ie he or she has never worked for the streaming firm. Original document here (and below the comment posted by one of the Grooveshark's employee's on the DMN website): http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2012/120117grooveshark


More recently Grooveshark's apps for both the iPhone and Android-powered devices were banned from the respective stores of Apple and Google under pressure from the record companies, who accuse the Groovesharkers of infringing their copyrights by running a slack takedown system to remove unlicensed content when it is uploaded by users (and also, in Universal, Sony and Warner's latest lawsuit, of uploading unlicensed content themselves).

MEGAUPLOAD

Finally file sharing website MegaUpload was taken down and members in the CEO were arrested by the FBI for mass copyright infringement, racketeering and money laundering.  In court papers released last week, the authorities said that their investigations had found many emails between key execs involved in the Mega company in which they discussed uploading vast quantities of unlicensed content to their servers to drive traffic to their sites, including pulling thousands of videos off YouTube and making copies available on their own platform. All of which means the company itself was infringing copyright on a mass scale.  Other emails discussed offering cash incentives to users who uploaded large quantities of unlicensed movies, and when not to take notice of takedown requests submitted by content owners under the aforementioned DMCA. One email also mused “we have a funny business … modern days pirates :)”. Court papers also say that the Mega companies took $110 million through PayPal, which had enabled Schmitz to pay himself $42 million in 2010 alone. The Mega group had 60 bank accounts around the world.

More information here: http://www.thecmuwebsite.com/article/us-authorities-take-megaupload-offline-and-arrest-key-execs/

Extracted from various CMU newsletters.  CMU subscription free from here: http://www.thecmuwebsite.com/subscribe/

Next up on the EPM Podcast we welcome a man whose techno oozes soul and depth whilst his house has plenty of dirt under its fingernails, South Yorkshire’s finest - Carl Taylor. True to his techno and acid house roots, Carl’s podcast features some of the most exciting names in techno and house around as Mike Denhert, Shed, Orlando Voorn, Ben Sims, A Made Up Sound, Abe Duque, Detroit Grand Pubahs, Terrence Parker, Red Shape, Robert Hood, Paul Johnson, Quince and of course Carl himself get caught up in the Barnsley beat blender! This is straight up booty shaking, floor killer action.

Following July’s single release of ‘Perplexer/Violet’, which featured a remix from Orlando Voorn and November’s second single ‘Only U’ with re-workings provided by Mark Broom and Luis Martinez, Carl Taylor now releases his second studio album ‘True Faith’, this January.

Carl’s previous releases can be found on the likes of Bugged Out, F-Comm, Dust Science, Advanced and F1 Recordings, as well as his Warehouse Trax series, which has built him a reputation for delivering a range of techno from tougher, dirty edged, dancefloor beats to blissfully melodic tracks, yet always feature his signature depth and soulfulness. 

Tracklist EPM Podcast 29 - Carl Taylor

Orlando Voorn - ‘Flight 313’ - Orlando Voorn remix - Tribute to Aaron Carl - (Night Vision)
Shed - ‘Handle With Care’ - (Delsin)
Broadway and Wilson - ‘Dont Fight Love - (Farris Wheel)
Carl Taylor - ‘Good Vibrations’ - (unreleased)
Terrence Parker - ‘Loves Got Me High’ - (Seventh Sign)
Carl Taylor - ‘Onyx’ - (EPM)
Ben Sims - ‘Party Hardy’ - (Hardgroove)
Mike Dehnert - ‘Blattwerk’ (Delsin)
Abe Duque and Paris Black Fu ‘The Driver’ - (EPM)
Detroit Grand Pubahs ‘Sandwiches’ - Unsubcribe Remix - (Engineroom)
A Made Up Sound - ‘Rear Window’ - (Delsin)
Carl Taylor - ‘EC3’ - (EPM)
Lighter Thief - ‘Comeback’ - (Hardgroove)
Carl Taylor - ‘Only U’ - Mark Broom RMX - (EPM)
Carl Taylor - ‘Orbit’ - (EPM)
Carl Taylor - ‘Perplexer’ - Orlando Voorn RMX - (EPM)
RedShape ‘Future Shock’ - (Delsin)
Robert Hood - ‘Are You God’ - (M-Plant)
Robert Hood - ‘War In The Streets’ - (M-plant)
Quince Feat Paris Black Fu - ‘My life's Rhythm’ (Delsin) 
Carl Taylor & Paul Hunter ‘Bring It Back’ - (unreleased)
Carl Taylor - ‘Reflex’ - (unreleased)
Detroit Grand Pubahs ‘Sandwiches’ - Ben Sims '91 Revival Remix - (Engineroom)
Carl Taylor - ‘Fragment’ - (unreleased)
Carl Taylor - ‘Edge Of Forever’ - (EPM)
Paul Johnson - ‘Mysteries’  - Paul Johnson mix - (Farris wheel)
Carl Taylor & Paul Hunter - ‘Life’ - (unreleased)

www.epm-music.com. You can subscribe to all of EPM’s podcasts via iTunes.
Carl Taylor’s ‘True Faith’ album is available now in all good download stores.

For more information about EPM’s digital distribution and other services:
http://www.epm-music.com/digital-distribution/why-epm.html

Q&A with Carl Taylor

1. Please give us a quick walk through your selection. Why did you choose these tracks for the mix?

I usually select tracks that say something to me. I like a variety of mood and energy level (as well as style) as I’m a big believer in set dynamics. Also, I'm not afraid to play older tracks along side brand new music. I think the selection reflects this ethos and hopefully people will appreciate the variety. 

2. You once stated: “thinking too much often kills the art - which then reduces it to a refinement of over consideration and reflection.” Does this mean that you are always trying to capture the ‘moment’ live in the studio?

Yeah exactly. When I was younger I used to get obsessed with things that didn't matter. Don't get me wrong, I can appreciate attention to detail; but I noticed a positive difference when I went back to Jamming sequences live on the MPC instead of spending ages drawing automation curves and moving dots / blocks around on the computer screen. It was common for me to change elements a ridiculous amount, and then Id mix a track over and over again… after all that I still wouldn't be happy. A recipe for madness in my book. All I can say is the less I think about what I'm doing, the more I enjoy it. Follow your instinct. 

3. Your second studio album has just been released on EPM. Is ‘True Faith’ about your conviction in electronic music or belief in yourself to continue producing music?

There is definitely an element of both. I would define what I do as a labour of love, it’s certainly no 'get rich quick scheme' that’s for sure. Certain sectors of dance music are obsessed with trends; I love new music as much as the next man; but my creative motive is purely musical and nothing else. Music can become polluted by many factors: I guess I'm a hopeless romantic at heart. 

4. In a recent studio interview with Music Radar you appear to favour hardware over software in most of your production. Do you find that is because it gives you a spontaneity of purpose that looking at a screen may lack?

Yeah you've hit the nail on the head. Though actually I'm about 50/50 with time spent on either platform. But the one thing I notice is that: it’s virtually impossible to get out of analytical mode when using the computer. The visual input stimulates my brain and inhibits my creative flow at times. I can make a full track on the MPC in anything from 30mins to 3/4 hrs. The lack of options on the MPC, and the dedicated interface give it the upper hand in many situations. 

My ultimate studio would be fully hardware with one knob / slider per function. Though practicality and realism have to come into the equation. For example: to get a hardware version of Native Instruments 'Massive' synth (with that level of modularity) would take up a ridiculous amount of room and cost a fortune. 

Having said all that, there are tasks that the computer is far better at. Editing audio being one of them. Also, when I want to get REALLY geeky, MaxMSP / Reaktor is like a sound designers dream. 

5. What plans do you have for your Warehouse Trax series that has already seen a brace of EPs released on Dust Science?

Ive got around 12 Warehouse Trax ready to go. Also, I plan to keep making them as I love the process. They are the antithesis of my more melodic output: noisy and often nasty.

6. Who would play Carl Taylor in ‘Carl Taylor – The Movie’?

Ive been compared to Karl Pilkington and even Alan Partridge… so take your pick!

7. What plans do you currently have outside of music production?

I’m finishing a MSc in Music Tech at the moment, and I'm also learning iPhone programming which I really enjoy. Other than that, I’m not sure really... I just make it up as I go along. 

8. On your new album is the track ‘Orbit’ a homage to the legendary Leeds techno club?

Id love to say yes, but I only went a couple of times toward the end of its life. It was probably in my head subconsciously when I named it though. 

9. You recently played a live set for your album launch party at Ginglik in London. How did that go?

Yeah I really enjoyed it, nice little club and the crowd and staff were really friendly. It was nice to get the live set on the road. It had been 6 months in the making, and I was pleased to see it go down well. 

10. Please give us your top 10 all-time favourite Acid House tracks:
(In no order)

Phuture - 'Acid Trax'
Hardfloor - 'Acperience'
A Guy Called Gerald - 'Voodoo Ray'
LFO - 'Freak'
Andy Vaz - 'Bygone Times' (Trusme Remix)
Adonis - No Way Back
Fast Eddie - 'Acid Thunder (Fast Thunder)' 
Steve Poindexter - 'Computer Madness'
Dj Pierre - 'Box Energy'
Sleazy D - 'I’ve Lost Control'

Carl Taylor "True Faith" album preview by epm-music

Following July’s single release of ‘Perplexer/Violet’, which featured a remix from Orlando Voorn and November’s second single ‘Only U’ with re-workings provided by Mark Broom and Luis Martinez, Carl Taylor now releases his second studio album ‘True Faith’ in the new year.

Carl’s previous releases can be found on the likes of Bugged Out, F-Comm, Dust Science, Advanced and F1 Recordings, as well as his Warehouse Trax series, which has built him a reputation for delivering a range of techno from tougher, dirty edged, dancefloor beats to blissfully melodic tracks, yet always feature his signature depth and soulfulness.

“Everyone is an expert nowadays telling you how things should be done. In the quest for acceptance and reward people often conform. Many producers today are taking a uniform approach that leaves me cold.”

This mass quest for the 'perfect' approach to making music seems to have railroaded lots of people into an insecure state of mind. Also, electronic music can often be accused of being sterile and lacking in personality, as the connection between idea and output becomes looser.

“Each track was sequenced on the MPC with arrangements created live to keep analysis to a minimum. For me, thinking too much often kills the art - which then reduces it to a refinement of over consideration and reflection. I feel this is inferior to the burst of emotion and rapid thought that comes with an initial idea. Ultimately I want the listener to hear as much of me as possible, not the machines.”

Musically the album shows diversity. The dance floor is represented heavily with 'Lost Memories', 'Orbit' and 'Onyx' leading the charge with that all-important funk left intact. Tracks like ‘Only U’, ‘Edge of Forever’ and 'Violet' tear back the layers and reveal the passion and evident love of the art that underpins the albums ethos.

“Overall I wanted to try and recreate the production vibe from when I was a teenager. The naivety, adventure and excitement of discovering how to make music. This to me, is the ultimate reward.”

www.carltaylor.net

www.epm-music.com

Tracklist:

1. Lost Memories

2. Only U

3. Edge of Forever

4. Onyx

5. Chordal Link

6. Guiding Light

7. Perplexer

8. Orbit

9. EC3

10. Violet

 

Following the Godfather of techno, Juan Atkins’ Podcast EPM book-end their 10^th year with a special EPM 10 mix from Oliver Way. Showcasing all the artists featured exclusively on this year’s EPM 10 compilation we get new electronic funk, techno punch, house majesty and electro evangelism from such esteemed artists as Alexander Robotnick, Dirt Crew, Marco Passarani, Marius, Robert Hood, Orlando Voorn, James Ruskin, Mark Broom, Sandwell District, Detroit Grand Pubahs, Radioactive Man and Billy Nasty.

Here’s to the next 10 years…!

 

Tracklist

1. Marius "Jet Set"

2. Dirt Crew "The Sound"

3. Analog Fingerprints "Sick Bam Stab"

4. RadioNasty "Radio 3"

5. Mark Broom & James Ruskin "Merz"

6. Sandwell District "Live In Berlin"

7. Alexander Robotnick "Running About"

8. Floorplan "Move It"

9. Orlando Voorn "Wiggle"

10. Detroit Grand Pubahs "Civil War 2013"

 

www.epm-music.com

You can subscribe to all of EPM’s podcasts via iTunes. EPM 10 is available on all main download stores & streaming services

For more information about EPM’s digital distribution and other services:

http://www.epm-music.com/digital-distribution/why-epm.html

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q&A with EPM’s Oliver Way, Melle Boels & Jonas Stone

1. EPM 10 marks ten years in the music business for EPM. Whats the secret to making it this far?

Jonas: It’s been tough and there have been times when we nearly didn’t make it if I’m honest. We’ve seen a lot of changes in the music business since we started and a lot of good people and labels have fallen by. A big change for us was when Melle Boels came on board and had the vision in 2003 to set up EPM as a digital distribution company. That side has built up over the years to become our core business. Melle has really driven the company in that respect and deserves every credit into turning EPM into a company with a global vision and reach as we now have offices in London, Maastricht and Berlin. Finally after 10 years we feel that we are in a really strong position which is why we have also set up our own label and rights management / publishing side to the business.

 

2. How did EPM start?

Jonas: I worked with Oliver Way at Phuturetrax and by January 2001 we decided to set up our own thing with myself running the PR side and Oliver handling DJ bookings and artist management. Oliver was already representing artists like Freddy Fresh, Frankie Bones, Robert Hood and other DJs and I was doing PR for labels like Tresor, Eskimo, Music Man, Novamute and events such as Dedbeat and Homelands. There was no other plan other than doing it for ourselves and working with artists and labels we wanted to work with. It was great to be able to steer our own ship and take more control of our own destiny.

3. EPM 10 features very highly respected artists across the fields of techno, house, electro and electronica. How did you persuade them to come on board?

Oliver: We approached producers that we work with closely, and of course like their music.  We persuaded them as they were willing to show the support for EPM, as we have given them over the years. There are so many others we would have liked to have had tracks from but we wanted to keep it to 10 tracks from 10 artist to represent the 10 years.  We also wanted to cover as many styles of dance music on the compilation as possible we managed to get house, techno, electro and some of their sub genres.

 

4. What's changed in 10 years of promoting music?

Jonas: Well the answer pretty much hinges on one word – digital! The digital revolution has changed the game in almost every aspect. From promotion to sales, DJing and live shows technology has been the driving force of change. We are still adapting to the on going changes and that’s what you have to do to survive. The geek have inherited the earth! The lead in times for club and radio promo have shortened, piracy is a major issue for every label and we live in a very immediate society where people want to read and then click and listen/buy, There are still a lot of underlying aspects that remain the same like building up good contacts, pitching features and so on. Also everything is done by email, hardly anyone speaks on the phone these days but that personal contact is still important.

5. What plans do you have for the EPM label in 2012?

Oliver: We have 5 new albums already scheduled from Kristian Heikkla (one half of Kristian & Christian from Thomas Heckman’s AFU label), The Third Man (who has also recorded for Kirk Degiorgio’s label A.R.T and Ai), Paul Mac (Stimulus & Hardgroove), plus a new album project from Lee J Malcolm called “Terrestial”. There is also a new single from Carl Taylor and his imminent new album ‘True Faith’ coming in January. Besides that I am working with Luis Martinez on his debut album. Not sure if we can get that all out for 2012 but there is so much great music coming in.

6. How did the EPM 10 parties go this year?

Jonas: The 10^th birthday party at Fabric in February was one of the highlights of my life. To be able to celebrate that milestone with Robert Hood, Orlando Voorn, the Detroit Grand Pubahs and Kone-R packing out Room 2 in the best club in the world was mind-blowing. I remember half way through the night realizing I was grinning from ear to ear. I almost had to pinch myself, it was a real dream come true. One of life’s pure gold moments, I will never forget it.

Oliver: The Panorama Bar was also, hhmm….epic J  An incredible night / day with Robert Hood doing a special set under his Floorplan moniker, Marco Passarani and Orlando Voorn.  Anyone that’s been to Berghain / Panorama Bar will know how special that place is, and to have your own room in there was something dreams are made of (for me anyway), lots of people we work with and friends came out to support us.  Then of course there were the 2 conferences with Sonar & the Amsterdam Dance Event.  During Sonar we had the club Nitsa with RadioNasty (Radioactive Man & Billy Nasty) doing their first ever set, plus the double album launch with Robert Hood’s “Omega: Alive” album and our own debut album on EPM Music “Folded Spaces” by Lee J Malcolm who played live that evening.  Again a very special night and a very special location.  I love going to Nitsa, there is always such a fantastic atmosphere in there.  Barcelona is my favourite city and to get to do a party in one of my favourite clubs is something I feel very lucky to have done.

Finally this year was a small event at a bar called House of Rising in the centre of Amsterdam during ADE when we hooked up with one of the labels we distribute & publish, Bullet:Dodge Records, to put on an eventful evening with Vince Watson, myself and Paris doing a Detroit Grand Pubahs DJ set + Gareth Whitehead & My Evil Twiin doing a back to back DJ set.

 

7. When are you going to get a proper job? (Oliver’s mum)

Oliver: What’s a proper job?  I have been doing this music business game now since I was 16 when I started out working in a record shop called Bass Box in Buckhurst Hill, Essex.  Never done anything else for me this is not a job, it is a career and lucky enough to have a career in something that is also my passion, music.

 

8. How has the digital distribution side of EPM developed over the last 10 years?

Melle: When we started out in 2003 the hardest part was to convince old-school labels that digital was here to stay. Most labels just signed with us because they trusted us and because they felt that signing a contract for digital didn’t mean anything anyway.

Since then it has become evident that digital is a format that is the future of the music industry. But then, if you ask me again tomorrow I might say the exact opposite. Because this has always been a bit like a rollercoaster ride, what’s true today might not mean anything tomorrow. It has been interesting to see so many different players come to this market since, offering new models. Unfortunately many of these have not made it and left already. That’s what makes for a constant challenge to make the right decisions in which models to fully support and which ones to leave alone.

As an independent company we have the big advantage to be flexible and adapt to new scenarios quickly, which I believe is an absolute must when working in such a fast changing market. It is this constant state of flux which has really defined the digital industry over the last ten years. As it continues to evolve so do we as a company and that is one of the biggest challenges we continue to face as new technology and new models come into play.

9. EPM now has a rights management and publishing division. Is this part of a ‘360 Degree’ strategy?

Oliver: Yes, it actually ties in well with the digital distribution since we know the exact figures of online sales so we know how much MCPS the stores would be paying on a label / artist we distribute and publish, we have an inside edge. 
The radio promotion service we offer ties in perfectly for publishing as the radio plays we get translates to public performance income. Besides that I have carried out a number of sync licenses over the years and it was something I have been thinking about developing as a service at EPM for years.  With publishing we can now start to develop this.  We already had our first sync with a track by Domgue from the Detroit Grand Pubahs titled “So Bale”, which was used in a recent episode of CSI: Las Vegas.

10. Please give us your all-time favourite releases from the EPM 10 featured artists:

Alexander Robotnick – “Dance Boy Dance”

Detroit Grand Pubahs – “Skydive From Venus”

Robert Hood – “Nighttime” (taken from Nighttime World 1)

Analog Fingerprints / Marco Passarani – “I House U”

Marius – "Disco Drummer"

Dirt Crew – “Rok da House”

Sandwell District – “Falling The Same Way (Reality Or Nothing Extended)”

Radioactive Man - “Goodnight Morton”

Billy Nasty – "The Well Served Event" w/ Gregor Thresher

Mark Broom – “Birmingham” (Rue East)

James Ruskin – “The Divide”

Orlando Voorn – “Tone Exploitation” (as Nighttripper)

For the first time ever in the UK an ISP has been ordered to block a file sharing website solely based on copyright infridgement.

BT was given 14 days to block the Newzbin2 website accused of promoting illegal filesharing by Hollywood studios, in the first high court ruling of its kind under UK copyright law.

This may have been for movie file sharing but the court ruling can now be used in cases for music copyright infridgment.

For more information visit The Guardian newspaper website at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/oct/26/bt-block-newzbin2-filesharing-site

Following Phil Weeks Parisien house master class we now welcome a true techno legend in every sense of the word. Ladies and Gentlemen – the godfather himself – Mr. Juan Atkins. The man behind Model 500 and Metroplex this time gets to grips with the EPM digital catalogue as we find Robert Hood, Ben Sims, Slam, Martyn Hare, Pig & Dan, Carl Taylor and Ukkonen all fighting it out on the floor. As energetic as his own futuristic vision of electronic funk the EPM’s new podcast is packed with plenty of techno punch.

At the dawn of the 1980s, Juan Atkins began recording what stands as perhaps the most influential body of work in the field of techno. Exploring his vision of a futuristic music which welded the more cosmic side of Parliament funk with rigid computer synth-pop embodied by Kraftwerk and the techno-futurist possibilities described by sociologist Alvin Toffler (author of The Third Wave and Future Shock), Atkins blurred his name behind aliases such as Cybotron, Model 500 and Infiniti — all, except for Cybotron, comprised solely of himself — to release many classics of sublime Detroit techno.

And though it's often difficult (and misleading) to pick the precise genesis for any style of music, the easiest choice for techno is an Atkins release, the 1981 electro track "Clear," recorded by Atkins and Rick Davis as Cybotron. He soon left the progressively album-oriented Cybotron to begin working alone, and released his most seminal material from 1985 to 1989 as Model 500. And while fellow Detroit legends Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May were known for their erratic output during the following decade, Atkins recorded much more during the 1990s than he had during the 80s, soaking up new rhythmic elements from contemporary dance music but keeping his unerring, instantly recognizable sense of melody intact throughout.

As the electronic scene began looking back to the past to find musical innovators, Atkins was a name much-discussed and -anthologized, hailed as the godfather of techno. Atkins continued recording during this time, and the period from 1985 to 1987 proved to be his most influential period. He founded his own label, Metroplex Records, in 1985 and recorded his first single as Model 500, "No UFO's."  Later Metroplex singles like "Night Drive," "Interference" and "The Chase" also sold well and set the template for Detroit techno; moody and sublime machine music, inspired by the drone of automated factories and trips down the I-96 freeway late at night.

Later the Belgian R&S label began releasing stellar work by a cast of techno inheritors including New Yorker Joey Beltram and Europeans C.J. Bolland and Speedy J. By 1993, Berlin's Tresor Records had picked up the baton as well, issuing American projects by second-wave Detroit producers Underground Resistance (as X-101), Jeff Mills, Blake Baxter and Eddie Fowlkes.

Finally, in mid-1995, R&S released the debut Model 500 album, Deep Space; more importantly, the label also released Classics, a crucial compilation of Model 500's best Metroplex singles output. Another retrospective, Tresor's Infiniti Collection, traced Atkins' work as Infiniti, recorded from 1991 to 1994 for a variety of labels including Metroplex and Chicago's Radikal Fear.

Now Atkins stands as a colossus in electronic innovation. His newly re-launched Metroplex has just released its first new single in years and Model 500 is back with a bang with last year’s ‘OFI’ single on the revitalised R&S imprint with new single ‘Control’ due shortly in 2012. With Juan firmly backing in the driving seat, as ever leading from the front, what better way to celebrate the return of Model 500 than EPM’s brand new podcast…

Tracklist:

1. Ben Sims "Dubs 3" (Hardgroove)

2. Floorplan "Move It" (M-Plant)

3. Ben Sims "Gotta Have House'" (Hardgroove)

4. Ben Sims "Reject (Paul Mac Re-edit)" (Hardgroove)

5. Reblok "Milf" (Silicon Records)

6. Martyn Hare "Spank Me Harder" (Tremors)

7. Robert Hood "The Family" (M-Plant)

8. Carl Taylor "Perplexer (Orlando Voorn remix)" (EPM Music)

9. Robert Hood "Unix: Alive" (M-Plant)

10. Slam "Metro Noir" (Paragraph)

11. Ben Sims "Welcome To The Club"  (Hardgroove)

12. Martyn Hare "Riffarama" (Tremors)

13. The Subdermic "Electric Cabaret" (Rolf Mulder Remix) (The Public Stand)

14. Martyn Hare "Numb" (Tremors)

15. Martyn Hare "Error" (Tremors)

16. Martyn Hare "Quantum" (Tremors)

17. Pig & Dan feat Dean Demanuele "Tears Of A Clown" (Techno Therapy)

All tracks are distributed by EPM.  You can subscribe to all of EPM’s podcasts via iTunes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q&A with Juan Atkins

1. Please give us a quick walk through your selection. Why did you choose these tracks for the mix?

 

It was stipulated that the tracks should be EPM distributed tracks, they weren’t all ones that I had but these ones in the mix are now definitely in my box! In fact I didn’t know who a lot were as they were just listed as numbers on the files and I just picked out the ones I liked upon listening. Some like Rob Hood I new right away though.

 

2. Its now thirty years since your first release as Cybotron ‘Alleys of Your Mind’ came out in 1981. Can you still remember the time you first heard Electrifyin’ Mojo play it on the radio? Did you think that you would still be doing this 30 years later on?

Yeah man, it was one of those moments in life – a plateau moment! As I was in High School I had this dream of making music and getting played on Mojo, it was the confirmation of the dream coming true. I didn’t give it much more thought at the time. I was 16 or 17 when that record first came out. I liked to think that I had a long musical life ahead of me but now I think I’ll be making music until the day I die.

3. Whilst you have inspired and helped many Detroit producers to make the first steps into making electronic music who were in fact the people that inspired and mentored you?

 

I didn’t have any big brothers to show me things as I was the eldest. My father has been incarcerated for almost most of my life so I didn’t get any mentoring from him. I had a big crush on Donna Summer when I was young and her producer was Giorgio Moroder and I therefore really got into his music. I used to read the equipment lists on the back of his album covers and I even learned data processing which had nothing to do with sequencing music – because it was mentioned on his album. I bought the MSQ 100 which was one of the first sequencers generally available. I had a Korg MS10 and a few other bits of equipment. Then I met Rik Davis (Juan’s partner in Cybotron) who had loads of gear like a DR-55 (a Roland Drum machine). It only had 10 pre-set rhythms but it got us started.

 

4. Model 500 is back on a rejuvenated R&S, with the rampaging mutant funk of last year’s ‘OFI’. What plans do you currently have for Model 500?

Right now there’s a new single coming called ‘Control’. It’s finished and will probably come out in January 2012. I’m also in the process of working on more Model 500 material which will eventually lead to an album.

5. You are often called the ‘godfather of techno’ but does being so closely entwined with the genesis of a genre actually creatively hold you back? For example, due to other people’s perceived expectations of what you should or shouldn’t play?

It doesn’t hold me back as I play what I like but there are a lot of places I haven’t been because of that title. If you have heard one of my DJ sets you would know that I just don’t play techno. I’m a music lover and play all kinds of music. But yes sometimes people do have preconceptions of what my next record should sound like.

6. As part of the Deep Space family alongside Kevin Saunderson and Derrick May you established the Music Institute club in downtown Detroit – which to this day remains shrouded in myth and legend. If you had to pick out one personal highlight from those nights, what would it be?

I guess for me it would be the nights that I played. Derrick and D-Wynn were residents and myself and Kevin played occasionally as guests so those were special moments. I would have loved to have been there when New Order came to town but I was away DJing that weekend.

 

7. Many of your releases have had a sci-fi or futuristic theme. Does sci-fi still play a big part in your life?

Yes for sure. There’s not a lot of good sci-fi stuff around right now but I’m still infatuated with the limitless side of space. ‘Lost in Space’, ‘Twlight Zone’ and ‘Outer Limits’ were all TV series that I grew up with. It wasn’t always about outer space but they all dealt with science fiction themes that were off of the realm of reality.

 

8. What is the current status of Metroplex?

Right now we just re-launched. We have a new release from Kimyon from New York who is also a painting artist. The next one will be the ‘Infiniti’ remixes project. The plan is to do a joint Metroplex / Tresor release. We’ve already got confirmation from a few people like Shake (Anthony Shakir) and Thomas Fehlmann and we’re looking forward to it.

9. When the history books are written (and indeed many have been) you are widely acknowledged as the man who invented techno - a style of music that has reached all four corners of the world and given joy to millions of people. That’s gotta feel good right?

 

Oh yes, but with that comes a lot responsibility. A lot of times I try to think like I’m just making my first track so I can clear my mind of expectations of other people. I have to let my mind go away from all of that. I come from an era where the DJs priority was to please the crowd. Before this international DJ thing happened no one cared about the DJ. So pleasing the crowd was your job and I still carry that with me wherever I play. I still have the ideal that my primary job is to please the crowd rather than preaching techno.

10. Please give us your top 5 pre-Detroit techno classics:

 

1. Kraftwerk – Pocket Calculator

2. Funkadelic– One Nation Under A Groove

3. Parliament – Flashlight

4. Donna Summer – I Feel Love

5. Kraftwerk – We Are The Robots

ARTIST: CARL TAYLOR

TITLE: ONLY U

CAT. NO: EPM013

RELEASED: 14 NOVEMBER 2011

TRACK LISTING:

1. ONLY U

2. ONLY U - MARK BROOM REMIX

3. ONLY U - LUIS MARTINEZ REMIX

 

Carl Taylor "Only U" (EPM Music) previews by epm-music

The second track taken from Carl Taylor’s forthcoming album follows July’s single release of ‘Perplexer/Violet’, which featured a remix from Orlando Voorn.  Continuing the journey ‘Only U’ is released on 14 November with re-workings provided by Mark Broom and Luis Martinez.

Carl’s previous releases can be found on the likes of Bugged Out, F-Comm, Dust Science, Advanced and F1 Recordings, as well as his Warehouse Trax series, which has built him a reputation for delivering a range of techno from tougher dancefloor beats to blissfully melodic tracks, that always feature his signature depth and soulfulness.  With ‘Only U’ Carl explores this deeper side giving us gorgeous synth work, a stylish groove and sublime melody, for this considered track.

Since the start of the 90s, former East Londoner now Norfolk based Mark Broom has been a name that is synonymous with the UK electronic music scene.  A truly prolific artist, he has a myriad of production credits to his name having worked with world-renowned labels such as Mo-Wax, Warp, R&S, Soma, Ifach, BPitch Control, Platzhirsch, Rotary Cocktail, Material and 2020Vision.  Stripping ‘Only U’ back to its techno fundamentals, the beardman delivers a slamming peak-time alternative that begs to be heard on a big system.

Hailing from New York, Luis Martinez releases on Monsta Recordings, which he also runs.  Starting out as a DJ in 1985, Luis's reputation grew and he soon found himself playing at legendary clubs like the Palladium and Limelight alongside such luminaries as Frankie Bones, Onionz, Lil' Louie Vega, Junior Vasquez and Danny Tenaglia.  He later became a resident at the Long Island club and label, Caffeine where he further developed his sound.  Now living in Tampa Bay, Luis run his studios and label, but most evenings you can still find him DJing somewhere.  A fact that is evident on his remix of ‘Only U’, as Luis turns in a clubby rendition with a tough house twist.

Carl Taylor’s album ‘True Faith’ is released in December.

ARTIST: ABE DUQUE & PARIS THE BLACK FU

TITLE: THE DRIVER / 9MM MONK

CAT. NO: EPM12

RELEASED: 17 OCTOBER 2011

TRACK LISTING:

1. THE DRIVER

2. 9MM MONK

 

Abe Duque & Paris the Black Fu "The Driver / 9MM Monk" (EPM Music) by epm-music

 

Abe Duque joins forces with Paris the Black Fu from Detroit Grand Pubahs, for our next release on EPM Music.

Abe Duque (pronounced “Du-kay”) has been at the head of the acid-house and underground techno table since his earliest releases back in ‘93.  His first tracks were influenced by his time at New York's notorious Limelight.  From muscular and melodic techno to cocktail jazz and ambient, early tracks appeared on his own Tension and Hollis Haus as well as Disko B, Rapture!, Morbid and Tresor.  Duque has delivered hugely successful remixes of acts like the Chemical Brothers and Pet Shop Boys while continuing to work right across the techno world, more recently with releases on Gigolo, Process and the self-titled Abe Duque Records.

Meanwhile, as Detroit Grand Pubahs gear up for a new era (watch this space!), their founding member Paris the Black Fu aka Mack Goudy Jr. lays down the mic but keeps his studio hat on, to make this special appearance.

Abe Duque is also no stranger to collaborations, from his Abuse Industries club and music project with Andy Orel to the monster smash ‘What Happened’ with Blake Baxter.

Now Abe and Paris fuse their skills, and it should come as no surprise that the meeting of these musical minds would deliver this quality double-header.  From the aptly titled ‘The Driver’; it’s a relentless dancefloor ride, to the hard-funk bassline and acidic overtones of ‘9MM Monk’; both these slamming tracks pack a punch.

ARTIST: VARIOUS

TITLE: EPM SELECTS: KNE’ DEEP

CATALOGUE NO: EPM11

RELEASED: 18 JULY 2011

Following on from EPM selects ‘Chicago House’ which also features DJ Rush, we now welcome a new ‘Selects’ compilation, this time focussing on the Chicago techno don’s own ‘Kne’ Deep’ imprint.

This year, Kne' Deep celebrates its tenth anniversary. Over the last decade, it has made quite an impact. The artists within the agency have all left their mark on the electronic music scene – manifesting not only, that harder techno appeals to a wide audience, but that you can build something lasting with the right kind of attitude. The people involved in Kne'Deep are united by more than just their love of music. They are joined by the notion, that unity and an open mind can conquer all. That’s why Kne'Deep is more than an agency; it’s a family affair.

Showcasing the label’s unmistakable tough techno style, the compilation features the likes of DJ Arcane, Sam Silva, Patrick DSP, Huma-Noyd, DJ Bold, Tomash Gee, Subsonic, Alex Kvitta, DJ Emme and exclusive tracks from Rush himself, ‘EPM Selects: Kne' Deep’ is a timely reminder of just how far Rush and the label have come ahead of their Kne’ Deep Tent @ Tomorrowland Festival in Belgium (22 – 24 July).

Chicago born Isaiah Major (aka Dj Rush) is an amusing and bizarre entertainer. In his early life and career Rush finished his degree in Computer Operations and won several first place awards in Art competitions. Leaving all that behind Rush made his way in the Dj business and his way to Berlin, Germany where his career kicked off into high gear. Not only have his Dj skills and music selection moved and impressed fans all over the globe, his songs have made such a big impact on the dance scene with "Mutha Fucking Bass", "Get On Up", "I Believe" and the list goes on and on.

Conquering so many clubs and events across Europe and gaining so much respect, Rush had a chance to host his own tents at Tomorrowland (Belgium), Dance Valley (Netherlands), Summer Spirit (Germany), and his own Electronic Festivals with Friends at Mystery Wonderland (Germany & Austria). Being such a killing machine, speaker beater and bass cranker, Rush likes to leave his fans and supporters minds and bodies tingling after each set, wanting more, more, more and more. But you don't always get the typical Hard side of Rush; Rush combines all styles of music he loves, from Jazz, Disco, Funk and Soul to make the events more interesting and keep the people on their toes. Sometimes dressing up to show his alias ‚Russian Roulette’ Rush is just as much an entertainer as a DJ.

EPM Selects: Kne’ Deep brings us up to speed with where Rush and his label currently find themselves. No messing, hard-hitting, body-jacking techno.

Kne Deep Compilation Tracks

1. Pet Duo  - Loading Procedure

2. Bernd Isaac  - Rush my Body

3. Sutura  - Horror Show

4. Alex Kvitta - Undersiege

5. Subsonic - African Soul

6. Tomash Gee – Rocker

7. Lexis - Silent Noizz

8. DJ Arcane - Back to the roots

9. DJ Bold - Worldism (3headzahead remix)

10. Frank Kvitta – Unstoppable

11. South - Uruk Hai

12. Sam Silva - Dirty Hands

13. Bruce - Fight Every day

14. Motormorfoses - Dynamic Limits

15. DJ Emme - Tornado

16. Huma-Noyd - Selektor

17. Patrick DSP - 2.3

18. DJ Rush - Let Your Body Talk

19. DJ Rush - Love Attack (Version 2)

20. DJ Rush - Snap

21. DJ Rush - I Believe (Bruce Remix)