Thursday, June 28, 2007

Home Parties present A Sublime Sticker Party (Sat, 30/6)

Home Parties present A Sublime Sticker Party (Sat, 30/6)



Entry & Drink Promotions:

Before 11PM: $12.00 (including first drink.)
After 11PM: $15.00 (including first drink.)

$99.00 per Housepour Bottle and 1 for 1 from 9pm to 12am

"We give you the stickers, you do the sticking!"

Home Parties and Rockstar Collective presents a unique Sticker Party. Featuring a collection of bands and DJs from both the Rockstar Collective and Sublime camp, we give you the very best of independent rock and dance music. The live line up starts off with Monofone, onto the destructive trio of Destroy All Monsters and then a Bushmen's side project by the name of Flow. Afterwards, the very cream of the crop of indie DJs come to take helm of the controls with Doopz and Slantboy (Amanda and Desmond from Electrico) bringing in a more dance orientated event as we come closer to midnight. Sham from the infamous band Plain Sunset will also be playing as well as z:itch, an established player in the indie electro scene, also know as Zaidi and behind the now current Hang the DJ. This is no joke this is an indie party made especially for the headz. To the end of the night Sublime take control and even later on we show a special preview of future collaborators of Hang the DJ: Deck Slutz. This is what you do: get stickin' with our unique stickers. Stick 'em wherever you can. Your friend's ass or even a strangers, we'll leave it up to your imagination.

A Sublime Saturday


Saturday saw a collection of some of Singapore's oldest and most underrated house and techno DJs provide sessions which were nothing less than Sublime. Reaching the outskirts of this often overlooked yet fundamental genre of electronic dance music, each DJ, or team of, wove a seamless set to the pleasure of tapping toes, pumping elbows, bouncing knees and gyrating hips. A dance floor full enough to feel it yet not too claustrophobic to really move was at the helm of those who lapped it up.

I salute all of those who had a truly good time without second guessing what they were doing or where they were. These are the good times which still are and always will be, make a choice, be part of an event that holds more to heart than the wallet, we (and that is the collective universal 'we' including both you and me) do it because we love it, not because everyone else is.

The night started off with one of the pioneers of Singapore's female DJ scene, Cherry from Pop My Cherry. With a collection of tunes and an ear that will make any respectful DJ drool, this lady has big ears for tunes that escape most on their first listen. A deep, dubby set with the occasional throw-in of funky latin beats created an appropriate backdrop for later painting on this canvas of 4/4 beats.


Moving on progressively, Kai and DJ Justin gave a lesson in absolutely seamless perfection as they mixed meticulously both beat and melody into a journey of an hour and half. Unforgivingly good in terms of phrasing and programming, these guys never fail to challenge you into deciding exactly when one track starts and the other finishes. No egos or fast fingers, this is how mixing was meant to be for a big dance floor or festival. These guys are possibly Singapore's best kept secret when it comes to progressive sounds minimal, house and techno.


Next up was Rafi. He is part of Singapore's leading forums 'Frontallabs' and no stranger to the scene of both Singapore and Melbourne. Heading for a more minimal approach than any of the previous DJs, he showed a filling floor why he has evolved more into a sound technician than DJ. Layering sample upon sample in constructed his set, he pieced together elements from respective tracks rather than going from the orthodox one track to the next, laying the final bricks of what was now the walls of a stronger than adequate 'house that jack built'. The roof was next to come...

Xzez swiftly slotted in after Rafi and methodically sped up the pace to a responsive floor that might well have been full of just knees, feet, elbows and fists. Surprising all with much more than his driving, percussive detroit tech, a good dose of left field electro also came out of his ever-growing-deeper bag of tricks. It has been a long time since I've seen this guy behind the wheels, and it is a shame really as he is both modest and intense, restrained yet incredibly quick. We hope more from this always impressive DJ soon.

Next up came Sublime DJs, loopinmotion, lock'n'groove and DJR. Keeping with the tempo and feeding off each others fire they brought a wide range of house and techno for the now full but-not-excessively-so dance floor. Taking over from xzez and tightly pushing it with tension that made anyone who wasn't on the floor think twice, loop played a set that was nothing less than driving. Comparable perhaps to something like a locomotive, he eased into his tracks, after which, taking full of their pitch and the effects unit, layering, cutting and dropping beats with a lucidity that only comes with experience. Lock'n'groove came up afterwards adding some flavour to the mix, from Dave Clarke, Laurent Garnier, Luke Slater and Current fave Redshape, he played from the back part of his collection, sending memories into the minds and moving shoes of those on the floor. DJR came in towards the end solidly pummeling out techno to electro which had the effect of keeping everyone, no matter how tired they were, moving incessantly. A master puppeteer, he kept each and everyone tied to a string, moving, feeling and loving every moment as we arrived into the later hours of the early morning.

A variety of classic tracks both old and new, Sublime DJs looked both at the past and present of Detroit, into the recent releases of Berlin but more so with a mix that would fuel a future global nation of dance. Singapore might be a small island but something special happened last Saturday. All quite idealistic I know but nonetheless, there was feeling in that floor, sense in that sound. Ask anyone who was there, people were above all getting down without preconceptions of who they were supposed to be or how exactly they were supposed to be dancing. Even those who were not dancing eagerly brought their chairs forward, closer, to those great speakers that hang in the sky.


A night without pretense and full of truth, a simple night in it's essence, through and through, simply Sublime.

Monday, June 25, 2007

Vinyl vs. Technology / Mixing vs. Effects



As the art of the DJ enters what is by far the highest pinnacle of its existence, I find myself asking exactly what the role of a DJ is? More specifically though, how does recent technological advancement effect the industry? Obviously there will be drastic changes and choices for both the aspiring and accomplished DJ to make. But these decisions will be up to each and every one of them.



While some have embraced the growth of technology within both hardware and software, others have become resistant to such change. Perhaps we could call them ‘Luddites’ of the dance music industry? Or perhaps the art of DJing is evolving into a form completely separated from that of what we used to know.



Others however, have been much more pragmatic, choosing what works best for them individually, whether this be during live performances or working in the studio. Whether you are a DJ or not, what are your views? Should we whole-heartedly embrace our ever-changing technological advancement within this art? Is there a limit to what we should accept and reject? I would love to hear responses from you guys before I post my own response. I look forward to hearing your views.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

Stassh Sessions @ HOME 31/05/2007

Our latest update for HOME's podcast is a Live recording from HOME where we hosted the latest Stassh Sessions.

Just click on the link below to hear it in your browser.

http://homeclubsg.podomatic.com/enclosure/2007-06-15T12_54_32-07_00.mp3

Enjoy. :)

Friday, June 15, 2007

Portraits from Beat 8/6

Pictures of YOU last Friday.

Big Benji and Elias. Big Smiles. :)


We believe in friendly bouncers!


I can see you Bang, but I'm looking somewhere else...


George looking might fly.


That is a big mouth, Mr. Twohill...


When Robin says "NO" she means it.


Hooray it's Friday! Joe Ng with Brian Eno.


hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmm ... you both are looking happy.


Beer at Beat!


Got any more photos events you want up on the website or blog, leave me a comment, we can get in contact and I will put them up.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Beat! presents Flower Power this Friday! 15/6


Beat! presents Flower Power this Friday! 15/6

We the children of the flower generation come together to
BEAT! global warming third world debt and crass capitalist clubs :)

come HOME dress HIPPIE!
flares tie dye flower print patchwork - cool hipsters get free entry and a drink

Join us together in love and peace this friday where the 60’s meets the 21st
century.

All you need is love.



An orchid: our national flower.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Game Axis Guitar Hero 2 Chamionship!


Game Axis offered a battle of epic proportions at our very own HOME as a console and single participants came together in a head to head to find out who came on top for the Guitar Hero 2 Championships. It resulted in a show down in three parts with 6 participants. As they went head to head they would leave only one to be the final champion showing his or her skill and agility to be unmatched. In the end it was Riyunoa who won.

After the winner was unquestionably decided for the Guitar Hero 2 face off, the event went into a more creative element whereby participants showcased their own interpretation of the sounds originated from video games.



The first participant, a HOME resident, gave insight into the influence computer game have on the sounds of drum and bass. Relentless in his approach, seamlessly mixing track to track, he brought together pieces to highlight sounds within the genre.


Next up was The Karl Maka, a group consisting of three elements, Ableton Live, a keyboard and an MC who bore a Darth Vader Mask. They definitely looked the part and continued with the sounds of super Mario hooked up to their keyboard, full of coin sounds and 1-ups. A slow rock synth ballad would be my description; they definitely took the cake for the most involved participants in more than just the musical sense.


Next up were Dracula, Guitar, Keyboards and a healthy attitude for horror video games. These guys dressed in a shiney red jacket with an overly sized collar and sequins. Their set involved high-speed guitar solos with fewer samples than the band that had previously performed. It was clear that Castlevania had influenced these guys. This was reaffirmed by the vocal sample at the end of their set.

Next Rueben Kee played along a keyboard to the sounds that he provided on a CD. He played with such flare and ferocity it was hard to tell exactly what was coming out from the cd and what was coming out from the keyboard.


Last but absolutely not least IKUMA who decided to plug in his old school gameboy created a technoish 4/4 sounding song with shakey hi hats, gameboy synth stabs and long notes only able to be produced but such a relic of our universal historic childhood. Truly a standout for his originality this was one act that took the crowd by storm.


At the end it was The Karl Maka with their track entitled ‘no more cheat codes’ with a much more social contextual aspect than the rest it applied to our daily lives and how nowadays there are no more cheats. IKUMAR came next with his out of the box instrument of the O.G. Gameboy we all grew up with. The last runner up and who could blame with the effort they put into their performance and costume was Dracula.

All in all I must say this was an unusual and insightful event for HOME club those who were involved and participated had a great time and spectators definitely learnt more than something just about simply music and video games, but the synthesis of the two. Hat’s off to Game Axis!

Friday, June 01, 2007

Castro live from Nu Era

Here is a set taken from Castro's set at Home's debut event Nu Era. Keep your eyes peeled for Castro at our next Rubbadubdub and resident and curator DJ Ming of Nu Era at the next one! Peace.



link : http://homeclubsg.podomatic.com/enclosure/2007-05-31T23_33_45-07_00.mp3