Dusty Crates

The beats are kickin. The bass is thump, thump, thumpin.

Your toes are tappin. The tempo starts to travel from your toes, up your leg and through your body.

Your heart is pumpin just a bit faster than the cut that’s playin right now. But all you hear is the next one cued up in your headphones.

You look up for a sec…yep…they’re still dancin. Now you’re starting to feel their heat. A beam of light shines in your eyes. The disco ball showers the dance floor with color.

OK, focus…

Levels? Check!

Beats are on…

Timin’s right…

All right, here we go…

When it comes to DJing, Austin’s DJ Mel always maintains that next level. His eclectic musical taste blends well with his masterful mixing. This DJ innovator pulls out classic gems and current tracks for awe-inspiring mixes each and every time. He programs sets from a vast collection of history’s recorded dance music. Plus, it helps when you’ve been Waterloo Record’s perennial music buyer for years.

Mel’s broad criss-crossing knowledge of music genres coupled with an unbelievable dexterity behind the decks has earned him numerous credits–Lollapalooza’s stage manager (2008), Scion “Free Your Mix” Finalist (2004) and Austin’s “Best DJ” four-times over!

But, I personally consider DJ Mel a “DJ’s DJ.” He happens to be one of my top favorite DJs of all time and, I’ll even admit, a source of inspiration for my threading musical taste in my DJ journey. But I’m not gonna discount that he still makes me shake my ass pon de floor.

Mel made his debut at The Lot (4212 Washington, 77007) with us last month in the H. It was one of the coldest weekends in Houston, but he brought some heat with him and set shit on fire. The response was tremendous!

So, I’m happy to announce that he’s back this month to DIRB! with us again! This Saturday, February 6th, get there early because traffic on Washington Ave. gets pretty heavy after 10 p.m. Parking can be spotty, but there’s valet available right out front of the Lot. There’s no cover and drink specials include our favorite Texas beer: Lone Star tall boys. I’ll be on deck to warm it up before Mel, but save me a spot on that dance floor as soon as he’s on!

Now, if that ain’t enough to get you out to see this man live in 3-D this Saturday night, push play on the video link to see what you missed last month. Or just download DJ Mel’s mixes and remixes at www.smellyone.blogspot.com.

DJ Mel Mixes

• DJ Mel – The Motel Mix
• DJ Mel – The Funky Terrier.
• DJ Mel – Live @ Nasty’s – 06.11.07.
• DJ Mel – Live On East Village Radio – 11.17.06.

For more details, RSVP: DJ MEL at The Lot, Feb 2010 (Facebook)

Let’s do it real big for the folks in need in Haiti.

Donations can be made with the following Haiti earthquake relief organizations:

* Artist Wyclef Jean’s Foundation, Yele Haiti- Text”Yele” to 501501 and $5 will be charged on your next phone bill and issued to the organization’ relief projects.

* Operation USA www.opusa.org 1-800-678-7255

* Mercy Corps 1-888-256-1900

Hope to see you at DIRB! RECESS tonight at Boondocks!

We’ll miss you…

DIRB! wherever you go.

<3 Mami

Free Birding it tonight at Boondocks (1417 Westheimer, 77006) tonight.

It’s gettin’ festive tonight, ho! Let’s go!

Tonight, Friday 12/11/09, the DIRB! Fam is live on MK Ultra Radio Show, KTRU’s only live electronic mix show in Houston since…oh, I’d say 1996.

After my webcast on Brick City House (ChicagoHouseFM.com) last week, we’re all doin’ it ol’ school and broadcasting live on the air waves.

Starting at 9pm, DJs on board to “bring the noise” are:

G.WIZZ
JEP
GRACIE CHAVEZ
TONIO
SQUINCY JONES

If you’re in the H, dial your radio knob into KTRU 91.7 FM. To give us BIG LOVE during the show, call in at 713-348-KTRU. Or, if you’re global, listen in at http://ktru.org/listen.shtml.

MK Ultra has a rotating staff of radio jocks, like DJ Great Scott, from Rice University each semester; many thanks to you guys for the invites each time, and also for keeping us on the ayre!

And Sandeep, I know you’re out there somewhere. Thanks for getting this show off the ground; It’s still goin’ strong here in the H. Holler at a girl if you’re still tuning in!

For more on the MK Ultra radio show, visit www.myspace.com/mkultrashow.

Check back for downloads and track listings, or go to our sister forum at www.subcrates.com for more rambling comments. Yep, yep!

Update: G.Wizz, Jep and I played on the radio for 3 hours. Thanks to Manny and Paul at KTRU’s MK Ultra for having us out. The cozy mix session was just perfect for a cold and rainy Friday night!

DIRB! Live on MK Ultra Radio (KTRU) 12/2009 (3-hour mix)

1st hour – G.WIZZ
2nd hour – JEP
3rd hour – GRACIE CHAVEZ

Gracie Chavez & Jep DIRB! on MK Ultra 12/2009 (zshare)

GRACIE CHAVEZ Track Listing

1. Heads Will Roll (A-Trak remix) – Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2. Right Hand High (Kingdom remix) – Kid Sister
3. Black & Blue (Savage Skulls remix) – Miike Snow
4. Kids (Soul Wax remix) – MGMT
5. Woz Not Woz (Dub mix) – Eryk Prydz & Steve Angello
6. Sweat on the Walls – John Tejada
7. Be Alone No More (Another Level) – Rip Groove
8. Spin Spin Sugar – Sneaker Pimps
9. Hold the Line (Golden Gloves Wobble & Shake remix) – Major Lazer
10. Animal (Fake Blood remix) – Miike Snow
11. Let You Go – Bounce Camp
12. Replacement Girl (Illo Bounce Edit) – Drake & Trey
13. Flashing Lights (Diplo remix) – Kanye West
14. I’m Here You’re There (MWG) – Ernest Gonzales
15. A Man’s World (Regrooved by Parker) – James Brown

Kid Sister’s debut album Ultraviolet that’s been in the works for a while (you’ll recognize a few of her previously released tracks) finally dropped today, Tuesday, the 17th through Fool’s Gold/Downtown Records.

Here’s the track list with all production credits:

1. ‘Right Hand Hi’ (prod. Steve Angello & Sebastian Ingrosso)
2. ‘Life On TV’ (prod. Yuksek)
3. ‘Big n Bad’ (prod. Hervé & Sinden)
4. ‘Step’ ft. Estelle (prod. Rusko)
5. ‘Let Me Bang 2009′ (prod. XXXChange)
6. ‘Pro Nails’ ft. KanYe West (prod. A-Trak)
7. ‘Daydreaming’ ft. Cee-Lo) (prod. Brian Kennedy)
8. ‘Switch Board’ ft. DJ Gant-Man) (prod. DJ Gant-Man)
9. ‘54321′ (prod. XXXChange)
10. ‘Get Fresh’ (prod. A-Trak + XXXChange)
11. ‘You Ain’t Really Down’ (prod. A-Trak)
12. ‘Control’ (prod. XXXChange)

Sadly, the rework of Queen Latifah’s fly girl classic, “Ladies First” that Kid Sister did with Estelle was removed. However, these fine ladies teamed up with one of Kanye’s back-up singers, Joi StarRR, to upgrade Treasure Finger’s original “Come True Tonight.” Their remix, “Tonight,” will be featured on Joi StaRR’s upcoming album.

Tonight – Joi StaRR feat. Kid Sister & Estelle (zshare)

Right Hand Hi (Kingdom remix) – Kid Sister (zshare)

RHH (GreenMoney remix) – Kid Sis (zippy) <– just added!

Meanwhile, check out her ultra hot new video above for “Right Hand Hi,” the 3rd official single off the album. It was directed by Sarah Chatfield.

We here at DustyCrates are digging the underground sounds of London and all the ways that 2-step, garage and UK funky is intermingling with dubstep, house and other genres. One of those newer sounds on the scene is known as “funky” and it’s highlighted by hard-hitting, syncopated drum beats and upfront percussion.

But all along in Houston, it’s been the Lamborghini Crew who have been driving us in that direction with DJs Brad Slack (aka Bugatti) and Vince Garcia (aka Maserati) riding shotgun. They’re joining fellow DJ Antonio and I this Friday night, October 23, for our 2nd DIRB! RECESS at Boondocks (1417 Westheimer, 77006).

I caught up with Bugatti for a quick 5 ON IT Q&A and this is how he broke it down:

DustyCrates: How did Lamborghini Crew come about and who’s a card-carrying member?
Bugatti: Basically, a few of the guys like Shawn (Vishnu) and Vince (Criminal V), were playin’ 2-step and pushin’ that sound back in the day (early 2000). They joked about starting a Lamborghini crew; you know how silly Vince is. Well, I was there one time when they were talkin’ about it and loved the idea. So when we started gettin’ back into this (2-step, UKG) sound, I told him we should revive that.

Now the members are: Vicente Garcia a.k.a. Maserati; Brad Slack a.k.a. Bugatti; Dwayne Turner a.k.a. Bimmer; Shawn Jimenez a.k.a. Aston Martin; Michael Davila a.k.a. Cadillac; Ryan Boland a.k.a. Bentley; and Steve Swift a.k.a. Rolls Royce.

DC: What other forms of music were you involved with before?
B: DJ wise, it has been jungle/drum & bass, techno, ’80s and house. But I love panty droppin’ music mostly!

DC: So why are you in bed now with arrhythmic 4/4 “funky” beats?
B: Because it makes the ladies shake their ass and that motivates me.

DC: How is d&b and vinyl dealing with your breakup?
B: I still play d&b and when I do, I play 99% vinyl.

As far as playin’ on Serato, when I play UKG stuff or UK funky it’s mainly because there is so much out there and so many different takes on it that I don’t want to be limited to one vibe for my whole set. I would have to recruit a whole gaggle of record bitches, and I love the ladies too much to put ‘em through that. (DC: Gee, thanks…)

DC: What do you consider the UKG/funky/2-step anthem? And which artists are pimpin’ it hard?
B: Attacca Pesante “Make It Funky For Me” would be the “anthem,” I guess. There so many different vibes of funky it’s really tough to say just one. That tune has been in everyone’s box, though.

Also, Roska, MA1, Warrior One, Geeneus, Sticky, Greenmoney and MJ Cole are my favorite (artists) at the moment.

Roska XLR8R Mix (mp3)

Bodytronic Podcast: Greenmoney (stream/mp3)

Make your way out on Friday for the funky, fresh sounds of the newest tunes selected by our own Lamborghini Crew. There’s no cover and the show starts at 10 p.m.

Pioneering turntablist Grand Master Roc Raida passed away on Saturday, September 19. Roc Raida was a founding member of the New York DJ crew X-Ecutioners, whose pyrotechnic scratching helped redefine the art of turntablism in the ’90s. (AllHipHop.com)

In 1998, I had the pleasure of interviewing and writing a feature on the X-men, including Roc, for a national ‘zine for posterity. As it turns out, it was their turntablist skills–orchestrated together and individually–that seemed unprecedented, leaving a personal lasting impression. Literally, I was blown away.

In the wake of yet another seminal DJ’s passing, DJ AM, it brings to light the fact that disc jockeys and DJing have become such an integral part of our, dare I say, pop music culture. From celebrity DJs to celebrated turntablists, these individuals have helped craft DJing into a true artform.

One way to keep that legacy going has been thru the Scratch DJ Academy. Founded in 2002 by the legendary Jam Master Jay (Run DMC), Scratch aims to legitimize, validate and extend the role and importance of the DJ and producer into new arenas. The Academy has set up shop in NYC, LA and Miami and also books talent for top-notch events nationwide. I may just be one of the few hundreds, but I’m glad to be representing Scratch in the H. I’ve just been added to their roster of DJs. I plan on doing my part and taking it to the next.

In the meantime, respect and may you rest in peace Roc Raida and AM.

The 1982 Madness original is a great ska/pop classic…there’s something about the piano and string combo that makes me skip a little higher and smile a little brighter. So the fact that the tune has not only been updated, but also brought back home (so to speak) resonates a whole lot better with me.

A couple of Houston’s leading electro house remixers (and stylists), DJ 0045 & Fixture, take “Our House” in bit of a far-out, skitzo direction. The synths swirl, bassline grinds harder and the breakdown pulses–definitely up to date for any intelligently-lit club in this millennium.

An additional catwalk-stompy remix by fellow local DJs Red & Josh Dupont is also included for good measure.

Our House – 2009 Club Mixes
Includes new remixes of the classic anthem by Madness:

Our House (DJ 0045 & Fixture) (preview)

Our House (DJ Red & Josh Dupont) (128KB)

Buy the 320s here.

Here’s a new video release from our dear and talented friend Ben Godfrey, lead singer of Listen Listen. Their video for “On the Water” from Hymns from Rhodesia (out September 22nd), is now up on youtube and vimeo!

So, Watch Watch! “Shall We Meet” with Interview >>

Hymns from Rhodesia (Murkville Music) by Listen Listen will be available in gold-embossed packaging.