Red Hot Chili Peppers – The Longest Wave
When I’m California dreaming.
Radiohead – Pyramid Song
Paints a perfect cosmic picture. Makes me feel like the world is a fairy tale.
Beethoven – Moonlight Sonata
Perfection from one of the greatest musical geniuses of all time. I think any human being can be touched by this masterpiece, for all of eternity.
Debussy – Claire de Lune
This pauses time for me.
Yoyo Ma – The Swan Saint Saens
The majestic sound of the cello in all its glory.
Duran Duran – Planet Earth
When I want to get charged and jump around like a little kid. Childhood memories at their best.
Neil Young – Only Love Can Break Your Heart
As much as I love the St. Etienne version (and the MAW dub is one of my all time house remixes), nothing beats the OG Neil Young. He takes it to the core.
Nirvana – Come As You Are
One of my favorite guitar riffs. Raw emotions and energy felt as real as it gets.
Carly Simon – Why
Infectious groove with simple chord stabs and authentic vocals. I can listen to this on repeat all day.
Nas – New York State of Mind
Sometimes where ever you are, you just want to be in that ‘New York State of Mind’.
AD/D – Motor City Sunrise (No.19 Music)
The next project on the influential No.19 Music is sure to be the start of something very special: it is a label debut from AD/D, an individual with a long history in dance music who is set to go the next level off the back of this stunning debut package. Featuring two standout originals and a pair of remixes from Jonny White under his world famous Art Department guise (thus marking the first music from that project since it became a solo concern), it is a complete and captivating affair from the Canadian also known as Mario J.
Mario J has already achieved much in the electronic music world, releasing on Tiga’s Turbo Recordings as Milano, on Hawtin and Acquaviva’s Definitive Records and collaborating with DJ Sneak & Kenny Glasgow, all informed by coming up on the raw warehouse scene of 90s Toronto. On top of this, he has a long history of throwing his own parties in the city and has shared the decks with the likes of Jeff Mills, Daft Punk, Derrick May and many others. As such, he has a well-informed musical history that takes in a diverse palette of sounds, scenes and styles from around the world. His connection to Toronto native Jonny White has obvious roots, but it was in fact during the last few seasons in Ibiza that the pair really bonded, throwing a series of exclusive villa parties together and laying plans for the birth of AD/D as a production moniker on White’s No.19 label. The fruit of those plans starts here with a sublime single that is certain to leave its mark.
Magic opener ‘Motor City Sunrise’ is a soul infused, deep house roller with the sort of deft synth work and well-sculpted chords that fill whole clubs with very real emotion. The percussion helps drive the groove along and all in all these sumptuous sounds are certain to have dancers and DJs under their spell. The second original here is ‘High Harmonix’ which takes a more playful and physical tack with skipping, garage influenced drums, yet more serene machine soul in the synths and a loose sense of groove that makes you want to move. This will undoubtedly be making a huge impact in the club.
It is ‘Motor City Sunrise’ that gets the Art Department remix treatment, and it is received with some excitement, being as it is, the first new music since White took the project solo. The mix is a pared back and raw deep techno roller that is dubby, elastic and designed to fill warehouses with sound. Masterfully well balanced and expertly paced, the second ‘Renaissance Version’, which was scuplted specifically for White’s upcoming Renaissance mix, is subtly stripped back to an even more hypnotic drum line and atmospheric groove. Golden, soul drenched synths come in from the mid point and add yet another layer of emotion to an already absorbing track. This one will have hands in the air all autumn long, no doubts.
This is a brilliant new EP that is sure to win AD/D many fans, as well as reminding the world why White and his Art Department project is so revered.
