I thought it would be a good idea to give something back to Electric Zoo's loyal readers.. so from time to time I'm going to have small competitions where you can win free stuff!
The lovely people at Buena Vista Games and Immediate Future Ltd have kindly sent me an exclusive canvas artwork and 3 copies of their new game Every Extend Extra, a modern day arcade blaster for the PSP. Check the website http://www.eeethegame.com for more information, screenshots and information about the artists on the game's soundtrack. Its a unique puzzling shooter with intense arcade gameplay fused with captivating visuals and electric techno beats. EEE was designed by Tetsuya Mizuguchi the godfather of gaming behind other titles such as Lumines and Rez, who has also collaborated with artists like Shinichi Osawa (aka Mondo Grosso) and Ken Ishi for the soundtracks of his games. Like his previous titles the games design was strongly influenced by his interest in electronic music, and the fusion of gaming and music to create a total sensory experience. So obviously electronic music plays a vital role in the game with tempos increasing through the levels, increasing difficulty, and a number of Japanese artists have been involved in the soundtrack of the game (More info on these artists can be found at the EEE website http://www.eeethegame.com).

So have you got a little brothers birthday coming up? Want to get a free PSP game for your kid? Or even fancy a copy of the game yourself? I have an exclusive one-off signed peice of canvas art designed and signed by Testuya Mizuguchi (See Above) plus a signed game and 2 other copies of the game to give away. All you've got to do is:

Send your answers, with your name and address by email to electriczooblog@gmail.com with 'EEE Competition' as the subject.
Entries in the comments section will not be accepted and deleted. Closing date for entries is the 18th March 2007, winners will be picked out of a hat: 1st prize being the signed canvas artwork plus a signed game, and 2 runners up will also receive a copy of the game. Good Luck.

Detroit's Claude VonStroke had a a huge hit last year with his fame finding track 'The Whistler' from his debut LP 'Beware Of The Bird'. 2007 sees a new package of remixes of this house anthem on his own US label Dirtybird Records, roping in DJ Assault, Luca Agnelli, Jesse Rose & Diplo to perform surgery on the track. Those in the know of DJ Assault can expect another Detroit flavoured booty bass rework, while Jesse Rose has worshiped the original version by hanging on to the deep house vibe re-editing the track and adding some his fidget expertise. Diplo definitely deserves the A1 side here though with his awesome Baltimore stylings that gives 'The Whistler' new life. Remixes of 'The Whistler' is out know on Dirtybird Records and available to buy now @ Juno and Phonica.




More deep tech house now from UK label Odori's latest signings The Bald & The Beautiful. No Britney Spears hasn't got into house producing, these have actually got talent (I was gonna post a picture, but that bald girl really creeps me out now..) The 'Bacon Champers EP' by The Bald & The Beautiful has some very well produced tracks that reminds me of some deep house on Derrick Carter & Luke Solomon's Classic Record Label, and some of Dave Taylor's earlier Solid Groove productions, keeping it deep and very technical. The 'Bacon Chambers EP' by The Bald & The Beautiful is out now on Odori and available to buy @ Juno and Phonica.




More Ed Banger already right now as we all carry on getting excited for their upcoming releases. I was a little disappointed, (Heavy on the little! because its such an awesome compilation!) but it would have been great to hear more from Mr Oizo on the CD. His productions are always so crazy yet technically immaculate, and I always can't wait to hear more from him. When his Ed Banger debut finally drops I'm sure he'll please everyone and if single 'Patrick122' is anything to go by, Id say its pretty much satisfaction guaranteed: Disco warped into a wicked Oizo odyssey!. Below is a sample of more of what's yet to drop on the mighty Ed Banger.




Hot on the tail of their previous project remixing Punks Jump (Coming soon on Kitsune! Yeah!) Matt Waites and Pete Cage aka Nightmoves have done yet another fine job remixing the latest Bent single. Id say their remix of 'Waiting For You' goes in the same channel as their PJU remix, as they are very comparable in style and quality with equal electro anthemic stylings. 'Waiting For You' by Bent is out now on Godlike & Electric records with remixes from Nightmoves, Danny Howells & Mr B, and is available to buy now on Juno.




I was raving on about Leeds based I Can Count Music a few weeks back when they kindly sent me a copy of their latest CD compilation. Something that heavily caught my ears was the Gameboy-pop music of David E. Sugar 2006 Diesel U-Music finalist. Ok he lost to Duke Dumont, a worthy adversary, and don't let that deter you (I mean look at that setup from 2004 up in that pic!) because he's produced a new Klaxons remix to add to the pile. Using his own trademarked beats and bleeps hes produced a very nice bouncy version of 'Golden Skans'.

That was a trailer for Skins, brand new sex-drugs-N-alcohol fueled teen drama on E4 now in the UK. You've probably noticed by now that they've used Gossip's 'Standing In The Way Of Control' (The Soulwax Remix to boot!) as a theme tune for that trailer, and now E4 along with KISS and Back Yard Records have are inviting anyone to remix the track. If you win it, you're mix will be played on KISS FM, pressed onto a re-release vinyl with mixes from Soulwax, Le Tigre, Playgroup and Headman.. quite something for the CV huh? Other than that you can also go to a Gossip gig with one of the Skins cast members (if that's your cup of tea) and get a chance to meet the band too.

Even if you don't fancy entering, the vocals available to download can be very useful to DJs and producers alike, so to enter and/or download the parts head on over to http://www.remixgossip.com/

The 2007 Ed Banger Rave-olution is here. The release of Ed Rec Vol. 2 at the end of March will reveal the almighty power of the weapons that Busy P and Co have got lined up for release this year. The CD compilation features exclusive cuts from all of the Ed Banger crew, fresh and crisp beats that continue to push the boundaries and amaze all, and this release gives a very sweet taste of whats to come on the forthcoming vinyl releases and EPs from the label. These of course being debut releases from Busy P and Mr Oizo, and highly anticipated 12s from DJ Mehdi and Justice. Also next month DJ Mehdi, Busy P, So Me, Justice & SebastiAn will be touring North America, so you Yanks better check their MySpace to see when the party is in your area! Ed Rec Vol. 2 featuring Justice, SebastiAn, Mr Oizo, Busy P, Uffie, DJ Mehdi, Mr Flash, Krazy Baldhead, Feadz, Vicarious Bliss, Klaxons & So Me, is Ed Banger's first CD compilation release and will be out at the end of March and should be available from Arcade Mode, and Busy P's debut 'Rainbow Man' is out February 26th.

Another fine french label, Institubes have also got some fine releases lined up including debuts from Das Glow and Bobmo, remixes of Surkin's anthem 'Radio Fireworks' and of course their star signing Para One's next single 'Midnight Swim' featuring mixes from Beckett & Taylor, Riton and Surkin. But never mind forthcoming stuff, Tacteel has only just put out a new 12" release on this label. ' Feel It, Feel It' definitely French... that's all I'm saying.. but I'll quote this:

'True story: 3 AM, Paris by night, clubhopping, we’re between two parties, neither drunk nor sober. Then we spot this girl passed out right in the middle of the street, with some punk laughing his head off right next to her. We ask the guy what’s so fucking funny and he says “She’s puking in her sleep... and you know what’s even funnier? She’s my girlfriend.” That’s when Tacteel headbutted the guy, slapped him across the mouth a couple times then dragged him in front of a shop window so he can look at shame creeping over his sorry face. That’s what “Feel It, Feel It” is about. Righteous anger. It’s Tacteel’s most violent track ever, far less controlled than anything he’s done. This is what happens when crisis- management fails. It sounds like a blindfolded Chi-Town maniac running to the dancefloor waving a huge double-bladed axe. Can you feel the beat? Cause I can. Right, fucker? I CAN.'

Clear Enough? Well if not Zdar has also remixed the title track so make that French X French which is always good. The B side is also awesome, more of an electric punch up but still very fitting to the release. Buy Institubes records from Arcade Mode and Juno.

Do tell me if you think this blog is getting a little repetitive.. Sometimes I feel that way, and I seem to be writing about the same artists and producers all the time. But I suppose its my blog, and about the music I like.. so I guess its bound to happen from time to time. Im doing it again right here with some more from Bang Gang DJs, Riot In Belgium. I mentioned a few of their forthcoming releases in the last post, but don't worry theres more. They have got a new mix comiplation 'Mashed 3' out on Ministry Of Sound Australia sharing the spotlight with fellow aussies Tonite Only. Im not that fond of the Ministry to be honest not in this decade anyway, but this compilation looks quite good. It looks to me that MOS obviously had some influence on the tracklist, making sure some of the more commercial tracks and some of their own artists were featured but nevertheless the tracklist is very impressive for a MOS release. Riot In Belgium's appearance on the next Surkin release on Institubes is looking a little nearer, and remember that his own 12" release 'La Musique' is out now on Relish and available @ Juno.

Dont Ask Why, but production duo Georgios Panayiotou and Mother Markzbow weren't happy enough with the major success of their last album 'The Warning' as Hot Chip, they are now opening the gates of Booji Boy High too with the latest 7" to come from DFA. 'Doubleshaw' is a twisty, bouncy release, not new rave... but something even newer. 'Doubleshaw' by Booji Boy High is out now on DFA and available to download on iTunes, and also on plastic @ Juno and Phonica.




I got a bit excited last week looking at the Annie Mac tracklistings on the BBC Radio 1 website. A small error lead me to believe there was a new Justice track that I hadn't heard of! So I immediately went to listen again to the Klaxons' minimix where it was palyed (P.S. For another Klaxons DJ mix go check out Fluokids where they have the latest Miam Les Fruits Mix from the ravesters). Anyway clearly by the sound it wasnt by Justice, but a track by Mr. Elastik called 'Justice' and from his 'Justice EP'. Sigh.. nothing to do with the Parisian duo at all, but a bit more searching lead to me this EP and I wasnt completely dissapointed. This is a very impressive EP from a formely unknown artist, who turned out to be the same South African guy you may know as fidget-house producer The Bulgarian! (Check out the Slutty Fringe blog for an awesome fidget mix selection, plus he has a forthcoming release lined up on On The Brink). The first track 'Angry Again' has a sort of minimal-tech feel to it, but then uses an acoustic bassline to further fuck things up (in a good way of course), track 2 'Justice' is a driving techno treasure, and lastly 'Under A New Sun' is probably the most ambitious of the tracks using minimal-fidget and accordian type sounds. The 'Justice EP', remember nothing actually to do with Justice.. is out on Second Session and you can download along with other tracks by The Bulgarian from DJDownload.




Here is a loco little remix of the hip hop classic 'Jump Around' by Irish-styled-hip-hop legends House Of Pain. This electric remix by Micky Slim has been played loads by Annie Mac on her radio show, and its a very simple yet very effective dancefloor destoying track. Im not usually that keen on remixes that breakdown to the original track and BPM, cos it can sound quite tacky, but 'Jump Around' is a classic so this works very well and should get everybody jumpin. This better be on white laebel soon.




Next are a couple of mix sets for you. First from friends of Electric Zoo and an awesome duo of producers to keep your eyes on.. Shadow Dancer. Ive posted some of their work in previous posts, and I love their forward thinking sound. They've recently completed mixes for The Longcut and Holy Hail and with more and more DJ and live gigs building up for the guys, they have been practicing their mixing skills. Paul passed one my way to get a taste and I was told he hasnt touched his decks in over 2 years! I find that hard to belive as this mix is just smashing!

Shadow Dancer - 'Too Fast Mix'
Holy Hail - Born Of A Star (Shadow Dancer Remix)
Mr Oizo - Hidolls
Krazy Baldhead - Dry Guillotine
Busy P - Chop Suey
Surkin - And You Too
Tepr - Minuit Jacuzzi
Surkin - Ghetto Obsession 2006
Yuksek - Composer
Moulinex - Salt
Mr Oizo - Patrick122
Mekon Ft. Roxanne Shante - Yes Yes Y'all (Duke Dumont Remix)
Editors - Camera (SebastiAn Remix)
Mr Flash - Disco Dynamite
Shadow Dancer - End Hit
Sex In Dallas - Digital Memory (Aysam Remix)
Bloc Party - The Prayer (Phones Metal Jackin' Mix)
DJ Mehdi - Pony Rocking
Uffie - Ready To Uff (Mr Oizo Remix)
Tepr - En Direct De La Cote (Alavi Rerox)
Justice - Phantom
Does It Offend You, Yeah? - Weird Science
The Longcut - You Got The Love (Shadow Dancer Remix)



Next mix is from an old E-friend of mine I've know from previous forums, blogs, p2p's and what not. He also has a blog Sci-Fi Pogo which you should check out and he's got great taste in music and great mixing skills. Here's the great Sci-Fi Pogo Session from Kaiser (aka Miguel).

Sci-Fi Pogo Session
Atlantic Conveyor - Open Your Soul (Music Box Mix)
Roxy Music - Same Old Scene (The Glimmers Remix)
Runaway - Shadows
Scuola Furano - G Funk (Fabrizio Mammarella Remix)
Yuksek - Composer (Surkin Remix)
DJ Mehdi - Signatune (Thomas Bangalter Edit)
Strangelets - Riot On Planet 10 (Mock & Toof Remix)
They Came From The Stars...I Saw Them - It's Time (Optimo Remix)
Kleerup feat. Robyn - With Every Heartbeat (Punks Jump Up Remix)
Unclejam - Love Ya (Herve Remix)
Boys Noize - Feel Good (TV=OFF) (Shinichi Osawa Edit)
I Am Finn - I Love You (Van She Tech Remix)
The Avalanches - Ray of Zdarlight
Cajuan - Raven (Joakim Remix)
Frankie Valli - Beggin' (Pilooski Edit)
Crystal Castles - Love And Caring
Klaxons - Golden Skans (SebastiAn Remix)
The Raconteurs - Steady As She Goes (Ruined by Does it Offend You, Yeah?)