Simon Caldwell Sunsets & RA Podcast

Photo by Assaf f
Every Monday from 6-8pm well respected local DJ Simon Caldwell does the rounds on fbi radio here in Sydney. Presenting some of the freshest and most original material in dance and electronic music its considered to be one of the best radio shows of its type.

Also, it seems, Mr Caldwells reputation has been spreading further and wider recently mixing a RA podcast which you can stream below. Starting of slow and funky the mix progresses through house styles, then to more up beat tech and techno before capping off with the new-disco closer to the end. A great mix for any time of the day. accurately representing the many influences the man himself and this big city. Check out the interview with him on RA here

Simon Caldwell Sunsets 14th of December

Tracklisting:
Who You Are (Junior Boys Remix) - Zwicker
Voodoo Ray (Greg Wilson Edit) - A Guy Called Gerald
Forever In Their Debt - The Revenge
Death Panel My Ass Ms Palin - Deepchild
Raw Cuts #6 - Motor City Drum Ensemble
Deeper -Sasse
A Short History Of… - Missing Linkx
Let Yourself Go - Barrio Debajo
Passion - Markus Nikolai
Distant Places - Sobentein
Backroom - Deepchild
Compass - Marek Hemmann
Fantasie Maddchen (Mayer Mix) - Bodo Elsel
Summer Breeze - Sluts'n'Strings & 909
Metamat - Leon De Winter
Machismo - Let's Go Outside
Rectify - Moodyman

Simon Caldwell Sunsets 7th of December
(Just an excerpt from the show)


Simon Caldwell RA Podcast ep181

Tracklisting
Soul Center - What You're Doin - W.v. B.4
Luke Hess - Real To Real - FXHE Records
RNDM - Third Hand Smoke - Laid
Missing Linkx - A Short History Of... - Philpot
Moody feat. Jose James - Desire - Mahogani Music
Prins Thomas/Villalobos - Fizpatrick - Full Pupp
DJ Dove - Roots & Culture (Lakeof remix) - Below
Jonas Kopp - Tirados - Curle Recordings
Sascha Dive - Brother - Deep Vibes Recordings
Rui Da Silva & Craig Richards - Be There - Motivbank
Motor City Drum Ensemble - Raw Cuts #3 - MCDE
Rhythm & Sound - Free For All - (Soundstream Remix) – Burial Mix
Slowhouse - Three - Slowhouse Recordings
Caucasian Boy - Northern Lights - Matrix Records
Snuff Crew - I Like It - Playhouse
Omar-S - Oasis 13 - FXHE Records
All - Alltag - Kompakt
Linkwood & House Of Traps - Barely Eagle - Firecracker Recordings
Tal M. Klein & Anthony Mansfield - Disco Villainy - Aniligital
AN-2 - From Now On - Theomatic
Tensnake - Holding Back (My Love) - Running Back

Future Classic 5th Birday Bash

Future Classic are one of the leading electronic focused music labels in Sydney and Australia, also a blog favourite, but tomorrow night they will be celebrating 5 years of music, parties, design and the local and internationals artists that have catapulted the label which is now recognised all around the world.

Joining the celebration will be Inversions man Henrik Schwarz who's live sets are stuff of legends. Although I personally have never seen him live, I have been told numerous times by friends and press that it is always something special! Using his laptop he creates organic and complex live sets often combing new and old material. Musically, he is one of the most creative artist in dance music today having a wealth of original material and remixes for artists like Carl Craig, Underworld, Bookashade and DJ hell among many others. An highly rated artist that will be performing live. Definitely one not to miss.

Also on the bill is Chateau Flight from Paris which consists of Parisian DJ/producers Gilb'r and Nicholas Chaix (I:Cube). With careers spanning back to the nineties both are synonymous with the Paris underground scene having set up the Versatile record label in 1996 which featured one of Daft Punks very first remixes as well as producing advant-pop with members of French group Air and Depeche Mode. There appearance tomorrow have a lot of people excited.

Also on the local side we have some of Australias' and Sydneys best, a line up thats actually deserving in its self! Jamie Loyd recently released an excellent album after an Australian tour which has many people talking. Deepchild who is back from a recent tour all around the world and has a wealth of new songs out now, will be gracing the decks and no doubt both will be playing some of their latest material. Also joining them will be Nathan Mclay, Jimi Polar, Peret Mako, Loin Brothers, Simon Caldwell, Bryan O'Callagan, Mike Redfern and The Scientist.

To celebrate, Future Classic have been releasing a song a day from one of the headliners on their soundcloud page.
5 Years Future Classic // 1 new song a day by future classic
more info

Laurent Garnier with live band & Stereosonic among other things

Weekend is at close here in Sydney with the relatively new festival, Stereosonic, kicking off its nation wide tour.

While many opinions of the festival have already been thrown around(mostly through facebook comments it seems) it was an interesting mix of fairly 'big-sounding/big-name' DJs, think Deadmau5, Fedde Le Grand, as well as big electro DJs, Crookes, with a dash of techno heavy weights thrown in for good measure.

Sneakerpeeps stage, what perhaps was 'techno-central', headlined Umek, alter-ego, Marco Carola and Laurent Garnier's live band gracing the stage along side respected Sydney locals Ben Korbel, Simon Caldwell (check the recent RA podcast) and young guns Mattt and Tomas. While the stage worked well for most of the day with stand-out set from Mr Korbel, near to the end, when Marco Carola and Laurent Gariner started to play, the pull of the more advertised headliners definitely took away quite a few punters from the stage which, was a pity for two acts like these. However in my opinion this was always going happen in a festival that seemed to try and dip its fingers into too many pots at once, and in doing so 'scaring' away perhaps some of the core fans of the two latter artists.

That said, there were still a large amount of fans that came and witnessed the awesomeness that is Laurent Garnier and his live band.

Honestly it is easily one of the most impressive live acts I have ever seen. Effortlessly switching between pulsating industrial techno, to dubstep, jazz-styled drum and bass as well as blues, it was more a true jazz improvisation session mixed in with the stylings and sounds of Laurent Garnier.

His band set-up consists of a Saxophone player, apparently one of the best in the world, Trumpet player, synth keyboardist and a main keyboard and guitar player of which Garnier can be seen as the 'conductor' often coming in and out from behind his mixing desk to direct each member. For example at one pinnacle point in the performance his keyboardist was told to drop some blues after a rather heavy techno song from before. Taking on a blues riff and improvising Laurent comes in after a little bit and tells him to repeat once specific chord, then going over to the saxophone player he brings him in with a similar style directing what he wants with some vocal cues and hand gestures, along with the trumpet and secondary keyboard player. As I said before Garnier is quite like the conductor guiding each member in a way he sees fit. After letting the improvised melody sit for a little while with all members Garnier, out of no where, drops this Jazz-infused drum and bass styled bass and beats to which the watching crowd erupts into a frenzy of hands-in-the-air and dancing action.

I think perhaps the most astounding element is seeing how well true instrumental improvisation goes with live 'techno' or electronic styles and the raw energy that flows from it. And for that matter how well true instruments, or real instruments go with techno. An element that is still seriously lacking. One only has to look at his famous Man with the Red Face in which the lead sax takes the song and perfectly complements the pulsating techno drums, synths and bass.

When Man with the Red Face was finally dropped closer to the end of their performance you could really feel the energy that each band member seems to contribute to the overall product, which for techno and dance music often being a one man affair, is a rare thing. Laurent Garnier and his live band are truly an innovative and original performance that is executed exceptionally well. It has, without a doubt, progressed the definitions of live electronic music performance and set the bar to a completely new level. If you are lucky enough to have the chance to witness it you would be nuts not too!

I'm putting the call out there, Laurent Garnier and his live band should perform in the concert hall of the Sydney Opera House, a world renowned artists for an equally world renowned venue. Please add a comment if you think so too!

Update: I'm trying to secure an interview with the man himself so stay tuned for upcoming article. If you have something you would like to ask him please also forward it to the email.


Laurent Garnier with live band at Matter in London, exact same set up and band members as in Sydney

Berlin Sessions - Fall of the Wall 20th Anniversary

If, at the end of this year, you are to look back on some of the landmark events of 09 Sydney record label, future classic's Berlin Sessions, would definitely be 'up there' as some of the best. Combing some of the best German and Aussie talent under one roof they are parties inspired by good music and aimed at exposing some of the artists pushing this music forward.

This November is no different with AME, Benji Frohlich and Move D headlining for a special party dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the falling of the Berlin wall and the creativity that spurred thereafter. Sydney locals playing will be Simon Caldwell, Nathan McLay, Murat Killic, Ben Korbel, Jad Lee and the Co-Op DJs.

Simon Caldwell Sunsets ft. Kali 24-08

Photo by bad_doggy

In case you missed it, last Sunsets with Simon Caldwell featured Sydney Disco Sider Kali doing a live mix. New-disco-house-edits for your listening pleasure with Simon doing a mix of some epic deep techno closer to the end...

Stream/DL: Sunsets wtih Simon Caldwell 24th Aug 09

Kali myspace

Tracklisting:
Kalis Mix
What Is This? - TDM
Deputy Of Love - Don Armando's Second Avenue Rhumba Band Feat. Fonda Rae
Wax The Van (Yam Who? Remake) - Arthur Russell
No Static - Botti
Feeling U - Henrik Schwartz
Don't Go Loose It Baby - Hugh Masekela
****
Wild, Wild Berry - Vulva String Quartet
Knoppedrehn - Montagskino
Encore - Noze
Liquid Mirror - John Tejada
La Yuca - Cesar Merveille & Pablo Cahn-Speyer
Third Hand Smoke - RNDM
Soulshine - Ekkohaus
Deep Structure - Deadbeat

Simon Caldwell Sunsets 03-08 & Seekae Interview

Photo by nermal0

As promised recorded Sunset sessions with Simon Caldwell, sorry for the average sound quality. Note to self, extend FM aerial before recording.

Simon Caldwell Sunsets 03-08 with Seekae interview at the end


Also cool little interview with rising Sydney electroncia kids, Seekae, on their new remix package.
Seekae Myspace

Tracklisting:
Feuervogel - Solomun & Stimming
Fo-Eva - Soultourist
Mr. Suitcase - Steve Bug
Momento (It's Hot) - Martin Eyerer
Sagittarius - Kikumoto Allstars
Mermaids - Fila Brazillia
Liquid Mirror - John Tejada
Paranoia - John Tejada
Timebomb VIP Remix - John Tejada
Throwback - John Tejada & Ariane Leviste
The End of It All - John Tejada
The Locus of Points - John Tejada
Make It Easy (John Tejada Remix) - Lusine
Crazy Place - Dave Aju
Sip 'n Dis' - Taron-Trekka
In The Dark - Out In The Sticks
Do It - Hot Bath Edits

Sunsets with Simon Caldwell

Photo by Keith Mclnnes

Respected Sydney DJ Simon Caldwell takes the helms every Monday afternoon with Sunsets on fbi radio here in Sydney.

2 hours of new electronic/dance music ranging from the disco to the minimal to techno and of course the house! But if your like me and always manage to forget to tune in then don't despair! Stream it below. I'll try and record it each week and put it up on the blog.

InTheMix Feature here

Sunsets 6-8pm every Monday with Simon Caldwell on fbi radio



Simon Caldwell @ Sunsets fbi radio 27-07-09

Tracklisting:
Space Race - Popular People's Front
The Voice From Planet Love - Precious System
Wild Cats - Soultourist
Human - Mark E
In The End (I Want You To Cry) - Tensnake
In I Dimman - Eerick & Arvid
Panorama (Kalabrese Remix) - Tucillo
Never Knew - Alphatown
Seven Hours - Namito
Language of the Soul - Silicone Soul
Sunday Weekend - Ken Hayakawa
Zap - Andre Lodemann
Blaulicht - Taksi
Teen Angst (Luciano Remix) - M83
My Grandmotha (Farben Remix) - DJ Koze
Picnic - Red Rack'em
We Cookin' Now - Abacus
Air A Dime - Peret Mako
Evening Star (Pink Frost Remix) - Todd Sparrow