Now We Rave, our frequent post dedicated to the nosiest, rawest electro-techno, usually coincides with a recent rave of my own of similar nature. The appeal of this style has resulted in a terrifying amount of poorly produced, misguided music, so these days we tend to rely mostly on Ed Banger, Turbo Recordings and Boys Noize Records for our electro fixes. It will come as no surprise then that my latest bout of frenzied leaping around amongst 'rave-moshes' came at fabric, where Alex Ridha and his BNR imprint's flat-capped members took over Room One for fabriclive.

Although I had witnessed several other of the electro scene's major players there, such as Erol Alkan, Hey Today!, Brodinski and Carte Blanche, I had never seen Boys Noize at fabric. I had frequently lusted for his maximal electro-techno hybrid on that unique soundsystem but my few years of visiting EC1 had so far unfortunately not coincided with one of his rare appearances. So, a BNR takeover of Room One promised everything I had been wishing for, with the label's figurehead joined by Housemeister, Djedjotronic and Shadow Dancer live. When we arrived, Boys Noize was in command of a bruising dancefloor of over-excited electro-indie kids, scrambling around to classic Boys Noize sounds. Predictably, Ridha's set was saturated in acidic riffs alongside many of his set's recent (and historic) staples, such as his remix of Housemeister's Music Is Awesome (featured below), Lemonade, Yeah and just like when I last saw him at XOYO, a teasing sample from Chemical Brothers' Swoon, which of course Ridha reshaped into one of the best remixes of 2010.

Housemeister followed, barely changing the bubbling, abrasive tone that Ridha had set. Considering the fairly barbaric character of BNR's brand of electro, it remained a skillfully assembled two hours, maintaining the same breathless tempo while slipping in some interesting, less predictable choices, such as Siriusmo's bass-heavy Einmal In Der Woche Schrien. Ridha may have finished his personal slot, but his presence remained in the booth throughout the rest of the night, joining forces for the last hour with both Housemeister and Djedjotronic for a BNR 'All Stars' finale that continued to feed the familiar chaos of a fabriclive dancefloor.

If I was to compare my latest Boys Noize experience to my previous one at XOYO, I would say it trails ever so slightly. Naturally I was still provided with my usual spoil of thrills, explosive climaxes and favourite electro staples, but there is perhaps a good reason why Boys Noize doesn't appear at fabric more regularly. Some DJ's are born for a stage, not a booth and I have always felt that Alex Ridha is one of those DJ's. At XOYO, the set-up is perfect for the Boys Noize style. The DJ is the center piece, and the dancefloor becomes less about having space to move and more about who can get closest to the front. This is where the likes of Boys Noize, Tiga and the other rave kings thrive, lapping up the excitement in front of them. fabric is the archetypal underground nightclub, with the DJ discretely kept as the conductor of the dancefloor, responsible for freshening up the mood and keeping things varied and different. For DJ's of techno and house, and even some of the bass-heavy sounds of Friday at the club, fabric is the ideal place to work, but for Boys Noize's sound, the environment doesn't quite feel at home, despite how fantastic a DJ he is, and how magnificent the club is.

Ironically, XOYO houses two of this weekends most exciting raves for the electro connoisseur. On Friday, Bugged Out! returns, this time bringing Turbo's glamourous chief Tiga to London for the first time since the stunning Planet Turbo show this time last year, and the following day sees Kavinsky join Feadz and Hey Today! in what will be the perfect way for me to celebrate if Wembley yields the right result on Saturday night, as unlikely as that will be.

The selection of tracks I've posted here may be small, but they certainly shouldn't disappoint. Gesaffelstein, currently leading Turbo's techno revolution, features twice, while Carte Blanche return with Jack On The Moon, a typically frantic house cut that will be sure to give bouncers a headache following its drop on dancefloors across Europe. Autoérotique meanwhile are responsible for what we believe is the best remix of The Subs' Don't Stop, among recent attempts by BeatauCue and others.



Moby - The Day (Gesaffelstein Remix)


Carte Blanche - Jack On The Moon


Housemeister - Music Is Awesome (Boys Noize Remix)


Gesaffelstein & The Hacker - Crainte (Clement Meyer Remix)


Hey Today - Minor (Black Strobe Remix)


The Subs - Don't Stop (Autoérotique Remix)

I couldn't think of a better way to welcome back Now We Rave and its eleventh installment, as always bringing you the very best filthy, abrasive, synth-heavy electro sounds of now. I'm also going to use this as an opportunity to discuss the events of last night, which involved me, Chris and most importantly our old friend Erol Alkan at Kill Em All in fabric, in what was a classic rave of pure maximal electro/techno pleasure on Chris's birthday, to make things a bit more of an occasion.

Despite my roots in electronic music owing a lot to the noisy, savage electro from the likes of Justice, Boys Noize and SebastiAn, I would be kidding myself if I said I went to many events with this sort of flavour anymore. It's not that my love for the style has at all diminished , in fact my passion for good electro productions remains as strong as ever, but the intense nature of the style makes it difficult to keep going back for more, which is perhaps why I now see electro nights as something of a treat. While my doses of more minimal beats is ten for a penny these days, being reunited with the old electro kings such as Erol, is something I can never contain my excitement for. Maybe it's just nostalgia, and the associations I make with the sound and the DJ's I first really fell in love with, but whatever the reasons are, a good old-school electro rave is simply unbeatable, as the Filthy Dukes proved once again last night at fabric with their Kill Em All residency.

Very rarely do I step foot inside fabric on Friday nights anymore. This is not just down to the style of music pushed by the club on Fridays, but also because of the awful crowd that gather there too, who I blame entirely for the theft of my iPhone when I reluctantly agreed to go with friends from university sometime towards the end of last year. It does baffle me that for a club I couldn't possibly love any more on Saturdays, I actually genuinely dislike it on Fridays. There is one exception to this though, and I thank Tim Lawton and Olly Dixon of The Filthy Dukes who since they began their quarterly residency at fabric have provided me with at least one Friday every now and again I can fully trust to give me a top quality electro fix.

So far they have not once disappointed, with the two events last year I attended being nothing short of complete successes. Guests such as Four Tet, James Holden, Gold Panda, Floating Points, Carte Blanche, Jamaica and Brodinski among many others made sure that all angles of the indie-electronic spectrum were covered, while the Dukes themselves ensured their sets remained consistently fresh and exciting. It was in their Room One set last Autumn that I was first introduced to one of the year's biggest hits, Tensnake's sensational Coma Cat. For their first event of 2011, as they did at almost the identical time last year, the duo enlisted Erol Alkan to headline, with Paul Chambers in Room One, while over in Room Two, Hey Today! and Shadow Dancer were the pick of the bunch.

By the time we arrived at fabric, our childish excitement got the better of us at first as we were embarrassingly refused entry for apparently being 'too drunk'. Co-operating wholeheartedly with the fear of not getting in at all, we returned soon after, as suggested by the door staff and made our way to Room 1 where Erol was soon at the helm once again. Now I can't say I can recall much in any great detail, by this time I was well and truly in the rave spirit, but I remember Erol laying down a typically magnificent two hour set of classic, top-quality electro with plenty of his own acclaimed productions with Boys Noize used. Having lived in London for the best part of 4 months now, if there's one thing I can be sure of it's that Erol Alkan is one of this city's most celebrated and respected DJ's and events with his name in are almost always sold out. If fabric was not at its capacity during his set then it wasn't far off as a densely packed Room One leaped about wildly to all the devastating bombs Erol had up his sleeve. It didn't take long for him to unleash his recent edit of 2009's Death Suite he created with Boys Noize, something we confidently anticipated after recently (and technically prematurely) acquiring Boys Noize's new Super Acid Compilation. The edit is arguably the star track, giving far more dance potential to the original with a more solid, regimented beat and it was obvious to me and Chris that Erol would be desperate to road test it on Room One's soundsystem. When he did, it received a predictably raucous reception, the edit proving to be one of the night's special moments. Other highlights included the compulsory Pacha On Acid that never fails to reek havoc, and both Lemonade and Avalanche, two of last years greatest releases from Erol and Alex.

It was an unforgivably maximal affair that epitomized the thrilling nature of when Kill Em All arrives at EC1. After bouncing around feverishly to every explosive drop in Room One for a duration I'm unsure of, we made our way to the rumbling smoky chasm of Room Two where German duo Hey Today! were delivering a searing session of more merciless electro-techno. The experience was essentially a blur, but I recall genuine euphoria and a frenzy of embraced arms and bodies with my companions when we sensed Boys Noize's Yeah gradually sizzling in from those gargantuan Martin Audios. This was followed immediately by Hey Today's own bleepy electro cut Talk To Me which elicited poor attempts of trying to recite the elementary lyrics from me and Chris. We finished off what had been nothing short of splendidly hazy night back in Room One where resident Stopmakingme kept things moving right until lights-up with more fantastic synth-heavy beats. One tune that made a lasting impression on me, due to the instantly recognizable Twin Peaks sample used, I soon discovered was an obscure little number called Stop by an artist called Dekker. I knew it definitely wasn't Moby's rave classic Go that I was aware used a TP sample, but I made it my mission to find out what it was and thanks to the Filthy Dukes' willing assistance I managed to track it down. Unfortunately it's unreleased as of yet, but enjoy this magnificent production on Dekker's myspace page.

As way made our way out at what I believe was a time close to 7am, I felt undeniably shattered yet remarkably energized. I forgot why I loved the brutal sound of electro and why I was hardened electro-kid not too long ago, but this night reminded me exactly why. Maybe this is why it's such a treat these days.

MUSIC Please...?


As I mentioned earlier in this post, Boys Noize has just released his Super Acid compilation- a collection of the finest and rudest acid techno he and his friends have been destroying dancefloors of late. You would have had to have been hiding somewhere pretty remote to not have noticed the burgeoning trend for the acid sound last year, and Boys Noize has certainly not hidden his passion for this classic style with several of his productions and pretty much all of his sets last year littered with that notorious squelch. His tribute compilation is a perfect collection of ravey acid cuts from the likes of Jan Driver, Brodinski, Feadz and Erol Alkan, who's also aforementioned edit of Death Suite is arguably the show-stealer of the compilation. We have it, but its official release date isn't until next Monday, so until then we'll leave just a couple of tracks to whet your acid appetite...

Joakim & Krikor - Azid


Erol Alkan & Boys Noize - Death Suite (Erol Alkan Edit)


Super Acid compiled by Boys Noize is out on 31.01 on BNR - available on Beatport

Keeping things BNR focused, Shadow Dancer has just released his new 5 track EP Murder Room. The title track is a typically sharp, ruthless electro outing, with plenty of top-quality rave credentials, but we like the far more disco-themed Parallax which is sure to get hands in the air. Available now on Beatport.

Shadow Dancer - Murder Room


Here's a few more bludgeoning bombs that have been incessantly irritating my neighbours and frying my ears of late. All three have interesting stories behind them: Falcon Punch comes from The Japanese Popstars latest EP titled Controlling Your Allegiance and is yet another demonstration of the Irish act's proficiency in producing savage yet often quite interesting work. If you haven't already been exposed to the hype surrounding the release of David Lynch's new two track EP Good Day Today / I know then it's worth checking what all the fuss is about, especially as Alex Ridha (yes, him again) among several others has remixed Good Day Today. And finally Jori Hulkkonen's dub mix of Villa Nah's All The Days is another gem from Turbo Recordings.

The Japanese Popstars - Falcon Punch


David Lynch - Good Day Today (Boys Noize Remix)


Villa Nah - All the Days (Jori Hulkkonen Dub Mix)

As with many things Boys Noize Records, this is another track that has been receiving a huge amount of hype of late. And for good reason too, D.I.M. was Boys Noize's mentor and as previously discussed he's been responsible for many dancefloor destroyer.

This latest offering is slightly mellower than his previous bass-heavy releases, however don't let that fool you into thinking that it doesn't make you dance.

Another brilliant release, with Cocoon/BNR Trax's Electric Rescue on remix duties and a funky little B-Side, it just about justifies the expensive price tag that accompanies it.

Now go buy it.

D.I.M. - Kleine Träume EP
Kleine Träume
Kleine Träume (Electric Rescue Remix)
La Prarie

D.I.M. - Kleine Träume (Electric Rescue Remix)



In other news, Electric Rescue's latest EP has been released on BNR's child label, BNR Trax. And it ain't too shabby.

My admiration for Alex Ridha (aka Boys Noize, Kid Alex and several others) is no secret. After the success of his debut album Oi Oi Oi in 2007 he's been on the rise ever since and is now a crucial influence in the house and techno genres.

Fast forward three years and he's hitting the first milestone of his very own precious record label, and what better way to celebrate than with his first solo EP since we were teased with Starter/Jeffer last year.

The A side is an incredible acid techno raver, showing that the acid sound really is making a serious comeback in 2010.

Following up on the B-side is 'Yeah', a slightly older tune that Noize has been playing out for some time, much to the dismay of his numerous fans trying to get a hold of the track id. Finally it's here, and it is sure to put a smile on your face. Summery House at it's very best.

Boys Noize "1010" Preview by Boys Noize

Boys Noize "YEAH" Preview by Boys Noize

There are low quality full version floating around for promotion, but the EP drops officially on 20th September.

Got my hands on a few more highly essential songs this week, all but the last are real electro bangers that are going to be hard to miss this summer.

Starting off, this is quite easily the standout track from Don Rimini's latest EP: NLarge Your Parties.
Don Rimini - All About


Next up is Boys Noize's remix of The Chemical Brothers. What do you expect?

Chemical Brothers - Swoon (Boys Noize Summer Mix)


Another remix in the form of Soulwax X LCD Soundsystem. Another one I don't even need to think about evaluating. The only excuse you can have for not having heard of either group is that you are a newborn baby.

 LCD Soundsystem - You Wanted a Hit (Soulwax Remix)


A while ago we featured Paul Chambers' latest track 'Yeah Techno!'. This is what happened when he met Shinichi.
Shinichi Osawa feat. Paul Chambers - Singapore Swing


Now I'm mildly embarrassed to be posting this, but then I love Mstrkrft, so it's quite hard not to...

Katy Perry - California Gurls (Mstrkrft Remix)


And another little bonus: a preview of Bart B More's latest tune 'Brap!' out soon on Boys Noize records.
  Bart B More - Brap! by Bart B More

And the final song...
This one is completely different to all previously. Fitting into the Tech House genre, with melodious piano loops, soft synths and ambient strings, it's hard not to like this on a quiet summers day.

Agoria - Grande Torino

Ever since D.I.M. released his first single 'Is You' he has been high up on the list of artists under the Boys Noize Records label. And for a good reason. His track last year, Lyposuct, produced together with Tai, was an instant classic within the world of EDM.

These two remixes show more D.I.M. at his best. Brilliance.

Cyberpunkers - I Needed To Go (D.I.M. Remix)


Demon - I Think (D.I.M. Remix)

Finally! Everyone's been waiting on this release for quite some time now, with one track in particular making everyone salivate. It's Boys Noize, need I say more?

If I do, then here's a video to do it for me.




Boys Noize - Kontact Me (Rynecologist Remix)


Kontact Me Remixes EP
1. Kontact Me (Rynecologist Turbine Remix)
2. Kontact Me (Jan Driver Remix)
3. Kontact Me (Housemeister Remix)
4. Kontact Me (Depressed Buttons Remix)
5. Kontact Me (BeatauCue Remix) Only on Digital Release

BeatauCue's first full length EP was released on Monday on the french fashion and record label Kitsune. The french duo's tunes have been doing the rounds a fair bit recently, most notably their raved up remix of Noob & Brodinski's Peanuts Club released last year, and of Major Lazer's Pon De Floor.
They've also managed to blag a spot on the Kontact Me Remixes EP, released next monday on Boys Noize Records.

Here's a fun remix of Pony Pony Run Run...
Pony Pony Run Run - Walking On A Line (BeatauCue Remix)


BeatauCue - Cha Cha Cha EP
1. Cha Cha Cha
2. Wolves
3. Bus
4. Cha Cha Cha (Daniel Haaksman Remix)
5. Cha Cha Cha (DJA Remix)
6. Wolves (Sharkslayer Remix)
7. Wolves (Willnez Gre Remix)

I've got to admit that I'm not overly impressed by the title track. It's got a firm beat but the main drop, incorporating quite a full on synth line and a choppy sample (One of beataucue's favourite remixing techniques...) just doesn't really grab my attention much. The remixes don't add a great deal either.

The second track, Wolves, is for all those bass addicts out there. The drop is heavy, with a similar sound to that in Acid Girls' "Numbers Song". Same can be said of the remixes, all very heavy, with the Willnez Gre remix adding a mild Fidget element to the mix.

More to my taste is the third track on the EP: Bus. Once again plenty of vocal samples, hung drawn and quartered as per their usual, but this time accompanied by a much lighter disco style rhythm. Whilst there aren't any remixes of this featured on the EP, I stumbled upon this quality remix by Polymath yesterday as well, no release date yet but a definite keeper.

Beataucue - Bus (Polymath remix) by POLYMATH

Haven't really heard much about the Inverness based producer, but here's a tidy remix he's done of Quentin Dupieux's (a.k.a. Mr. Oizo) Pourriture 7. Makes it a whole lot more danceable, which is always a good thing. Thanks to scottishfriction.com for the original post.

Mr. Oizo - Pourriture 7 (Polymath remix)