Paul Oakenfold’s legendary Perfecto label has had a great year in music. Up until this day, 22 years after its first release, Perfecto Records remains one of the most popular labels in dance music and beyond. Next to re-launching the Perfecto Fluoro label, Perfecto also scored big hits with tunes by Oakenfold, Ce Ce Peniston, Mia Dahli, Michael S, Richard Beynon and more
You’ll find 10 of these highlights on the ‘Perfecto Records – Best of 2011’ pack! A complete year’s overview, with all the Perfecto essentials!
-Mark Fanciulli "Will play Doomwork - Round Again" -AFFKT "Great selection, like many tracks here!!!thanks" -M.in "riva starr and remerc for me! thanks" -Pirupa "Lot of Bombs inside this big special sampler! Will play the TMB remix , Thieve and Remerc!!" -Alli Borem "awesome tracks ! full support especially for Remerc - Choana. i'll play it a lotthnks for that" -Wesley S / Mark Knight "HOT SOUNDS!!!!!" -Eats Everything "Super Solid ep. Stand outs for me are Martin Brothers, Thieve and Kidde & Bebbe. Really nice man. Love it." -Biru Bee (Round Table Knights) "Wow soooo good! Don't know which is my favourite... I guest I love them all!" -James Talk "I LOVE days like these, EP's of 9 amazing tracks! They're all brilliant and different. Congrats on a brilliant release!" -Rainer Weichhold "Martin Brothers remi x is ace. wow. and Doomwork's track in briliant as well" -Hermanez "nice stuff, thanks and good luck !" -Jet Project "Stuffed full of chunky house bombs, go Snatch!" -Andy Daniell "Nice some special specials in here!!!" -Gramophonedzie "Kidde & Bebbe - Pass the Peas is so good. Also John Made - Play will be in my sets for sure!" -Mason "Very dope package - gonna listen to it more carefully to pick my favorites" -James Jackson "MY GOD - WHAT A PACKAGE!!!! LOVE IT thanks" -Homework "Snip snap snatch!" -DJ CHUS "Amazing release! full support guys!" -Coyu "1-2-8 looks good" -David Keno "Rock n roll. Some nice tracks here. Dont know which ones to choose yet." -Mihalis Safras "another good release! will def gonna play it out in LA" -Andy George "Been playing the MJ Vs Riva mix for a while - huge!" -Aga Heller "A lot of nice tunes once again!" -Shir Khan "all about IDLEWILD by HOMEWORK...tune of the next 3 months...disco madness..." -Tapesh "like the jump from Riva! thanks" -DJ Simi "Great as always!! Play,Choana and Pass the Peas at the moment!!" -Marco Soenke "Strong package, „Junp" ist just awesome and Homework never dissapoint, John Made sounds also good." -David Dunne "VERY strong package - some really great stuff in here!" -Jose Maria Ramon "wow what a groove here! difficult to choose just one but will say Doomwork" -Acid Jack "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMM!!! great collection!" -Kiko Martinez "Nice tracks. Support!" -Fabian Argomedo "Nice pack!! Hot Chocolate for me!! thanks" -Birdee "Great package!! Martin Brothers remix, Play and Pass The Peas are all dope!"
Two of Techno’s undisputed titans, Umek & Beltek return to Toolroom Records with undoubtedly one of the most eagerly anticipated artist albums of 2011, ‘Out Of Play’.
This dynamic duo has quite literally devastated dancefloors this year with their pounding productions cleaning up the download charts on countless occasions. Umek has cemented his status as a Toolroom favourite, with his acclaimed ‘Toolroom Knights’ compilation and a forward thinking DJ set at TK5, two huge highlights in this hero’s illustrious career. Meanwhile, Beltek has continued his rise to stardom with twisting, floor charging productions weaving their way through hurricane paced sets that have earned him number 1 selling releases and accolades from DJ’s, peers and fans alike. With this prestigious production partnership locking themselves away in the studio, the creation of 10 essential dancefloor masterpieces was the obvious outcome.
The album showcases Umek & Beltek’s versatility, taking you through all dance music dimensions, with the pure tech house groover ‘Rasta Voice’ setting the scene for the madness that ensues. Driving, heads down action comes from title track ‘Out Of Play’ and the techno juggernaut ‘Charley Chopper’. The pace refuses to relent with progressive melodies courtesy of ‘Firewalk’ and ‘Pitchcraft’, whilst ‘Keep The Frequency’ is a nod towards their experimental side with a dubstep inspired breakdown, combining big beats and even bigger basslines. ‘Out Of Play’ is a superb debut album from two of this years hottest DJs & producers; Umek & Beltek, and comes complete with a full length DJ mix from the duo.
15 future classics from the Armada Music labels, selected to make you blow your mind, get you moving and indulge you in with tracks by the likes of Erik Arbores, Solid Gaz, Myon & Shane 54, Myon & Shane 54, W&W, Matisse & Sadko and many more!
From the first beat and bar of the album, C.G.'s finely tuned sonics tear relentlessly at the speaker fabric, with the strident, spiked synths of their Arnej collaboration 'Sometimes They Come Back For ... Full DescriptionMore' leading the charge. On Wake Your Mind, vocals play an ever-greater part of their sound-design and the album sports some of their very best. Taking time out from his film and TV singer/songwriter activities (including work on Easy A and Grey's Anatomy), Cary Brothers provides the contemplative, low-fi, Rock-ish refrain for the album's outstanding title track. Cathy Burton meanwhile applies serious uplift on 'Drifting Away', while Wake... hits it euphoric high around the stabbed synths and up-rush of 'Over The Rainbow' (vocalled by South African singer J'Something). Scene darling Jes supplies the can't-miss vocal hook to 'Flying Blind' and at the other end of the tempo scale Australia's Alana Aldea provides from-the-heart lyrics and flawlessly articulated vocal lament to the slow burning 'Never Apart'.
Let’s talk about the new Crookers album, “Dr. Gonzo”. Phra and Bot (Crookers) describe it with the Italian word “accrocchio,” that in English can be translated as a “kludge”. A kludge is a quick-and-dirty solution, a clumsy, yet effective, way to solve a problem, using parts that are cobbled together. This new album is a combination of completely unrelated and random ideas that came together to produce a different kind of dance music. Just as one might expect, the barrier to a new sound has been broken on Planet Crookers.
Dr.Gonzo has it all. The usual suspects are there: house, hip hop and techno, but they are infused with dance hall, Middle Eastern music, steel drums, classic hardcore squeal, whiny violins filtered through synths, and a clear reference to early 90’s euro dance creates something unexpected.
“Hummus” a track that wonderfully encapsulates the Crookers, is an unusual tribute to the best beach bangers in the history of music. Imagine “Show me Love” if Robin S were a schizo.
Then, another psychotic track, “Bust ‘Em Up” (feat. Savage Skulls), that together with “Springer” (feat, Neoteric & Wax Motif), exemplifies what Robin Murray recently wrote in Clash, “the latest release from the Crookers has a cartoon-like energy which is difficult not to be hooked by.” Try to resist—you’ll find yourself a sweaty but happy loser.
The core of the Crookers club music philosophy is again the base of this album: a good dance track should be as fun to listen to as it was to produce (there’s no better example than “That Laughin Track” feat. Style of Eye & Carli). This is club music that takes risks, and the result pays off in a big way. Infact, the Crookers’ blasphemous structures have won the respect of some of the most influential personalities in modern electronic music: Annie Mac, Sinden, Annie (the legendary Nightingale), Greg James, Huw Stephens, Rob Da Bank, Jaymo & Andy George, Andi Durrant and Eddy Temple-Morris, among others.
Dr. Gonzo features some distinguished collaborations: Carli and the Savage Skulls, two of the best producers of the Italian scene a.k.a. His Majesty Andre and Lazy Ants, the French Bobmo along with many others. In particular, the collaboration with Hudson came from his surprise with people crowd-surfing at his sets when he would play “Dr. Gonzo Anthem” a well-tested “Crookers effect” that has been proven true at their concerts around the world.
William Faulkner, one of the greatest writers of all time, said, “Read, read, read. Read everything—trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. [...] Then write. If it is good, you’ll find out. If it’s not, throw it out the window.” If you substitute “read” with “listen” that’s exactly what Crookers have done with Gonzo and the result is not just “good”, but “VERY good”. Enjoy the album. Listen to it, play it to your friends, and if you don’t like it, throw it out the window, there will be plenty of people ready to catch it just like a wedding bouquet.
With Summer drawing to a close and the Ibiza season ending all roads lead to Amsterdam for ADE (Amsterdam Dance Event) and we've got the perfect album to get you there - Norman Doray Strictly Ibiza To Amsterdam.
Norman Doray’s summer has been one crammed full of top notch productions and storming gigs in the world’s best venues. Amongst regular trips to Ibiza to rock Ushuaia, Erick Morillo’s Subliminal Invasion and Masqerade Motel with the Swedish House Mafia at Pacha, Norman also managed to co-produce the huge summer hit ‘Chase the Sun’ with David Tort, spending a huge 8 weeks in Beatport’s Top 10 chart.
Strictly Ibiza to Amsterdam is comprised of two discs – “Day” and “Night” which reflect the different sides of Norman Doray. “Day” is a tribute to Norman’s funk and disco roots and works in his brand new single ‘Kalifornia’ produced specially for this compilation with classics such as Phunkie Souls - Tha Music, one of his all time personal favourites.
“Night” showcases the clubbier, progressive and tribal sound that he’s currently playing at clubs around the globe. The rhythm is higher, the tracks are stronger and it corresponds totally to what you’d expect from a night out with Norman Doray. Here Norman mixes together big room gear such as Dirty South & Thomas Gold feat. Kate Elsworth 'Alive, 'Deniz Koyu' Tung!,’ Sebjack & Richard Grey 'Pump Up The Volume' and David Tort’s remix of ‘Kalifornia.'
‘Kalifornia’ combines a classic 80s disco feel with the sound of today’s true underground house scene to perfect effect. Drenched in feel-good disco vibes that come courtesy of some archetypal Studio54 strings, ‘Kalifornia’ shines with a glittering and vintage aesthetic while still injecting the drive. On the flip, David Tort adds more space and tones down the disco flamboyance in favor of pumping yet still very funky electronic beats. The result is insane, it works so well in club and it’s already supported by Swedish House Mafia, Dirty South, Tiësto, David Guetta and more.
“I really wanted to go back to my roots of funk and disco. I wanted to do something like Junior Jack or Kid Crème, who have always been my inspiration... I love progressive house and really clubbish tracks but I think it’s also important to show people your other face as a producer” – Norman Doray.
Another season closes, and so it is time for Defected to round up the definitive collection of the records that have rocked, rolled, uplifted, and united clubbers on the white isle all summer long...
One year after carrying off its bet with the first volume of the "Millenium Disco" compilation, the french label Shiny Disco Club strikes back with a second opus of this series.
This time, Shiny Disco Club mixed many genres by calling 24 different artists going from Disco House to Synth-Pop, with the aim of spreading their common love for disco around the world. These funky grooves will definitely bring some fresh air to your playlists and juice up your nights.
On Friday October 21st, more than 3000 party lovers will experience a night like never before. During the Amsterdam Dance Event, Armada Night lands in the stunning venue of the Passenger Terminal, to rock the crowd with some of the finest Armada DJ’s.
As the perfect after-party mix or souvenir, we now present this special compilation. With tunes by Armin van Buuren, Mischa Daniels, W&W, Roger Shah, Ørjan Nilsen, BT, Dabruck & Klein, Matisse & Sadko and Sied van Riel, ‘ADE – Armada Night 2011 (The Compilation)’ brings you a great reflection of the Armada sound! A must-have to all visitors and ADE lovers!
Celebrating Toolroom Knights 5th birthday on October 1st 2011, TK5 is set to make history with our biggest show to date at London's favourite venue, the mighty O2 Academy in Brixton. 4500 clubbers will ensure that TK5 is the biggest House event of the year, with label boss Mark Knight handpicking a line-up that's guaranteed to blow the roof off. Since the launch in 2006, Toolroom Knights has always been focused on the music, a party founded on impeccable talent from guests and residents alike. Spending half a decade packing out dance floors, arenas and festival stages the world over, from Space Ibiza to Pacha New York...Space Miami to SW4... Global Gathering... Yalta Bulgaria... Ministry of Sound London, the list is endless, yet for Toolroom Knights, the ethos still remains to put on the best party possible, a night you will remember forever.
Previously existing as progressive / melodic house entity Solarity, Dusky are London based musicians Alfie Granger-Howell and Nick Harriman. As comfortable writing elegant orchestral pieces or stirring piano motifs as they are jackin' house and epic techno grooves, their diverse sounds are united by the duo's singular aim - to compose electronic music with depth, soul and originality. Their debut album "Stick By This" is released on Anjunadeep on 17th October.
This summer 2011 saw the release of Nelski’s LIVE show, Whatever Makes You Happy touring at festivals across the globe, hitting Scotland, Greece, Israel & Asia. To commemorate the tour an EP made up of the Whatever Makes You Happy tour tracks will be released in October 2011 on Chris lake's, Rising Music.
Nelski: Making it LIVE
“This (‘Minimal Life) has been breaking down the walls for me; it was like magic seeing it work the dance floor at the Space Ibiza opening party..." Carl Cox
Quirky & rare individuality are elements that make up this skilled and exciting character. It’s these things that have gained this young artist support across the dance music board, with Carl Cox & deadmau5 as examples of the wide spectrum of talent embracing his idiosyncratic sound.
Summer 2010’s ‘Body Pop’ was Nelski’s first track, showcasing his inventive production habits. Habits that crafted a sound heavily supported across all of Radio 1, with Pete Tong confirming support through crowning ‘Body Pop‘ as the opening track of his 2010 Wonderland compilation album. Alongside copious amounts of chart spots, ‘Body Pop’ went on to be featured on further compilation albums, making his first release a massive success. From then on, industry eyes intently focused on his next moves.
Since, Nelski has delivered tracks that prove his consistency as a producer, showcasing his diverse sound & individual method. ‘Colours’ & ‘Minimal Life’ with Chris Lake have pulled in support from dance music giants across the board, with further props coming from deadmau5 who used the track in his 2010 summer sets during his residency on the Mixmag terrace for Cream, Ibiza. And Capital FM recently jumped at the chance to exclusively preview Nelski’s recent June release, ‘Dancing’ on their Weekend Players feature.
Although Nelski's DJing skills have seen him featured in events across the world including Belfast, Portugal, Spain & Brazil, playing with characters like deadmau5, Michael Woods & Eric Prydz, his live shows are widely divergent. Live is where his passion lies. It’s here where his artistry shines through, & where Nelski makes his mark as something that little bit different. Using live vocal, percussion & keyboards his tracks are played at that very moment, making each performance refreshingly unique. Nelski has produced an intricate show that requires skill, demands full attention & confidence to execute.
Nelski’s greatest attribute when it comes to production is his flair for improvisation, which is exactly how he learned to play the keys on blues & jazz scales. As a result, he doesn’t read or recite pieces but constructs his works through pure feeling. Taking influences from his samba background, percussion is an obvious crucial element in the music he creates, using the Korg Wavedrum during live shows to project the sounds that neatly compliment Nelski’s most prominent factor, his voice.
Nelski has carefully developed an imaginative sound that’s been crafted into a sharp, interesting & engaging live show, sure to catch the attention of a global audience. His musical ethos of “it's about the here & now” is the perfect foundation for an artist that does just that, delivers in real time for the here & now!
“As soon as you hear a track, you can tell if someone has got ‘it’. Nelski has got ‘it’ in abundance. If I was a betting man, I would put my money on Nelski - he is about to blow! Watch this space.” Mark Knight, Toolroom Records.
It has been three years since Steam Circuit (2008) first glimpsed the light of day and gave us hits like “Edding 850? which shot to the top of the Beatport charts. The two Berliners have been very busy and have founded their own label Formatik Records about two years ago amongst many other things. They have already released hits like Gospel and various tracks by new and promising artists and also famed producer Sébastien Léger, who is now a close friend of the house. Their success sent them out on a major world tour : Australia, Asia and into virtually every corner of Europe. They also tapped into the South American market in a big way. They also regularily host a Formatik Label Night in the world renowned Berlin Club Watergate. On their last album Franz and Jakob were to be found covered in soot and coal, firing up the engines of the dance locomotive, now they’ve gone greener and swapped over to wind power and are fishing the “Restless” oceans of the world. Tirelessly the two sailors work on the deck disregarding the cold and the weather ,pulling in the nets filled with floundering hits. This time they’ve spiced up the bait with the amazing voice of Fran on “Liquid” who turns into a working class siren and manages to rock the boat properly with track 2. Keeping with the maritime theme the boys have used a harmonica on “Socks and Sandals” and a piano on “Piano Man". Classic Format B can be found on “Atomizer” and “Oversexed” …kicking man high bass beats to thrill the four quarter beat fans, and “Biker Meth” is going to keep you dancing till noon (at least). Even with the pressures of jet setting, label management, party organisation, building a studio, and the romantic needs of their girlfriends they have still managed to finish their first Formatik album to their complete satisfaction and are extremely proud to present the first artist album on Formatik Records. Ahoi and enjoy people !
In June 2011, after months of hard work in the studio, Norwegian producer Ørjan Nilsen proudly presented 'In My Opinion'. Days of experimenting, blending and shaping came together in an album that is, sounds and represents Ørjan. 15 jewels of tracks tell the colorful story of musical talent, touching you on the inside with a palette of melody, beats, synths and a whole lot of feeling to glue it together. Free of parochialism and one-style-fits-all, but crossing boundaries and hitting the right spot at the right time, is what 'In My Opinion' is all about.
You’ll find all of its jewels in their full and extended versions, now gathered in this pack. Enjoy 'In My Opinion' all over again, and your favourites in their extended mixes.
The vice-like grip a new generation of Dutch producers have on the House Music genre today only seems to be tightening and with many of the most relevant players deploying their productions on Azuli there was no question who should mix the label’s Amsterdam edition. Step forward Franky Rizardo & Roul and Doors, two of the Netherlands brightest young talents showcasing their enviable skills as ADE shines the spotlight on this great party nation.
Paul Oakenfold’s legendary Perfecto label has had a great year in music. Up until this day, 22 years after its first release, Perfecto Records remains one of the most popular labels in dance music and beyond. Next to re-launching the Perfecto Fluoro label, Perfecto also scored big hits with tunes by Oakenfold, Ce Ce Peniston, Mia Dahli, Michael S, Richard Beynon and more 
