Decibel Festival

dB Approved: Together Festival

AmyPolansky — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 20:11:37 +0000

Decibel is extremely proud to be partnering with the 3rd Annual Together Festival in Boston, Massachusetts! Together is a week-long festival that, much like Decibel, showcases music, art and technology throughout the city, in premiere venues such as Royale, Paradise Rock Club, Rise Nightclub, Great Scott and Brighton Music Hall.

Although online passes are sold out, remember that tickets are still available for headliners, including former Decibel performers Teebs and Kyle Hall, as well as Photek, RJD2 and Poirier!

Heads up: there are also a limited number of passes available for direct sale at the Together Center, 579A Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA.

All Together Festival panels, discussions and workshops are free, so if you’re in the greater Boston area, don’t miss the chance to get your technological fill, without spending a dime!!

Learn more at togetherboston.com

2nd Tier Decibel Festival 2012 Passes On Sale Now!

AmyPolansky — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:41:08 +0000

Decibel Festival Early Bird Passes sold out in a flash —- but now’s your chance to secure your ability to attend Decibel Festival 2012 at 30% off the price of a regularly priced pass!

Quantity is extremely limited and available only until they sell out, so purchase your dB Festival 2012 pass today! Passes are available for purchase here.

Decibel Festival will take place Wednesday, September 26th to Sunday, September 30th, 2012 in Seattle, WA.

What the “Decibel Festival Pass” Includes:

There is only one pass for Decibel Festival. The past few years we sold out of passes before the festival began.

The Decibel Festival Pass gives you full access to all festival events, except shows that are not part of the official Decibel Festival, and where extreme capacity restrictions apply (boat parties, certain co-sponsored events, etc).

AFFILIATE EVENTS ARE NOT INCLUDED WHEN YOU PURCHASE A dB PASS.

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WHAT’S DECIBEL?

Decibel Festival is an annual Seattle festival of electronic music, performance, visual art and new media. Generally taking place the last week of September, it has booked over 800 artists ranging from experimental, to leading-edge electronic dance music and visual art. With a focus on live performance, interactive multimedia art, state-of-the-art sound and technology-based education, Decibel has solidified itself as one of the premier electronic music festivals and promotional organizations in the world.

In 2011 the Decibel Festival celebrated it’s 8th anniversary, pulling in over 22,000 people to Seattle, with headline acts including the likes of Moby, Amon Tobin and Ladytron. It featured over 170 artists and educators performing at over a dozen venues over the five-day festival. You can take a look at the complete artist roster here.

The 9th edition of the Decibel International Festival of Electronic Music Performance, Visual Art and New Media will take place September 26th through September 30th, 2012.

Stay tuned to dBFestival.com, facebook.com/DecibelFestival and twitter.com/dBFestival for more info on the 2012 Decibel Festival.

Tiger & Woods // Islander Boat Cruise!

AmyPolansky — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 02:37:41 +0000

Thursday April 5th, Decibel and High & Tight present…

Tiger & Woods + Natural Magic

The Islander Boat Cruise
Doors at 7pm // Departs at 8pm
$20 presale // $30 at the door // 21+
1611 Fairview Ave. E, Seattle, WA, 98102

Tiger & Woods (Live)

Shrouded in mystery! No one knows where it’s coming from, no one knows where it’s going. Well, that’s all about to change. Those special extended disco versions that have been carefully tuned, remixed, over-dubbed, sliced and diced by Larry Tiger and David Woods have caused quite a stir. In a heavy and endless rain of edits, they are a cut above the rest. Looking to the future, while digging in the past, Tiger & Woods use both recognizable and exotic sources supplemented with original production to take you to undiscovered terrains that somehow feel like home.

Here’s how they met: One day in a fairly dusty basement (digging for records of course), these two fine gentlemen nearly got into a fight over a nameless boogie record which is so rare (super rare!) that even the usual disco detectives hadn’t discovered it yet. Actually, they still haven’t. Without a name – and only identified by a test pressing sticker dedicated to the NYC-disco-DJ-legend Walter “Hot Trix” Scott – the 72-year old owner of the record store/basement accidently placed the record on his belt-driven turntable. Turning their heads and smacking their lips, both were so full of lust to get their hands on this precious relic that they both rushed to the booth, waving their hard-earned cash.

Some Italian profanities and chest-beating later, Larry and David decided to buy the thing together (the old dude had raised the price sky-high by this point) and take it to Tiger’s studio. Unfortunately, the fruit of their teamwork never saw the light of day due to a hard drive crash…and you know what they say…you can’t recreate the magic of the moment. But the guys kept on working, and as they timidly presented their early works to a mutual friend (an avid record collector) he gasped: “This is what DJ Sneak should sound like today!”

Natural Magic (DJ)

From the depths of a murky, bubbling hot spring located in a land of sour cherry waterfalls and spaced-out giggling gnomes was birthed a life force so great the mere mention of its name can make the boldest elders of the land cower in fear and even the most unabashed fairy beauties giggle in school girl delight. Natural Magic is the pseudo-human personification of this ancient force and the union of two souls so destined for musical communion not even the wink of the fairest of woodland maidens could make them waver in their commitment to the dance. The dusty old record collection enshrined to them by the elfin council of party times is now split between San Francisco and Portland, OR and is reassembled in its entirety but once a year in the clouds atop Mt. Shasta for a 48 hour party of old record pool disco 12 inches, questionable 90s radio hits and timeless synthy techno records (although if you ask them, they just play “trance”).

TRUS’ME // March 9th @ Rebar

AmyPolansky — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 18:01:45 +0000

DECIBEL & CITY SOUL proudly present, the 3rd installment of the Decibel Festival monthly on Friday, March 9th featuring…

TRUS’ME : Manchester, UK
Prime Numbers / DFA
Trus’me on Facebook
Trus’me on Resident Advisor

with support from

PEZZNER & HANNSEN vs JUSTICE & TREASURE : 4×4 DJ set
Freerange / Crosstown Rebels / Om Records / TRUST / City Soul
Pezzner on Facebook
City Soul Radio

+ visuals by TRACER VISUALS

$13 advance available on Bookr.net (no fees) / $15 at the door

10PM – 3AM / 21+
@ Re-Bar w/ KV2 Audio!!!
1114 Howell St, Seattle

TRUS’ME BIO

In the winter of 2006, on a whim, David James Wolstencroft, aka TRUSME, sent some of his work to various labels around the globe. It paid off. The now legendary CD sampler “Nards” led to the immediate release for TRUSME on the Still label, sparking the beginning of a promising musical career for one very talented individual.

TRUSME’s musical roots trace way back to an early age where he dabbled with various instruments. He began studying production, but soon developed a love of vinyl culture, which shifted his focus towards the art of mixing and digging for unique samples.

Surrounded by the heads of Manchester and its deep routed scene his musical taste has continued to evolve, resulting in eclectic DJ sets where his passion exudes. Naturally, this diversity shines through in his production: “Like bookends, some 12”s will work with both the beginning and the end of the night, such is the classy sampling from TRUSME.” Peter Nicholson XLR8R Review March 2007.

TRUSME’s debut release on Chicago’s Still Music label was quickly follow by two more, all blowing up on both sides of the pond and accelerating the buzz on this new artist. His production is constantly compared to Moodymann and our such Detroit luminaries with releases usually snatching ‘Record of the week’ in hosts of global outlets from Piccadilly Records – Manchester to Jazzy Sport – Japan. He’s also getting love from all the right supporters, Ashley Beedle, Rob da Bank, Mad Matts, Kenny Dixon Jr, Amp Fiddler, Chris Duckenfield, Rob Luis….and the list keeps growing. His debut was first championed by Gilles Peterson on BBC radio 1: “If there was ever a house record made for me, it would sound like this.”

Dec 2007 sees the release of his first album. Entitled “Working Nights”, this captures some of the previous singles along with a host of future classics which re-enforce the Trusme sound.“it’s difficult to name highlights when every track is so good” seems to be a common reaction from a growing global fan-base. One thing’s for sure it is a timeless debut that’s sure to last. “i am actually blown away from the flow, production and music…my kinda housemusic for sure. 100% soulful” Michael Rutten – Compost

In less than a year Trusme has established himself as a serious and prolific producer with a huge career in front of him. 2008 will see the launch of his own label imprint “Prime Numbers” an outlet for him and other great artists that fit the ethos Trusme is about. He has lots of projects under way for Defected, Tru Thoughts, Eskimo and the second album is already rolling with some exciting guests involved….It’s time to catch a rising star in the making!

OMAR S / February 10th: 3 hour DJ Set!

AmyPolansky — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 06:43:05 +0000

The 2nd installment of the Decibel Festival monthly…

Friday February 10th at Re-Bar featuring…

OMAR S : 3 HOUR DJ SET!!!
FXHE Records – Detroit
http://www.omarsdetroit.us/
http://www.residentadvisor.net/dj/omars

w/ opening tag-team set by Decibel residents

NORDIC SOUL & JUSTIN TIMBRELINE
Decibel Festival
http://www.dbfestival.com/
http://www.facebook.com/decibelfestival

$13 advance available at Bookr (no fees) / $15 at the door

RSVP on FACEBOOK

@ Re-Bar // 1114 Howell St. Seattle

Max Cooper :: January 13th @ Re-bar

AmyPolansky — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 04:49:11 +0000

Decibel Festival kicks off their new monthly with the return of…

MAX COOPER : London, UK : Live
Traum / Systematic Recordings
Website
Facebook
RA Podcast

Max Cooper is a London based musician and geneticist primarily releasing on Traum Schallplatten. The combination of his scientific and musical influences are evident in Max’s turntablist DJ sets, technical production style and abstract research topics. Max Cooper’s sound ranges from stark electronica remixes of huge bands like Hot Chip and Au Revoir Simone to the fuzzy, buzzing dancefloor sound of his breakthrough “Serie” releases. But it’s all, he says, inspired by his need to “match the emotions in the head with the emotion that can come out of the monitors”.

Max Cooper Live – Mind’s Garden (Free Download) by Max Cooper

++ with special guests ++

CYANWAVE : Live
From 0-1 / Innerflight Music
Website
Facebook

Forming a sound both familiar and foreign, existing in the hours of the day where you allow your head to open, relax, and reinvent, Cyanwave creates post warehouse rhythms layered with captured audio and dub soundscapes. Imbuing the spirit that created the Northwest, home of refugees and adventurers, Cyanwave’s hypnotic journey takes the listener from the dance floor to the headphones and back around. With no final destination, the aim is exploration itself.

The hybrid sound of Cyanwave is the result of reaction and reinterpretation of the duo’s contrasting backgrounds; Justin Byrnes from a history as lead guitarist in rock bands in the ‘90s and Keith Kelley’s experience attending raves and dj’ing in the infamous Midwest of the US. Using a combination of analog and digital synthesizers, expansive software and processing, Cyanwave values sound aesthetic over genre loyalty. Experimentation is not limited to just production; exploration continues during each performance as Cyanwave continually reconfigures what it means to perform live.

NORDIC SOUL
Decibel
Website
Facebook

Nordic Soul has deeply impacted the electronic community not only through his work for the annual Decibel Festival but also by slaying Seattle dance floors year-round. His emotionally charged sets are infused with live instrumentation and ripe with the mélange of organic and synthesized tones, all riding on top of heavy bass lines. The resulting music is a living, hybrid creature with a rich sense of soul that delights in its own existence. A lover of many musical styles, Nordic Soul’s interest and roots in hip hop, house, techno, electro and dub contribute to his current musical palette that straight drips techno into the mouths of the waiting audience, thirsty for the unrelenting madness and unabated aural penetration that is electronic music.

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T I C K E T S

$12 advance ticket available through Bookr (no fees) // $15 at the door // 21+

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Friday, January 13th, 2012 // 10pm – 2:30am

@ The Re-Bar
1114 Howell St., Seattle

RSVP on Facebook.

New Year’s Eve BENDER 2012

AmyPolansky — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 05:06:21 +0000

Decibel, Trashed and Neumos are proud to present BENDER, a two-night celebration filled with dancing, debauchery and visual art to ring in 2012.

F R I D A Y :: December 30th, 2011

Featuring performances by…

TREASURE FINGERS
Atlanta, GA / Brooklyn, NY
Fool’s Gold Records / Defected / Kitsune
Website // Facebook // YouTube

For fans of Daft Punk, A-Trak, Empire Of The Son and Chromeo

Treasure Fingers, the DJ and producer born Ashley Jones has been making it rain in the disco with innovative remixes and original tracks. Jones is far from a new jack, having racked up over a decade of international club experience and studio chops as part of the legendary drum & bass group, Evol Intent. Yet as Treasure Fingers, he’s found a way to merge his diverse influences and deep history into a signature sound, packed with intricate basslines, chopped-up, gritty synth melodies, and party-ready drum breaks. It’s already captured the ears of everyone from Innerpartysystem , Monarchy, Theophilus London and Miike Snow to dance music icons Eric Prydz, Romanthony and Roy Davis JR (all of whom requested the Treasure Fingers remix treatment). His amazing new twist on Disco attracted the attention of such labels as Defected, MOS, Nervous, Kitsune, Hed Kandi and Fool’s Gold to name a few.

“Cross The Dancefloor” was Treasure Fingers’ debut, an inescapably catchy, vocoder-laced dance gem that two-steps over genre boundaries. The instant classic received support from A-List DJs around the world such as Erick Morillo, Pete Tong, Annie Mac, Sinden and Kissy Sell Out. He has had 2 more monumental releases since then. First is his Lift Me EP on Defected records. “Lift Me” leads the way with a twisted synth and trigga happy vocal cut session, and that gets combined with the bouncy edge of “It’s Love”. Secondly is Keep Up feat Haley Small on Fools Gold. Four minutes of vocoder funk and throwback freestyle drums that feel right on time thanks to Treasure Fingers’ clever arrangements and candy-sweet vocals. Treasure Fingers has kept the momentum going with heavy touring and official remixes for numerous artists including Avicii & Seb Drums (Around the World), Chromeo (Vice/Atlantic), Estelle (Atlantic), Empire of the Sun (EMI), Kid Cudi (G.O.O.D/Sony), Monarchy (Mercury), N.A.S.A feat Kanye West, Santogold & Lykke Li (Epitaph), Theophilus London (Warner Bros Records) and James Curd (Om) (remix went to #1 on the Beatport Club Chart).

A constant favorite on Hype Machine, he has also received amazing support from such blogs as Disco Dust, Boom Boom Chik, Indy Shuffle, Big Stereo and Discobelle to name a few. A new batch of equally funky Treasure Fingers originals & a mix CD are on their way along with tours in North America, Europe, UK, Asia, Australia and South America. These coming after successful tours and gigs with artists Roy Davis Jr, Fake Blood, A-Trak, Chromeo, Laidback Luke, Fred Falke, Felix da Housecat & Benny Benassi, to name a few.

What else would you expect from the A-Town original with the Midas touch, who continues to receive accolades and Radio 1 support from heavy hitters Pete Tong, Annie Mac (with a mini mix under his belt), Kissy Sellout, Jaymo & Andy George, all helping Treasure Fingers launch up, up and away into the future with people getting their smooth house groove on around the globe.

PEZZNER vs. HANSSEN : LIVE!
Seattle, WA
Classic / OM Records / Freerange / Innerflight Music
Website // Facebook: Pezzner // Hanssen // YouTube

For fans of Mark Farina, Derrick Carter, Groove Armada and Jimpster

For 15 years Dave Pezzner and Bob Hansen have been slaying dance floors the world over via their own brand of funked-up house as Jacob London (Classic, Om Records, U-Freqs). In recent years the two have taken to producing solo work that has gained them both wide critical acclaim both as producers, performers and DJs. For this performance the two will be going head to head as Pezzner vs. Hanssen.

Pezzner’s world debut live performance at the 2008 Decibel Festival gave attendees an early preview of things to come. Since then Pezzner has released over dozens of deep house gems on some of the world’s most respected labels (e.g. Freerange, Om Records, 8Bit Records). His debut full length release The Tracks Are Alive in 2010 received abundant praise through out both the house and techno communities, sending Dave on a world tour that had him performing in the most prestigious clubs and festival in Montreal, Berlin, London, New York, Japan and Barcelona. As his solo career took off so did the demand for work as a remix artist (e.g. Groove Armada, Josh Wink, Colette, Mark Farina, Roy Davis Jr., Milton Jackson, Justin Martin, Lusine and Terry Lee Brown Jr.).

Much like Pezzner, Hanssen’s world debut live performance was met with enthusiastic praise, this time at the 2011 Decibel Festival. His live set cultivated his work as a solo producer and remix artist over the past three years, including two excellent releases on Innerflight Music and remixes for artists including Ian Pooley and Henry Chow.

FLAT BLACK
Seattle, WA
TRASHED – CD RELEASE PARTY 100+ FREE CDS

DJ, promoter, designer, and producer, Flat Black aka Jake Wagoner has been a part of conceptual Seattle events such as Onset drum & bass Saturdays, Artifakt Art Shows, and his latest endeavor with partner Sean Majors, Trashed, a refreshing take on quality clubbing. Pushing the cutting edge of nu disco and indie dance, Flat Black has put out well received unofficial remixes of Azure Ray – Don’t Leave My Mind, and Kaskade & Adam K feat. SunSun – Raining. Expect to hear a lot more from him in the near future.

BGEEZY
Seattle, WA
TRASHED

As a twelve year old, Bgeezy went into debt for buying too many 12 for 1 CD’s from the BMG Music Subscription Club. As a teen, he blew all the money he made making Blizzards at Dairy Queen on concerts at RKCNDY, DV8, ARO.Space & other now-defunct Seattle venues. Those initial forays in music were less than fortuitous, but they’ve paid dividends since he started DJing. Now participating instead of spectating, he’s opened up for artists like The Twelves, Cassian, Gigamesh, RAC, & Them Jeans, played at Decibel Festival & helped nights like Trashed & 1990Now carve out a niche in the Seattle scene.

Featuring video installations by Decibel VJs Brandy Gray and KillingFrenzy

Festivities begin at 9PM / 21+ / $15 / Neumos (925 E. Pike St, Seattle, WA)

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T I C K E T S

Purchase tickets online or in person at Moe Bar (no fees // 925 E. Pike St. Seattle).

Buy advance tickets for the 30th ($15) // Buy the two-night pass ($28)

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N E W Y E A R ‘ S E V E

S A T U R D A Y :: December 31st, 2011

Featuring performances by…

JOHN TEJADA :: LIVE!
Los Angeles, CA
Kompakt Records / Poker Flat / Palette
Website // Facebook // YouTube

For fans of Gui Boratto, Steve Bug, Carl Craig and Booka Shade

Normally associated with his peers in techno from Detroit, Europe and elsewhere, John Tejada has embraced electronic music as a personal frontier, expanding on his resume as a techno recording artist as producer, remixer, DJ, and label owner. Known for crafting a brand of subtle, musical techno, his recorded output ranges across tempo and genre lines, from chilled out affairs with spacious arrangements to pulsating, densely layered, deeply energetic tracks that work magnificently in the hands of DJs as well as on the home stereo.

In 1991, while still in high school, John was already recording his first productions. He was also involved in college radio, even though he was just a junior in high school. John had a spot on “The Fly ID Show” with DJ Rob One. John produced the show’s first record for Rob and also went on to do some hip hop production on Ruthless Records. It was during this time that he met his long time collaborator and best friend Arian Leviste. The two met at a hip hop recording session in ’91. John, already tired of the hip hop scene and where it was going, spent hours talking to Arian about acid house, techno, electro and everything they seemed to have in common. The two agreed they would meet weekly to compose material. It took some time before they would release any music, but in 1994 they pressed up their own single and that started a chain reaction of releases. John and Arian during this time also were accepted into Cal Arts’ (California Institute for the Arts) electronic music program, but both decided not to attnd to hone their craft on their own.

Soon after, John enjoyed a series of releases on European labels like A13, Multiplex, and Generations R&S. In the fall of 1996 he started his own label, Palette Recordings as an outlet to release his own productions without having anyone tell him how to do it. The demand for his music continued to grow and labels such as Ferox, Sino, Mosaic, Immigrant, Plug Research, Playhouse, Pokerflat and 7th City all released Tejada 12″s.

John began traveling internationally in ’97 to showcase his DJ skills around the globe, traveling to more than 25 countries and playing various clubs and festivals around the world. Festivals included Movement, Sonar Festival (in Spain and Tokyo), Dance Valley (Netherlands), Sync Festival (Greece), MUTEK Mexico, Decibel (Seattle), Lightning In A Bottle (Northern California), as well as internationally known spaces such as Fabric (London), Yellow (Tokyo), Rex Club (Paris), The Walt Disney Concert Hall (Los Angeles) and many more.

In the summer of 2004, John would – in one week – create the two songs that would catapult his techno career. The classic “Sweat On The Walls,” and “Mono On Mono” were released almost at the same time on two different labels. “Sweat” was released on Pokerflat and “Mono On Mono” on Palette. Together the two records sold over 23,000 copies on vinyl. This lead to the equally successful follow up singles “Paranoia,” “Mind Bend” (with more recent collaborator and Palette-signing, Justin Maxwell) “Voyager,” and “The End Of It All.”

In 2011 John released his 11th full length album “Parabolas” on the seminal German label Kompakt. It has gone on to be one of the best reviewed underground dance albums of the year and has helped on in exposing Tejada to an entirely new audience.

In addition to his meticulous productions, John is one of the most respected remix artists in underground dance music. He remix credits include, The Postal Service, Gui Boratto, M.A.N.D.Y., Claude VonStroke, Carl Cox and Loco Dice to name a few.

With over 100 releases to his name going back to 1994, Tejada is widely know as the most prolific dance producers to emerge from the United States.

BIT FUNK
Brooklyn, NY
Defected / Shiny Disco Club / Ultra Records
Website // Facebook // YouTube

For fans of Lindstom, Aeroplane, Metro Area and Cut Copy

Brooklyn ‘s Bit Funk (aka Toronto-born Randolph Vespasien III) belongs to a new breed of producers and DJs that are reinventing and reinterpreting disco in the new millennium. With dozens of remixes and releases under his belt, Bit Funk has established himself as bona fided force in the Nu-Disco scene, which includes luminaries Aeroplane, Cut Copy, Cadillac, Tensnake, Lindstrom, Prins Thomas and Empire Of The Sun.

Since 2009, Bit Funk has been releasing composing across a multitude of blogs and labels, including Defected, Shiny Disco Club, Ultra, Ministry of Sound and Solid Bump Records. With over two dozen remixes under his belt, Bit Funk has built up an impressive catalog that he flexes throughout his spirited DJ performances.

LUSINE :: LIVE!
Seattle, WA
Ghostly International
Website // Facebook // YouTube

For fans of Apparat, Pantha Du Prince, The Field and Max Cooper

Jeff McIlwain has been producing his visceral, melodic strain of abstract electronic music as Lusine for 12 years now. Originally a Texas native, Jeff attended CalArts in 1998, studying 20th-century electronic music and sound design for music and film. Soon after, he met Shad Scott and put out his self-titled debut as Lusine for Isophlux. Since then, McIlwain relocated to Seattle and began steadily releasing his music on Ghostly International (home to 2004′s landmark Serial Hodgepodge as well as its successful followup remix album Podgelism), Hymen, and U-Cover. McIlwain has also contributed tracks to various compilations and remix releases on Mute, !K7, Kompakt, Asthmatic Kitty, and Shitkatapult McIlwain’s critically acclaimed album, A Certain Distance, was released on Ghostly International in 2009 with much fan fair. The album single “Two Dots” reached both radio and club success after being remixed by Nic Fanciulli.

McIlwain has performed throughout the US and abroad, including a set at London’s esteemed Fabric nightclub, Montreal’s MUTEK Festival, Barcelona’s Sonar Festival, Seattle’s Bumbershoot Festival and of course the Decibel Festival, where he was the only artist to perform each of the first seven programs (2004 through 2010).

McIlwain has recently been involved in two film projects, co-scoring David Gordon Green’s 2008 film Snow Angels (with Kate Beckinsale and Sam Rockwell), and scoring Kevin Bray’s 2009 film Linewatch (with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Omari Hardwick). His latest score for the Hollywood blockbuster film The Sitter has kept the composer busy for the better part of 2011.

In addition to his own compositions McIlwain has become a respected remix artist through his reworkings of The School of Seven Bells, Apparat, Tycho, Pezzner and My Brightest Diamond.

SEAN MAJORS vs. GENE LEE :: LIVE/DJ
Seattle, WA
Pound Records / LST BYS

After playing hundreds of shows together and releasing about fifteen tracks as LST BYS, these two veterans of house music have branched out on their own to move in other directions musically. Gene has spent the last three years in the studio, working with bands, hip hop acts, and producing EDM. His next release with Jon Lee promises to be a major breakthrough in both of their careers. Sean has moved into producing new disco and electro as well as throwing events all over the northwest with the infamous Trashed crew. These two need little introduction to the EDM community of Seattle, they’re 2×4 is one of the most energetic you’ll ever see and this NYE they’ll be remixing some of their music live for the first time.

BLONDZIE
Seattle, WA
TRASHED

BLONDZIE only recently returned from his hiatus, scouring the world in search for the rarest, disco infused sounds. Now he returns mixing his taste for classic electro and new wave with electro pop and nu-disco. Creating a throwback groove that has never really gone away, one set you don’t want to miss.

Featuring video installations by Decibel VJs Brandy Gray and KillingFrenzy

Festivities begin at 8PM / 21+ / $20 / Neumos (925 E. Pike St, Seattle, WA)

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T I C K E T S

Purchase tickets online or in person at Moe Bar (no fees // 925 E. Pike St. Seattle).

Buy advance tickets for the 31st ($20) // Buy the two-night pass ($28)

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Presented by: DECIBEL // TRASHED // NEUMOS

@ Neumos // 925 E. Pike Street, Seattle, WA

*Tickets for the 30th available @ http://bit.ly/sP0pp7 ($15)
**Tickets for the 31st (NYE) available @ http://bit.ly/vxKqzs ($20)
***Two-day passes available @ http://bit.ly/tdNKoo ($28)

THANK YOU!

AmyPolansky — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 18:22:00 +0000

Decibel Festival 2011 was by far our most successful year to date — in attendance, smoothness of operations, and quality of production. We couldn’t have done this without you —- THANKS from the bottom of our hearts.

View photos from Decibel Festival 2011

TRENTEMØLLER – Live with band!

AmyPolansky — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:44:37 +0000

Tuesday November 1st @ The Showbox Market

Decibel proudly presents, the return of…

TRENTEMØLLER – LIVE WITH BAND!!! : Copenhagen
…In My Room / Poker Flat
www.anderstrentemoller.com/
www.facebook.com/trentemoller

w/ guests

NORDIC SOUL – DJ

+ SPECIAL GUEST TBA

RSVP on Facebook.

:::: TICKET / VENUE INFO ::::

All-ages with 21+ bar / 8pm

$18 advance tickets available at The Showbox Box Office or through www.TicketMaster.com

Showbox at the Market
1426 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101

:: TRENTEMØLLER BIO ::

When his debut album ‘The Last Resort’ was released in 2006, Anders Trentemøller already had established his name as one of the greatest talents of electronic music.

The Copenhagen based Danish producer and multi-instrumentalist started out with a number of yet classic single productions. In February 2005 Berlin producer and DJ Steve Bug released the Trentemøller 12-inch ‘Physical Fraction’ on his brand new label Audiomatique. It became one of the summer anthems of 2005 and was followed by three releases on Bug’s main label Poker Flat: ‘Polar Shift’, ‘Sunstroke’ and ‘Nam Nam’. Trentemøller’s fresh sound and quality production gave a new twist to the upcoming minimal techno-sound and consolidated his reputation as one of the most interesting producers of the year.

To expand his horizon and show the world another side of his musical personality he worked on his debut album ‘The Last Resort’ (2006). The 13 instrumental tracks together form a musical story, almost like the soundtrack of a movie. ‘The Last Resort’ struck a chord with new audiences all around the world and became a international hit and earned a number of music awards as well as the ‘album of the year’ in various magazines. In 2007 followed two vocal singles taken from the album: ‘Always Something Better’ (featuring Richard Davis) and ‘Moan’ (with Danish singer Ane Trolle).

In the summer of 2007 Anders started a live tour: ‘Trentemøller Live in Concert’. For the first time Trentemøller and band (Henrik Vibskov on drums and Mikael Simpson (guitar/bass) performed tracks from the album ‘The Last Resort’ live on stage, with spectacular visuals provided by videodirector Karim Ghahwagi. The tour included festivals like Glastonbury (UK), Melt (Germany), Lowlands (Netherlands), Roskilde (Denmark), followed by his first USA concerts.

In October 2007 the double album ‘The Trentemøller Chronicles’ was released: a kind of “Best Of”, which contained Anders‘ personal selection of his best songs which were not included in the debut album ‚The Last Resort‘ and remixes for artists like Röyksopp, The Knife and Moby, as well as some new and exclusive songs.

Trentemøller continued touring in 2008 and released the third single from the album on Audiomatique: the instrumental ‘Miss You’. This was followed by a live CD with tracks taken from the show at the Roskilde festival in 2007.

In 2009 followed Trentemøller’s remix for the first single of the new Depeche Mode album ‘Sounds Of The Universe’. ‘Wrong’ was released on the official remix EP in April 2009. The Trentemøller remix for Franz Ferdinand‘s ‚No You Girls‘ was released in 2009 and has been nominated for a US Grammy award. A month later Trentemøller presented his first mix compilation on the new label ‘hfn music’. ‘Harbour Boat Trips 01- Copenhagen’ consisted of a collection of Trentemøller’s personal favorites from the past four decades.

One of the highlights of 2009 surely was headlining Roskilde Festival 2009, where Trentemøller performed a show in front of more than 50.000 people. The concert featured lots of guest musicians, performers and extraordinary visual effects designed and built by Henrik Vibskov and his crew.

And now, in 2011, there’s ‘Into The Great Wide Yonder’, Trentemøller’s second artist album. The follow up of ‘The Last Resort’ show an artist that’s willing to take risks, find inspiration in new places and move beyond the sound of his previous album. Trentemøller: ‘Of course I didn’t want to make the same record twice. That would have been boring.’ Instead he just started to collect new ideas, without thinking too much about the direction the music would take him: ‘The only thing I knew was that I’d want the music to be more organic, warm and not typical electronic sounding‘.

Photos from Decibel Festival 2011

AmyPolansky — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:36:43 +0000

From the Decibel Festival 2011 Flickr Pool:

Resident Advisor Photo Galleries:

Blurring the Lines Showcase :: Martyn, Martin Buttrich, Max Cooper, Egyptrixx, Cyanwave

Deep Foundations :: Chateau Flight, I:Cube, Deniz Kurtel, Mike Huckaby, Derek Plaslaiko

Backstage Panoramic Photos by Bradford Bohonus:

DJ Krush @ Neumos, Decibel Festival 2011

Eskmo (Brendan Angelides) @ Paramount Theatre, Decibel Festival 2011

Martin Buttrich @ Neumos, Decibel Festival 2011, Seattle

TokiMonsta (Jennifer Lee) @ Paramount Theatre, Decibel Festival 2011

Max Cooper @ Neumos, Decibel Festival 2011

Cyanwave (Keith Kelley, Justin Byrnes) @ Neumos, Decibel Festival 2011

Jon McMillion @ Re-Bar, Decibel Festival 2011

Larry Mizell Jr (MC & KEXP DJ) & Dave Lichterman (photographer) @ Neumos, Decibel Festival 2011

Scott Johnson (Tracer Visuals) @ Neumos, Decibel Festival 2011

Wednesday Festival Recap

AmyPolansky — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:39:06 +0000

Photo by Angela Dawn

[Dub Selekta / sub|division] Decibel Festival Day 1: AraabMuzik & Zomby by Amy Kirtay

[Headphone Commute] Event : Decibel 2011 : Day One by Headphone Commute

[KEXP] Decibel Festival 2011: Opening Party @ Re-bar 9/28 by Philip LaRose

[KEXP] Decibel Festival 2011: Toro y Moi with Bass Drum of Death & Unknown Mortal Orchestra, 9/28 by Michael Beck

[MyNorthwest.com] Decibel Festival Video: Ghost Feet, Toro y Moi, Zomby by Sean DeTore

[Seattle Times] Concert review: Zomby and Araabmuzik at Decibel Festival by Andrew Matson

Photo by Brandon Aleson

[SF Station] Live Review: Decibel Opening Party by Paloma Ortiz

[SF Station] Q&A: Atom™ at Decibel by Paloma Ortiz

[SSG] Decibel Festival 2011 Day 1: Dropping Gems / Beat Prodigies by Allen Huang

[SSG] Decibel Festival 2011: Opening Party at Re-Bar by Kat Taylor

[The Stranger - Line Out] Decibel Festival Day 1: DJAO, Jon McMillion, Atom™, Zomby by Dave Segal

[Verbicide Magazine] Show Review: Decibel Festival 2011 (Part One) by Heather Schofner

[What Radio?] Decibel Festival: Bass Drum of Death by Steven Graham

[XLR8R] Decibel 2011 Wrap-Up, Part 1 by Glenn Jackson

[XLR8R] Five Minutes at Decibel with Asura by Glenn Jackson

Photo by Geoffrey Gribbin

Thursday Festival Recap

AmyPolansky — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 19:28:52 +0000

Photo by Angela Dawn

[Dub Selekta / sub|division] Decibel Festival Day 2: Amon Tobin & the Night Slugs by Amy Kirtay

[Headphone Commute] Event : Decibel 2011 : Day Two by Headphone Commute

[KEXP] Decibel Festival 2011: Holy Fuck and E*Rock @ The Crocodile 9/29 by Ryan Bort

[KEXP] Decibel Festival 2011: Amon Tobin @ The Paramount 9/29 by Philip LaRose

Photo by Angela Dawn

[SF Station] Live Review: Night Slugs Showcase at Baltic Room by Paloma Ortiz

[SSG] Decibel Festival 2011: Thursday and Friday by Kat Taylor

[SSG] Decibel Fest 2011 Day 2: Night Slugs + Tokimonsta by Allen Huang

[The Stranger] Decibel Fest Day 2: TOKiMONSTA, Eskmo, Amon Tobin’s ISAM, Holy Fuck by Dave Segal

[Verbicide Magazine] Show Review: Decibel Festival 2011 (Part One) by Heather Schofner

[What Radio?] Decibel Festival: Geographer Interview by Steven Graham

[XLR8R] Decibel 2011 Wrap-Up, Part 1 by Glenn Jackson

Photo by Joshua Maser

Friday Festival Recap

AmyPolansky — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 18:42:30 +0000

Photo by Heather Schofner

[DayDream Station] Warm Oscillations – dBFest, Friday Night @The Crocodile by Aaron Parker

[Dub Selekta / sub|division] Decibel Festival Day 3: Egyptrixx & Martyn by Amy Kirtay

[Headphone Commute] Event : Decibel 2011 : Day Three by Headphone Commute

[KEXP] Decibel Festival 2011: Optical Showcases @ Nordstrom Recital Hall by Michael Beck

[KEXP] Decibel Festival 2011: Moby @ Showbox SoDo, 9/29 by Michael Beck

[MyNorthwest.com] Decibel Festival Friday: Mux Mool, Star Slinger, Beat Connection. Chat with Mux Mool here… by Sean DeTore

[MyNorthwest.com] Decibel Festival 2011 Video: Martyn, Starslinger, Ladytron, Geographer by Sean DeTore

[SF Station] Live Review: Blurring the Lines Showcase at Neumos by Paloma Ortiz

[SSG] Decibel Festival 2011: Thursday and Friday by Kat Taylor

Photo by Chris Van Wick

[SSG] Decibel Festival 2011: Miracles Club, Martyn, and Kyle Hall by Tiffany Wan

[SSG] Decibel Festival 2011 – Day 3 (w/ Videos): Optical 1, Beat Connection, Star Slinger, and oOoOO by Sean Palmer

[The Stranger] Decibel Fest Day 3 Highlights: Simon Scott, Egyptrixx, oOoOO by Dave Segal

[What Radio?] Decibel Festival: Star Slinger by Steven Graham

[Verbicide Magazine] Show Review: Decibel Festival 2011 (Part Two) by Heather Schofner

[XLR8R] Decibel 2011 Wrap-Up, Part 2 by Glenn Jackson

Photo by Dave Matthews

Saturday Festival Recap

AmyPolansky — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 17:56:40 +0000

Photo by Brandon Aleson

[Dub Selekta / sub|division] DB Fest. Day 3 & 4: Ill-Esha, Breakage, Mt. Eden, FriteNite, Ital Tek, Machinedrum by Amy Kirtay

[Headphone Commute] Event : Decibel 2011 : Day Four by Headphone Commute

[KEXP] Decibel Festival 2011: Optical Showcases @ Nordstrom Recital Hall by Michael Beck

[SF Station] Live Review: matthewdavid, Christopher Willits, Oval at Benaroya Hall by Paloma Ortiz

Photo by Heather Schofner

[SSG] Decibel Festival 2011: Optical 2 and Deep House Boogaloo by Kat Taylor

[SSG] Decibel Fest 2011 Day 4: Christopher Willits + Deniz Kurtel + More by Chris Govella

[The Stranger] Decibel Fest Highlights from Days 4 & 5 by Dave Segal

[sub|division] Decibel Lead Up: ill-esha Q&A

[sub|division] sub⎹div q&a: EPROM

[Verbicide Magazine] Show Review: Decibel Festival 2011 (Part Two) by Heather Schofner

[XLR8R] Decibel 2011 Wrap-Up, Part 2 by Glenn Jackson

[XLR8R] Five Minutes At Decibel with Kyle Hall by Glenn Jackson

Photo by Chris Van Wick

Sunday Festival Recap

AmyPolansky — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 16:14:10 +0000

Photo by Angela Dawn

[KEXP] Decibel Festival 2011: Bit Pop Showcase with DNTEL, Erika Spring & Orcas @ Triple Door 10/2 by Michael Beck

[SSG] Decibel Fest 2011 Day 5: Tiger & Woods + Kid Hops + dBridge by Chris Govella

[The Stranger] Decibel Fest Highlights from Days 4 & 5 by Dave Segal

[XLR8R] Decibel 2011 Wrap-Up, Part 2 by Glenn Jackson

dB Visitor Information

AmyPolansky — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:10:24 +0000

ABOUT SEATTLE

Surrounded by mountains and bodies of water, Seattle features gorgeous views, clean air and plenty of outdoor activities to take part in. Far from being perpetually rainy and gray, the Summer offers blue skies and warm temperatures. This leads to an equally comfortable Fall with ideal weather for hiking, biking, kayaking, climbing and snowboarding later in the season, making the weekend of Decibel a wonderful time to come to Washington.

Seattle simultaneously encourages a growing technology workforce and also a vibrant, eclectic arts community. Five companies on the 2006 Fortune 500 list are based locally, including the headquarters for Microsoft, Boeing, Amazon, Weyerhaeuser, Nintendo and of course Starbucks. At the same time the city fosters a strong DIY spirit and showcases an abundance of galleries, museums, theaters, live music venues, recording facilities, music retailers, radio stations, and film productions. It has more arts-related businesses per capita than any other major U.S. city, along with having the largest number of bookstores and being considered one of the most literate. The film industry is also very supported, each year hosting SIFF, the biggest and most attended film festival in the country.

Within Seattle the most populated neighborhood is Capitol Hill, where much of this years’ Decibel Festival will be held. The Hill is known for being extremely accepting of all people, representing a diverse cross-section of subcultures. Arts, and especially music, are a huge focus in this area – all clubs are within walking distance from each other, each have their own personalities and many feature live music or DJs most nights of the week. Besides music venues, you’ll find plenty of coffee shops, internet cafes, restaurants, and loads of shopping. For a break from the more urban aspects in Capitol Hill, Cal Anderson Park provides a great place for recreation (softball, ultimate Frisbee, kickball) and Volunteer Park offers an educational sanctuary, housing both its own conservatory and the Seattle Asian Art Museum.

We look forward to welcoming you to Seattle during Decibel this year!

WILL CALL

Fred Wildlife Refuge is Decibel Festival Will Call [and for all intensive purposes, HOME BASE]. If you have any questions, please meander over to 127 E. Boylston.

Will call will open at noon on Wednesday, September 28th, and remain open through Friday, September 30th: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM at Fred Wildlife Refuge.

ALL PASSES MUST BE PICKED UP DURING THIS TIME.

Tickets for individual events may be purchased in advance at Will Call. At most shows you can also purchase tickets at the venue the night of the event, but it is encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to avoid being denied entry to a sold out event.

PRESS WILL CALL IS AT THE W HOTEL — if you are a member of the press, pick up your pass between 12PM and 10PM, Wednesday through Friday. Look for signs in the lobby.

DECIBEL ATTENDEES STAYING AT THE W SEATTLE HOTEL: You will pick up your passes and tickets when you check into the hotel. Keep an eye out for the Decibel signs in the lobby.

Please note that the 2011 Decibel Festival Pass gets you into everything, except the Boat Parties and the Bit Pop Showcase due to very limited capacity.

Credit cards will be accepted at will call and merchandise areas.

BARS

In order to gain entry to a bar in Seattle, you must be 21 or over and have a valid form of identification (whether it is a passport, a drivers license or a government issued identification card). Bring your ID absolutely everywhere because all bars and venues in Seattle WILL check your ID and will most definitely refuse you entry if you do not have it.

Bars are open until 2:00 AM, but will often stop selling drinks at 1:30AM (1:45 AM bar time). Convenience stores and other corner stores that sell beer and wine will continue to do so until 2:00 AM. Liquor stores in Seattle close much earlier (usually around 8:00 or 9:00 PM). For a list of local liquor stores, please view the GUIDE TO CAPITOL HILL or the GUIDE TO DOWNTOWN, which lists the hours and phone numbers for liquor stores close to the venues.

WIFI HOTSPOTS

Capitol Hill and Downtown are just crawling with free WiFi hotspots. Most coffee shops will have free Wifi (many, if not all, of the coffee shops on the maps above offer free WiFi).

GUIDE TO SEATTLE :: CAPITOL HILL

View Guide to Seattle :: CAPITOL HILL in a larger map

GUIDE TO SEATTLE :: DOWNTOWN

View Guide to Seattle :: DOWNTOWN in a larger map

SELECT PUBLIC TRANSIT ROUTES

There are many options in terms of how you can get around while you’re in Seattle. Please check out our TRANSIT GUIDE in order to find the method of transportation that’s right for you.

In the meantime, check out the essential bus routes you’ll need to know:

View Transit Guide :: Decibel 2011 in a larger map

dB Venue Information

AmyPolansky — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:54:31 +0000

View 2011 dB Venues in a larger map

2011 DECIBEL FESTIVAL VENUES

Fred Wildlife Refuge : WILL CALL : 127 E. Boylston, 12PM – 12AM
Wednesday: dB Conference
Thursday: dB Conference
Friday: dB Conference

FOR DECIBEL ATTENDEES STAYING AT THE W SEATTLE HOTEL: You will pick up your passes and tickets when you check into the hotel. Keep an eye out for the Decibel signs in the lobby : 1112 4th Avenue

The Baltic Room : 1207 Pine St : (206) 625-4444
Wednesday: dB Drum & Bass Showcase
Thursday: Night Slugs Showcase
Friday: TRUST Showcase
Saturday: TRASHED Showcase
Sunday: Decibel and Onset Present

The Crocodile : 2200 2nd Ave : (206) 441-4618
Thursday: Bit Rock
Friday: Warm Oscillations

Electric Tea Garden : 1402 E. Pike St : (206) 568-3972
Saturday: Uniting Souls Music Showcase

HG Lodge : 722 E. Pike St : (206) 328-7666
Wednesday: Dropping Gems Showcase

Islander Boat Cruise : 1611 Fairview Ave E. : (425) 637-8434
Saturday: Future Funk 2011 Uniting Souls & Decibel Boat Party

Neumos : 925 E. Pike St : (206) 709-9442
Wednesday: Beat Prodigies
Thursday: Red Bull Music Academy Night
Friday: Blurring The Lines
Saturday: Deep Foundations
Sunday: dB in Dub Finale

Nordstrom Recital Hall (Benaroya) : 200 University St : (206) 215-4800
Friday: OPTICAL 1 : Sine Your Name Across My Heart
Saturday: OPTICAL 2 : Grains of Sound

Paramount Theatre : 911 Pine St : (206) 682-1414
Thursday: Red Bull Music Academy Presents

Showbox at the Market : 1426 1st Ave : (206) 628-3151
Thursday: Sinthetic
Friday: Bassic Necessities
Saturday: DecaDance

Showbox SoDo : 1700 1st Ave S. : (206) 628-3151
Friday: No Sleep Till Brooklyn

The Triple Door : 216 Union St : (206) 838-4333
** NOT INCLUDED W/ dB PASS **
Sunday: Bit Pop

Re-Bar : 1114 Howell St : (206) 979-7467
Wednesday: Decibel Opening Party
Sunday: Flammable Showcase

Volunteer Park : 1247 15th Ave E. : (206) 684-4075
Saturday: dB in the Park // Frite Nite Showcase

The Woods : 1512 11th Ave Level Three : (206) 915-2852
Thursday: Sweatbox Showcase

2011 Decibel Festival Merchandise

AmyPolansky — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:49:13 +0000

2011 Decibel Festival t-shirts can be all yours for just $20 each!! Pick yours up at Fred Wildlife Refuge (Will Call), Neumos, Showbox at the Market, or dB in the Park on Saturday at Volunteer Park!

dB gear from previous years range in price from $10- $20!

Super mega blowout sale Saturday at dB in the Park!!

Credit cards will be accepted at Will Call and all merchandise areas.

Hours & Locations:

Fred Wildlife Refuge: Wednesday & Thursday // 3pm – 10pm
Neumos: Wednesday — Sunday // 9pm – 2am
Showbox at the Market: Thursday — Saturday // 9pm – 2am
Volunteer Park: Saturday // 3pm – 6pm

6:00PM – [HOW] Maschine in the Studio w/Mike Huckaby

SeanPower — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 22:36:22 +0000

dB Conference : presented by Windows 7

Watch and learn, as Detroit house producer Mike Huckaby creates a deep house track from scratch within minutes, using only Native Instruments flexible Maschine hardware/software.

Capacity at the dB Conference is extremely limited. Admission is not guaranteed.

JAMES BLAKE live @ Showbox Market

AmyPolansky — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:04:35 +0000

Saturday September 24th, Decibel Festival, The Showbox and KEXP 90.3 are proud to present…

JAMES BLAKE live feat. Ben Assiter & Rob McAndrews
Atlas / R&S Records / London, UK
www.facebook.com/jamesblakemusic
www.jamesblakemusic.com

Showbox Market : 1426 1st Ave
8pm – 1am

All-ages w/ 21+ bar

Advance tickets available online here.

Physical tickets available at the Showbox Market Box Office (M-F 11-6) Showbox Sodo Box Office (M-F 12:30-5:30). Only $2 service charge at box offices. Cash only.

ABOUT JAMES BLAKE:

It is not the first time a DJ has saved someone’s life, and it won’t be the last, but when a teenage James Blake first visited the London club night FWD>> (pronounced “forward”) in 2007, his mind was well and truly knocked for six.

Down in the pitch-black basement of Plastic People the DJs played grime and garage, and James liked it. Loved it, in fact. He’d never heard anything like it before. He’d been to drum ’n’ bass nights with school friends, but the music here was different, the atmosphere unlike anything he’d experienced. This was what James had been waiting for – he just hadn’t realized. “I thought, this drives me so far into my own head, much more than anything has ever done,” he says, “and it was so loud and dark in there.”

This midnight epiphany in a Shoreditch cellar led, in a few short years, to the James Blake of 2010, a surefooted 22-year-old composer whose extraordinary tracks are not so much breaking down existing musical barriers as leaping over them and creating an entirely new kind of pop that belies its author’s tender age. Loosely tethered to dubstep, but displaying an astonishing grasp of songwriting and electronic production, James’s songs possess uncommon grace and soulfulness. Whether intended for the FWD>> dancefloor or, like new single ‘Limit to Your Love’, destined to melt hearts and prick ears, his music is characterised by a playful and arresting honesty, a human touch that naturally aligns him with contemporary artists such as Bon Iver or Laura Marling or the xx.

Yet more than this, it is the shock of the new in James’s music that’s causing real commotion: the sounds, that voice, the silence, the rhythm (or lack of it), the waiting, the tension… You have to know the rules in order to break them with such conviction, and by daring to be different, James stands head and shoulders above his peers. No doubt, you’ll remember where you were when you heard “Limit to Your Love’ or ‘I Never Learnt to Share’ for the first time. His debut album, released early next year, promises to change the game.

So who is this wunderkind? James Blake was born in 1988 and raised in leafy Enfield, north London, the only child of a musician father and a graphic designer mother. Both self-employed and successful in their respective fields, they instilled in their son a determination to do things his own way and to never work for anyone but himself. At six, James began to learn the piano and was later taught classically, completing the grades, which he didn’t enjoy but saw the importance of it. “I had a sense at an early age that if I was improving then it must be a good thing,” he says. “So I stuck with it. I could see I was getting better at the piano.”

In his teens, James would improvise and practise singing, and liked to play along to old Motown and soul records, Otis Redding and so on. By doing this, he learned about harmony. “I’d be learning classical harmony and also how to play gospel organ — I was really into gospel quite early on, like real gospel, the Reverend James Cleveland and amazing stuff that was interesting to me pianistically. Then I got into [jazz pianists] Art Tatum and Erroll Garner, though I was never into jazz. I always felt that jazz had had its day and I was looking for something else, something new.”

Although his father had plenty of recording gear and instruments in his studio, James only became interested in this side of things after that trip to FWD>>, when he realised the only way to make new sounds would be to get a copy of music-making program Logic and to start to copy the “pure, original dubstep” he adored by the likes of Mala and Coki, the Digital Mystikz. Slowly, he trickled his own musical ideas into these tracks.

FWD>> not only spurred James into producing, it also provided him with a new social scene, something he’d longed for, having tired of the same old faces at sixth form and not quite adjusted to university life at Goldsmiths in south London, where he was studying popular music. “There was a world of people my age making music that I found really exciting going on – I wanted to get in on that. And I saw the DJ and I thought, I want to be there, I want to be behind those decks. At the time I didn’t see any musical merit in DJing. It didn’t occur to me that it can be really rewarding musically, as well as being a good opportunity to meet loads of nice people.”

Uni offered James ample time to write music on his laptop and attend dubstep nights in Brixton (DMZ) and Shoreditch (FWD>>). His first single, ‘Air and Lack Thereof’, came out in 2009 on the Hemlock label, run by Jack Dunning, aka the producer Untold and now a good friend of James. This came about when Jack heard a track by James played by the DJ, Distance, on a Rinse FM radio show. He thought it sounded fresh and asked to sign it. Certainly, James’s tracks sounded markedly different to almost every other dubstep or post-dubstep record being played. For a start, they had chords. “Nothing else had chords at the time,” he says. “And it wasn’t just chords either, it was gospel chords, organ chords.”

The title ‘Air and Lack Thereof’ relates to one of James’s signature sounds, white noise. “There’s a lot of horrible noise going on in the track, but it actually sounds really pleasant. I’ve always been into layering noise with things because it puts them on their own pillow, their own cloud. I like things to have their own bed of noise to sit on.” And when James DJs, he’s quite happy to slip some silence into his sets. It’s not pretentious, he says, he just wants to break it up a bit. “You don’t really appreciate some sounds until you’re not hearing them.” James has released five singles this year, to considerable acclaim; for some reason, bloggers tend to pick up on the sense of isolation in his work and love to ruminate over his intricate beats. A few of his key tracks feature heavily edited, cut-up vocal samples from R&B records, but on his radical reading of Feist’s ‘Limit to Your Love’ he sings the song himself, layering his voice. It’s a powerful number. “‘Limit to Your Love’ was the first time I ever used my voice and I gave special attention to it,” he says. “I thought, well, I’m using my voice here so I’ll do something extra innovative.”

Some may be interested to know that he recorded that song 18 months ago and wasn’t even sure if he’d release it. Most of the album was written in his digs in New Cross and Deptford, though he’d often return to Enfield to clear his head and compose. No distractions there, no friends popping round, and if he looks out of his window it’s green and silent. What’s revealing is that he wrote the songs for his album at the same time as he was putting out the more experimental 12-inches. “I went through a lot of sounds. And the weird thing is, those songs don’t sound like anything on those 12-inches — they sound completely different.”

What is consistent, though, is the intoxicating effect his music is having as more and more people fall under its spell. Twelve months ago he was virtually unknown. Now James is the darling of the cutting edge, about to hit the mainstream, and there’s no question that he knows what he’s doing. “I have an obsession with emotion,” he says. “I want to make dance music that actually connects with people in the way that a soul record does. I want my music to speak to you like a folk record does, in an organic, human way. It’s the human touch that I want.”