Velcro City Records

Artist Name?
Arete & Kaution

Where are you from?
Denver Baby!

What upcoming projects are in the works?
Currently we are finishing up a full-length remix album, which will be releasing free to our fans this October. The album includes remixes of The Black Eyed Peas, Jamiroquai, Imogen Heap among others. We also have a number of original tracks in the works that we are really excited about. In addition, we are beginning production on our second album for the infamous Denver-based hip-hop group, “White Fudge”. Finally, we are expanding our live performances with the inclusion of live percussion and next-generation custom visualizations.

Any production tips for new producers?
For new producers, we highly recommend fully learning the ins and outs of all of your plug-ins and DAW’s. Make a point to gain a fundamental understanding of whatever you are working with at the time. This will increase your work-flow and prevent you from getting bogged down and frustrated. This can be done by taking advantage of the wealth of YouTube tutorials, forums, articles (Sound on Sound articles especially) available for free online. We also try to stay true to the mantra that “well begun is half done”; focus on organization of your sound libraries and setting obtainable goals throughout your creative process. Finally, it is essential to learn (or find someone who knows how) to properly mix and master your material. No matter how much you dig your tracks, if they aren’t there sonically, it is unlikely that it will translate well to the ears of your listeners. Ultimately, it is about experience, literally how many hours you put in the seat, that will determine your success.

What’s one of your favorite plug ins or pieces of hardware to use in your production?
Being live performers, we are avid Ableton Live users and highly recommend it both for live applications and as a primary DAW. Concerning plug-ins, Native Instruments Massive is a fantastic tool for sculpting synth and bass sounds. The level of control is exceptional and the user interface, while daunting at first, is intuitive and easy to navigate; Massive is exactly that in all respects.

What’s your favorite track at the moment?
The XX – Crystalised

What’s your favorite artist at the moment?
ill.Gates, no question. ill is not only a pioneer and an outstanding producer, but one hell of a great guy as well. If you get a chance to either see him live, or better, attend one of his producer workshops, grab it!

What’s your take on the music industry at the moment?
No doubt, it’s a different world. Beneficially, there is a greater amount and better music out there than ever before, but it can be difficult to find the gems amongst the overwhelming amount of music being released. Artists are able to reach out to a broader fan-base than ever before, but with digital distribution, it’s important for new artists to do something truly remarkable to set themselves above the rest. Our primary goal, and the goal of many producers at the moment, is to release music with genuine heart and soul, regardless of genre. If a talented artist is fully committed, in it for the right reasons and has the drive and dedication necessary, then they will be successful regardless of the hurdles faced in the music industry.

Any Upcoming Gigs to be on the lookout for?
Yes, we’re really excited to play Global Fridays at The Church on October 15th! We have a ton of new material that is sure to put some dents in the dance floor

What are your thoughts on the future of EDM?
A quarter-century on and EDM is stronger than ever. We are stoked to see an enthusiastic new generation of dance music lovers and genres. Furthermore, we are overjoyed at the vitality of the EDM community in the Mile High City! We have always had a solid scene, but we are now one of the dominant cities in the industry, largely because of the supportive nature of our artists, performers, independent record labels (Velcro City Records above all) and the undeniable contribution of Beatport and Beta Nightclub, which regularly bring the best talent in the world to the Mile High City!

How did you get into producing?

Adam Arete:
My father ensured that I tried as many musical instruments as possible: violin, piano, guitar, mandolin and even accordion He and I co-wrote the Colorado Rockies theme song “Play Ball” and were fortunate enough to perform it with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, which was a huge inspiration. Later, I focused primarily on playing keyboard, but not until I started sequencing on my ancient Korg 01/Wfd did I grasp the possibilities of multi-tracking. I DJ’d  (DJ Tantra) in the phenomenal Denver rave scene of the mid 1990’s and was bless to have some great mentors who encouraged me to write more original material. I made the leap to solely producing music as the early DAW’s and software became available, Rebirth gets honorable mention, and it’s evolved ever since. I give a ton of thanks to Mark Orosz, who taught me to DJ, Jim Stout (formerly Nebula 9) for sharing his vast knowledge of synthesis and to BT for introducing me to Ableton early on.

Kaution:
I was introduced to the early Denver rave scene and then stared DJ’ing at Tracks 2000 in the late 1990’s. In 1999, I was approached to write an original track specially for the club and the thrill of the writing process hooked me. I began producing regularly with my cousin, Adam Arete, using floor stereo speakers and Sonic Foundry Acid, but then began DJ’ing exclusively and put production on the back burner. I teamed back up with Adam Arete in 2009 to co-produce and co-engineer the White Fudge album “Colfax of Life” (a big thank you to DJ Hero and Ricardo Blanco for the engineering tips). Throughout the rest of 2009 we began to produce and build the catalog of music that we now play in our live act, Arete & Kaution.

If you could work with any one artist, who would it be?

Adam Arete: Jimi Hendrix

Kaution: John Lennon

(In) EDM: BT, hands down. Not only is he a revolutionary producer but his humility, openness and passion are second to none. He is the nerd godfather

What instruments do you play?
Piano, Drums, Guitar and all things electronic!

What are your goals and what do you expect to achieve with music production?
To continue to put out the most original, innovative,  funky, dirty, soul-grabbing dance music possible. To push the limits of the combined power of audio and visualization. To continue to build our fan base by being truly ourselves and having an open and genuine rapport with our fans. And, within a short time, to play the major EDM festivals both here in the states and abroad.

What do you have that is new / innovative that you bring to the table?
Our full show consists of completely original Live PA duo with incorporated video synthesis, live vocals, instrumentation and performance art. We are blessed to know some of Denver’s most talented musicians and performance artists as well as video and lighting engineers. This allows us to have an to have an ever-changing live performance tailored to venue, theme and audience.

If you could play at any venue or event, where would it be and why?
Red Rocks at the end of a world tour

What is your favorite meal and who makes it for you?
Adam Arete: What’s that stuff, we used to eat it all the time back in the day?
Kaution: Old Chicago Pizza!

What do you like to do in your free time?

A&K: Free Time?

Adam Arete: Travel above all! I also study the humanities, especially history.

Kaution: BBQ and Disc Golf.

Adam Arete: Oh yea, BBQ and Disc Golf too

Where do you find your main source of support comes from?

Adam Arete: My lovely wife, Lady Shanime, she has supported me on this journey for over twelve years and I couldn’t do it without her. She performs with us as well as doing vocals on many of our tracks. My entire family, including Kaution, are the earth beneath my feet and I am blessed beyond words to have them all. Finally, my VCR family. I couldn’t have asked for more inspiring and wonderful group of people with whom to work.

Kaution: Same as above, but replace lovely wife with partner Gary Skogen.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your fans or the people who support your music?
Thank you! Your love and support truly mean the world to us. You are why we do what we do!

Much Love,

Arete & Kaution

Go Fan Arete & Kaution on their new Facebook Page  ->
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Arete-and-Kaution/190452975807

A&K were kind enough to load us up with tons of free tunes for your ear pleasure. Stream and download below.

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Arete & Kaution – Diana Ross vs. Basement Jaxx (Original Mix).mp3

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Black Eyed Peas – Hey Mama (Arete & Kaution Remix).mp3

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Imogen Heap – Headlock (Arete & Kaution Remix).mp3

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Jamiroquai – Deeper Underground (Arete & Kaution Remix).mp3

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Peaches – F_ck The Pain Away (Arete & Kaution Remix).mp3

and check out their other work on Beatport.com

Artist Name?
Dubba Jonny

Where are you from?
Bournemouth, UK

What instruments do you play?
I (Brian) play guitar and keys and Nick plays drums (being the drummer!) and a bit of guitar.

What’s your favorite track at the moment?
Bar 9 – Piano Tune

What upcoming projects are in the works?
We’re currently working on some new material, trying to mix things up a bit, got some heavier stuff coming out as well as some much more chilled tunes. We’re also finishing up some new remixes that should be making their way out soon with a bit of luck.

What / when is your next release?
Our first original release – Home is coming out on the 16^th (of June), which we’re really excited about, we’ve been waiting to get this out to people for ages!

How did you get into producing?
It all started when I was about 13, I asked my mum to get me some software to record my guitar on and I ended up with fruity loops, I started messing around with, trying to make piss take dance music, but got really into my IDM which developed into DNB and trip hop and then dubstep.

If you could work with any one artist, who would it be?
Maynard James Keenan – everything that guy gets involved in is just ridiculously awesome. I couldn’t imagine him being a big dubstep fan though!

What’s your take on the music industry at the moment?
It’s been in a really weird place for quite some time now, what with the net making it so easy for artists to get out there but achieve nothing. The amount of people who can get half a million people to follow them online but couldn’t sell out a pub gig is nuts. I wouldn’t complain about it though, it’s as much of a good thing as it is a bad thing in my opinion. At least on the internet things don’t get so political, I whine about how brutally political the dubstep scene is on a daily basis, it bores the shit out of everyone so I’ll leave it at that!

What is your favorite meal and who makes it for you?
Fry up. We do this thing when we’re hungover called double fry up day and we eat 2 fry ups each in one day and that is it. I make it, I get too scared if someone else cooks it, they’ll break the yolks on my eggs or mix the beans up with everything or something!

What’s one of your favorite plug-ins or pieces of hardware to use in your production?
It’s so standard I know, but N.I Massive. It can just do anything, I lose hours and hours of my life to it on a very regular basis.

If you could play at any venue or event, where would it be and why?
It sounds ridiculous, but the worlds biggest house party. We still play so many house parties where we live and they are just the funnest gigs ever.

Where do you find your main source of support comes from?
A lot of it comes from other artists, swapping half baked tunes, picking up tips off each other etc really helps you stay on top of your game. Our fans are so bloody keen too, that’s pretty awesome.

What does your family think about the music you produce, how have they supported you?They helped me a hell of a lot when I was younger, sorting me out with stuff I could just never afford, buying my CD’s etc. but I reckon they think I’m running around like this mental wannabe, trying to chase some crazy dream of getting really rich and famous through a genre they probably think I made up! “Dub – what!? You’re playing reggae??”
I’m sure it’s exactly the same with Nick too. We stopped off at his mums place on the way back from a gig the other day and she asked to hear some of her stuff,  about 10 seconds into Home she said “…I’ll listen to it later!’
What are your goals and what do you expect to achieve with music production?
Just to be able to do this full time, no jobs, just loads and loads of music! I’d like to be able to say we’ve brought something new to the genre too, get a few people thinking ‘aaah I didn’t think of doing that!’ whether or not we expect to actually influence the scene at all I don’t know, but it would be pretty bangin!

What do you see being the next trend in the dance music scene?
I reckon dubstep influence is gonna start to creep into other genres, everyone will whine but that’s what I think is gonna happen, seems to be creeping in there already!
———————-

We have a clever rework of Dolly Parton for free from Dubba Jonny.

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Dolly Parton – Jolene (Dubba Jonny Refix).mp3

And be sure to be on the look out for Dubba Jonny – Home droppin June 16th exclusively on Beatport.com through Velcro City Records with remixes by Deep Focus, InContext, & Rumblejazz

InContext

Artist Name?
InContext

Where are you from?
Northamptonshire, UK

What upcoming projects are in the works?
I have recently polished off the five tracks for my EP. Aside from that I have a remix of Dubba Jonny’s huge track “Home” coming along nicely and I have  started working on a remix of Joman’s track “Bounce Castle” as well.

Any production tips for new producers?
From my own experience I can say that Reason is a great piece of software for people starting out, It has a very user friendly interface and you can easily bridge over to Logic or Cubase by rewiring. In general I would say you need good patience and enough free time, keep checking your mixes against other artists and constantly scrutinize your own production to make sure you are always improving.

What’s one of your favorite plug ins or pieces of hardware to use in your production?
Its going to have to be Massive by Native Instruments, its a brilliant synth for thick bass-lines and lead synths. Another favorite is the Izotope Ozone plug-in, its a nice mastering plug-in with a decent Limiter that I use a lot.

What’s your favorite track at the moment?
Empire Of The Sun – We Are The People (Sub Focus Remix). Nice bass-line, nice drums, can’t go wrong really.

What’s your favorite artist at the moment?
Definitely Shock One, still love his track “Polygon”.

What / when is your next release?
My EP which is due to drop on the 19th of May [on Velcro City Records] .

How did you get into producing?
With my dad being a pretty keen musician my home has always been littered with various instruments and recording equipment. I remember when I was around fifteen recording tracks with my next door neighbor on an old Tascam. I started taking it more seriously in my second year of university. With one of my flat mates being a drum & bass head it doesn’t surprise me that I have ended up here.

If you could work with any one artist, who would it be?
Shock One, he can pack some serious energy into his tracks.

What instruments do you play?
I have played bass and guitar for around eight years, but I would really like to start playing piano.

What is your favorite meal and who makes it for you?
My other half Jessica makes a pretty mean Chilli Bake.

What do you like to do in your free time?
Being in good company with good conversation and good food, getting the acoustic out and attempting to play some Andy McKee and learning interesting science facts.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your fans or the people who support your music?
A big thanks to everyone for their continued support, especially to Maris and Luke who run two of the biggest drum & bass channels on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/user/Liquicity
http://www.youtube.com/user/UKFDrumandBass

Free Tune

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InContext – Flutter (Re-Mastered).mp3

Find InContext on

Joman

Artist Name? Joman (Joseph Mancuso)

Where are you from? Littleton, CO

What upcoming projects are in the works?
I am currently working with Adam K on releasing a remix of his newest track, “My Love.” I also recently did a remix of Oh Shit! and Night Drugs’ “Everybody Needs,” and a full-on collaboration on a track with Oh Shit! and DJ Hero called, “Drop Down,” in which I did some vocals.

Any production tips for new producers?
If you’re just starting out, get a copy of Reason and an Axiom 25 MIDI controller. They’re both relatively inexpensive and will teach you a lot of valuable fundamentals. Also, don’t focus on writing music that will “sell” or that “other people will like.” That will come much later. Focus on creating sounds that you enjoy hearing, learning how to read a db meter and comparing your exported files to other producers’ to make sure all your dynamics are in check. Oh, and grab some sample CD’s. All the samples that are included with programs are very basic and you’ll have a lot more fun pulling from a bigger palette.

What’s one of your favorite plug ins or pieces of hardware to use in your production?
This is going to sound a bit cliché but I really like the Vanguard synth. It’s incredibly easy to re-program it and make big-room leads. The melody in “Another Late Night” that comes in during the drop was done with Vanguard. I’ve also been having a lot of fun with Cakewalk’s, “Rapture” for doing the same kind of sounds as well as funky bass lines and what-not. All of the built-in synths in Logic are amazing, and the “Thor” synth in Reason is really cool too.

What’s your favorite track at the moment?
My favorite track right now is Mike Posner – Cooler Than Me (Gigamesh Remix). It’s written in a sexy 6/8 swing tempo and I can relate to the vocals.

What’s your favorite artist at the moment?
It’s always been a close tie between BT and Fatboy Slim. I’ve been listening to BT’s, “These Hopeful Machines” pretty much religiously but Fatboy Slim’s “You’ve Come a Long Way Baby” will always hold a very special place in my heart.

What / when is your next release?
My next big release as of right now is “Another Late Night,” which will be releasing on Beatport on July 7th [on Velcro City Records]. It’s a summer track so I can’t wait to see how it does in the middle of the summer. I’m also crossing my fingers on the release date for “Adam K – My Love (Joman Remix).”

What’s your take on the music industry at the moment?
It comes as no surprise to anybody but there is a lot of unnecessary ego in the electronic music industry. The reality that everybody needs to accept is that even if you build a great career for yourself in EDM, the chances of ever being as big as people in the mainstream entertainment industry are slim to nil. It’s amazing to me that there are some headliners parading around, looking down upon everybody else because they’re first tier on a flier and they are still supporting themselves off some mundane day job just like everybody else. If we’re not in this for the money, what else do we have but to be respectful to one-another? We all share a universal love for electronic music and that should bring us together as opposed to segregating us between who thinks they’re the shit and who just wants to make a contribution to a noble cause. The elitism has got to die down a little bit.

Any Upcoming Gigs to be on the look out for?
I am on the line-up for Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) Colorado, which I am extremely excited for.

What are your thoughts on the future of EDM?
I’d like to see EDM return to its emotional roots a little bit. People have developed such a negatively biased opinion toward trance but the reality is that just about everybody listened to trance before anything else and a lot of people simply refuse to admit it. I like that a lot of producers are incorporating deep, progressive beats into trance-style anthems to make them a little bit more widely acceptable but I’m not as much of a fan of the whole “hip-hop electronica” thing that is happening. That has resulted in an over-use of pitch-correction and an acceptance of loud, repetitive, obnoxious sounds that are obviously geared toward people under the influence of something. When you listen to some of the tracks from the early millennium, every single sound is finely crafted and you can tell it is exactly what the artist wanted. Now, a lot of people are just dropping default samples in with a basic saw LFO and calling it good. I guess what I’d like to see is a lot more people trying very, very hard and their efforts being noticed instead of people just flocking to the first simplistic nonsense they hear and praising it.

How did you get into producing?
I first started producing when I was about 13 years old using MTV Music Generator but didn’t get really serious until a little bit later. My cousin (Jim the Elektronaut… at the time, “DJ Kreammy”) introduced me to BT’s, “Movement in Still Life” and gave me a copy of FL Studio and the rest is history.

If you could work with any one artist, who would it be?
BT. Hands down. If I ever remix one of his tracks and he likes it, or if I ever collaborate with him, that is when my dreams will pretty much be fully realized.

Here is a free Original from Joman

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Joman – A Little Bit of Funk For You.mp3

and you can find his music at Beatport by going here

Artist Spotlight – DJ Hero
Category: Music

super DJ HERO:

Saturday, November 01, 2008

by Crystal Morales

Most of us would never think to believe a superhero exists in reality, much less in the music industry — and yet, one does… in the music industry, that is. John Mundt (aka DJ Hero) can be equated to Superman in a variety of ways. Let’s begin with the most obvious similarity, a dual personality..

On the one hand, we have John Mundt — a man who maintained average, ordinary day jobs, who spent a great deal of time in the small town of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and who was genuinely inspired to pursue Djing when, once, in Detroit, he looked up toward a DJ’s booth and viewed one, DJ Elite, flipping a vinyl record in contemplation.

And, on the other hand, we have DJ Hero, whose travels across the continent — from the American east coast to the west — provided him opportunities to work with some of the greats of his time, including Carl Cox, DJ Dan, Paul Oakenfold, DJ Micro, DJ Icey, Huda Hudia and Bad Boy Bill, just to name a few.

Now, you might be asking, “So, what’s your point? What makes John a superhero?”

Mundt’s affiliation with prominent individuals, though lending to an interpretation of success, isn’t what’s responsible for his superhero status. No, it’s his lack of an ego in the wake of having such connections that gives him that status. Here is a man who has done illustrious things, but will unassumingly deny his own grandeur —much like Superman.

John Mundt’s likeness to Superman has been cemented and trademarked in his logo, a red and yellow triangle containing — instead of the easily recognizable “S”— the letters “D” and “J.”

When asked how this logo came about in all his modesty, he laughed and replied, “It was a hand-drawing, a side bit of humor or nostalgia.” Nevertheless, it now carries increasing significance as a trademark that serves to constantly remind Hero of the importance of humility. John comments on the subject of humility, saying, “Success is easy to get caught-up in and doesn’t really push us forward. In fact, I feel it sets us back. We often let our egos and pride get the best of us. Of which, I believe I am sometimes guilty.” Although, I’m here to tell you, John is most definitely not guilty of the accusations he places on himself.

The truth is, you may have never heard of John Mundt or DJ Hero, but he has been around —unpretentiously slipping right under your nose — since 1995!

Back in the day, John worked for an NBC affiliate for several years as chief editor in addition to doing music beds for various businesses, such as The Gap. At the same time, Kaleidoscope Music, a label which Mundt is, to this day, honorably connected with, landed a contract through the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) to have its music used on TV shows such as MTV’s Punk’d, The Ali G Show, TNT, Cartoon Network and one of the Pokémon movies. Kaleidoscope Music even penetrated the video game world with releases, such as Huda Hudia’s “System Overload” which appeared on SSX Trickie, a snowboarding game.

So, in hoping to well-advise other aspiring Djs and producers, John mentions that, “That time was really fruitful. It seemed to offer an alternative source for publicity other than the rave or nightclub scene.” John — continuing to deflect any sort of spotlight on himself — also mentioned that Huda Hudia was the master-mind behind the majority of what was going on back then. But, it must be said that, together with Huda Hudia, DJ Hero created a few ffiFlorida hits, Electro jams and some very memorable singles.

So, Mundt has done several original pieces for radio, network spots, commercials and internet ads. Not only did he do audio engineering, but video editing and voice work. He even lent his voice to national ads promoting DJ Scribble—all the while, never forcing his own name on anyone. Even being the implementer of his own label, Solitude Records, he still remains humble in that the very name of the label attests to his rather quiet nature, his pure and simple devotion to the love and production of music, instead of the fame that can be associated with it.

When John was asked how it was he attained his level of expertise, he came back with, “If I had to choose three producers who were my top sources of inspiration and knowledge it would be Huda Hudia, Ferry Corsten, and Guyver” — again, always shedding light on someone other than himself.

In upholding his down-to-earth attitude, John Mundt preaches what he practices. When asked what advice he would give newbie Djs and producers, he answered, “The best advice I can give is to take your time, go at a comfortable pace. If you feel you’re not doing it right, never hesitate to ask someone. The insignificance you might feel, the harsh critiques you may receive, and the never ending frustration you’ll most likely face will only make you do it better than the next guy . Be honest with yourself and your goals.”

So what is Hero up to nowadays? Well, after continuous travel across the vastness of North America, John is settling down, choosing Denver, Colorado to be his permanent home! He maintains Solitude Records, remains an integral part of Kaleidoscope Music and, this year, signed-on with Velcro City Records as an artist and engineer. His music is available on beatport.com, kalmusic.com and digitalrecordstores.com.

I actually caught Hero spinning at The Church not too long ago, and hope to see plenty more of him. What distinguishes him, musically, is that he does not confine himself to any one genre or style of dance music, a very rare characteristic.

Lastly, John Mundt is reaching out to you. Yes, you—the hopeful Djs and producers. He extends a warm invitation, saying, “Should you need some advice, hop on Myspace.com/DjheroJohn and drop me a message because I’d love to play a part in your successes.” What a super man!

MySpace.com/DjheroJohn