DJ Yoshi Fuerte

Back from oblivion

2011-01-23T00:07:00.001-06:00

Here's what I've been up to during the last year or so. More to come.

Radio Silence

2010-04-14T01:06:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I've posted anything, hasn't it? I've been busy, for one, and also have been toying with the idea of changing the format of the blog here. I have a WordPress account, but who knows whether or not that will get used...

Funk Yeah: Now with video!

2009-10-12T14:31:00.004-05:00

Daft Punk vs. Usher - Funk Yeah (DJ Yoshi Fuerte's Octoberfest Edit)

2009-10-11T20:59:00.004-05:00

This is a remix I just completed and wanted to share. It's (somewhat obviously) Daft Punk's "Da Funk" mashed with "Yeah" by Usher. Expect more remixes and mashups to come.

1993 FTW

2009-08-04T01:18:00.002-05:00

I've been trying to figure out the name of this song since my girlfriend and I heard it in a Chili's one fateful evening about a year ago. Turns out Jan Johnson does a cover of it on Paul Oakenfold's newest mix CD: "Perfecto Vegas". It's by Tasmin Archer, and it's called "Sleeping Satellite".

I remember this song.

I love this song.

"When Michael Jackson dies, we're coverin' 'Blackbird'"

2009-08-04T01:17:00.002-05:00

...and the Dandies kept their word. Waiting for me after I get off of work is an email with a link to the MP3 of their cover of "Blackbird". I'll let you know how it is.

TODAY: The Dandy Warhols Are Sound

2009-07-14T16:57:00.002-05:00

Go to www.dandywarhols.com and order the Dandy's mix of "Welcome to the Monkey House". There are a variety of formats (Apple Lossless, 320kbs MP3s, Vinyl - limited and CD) and packages including T-shirts and army bags. I haven't listened to it yet, but I can't wait! I'll get back to you soon...

Michael Jackson 1958-2009

2009-06-25T22:24:00.003-05:00

Today we lost possibly the greatest music icon the world has ever known.

My parents gave me my first vinyl record when I was 3 years old. It was Michael Jackson's "Thriller" produced by Quincy Jones, and to this day it remains the highest selling album in history. I still have it somewhere in my collection, which has grown to more than 2500 pieces of vinyl.

I just bought some current club reworks of "Thriller" and "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" last week and was remarking to someone how utterly timeless MJ and Quincy Jones' tunes are, even today.

I hope the best for his children and family, and will always remember who taught me that pop music could be transcendent. Rest (finally) in peace, man.

Jody den Broeder

2009-06-23T23:58:00.003-05:00

Sorry I haven't checked in in awhile, but this entry is worth the wait. Jody den Broeder is a producer that does pop remixes that are incredibly amazing. He reminds me of a darker Deadmau5-y kind of sound...progressive and melodic with great synth sounds and thick drums and percussion.

I am madly in love with this stuff.

Sour Yoshi

2009-06-01T23:13:00.002-05:00

Somebody needs to remind me to get Stone Temple Pilot's "No. 4". It's really criminal that I don't own it yet.

Freeland and free stuff

2009-05-18T19:37:00.003-05:00

Here's the album sampler for Adam Freeland's artist album for his band Freeland. New album, "Cope", drops in June 2009, but pre-order from his record label Marine Parade allows immediate download of the entire album plus 2 bonus tracks. The record was co-produced by Alex Metric, one of my new favorites. Listen here.

From The Dandy Warhols:

2009-05-18T17:58:00.008-05:00

Originally posted at: http://www.myspace.com/thedandywarhols (blog)

You know, July14th is Bastille Day. All I know about Bastille Day is: I live above a creperie, and on Bastille Day that place is bonkers busy with sexy people eating crepes on the sidewalk. So I like to think Bastille Day is about hot girls and guys eating crepes with one hand and smoking a cigarette with the other hand while drinking sooo much wine with the third hand.

So with that in mind I think it’s fitting that we have selected The Dandy Warhols Are Sound for release on July 14th, 2009.

We have been whispering to you about The Dandy Warhols Are Sound for quite some time. Long story short, or if you just got to our party, late 2001 and into 2002 we recorded an album’s worth of tracks here in Portland and took those tracks to New York’s Electric Lady Studios to mix with famed mixing engineer Russell Elavedo, and the result of those mixing sessions was The Dandy Warhols Are Sound. We absolutely loved this record. However, Capitol, our label a the time, did not. They opted out of using our preferred mixes and remixed the record on their own to create Welcome To The Monkey House, a great album that we, and most of you, also love.

Meanwhile, The Dandy Warhols Are Sound just sat there. Oh, it got played. It was a staple at Odditorium parties from the start. But there are just so many people who are at any given Odditorium party. We had always intended to release this unheard gem on our own, but life and other records and tours and babies and crepes and red wine got in the way. Now finally, after almost seven years, on July 14, 2009 The Dandy Warhols will be proud to present to you The Dandy Warhols Are Sound.

Bring it on, bring it on, yeah…

GOTHMAN

"Drums, please..."

2009-05-18T00:52:00.004-05:00

Ahhh, summertime.

Finally the people have returned to Sixth Street. Now DJing at Mooseknuckle isn't as depressing. I remember nights like this, and I'd almost forgotten that they actually happened. This may be my busiest Sunday in six months. I may actually make some decent money.

PS - I rented Serato from Rock N Roll Rentals, my new favorite place in the world, and I'm finally going to be able to deliver on those podcasts I've been promising, as well as maybe opening up my options downtown.

Screw You, We're From Texas

2009-05-16T13:14:00.005-05:00

For some reason, as I was about to leave for my gig in D/FW yesterday, I decided that I wanted to hear some country. So, I burned myself a CD with basically some highlights from bands that have played at or are otherwise associated with Hill's Cafe, and it was so good I listened to it at least twice on the way up here. Oddly (or perhaps not surprisingly), most of the songs are in the same key, even though I compiled it in like, a few minutes.

It occurred to me, after listening for a bit, that there are certain emotions or situations that really can only be expressed through country music. Rock and roll party songs, for instance, tend to fall into one of two categories: either the cutoffs and Camaro white trash sort or the girl jeans and cocaine hipster sort. There really aren't any good rock songs about floating down the river, drinking on a front porch or drinking in general. Country has them in spades. There's also just this sort of unapologetic air to lots of country, and Texas country in particular. It's almost as if the songs are either literally an apology or a blatant "Fuck You", in a sense.

I don't know, because honestly, this had never occured to me before yesterday, so maybe I'll get back to this at another time, but as usual, I think I'm onto something.

First Runner Up

2009-05-14T19:19:00.006-05:00

I should mention that while I didn't get to go to the NIN/JA 2009 (Nine Inch Nails and Jane's Addiction) show, fortunately, my buddy from work, Shaggy, also works at the venue they played in Austin, and managed to bring me some guitar picks - the black one was more than likely used by Mr. Trent Reznor himself.

Hopefully this isn't the last NIN tour, as has been hinted at.

...Earth to DJ Yoshi Fuerte...

2009-05-14T18:55:00.004-05:00

This album has grown on me somewhat since it first came out. I keep trying to find time to sit and listen to it more, but I don't really have that kind of time right now, unfortunately. I guess it still frustrates me somewhat that their first FOUR records grabbed me pretty much immediately and their last two (this and "Odditorium or Warlords from Mars") took almost a year for me to even want to pick up again after the initial listen. Both records, interestingly enough, have had one or two songs that just amazed me, but beyond that, nothing.

I wonder if it's a symptom of age - that somehow records that I listened to between 15 and 25 will always have some sort of emotional and psychological impact that something I listen to for the first time from now on will not... Of course, then I remember how absurdly good The Life and Times are, and how I'd never heard of them until April, and that gives me pause.

Am I just a harsher judge than I used to be? I wonder...

Last Week's Winner

2009-05-09T01:55:00.005-05:00

I'm almost positive I've told every little star just how great I think this album is, but consider this your engraved invitation to download or purchase this record.

I can't say I'm surprised, though. They had arguably one of the best debut albums in recent memory, and they've only gotten better over time, so obviously their fourth album is bound to be absurdly good. If you must steal it, then do, but good lord this is worth your money and time. It pretty much runs the gamut between atmospheric analog electronic music and post-britpop guitar-driven genius. I just ordered a white label 12" with remixes of the title track, which should be here within the next week or so.

Which reminds me: I need to buy new styli for my turntables...

Current Favorite Record

2009-05-09T01:32:00.005-05:00

This record has been getting the crap played out of it in the week or so that I've had it. It's psychedelic without being moody, catchy without being poppy and epic without being pretentious. I'm definitely in love with this band.

Visit their Myspace page and check them out. You might also want to check out the group Shiner, as Allen Epley was in the latter and is now in the former. Mad props to my buddy Cameron from Exeter for introducing me to this band.

New Music Monthly

2009-05-04T18:55:00.004-05:00

I've gone a bit crazy the last few weeks, buying lots of CD's, but at substantially reduced prices. Just in case you didn't know, thrift stores and pawn shops are the new record store bargain bins. One of the pawn shops by my place does a 3 for $5 deal, which is pretty awesome as long as you're willing to sift through some albums that are either a) scratched beyond recognition or b) really not your thing.

Of course, I still go to record store bargain bins, too. I'm not crazy. Here's a look at what I've gotten in the past few weeks.

Britney Spears - "In The Zone" (My burned copy is so-so)
Dessau
Pigface - "A New High In Low"
Terminal 46 - "Paradise Lost Me"
Powerman 5000 - "Tonight the Stars Revolt!" (For Dana)
Rihanna - "Good Girl Gone Bad" (I've downloaded enough of it...)
Ludacris - "Word of Mouf"
Kylie Minogue - "Body Language"
Stereo MC's - "Connected"
Mirwais - "Production"
Kylie Minogue - "Can't Get You Out of My Head" (Single)
The Bravery
James - "Whiplash"
TV on the Radio - "Dear Science"
Nine Inch Nails - "The Slip" (I have this, but it's sealed, so....)
Mr. Oizo - "Last Night a DJ Killed My Dog"
Dave Chappelle's Block Party Soundtrack Sampler
Dwight Yoakum - "If There Was a Way"

I also downloaded 100 songs from eMusic.com, which is stocked full of all sorts of electronic goodness. All told, this hasn't cost me much more than $60. Also, while at the thrift store, I bought a dual tape deck. I haven't had one of those since 2007. Expect random analog podcasts soon....

Solid State

2009-05-02T01:12:00.008-05:00

Tuned in to KVRX just a few minutes before 1AM to hear the DJ, counterlogic, throwing down some great electronic music. For those of you keeping score, the Friday night 11-1AM (CST) time slot at KVRX used to belong to Yours Truly, back when I fancied myself thecopilot.

The music is still fantastic, but it's totally different than the progressive house that I was playing back in 2001, which is good. If you find yourself in Austin, TX on a Friday night, tune into 91.7FM. For everyone else in the world, go to kvrx.org.

Here's what he was playing:

Dusty Kid	Cowboys (Album Mix)
Umek	16th Century Japan (Original Mix)
Dusty Kid	Pluk (Original Mix)
Nikitin & Semikashev	Swirl (Original Mix)
Pig & Dan	Cubes (Original Mix)
Ahmet Sendil	Minadex (Sabb Remix)
Wally Lopez	Planet Earth (Original Mix)
Umek & Beltek	Is It (Original Mix)
KOS	Edgy Disco (Original Mix)
James Zabiela	Human (Original Mix)
Dusty Kid	Nemur (Walls Of Guitars)

Not if you were the last Dandy on Earth...

2009-04-16T17:49:00.002-05:00

I caught the last hour and a half of Brian Jonestown Massacre's epic set at Emo's on Tuesday night. From what I could tell, they were almost entirely reunited. Anton was joined on stage by Matt Hollywood and Joel Gion, everyone's favorite tambourine player. I'm pretty sure I spotted a sour Jeff Davies on guitar, and there were of course some faces that I didn't recognize at all. One attendee, who's been attending BJM shows for more than a decade, said that this one easily one of the best shows he'd ever seen them perform. It was a treat, to say the least.

It's Blitz!

2009-04-14T00:46:00.003-05:00

This week I bought the new Doves, Fever Ray and Yeah Yeah Yeahs, plus a single by Ladyhawke with remixes by Cut Copy and Van She Tech. Suffice it to say that this has been a great week for music....

Fabriclive 30: Stanton Warriors (Fabric 2006)

2009-03-27T17:52:00.001-05:00

OK, here's the thing. I haven't heard every other Stanton Warriors mix, and this CD is in many ways a vastly different representation of their sound than the live DJ set that I heard in October in Brooklyn. The textures are different and the drums are less urgent, perhaps, but that said, overall I really like the variety and ambition of this mix.

One of the highlights for me when I saw them was the infusion of several "Dirty South" hip hop acapellas over the beats and instrumentals they were playing. It was fantastic to hear a "serious" DJ duo have fun and cut loose like that. In a way, I think that IS somewhat groundbreaking, instead of just playing the same overindulgent progressive breaks all night, they had a sense of humor and the crowd all seemed to love it. I'm glad that isn't just a trick they throw out live...I'm happy to hear the American hip hop on the CD. I mean, breakbeat mixes have had ragga MC's for years, and frankly, that's getting a bit tired and cliche now. Way to mix it up while keeping it real, Stanton Warriors.

It's like when everyone jumped on Sasha for including the Felix da Housecat track on "Involver"...DJ's are supposed to balance challenging the listener with making their booties shake. Let's give them some leeway, and see where they take us.

This mix has old school vibes, nu skool grooves, gut-wrenching bass, soulful vocals, varied MC's and is frankly all over the map. This isn't Uberzone, Freestylers or Adam Freeland, so don't expect those DJs. This is breakbeat without prejudice, and while perhaps not their most cerebral mix, it's still one for your body to move to.

I don't believe in guilty pleasures

2009-03-21T15:22:00.005-05:00

Ciara + JT - Love Sex Magic (Chew Fu Small Room Fix)

SXSW - Thursday Recap

2009-03-20T02:45:00.003-05:00

Well, plans change, you know?

I ended up standing on a high part of the sidewalk and catching Primal Scream's blistering set at Cedar Street Courtyard for FREE. Hell, I've paid $45 to stand further away than I was tonight. I think they played 3 or 4 songs off of "XTRMNTR", which is by far my favorite. Good times. They ended early (like, 1:30) though, so I went to CANVAS and caught The Twelves, who were awesome.

WildLife got cancelled at the last minute because of generator issues, which is honestly probably for the best.

Tomorrow's going to be a busy day, I think.

SXSW - Thursday

2009-03-19T17:38:00.007-05:00

Last night was greatl...GigaCrate threw a party at Beso, and it was pretty slick.

As far as the rest of the fest goes, it's looking like this:

Tonight: another GigaCrate party at Beso (free before 11), and then there's a Wild Life renegade at 2AM.

Tomorrow I'm going to the Terrorbird party, then seeing Primal Scream at La Zona Rosa.

Saturday: Mess With Texas if I stay in town, and then on to Lose Control at CANVAS.

Should be pretty good times, but I'm not allowed to drink whiskey anymore, especially not if I'm going to that renegade tonight. Jesus.

Podcasts coming soon...

2009-03-18T21:34:00.003-05:00

So, I have a new computer coming in a week and a half or so, and as soon as it gets here (maybe sooner) I'm going to start podcasting the music that I'm listening to. Most likely it'll be a long-form mix...who knows? Stay tuned.

Playlist for Spring; "You Should Be So Lucky..."

2009-03-09T19:44:00.004-05:00

CSS - Move (Cut Copy Remix)
Bucketheads - The Bomb (Burns Remix)
Ladyhawke - Paris is Burning (Alex Metric Remix)
Little Boots feat Goldie Locks - Meddle (AC Slater & DJ Skeet Skeet Mix)
Q-Tip - Gettin Up (Hot Pink Delorean Remix)
Ac Slater - Party Like Us (Udachi Remix)
Kid Cudi - Day N Night (Crookers Remix)
Designer Drugs - Zombies
Kylie Minogue - Wow (MSTRKRFT Remix)
Drop The Lime - I Love NY (Baobinga's Fuck Up Like Woah Remix)
MSTRKRFT feat E-40 - Click Click
Oasis - The Turning (Chew Fu Refix)
Drop the Lime - Hear Me (AC Slater Remix)
The Prodigy - Everybody In The Place (AC Slater Remix)
Dance Area - AA 24-7 (Diplo Remix)
Fantastadon - Fantastadonculous
Micatone - Plastic Bags and Magazines (Tiefschwarz Remix)
Fischerspooner - Kick in the Teeth (Tiefschwarz Remix)

The Prodigy "Invaders Must Die" (Take Me to the Hospital 2009)

2009-03-02T19:25:00.004-06:00

From what I've heard so far of this record, it's a total throwback to the heyday of 90's rave. It's The Prodigy doing exactly what they do best, which is beating you over the head with jagged synth lines and stomach churning bass. This isn't re-inventing the wheel, as many bloggers and critics have pointed out, but the production sounds slicker than it used to, and more in line with newer acts like Justice, et al. This is exactly what I hoped the record would sound like: fresh yet classic.

I'm surprised it came out with so little fanfare, frankly. Both "The Fat of the Land" (1997) and "Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned" (2004) were significantly delayed, to the point where I forgot entirely about the latter in the waiting. This time, even record stores that I've called haven't been able to tell me anything about the release date, and it's supposedly been out since last Tuesday. (I finally just bought the entire record digitally on Amazon.com for $1.99.)

If you think it sounds like it might be down your alley, it probably is.

Britney Spears "Circus" (Jive/Zomba 2008)

2008-12-04T21:44:00.007-06:00

I have to start this off with a disclaimer, which is as follows: this album is pretty damn good - as a whole - for a pop record. Better than "Blackout", at times. Unfortunately, it will never have the cohesion that "In the Zone" had.

So, "Circus", Britney's latest album since last year's "Blackout", has some really incredible moments, and some really...lame moments? I don't know. I don't want to go so far as saying some of these moments are embarrassing; I mean, it's pop music. The very nature of pop music makes some people uncomfortable, so embarrassing is relative. I'll just say that if I was the executive producer of this album, I would've made several very different choices. Moving on...

First off, the Britney camp did a very good job, from what I understand, of keeping the non-single tracks off of the internet. I mean, everyone heard "Womanizer", the first single from the album, which apparently broke the record for the biggest Billboard Hot 100 jump, when it debuted at #96, and leapt all the way to #1 by the very next week. Perhaps not surprisingly, it was helped by a viral music video filled with semi-nudity and a brunette, bespectacled Brit looking like a sexy secretary. LimeWire and their ilk had it almost immediately, of course. It was difficult, though, to find other album tracks. Excepting for Darknets, which I'm sure had the full album weeks ago, the album was absent from the intarwebs. Its debut, then, on Tuesday, was hotly anticipated by many fans, despite minimal media coverage, save for the odd MTV special.

As far as the sound of the album, it isn't too far of a jump from "Blackout" or even "In the Zone". The pseudo-dance music aesthetic that has been wrestling its way back into pop music with a vengeance with tracks like Rihanna's "Please Don't Stop the Music" (or even Kanye's "Stronger") hasn't let up yet, and like Xtina and Beyonce, Brit's newest offering is dominated by dance club friendly beats (courtesy of Danja, Bloodshy and Avant and Benny Blanco). "Womanizer" is hardly the best track on the album, and the only reason I can really see it being the lead single is the raw singability (read: repetition) and catchy tune. Most of the songs on the album, except for its two ballads, which we will ignore (despite the fact that they've been produced by Bjork fave Guy Sigsworth), are just as good, though some are better. The fairly obvious choice for a second single is track two, "Circus", with its propulsive beat and suggestive, knowing lyrics. I love the production - at times it flirts unashamedly with nu skool breakbeat - and the song is just well written pop music. I think this could've been the lead single, and perhaps should've been. Moving on...

The album definitely has other highlights, and even a few real standout tracks that will probably never see a single release, but still fails to eliminate what to me seems like obvious filler, and not even fluff. "Kill the Lights", "If You Seek Amy" (F.U.C.K. Me...get it?) and "Mmm Papi" each suffer from the same silly gimmick that someone in charge should've vetoed early on. They all share goofy "character" singing that I guess is supposed to come across as unbridled Id, but it grates on me immediately, and I can't listen to them because of it.

"Shattered Glass" is a decent song, probably due somewhat to shamelessly ripping off Lil Wayne's "Go DJ" for its main riff, and Planet Funk's "Inside All the People" for its chorus.

"Unusual You" and "Blur" are both good songs, but the album is framed by its best four songs, the last of two are "Mannequin" and "Leather and Lace", two fine examples of nearly perfect dance pop. My only complaint with these two involves the fact that "L&L" is easily 40 to 50 seconds too short. It attempts to redeem itself from this one flaw, seemingly, by including a circa 1982 Michael Jackson guitar solo for no reason. (I suppose I'll let it go, or re-edit my own extended version.) Anyway, as I said before, we're ignoring the ballads, so pretend "My Baby", which begins with the words "tiny hands..." and is undoubtedly "for" one or both of her children, doesn't exist. "Radar" doesn't count either, since it wasn't really all that good the first time I heard it on the last record.

All in all, we have a decent pop record, which means essentially 4 to 5 potential singles plus unavoidable filler. Like I said, it isn't "In the Zone", but really, what is?

It's Britney, bitch.

2008-12-02T00:10:00.000-06:00

Brit's new album, "Circus", drops today (Tuesday) and rest assured I will get back to you with details as soon as possible.

Really Madonna?

2008-07-29T00:53:00.002-05:00

...and you know, I was fully supportive of your last effort.

I even like Timbaland as a producer, but I'm a little over him, honestly. I don't mean to be, I'm just kind of sick of him sampling "tribal" drums and rhythms and being worshiped for it. I'm not even mad at Madonna, per se, I'm just mad at her choice of Timbaland as producer easily two years after he'd peaked.

Whatever happened to finding underground producers from the fringe of the dance scene like Mirwais and William Orbit? Whatever happened to pushing the boundaries of pop music?

I mean, I applaud the idea of a duet with J.T., especially since she's the only one (I think) to duet with both him AND Mrs. Oh-My-God-That-Britney's-Shameless. I find a sort of agreeable symmetry there, you know?

...I don't know. I really haven't given the album the chance that I feel like I owe it, but fuck, man, if an album doesn't pretty much grab me immediately these days, it's probably just not that great. Better luck next time, Madonna.

EDIT

Oddly enough, it was T.I. that did a duet with both Brit and JT before Madonna. Hip hop don't stop, y'all.

This is why I'm hot.

2008-07-08T00:36:00.000-05:00

Where to begin? A difficult question, to be sure.

I'll just start in July of 2008, which is where I currently find myself. I'll get back to you on that...