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Articles, Events, Interviews

Satronica Pre-HE Interview

The hardcore poet is back again gracing the interwebs of THD. About to jump the stage at Hard Electronic this weekend, we figured we’d get a little more info about what’s driving the man behind the mic…

So for new readers, let’s cover the basics…

I live in NYC, which influenced my music as I was able to get a lot of help from artists like Lenny Dee and The Horrorist early in my career. I think in NYC you have the ability to be very experimental in your approach – and this is probably also an influence.

What’s the story behind your DJ Name?

It was just my original Instant Messenger name 🙂 I think I thought it sounded like a combination of satan and electronica. I have no idea why I chose that but could never think of anything that sounded better when I decided to focus on an electronic music project.

Who or what events were responsible for making the Satronica we know today?

Mom making me take piano lessons. Being in junior high and high school band. Being in a high school punk band. Being in a college math rock band. Meeting Alex Chesler in college – the brother of the Horrorist and starting to work on electronic music with him in a project called Acrosome.

Satronica Logo

 What’s the crux of your musical message now?

Obviously politics but more and more these days the ability to escape from the never ending barrage of hate and stupidity we see on the news every day.

What moment do you cherish the most so far in your career?

First time playing at Dominator. Putting out my first vinyl release on Industrial Strength. Playing at the legendary CBGB’s where I was on same stage as Ramones, Dictators, Wayne County, Blondie, and countless other legendary and not so legendary acts that had played there before.

Satronica appears at Hard Electronic Sept. 8 and 9, 2017
Satronica appears at Hard Electronic Sept. 8 and 9, 2017

What specifically are you planning to give to the audience at Hard Electronic?

Lots of new hard tracks from my label with Delirium – Kontaminated Recordings. Tracks from new project called Doom Mekanik coming out soon on Hard Electronic. Lots of my vocal tracks! 😊

What is something you really want to tell the public that we might not have asked about?

The Hard Data rocks – so happy someone is taking an interest in and writing about this scene.

Thanks Matt, we’ll bribe you with some Musicoin for saying nice things about us after the party this week! 😀

http://www.facebook.com/satronica

http://www.discogs.com/artist/satronica

http://www.industrialstrengthrecords.com/artists/satronica.html

http://www.twitter.com/satronica

Articles, Interviews

DJ Lenny Dee Pre-HE Interview

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Lenny Dee, the man who’s been coordinating the Hard Electronic madness and many would say the first hardcore techno DJ, took the time to give us a few tidbits and hints on what we’re going to be hearing at the Hard Electronic parties coming up September 8 and 9. In true THD fashion we managed to get a little extra info for you to chew on too. Here’s what went down:

You’re from Brooklyn, NY, how did growing up in New York City influence your music?

A great deal, in fact. There was great DJ scene in New York back in the day, loads of record shops. So,finding music was quite easy and exciting when I started and going to Manhattan shops was essential for me. As time went on and I start to produce it gave me more freedom to create new things. There was nothing other than House music kicking off at that time, so it gave me a creative boost to do something different.

 What’s the story behind your DJ Name?

My last name is very long, so my teachers and friends called me ‘Lenny D’.

Who or what events in your life are responsible for you being the artist you are today?

I guess I can go back to Mayday 2 in Germany. There were many prior, but Mayday 2 was the pivot point where I pushed the hard electronic music all over the world and dropped IS 001 – We Have Arrived’ : Mescalinium United. I was a leading international DJ at that point, not many guys were playing in different countries at that time. So, it all went through the roof after that party.

What are you trying to convey with your music?

Just an exciting performance. When I play – I hope to take the listener on a journey through sounds and styles.

What are you giving to the crowd that listens to you?

A headache.

What moment do you cherish the most so far in your career as a DJ?

When I played on the Guru Josh Tour. I was down to my underwear and started playing like a mad man that was a moment I won’t forget. The Janes’ Addiction Reunion gig in NY was pretty awesome, too.

Industrial Strength LogoWhat are you planning to give to the audience at Hard Electronic?

The message for the party is a diverse selection of DJ’s and music and to give the USA a new way to listen to harder music. We do lean more towards hardcore and techno, though, which was the way it was when I started playing raves. I want to bring back some of that feeling.

What is something you really want to tell the public that we might not have asked about?

My favorite color.

Hmmm… well, don’t tell ‘em until Saturday night!

VIDEOS:

A-Kriv & Lenny Dee- Party Animal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIXxsYayhwY&t=10s

Lenny Dee-  Forgotten Moments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1StqlzzfYQ

SOCIALS:

http://www.facebook.com/DjLennyDee

https://twitter.com/DJLennyDee

http://www.industrialstrengthrecords.com

http://www.youtube.com/IndustrialStrengthNY

https://soundcloud.com/industrialstrength

https://www.instagram.com/lennydeeisr/

https://www.facebook.com/HardElectronicSounds

Articles, Interviews

Malke Pre-HE Interview!

Hard Electronic addicts in the USA are in for a treat this month, as Malke brings his musical artistry to New York and Los Angeles. For those of you not familiar with him yet, we were able to get a few words out of him while he was preparing for the shows.

Ok Malke, tell us the basics…

I’m from Campo Grande, Brazil. There I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy dance music at clubs at early age, which instilled a passion for the music right away.

What’s the story behind your DJ Name?

Well, Malke is actually one of my surnames, so that was kind of easy to come up with.

What are you trying to convey with your music? 

Energy and excitement are the two words that best describe what I want to deliver to the audience. I love to blend the chaos of metal music concerts with the danceable mood of the clubs and festivals. Sometimes the lyrics on my tracks have deeper messages related with politics and society but some others I’ve only looked for cool sounding words and that’s it.

Malke killing the drums!
Malke killing the drums!

What moments do you cherish the most so far in your career as an artist?

If I had to pick just a few I’d definitely pick my first international gig in Venezuela and my moving to Europe was another really important step up in my career. Playing at Nature One this year was definitely out of the chain but also my debut album on Industrial Strength Records is something I am really proud of.

What can the audience expect from you at Hard Electronic?

I brought all my collection, from Techno to extreme Hardcore, so I have the freedom, within my style, to follow what I feel the crowd is wanting to hear at each moment.

 Anything extra you want to say before signing off?

Thank you to all hard electronic music supporters out there, you really rock!

This is what Malke looks like when the party gets pumping!
This is what Malke looks like when the party gets pumping!

Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFeA1pw7NUU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syc2jRVJP3M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxclyX1xlow

http://www.bandsintown.com/Malke%28official%29

Webpage & Socials

www.mariomalke.com

https://www.facebook.com/mariomalke

http://www.youtube.com/mariomalke

https://soundcloud.com/malke

http://www.mixcloud.com/mariomalke7

https://twitter.com/mariomalke

http://mixlr.com/mario-malke/me

 

Articles

How I Learned to Love Hardcore

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How did I get into hardcore? It was 1995, I was 14 and heavily into rave and hard trance. That sound swept through Germany, it was essentially mainstream—much more popular than trance or house is now. Hardcore was a part of it, but unlike the happy rave sounds, it was boycotted by the TV and radio stations (which unlike today were the main source for new sounds.) I asked my rave friends about hardcore, and most said two things: “Good for dancing, not so good for listening” and “Terrordrome is better than Thunderdome”.
Then, one night the following happened. MTV’s Party Zone was on. Some guys I’ve never heard of—Alec Empire and others—were talking about a label I never heard of, Digital Hardcore Recordings. They played the video for Atari Teenage Riot’s “Speed”, which took place inside a squat. I instantly knew that was where I’ve always wanted to be, and the sound I’ve always wanted to hear. There was no return.

The infamous Agit Prop LP cover.
The infamous Agit Prop LP cover.

A few months later, I got internet, and found out more about this DHR. The DHR webpage mentioned labels like Fischkopf, Napalm, GTI, and Bloody Fist. I was thrilled. Fischkopf was a hardcore label in the city I lived in! How exciting.

I was 15 by this point, and and started to learn more about the gabber side of things. I learned that Mokum was one of the most respected gabber labels around, so I bought Cyberdrome Alien City Part 1, one of their compilations. It introduced me to artists like Wavelan, Speedfreak, and Chosen Few. I knew now hardcore was the thing for me. The next compilation I bought was Thunderdome 12, and then Industrial Fucking Strength. That one really hit me hard. When DJ Skinhead came on, I was legitimately frightened . I had to take the CD out of the player before it was finished!

More compilations followed, and I became lost to hardcore and gabber. I finally picked up something by DHR—Alec Empire’s Destroyer Album. I was surprised how “dark” it sounded compared to the more upbeat Mokum and Ruffneck stuff I listened to. It took me six months before that album really grew on me.

Ec8or DHR CD 3
Ec8or DHR CD 3

I found out Fischkopf was run out of a techno store in Hamburg called Container Records. I headed there, went up the stairs to the store, and entered paradise! A wall with “hardcore” written on it (next to some fancy skulls) and full of underground hardcore CDs. The full section of hardcore vinyl was categorized by labels, sublabels, and in the case of Fischkopf, even by releases (one folder full of Fischkopf 12, for example). I bought Ec8or’s self-titled album and a Fucking Hardcore 5 CD. The former, again, took a while to grow on me. The first vinyl I bought was Fisch 14, Eradicator’s Agit Prop LP. When I heard the first track on it—with the “everything is war” intro—I fell in love.

So that’s how I got lost in hardcore.

Articles, Events, Reviews

My Hostile Takeover Experience by 3MiloE

The thing one has to realize about riddim and dubstep is that the crowd loves to get wild and aggressive, but due to the hard, raw nature of sounds of the genres, who can blame them for being so intense? Its hard to contain one’s self when these styles are blaring through enormous speakers accompanied by trippy visuals, lasers, and masked DJs. It truly makes you want to throw your fists in the air.

I bought my ticket for Hostile Takeover months in advance, so it was definitely time for the anticipation to end and for the experience of what Hostile Takeover really was to begin. I grabbed my EDC 2016 shirt and my bandana and headed from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles.  Hostile Takeover took place at the Union Nightclub, a very enjoyable venue. The bathrooms were clean, they served free water, and blasted hard, loud music that made everyone go insane and rage. As crazy as the crowd was, the venue was able to keep things under control—no easy task with this kind of music. I give the the club respect for keeping everyone safe while also letting people let loose and express themselves. Apart from an altercation between two women outside while I waited in line, everything was chill.

When I first entered the venue, I was hit with a  powerful energy… the energy of dubstep and riddim. As the night grew on, the energy got more and more intense until it peaked around 1:00 a.m.

Clowning Dubstep
This was my favorite DJ at the Loft stage, clowning the dubstep.

At one point, all of the DJs put on masks.  Some were in costumes, everyone started going twice as hard. Mosh pits were rough, but no one was punching or throwing elbows at each other. One raver fell while in the mosh pit, but myself and others picked him back up to his feet before he got trampled.

At the Riddim Stage
These guys killed it on stage.

I was drawn to lights all night. I actually found the person who was controlling the visuals for the stage, which included the lasers and background screen. For a few moments I observed him control the visuals as a DJ would a deck. He changed the visuals with the music, keeping them in sync as it played. I watched him use technique and skills that looked like it took years of training to learn. I always had thought light shows were automated,  and was surprised to discover that it actually took a person to control such amazing visuals.

Visuals Controller
This was the man behind the visuals

My favorite set of all night was Subtronics back-to-back with Svdden Death and Uber Dubstep. The skills of the DJs at Hostile Takeover rivaled some of the DJs that performed at Project Z! I went so hard I could barely stand the next day because my muscles were so sore from dancing. I entered the pit and came out a happier person after I did exaggerated body movements, fist pumps, and jumping up and down to get out my frustrations and aggression in a positive way.

Overall, I would say that Hostile Takeover was an incredible event, that will not long be forgotten. Quality riddim and dubstep, along with a good venue, is an experience that will not long be forgotten. I definitely had a great experience, and I plan on going to another Fresh event soon. I was impressed with the promoters because they know how to throw sick events. The music quality was phenomenal, the vibes were chill, and it allowed me to feel and explore the harder side of EDM. Thanks to everyone who went for making it an amazing time!