DeepWit Essentials Week 50

This week went by so fast, as now in retrospect, it feels the year did. Admittedly, there were times this year we never thought it would end, or end well at least. Always nice to be pleasantly surprised eh? Happy to see the end of this year and the start of next, especially with our new release out this week and the two more (yes dos) releases we have this month before the start of 2014. With this weeks release including the three top tracks from our first ever remix competition, the next release full of ace deep house tracks from Reagan Grey, Alvaro Hylander and Demarkus Lewis, and releasing on the last day of this year our first ever multi-label compilation, the year could not end on a better note.

Starting us off, lets get straight into our latest release, “Enough Remixed” which includes a ReEdit of the Original “Enough” from Tony S., and the three remixes which won our remix competition in September. Really looking forward to doing a few more remix competitions in 2014!

From one of our own releases to one of the artists we have worked with in the past and look forward to working with more in the future is the new remix from Ilias Katelanos on Relux Music, another Danish based label.

Now onto a track from a gent who is a new name to us, Tobi Danton but on a label with an outstanding track record and unique stance on music, Alma Soul Music. Really enjoyed both the Originals on this release but this track is the one we feel the most.

There are tracks that produce this urge inside of me to hit the repeat button and crawl into a comfy chair and stair out of the window or into a fire and let my mind wander all day. This track is EXACTLY one of those and this very talented producer has it up for free download on his soundcloud. You can of course head on over to bandcamp and buy the track if you appreciate it as much as we do. Plus there are some other really awesome and unusual tracks up for grabs from the Raftonar release worth checking out.

Now to round out this weeks digital releases is the “Best Of 2013” compilation from Large Music. Being one of our favorite labels of the year, this is a compilation worth having. Timeless Music ftw.

Now for the one vinyl we ran across worth adding to your cart this week, although it won’t officially be out until next week, the way vinyls are selling these days, its always better to pre-order when you can. Especially when its a vinyl from Gorge from 8bit.

Q & A with Tony S.

This is the first in what I hope will be a long lived Q&A Series on producers who work with us here at DeepWit Recordings. A big thank you to Tony for his participation in this interview, his endless help with promoting his music with us and for being an all around awesome producer and guy.

Lets start with a little background Info –

London-based producer and DJ, Tony S has a broad musical pedigree. A former jazz student and session bass player of various styles, he began to DJ at various underground parties and club nights around the capital prior to his debut release on Look Ahead Records in June 2011. Originals and remixes have followed on many labels in a signature style of deep, bumping grooves balanced with soulful harmonies and vocals, epitomised in his contributions to the DeepWit Recordings catalogue.

Q & A

Q. Name and Favorite Color?

Tony S and crimson I think … for today anyway 🙂

Q. Latest release on DeepWit? 

Q. Do you better like cats or dogs or ?

Ah now that’s a difficult one … I like both in their different ways! But since I’m actually allergic to cats I’ll have to say dogs 🙂

Q. Why do you bother making music?

I’ve always felt compelled to make it, I think because for me it gives the best fulfilment when it goes well … there are many, many hours of frustration but the high of completing something that I’m proud of far outweighs that! I started playing bass guitar when I was young and studied music of various styles for a long time, and always was writing tunes for the bands that I was in. Being able now to do it using software and in my own studio enables me to do a lot more of it. I’ve definitely been far more prolific over the past few years!

Q. What program do you use to Produce?

I use Ableton Live exclusively, with very few third-party plug-ins. I find it really intuitive and it’s enabled me to get the sound that I’m after far more easily than other programs that I’ve tried.

 Q. Do you have any other current releases out at the moment or about to come out? 

I’ve had original tracks out on compilations from DeepClass and Kommunity recently that I’m really pleased with, and various remixes … one especially is my remix of Ed Meme ‘Oh Yes I Will’ which is coming out on Nov 4th on Breakin’ Bread, a long-established London label and party that focusses on hip hop, soul and funk. The original is a guitar-driven soul workout so I was honoured to be asked to do a deep house mix for them, their first foray into this genre 🙂

Q. What time are you in bed on a typical Saturday night?

Ha ha – all depends on what’s happening 🙂 If I go out – it’ll be Sunday, if I stay in – before midnight probably!

Q. Favorite Genre of music outside of what you produce?

I’d have to say jazz, it’s the music I studied and played when I was a bass player and what I’ll always go back to in the end. But there are also many others – I love playing disco and rare groove when I DJ, I love listening to some of the more instrumental rock bands like Mogwai, Spiritualised, My Bloody Valentine etc., also I love good film soundtracks (if that’s actually a genre?). I’ve been lucky to work in two music venues over the past decade and so have been exposed to many different genres and there are good things in all of them if you look hard enough.

Q. How long have you been DJing?

Around five years I think, but I’ve always made music in various forms since I was a teenager. I guess I’m a musician who DJs, rather than the other way round. But – I always LOVE doing it 🙂

Q. Favorite country to DJ in?

That has to be the UK!

Q. Favorite country to eat cake in?

I’m not a great cake lover or expert but I guess this has to be France

Q. What are your favorite labels and or producers?

Labels – DeepWit of course! And also Large, Lost My Dog, UM Records, Savoir Faire Musique, 5 and Dime, Rebirth and Kommunity. Producers – this changes all the time but at the moment I’m loving what James Dexter, Liquid Phonk, Moodtrap and Junior Gee are all doing … and in the past I’ve been influenced by Milton Jackson, Pezzner and Dennis Ferrer amongst many, many others …

Q. What is the question you wished people would ask you?

That question just there 😉

You can catch up with Tony on Facebook, Soundcloud, RA, on Twitter @djignorance and grab copies of his music at Beatport & Traxsource.

Remember that if you leave a question either here with a way for us to contact you or on our facebook page and we use the question in a future interview, we will send you that artists latest release with us for free as a thank you for your contribution.

Leave a Question = Chance to Win Free Music

DeepWit Essentials – Week 42

Ever have one of those weeks were you are just mega busy? This always tends to happen right around the time Alvaro needs to prepare for a DJ’ing gig. Good thing about it all is at least at the end of this crazy busy week, we are headed out to spend the day in the beautiful city of Copenhagen. Despite having lived here for several years and making a dozen or so trips to the Capital, there is ALWAYS more to see. Really looking forward to a trip to the Botanical Garden and Museum, as it has a free entrance plus this year has brought beautiful fall colors to the plants AND it is practically right across the street from Culture Box and only a couple of blocks from our hotel. With having had both Alvaro’s birthday and our Anniversary in the last couple of weeks, we thought to turn the whole weekend into a celebration. Who doesn’t love a stroll in a beautiful garden, before enjoying some delicious food and a night of great deep house music surrounded by the best people to party with in CPH?

Make sure if you are in Copenhagen tonight and looking for a good time to join us at Culture Box, the best club in the city, for the monthly What Happens night with some great DJ’s including our very own Alvaro Hylander. Thanks Tim Andresen for bringing us down again!

Now onto the tracks of the week, with a huge thank you for everyone who sent me music to listen, it was a huge help!

To start we are happy to feature something a bit unusual for DeepWit but it was so damn good we couldn’t turn it away. Mesake‘s production combined with Indre Ju’s vocals floored us. With remixes from tONKPROJECT, KSKY and DJ Deeka, there is a diversity and variety of sound in this release rather unexpected.

 

Then to move onto something a bit more …. well Cadatta. Our very first release came from this talented and original Greek producer and in his latest release with Hypothermik he stays true to his ability to take you down a tripped out and deep experience.

 

From Cadatta we move to Powel. With his latest release on Fina Records, which was originally a vinyl and is now available digitally, it really has a dreamy landscape although perhaps a bit dark. This is my favorite track from the 4 track EP.

 

With that we get a bit more deep house with a new release from one of our own producers, Tony S. His latest release is on DeepClass Records and has his uplifting touch all over it. Make sure to check out his other releases, including his single “Enough” that we released a couple of weeks ago.

 

This moves us right into another set of producers we have worked with, HouseRiders with Helly Larson‘s remix of “Nite Grooves” which recently came out on King Street Sounds. Beautiful deep sounds all around.

 

Looking for something deep, classy and with just a touch of soulful disco vibes? This track from Deep Sound Express & Too Techs on Pole Position Recordings might be the one for you.

 

Now for something a bit more uplift and housey. Sometimes you just can’t resist… Thanks Ben Weber and Axel Eilers for this track on Light My Fire!

 

Wishing you all a really awesome Saturday night!