In Flagranti

June 9th, 2011

So In Flagranti is super duper important to the Rhythm Sektion, mostly because of their music, also because of their sexy sexy ways. For years, they’ve been a household name at RS HQ, and Saturday night, all of Austin is gonna find out why. In Flagranti with Learning Secrets is THIS weekend at Beauty Bar. RSVP here and get in for $8. The show is 18+ so all the kids can go a lil crazy. These guys needs no introduction, so I’m not giving you one. Here’s a brief interview with them. Enjoy one of their new songs right here and the questions below. see everyone Saturday night.

RS: 1. Texas is awful thankful for what looks like 3 of 5 dates in the state on this run. How do you like playing here? Are you looking forward to anything specific in Austin?

the only place i have been to in texas so far is el paso, and i had a great time. so i am defenitely looking forward to austin.

RS: How did you two end up together making music in the first place?

it’s quite a long story. when we first met, we had similar interests in music and we started Codek records in 1996. at that time i was doing other music projects and alex was designing all the sleeves/poster/fliers etc.. for the label but at the same time we always shared musical ideas. one day i came across a DAT tape full of 70’s disco tunes, or just short snippets of tunes that he recorded for another producer as inspiration, but nothing happened with it. when i started listening to the it i instantly sampled everything and started chopping it up and making tracks. i finished a couple tunes and played it to alex and we decided to release it as In Flagranti, just for the fun of it. that was in 2002.

RS: What specific music or artists influenced you early on? Are there any peculiar left field things from your childhood?

actually my childhood influence was pop music from the late 60’s and early 70’s one of the first pop songs that i was conscious of was The Tremeloes and the song called My Little Lady.

RS: The new album “Worse For Wear” just came out earlier this month, and let me tell you I think it’s absolutely rad. As the third full-length, what are some of the different encounters you guys face as opposed to just prepping a single, or remixing a friend’s work?

a single for us is usually more in the moment. it’s something we want to express now. an album is a longer process. in our case it’s been a two year process. remixes are like exercises.

RS: Speaking of friends, who are your closest allies in the scene lately? Any new remixes of someone else’s stuff coming out? Remixes of your stuff to follow?

allies is a big word, i would not use it in this context. for us it is more fluid. you meet and encounter people who sort of do similar things and have to go through some of the same hardships and also enjoy some of the same pleasures that come from working in and around the music/club circles. we have recently done mixes for hercules and love affair, the superman lovers, shake aletti, lazy disco… can’t remember all of them. and we are also getting a few more track from our album remixed from artists such as, shit robot, moullinex, stopmakingme, fabrizio mammarella….

RS: I read somewhere you guys make your music separately – What kinds of techniques and production toys went into making this record? How does the process work?

yes we never worked in the same room together except going over things when we dj together. the way we have it generally split is, i am the music maker and alex is the conceptualizer and researcher. usually alex sends me loads of music samples that he records from vinyl he just both on the fleamarket. i then listen to everything and start chopping the things that are useful and create a library of sounds and loops. but we also sample a lot from other sources like youtube, old movies… anything really. for the music production i work in ableton live and then mix everything on to reel to reel tape machine to get that vintage sound and then send it to alex for some more editing. when we both agree that it’s good, we release it.

RS: The record definitely sounds a little seedier in places than earlier In Flagranti stuff. Was this a conscious move? What sort of images and music inspired the current through “Worse For Wear”?

there was nothing in particular that influenced this album. the only thing i can think of is that i moved to london in 2009 and live there was different for me then living in NY.

juices

May 10th, 2011


Two tracks from Parallel Dance Ensemble, a coy and playful release from Permanent Vacation records. This girl’s voice makes me want to harm someone’s innocence and then tap dance on their pile of dance pop mistakes. Not that these songs are mistakes. These songs are winners. Lap it up babies.


Parallel Dance Ensemble – Shopping Cart


Parallel Dance Ensemble – Juices

Fonkey Friday, it’s time to party, let’s take off our shirts!!!

May 6th, 2011

Hey Y’all, the sun is out, its Froiday Noit and I feel allroit!!! Just wanted to drop this classic jam on yall for Friday’s sake and remember to take yo shirt OFF!!!

Tambo Reverb – Fonkey Friday

Fingerbang Gang

April 28th, 2011

Sifting through the momentous output of Australia’s Bang Gang is enough to not only moisten you. The talent and range of releases coming from the label leaves you flopping on the floor, covered in boners, laughing and smiling like a deranged fool. And we at Rhythm Sektion agree that this is what dance music should be doing to you. You can imagine our delight when we were allowed by the powers that be (Learning Secrets, see: these dudes), to interview the Bang Gang’s Gus da Hoodrat. Gus and all his compadres from down under make a shitton of music, and they bring it to the world covered in funny juices, an amazing design aesthetic, and a delightful charm and wit.

This Friday at Beauty Bar, $5 gets you dancing to the most insane mix of techno, some gay disco, slow mo booty bounce country twang, whatever you want. Read through Gus’ hilarious answers below, grab a few mixes and tracks, and come pwaty with us tomorrow.

RS: Explain to us a little about the setup of Bang Gang. Bang Gang is the record label, and then a touring act, with off-shoots and all, who’s all who in this mix?

BG: It’s actually quite funny to think that there is any type of “setup” with us. It has all been pretty random, and i’m not sure how we have ended up where we are now. Basically – Bang Gang was a party – the party then became a group of djs who then started a record label and then the group became a family and then some of the family members grew up and left home and then some brought their young cousins over and then they brought their friends to crash and so on and on and on…………

RS: What’s the dance scene like in your hometown? You guys have a club night there right? Is that how this whole thing started?

BG: We used to run a club night – and yeah that is where this all started. For some stupid reason we thought that we didn’t need to book dj’s – that we could do it all ourselves. We learnt the hard way. Deep-end theory…… actually more like deep-idiot theory. The dance scene in Sydney now is quite fickle, it is i guess you could say at a low-point, but its a transitional thing i think – and it is starting to harmonise again through all the great artists that are producing & performing.

RS: How do you feel about dance music around the world right now? With friends all over, and a heavy travel schedule, what have you loved lately?

BG: I think that its out of control – in a good way. So much stuff from so many people, lots of it exceptional and lots of it rubbish. But the good thing is that you can choose and choice is one thing we all have a lot of now. every tiny little sub-genre is covered. From neo-country-wobble-hop to liquid-proto-tech-pop its all there and ready to be consumed. My personal tastes are firmly rooted in techno, the psychedelic & futuristic side of house music, and the proto moments of disco and i think that is where they will always stay (whether or not i’m higher than a kite flying out of the kitchen window of Apollo 78).

RS: I can see a lot of elements to each release. what sectors of dance music, or all music, are your creative force right now?

BG: I love slowmo stuff – - i have been dancing too hard and too fast for too long. Its time for me to cut the dance moves down a little. One shoulder pop to every 2 foot-stomps. instead of 5 waist line winds and 8 shoulder pops to every single foot stomp. I think also my tastes have suddenly gone a little darker…. although it doesn’t always show in the music i dj. It’s more of a personal off-time thing.

RS: The artwork for each release and your site is really rad. Are the design elements your illustration/thinking/doing, or a friend’s, or what’s up with those? They’re awesome…

BG: It’s kinda usually directed by us in collaboration with friends and the artists. We have been lucky enough to have friends that were great to work with and always somehow visualise our direction… sometimes we even break out our limited graphic skills and do them ourselves (they’re probably the crap ones).

RS: Such a huge outpouring from new tracks and remixes to these zany songs on bumbleez tumblr, to just the humor in everything, it’s apparent you guys are super busy and having a lot of fun being so…I guess, what’s a typical day like for you?

BG: Wake up, vegemite on toast, ride my kangaroo to the studio, write 43.5 emails, have negotiations with a drum machine, more emails, drink a beer, ichat, say yes, say no, dinner (wombat stir-fry), go to the pub, go to bed. Its a simple life-style but i like it.

RS: How’s your tour going? Favorite place so far visited? Looking forward to anything in Austin?

BG: At this current point – i still haven’t even left Australia. So the tour has been easy – i am going to wake up in about 3 hours though and head to the airport – so maybe the pain will start off slowly building from there. I can say though – i am looking forward to some heavy slam-dancing and old-fashioned cowboy food when i get to Austin. You do eat everything out of old whisky barrels and drink out of gun-holsters yeah ? I heard the stories.

Outstanding. Big thanks to Gus for answering our questions. Check out the newest release from Bang Gang over here. Equally bonerific is this, a new mix from Finger Prince linked here, and this wobbly doopity cut below. See all you crazy kids Friday.


Stop Making Me – Tempo

Into the Night RMX

March 29th, 2011

Hey there, sorry it’s been a while, we have been working hard on lot’s more original music created by people in the Sek so be on the lookout for more original tracks and remixes/edits coming soon from such RS artists as: White Walls, Rickey Jean Francois, Tambo Reverb, Copernicus and skank jones (don’t forget dope new mixes by our good homies Flying Turns, Businessman DJs,  Cap’n Tits and Bennett Leader)  Good to see you Austin! We survived another SXSW, time to go swimming.  Here is a Spring treat for y’all, a new remix of Azari and III done by RS’s own skank jones. Enjoy and don’t forget to bring a towel…

Azari & III – Into the Night (skank jones remix)

ooo baby, the classics sound better with you

February 17th, 2011

Hey there kids, hope you are all enjoying the new and improved weather, uhhhh at least in texas, I guess the weather in other parts of the world sucks ace.  In celebration of the arrival of the spring season and all of the positive vibes it carries with it I present to you a gift, one of the best dance songs ever made by the short lived French master minds Stardust (Thomas Bangalter aka Daft Punk).   I’m sure you’ve heard this 1998 smash hit killing a dance floor at some time in your life, if not you are in for a treat.  I challenge anyone to listen to this song and not dance and at least smile! Ahhhh house will never die, enjoy!

Stardust -Music Sounds Better With You