I was sitting watching The Guitar Show on ABC2 this afternoon.  I am guitar nerd from way back.  Often when I’m waiting for files to bounce when I’m writing tunes I’ll jump on youtube and watch videos of Van Halen or Steve Vai or whatever.  Anyway, they had an interview with Steve Morse on the show.  Steve is another one of those guitar dudes who I used to try and replicate (he had a tune called ‘Tumeni Notes’ - you get it?!?).  He also replaced Ritchie Blackmore in the revitalized Deep Purple tour.

Whether or not you’re into guitar rock, there was somethin he said I thought quite appropriate.  He was talking about guitar soloing technique (was I really watchin THIS on Sunday afternoon?!  I am such a nerd) and he talked about the need for ‘breaths’.  For light and dark.  If a solo is all notes then it makes no sense.  If there are no notes then it is probably a bit zen.

This is something I’ve always applied to club music.  A big sound will sound bigger if it contrasts the sounds around it.  Take the first drop from the Plumps tune ‘Dr Dub’.  Just little sprinkly sounds and the BANG!  Contrast is what generated energy in music, and music, especially club music, is all about energy.

This also works on a macro level in terms of DJing.  It can’t be all one type of record.  Contrast will make big records sound bigger.

Anyway - enough drivel:
A couple of tunes I’m smashing at the moment…

Plump DJs - Disco Unusual (Club Version)
Whilst I really dig the album version of Disco Unusual, this club version has some HUGE bassline at the end that didn’t even make it to the album.  It is also a perfect example of how big something can sound in contrast, as the rest of the track is very synth orientated, so there has been no real bassline for about 3 or 4 minutes and then BANG.  Out of nowhere.

Samurai Gunz - Class of 88
This is huge.  Every sample you’ve ever heard, including the often overlooked ‘Aciiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid’ sample.  303s. Noise.  Massive buildups.  Bigness all the way.

In other news I have a new Bombstrikes012 EP out this week.  Get Up / The Thizz Shake.  You can grab promos from here I think http://www.fingerlickin.co.uk/store/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=&products_id=1066&osCsid=2226be54fe5f9fdfae163ddcbeeb8f71