Cheering up myself
According to BBC news, a study published in the New Scientist magazine says Madrid the 3rd friendliest in the world (being Rio de Janeiro number one and San Jose in Costa Rica number two).
AND, cities such as Kuala Lumpur, New York, Singapore and AMSTERDAM were deemed the least friendly.

I move to Madrid!
I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! I move to Madrid! in September

Hird
Swedish label Dealers of Nordic Music is releasing the debut album of Hird "Moving On" in September. He raised much expectation after his appearances in the nordic label compilations Nordic Lounge Vols 1 and 2, his remixes for Koop, for Quant and for Compost Records' Morricone remixes series. The inclusion of "I Love You My Hope" in the latest Hed Kandi Beach House could make him a star ;-) A hype? We will see ... in the meantime I am enjoying his music on a quiet summer night ...

(free) tip of the summer ...
... in four steps:
1) Do an internet poll to choose the best 30 tracks of Underground Resistance
2) Master the 30 tracks in a double CD
3) Ask Dan Sicko to write a nice note in the booklet.
4) Get rich

Check this out: James T. Cotton's first album: The Dancing Box.
Tadd Mullinix, also known as Dabrye and SK-1, makes his first full statement under the James T. Cotton alias.
Press release: "A psychdelic album in every sense, The Dancing Box pays respects to classic Chicago acid and leftfield Detroit techno, but does so with its own force and verve."
Grooves: "dirty, spooky house music...you could dance to this, but not in any venue your mother would approve of. Disconcerting, vampiric and intense"
Out on July 27 on Spectral records.
Spectral is releasing also the Matthew Dear's come back, the 8 song miniLP/CD "Blackstrobe".

Mouse on Mars
Mouse on Mars is releasing their new CD, "Radical Connector", on Thrill Jockey in August. A record so joyous and poignant that makes Philip Sherburne want to don a coat of feathers and run, run, run.

Unmixed
I took back to the shop the OM compilation CD "reMIXED". I was happy to get on CD some tracks only available on vinyl before, but to my surprise, the tracks are mixed (no note on the CD stating that, the press release saying: all full original 12" mixes). I do not like mixed CDs. I just want to hear the whole track, from the first note to the last. Am I the only one?
I even see record companies apologising for not mixing their compilation CDs! For example, read the notes on the End 50 label compilation CD or the press release of the Frerange label compilation "Yellow". It looks like the CDs are better sold when mixed.

Look back
iDJ Magazine has reached 50 issues and they celebrate it by choosing the 50 best dance albums and singles. No surprises on the list. Reading these kind of lists makes me think that the heyday of dance music was long time gone, which is not true. Also, it scares me thinking that in a few years there will be a sort of Uncut magazine for dance music, getting old dance stars on the cover ...

Sad
Racist little bitch bouncer at Elf (11) in Amsterdam: no Spanish allowed, only Dutch people. Sad, sad, sad.
Lucky to live among the barbarians? no, no.

Carl Craig, Derrick May, Derrick Carter, Kenny Dope and DJ Premier

They are all at the Islander festival.
Sometimes I think I am so lucky to live in Amsterdam ...

Club Risk Mainstage: Carl Craig Live (Detroit, USA), Derrick May (Detroit, USA) & Dimitri (back2back!), Benny Rodrigues, Eric de Man (decks, EFX, live!) , Derrick Carter (Chicago, USA), Roog & Erick E (back2back!), Martin Solveig (Fr) feat Jay Sebag (NYC, USA), Laidback Luke, Brian S, Hosted by MC Marxman.

Luvdancin': Kenny Dope (Masters at Work, NYC, USA), Jazzy Jeff (Philadelphia, USA), Ron Carroll (Chicago, USA), Cassie 6 feat. Lex Empress, Leroy, DJ Spinna (NYC, USA), Edo Salgado, Hosted by MC Gary (Legends of the Underground)

Rok je soks off:
DJ Premier (USA), CL Smooth Live (USA), DJ Spinbad (USA), SP,
The Partysquad , Mr. Wix , Pusha Mau , Hosted by MC Melodee & MC Fit.

Jimmy Woo: Real El Canario, DJ Manga, Hitmeister D, Antal, WannabeaStar & Miss Behave, Tom Trago, Ewout, Hosted by Drew MC

I have not posted for a while. I have been to Spain for 7 days. I spent some time in my mom's car so I made a 60 min tape out of some of my iPod's top rated songs. It resulted quite "micro house" or whatever. Here are the tunes:

Matthew Dear "Fex"
As One "Chiaro"
Nuyorican Soul "The Nervous Track"
Herbert "Freeze"
John Arnold (W/ Amp Fiddler) "Get Yourself Together"
Kenlou 2 "The Bounce"
Sascha Funke "Drei Auf Drei"
Yotoko "Be Yourself"
Recloose "Kapiti Dream"
Herbert vs Love From San Francisco "Young At Heart"