Stopmakingme is a rising starlet on the underground electro scene. His Resident Advisor profile describes his club sound as a mixture of “mutant new wave, unwashed electro, huge disco, pulsing techno, updated post-punk and perfect pop” and he’s been commissioned to produce a variety of remixes for pop songstresses over the past couple of years.

In light of Lemonade, our new Saturday night party launching this weekend, we wanted to put together a blog post with a twist. Stopmakingme is set to kick start Lemonade with an almighty bang alongside headliner CocknBullKid and a whole host of other poptronic delights, and what with their collaborative past (Stopmakingme has produced a variety of remixes of CocknBullKid’s hit singles), we decided to delve into their musical relationship. We asked Stopmakingme, aka Daniel Avery, to take us through the motions of how he came to the finished product of the CocknBullKid ‘Asthma Attack’ remix. What follows is an intriguing insight into the studio style of the up-and-coming producer, peppered with a selection of tracks that inspired the sound of the remix along the way.

Lemonade launches this Saturday with CocknBullKid (LIVE), The Deadstock 33s, Stopmakingme, AlunaGeorge (LIVE), Icona Pop and Kate Bones. For tickets and more information click here.

CocknBullKid, “Asthma Attack” (Stopmakingme remix)

When working on a pop remix, I never like to simply take the whole vocal and place it over a ‘club’ beat. With tracks like this which have been produced well, it usually means there are tonnes of interesting vocal layers and added atmospherics so my first decision was to use these.

The first thing I got down were some Kraftwerk inspired drum pops and clicks for the intro. Kraftwerk were the masters of making small noises sound huge by giving them loads of space…

Next, I added a rolling Italo disco-style bassline to give the track some energy. There will never be a better example than this…

For the initial drop, I knew that I wanted to use that one vocal hook and the live drum sounds from the original but something wasn’t working. It sounded weak, even when I added quite a hectic bassline, and I was stuck. I find that the best solution in such scenarios is to shut your laptop and listen to loads of records. I’ve recently rediscovered my obsession with Primal Scream’s XTRMNTR album. Whilst I love Screamadelica, I’ve always felt too young to truly be a part of it. XTRMNTR (which includes work by my hero Kevin Shields) came along at the perfect point in my life and was exactly the music I wanted to hear. It remains one of my favourite records, everything about it is so intense.

I spent the rest of the day listening to it and I realised that my remix had to sound harsher and ballsier. So I added a noisy, screeching synth part which I forced myself to double in volume and it totally made the drop work.

For the rest of the track, I added several layers of reverbed vocal and atmospherics from the original to try and create a ‘wall of sound’ effect. I’m a sucker for that sound, it’s used in some of my favourite pop records.

Last month, hundreds of deep house and disco devotees had the pleasure of witnessing Adam Freeland and the edit-don, Todd Terje, take over The Nest for a night of dark, focused sets and a b2b finale that sent the crowd wild. Setting a benchmark for Freeland’s Kaleidoscope residency, that promises to explore a depth of psychedelic sounds and textures, Todd Terje came with a record bag full of unfamiliar, dissident smashers that kept us all on our toes. Hard-edged loops combined with uplifting disco gems were on tap during Terje’s two hour run and against all odds, he was happy for us to record the live mix to give to all our dedicated blog readers! It truly is a masterpiece of a club set that’s sure to bring you a spot of joy to brighten up this dull day and help you roll on through to the weekend. We challenge you to put together a comprehensive track list, as we fully hold our hands up to say we’re unversed in many of Todd Terje’s selections on this one. Enjoy!

Todd Terje live recording – 06/05/11 by The Nest

Both Andrew Weatherall and Ivan Smagghe have carved a uniquely cutting edge niche for themselves in leftfield electronica and techno. Always erring on the right side of cool, and never succumbing to the big bucks of big beat production, they are some of the most widely respected electronic artists on the planet. We’re humbled and outrageously excited about their six hour strong back to back set taking place at The Nest this Friday. Having played similar shows across the global spectrum, London rarely has the fortune of housing a night with both of the artists at once. We’re expecting unusual selections as the underground sounds of Britain and France meet paths, forging a journey of musical discovery within our basement brickwork.

We spoke to both artists last month, on the brink of the world ending on 21^st May. We asked them to select the top five tracks that they would drop during an “end of the world set”. The results are eerie, sobre and weirdly 80s in part. Check out the tube-tape below for the end result.

Advance tickets are sold out for Ivan Smagghe vs. Andrew Weatherall on Friday 24^th June. However, there will be plently of tickets available on the door from 10pm, with free entry between 9pm and 10pm.

Tracklisting

Andrew Weatherall: The Lighty Singers of Estill, ‘In the Morning when the Trumpet Sounds’

Andrew Weatherall: The Duke and the King, ‘The Morning I get to Hell’

Andrew Weatherall: Hoodlum Priest, ‘Rebel Angel’

Andrew Weatherall: Gin Gillette, ‘Train to Satanville’

Andrew Weatherall: Jesus and Mary Chain, ‘Darklands’

Ivan Smagghe: Soft Cell, ‘Memorabilia’ (KTDJ edit)

Ivan Smagghe: Severed Heads, ‘Dead Eyes Opened’ (remix three)

Ivan Smagghe: Dark Day, ‘No, nothing, never’

Ivan Smagghe: My Bloody Valentine, ‘We have all the time in the world’

Ivan Smagghe: Paul Williams, ‘Old Souls’

Recently signed to the ever-growing Supernature Agency camp, Pedramovich has lived an unconventional, yet fruitful life in his 25 years of musically inspired existence. Born in Yazd, a desert city of Iran, he moved to the UK’s steel city as a young boy and, almost by chance, made quite the name for himself on Sheffield’s underground electronic circuit by his teens. Dedicating all his spare time to production work and playing out at some of the city’s most prestigious dance music nights, Pedramovich began developing his sound to soon encompass the ambient depth that his house/techno productions do today.

Releasing the renowned ‘Burka’ record acted as a huge platform for Pedramovich, with the likes of Anja Schneider, Paul Woolford and Nic Fanciulli championing the production. Now actively switching up his sound, we had a brief chat with the globetrotting DJ ahead of his set at the Supernature takeover next Saturday. He also laid down an exclusive mix for us to showcase his selection style ahead of the party. Check it all out below, super hot off the press!

For more information on The Nest presents Supernature, click here.

The Nest: Hey Pedramovich! Tell us a bit about yourself. Most people will know you for “Burka”, what sort of sounds are you working on in the studio currently?

Pedramovich: Yo! Currently working on a proper wonky kind of sound. A bit floppy, and left leaning on the musical spectrum. Stripped back house with a lot of space to trip out to!

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Part of the Firecracker and Prime Numbers crew, Fudge Fingas (Gavin Sutherland) released the acclaimed NOW ABOUT HOW LP a few month ago. Collaborating with both labels since 2004, starting with the gorgeous soulful house track, ‘Getting together’, he has since continued dropping bombs such as ‘Ghost House’, ‘Me & u’, ‘What works’ and many more. We’re super excited for him to headline the This is Not Happening party this Saturday at our basement disco.

The This is Not Happening blog caught up with Fudge Fingas for a little chat. Check it out below and download a mix from the man himself after the jump!

This is not Happening: For those who don’t know, could you please introduce yourself.

Fudge Fingas: Okay… hello, my name is Gavin Sutherland, though for some reason I go by the name of ‘Fudge Fingas’ when recording certain styles of music. I have been known to use other pseudonyms in the past, notably ‘Vin Landers’, but for the time being he is dormant.

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Fancy yourself as dance music’s next underground DJ superstar? Well we’ve got the competition for you. The Nest has teamed up with the biggest dance music magazine in the world, Mixmag, to offer one lucky winner the chance to play alongside Mowgli and Spencer Parker…

That’s right, budding DJs pay attention. You could be gracing the decks at the club on one of our massive Friday night parties. Deadfish label boss and production powerhouse, Mowgli, is set to host his new ‘Go Deeper’ residency at The Nest on Friday July 22 and would like to invite the best UK underground selector to help bring the beats on the night. Joined by the homegrown house talent that is Spencer Parker, whose productions on Crosstown Rebels, Tsuba and Buzzin’ Fly have been championed by the likes of Radio Slave, Luciano and Richie Hawtin, this is a great chance for an up-and-coming DJ to strut his stuff on the main stage.

To enter, you’ll simply have to put together a 30-minute mix and let your talent do the talking. Here are the instructions:

1. Lay down a mix of no longer than 30 minutes showcasing your best mixing skills and selections that truly epitomise your sound.

2. Upload the mix to your personal soundcloud page (as a downloadable mp3) and link it in a wall post on www.facebook.com/ilovethenest with the title: MIXMAG DJ COMP: (insert your name here). Deadline Sunday July 3!

3. Encourage your friends and followers to like, comment and repost your mix. Show us how much love you’ve got. The 10 mixes with the most ‘likes’ will then go forward with the chance of winning the prize.

4. On Monday July 4, these 10 most ‘liked’ mixes will be uploaded to www.soundcloud.com/the-nest. Encourage your friends and fans to play, download, favourite and comment on your mix.

5. On Friday July 15, a winner will be announced. A team of judges will vote on their favourite mix, taking into account the amount of activity the mix has experienced (plays, downloads, comments etc.)

You will have to be available to DJ at The Nest in Dalston on 22nd July 2011. You will also win a free guestlist of up to 20 names on the night – invite your friends to see you perform! The prize does not include transport or accommodation costs. For more info head to www.ilovethenest.com

GO DEEPER presents Mowgli + Spencer Parker + Sonogama + X
Friday 22nd July
9pm – 4am
Free before 10pm, £5 after
www.ilovethenest.com
The Nest, 36 Stoke Newington Road, London, N16 7XJ

LA duo Michael David and Tyler Blake, more commonly known to us as Classixx, laid down a June mix for the wonderful people at Modular earlier this month. Their characteristically classy, laid back disco grooves are perfect for some early summer cotching and, as the track list attests, a mix of breezy jams and classic cuts are perfect to while away an hour in aural bliss.

A certifiable production powerhouse, with remixes for the likes of Major Lazer, Yacht Club and Phoenix amongst others, Classixx don’t seem to be stopping any time soon. Dropping down to The Nest this Friday alongside our disco-friend Alex Metric for Scandalism, Classixx are sure to bring some sparkle to kick start the weekend.

Click here for more information and tickets for this Friday’s Scandalism.

Nestled in the mysterious backstreets of the online electronic music realm where readily available, free audio and excessive information could arguably lead to the collapse of the industry, Murmur (the production and DJ duo) prefer to keep it on the D.L. A google search of appropriate key words yields little more than a 2008 guest podcast for RA and a handful of reviews; even pages charting their various releases on self-founded meanwhile. imprint offer a sentence of basic text, letting the music speak for itself.

Luckily, the Murmur duo’s mixing and production carries huge weight; deep and spacious dub house and techno, dance floor focused vocal warmth complemented by groovy mid-level, a pleasure for the ears and party shoes alike. Set to shake up The Nest this Saturday alongside a live set from Mark Chambers and the rest of the Busta Groove gang, Murmur have laid down an extremely rare mix alongside Nick C, free-to-download for all readers of our humble blog. Set to disappear into the ether in a month or so, we suggest you invest in this now.

Tickets and more information for The Nest presents Busta Groove are available here

We’re all pretty hyped for the first installment of Riva Starr’s brand new weeknight residency starting this Thursday at The Nest. Promising unadulterated club vibes from 9 through to 4, we set aside a few minutes to chat to Riva Starr about what he’s got up his sleeve for the party. Check it out below and click here for more information/tickets for the event.

The Nest: Hey Riva! How’s things? We hear you’ve been a busy bee lately with gigs, studio and preparing for festival/Ibiza season…

Riva Starr: YESYESYES Summer is mad as usual, got some nice bootlegs and exclusives to play out through the summer… also I’m working on my new album and a few releases for my label SNATCH!

TN: What can we expect from your brand new residency at The Nest? Will you take this opportunity to play a more “selfish”, experimental set as opposed to a prime time, banging one?

RS: Definitely, I’m gonna push the more “clubby” side of Riva. It’s going to be the lab to test the future sound of SNATCH for sure. Also guest wise I will try and bring people in that might add an extra fresh touch to the party, pushing some stuff that usually you don’t hear in the bigger events/clubs.

TN: You’ve invited Jesse Rose to join you for the Snatch! launch; what do you admire about him as a musician? Any clues of the other special guests we might expect in weeks to come?

RS: Well, the fact that I’ve released my first singles and my album on his labels says a lot. We really share the same vision of music that must be open to any kind of idea, trying to keep it fresh and cool at the same time. Can’t say more about the future guests.. SURPRISE!

TN: You’ve graced The Nest decks a number of times since its opening late last year, what do you like about the venue? What keeps you coming back for more?

RS: I like the atmosphere, soundsystem is super and the crowd is just there for the music… that’s what I love!

TN: What tracks have you heard in the past year that made you think, “god, I wish I’d produced that?”

RS: Kink bootleg of Music is the Answer

Dan Berkson and James What are a London based electronic music production and Live performance duo. Meeting in London in 2006, Dan and James discovered similar and eclectic musical backgrounds and a shared passion for forward thinking house and techno. They began to produce a blend of their individual soundscapes, debuting their Live Show at the infamous Sonar festival in the summer of 2006. The success that has followed has seen the duo tour extensively with a Live performance that is not only engaging to hear but equally mesmerising to watch.

Set to shake up our Dalston disco this Saturday alongside Hypercolour label boss, Alex Jones, we had a quick chat with Dan Berkson and he kindly gave us a cheeky free mix download. For more information on this Saturday’s party, click here.

The Nest: How has your live show evolved since its debut at Sónar back in 2006?

Dan Berkson: When we first started out everything was a bit more planned out and structured.  Now that we’ve been doing it for a few years it’s totally flexible and we’re able to improvise and change things up all of the time.  Each show is different and it’s great to be able to adapt to a crowd or situation like you would when you’re djing..

TN: I recently interviewed Russ Yallop who highlighted the important difference between composition and production – it’s not something I thought about not being a producer myself. How do you guys see this distinction? What comes instinctively for you and what do you have to work harder to achieve when it comes to production?

DB: I guess everyone works differently when it comes to making electronic music.  We tend to mix these two stages together differently depending on the situation.  Sometimes you get some great ideas and you just want to get them down and not worry about how everything sounds etc.  But then other times when you’re fine tuning the way an element sounds you might find a happy accident and that becomes the main theme of your track.

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