Local Autonomy

“House music has just never stopped being a source of happiness for me. I couldn’t tell you a...

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 07:15:58 -0400

“House music has just never stopped being a source of happiness for me. I couldn’t tell you a specific thing about it that has made it stick. I like that it’s this under-the-radar source of positivity in a world that’s mostly dominated by superficial commercial music made for the lowest common denominator. Good House feels like a genuine celebration of living that’s not driven by any kind of selfishness.” SPARROW

Check out the rest of the extensive interview with ORORO, DiNGO8, and SPARROW about the origins, development, and thoughts behind Columbus’ own Restart House Music before their show tonight (EVENT DETAILS HERE). Its a great read about the importance of keeping the soul of the music you love alive for yourself and your community:

Click Here to Read the Interviews

New Mix from Single Action that builds on his first mix for LA

Sun, 09 Jun 2013 13:38:19 -0400

New Mix from Single Action that builds on his first mix for LA

“I believe there is a spirit and energy in everything. That’s why the trees make noise with the wind...

Fri, 31 May 2013 12:24:36 -0400

“I believe there is a spirit and energy in everything. That’s why the trees make noise with the wind blows, we have personalities, and you can hear somebody walking. I am trying to say that energy is just energy. All energy falls into a rhythm if you let it. That’s what makes music so beautiful. It’s an expression of energy.”

Seth Dedikate Carter was nice enough to sit down with me in advance of Musicality May and share his thoughts on music and the energy and rhythm of life. You have to check this out if you are any way interested in electronic music in Ohio, the midwest, Columbus, etc. We are alive and well here in Columbus and the Midwest. Our 4/4 heartbeat still goes strong! We feel and extend the Soul of our community in our common activities.

http://localautonomy.wordpress.com/2013/05/31/a-closer-look-dedikate-musicality-our-collective-soul/

“For me, ele_mental really allowed me a forum and venue to bring things together not only to...

Wed, 15 May 2013 13:52:41 -0400

“For me, ele_mental really allowed me a forum and venue to bring things together not only to benefit my own growth, but to nurture growth in others. I think its impact on Columbus, and other places here and there, is almost undetectable, but is secretly incalculable. No one did anything even remotely resembling what we were doing at the time, and few have even tried since. The reason it didn’t leave much of a visible impact was because it wasn’t really designed to. It lived on (and lives on) in the idea of collaboration and sharing itself, rather than in some need to prove how influential we were. We’ve never lived in the past, or in the need to prove anything, and we’re not about to start doing that now, even as we’re entering a new phase of understanding our own history.” -Ed Luna

Check out the reflections on ele_mental from Ed as well as Charles Noel, Jeff Chenault, Mike Textbeak, Scott Litch, Steven Wymer, Todd Sines, and myself in advance of the ele_mental 20 show this weekend. The music will start at 8 PM at Kobo Live and presales at 7 dollars.

http://localautonomy.wordpress.com/2013/05/15/a-closer-look-ele_mental-20/

Dezi Magby, aka DJ Psycho, is a prolific DJ and producer from Flint, MI. He has been honing his...

Wed, 08 May 2013 11:01:52 -0400

Dezi Magby, aka DJ Psycho, is a prolific DJ and producer from Flint, MI. He has been honing his craft ever since he was 11 years old and picked up the turntable as his instrument of choice and started wielding records like sonic weapons. He is affiliated with the all-important Detroit Techno Militia, which has helped carry the banner of Techno music for that city and for all of North America for some time. He is a part of a new collective of artists called Convergent, which focus on sound production and DJing that pushes the boundaries of arbitrary music rules. They also just found out that their releases will be distributed by Underground Resistance/Submerge. Even with this techno pedigree, he is not one that can be so easily put in a box labeled “techno” and placed to gather dust in this genre classification in your brain. He spins EVERYTHING. I do not exaggerate here. In my short time immersing myself in this form of music, he finds connections in beat and sound that I have heard few people even consider. Check out the rest of article and the interview at the jump below in advance of his performance at Victory’s this saturday (May 11)

A Closer Look: DJ Psycho

“I have not consciously made the decision, but overall, the music i buy and experience fully...

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 11:50:00 -0400

“I have not consciously made the decision, but overall, the music i buy and experience fully more often than not, is live performances. I get to meet the person behind the art. I learn about them and not just some image they are projecting for a time. It means a great deal to meet in person those whose work i admire. Usually, that image i project dissolves into the reality that they are human, too and perhaps ordinary, yet doing extraordinary things. So for me, that reminds me people are more similar than different. That it’s okay to be “ordinary”, one person among many, simply trying to create something with the time they have…” —Tactil Vision

Got a great, in-depth interview with local musician Tactil Vision up for you today to read, listen, immerse yourself in HERE.

Listening List — 3/25 The Fallen (FBK & Plural) — House Test ONE ASC —Deep...

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:44:10 -0400

Listening List — 3/25

The Fallen (FBK & Plural) — House Test ONE

ASC —Deep Space 5

“Money comes and goes, things come and go… clothes, people, etc. move in and out of our life...

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:49:46 -0400

“Money comes and goes, things come and go… clothes, people, etc. move in and out of our life all the time. But listening to rain hit your window while you’re trying to fall asleep in a foreign city stays with you, also the sound of trains coming and going as you sip on a coffee in a station waiting for yours to come and take you away to see a loved one. These are the sounds we sometimes take for granted in our life.”

Little excerpt from Walleye interview. Read the rest of the interview and listen to his 2 hour mix at the jump:
http://localautonomy.wordpress.com/2013/03/23/a-closer-look-walleye/

walleyemusic: A mix for Local Autonomy.

Sat, 23 Mar 2013 15:11:24 -0400

walleyemusic:

A mix for Local Autonomy.

Playlist — 3/22 Plural—Put the Hurt on Plural - Put The Hurt On Mix by Plural on ...

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:57:06 -0400

Playlist — 3/22

Plural—Put the Hurt on

Plural - Put The Hurt On Mix by Plural on Mixcloud

Within Reason — Transient Broadcasts

<a href=”http://anodizesound.bandcamp.com/album/transient-broadcasts” data-mce-href=”http://anodizesound.bandcamp.com/album/transient-broadcasts”>Transient Broadcasts by Within Reason</a>

oh/ex/oh — The House in the Woods

<a href=”http://ohexoh.bandcamp.com/album/the-house-in-the-woods” data-mce-href=”http://ohexoh.bandcamp.com/album/the-house-in-the-woods”>The House In The Woods by oh/ex/oh</a>

I do not have a post for you today, but I do have an article from a recent-ish Wired magazine...

Sat, 16 Mar 2013 10:16:24 -0400

I do not have a post for you today, but I do have an article from a recent-ish Wired magazine article entitled “Better than Humans” by Kevin Kelly. Kelly delves into what he believes the future holds for the robotization of our economy and our lives. I just got done talking at my partner for like 30 minutes about what the future is going to look like with robots standing right by our side. Super interesting ideas in the article.

Also, make sure to download and listen to this great mix by a person named Dak ( http://www.mediafire.com/?iwrwgnkw1jm ). It is Full of Chain Reaction stuff, Porter Ricks, Deepchord, etc. [Yes, its a mediafire download, which is always sketchy. BUT my computer has not crashed yet so I think you are safe.] Listen to it while reading. Its a good way to spend your saturday I promise:

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/12/ff-robots-will-take-our-jobs/

I have basically been living inside Brock Van Wey’s White Clouds Drift On and On and in Steve...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 09:19:10 -0400

I have basically been living inside Brock Van Wey’s White Clouds Drift On and On and in Steve Roach’s “Structures of Silence”. I like this “Live to See the Day” track too. Its got that same gentle, rolling waves of calm effect that seems to be present in alot of Van Wey’s work.

THE OUTER CHURCH: Ohio-based label Rano made their debut last year with the subterranean...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 12:14:30 -0400

THE OUTER CHURCH: Ohio-based label Rano made their debut last year with the subterranean...:

theoriginalouterchurch:

Ohio-based label Rano made their debut last year with the subterranean murk of Paradiba by Polish composer/producer Synek. Immediately impressed, The Outer Church described the limited cassette release as “a crawl through the long dark ventilation shaft of the soul.” Synek’s tape was…

Urban Tribe — “Sychophant” On Planet E.

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:40:00 -0400

Urban Tribe — “Sychophant” On Planet E.

Hey all, I got a great new Interview and Mix posted up today with Italian artist Alessio Pili. I...

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 11:09:26 -0500

Hey all, I got a great new Interview and Mix posted up today with Italian artist Alessio Pili. I have grown to really enjoy his music over the last year. I first found him while exploring the back catalogues of Panel Trax Records when local artist Plural released an EP on their label a while back. I checked out Pili’s soundcloud and was really drawn in by his EP “How The Few Control the Many” for Aconito Records. As someone with a love of Sci-Fi and dystopian futures, I was immediately drawn to the release and how he articulated a cyber-punk aesthetic with his music. I hope you have the time to check out the post and support his work by buying an EP.

Check it out Here

Shawn Rudiman’s approach is so on point. This track called “Will I Dream” is...

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 09:21:44 -0500

Shawn Rudiman’s approach is so on point. This track called “Will I Dream” is amazing.

<a href=”http://detroittechnomilitia.bandcamp.com/track/will-i-dream” data-mce-href=”http://detroittechnomilitia.bandcamp.com/track/will-i-dream”>Will I Dream by Shawn Rudiman</a>

The Fuse Factory and Digital Arts Lab is a non-profit devoted to pushing the music and art scenes in...

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 08:55:15 -0500

The Fuse Factory and Digital Arts Lab is a non-profit devoted to pushing the music and art scenes in our scene. In addition to the Ignition art event that they run every year, they also put on a forward thinking music event every month called frequency friday. This event brings sound experimenters from all over the globe come here to share their art with our community. Not only do these shows provide amazing performances, but they also provide a central meeting points for all people in our community working with sound in different ways.

However, they need Columbus’ help! They are running a kickstarter campaign right now to help fund this years shows and they need your help! They are only 900 dollars away from their goal and they have 3 days to get the funds to secure the money. A donation in any amount helps! They even have great rewards to give out to funders! Think of it as your way of investing in your local music scene for the day. It also is an easy way to feel like you have done good in the world today.

CLICK HERE FOR THE KICKSTARTER PAGE

I did my second spot on Trademark Gunderson & Frillypant’s Sound of Plaid Radio Show two weeks...

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 11:29:01 -0500

I did my second spot on Trademark Gunderson & Frillypant’s Sound of Plaid Radio Show two weeks back. You may remember my first spot on the show in November. You can listen to that HERE. This time around we played some local music, some old & new music, talked big ideas, and had a great time. Take a listen when you get a chance.

The Sound Of Plaid episode 2013.02.11: Special Guest JAMES DAVIS (Local Autonomy)by Evolution Control Committeeon Mixcloud

Tracklisting: Click on Artist Name for more info

(Band — Song)
Jay Dee — Airworks
Elizabeth Waldo — Balsa Boat
A Tribe Called Red — The Road
The Fallen — Raw Times
sKewn — Circling
Jeff Central — The Day Of Attack
Druid Cloak — Sun Elf
Glass Teeth —BB EYEZ (FUNERALS Remix)
tactil vision — illusion
Glacier 23 — The End Track
Walleye — Burn 4u
Mike Shiflet —1917
Mike Shiflet — Zahlentheorie
The Evolution Control Committee — The Fool On The Hill (Major-Minor Swap, incomplete)

Today, I am continuing these contemporary community-centered posts by shedding some light on the...

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 09:54:50 -0500

Today, I am continuing these contemporary community-centered posts by shedding some light on the past and present of Mister Shifter. Mister Shifter is an artist that cut his teeth in our scene in the 1990s when the underground and club scene was thriving. He is an accomplished DJ and producer whom made up half of the critically acclaimed Drum and Bass duo Random Movement. Listening to the Random Movement back catalogue, one is catapulted back to the late 90s and early 2000s when the D & B sound was at the cutting edge of dance music and Mister Shifter himself was a key contributor (alongside Mike Richards) to pushing these new bass sounds in our city and abroad. Not only does his story help detail some of the back history of bass music in our city, but also provides a lesson on how an artist changes over time. Over the last few years, Mister Shifter has adopted an open format approach to sound, which has enabled him to continually change up and incorporate new styles and sounds into his sets. This has proved incredibly useful for him, as he has been able to reinvigorate his love of DJ’ing even as he grew bored of past sounds he immersed himself in so heavily. For me, it also makes for better art, as Mister Shifter is able to draw on diverse musical influences to craft soundscapes for dance floors that aren’t pigeonholed to any one tempo or mood.

Mister Shifter will be playing a free show this Friday, February 22nd at Victory’s Live hosted by Squared headman Scott Litch (Event Details Here). Squared has been one of the gold standards of Columbus dance music for over ten years, as Litch has continually tried to innovate conceptually and graphically to push Columbus dance music to the next level. Within the last year, he has brought in new resident DJs to his Future Fridays event like Lower Frequency, Kevin Parrish, Tony Fairchild, and others and collaborated extensively with Quality, Run614, and Push Productions. Together these actions have increased the cohesiveness of our scene and provided artists in our scene a platform to play sounds not often heard. The show this friday is no different. Scott has carefully curated a stellar line up of artists like Mowgli, Mister Shifter, Ill Atmospherics, Lights Out!, and Doctah X that have expertise across the spectrum of bass sounds from Drum & Bass to Dub. In order to get you ready for that show, I provide for you a broad ranging interview with Mister Shifter that delves into his love of music, his time with Random Movement, and what he is up to now.

Check it out at the Wordpress Site

I do not write often about events. I did and still do find it hard to figure out different ways to...

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:51:00 -0500

I do not write often about events. I did and still do find it hard to figure out different ways to say an event is going to be hot, fresh, new. It just isn’t that intellectually or artistically stimulating. That difficulty drove me this summer to do some serious thinking about my Local Autonomy project and what I would write about. I concluded in a post HERE that we all need to be discerning realists of how larger forces shape our local dance community, but need to hold fast to the romantic ideas that drive us all to want to be part of an artistic community. My romantic ideas about the emancipatory potential and magic of dance music has driven me to want to do a string of interviews with people about the events they are putting on. The whole purpose of these interviews is not to be a Hype Beast in the Columbus dance music community (There are already enough of those). Yes, there is some promotional aspect to these interviews, but the broader intention is to hear peoples views about why they are putting on events and what they think it adds to our dance community.

I think a great starting place is to interview Aaron Austen & Dj Push about their new monthly Standard, which starts this Friday, February 15th at the Old Standard Lounge in Red Zone. Both Austen and Push are no strangers to the Local Autonomy Project. They have graciously given their time and energy not only with interviews, but also with helping me put on the BLUR show last November. However, I am not interviewing them for that reason. I am interviewing them because Standard brings house and techno sounds back to the historic Red Zone space on a monthly basis and aims to bridge boundaries in our community. I find these to be worthy and important intentions for any event that aims to add to the artistic dialogue of our community, as it seeks to draw on our history to create new memories and collaborations. I also think that the line up is air-tight musically. Austen, Push, Campassi, & Knell all have extensive and deep knowledge of dance music and spend a lot of time devoted to bringing new sounds to our dance spaces across town. They have a particular knack for taste-making in their live performances that I have benefitted from directly. But thats enough from me.

Click Here to read the rest of the Interview