From time to time, renowned DJ and Producer, Mark Farina, drops into Asheville for DJ gigs at local venues. On March 2, 2019, Mark was in town and DJ Tony Z was able to schedule him for an in-person interview on the Asheville House Music Society mix-show. Check out this edited interview with Mark. We’re sorry for the technical issues with the audio, so we hope you can make out the full interview, as best as possible.
The number one Billboard Dance Club Song in the country this week is Disclosure feat. Gregory Porter – Holding On. In an era full of anthemic, festival style EDM tracks, this smooth, soul flavored house track has reached the top of the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart. This goes to show that DJs and dance music fans alike truly appreciate music that’s a little out of the mainstream.
We love this song and we’re banging it on the Asheville House Music Society radio show on 103.3-LP FM and AshevilleFM.org in Asheville, NC, mixed live by @djtonyz every Saturday night/Sunday morning from 12 midnight to 2 am.
We just stumbled across this sweet Armand Van Helden remix of Twin Shadow’s “Old/New Love” on Simplicity. Yes, a little late to the game as this was out 5-months ago. Better late than never! Very cool to hear Armand’s transition into Deep House. A great record we’ll be spinning on the Asheville House Music Society – 103.3-LP FM or AshevilleFM.org on the Internet.
Reaching it’s peak position of #8 on the Billboard Dance Club Songs Chart, this incredible remake of Fleetwood Mac’s “Sara” by Stereolove feat. Sara Loera and remixed by 7th Heaven is in our weekly playlist right now on the Asheville House Music Society radio show.
We stumbled upon this great Donna Summer medley by singer, Jane McDonald. The 7th Heaven Full Length Mix works this remake into dance floor gem.
Contains the songs:
We’re digging this 2015 video Club Megamix mashup of Michael Jackson’s greatest hits by DJs MichaelAngelo & DigiMark. Modern remixes of all songs included in this mashup give it an updated feel for dance floors everywhere.
The tracklist includes the following MJ hits:
DJs can also download the audio mp3 of this incredible Megamix.
Get Turned Up To Death! While SNL rightfully parodies EDM culture now that it’s a mainstream phenomenon and looks quite foolish to the uninitiated, DJs Shiftee and Enferno put together this live reaction video to the original Andy Samberg SNL skit that spoofed Avicii and other DJs in the genre on SNL. The video doubles up as the release of a new track called “Fly Away.”
What this video does is to show the creativity and skill that goes into producing, mixing and developing the sounds of today’s generation of electronic music producers create. It’s certainly fun to watch!
A beautiful, emotive and organic track, Flight Facilities works out a gorgeous deep house number with “Two Bodies feat. Emma Louise.” Unique, interesting keys interspersed throughout over what stops a bit short of a conga drum pattern and a rolling, smooth bassline. This song may not pack many dancefloors, but you’ll certainly hear it coming to a hotel lounge near you.
If you know me and either are a friend on Facebook or follow me on the social network, then you’ll know I absolutely love the music of Kendra Morris. I first heard Kendra on NPR while driving home from work one night. Since that time, we’ve become distant buds and I’m following her from afar. Kendra just posted a new music video that was already on YouTube, but Vevo premiered it here. We’ve got the YouTube though (because we hate those nasty Vevo iframes!). Here it is “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), directed by Rudolf Bekker and featuring Godforbid of That Handsome Devil.
If you’re in NYC this weekend, you can catch Kendra with That Handsome Devil performing at Rough Trade in Williamsburg on September 27th at 8 pm. Tickets are $15 and she goes on at 8 pm. Don’t miss it!
I’ve been a fan of EDM producer, Calvin Harris, for a while now. I’ve spun his songs out in my DJ sets and usually look forward to receiving something new by this talented British producer, who is now one of the world’s highest-paid DJs. While his new single, “Blame,” featuring the vocalist, John Newman, has hit #1 in the U.K. and ties Michael Jackson for the honor, I’m not so sure this is a number one record.
First, it’s not horrible. It has all the usual elements: sounds anthemic, big room progressions, deep house sounds mixed with syrupy pop. And, John Newman’s raw and sometimes raspy vocals that create the emotional pop sound that has certainly caught on in the dance music world. For some reason, I just feel it’s a little too formulaic. While it’s a verified hit now across the pond, will that record translate here in the U.S. on pop radio? I hope not, because I really don’t want to hear a guy whining every hour (as U.S. radio tends to play hit records each hour to shove it down your throat) about how he cheated on someone and now wants to “blame it on the night.”
One thing is for sure, the music video for the single had a lot of money thrown behind this effort. It’s a slickly produced, highly stylized video, which will sell a lot of black lingerie and stockings. I’ve seen a ton of electronic dance music videos over the years and many surely don’t have the budget to achieve this level of production. Harris and the label that backs him can pour money into these songs and get results like #1 chart-topping singles with a formula that they’ve been able to milk now for a few years, but they have to be careful they stay on their game and don’t mail it in like they seem to have done on this song.
Okay, so let’s be honest. Yes, I like looking at women in lingerie just as much as the next guy. But maybe that’s getting tired. The woman in black lingerie passed out on the bed is very cliché. Anyone can put a beautiful woman in lingerie in a music video. We’ve been doing it year after year after year. But, what does that tell our young women? That they should walk around in lingerie while men stay fully dressed because it’s more appealing to watch a half-naked woman in a music video who is the only one to blame for a poor decision?
Is that what we’re saying to our daughters? Your role in life is to use your body in sexy lingerie to do what, exactly? Yes, I know it’s a music video and this is the norm. But, come on. Really? More of the same? It’s just…well, boring is what it is. There’s no creativity behind all the money that went into this music video.
Help me understand the metaphor of the women diving into different bodies of water. One woman dives into a sink in a bathroom. Another into a champagne bucket at the club. Yet another into a rain puddle. And lastly, another disappears in a bathtub. All neat tricks, for sure. Each woman ends up being underwater, then their heads pop up at once above the water at the same time. Is this supposed to mean they were slipping into semi-consciousness on some sort of drug as the lyrics, “Blame it on the night” and “Don’t blame it on me,” are crooned by Mr. Newman? I’m not really sure.
From a quick read through the lyrics, it seems the guilt is heavy on the mind of the man in the video, who is now regretting fooling around with another woman who came over in black lingerie.
Can’t be sleeping
Keep on waking
Without the woman next to me
Guilt is burning
Inside I’m hurting
This aint a feeling I can keep
It seems as if the woman on the bed was a friend who just needed to talk, but it went a little too far.
I had to let her through the door
I had no choice in this
I was the friend she missed
She needed me to talk
Well, whose fault is it really? Not his, that’s for sure. It’s the fault of the night, not his inability to keep his hands to himself when a seductress makes an appearance in his apartment.
So blame it on the night
Don’t blame it on me
Don’t blame it on me
Now comes the remorse and asking for forgiveness (for what, being an idiot?).
Oh I’m so sorry, so sorry baby
(I’ll be better this time)
I will be better this time
I got to say
I’m so sorry
Oh I Promise
(I’ll be better this time)
Don’t blame it on me
Don’t blame it on me
The bottom line is, this is a video about a guy who cheats on someone with another woman, but wants to blame it on “the night” instead of his own stupidity. We’ve got a formulaic dance track with a formulaic video that has now gone #1, most likely not because it deserves to be #1, but because it’s got a lot of money behind it to push it to #1 – umm…in the U.K., that is. Hopefully, we over here across the pond don’t fall for this one, because I for sure don’t feel like hearing this one on the radio every hour. A guy whining about how bad he feels now that he’s slept with another woman who showed up at his door in black lingerie.
Don’t agree with me and love this song? While we wait for our iTunes affiliate program application to be approved, you can buy it on Amazon.com.
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