Gatecrasher at Gaudi in Moscow

I've just got back from another weekend in Russia, where I got a last minute booking to play the closing set for Gatecrasher at Gaudi Arena in Moscow, as a replacement for Mauro Picotto, who couldn't make the event. A fun night, and particularly interesting to see Dimitry Almazov aka Bobina play. He has a huge local following, and possibly looks set to enter the DJ Magazine top 100 this year, the first Russian DJ to achieve this - watch this space! You can check out some videos from the party on Youtube.

Also got the chance to attend the re-launch of the uber-glamourous Most club in Moscow on Friday night. It's just had a re-fit, courtesy of architect Alexey Haas, and it's looking and sounding great!

I'll be back in Russia in a couple of weeks :-)

Wally Lopez presents Dark Suite - "Dark Sweet Piano 2006"

Another track I remixed a while ago is finally available from Beatport. Wally Lopez presents Dark Suite - "Dark Sweet Piano 2006". I actually completed this remix a couple of years ago for Wally's Factomania label, but it was previously only available on vinyl or via the Factomania website. It's now getting a full digital release - Plays from all the usual suspects :-)

Promo Starts on "She Wants Him", including brand new Blake Jarrell Remix

Armada is finally starting full promotion on "She Wants Him", ahead of its forthcoming release. The track contains a sample from The Police - "Don't Stand So Close To Me '86", and is now all cleared and ready to rock.

US-based Blake Jarrell has completed an amazing remix, which has been doing some serious dancefloor damage over the last few weekends. The track is already playlisted by Armin Van Buuren, Tiesto, Markus Schulz, Jody Wisternoff, Judge Jules and more. You can check out a preview on my Myspace Page!

Human Adams

I want to offer my deepest condolences to Human Adams' friends and family. He very sadly passed away earlier this year in a tragic accident, aged only 24. He was a very talented up and coming producer based in Holland. I never met him in person, but after an introduction via Israel's DJ Rolen, I had the pleasure of chatting with him over email and IM about music and production, and throwing ideas around about tracks. He also completed a fantastic proggy remix of my track "She Wants Him", which I am still playing in my sets.

He will be sorely missed by the music and clubbing industry.

David Vendetta vs Keith Thompson - "Break 4 Love" & Julianne - "I love To Say Goodbye" finally relea

A couple of remixes I did a while ago have finally seen the light of day, and are now available from Beatport.

The David Vendetta track originally started as a remix for Keith Thompson plain & simple, but is now available on David's release on French label Paradise Records. It's a remake of Raze's early house classic, and my remix features flashes of the original bassline and riffs, albeit updated, transposed and doing some odd things with the key - oo-er.

My remix of Julianne - "And I love to say goodbye" has become a big favourite with the international melodic progressive brigade over the last year, featured in sets from Jody Wisternoff, Ricky Ryan, Add 2 Basket and more... It has to be one of my favourites of the remixes I've produced, and I'm chuffed its finally out on Japan's excellent 19BoxRecords (pronounced "Jukebox" - the Japanese for 19 is "juke"). So now all those people who've been emailing me about it can finally get their hands on it!

Go seek :-)

Restaurant, Riyads and Nightclubs in Morocco

I've rather neglected my blog recently, but then I've been seriously clocking up the airmiles (I'm sitting on a plane from London to Moscow as I write this), and haven't a great deal of time (or at least inclination). Anyway, it's September, autumn is here, the August holidays are over, and it's time to get back down to business.

When I originally envisaged this blog, it was going to be part travelogue, part food diary and part self-hype (the latter is what blogs are for, aren't they?), to talk about things I've been up to in the studio and gig-wise.
So I'm going to combine all three, and right now I'm going to start off with a bit of reminiscing, and speak a little bit about Morocco. It seems fitting since I've been there three times already this year, and it looks like it's going to be somewhere I keep returning to!

My first trip was to Ifrane, a little university city up in the mountains. I flew into blistering heat in Casablanca airport and met up with Leo Veil, local DJ hero, and extremely gregarious character. We instantly struck up a friendship - he was surprised and happy to find out that I am francophone - I grew up in the East of France near the border with Switzerland - French and Arabic being the local languages in Morocco. As we drove up to Ifrane, the temperature got distinctly cooler. We chatted culture and travel with Youssouf the promoter in the local pizza joint, then headed to the club, Ifranity. A great little venue with a big heart, really up for it crowd and brilliant atmosphere, thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Next up I made the journey to Skhirat Plage to the excellent Nirvana Club. You can check a little clip of me in action on Youtube. Nirvana is based in the Amphitrite Palace, a slightly faded but nevertheless impressive luxury hotel, right on the beach and looking out onto the Atlantic. Thanks to the lovely Achouak for a wicked gig.

And finally... Rabat. This time I played the small but perfectly formed Reservoir, a really cool hangout with a great vibe. Earlier in the day, I hooked up with Leo again and local resident DJ Sim, and partook in some rather delicious Moroccan tea (very sweet, very minty) and also got taken to a fantastic traditional Moroccan restaurant called Dinarjat, tucked away in a Riyad in the old Kasbah. An old guy in traditional dress leads you through the cobbled streets by lantern-light to a courtyard set with tables and an open starry night sky, musicians playing subtle local rhythms while you eat amazingly delicious food: Harira, a local soup, pastilla, a pastry with pidgeon and almonds, and brouzia, a sweet lamb tagine with raisins. In between courses, the waitresses bring rose water for you to wash your hands. Absolute class :-)

The gig wasn't bad either! :-D Again, a great friendly crowd, and a thoroughly good night. Looking forward to coming back to Morocco again very soon.