RA Top 100 DJ poll, performance poll results

Resident Advisor has released the results of their Top 100 DJ poll, as well as their picks for the top 10 live acts of the year. Richie Hawtin took first place in both.

District 36 finally opens its doors

After months of delays from permit registrations and building clearances, District 36 finally opened its doors for business last night. The new nightclub is known for its four huge speaker stacks and an elevated DJ booth that places an emphasis on the dancefloor; not watching a DJ spin.

The midtown techno/house spot, located on 36th street, is being booked with the help of Blk|Market Membership, a New York underground promoting group known for its Brooklyn-based warehouse events.

[Image credit: Resident Advisor]

Well, at least the hard drives are ok

On Tuesday, a Los Angeles home owned by dubstep producer Rusko caught fire. According to his Twitter, the fire damaged his car and some of the house's exterior.

In any fire, it's best to evacuate the building as quick as possible. But we all know that it doesn't always happen that way; people grab their most prized belongings, then decide to escape. Rusko's most valuable item? His hard drives. The dedication of some musicians...

[Image credit: Resident Advisor]

Beatport's new podcast series

Podcast series are a double-edged sword in dance music.

On one hand, they're usually always free, and you get to hear some of the latest tunes before they're released as singles. But at the same time, most podcasts are just that- a collection of new songs thrown together in a one to two hour format with no consideration to mixing, pacing, or storytelling. And the result is a glut of "shows" that sound more like a DJ's personal monthly chart rather than a mix.

So to be different, two approaches are becoming more common:

1) Make fewer episodes of a podcast and make each mix more thought-out. Quality over quantity...

2) Add an element to your show that makes each episode different. Quite a few of the locals here have built their podcast series around this characteristic. Brad Miller's "Push The Night" series switches genres each show, DJ Eco's "The Sound of (You)th" episodes are filled with snippets from his upcoming artist album, and Wayde Rafnel's "Uplift" podcasts usually have chunks of his live sets played at various New York clubs.

Beatport has announced their own podcast series today, centered around the first point outlined above...

except it's going to cost you $9.99 a month to listen.

*facepalm*

With a membership, you also get discounts and special offers from Beatport's webstore, and benefits at live evetns. The perks at shows is the most enticing part of the deal, but it's all dependent on your geographic location. If you're a resident of Wyoming for example, or even upstate New York, you're most likely never be able to experience these.

A monthly podcast series is a good idea for an electronic brand like Beatport. But please, don't charge us for something that everyone knows should already be free. Take a page out of Resident Advisor's book and let everyone enjoy the music- that's why we're listening, right?

[Image credit: Beatport.com]

Summer's not over yet...

It's autumn now. The weather is getting colder, leaves are blowing off the trees, and days are getting gloomier as Winter approaches.

But as the seasons changed, Soul Clap put out a fantastic edition of the Resident Advisor podcast that will keep the summer vibes going well into the colder months.

This is one of the better podcasts I've heard all year, loaded with downtempo tracks and a classic closer. Registered RA members can check it out here.

[Image credit: Resident Advisor]

Free Nicolas Jaar EP

Wolf + Lamb has released a free Nicolas Jaar EP, "6 Edits", which contains the following tracks:

Come N' Get It
Mini Calcutta
Nico's Feelin Good
Shakedown
Stay In Love
The Beach

Available for download here.