Electro-house king reaches Berklee, Trainspotters
By DAVID DAY | January 9, 2007
John Dahlbäck |
In current clubbing circles, no one is as prolific as, or more successful than, young Swedish producer JOHN DAHLBÄCK. First issued in the US, Dahlbäck’s tunes now dominate trés chic electro-house labels like Kompakt, Pick-a-Doll, Audiomatique, and the hotly tipped Get Physical imprint. It is any wonder then that the man’s tentacles have reached the Hub? “I met John a few months ago at a party that he was headlining in Montreal,” writes Berklee Music student and Swedish transplant ELISSA BJORCK via MySpace. “I gave him a demo of some of my songs in hopes that maybe he’d know some producers. . . . He exceeded my expectations by wanting to write some tracks from scratch with me, using my vocal samples!”Bjorck is working her way through the Music Synthesis department at Berklee. “I chose to go to Berklee,” Bjorck says, “because I really wanted to learn more about producing my own music, in addition to [the school’s] international student body and great reputation.” The Dahlbäck track “Blink” is due in the US this month. It’s a stoking, tweaking monster of a track with a propulsive bassline that pushes Dahlbäck’s patented vocal peaks straight towards disco. Or, as Bjorck herself puts it, “I’d say it’s something like funky-playful-angry-punchy electro-house.” The lyrics, though sliced to exacting shards, originally went: “I’ve been there/And that makes you feel sure/Time you blink,” or so Bjorck tells us. She also collaborated with Dahlbäck on “Borderline,” which drops in February on Sweden’s Joia imprint. “We’ve been talking about making some actual songs — you know, verse-chorus-bridge type stuff. I plan on moving to Sweden after graduation to start up my solo career.” It’s a trend that’s far too typical. “I really like Boston’s location,” Bjorck says. “I also like how reminiscent it is of Europe and how it has such an international community.” But with Bjorck, the love affair ends there. “I hate the way Boston smells. I can’t even open my fucking window without inhaling gross amounts of pollution and fresh sewage.” Oh, my. But, “I’m going to miss the clam chowder!”
Circuits learned about a record store in Boston the other day. Yes, a record store in Boston. The culprits are MR. MATT and CHRIS CRISES, and the store is called TRAINSPOTTERS MUSIC. The genre? Drum ’n’ bass, naturally. The store is located in the Fens at 125b Jersey St. and caters to the economically minded consumer. “Remember when singles were all $9.99 and there weren’t any costly fees and surcharges?,” their on-line pitch queries. “Well that is still the case here.” Junglists never go halfway (one reason the genre still survives and thrives), and neither do the Trainspotters. For one, they’re both adept DJs and producers individually and collectively as TERRAVITA. Their events at Bill’s Bar bring a jam-packed crowd of two-step maniacs — the next one is Saturday January 27 with Simon “Bassline” Smith. And they’ve helped promote MERGE Fridays, which goes off weekly at the Soulstice Café in Mission Hill. This Friday get your lead boots on for SELECTOR MOLDY as he drops the steamrolling sub-bass of dubstep.
The Revolution Rock Bar, at one time known as Glory, is more than Alice in Chains cover bands and DJ Dude-From-Fall-Out-Boy. Saturdays brings DJ RICKY FATTS to the club for the new Rock-Em Sock-Em Saturdays. Boston’s well-loved house-and-more DJ brings a new element to the Faneuil Hall venue. “I play rock, mash-up, and ’80s with a splash of hip-hop,” he writes via e-mail. Revolution is also responsible for bringing our main man RED FOXXWORTH to town recently. It’s another spot to watch.
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Topics:
New England Music News
, Alice in Chains
