Rod B. & Alvaro Garfunk bring you the Miami Underground Movement

 

Technasia Biography

For thirteen years Technasia has created a unique east/west fusion that moves seamlessly from the Paris club scene, to the streets of Hong Kong, to the hippest techno venues in Europe. Founded by Charles Siegling and Amil Khan in 1996, Technasia thrived as a duo for almost a dozen years. Now, Charles has gone solo, taking Technasia into 2010 as a one-man project. Unlike a Hollywood divorce, the parting between Siegling and Khan is truly amicable. Hong Kong-based Khan retired from Technasia to spend time with his young family. “You have to live this scene every single day,” says Siegling, “It’s very consuming, Amil didn’t want that anymore.”

Despite the change, Siegling has always been the ‘front man’ in terms of DJing and performing live, so Technasia is as thrilling and full-bodied a live experience as ever. If anything, Siegling is even more determined to infuse every aspect of Technasia with his utter absorption in sound, the passion born of 25 years engrossed in electronic music. Born in Paris and raised in an 11th century chateau, Charles grew up listening to everything from Depeche Mode to Jimi Hendrix. His music-loving dad even introduced him to early British rave tunes. As a university student he continued his musical education the clubs of Paris listening to the likes of Derrick May and Robert Owens; and taking note of the records Laurent Garnier and DJ Deep played on their radio shows.

In the mid-90s Siegling, who did a degree in film studies, went to check out the Hong Kong cinema scene. There, a mutual friend introduced him to Amil Khan and after they discovered a shared taste in electronic music, Technasia was born. They chose to base Technasia and their record label Sino in Hong Kong because there was no scene there, no record shops, no underground, no infrastructure. It was initially a battle for survival, but the location is vital to the Technasia ethos of music as communication. “Language is THE ultimate barrier,” says Siegling. He strives to overcome the barrier in his own life by picking up languages wherever he goes – he speaks Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish and Italian, among others – but ultimately he chooses to communicate through sound. “Electronic music is the greatest language of all. No words, just the vibration, the emotion and the beat.”

Charles has a burning ambition to create music that transcends cultural barriers, and to captivate every audience. The proof of his success is in the list of clubs and festivals Technasia has played. Fans around the globe, from China, to Colombia, to the Czech Republic, know Technasia’s classic anthems including ‘Force’, ‘Oxide’ and ‘Evergreen’. And they know that every Technasia show takes the music to new heights. When DJing, Charles always plays on three decks, showcasing the old-fashioned arts of cutting and scratching. Live, Technasia takes audiences on an unforgettable ride. Charles literally becomes a one-man band, playing keyboards, percussion and acoustic instruments. He even sings. Anything to create irresistible energy and atmosphere. “I want my audience having fun,” explains Siegling. “Not falling asleep, or going off to the bar for a beer.”

The performance aspect of Technasia is complemented by artist albums ‘Future Mix’ and ‘Popsoda’ – which are modern classics. Siegling is also an outspoken promoter of young talent, using the Sino imprint as a launch pad for talent including Joris Voorn, Renato Cohen, Steve Rachmad and young Catalan producer Dosem. He has straightforward criteria for what makes a Sino artist: talent and individuality. Charles is refreshingly direct – he has no patience for industry politics – and he seeks out musicians who have a similar strength of character and clarity of purpose. “I share my knowledge with artists who deserve a push,” says Siegling. “So when they are ready to fly, they can do it on their own.”

Siegling is currently polishing the third Technasia album, due to be released mid-2010, and planning a huge tour which will take the new music to fans around the world. There is 12” single planned for spring, and fans can look forward to remixes from artists including Marc Romboy, Mauro Picotto and Renato Cohen later in the year. Right now, Siegling is in production overdrive: “My neighbours probably see me alone in the studio at 5AM, dancing my ass off!” he jokes. One thing is certain: come 2010, he won’t be dancing alone anymore.

01 - Jerome Sydenham - Deep Fried - UK Promotions
02 - Enzo Siragusa - Himba Raindance - Welt
03 - Dosem - Road To Ebron - Sino
04 - Dapayk Solo - The Little Thing You Do (Niko Schwind Remix) - Stil Vor Talent
05 - Mutant Clan - Sancerre - Terminal M
06 - Gerald Mitchell - Faith - 430 West
07 - Santos - Mariachi Hotel - Crosstown Digital Rebels
08 - Spirit Catcher - Sedona - Systematic
09 - Layo & Bushwacka - Now Is The Time (2020 Sound System Remix) - Olmeto
10 - Jamie Anderson feat. Mr K. Alexi - Cyclone - Mija
11 - Dennis Ferrer - Hey Hey (Df S Attention Dub) - Objektivity
12 - Wally Lopez - Noche Sin Luna (Coyu & Edu Imbernon Remix) - The Factoria
13 - Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts - Raw - Musique Risquée
14 - Santos - La Pineta - Crosstown Digital Rebels
15 - Marc Romboy - Talking All That Jazz - Systematic
16 - Lucio Aquilina - Black Elf - Hideout
17 - Mes - Back To Basics (Satoshi Tomiie Mes Mix) - Saw
18 - Gerald Mitchell - It's Possible - 430 West
19 - Roberto Bosco - One - Figure
20 - Steve Stoll - Untitled Loop
21 - Agaric - Nobody Home - We Are
22 - Steve Stoll - Untitled Loop 2
23 - Youknow - Bacata (Technasia Remix 1) - Monique
24 - The Cheapers - Madame Sans Merci - Upon You

FURTHER INFORMATION:

Technasia
Technasia.com
Myspace.com/technasia
Discogs.com/artist/Technasia

Technasia_Press Pics.zip
http://www.mediafire.com/file/djv2eonyhwz

Sino
Myspace.com/sinolabel
Technorient.com/sino
Technorient.com
Discogs.com/label/Sino

Press & Radio Contact:
Tel: +44(0)7883 364 201
Email: hugo@ukf.net
SKYPE: hughbmusic

Rod B. & Alvaro Garfunk bring you the Miami Underground Movement

DJ UMEK

Uroš Umek is internationally acclaimed music producer from Slovenia, seducing the masses with his own music blend for more than a decade. Always on the look for new sounds and determined to challenge every existing cliché in music industry, he managed to define his own vision of vanguard techno. Sure, this would not happen without the support of his loyal peers who’ve joined him on the production platforms such as Recycled Loops, Consumer Recreation and Astrodisco, with which they defined “Slovenian techno sound and successfully invested it as an important driving force on the global club scene.

The year 2007 marked the beginning of new chapter in Umek’s music career. After spending enormous amount of time and artistic energy bringing his characteristics sound to the whole new level, he presented new international music therapy called 1605 – Sixteenofive. No doubt this was a very risky move for such an established artist as DJ Umek. But it was the only way for him to stay on top of the game. And it seems he picked up the right decision at the crucial time: the response to his new vision of electronic dance music from his peers, critics, media and most importantly his fans is great and his productions are supported by some top dogs in the industry.

Umek recent productions include highly acclaimed club releases such as Overtake & Command, Ricochet Effect, Another Matter Entirely and Faithful Nights, but it were MTV supported hit singles Posing as Me and Carbon Occasions that stirred the most media attention and crossed over to the daily radio stations. Umek’s releases were lately included on the premiere club compilations mixed by artists such as Sander Kleinenberg, Judge Jules, Eddie Halliwell, John Digweed, M.I.K.E. or Carl Cox. He was amongst the headliners of esteemed summer music festivals such as Primavera, Monegros or Dance Valley and he conquered the South America on the joint tour with Valentino Kanzyani and Marko Nastić once more. And this was only the introduction in the Umek’s year 2008, when he plans to finally present long expected new artist album and his own live band.


intro
01. Walter - Andrew Technique (Tomy DeClerque remix) "Sound of Acapulco"
02. Markantonio - Terzo mix  "1605"
03. Technobuse - Dj Cyberx (Synth Tech Mix) "Southside Recordings "
04. Doubleshot - Anthony Attalla Jan van Lier Remix "Slanted house"
05. Smell The Wood - Original Mix Matteo DiMarr " Subliminal Records""
06. Hipernova - Anna Miranda DJ Deh Remix "Ketra Records"
07. Body Work - Francesco Grant ""AFULAB"
08. Costantino Nappi & Micky da funk - The Way We Do "Promo"
09. Wave From The North - Alex D'elia & Nihil Young "Frequenzarec"
10. Rated R - Yotopia "Stereo Seven Plus"
11. Wiwy Edit 1 - Marascia Dusty Kid "Southern Fried Records"
12. Ayahuasca - Promo "Hog o005"
13. Echoes - Piatto "1605"
14. The Music And Me -Voltaxx   feat. Betty Bizzare &  Lissat  "Leaders of the new School"
15. Hypenoise - Audio G8 "Big Big Soundz"
16. Roundhouse Loco & Jam "Promo"
17. Moleculare Damage - Logotech "Ketra Records"

Rod B. & Alvaro Garfunk bring you the Miami Underground Movement




Matthew Hoag

Being anonymous music aficionado, music professional or a sexy Pacha girl, there are two things you really should know about Matthew Hoag: meeting him in person is always fun. Joining him for the night clubbing is a life changing experience. This vivid, cheerful, friendly bon vivant isn’t just one of those guys who want to know everything about the music as an art and the whole business behind it. He’s foremost a really nice person and his works are excellent reflections of his embrace-the-life globe trotting attitude.

The earliest seed that indicated Matthew’s future career is hidden somewhere on the dance floor was his passion for light shows. He became light-operator for the matinees in one of the local clubs already as a teenager. Few years latter he took a job at the local radio station. That’s where he learned how the radio station works, how the program is being put together, he became skillful technician, and he also listened to a lot of music: “I guess this is the main reason why I can’t be put in the box as an artist. I was exposed to all range of commercial and non commercial music. And it was that period when I grew taste for good alternative music and explored even genres such as jazz and blues.”

Meanwhile his career took a big leap forward as he became “illegal” light operator at the infamous Ambasada Gavioli club. This wasn’t his job. Put more precisely: he wasn’t even allowed to come near the console by the boss. But the resident deejays liked his touch and invited him into the booth whenever possible. “I was hanging around to listen to the sets of Valentino Kanzyani. Ambasada was the playground for the biggest names in the game. And Sven Väth was the one that really stood out of the flock: it was his human energy, power of his music, his ability to control the dance floor what ultimately convinced me to become a deejay.”

Although it wasn’t Sven’s or Valentino’s sound that he wanted to follow. “I’ve started with house, explored the progressive and I guess I could be considered tech-house artist nowadays,” summarizes Matthew who as a very versatile and eclectic artist doesn’t brand himself. He broke trough as a deejay when spotted by Valentino Kanzyani at the party in Croatia: “Valentino is one of the biggest figures in my life. He’s my brother from another mother,” likes to jest Matthew about their friendship. “He invited me to join his office, where I’ve got introduced to every angle of label management and music promotion business.” 

2009 saw Matthew kicking the dance floors around the globe, from Columbia to Turkey,from  Spain to Greece, from Germany To Brazil.

Rod B. & Alvaro Garfunk bring you the Miami Underground Movement






Joe bought his first decks after moving to Manchester in the late 90s to pursue the acid house dream.

With a schedule that involved clubbing three nights at week, he was soon running his own night, ‘Milk’ at the New Order owned Dry Bar, while DJing at other clubs around the city and purveying an ADD-ish eclecticism that had been born out of bleary nights watching the young Chemical Brothers at the Heavenly Social.

Moving back to London, he started writing for DJ Mag, alongside a ‘proper’ job, was a founding member of a well-known music website, before the greedy machination of one of its members taught him the value of having a contract (though possibly not written on a napkin), and continued to put on parties in a variety of clubs and bars.

Following a hugely successful warehouse party in East London to mark the momentous arrival of 07.07.07, he began running a new series of nights, under the name ‘No Way Back’, at a grimy all-night pub in Brixton, moving through a series of bigger venues, and playing guest slots at clubs like Trailer Trash and Neon Noise alongside Fischerspooner, until finding himself running the lounge for Chew the Fat! at The End (including, appropriately enough, on 08.08.08).

With a hugely successful room, helped in a no small part by a large old school jungle collection, a job and residency swiftly followed, with gigs alongside Hervé, Tittsworth, Duke Dumont, Riton, Jack Beats, Trevor Loveys, Drums of Death, Raffertie, Reso, Bok Bok and L-Vis 1990, and more, even standing in as a fake Fake Blood to a packed Corsica Studios when the real Fake Blood failed to show. And summer 2009 saw gigs at Glade and Notting Hill Carnival.

Leaving Chew the Fat! to become an editor at DJ Mag, Joe now has a new party in the offing and is currently in the studio with Dan Cat, who reached the heights of Pete Tong Essential New tune under his previous guise of Cheshire Catz.

www.myspace.com/joerobots
soundcloud.com/joe-roberts