forwarddisco-blog

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Forward Disco presents part two in our series of edits. For this round Chili Davis introduces Lisa Lisa to Newcleus for them to jam on it. The 80's are in full effect on this one!

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Sat | February 18: NOSI Music 6 Year Anniversary

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    Saturday | February 18

  NOSI Music Six Year Anniversary

Join our good friends with NOSI Music as they celebrate their six year anniversary (SIX YEARS!) with an amazing lineup of local and international talent that has graced the label.

>Music by: JONNY CRUZ [My Favorite Robot, NOSI Music, Cocoon–BERLIN] CONNIE [NOSI Music, Resolute] GIL K [NOSI Music] DANIELLE NICOLE [NOSI Music, Frequenza] PAT KING [NOSI Music, Fade]

>Live percussion by: TIHO ANDONOV [Bulgaria] >Visuals by: MICHELE PALAZZO [MothLab, Italy] >Art installation by: JENN BAKALAR [Kon-Party] >Photography by: INA SOTIROVA [Cosmusart] >Door by: AMBER A-M

  NATIONAL UNDERGROUND

$10 | 10pm-6am 159 Houston St & Allen (downstairs)

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Thanks to everyone who made it out to Open House for Forward Disco 009.  Check out Alan Morehouse's set from the night and stay tuned for details on Forward Disco 010!

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Sat | January 21 Forward Disco 009

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    Saturday | January 21

  Solid Choices & NOSI Music present FORWARD DISCO 009 at Open House (formerly Stay) Our special guest for the evening is NYC's resident eccentric master of ceremonies, Crazy Larry.  

  Crazy Larry [Airdrop Records | Time to Get iLL] Hailing from Denver, Colorado, Crazy Larry is a young and fearless talent with an insatiable craving for old and new sounds. Larry fell in love with dance music in 2000 via the Casa Del Soul record store and a deeply held love of wax. He developed his infamous live PA in January of 2006, which debuted in NYC for Taimur Agha and the Blk Market crew. Larry now devotes much of his time to new project, the ‘Time To Get iLL’ label, born off the back of Brooklyn based shindigs of the same name. Other Crazy Larry releases have come via staple American labels Siteholder, AirDrop, Fade, Auralism and hip Brooklyn based label Hallucination. Future Time to Get iLL projects on the horizon include releases from contemporaries Soul Clap, Tanner Ross and Adam Collins, which showcase shared influences from old school R&B, soul, and funk genres – placing Larry well within the current slow-down-and-low-down zeitgeist. To surmise, Larry Ursini is all about the records you may not know, but really enjoy – and with the party stamina of actual rock stars and the talent to back it up, the Crazy one can not possibly fail to command your attention, and leave his own lasting mark.

  >special guests Crazy Larry [Airdrop Records | Time to Get iLL] Bram Berlin [Script the Flip]

  >residents Sean Cormac [Forward Disco | Stimulus Response] Nocturnal Soul [Forward Disco]

  >visuals by Michele Palazzo [MothLab | mothlab.net]

  OPEN HOUSE 244 East Houston bet Ave A & B | lower level

  admission | FREE with RSVP to forwarddisco@gmail.com

doors 10pm-Late | 2 for 1 Drinks 10pm-12am

  Get your disco fix started early.  Before Forward Disco 009, swing by our good friends at halcyon for some Slow Disco Saturdays action hosted by Bianca von Baum with the Dog & Pony crew with guest DJs Paul Raffaele & Kevin Osha.

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Forward Disco presents episode 013 of the podcast. For our first episode of 2012, we have a two part mix. The first half features one of the up and coming artists in NYC - Bram Berlin. Bram has been a regular at the very good friend's of Forward Disco, Keep It Movin's events as well as spending time in the studio with KIM residents Mike Terra and Brian Best, working on tunes under "Script the Flip" Look for Bram at our next Forward Disco event at Open House on January 21. The second half of episode 13 features Chili Davis of Nocturnal Soul

Subscribe in iTunes

Part 1: Bram Berlin [Script The Flip] / Part 2: Chili Davis [Forward Disco, Nocturnal Soul]

Tracklist Part 1: Chris James feat. The Egyptian Lover – Just For You (Marcin Czubala Remix) [Semester Musik] Crazy P - Changes (Lucas Remix) Behling & Simpson – Play Games Bearight, Lookleft – Miss You [Pets Recordings] Pillowtalk - Soft (Life & Death Remix) [Life & Death] Bad Rabbits – She’s Bad (Gadi Mizrahi& Soul Clap Remix) [Double Standard] Pillowtalk – Far From Heaven [Wolf + Lamb] Billy Ocean - Stay The Night (Chili Davis One Night Stand Edit) [Forward Disco Edits] Nhan Solo & Daniel Dexter - Liz Taylor [Semester Musik] Ben Westbeech - Something for the Weekend (Lee Foss & Robert James Spirit Mix) [Strictly Rhythm] Nikko Gibler - Hide From No One [Culprit]

Part 2: Andrew Soul - Do That Again (Kris Wadsworth Remix) [Stranjjur] Mark E - Oranges (Jacques Renault Edit) Death On The Balcony - What Is Dub [Mystery Meat] soho808 - Turning Slow [Dikso] Gareth Whitehead and Tom Taylor - One Love (Howard Sessions Remix) [Lost My Dog] Billy Ocean - Stay The Night (Chili Davis One Night Stand Edit) [Forward Disco Edits] Double Hill and Jerome C - I Need Love [Double Standard Records] Infinity Ink - Games [Hot Creations] Dexter Kane and Gav Memnos - Dirty Cash [Lower East]

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Friday | January 06 Heavy @Bar 13

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HEAVY 6pm-4am | 1st Fridays at Bar 13

By Definition: Having great weight. Something of greater thickness than average. Having great weight in size and massiveness. We invite you to a new musical experience designed to test you mentally and physically. Music Selections by Sean Cormac  Oscar P  Melissa Nikita  Nutritious   Payroll NYC Bar 13 / 121 University Place (13th and University) USE UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE for direct access to 3rd fl & rooftop 2 for 1 drink specials from 6 - 9pm For bottle service, Birthdays, Guest List, please inquire with Jessica aka Lady J, the housekeeper: ladyj@the-joint.net

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Forward Disco presents the first in our series of Edits.  One half of Nocturnal Soul, Chili Davis (Jon S) kicks things off with his One Night Stand Edit of an 80s jam that always got people on the dance floor, Billy Ocean's Stay The Night. Enjoy!

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Forward Disco resident Sean Cormac just posted a set from a few months back, with a smooth progression and tunes from some of our favorites like Tornado Wallace, Manuel Tur, Lovebirds, Charles Webster and more.

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Slow Disco Saturday 18 at halcyon 11/26/11

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Get some friends together, pitch down some tunes, mix up a batch of Disco Juice and you get Slow Disco Saturday.  For the 18th edition, the host of Slow Disco Saturday, Bianca Von Baum invited the fellas from Forward Disco and Chris Luzz to play at the shop.....we came, we played tunes, we bought records, and we finished off a batch of Disco Juice (seriously what the hell is in that mix of deliciousness?!?!) - cant wait to do it again.

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Sat | November 26 Slow Disco Saturday @ halcyon the shop

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halcyon the shop and Forward Disco presents Slow Disco Saturdays hosted by Bianca Von Baum with guest DJs Nocturnal Soul (Forward Disco | NY) Sean Cormac (Forward Disco | NY) Chris Luzz (Fresh Meat/Stranjurr | NY) Saturday, November 26th, 2011 | 4-8pm halcyon the shop 57 Pearl Street | Brooklyn NY FREE Forward Disco, the NY-based DJ collective spearheaded by Sean Cormac and Nocturnal Soul is simply about forward thinking dance music - that's the kind of music policy we like to hear. Not bound by genres or rules, Forward Disco events aim to give guest artists and residents the platform to experiment beyond four to the floor. From disco to nu-disco, house to classic house to low-slung, modern electronica, each event is custom curated with artists and promotion aimed at creating a fun environment. For this round of Slow Disco Saturdays we're bringing in the FD crew and the talented Chris Luzz for a post-Thanksgiving bash. Oh yeah, and please get your mustache on. It's Movember!

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Cielo 9/16/11 | Photos by David Cova

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One year ago, Sean Cormac and Jon S of Nocturnal Soul celebrated their birthdays together at Porch for the Change of Pace jam, where after quite a few adult beverages the concept of Forward Disco was born.  One year later we celebrated again, this time at Cielo.....stay tuned for next year!

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Forward Disco presents episode 012 of the podcast. For this episode we have one of our residents and on half of Nocturnal Soul, Jon S, pitching things down a little and dropping a disco influenced mix. With tracks from Skylevel, MAM, Tim Green, Miguel Puente, soho808 and AB Logic (Hoodfellas) 

Subscribe thru iTunes to download all of the Forward Disco podcasts.

Tracklist: Skylevel - Love Sensation (SQ 101 Edit) [Skylevel] | Miguel Puente - Cruel Intentions | Kinky Movement - Windy Dayz (The Hoodfellas 200 Roses Mix) [Smoke City Music] | Tim Green - Cherry [Rebellion] Warpaint - Undertow (Night Plane Remix) [Rough Trade] | MAM - One Of Them Nights [Wolf+Lamb Black] | Francis Inferno Orchestra - All Up In This Shit [Kolour Recordings] | Coco Vegas - Heartbeat [Heartbeat Revolutions] | Gary Todd - Dice Me Up [Illusion Recordings] | soho808 - Get Up Disco [Dikso] | Runaway - Indoor Pool (Slow Hands Half Full Remix) [Throne of Blood]

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FD008 at Open House 10/22/11  | Photos by Aaron Pachesa

View the entire Photo Gallery 1 | Photo Gallery 2

New name, some renovations, same cool venue - for Forward Disco 008 we brought the jam back to Stay under its new name Open House.  Disco dons soho808 (Dikso, Wurst) kept things groovy with a stellar all vinyl set, while AB Logic (Stranjjur, Smoke City) closed things out by tagging with Sean Cormac.  Good times all around!

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Interview: soho808

We love how soho808's bio begins: "One of the best parts about raging at an after-hours is the people you meet. And so begins the story of soho808 – New York’s dynamic DJ and production duo made up of Nathaniel Jay and Dave Robertson." The story may have begun at an after-hours, but it is just starting to be written.  From their awesome parties at subMercer, to their tracks being featured on compilations by Soul Clap and Jamie Jones, to their recent releases on Mystery Meat & Wurst, to their cool as all hell podcasts for Autobrennt, The Dog & Pony Show and the Adventures of Soul Clap - soho808 are clearly the downtown disco duo on the rise!

We recently caught up with Nathaniel and Dave to chat about their productions, parties and records that are always in their crate.  You can catch the fellas at our next Forward Disco event, this Saturday October 22 at Open House NYC.  RSVP to events@forwarddisco.com for free entry. 

So, you met at an after-hours party, do you recall any details of that party? (because we can never recall any details from the after-hours that we attend!)

Yes, we did. It was a Resolute party, Terry Francis was playing, it was on a boat that didn't actually sail, it was just docked in a river in Queens. We started talking and realized we had a very similar appreciation for absurd humor. We realized we were on the same page in that respect right away. 

How has working with a partner helped each of you grow as a producer?

Nathaniel: From my standpoint, I knew nothing about producing. Dave is the production wiz. So, I learned everything I know about making tracks in the last two years. I was coming at it from being a DJ and a record collector. I basically just said to Dave at one point, "Oh, you have a studio? We should make some tunes!" And here we are.

Dave: Nathaniel has been obsessively collecting vinyl for over 10 years, as a result he has an intrinsic understanding of what works in a song - both in terms of overall arrangement and also certain tonal qualities in individual sounds. We work well together because as i'm playing in parts on the piano or bass i know he has the overall aesthetic in mind at all times. 

After releasing your first track last year, you had two of the industry’s heavy hitters grab your tracks this year for compilations (Soul Clap for the Social Experiment and Jamie Jones for Fabric 59 – both highly recommended!) – does that put additional pressure on you to follow up strong?

Both of those did LOADS for us this year, obviously. We know Eli from Soul Clap, so that one happened naturally. We sent him some tunes and he liked them. Jamie just came out of left field entirely, we don't know him at all. We think Dikso sent him some music and he liked it, obviously. So the Fabric thing seemed more serendipitous. Just really took us by surprise. However, while those were huge, we don't think it really added any pressure, no.

We are loving the Soul II Soul edit on Mystery Meat.  Where you always planning to release these edits, or where they originally intended for personal use?  Any other edits in the works (that you feel like sharing)?

 The Soul II Soul edit is very near and dear to our hearts. A friend of ours, John Patrick, started bringing the acapella of that track over to Nathaniel's house and playing it during afterhours. When we hit up the studio, we decided to give it a go. Normally with a track that's been sampled as many times as that one has, you'd steer clear, but like we said, it was close to our hearts. The edit just really happened naturally, the keys and the bassline, we were excited about right away. We played it for some people and they loved it, it even almost made onto another edits label, but they sat on it forever. Finally the mysterious guys at Mystery Meat got in touch, and we were really digging the release they had coming out with Bicep, so it was a perfect fit and we're very excited.

Regarding edits, we have done a couple others, always available for free download on our Soundcloud. We think of edits as a bit of a phase, so we probably won't look to do anymore. At this point, you can consider the Mystery Meat release as our sole and final word on the edits thing. We'll do some more sample based stuff, sure, we're already working on a couple ideas, but probably not edits in the modern sense. 

You guys have definitely played some unforgettable parties in NYC, what was a party that really stands out for you?

One party from the summer that really stands was a gig we did at The Palms in Queens. It was a big, dark, dirty, sweaty basement and people were going nuts. It was so hot (this is a cliche, but its true), sweat was literally dripping from the cieling, literally. We had gunk all over a couple of records from that! Great, great party. Tensnake remix of Runaway absolutely crushed the place.

Also, subMercer is amazing, each and every time. That club is becoming something of a spiritual home for us. We were supposed to do a guest slot there but ended up playing the whole night, and Gabby, the manager, loved our music and we've been back monthly ever since. There is a whole little subMercer family of DJs that includes Roy Dank, Justin Miller, Marcos Cabral, Eli Escobar and many more. We're excited to be a small part of that. The quality level of the music is very high there, and Gabby has just started a subMercer label as well.

Your sound is pioneering the current movement of pitching things down a bit, and taking the crowd on a bit of a musical journey. Who are some of your musical influences?

We have been banging on about Pitch it Down for years now! It first started with deep house, so the initial influences for that would have deep house guys. Dixon, Scott Grooves, Patrice Scott, people like that. Then, when we really started getting into pushing things down even slower to the 110 and less arena, influences came from guys like Mark E and The Revenge and stuff like that. 

Last thing before we go - What are the five records that are always in your crate?

Our crates are always evolving. There are classics that have lasted years, of course, but it's a rotating cast of classics, mixed in with the new stuff we take to every gig. Here are some tunes firmly lodged in our crates at the moment:

Rayko - Broadway edit MCDE - LOVE (Basement Edit) KZA - Le Troublant Acid Alice Smith - Love Endeavor (Maurice Fulton remix) Chaka Khan - I Know You, I Live You

You can grab soho808's recent releases on vinyl The Wurst Music Ever Part 1 | Trouble and Strife and as always check out halcyon the shop for the latest releases from soho808.

soho808 | AB Logic | Sean Cormac | Nocturnal Soul 

OPEN HOUSE | 244 East Houston bet Ave A & B

FREE with RSVP to events@forwarddisco.com

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Saturday | October 22 Forward Disco 008: soho808 & AB Logic @ Open House

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Saturday | October 22

Solid Choices & NOSI Music present FORWARD DISCO 008 at the newly renovated Open House (formerly Stay) and we are bringing along some very special guests for the evening. With a recent release on Jamie Jone’s Fabric 59 compilation, soho808 are firmly entrenched in NY’s disco house scene.  Joining soho808 will be no Stranjjur to our Forward Disco events; AB Logic.  Rounding out the evening will be Forward Disco residents Sean Cormac & Nocturnal Soul.

soho808 [Wurst | Dikso] One of the best parts about raging at an after-hours is the people you meet. And so begins the story of soho808 – New York’s dynamic DJ and production duo made up of Nathaniel Jay and Dave Robertson. From party acquaintances to close friends, the two sparked over their healthy obsession for dance music on the deeper end, talking tunes and spinning records for hours on end. Realizing their shared love for the craft they hit up Robertson's Soho studio and the rest is history. In early 2010 they released their debut single, “From New York With Love” on Brooklyn’s Stupendous Records. This launched the duo into the spotlight of NY’s vibrant disco house scene as a promising new talent on the rise. Their tracks "Just to See" and "Get Up Disco" were featured on Soul Clap's Social Experiment 2 and Jamie Jones Fabric 59 mix CDs, respectively. Most recently, they've been signed to Roy Dank's Wurst Music Co., which will release another soho808 original, "Reach" this fall. A remix for Tal M. Klein and their piano driven rework of Soul II Soul was recently pressed to vinyl on Mystery Meat.

AB Logic [Smoke City | Stranjjur] With 15 years work behind the turntables, and as 1/2 of the esteemed "Hoodfellas" production duo (who have released on Hudd Traxx, Smoke City, Guesthouse, & Greenskeepers to name a few), Hoboken NJ's AB Logic has become a staple in underground house music. A versatile DJ and producer, AB Logic made a name for himself through his upfront mixing style and dance floor oriented set programming. He is part owner of the Stranjjur Imprint and Smoke City Music record labels, and is 1/3 of the S.O.U.P Crew...the promotional force behind NYC's infamous S.O.U.P parties. In addition to House Music, AB Logic keeps his hand in the Hip Hop world as touring DJ for rising rap star Born I Music, and 1/2 owner of the G&D NewSinatra production/publishing company. He has developed a reputation as a true party rocker on the decks, and prides himself on bringing fun, positive vibes, and quality beats to every night club he's exposed to. After years of making waves in music, AB Logic was given a sponsorship deal as a brand ambassador for Heyday Footwear, an east coast based sneaker company.  He's quickly becoming a regular face in their advertising, and is currently compiling an exclusive Heyday House Music mix tape for the company. Keep your eyes open for AB Logic in a city near you!

>special guests soho808 [Wurst | Dikso] AB Logic [Smoke City | Stranjjur]

>residents Sean Cormac [Forward Disco | Stimulus Response] Nocturnal Soul [Forward Disco]

>visuals by Michele Palazzo [MothLab | mothlab.net]

OPEN HOUSE 244 East Houston bet Ave A & B Lower level

admission FREE with RSVP to events@forwarddisco.com

doors 10pm-Late 2 for 1 Drinks 10pm-12am

[forwarddisco-blog]

Charts: Juno October

Forward Disco residents Sean Cormac & Nocturnal Soul posted their top choices on vinyl for October.

Sean Cormac's "Falling For October" vinyl chart has cuts from Tim Green, Cabin Fever, Jack Union, upcoming Forward Disco guests soho808 and more!

View the chart

Nocturnal Soul's "Indian Summer" chart features more top tunes from Skylevel, Waifs & Straits, Persnickety All Stars & more!

View the chart

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Interview: Bianca Von Baum

Bianca Von Baum is the Deep House and Disco buyer at the coolest record shop in NYC, halcyon (located in Brooklyn) and host of their in-store monthly party, Slow Disco Saturdays, which recently celebrated its 1-year anniversary. Ms. Von Baum is also one of halcyon’s main staff writers and founder of the music blog,  www.dontforgettogohome.org. We had a chance to catch up with Bianca to chat about the scene.

Thanks for chatting with us!  You recently celebrated your one-year anniversary for Slow Disco Saturdays (which I think party years in NYC are measured as dog years, so congrats on 7 years!) How do you select the guests for your event?

Thank you, it’s been a lot of fun so far. Let me start by saying that halcyon’s old motto used to be “good music + good people = good times.” So booking guests for my parties is based on that. When selecting the DJs, I also ask myself, who am I feeling at the moment and are they relevant? For my anniversary I booked the Tiki Disco crew – Eli Escobar, Andy Pry, and Lloydski. Tiki Disco was a Sunday party during the summer at Brooklyn’s pizza joint, Roberta’s. It was by far the best party of the summer. And the guys are really fun DJs. They’ll throw down everything from New Order to Prince, Candi Stanton to Kings of Tomorrow in one set and it works. It’s refreshing and creative and the dance floor is always pumping. We had a great time at the shop.

  What is your dream line-up for a Slow Disco Saturday?

Larry Leven vs. Ron Hardy! Well, if they were still alive, of course, but how awesome would that be? Realistically speaking I’d love to have the Future Disco guys from the UK play at halcyon – Sean Brosnan (who also runs Needwant Records), Dom Chung, Bonar Bradberry, Ray Mang. These guys play (and make) music that maintains the soul and warmth of old boogie, but minus the cheesiness. Their strain of “Future Disco” is a medley of deep Disco, House and Techno that’s straight up sexy. 

We have heard you spin some records at the shop, and liked what we heard! Will you be behind the decks at a future event?

Thank you. Yes, one day for sure. I’m a huge perfectionist so I’m not at the level I’d like to be to play out at a party – yet. That will come with time and practice but it’s not my priority right now. Stay tuned! 

Despite what people want to say about the scene “not being what it was…bla bla bla” NY is still a forward thinking city, with deep disco roots.  What is it about this city that attracted you most? Both musically and culturally? 

That’s a great question, and I could write pages on this but I’ll keep it brief. There’s a quote from E.B. White’s short essay, Here Is New York that goes something like this: “There are roughly three New Yorks…the person who was born here…the commuter…and third…the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something…the settlers give [NY] it’s passion.” I have always loved New York for the latter – you meet so many different and interesting people from all over who come here with this same wide-eyed excitement. The energy here is invigorating and contagious, and there’s never a dull moment. 

Musically speaking, I find it so intriguing that New York is the capital for two of the biggest underground musical movements in modern history: Disco and House. Sure, Chicago shaped this idea of “House” to a whole new level, but let’s not forget where Frankie Knuckles comes from! And the fact that these movements continue to thrive in NYC to this day says something about this city being a nest for creativity and originality.

Ok, we have tip toed around the question – and at the risk of getting into another “vinyl vs digital” war, what is it about vinyl that so many DJs still prefer? 

I can’t speak for all DJs, but I can speak on behalf of my friends and I. Vinyl, first and foremost, is a lifestyle whether you’re a “DJ” in the professional sense or not. And I think it’s that lifestyle of collecting and having something to share for the rest of your life that makes vinyl so appealing. I can sit for hours on end with friends and spin records – that’s basically how halcyon started! Almost every record is a conversation piece or spurs a story. It brings people together. I don’t get that thrill from clicking through my iTunes library. There’s something empty about that. And as far as spinning vinyl, I think the physical act of mixing records and digging through your crates is appealing. There’s just more of a connection to the music that way. Also, having a limited selection of music (as opposed to a Serato or Traktor library with 1500 + songs to choose from for a mix) makes room for more creativity in your sets. It’s a fun challenge. 

We love spending time at the shop, and the best part is knowing that you will have a crate of recommendations waiting for us! How do you select what you will feature? 

I listen to a lot of music – mixes, podcasts, new release lists from the distributors I work with, recommendations from friends, and charts on sites like Phonica and Juno. I take note of what’s selling, what people are playing and what sounds good (by my standards). Then I filter that into my budget, and curate accordingly. I try to have a balance of best sellers, local labels and music my friends and I are feeling. I’m glad you like the selections! It’s definitely a collaborative effort. 

Before we go – do you have anything that you would like to promote? 

Yes – halcyon. I can’t emphasize enough just how great of a place it is. It’s not simply a record store, it’s also a community and it’s own microcosm. halcyon is my second home and family and has been the door for opportunity (for myself and others as well). You meet so many interesting people through this place and whether you’re a DJ or not, a music aficionado, artist, or whatever, there are just so many ways to get involved. halcyon is also a place for endless entertainment and inspiration among my friends and I. So if you dig good people and good music, then I encourage you to come check it out. You’ll have a good time.

Be sure to like the fan page for Slow Disco Saturdays at facebook.com/slow.disco - head over to halcyon and keep vinyl alive!