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Monday, August 01, 2005

tactic on decks

story by Ben Fuller, photo by todd ~ Tactic is the DJ partnership between Ben Fuller and Brent Lippincott aka DJ Candlewax. The two came together creatively in late 2002 while both were living in Lawrence, Kansas. Ben was finishing up his journalism degree at KU and Brent had recently returned to the area after completing his degree in music industry management to run the local hip-hop label Datura Records. The two first met as guests on the immensely popular ‘Breakfast For Beatlovers’ on KJHK 90.7 FM, KU’s student run radio station. It was not until Ben invited Brent play at one of his events in Lawrence that the two realized they had more in common musically than they had previously thought.

Between the two of them, they have explored every aspect of the music industry. Whether it is DJing, event promotion (Ben is responsible for the legendary Good Times 2000 rave in KC among other things) or running a successful independent hip-hop label, (Datura Records is home to two of the areas most successful hip-hop artists, Approach and The Deep Thinkers, who both have released critically acclaimed albums worldwide) Ben and Brent live and breath music to the fullest.

Tactic has never stuck to one genre and never plans to. From the beginning, the ethos was to “play the hot shit” and that meant discarding any boundaries previously held by the two or any DJ for that matter. This philosophy has allowed them to play all over the US, alongside a broad range artists from hip-hop pioneers Prefuse 73 and Beans, to techno legends Cari Lekebusch and Dietrich Schoenemann, IDM producer Cex and even The Faint side project, Broken Spindles.

In the words of Tactic:

First, we want to give a big shout out to the Heavy Lounge crew for bringing together like-minded, talented individuals to work together and push some sounds that people in the area may not be familiar with. All the previously released mixes we’ve done were all usually 125 BPM+, whether it was 2-step, broken beats, electro, tech-house or minimal techno. For this mix we decided to slow things down a little and explore some sounds not typically heard at the average electronic music event. This mix starts a little abstract then gets into the meat of it. Everything is game. Hip-hop, IDM, dirty south rap, electro, dancehall, its all in there. We hope you enjoy it. Here is the track list:

Cepia – L2 – Ghostly International
Dabrye – The Lish – Ghostly International
Alias – Shoes Cars – Anticon
Shadow Huntaz – Figure Of Speech Inst. – Skam
Ludacris – Southern Hospitality – Def Jam
Ghislian Poirier – Don’t Smile, It’s Postmodern – Chocolate Industries
Slicker – Knock Me Down Girl Inst. – Hefty
Diamond Ice – Iceberg – Metatronix/Beta Bodega
Jay Z – The Bounce Inst. – Roc-A-Fella
Kardinal Offishal – Hurricane (Like Its Hot) – Unknown
Yin Yang Twins – Wait (The Whisper Song) Inst. – TVT
Liberty – Being Nobody (Richard X Rmx Inst.) – Astralwerks
DJ/Rupture – Little More Oil feat. Sister Nancy – Tigerbeat6
M.I.A. – Pull Up The People – XL
1 Thing Over ft. Amerie & Dabrye (Tactic Edit)
Chok Rock – Buzz – Warp
Outkast – She Lives In My Lap – Arista
RJD2 – Takeoff Inst. – Bustown Pride
Platinum Pied Pipers – Now Or Never – Ubiquity

shadowrunner august 2005 trance

With over fifteen years experience in the local and regional electronic music scene, DJ Shadowrunner has been a promoter, producer, DJ , as well as, provider of sound and lighting for clubs and events. Through the years he has gained quite the ear for the music that will inspire and move the crowds. Check out his monthly picks in the genre of Trance, and enjoy the music of the night.

Fred Baker & Vincent Gorczak - La Part Des Anges (Original & Siberian Sun Remix) <b:side> Little Star - A State Of Trance
This three track double A Side has been kid tested and mother f#cker approved!! The original mix of La Part Des Anges is a soft romantic arrangement of synths, pads, stings, and echoed vocals that float on a driving kick drum. As for the Siberian Sun remix, this one drives harder and pulls back into an epic breakdown free of all the unwanted cheese that is usually associated with epic trance. Little Star is actually the Big Star in my book. There are few tracks out there that can keep it so simple and drive it home so hard.

Fernandez & MusGrove - Directions In Groove - Pangea
The key directions here are go deep, and I mean ultra deep. Here in these two versions they showcase the subliminal sides of 4/4 down tempo trance and breakbeat. The 4/4 version chugs along with a tribal feel and its movements are drawn out and echoed. I especially like the break down with its soft jazzy horns and deep synths that tickle a breakbeat, The breaks version holds more of a groove but takes the instruments way deeper with effects. Please do not operate heavy machinery while listening to this.

Deep Dish– Say Hello (Chus & Ceballos Remix) <b:side> Flashing For Money – Badabing
Deep Dish, Hmmmm? Can we say dance floor staple? This remix of Say Hello is a sexy vocal shuffle beat track that gets dirty in the grooves and haunts you in the break down. The flip side is a Dire Straits cover with a breathy female vocalist. This one is light on the cheese. There is a time and a place for everything.

SIGNAL RUNNERS - 3000 Miles Away - Five AM
Big club feel on the A side. A hard disco feel to get those hands waiving and those butts shakin. This would be perfect for a roller disco. Jump to the B side and take the dance floor on a more sensual ride. Thick base lines assault your senses while swirling dub vocals and pads carry you into euphoria.

Darren RHYS - Lost Soul (Katakana Remix) – Electrofly
Dark and exotic progressive breaks here. The original mix lurks deep in the shadows and summons the subconscious to do his bidding. Forsaken is not the Lost Soul in the Katakana mix. A dark hero should have this stuff as theme music. More energy pulses harder without loosing the original intent of the track.

Hammer & Bennett - Language - Cold Harbour
Huge oscillating synth lines call out a cry of epic proportions while the beats keep marching on. This is set to be a huge anthem of the epic crowd. Big full sound with sweeping emotional power that uplifts the spirits of the entranced souls listening. All I have to say is….. Bye bye boys have fun storming the castle.

Coldplay vs Freezing Fun - Speed of Sound (Karl G Rmx) - SOS
Don’t be the last one on the block to get this one track wonder. I’m sure that this one is a limited press. If you’re lucky enough to get it before everyone else, you’ll feel like Charlie finding the last golden ticket. The people are going to go nuts when you drop it.

Midnight Society B/W In-Grid - Hipshaker <b:side> Shock - Loop 128
Do you wanna get filthy? Are you having impure thoughts? Does being bad, feel sooooo good? Then these two percussive latin feeling groovers are right up your alley. Espescially, if your alley is dark and seedy.

Disko Slicker b/w Chico - Orange Aid <b:side> Another Station - Slope Records
All tech tribal with no fillers or additives. This is the kind of ammunition the big guns use. Simple and effective are the rhythms and baselines. I hear its being dropped by the likes of Mr. Digweed and Nick Warren. If it’s good enough for them, why would wait to put it in your set?

Yves Deruyter - Calling Earth (Felix Da Housecat + DJ Errik + DJ Bountyhunter + Antares Rmxs) – Phobos
What we gonna do right her is take it back, WAAAAAY BACK! This classic is getting reworked by some serious mutha fuggaz. I’m having flashbacks of the mid nineties. Hours of mindless fun being a lil speaker freaker. Sorry, I can’t hear what you are saying, this is LOUD.

solaris august 2005 techno

Techno DJ and Producer Solaris is back again pushing the sounds to those in the world that need it most. These are some of his favorite tracks that have pushed their way into his mind this month. Always looking for a way to expand your horizons, in the techno world, check out these tracks and reviews.

Drumworks – Drumworks Collective - DW007
Very dreamy chill techno here. Seeing as I just got back from a trip, nothing suits me more right now than sitting down having a cocktail and chillin’. This track has that, stuff for those perfect moments of the mix of tranquility and bringing in those beats to a comfortable level.

Cardiac Arrest – Various - CARDIAC001
Just what the doctor ordered. A nice hard drilling to get rid of those pesky cavities. It is always better when it hurts. Makes you feel alive. Just like dancing all night, or that root canal. But we like to skip the morphine and go straight to the drilling into your skull.

Orion - Danilo Vigorito - ORION007
Very chewy tune here, something like good taffy, you never get tired of it and it never reallys goes away. Nice and chill with those old 303’s kicking like the Detroit music scene has come back to show us how it started. Im not sure where danny is from but I know he took a page from those collectibles when he did this one.

Ash N Diamonds - WJ Henze - AND002
It seems that I am putting more of a chill atmosphere into this top ten and while I know a few of you are saying about time, you have to get use to the idea that good is good and it isn’t always what you want. This by the way is something you do want. Nice retro feel and kicking the early sets that we know you have been craving.

More Punk Than Funk – Various - MPTF002
Nice step up from the chill tones. Not overpowering but definitely a step in the right direction. Something less than the Raw label, and harder than your adverage piece of New York pine. Good things are coming when you use this to build your crowd.

Ying Yang - DJ Preach & Marco G - YYR010
Very nice tech house tune here! Starts nice and builds to allow you to take it to the next level if you so desire. If you are any kind of self respecting DJ, I would hope you would….anything less would be uncivilized.

Corachi – Various - COR051010
Great rounded out record here. Nice chill tresor like tune to the harder panic attack track that would build a crowd to a frenzy. By no means leave this one out, not only will it round out your collection, but will keep those people working on tearing that speaker wall down.

Fresh Grind - Rowland The Bastard, S Stoll - FRESHGRIND09 –
Very nice! It has been a while since I have seen Rowland, and it is high time he puts this out. Nothing less that what I have come to know from this techno monster. Steve takes it to a minimal level that makes this wax a monster!

Shark - Pounding Grooves & Raw - SHARK007
What can go wrong when you mix these two label greats together? Get on this tip and find out what real builders to your set should be. Keep in mind that the last one is more of a driver and should be handled with care. Just make sure it hasn’t drank to much before going behind the wheel.

Working Vinyl - Andreas Kremer - WV019
I always save my favorite of the month for last, and no wonder it is one of my heroes. Mr. Kramer takes it to the next level and delivers another solid one here! What can I say. If I am the only one who gets this then I should feel luck that only I have the stamina to take it to this level. I know you few who do and well don’t sit around…it will just hurt more when you hear me playing it…

svs august 2005 jungle and dnb

Originally from Long Island, NY, SVS has been playing around in Kansas City since mid-2000, playing different types of music over that time and finally settling on Jungle & DnB and pushing the limits of that since. Here's his picks for the month!

Mason / Task Horizon : Lucifer / Lose Myself : Cymbalism Recordings : CYMBLTD003
Mason destroys all in this Jay-Z remix of Lucifer. An extremely hardcore dropper with a very nice use of the lyrics sample. Good creation of a dark grumble of a bass with whiny Dom synths. On the flip side is Lose Myself. A well put together synthy dark roller. The perfect track for a late night with balls.

Barcode Recordings Present : The Rowdy Time EP : Barcode Recordings : BARCODE004
No hard pounding Hardware double pack is complete with out the darkest of the dark. Evol Intent does it again with Horns & Halos. Agents beware of those kicks. With other cuts by Raiden, Spor, & Chase & Status's Rowdy Time this compiles for a nice set for the hard headed.

Blackstar feat. Topcat : Champion DJ / Kunte Kinte : Congo Natty : CONGONATTY5
With the vocals of the legendary Blackstar and the beats of the legend this whole release is straight ass shaking. Champion DJ is a nice mixture of Kung Fu and Ragga sound. Kunte Kinte is a more mellow side. Either track is very versatile for any time of the night.

G Squad : Woohaa [G Squad 2005 RMX] / Bomberclart : White Label : SHIZZLE001
The Busta Rhymes remix is very tasteful and a nice novelty track to have. Nothing too outstanding with it and it could have been put together a bit better. The Elephant Man remix of Bomberclart is on the of best remixes I've heard of this track. Hard ragga pumps my nads.

Congo Natty : Lose Your Soul / Rebel Music : Congo Natty White Label : JAHZION4
Jah, dis be it. Ragga soup for the soul, ya. Lose your soul is a nice reggae undertone track for all the pass arounds. With the flip side a bit harder, good for when your out of the rotation lost in the jungle. You be droppin' it.

crampton august 2005 house

Whether it be funky and deep, bompty and quirky, or just click-click beepy – this is your monthly house music source for what’s hot and churning on the dance floors at the moment. And with the Winter Music Conference just behind us, so many great choons are now on the market.

Slater Hogan & Chuck Daniels feat. Groove Philosophies – CDR
Internationally known for sumptuous blend of jazz, hip-hip and quirky elements, these two unreleased tracks passed along to me by Slater Hogan demonstrate his acclaimed skills to the fullest. With a round-about base line, the saxophone sample gives a jackin’ flair while the Rhodes key displays a deep and subtle groove. But let’s not forget the most unique feature of the track – it’s hip-house lyrics. No! they are not bootlegged. With style and original flair, Hogan is remixing an underground hip-hop group out of Denver. Throwing down old school house party rhymes, this is a floor filler for sure.

Slater Hogan, John Larner & Glenn – Disco Inferno – CDR
Since we are the topic of bootlegs, how often do you hear a producer take a “everybody knows the lyrics” pop song or hip-hop track, throw a house beat over it, and call it a day? This is not the style of Hogan, Larner and Glenn. They take 50 Cent’s “Shake that ass girl” track and turn it out. With their own base line, melody, jazzy key licks – this track should falls in the category of the proper way to bootleg a track – be original! And from testing this one out of the dancefloor – the masses react to it, the heads appreciate it.

Slum Science – Creeps Who Sleep – Hudd Traxx
The baseline is what sold me on “Creeps who sleep” track. So big, so dynamic that it just calls your booty to the floor. Cover the rest with sloppy hi-hats and percussion, some unearthed hip-house samples flutter in the background of the melody. Rather than focus on musicality, this track is carried by the base and it’s forefrontin’ groovin’ drum hits. The Scott Pace remix throws down a screechy tricycle sample that carries along the broken groove of the track. Pacing a more deep-tech feel, the songs melody throws down a wicked Twilight-zone feel. The “Promise” cut is a stripped down number with a Joey Youngman-esque influence. Strong drum kicks, analog base line and a floating melody.

Smitty vs. John Kelley feat. Raya – Universal Love Vibration – Dust Traxx
A insightful spoken word by Raya sends a positive message while Smitty and Kelley throw down some means house beats. All tracks display an excellent contrast in melding different elements. All displaying a tribal-centered theme with big drums, big hits and wicked keys, these EP destroys the dancefloor.

rj bass august 2005 breakbeats

It's another month and another month means more beats, bass, and things that go boom from the speakers. This months reviews again span the wide spectrum of what are break-beats music.

Annie Nightingale (Radio Show) - Thursday Nights/Friday Mornings 1:00am (7:00pm Central USA) Radio 1
For those of you in tune with the global breaks scene or are regular listeners of Radio 1 on the BBC Radio Network, Annie Nightingale should be a familiar name to you. This woman has been around the block and back again, promoting the breaks sound everywhere she goes. Her show is a favorite amongst true breaks heads and for good reason. The who's who of the breaks community all seem to drop by her Radio 1 studio every chance they get; Hyper, Kid Kenobe, The Chemical Brothers and the list goes on. New tracks fresh of the composers computer, combined with the freshest mix sets and interviews make for one helluva show. Their are many breaks shows from all over the globe that you can tune into on the web, but if your looking for the freshest music, check out Annie Nightingale. (Web Site)
Last month I mentioned (NSB) in my write up about, and this month I decided to actually write them a proper review. NSB has been around for a minute now always providing the latest info for true nuskool breaks lovers. NSB contains reviews, interviews, live radio feeds, dj charts and much more straight out of the UK where Nu Skool Breaks first found a home in the likes of Adam Freeland and Rennie Pilgrem. Although the Nu Skool sound is always evolving and changing, NSB will probably be right there pushing the new sounds on and into the future.

Kemek aka The Dope Computer - Super Rockers (Dj Single)- forthcoming release on Fiberline Audio
What more can be said about Kemek that hasn't already been said on hundreds of other web sites, radio stations, magazines and other media formats? His latest single Super rockers which is to be released very soon on Fiberline Audio ( is soon to be a breaks anthem. Kemek seems to possess production skills that exceed the average human being and Super Rockers is proof. A heavy beat mixed with rasta type vocal samples combined with well placed and well tuned synth lines make the song really stand out on its own, but then that deep and smooth bass line that follows the lead synth to a t comes in and makes the song even better. Super Rockers also contains well placed snares and hats, as well as perfectly tuned 303 lines. This song is already being charted at #1 by myself and several other dj's in the breaks community. Look for it soon on, and other digital retailers.

Lee Coombs - Shiver (Plump Dj's mix) (Dj Single) - Finger Licken Records
For those of you who have been into the breaks sound for awhile, Lee Coombs should be no stranger to you. His first releases on Finger Licken back in the mid and late 90's are certainly considered classics now, and each new production work that comes out of his studio these days seems to be just a little bit better then his last one. For his latest piece of production work “Shiver” the Plump Dj's have stepped in and given him one of their takes on his song which I must say is a very energetic breaks tune that will be sure to leave your dance floor begging for more of the crisp vocal samples, wicked bass lines, and hard hitting beats. The Plump Dj's as some of you should know from my previous reviews cant seem to do anything wrong with their work, and when they get the chances to rip a fellow producers song to shreds and then piece it back together for their own interpretation, well its always something to hear. Pick up Shiver at your local music dealer or online.

NuBreed & Luke Chable - One Day (Poxy Music Instrumental) (Dj Single) Vicious Music
This one unlike many of my singles reviews is more on the progressive tip. Even when known breaks heavy hitters Poxy Music step in to give the song their re-work, we still have a deeper more progressive single with nicely placed bass and synth lines. This song is one of those perfect fits for right in between your set when your trying to calm the crowd down a bit before laying on the energy again. Nice little melodies and a wicked breakdown in the middle that seem to lay on some old skool types beats are what really put this song together. Although I wouldn't recommend it for peak of the night performances, its still a nice tune that should work well with most everything in your crate in some fashion or another.

ask a dj august 2005

Have you ever been at a party and wanted to know how the DJ just pulled that trick? Ever wondered what all those knobs and buttons do? Perhaps you want to know what color his underwear was? For whatever question you may have had and didn't have the opportunity to ask or you were just to shy, now's your time.

the real milo: How did you learn to beat match?

When I began learning to spin records I was working with really old 80's belt driven Technics with dial pitches. As you could imagine this was extremely difficult to get down at first. I began learning my counting and phrasing first, since the motor on these baby's weren't what the Technics decks are today. It wasn't until I received my first set of Tech 12's that I started learning to beat match. Also at this time I had just recently switched from Progressive House to Jungle. I think knowing how to count and phrase made this task a bit easier. From there it was just matching the snares up and I was out and on my way. Now 5 years into playing records out in public I'm still learning. I think as you go on into your quest of spinning and beat matching you begin to gain more and more of an ear for the notes and instruments in the tracks you play.

the real milo: What advice would you give up and coming DJs who might have just purchased Turntables?

Practice, practice, practice! Since you just spent all that money on "record players" you obviously are very interested in playing this instrument. My best advice is to not give up. Don't get discouraged when it doesn't come to you right away. If the style of music you're playing doesn't fit you or appeal to you get new records. Experiment with different types of music and see what makes more sense to you. Most of all PRACTICE. Do it when ever you have time. Instead of watching TV play some records. It's not going to happen for you over night and it probably won't happen in a few weeks either. Listen to you records over and over and get a feel for them. Know when they will go into a break, know when the bass kicks in, know them like the back of your hand. Another thing to work on is getting your phrasing down and learn to count. 32 beats make up for on measure. Always start you next record on time (on the 1st beat of the 32) to unsure your phases on both tracks run together smoothly. There are no limits as to what you and your decks can do with enough time and practice.

the real milo: Why do you spin Drum and Bass?

Mainly, it just makes more sense to me. I've tried playing House, Trance, Techno, and all others in between. Jungle just seemed more fitting to me. I always wasn't a fan of it but then I heard Groove Rider's "Where's Jack The Ripper" and from there on out I knew jungle was my kind of music. I think it's more because of the way my brain works. I need my music to be fast and intricate. With house or trance, waiting for the boom on the next kick just seemed to boring to me. My mind just lost interest waiting for it. Jungle is normally produced at 170 beats per minute (BPM) and played anywhere between 168-180 BPM. There's no time to wait or think you just have to do. I just need it fast paced and in your face and I found that in Jungle.

DJNyx: Well then what color ARE your underpants?

Well lets see now... Today they are blue boxers with little gray circle like things. That's right I'm a boxer man. I gave up wearing tightie whities in grammar school. I just don't feel manly wearing cotton white panties.

We're here to answer all your questions. From tricks and tracks to superstitions and love advice. Just send an eMail to

story & photos by Kent Frost ~ Springfield, MO - Every Wednesday night the local electronic music (EM) DJ's do their thing. The weekly event, which has been running nearly non-stop since it's inception in November of 2003, is named simply “Lift”. Anyone here who used to roam the streets of Springfield far enough back will tell you that Lift is the best thing to hit this town in terms of electronic music since the days of Afterhours Nightclub on the corner of Commercial St. and Campbell Ave.

“The Boogie”, whose stage has seen such talent as Jackyl & Hyde, J-Break, Ben Armstrong, Don Tinsley, Pat Nice, and Springfield's own DJ Nolo, is located at 321 South Ave, about a block south of the Square in the middle of downtown Springfield, MO.

Drink specials include $2 entry ($4 for under 21) with $1 domestic drafts until midnight, or you can go all out with the $7 all-you-can-drink special (wells or domestic drafts once again).
The concept of Lift was realized when Preston Havens, a.k.a. Kid Conundrum, was given managerial privileges of the bar. At the time, Lift was a bi-weekly event, but it made an amazing impression on the local EM scene. It gave us something we'd been needing for quite some time. A frequent venue. A base. A place we could call home.

Between July of 2002 and November of 2003, supporters of the Springfield scene were offered events at different venues that lasted from 9pm to 4 or sometimes even 5am. Some great talent was seen at these events, but attendance was always an issue because of the higher covers at the door. These parties were usually more than $10 to $15 per person and didn't offer alcohol to those who could buy it, but that's because these were usually “All Ages” events. And, given that the shows went until the wee hours of the morning, most of the EM community considered these parties to be more catered toward the younger crowd. Thus, upon receiving say-so over the happenings of The Boogie, Preston gave us what he knew we needed so we could progress. And progress we did...and still do. Every person who wanted to spin got their chance. The sets of those that the crowd enjoyed were asked back. Regional talent was booked from St. Louis, KC, Fayetteville and Little Rock, AR, Tulsa, OK, and so on...all of them rocked the house like no other. Within six months, Lift was a staple of the community.

Unfortunately, Preston didn't get to see the 1 Year Anniversary of his creation. On September 14, 2004, almost two months prior to the event, Preston suffered a diabetic seizure which claimed his life. He was 32. A silent auction was held at the following Lift to raise money for his son.

Many unanswered questions about Lift were raised at that point. Such as “Is Lift finished?” “Is anyone taking over”? A call to assembly was made to discuss the future of Lift and to create a plan of action to determine what lay ahead for the Springfield EM scene. Some of Preston's best friends stood up and took over his creation and production name “True Vibe Tribe”. We knew it had to keep going.

As a response to those who didn't like that it was a bi-weekly event, it was decided that Lift be delivered each week, and Wednesday nights at The Boogie eventually found sponsorship from Miller Lite, inspiring the $7 all-you-can-drink special. Lift Wednesday has become the standard weekly event that people think of when they think of EM in Springfield, not to mention that The Boogie has become home to one of the most successful spots for pub crawls, hosted by Djs LC and Stretch.

So far to this day, a picture of Preston in the form of a mosaic made solely of event photos of his friends rests on a high shelf behind the bar near the DJ.

Although Preston is very sorely missed, we know that if he could see what's been happening with his creation that he would be pleased.

For more information about Lift, The Boogie, and other events happening in Springfield and the rest of the Southwest Missouri area, you can visit the local message board,, for frequent updates in the “Where To Be” section.

substance - what are you made of

story by Brent Crampton ~ Omaha, NE - You know Nico for their infamous and packed Saturdays, now you’ll also know them for their intimate and palatable Thursdays. Ultramusique brings you Substance: What are you made of?

Straying away from the mass-marketed group, this weekly event will celebrate house music, art, fashion and film. The Bohemia for the unconventional, the refuge for the deep-minded, the path for the progressive – ask yourself – what are you made of?

Every Thursday at Nico (11201 Davenport St.), Ultramusique will be hosting from 9 p.m.–1 a.m., with a wide selection of drink specials including $3 Red Bull vodkas and premium wells. On Aug. 11th, Daryl Cura from Chicago will be gracing the decks to sanctify Nico’s dance
floor. Opening set by Brent Crampton.

Deep house missionary, Daryl Cura, has been evangelizing the sound for over 13 years. Since the early 90's, he has taken his smooth, soulful, Latin-esque sound of uplifting Chicago house and East Coast garage from
the lofts of the inner city to the disco systems around the globe, touching souls in the US, Germany and Switzerland.

As the owner of Eargasmic Recordings, Daryl's vision is to create a new outlet with no boundaries for the deep underwater sounds in Chicago. With releases by Glenn Underground, Gene Hunt and K Alexi, Cura’s label has gained praises from house connoisseurs such as Francois K., Ron Trent and Danny Krivit.Watching the eruption of deep house in the mid 80’s and experiencing the rebirth of the Windy City sound in the 90’s, Daryl Cura is determined to do whatever he can to help resurrect Chicago’s deep house in the midst of this decade. He’ll undoubtedly resurrect the dance floors at Nico.

its all just propaganda

story by Sarah Bates, photos by todd ~ Kansas City, MO - It's Friday night. The work week is over, your paycheck is in hand, just one thing is on your mind. What's going on tonight? You really don't have to search very far for something fun to do on Friday nights. I've found your first stop of the weekend. Propaganda at Jilly's on 19th and Broadway is the place every Friday night.

Propaganda was born when Brent Scholz, Paul De Matteo, and Mike Dileo played at Jilly's in January. The night was such a success, they did a couple more, and since April it's been going on every Friday. Many people (including myself) have wondered why the night was dubbed "Propaganda".

The name itself is a kind of joke to the guys. They were sitting around, trying to think of a name for their new night. "We dont take ourselves too seriously, and we dont take promotion to seriously" says resident DJ Brent Scholz. "We know we're just putting out a bunch."

The promotion they are doing must be working, because Propaganda is the place for House music on Friday Night in Kansas City. Each of the guys plays a different style of House, Paul plays New York, Brent plays Deep, Funky House and Mike plays Progressive. They do tend to switch it up sometimes, depending on the night and their moods. No matter what records they're playing though, they really put themselves into it. "These guys are very genuine." says Amanda Pate, of Jack and Jill. " They aren't there to make money, or promote themselves, they're only there for the music, that's what they're about.

The first of the three I had the pleasure to meet was Brent Scholz. As some of you may know, the Pitch held their Ultra Music Festival DJ Competition at Jilly's last February. Brent won this competition, and as part of this prize got the chance to play as a representative from Kansas City at the Ultra Music Fest in Miami, Florida held every year at the Winter Music Conference.

After talking with Brent, I stopped by Jilly's to see for myself what Id been hearing about. My first impression was that everyone seemed very friendly. The atmosphere was very chill. There were a few people that were dressed to impress, but it seemed to be mostly a jeans and tee shirt sort of crowd, which I was happy to see. When i got there around ten thirty, the place was already pretty full, the music was bumping, and many people were out on the dance floor.

After taking in some beats and having a drink, (soda of course!) I stepped outside to chat with Mike Dileo, another one of Propaganda's resident DJs. When I asked what his goal for the night was Mike responded "All of our goals are to not bore anyone. Have something new for people to hear every single week." Mike also discussed how he feels there are many good house DJs in the area who aren't playing out. This night will give those Djs and outlet.

The biggest night of the month is the first Fridays of the month. Because of the art district's First Fridays, many people are out looking for somewhere to go and party (or relax for that matter) afterword. They also have guest DJs many nights. In August, their guests include local talent such as Jack and Jill and Manders. In addition, they tell me that August 29th there will be a super-secret-guest DJ.

The time I spent there listening to these guys do their thing, and talking with them, and the people in attendance confirmed all the rumors Id been hearing. Propaganda is quickly gaining popularity, and I believe it will soon become one of Kansas City's hottest nights. With dope music, good people, great drinks and only a $3 cover charge, what else could you want from your Friday nights? See ya there!

jilly's on broadway

 story & photos by Chris Milbourn ~ Kansas City, MO - "It's kind of like Brazilian jazz," DJ Oz verified when I inquired about his bossa nova records, as I sipped a beer while flipping through one of his crates. He finally asked, "Do you recognize any of those albums?" I'd come across some LL Cool J, Diplo and Bill Withers. Other than that, a lot of his stuff was rather alien to me.

"Yea, a few," I answered. Subconsciously I suppose, I went to Jilly's looking for a reason to bring a recently-turned-21 friend along with me the next time I came. At 11:15, there wasn't much encouragement, except for the decently priced drinks and hospitable bartenders. The majority of the crowd looked to be much older than I, but with an age restriction of 21, that was expected. This combined with danceable soul music dating back to the 60's and 70's made me feel a bit out of place, though I've always had a fascination with old funk. Booths topped off with leather seating complimented the left side of the confines awarding the bar, separating the wasted and the lounging. I was stirred from my writing when a girl who I came to know as Erin tapped me on the shoulder and asked, "Do you drive a See-on, or Scion; How do you say it?" "It's Scion, but no, I wish. I got this at the El Torreon a while ago," and I touched the bill of my cap. I'd been getting a lot of random discussions flowing with people following their inquiry about my Scion hat.

The two of us chatted and I sensed the vigor of the music stirring commotion in the crowd around me. Before I knew it, there were eleven young people dancing in an area that couldn't have measured more than 8x15 feet in front of the DJ.

"Where did they come from?" I thought. Kids were popping, locking, up-rocking, spinning and shuffling about, and I felt like the only fool in the place with sandals on my feet as I watched enviously from my table.

Dante Everglade aka "Scoe," aka "your favorite negro" lent me some insight from a musician's standpoint: "This is real music for people on Thursday nights."

He forecasted that in the year 2020, kids will be jamming to 90's hip hop night, just as the party people at Jilly's were completely losing their minds to music that was recorded before most of them were even born. They weren't simply grinding and groping each other as you might expect at your local MainStream Dance Club, but rather took the artform back to it's original spirit, expression. Dante began dancing himself, and confessed, "Scoe's faded!"

Another young man with short, dark hair told me, "I really like what Oz mixes. I'm a gay guy and my buddy's straight, and it's just a cool place we both can come and hang out." I asked the girl I had been talking to throughout the night for a quote about what she liked best about coming to Jilly's. "Can I write it down myself? I have an English degree," she said. "Please do!"

"I love the beat of the music and the energy in Jilly's. This is my favorite place to come on Thursday," she wrote.

The lights went on at 1:15 a.m., but didn't immediately hault the dancing. Oz had told me earlier that he was going to progress into hip hop, but the beats and rhymes never showed up. I guess he didn't want to fix something if it wasn't broke.

In addition, on Monday nights, Jilly's hosts a "DJ swap" in which DJ's and vinyl buffs can trade and bargain for records. DJ Zach Lovely spins current hits on Tuesday nights, and on Wednesday's you can recite (or sit back and listen to) comedy and bear witness to open mic spontaneity. Propaganda is held each Friday and I was lucky enough to catch Paul DeMatteo cutting up oldies over dance tracks. Also, the "Saturday Night Breakdown" commonly hosts live bands in addition to local MC's and DJ's. Barring Sundays, you can walk into Jilly's and find a party every night of the week. Before I took off, I asked Dante Everglade, "Is it like this every Thursday night?"

With a tired expression as if he lived there, but not disappointed, he replied, "Yea."

patio beats

story by Rj Bass , photo by unknown ~ Kansas City, MO - It seems that everywhere you go in Kansas City, two types of music dominate the night life dance scene, top 40, and house. No matter where you go it seems, your always going to hear one or the other if you wish to go out dancing. Over the years some promoters and club owners have tried to change that by adding something new or different.

As is almost always the case in KC, those nights were shut down before they ever really got a chance to get started. When the DeepFix started their night “Frisky” over at Kabal, they made a real attempt to try to fuse a different style of music with the familiar house sounds. They brought in some of the city's best drum & bass DJs to play upstairs.

Although it was a valiant effort to attempt to give the city something a little bit more then what it normally hears, in the end drum & bass was replaced with top 40. Thats why today when any promoter, DJ, or club owner tries to expand the boundaries of what is considered normal dance music in KC, I have to take a listen and see for myself whats going on.

Two such dj's and one little dive bar on Broadway are attempting to do that now, and I must admit they are making a really good go at it. DJ Manders along with friend and DJ partner DJ 4Star have started a new night over at The News Room called Patio Beats. Manders is well known as one of KC's sexist female House DJs and 4Star is one of the fastest rising stars in the drum & bass community in KC. Together they are attempting to do what several have tried to do in the past, which is to bring the familiar dance music sounds in KC together with the lesser heard sounds.

Every Saturday night from 9:00pm till 12:30am you can hear the familiar sounds of house music and the heavy beats of drum & bass blasting out of their sound system all the way up and down Broadway. The hot summer nights combined with the endless flow of traffic and people on Broadway make for one of the more interesting places to start your night, for at Patio Beats you actually feel as if your right in the heart of the city. Manders and 4Star have added to the atmosphere by always bringing in another KC star DJ every week. These guest DJs range in all the different styles of dance music, from House, to DnB to Breaks, to Trance. Manders and 4Star seem determined to show the KC community that their is more out there then just your basic common denominators.

The first time I experienced Patio Beats I was met with the sort of company you would expect to find in Westport. As soon as I exited my vehicle parked across Broadway from The News Room I heard the beats emanating from the small sound system set up on the patio. The moment I entered the bar I noticed that the usuals from the News Room were all gathered around the main bar and pool tables. Cheap PBR and other not as popular brands of beer were flowing from the beer taps and being poured by an extremely friendly bar tender. Being as poor as I am these days, I ordered a pitcher of PBR and preceded to walk up the stars and made my left turn to head out of the doors and onto the patio. Once through the doors I noticed several familiar faces associated with the underground sound in KC along with many faces that I had never seen before.

Some brief conversations with the various patrons left me believing that all were having a good time. The music was great, especially the drum & bass which gave me a much needed break from the usual sounds that all the clubs in KC are constantly playing. Before I knew it, the bartender was out on the patio telling them to shut the music down. Since there are so many residential properties around the News Room, to include a nice size apartment building right across Broadway, they were required to shut the music down before it got to late. No matter though. I finished my beer, said goodbye to the people I knew and had met, and then got in my car and drove off to the next stop of the evening with plenty of time left to enjoy the night.

story by Brent Crampton ~ Omaha, NE - “Back in the days when things were cool,” as Erykah Badu says, Syquil was the queen of the big-panted and glow-stick wearing subculture of the 90’s. With the demise of that site came a fall out in communication amongst many in the Midwest scene. Subsequently, many smaller communities sprouted up.

For Omaha, it took one Nolan Gaskill, aka Dr. Mindbender, to step up and break it down. He has been a positive force in the IDM scene of Omaha, binding people together through an internet community through a very active message board. Danny Maze, transplant from Florida to Omaha, has relied upon the site to become familiar with the 411 on the Omaha and Lincoln scene. The site, “has really pulled together a good group of people together with the same interests in music and lifestyle,” Maze said about Technomaha.

And here’s Gaskills 411 on the site, why he started it and where it’s going. . .

When was technomaha founded, and what inspired you to do it?

The website was started in January 2003. It was a project that I'd thought about for quite some time and after some discussions with some key players in the scene here, I decided that it was worth pursuing. There were three main "inspirations." First, I was motivated mainly to work on building the site after realizing that while folks in almost every other city in the midwest had their own regional site to visit, us Omahans were left either using the Yahoo! Groups, which have never been very popular, or to go post on sites from other cities. The second reason is that I realized that there was a tremendous pool of talent from both DJs and producers that went largely unrecognized and that that needed to change. Finally, I believed that after the rave scene really collapsed in the Midwest that things were not ever going to progress again until there was a genuine sense of community developed amongst the people that cared about where the scene was headed.

What was the reaction to the community, and how has it affected the Omaha scene?

I think that it slowly caught on. Some of our earliest members are still among our most active, which I guess is a good sign that things are going well. I think the site has definitely had a positive affect on Omaha's scene. For a long time, there was this group of people that never really interacted outside of their own little social clique. Now, in no small part to the interactions on the computer, people have become better friends at events and just in general.

Would you say Technomaha is a place where the industry people and fans of electronic music go? And why?

I'd say by and large most of the people active in the industry locally visit the site from time to time. To some people, message boards are just not their thing, so I don't really ever take it personally when someone isn't involved. But as one of the big promoters recently told me, his job would be a lot harder were it not for Technomaha. It does definitely help everyone, both the attendees and promoters to have one point of reference to post their events. The nice thing about Technomaha is that it does have a pretty niche following. There are lots of Web sites dedicated to music and nightlife in one form or another in the city, but I think we pretty much have the corner on the electronic music market.

I know the site has taken a bit portion of your time. Is it worth it and what do you do to keep the motivation? Where would Omaha be without the site?

The amount of time that I spend on the site varies a lot over the course of time. One thing that is nice though, is since it is such a community driven site, I can sit back and see what people have to say about things before devoting a lot of resources and time to an idea. I think my main motivation for continuing the site though, is that I would probably have a certifiable riot of our post addicts on my front lawn if I ever stopped.

So there used to be a Syquil where people from all over the Midwest went for their raver connection. Do you think the smaller, more intimate sites are better or worse than the massives?

Things change with the times. When the Midwest could have a massive somewhere within driving distance, a regional site like Syquil was a good thing. As those events gradually became more local, there became more of a need to draw in smaller sites. I think more locally oriented sites tend to draw people together and (though we've had our moments) avoid stupid internet drama.

Any plans for the future?

I am still hoping to get more submissions for local and regional artists wanting to feature their music. It’s a pretty good deal, having it hosted on the site. I haven't dedicated the resources needed to effectively market it nor make it easy enough for the common user to upload. Hopefully that will come sometime soon. I also want to return to the featured artist section. It was a nice way to get new people involved in the site and I think the users generally enjoyed it.

unfusion live summer 2005 tour

story by Betty Kang ~ Infusion returns to the U.S. after a rousing main stage amphitheater performance at Ultra Festival during Winter Music Conference and a host of international festival tour dates this summer. Infusion is now poised to preview songs from the album on this U.S. summer tour with the long-anticipated U.S. release of Six Feet Above Yesterday in late summer 2005 on Thrive Records (SONY Red).

Their new artist album, already voted “Best 50 Albums of 2005” in Rolling Stone - Australia, has just been released in the UK on the revered, resurrected dance music label Deconstruction. The album was initially scouted by Mike Pickering of M People (now head of A&R at SONY BMG) to re-launch the defunct label once home to M People, Kylie Minogue, Sasha and Robert Miles.

In other news, Infusion have recently remixed one of their heroes The Cure. As longtime fans, the band is ecstatic that the remix has been approved by Robert Smith. The track “The Walk” was originally on The Cure album 'Japanese Whispers' and released as a single in 1983. The Infusion remix will be part of the 'Future Retro' compilation out on July 19th on Rhino Records/Warner Music (USA) featuring remixes of New Order, Echo & The Bunnymen, Morrissey and Devo by today’s hottest electronic artists like Infusion, Scissor Sisters, Crystal Method, Richard X, and Swayzak etc. Infusion's remix skills are obviously highly prized - they've also been busy working on a remix for UK act El Presidente, who are currently on tour with Oasis.

The band’s own vinyl imprint came under scrutiny from the unhappy camera people and have subsequently changed their name to Music For Vinyl. Infusion’s album/singles on vinyl will be made available here. The next release will be “Natural” with exciting remixes TBC.

Other prominent Infusion festival dates this summer include the Exit Festival (Serbia) with Underworld, Wireless Festival (Hyde Park London), Avrika (Sweden) and Dance Valley (Amsterdam). INFUSION are Jamie Stevens, Frank Xavier & Manuel Sharrad.

Infusion Summer 2005 Tour Dates

14 Jul - Sweden @ Arivka Festival
15 Jul - Newbury, UK @ Glade Festival (Main Dance Tent)
16 Jul - Leeds, UK @ Tribal Gathering Benefit for Sudan
22 Jul - Chicago @ Sound-Bar
23 Jul - Los Angelese @ Avalon
24 Jul - Mexica, CD Juarez
28 Jul - New York @ Rothko*
29 Jul - Washingtong DC @ Nation
30 Jul - Toronto @ Guvernment
31 Jul - Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
06 Aug - The Nehterlands @ Amsterdam Dance Valley
24 Aug - Brighton, UK @ Supercharged @ Audio
27 Aug - Liverpool, UK @ Creamfields Festival

For more information about Infusion, just visit their web site at

le souk sunday session

story by Betty Kang ~ New York City - Sunday night, while most folks are winding down their weekend, Sunday Sessions founder Swamy and resident DJs Astro&Glyde are marshalling a packed house of full-throttle party people on a 14-hour odyssey of funk-filled beats. Le Souk Sunday Sessions is the soundtrack for the energetic and non-stop house music bacchanal that keeps the weekend going into Monday morning in New York’s East Village. This double disc set captures the two sides of the Le Souk Sunday Sessions that have made Le Souk a legendary global party destination: the sun-kissed sexiness on the by day (Swamy) and the down ‘n dirty grooves by night (Astro&Glyde)!

Seen from the street, the unassuming North African lounge/restaurant just looks like another East Village eatery; but inside, through the hookah-smoke filled passages, is a path to a different world. Sunday Sessions was born in the tiny sun-drenched lawn in the back of the restaurant, and the first parties immediately intimated images of the white island paradise of Ibiza. As the legends of the endless weekend spread and the party built up over the years, the owners of Le Souk met the demand of clubbers by building … down? Excavating 20ft down into the back patio, the party literally went underground. Now in its 4th year, with a newly expanded patio terrace, the Le Souk Sunday Sessions continues the journey.

Sunday Sessions has also earned a special place in the global DJ circuit. New York City is a required stop for DJs touring the States, and before skipping town after a weekend of spinning at NYC’s top clubs, you’ll often find the world’s superstar DJs kicking back at Le Souk. Whether they’re gracing the decks as impromptu guest DJs or just taking the whole scene in, Le Souk Sunday Sessions has played host to Sasha, John Digweed, Danny Howells, Sander Kleinenberg, Roger Sanchez, Danny Tenaglia, Tiesto, Mr. C, The Scumfrog, Lee Burridge, John Creamer, Behrouz, and other elite players among the dance music cognoscenti.

There’s an upfront energy and twisted journey you take at Le Souk where the DJs understand what it takes inspire a crowd and to keep the party going long after the weekend should technically be over. In the city that never sleeps, this is the weekend that never ends. It’s the latest incarnation in New York City’s tradition of outrageous parties, underground clubbing and hedonistic dance music. There’s no other place in America that brings together such diversity and experiences. In generations past there was Studio 54, Paradise Garage and The Loft, then Limelight’s heady club kid days that led into the DJ-centric era of Twilo and the explosion of DJ culture. Le Souk invokes all these memories with it’s full-throttle free-for-all party aesthetic and attitude.

Let the Le Souk Sunday Sessions be your souvenir soundtrack for the summer and your passport to the party that never ends.

Le Souk Sunday Sessions are coming to a city near you…

U.S. Tour Dates TBA in NYC, Boston (August 12), San Francisco, Kansas City, Los Angeles, & Miami

About the Le Souk Sunday Sessions(Compiled & mixed by Swamy and Astro&Glyde on Aurora Music Group / E03 Records) - Jason Swamy & Shameless Productions

Swamy founded Shameless Productions in 2001 and since then he has created some of New York’s finest underground parties, and transformed unassuming venues into house music havens. Whether it be Habit-at Saturdays at Sullivan Room, Table 50 Tuesdays, his monthly residency at Crobar or Le Souk Sunday Sessions, his parties are notorious for their amazing energy, tremendous DJ talent and of course cool, hip New York scenesters. Look out for him as he continues to deliver at his new club, Movida, where you’ll find him ripping up the dancefloors. Check 'em out at

Dynamic New York DJ/production duo Astro&Glyde, also known as James Bem and Gaby Dershin have been rocking dancefloors for 10 years. Known for their upfront, dirty New York house sound and their ability to keep a party going for days, their work in the studio has also become a force to be reckoned with, with releases on labels such as Bedrock, Inevitable, SLR, and Fire. Astro&Glyde: no matter where or when, they never forget that it is a PARTY, and they always come to ROCK! Check them out at

Le Souk (47 Avenue B, NYC 212.777.5454)

Le Souk is the creation of Egyptian-born brothers Marcus and Sam Jacob. Marcus and Sam are pioneers in bringing authentic North African ambiance and flavor to New York. From its stained glass lamps, mosaic-laden tables, bubbling Hookah pipes to fez-clad chefs preparing their signature Tagine dishes, Le Souk really brings a warm, welcoming Mediterranean vibe to the city.

For more information check out or

phocas presents Trevor Matthews

story & photos by todd ~ Kansas City, MO - Local St Louis legend, Trevor Matthews is definitely one of the fast rising stars in the House music scene today.

He began throwin parties with Shawn York of Boogie Knights in 2000. Though he really didn't play anywhere until 2002, he did play several of their events, as well as others. This coupled with his recent work has helped him become became fairly well-known and respected in the St Louis House scene.

These days he works closely with Don Tinsley, ION and Josh Harrell (Chicago) on a weekly they affectionately term "The Sweet Spot", sticking with a strict "House Music Only" format that has kept them busy every Wednesday for the last two years. In Trevor's words, "If my house music has a home this is where it would be. It has definitely helped me to evolve as a DJ and I can't imagine where I would be without it."

That evolution has taken him to doing a lot of work with Brown & White Productions, the group responsible for some of the largest events to take place over the last couple of years in Saint Louis. His work with them has had him playing alongside superstars of House at St Louis hospot Velvet. I missed him when he opened for Derrick Carter, but caught Trevor playing to packed floors with Mark Farina and most recently Judge Jules.

He has been really playin for some really big shows lately, filling his schedule up well. The last time he was in Kansas City, he was confined to the VIP Lounge at Chaos Theory v3.0, in Kansas City, MO. It was really unfortunate that not everyone had the opportunity to hear his set. He had most of the room in motion, shakin it!

What is fortunate is that you'll have another chance to catch him here in Kansas City on Saturday, August 20, 2005 at Kabal Restaurant & Nightclub.

That's right! The first in a series of new events for us, phocas presents... Trevor Matthews on August 20, 2005 at Kabal Restaurant & Nightclub in the Historic RiverMarket District, 503 Walnut, Downtown Kansas City, MO. Just click the image to the right for more information!

This is going to be a rare opportunity to actually catch Trevor in Kansas City on a Saturday night, so be sure not to miss it! Like I said earlier, lately his Saturdays have been full up with the likes of Derrick Carter & Mark Farina.

love parade returns to san francisco

story by Betty Kang ~ San Francisco, CA - The world's largest electronic music festival triumphantly returns to San Francisco on Saturday, September 24, 2005. Mark your calendars now for what promises to be one of the pre-eminent electronic music events in the world and a landmark event for the United States.

A full "Loveweekend" of festivities is planned, beginning Friday, September 23rd and running through Sunday, September 25th, with the main event - the Loveparade — on Saturday, September 24th. This year's parade promises to be even bigger and better, with an expected 75,000 attendees marching up San Francisco's Market Street to Love Parade's new festival location at the Civic Center.

Unlike any parade the City has seen, the Loveparade is a "no spectators" event, with revelers encouraged to dress outrageously and dance alongside floats for the entire length of the route. Founded in Berlin in 1989, the event has grown to over 1.5 million attendees by 2000, with Mexico City, Santiago de Chile, and Tel Aviv all playing host to international Loveparades.

The inaugural Loveparade San Francisco 2004 was an extraordinary event, with over 37,000 revelers from all over California, across the US, and as far away as Europe, Australia and Asia attending the City's biggest new event. 30 Floats carried over 220 DJs spinning house, techno, trance, new school breaks, drum and bass, jungle, and underground hip hop — including some of the most renowned names in the industry. This year is already shaping up to host one of the most exciting lineups in U.S. history with many globe-trotting DJs being confirmed to be a part of this memorable event. The full lineup will be announced shortly.

Loveparade San Francisco has also partnered with Headline Shirts as their exclusive merchandising partner. Headline Shirts will be supplying DJs and attendees with official Loveparade San Francisco apparel to include t-shirts and accessories. There is a limited edition, pre-event shirt - now available online at the official Loveparade web site. For the first design, Loveparade San Francisco 2005 is paying homage to the iconic Highway 101. The design sports a road yellow ink design on an asphalt colored shirt. New designs, as well as a full range of apparel will be made available throughout the summer. All Loveparade San Francisco apparel is designed and produced locally and made to the same high standards as the rest of the Headline Shirts product line. That means sweatshop-free design, stitching, printing and vintage washing and only eco-friendly water-based inks on super-soft, tag-less shirts.

In its first year, Loveparade San Francisco 2004 was named Best New Music Festival by the San Francisco Weekly in its 10th anniversary "Best of San Francisco 2005" edition, voted runner-up for "Best 2004 International One-Off Event" by URB Magazine and its readers, and was nominated for Best 2004 Dance Event at the Winter Music Conference's 2005 International Dance Awards, held in Miami, Florida this past March.

The weekend of September 24th & 25th is a very busy weekend in San Francisco, so please make your travel plans now, some hotels are already completely full, so be sure to book soon! Special Love Parade rates can be booked through their travel partner.

For more information on Loveparade, including official events, sponsors, and partners, as well as travel and festival details, please visit the web site at Additional festival details and exciting pre-and-post parties & events to be announced.

wemf 2005

story by Nate Baker ~ photos by Shaun Williams ~ Ontario, Canada - This year the World Electronic Music Festival (WEMF) was held at Orangeville Fairgrounds in Orangeville, Ontario, Canada on July 8th, 9th, and 10th. My WEMF experience started late Wednesday evening as I and several other traveling companions decided that driving would be our best option, so we packed up our bags loaded up the truck and were on our way.

We arrived in Canada roughly 18 hours later and as the party didn’t start till the next day, we checked into a hotel and caught up on some much needed rest. We woke up early (ha! 10 a.m.) Friday morning and found a local Wal-Mart, picked up some last minute supplies and were off to the fairgrounds.

We arrived at the fairgrounds early that afternoon, which gave us plenty of time to get set up and situated. No sooner had I parked my truck and started unloading, when I was greeted by smiling faces and helping hands. We introduced ourselves and shook hands, and was given a bit of advice. “The best thing to do at these kinds of events is to get to know your neighbors, eh?” That was some advice that was well given.

After getting set and unpacked I proceeded to check out the venue. It was only 2:30 p.m. and the place was already starting to fill up. Several vendors were already in place. Some even had their own DJ’s and stereo equipment. I was very impressed with the way things were set-up.Restrooms were not a problem in the least bit. They had more than enough port-potty’s set-up all through out the venue.

There were a total of four stages; the main room, the jungle/ d&b room, the hardcore room and the new talent room. All of them were set up in one main building. The two “main” stages ( The jungle room and the main stage) were set up in the two largest rooms opposite of each other with the VIP lounge up above and to the side also allowing you to walk back and forth between the main rooms. The hardcore room was in the back of the building of the main stage and wasn’t quite as big. The new talent stage was set up outside on the grass between the two main rooms. Their screen and light set-up was fantastic but the lack of lasers was a little disappointing.

Finally, 5:00p.m. rolled around and the decks started to spin, first with the new talent stage. However, no sooner than had things started than a storm intrueded on our party. It was pouring down rain and even a little hail. It didn't last long though and the festivities continued on through the night. Friday night quickly became Saturday morning and as the sun began to rise I headed to my dwelling to catch some shut-eye.

After some sleep, I awoke to people still partying. Personally, I just took the day to just relax and enjoyed some good conversation with our new found Canadian friends.

Saturday evening proved to be the party I was expecting it to be. Starting off with the raw style and sounds of DJ Donald Glaude. This man knows and loves his music and you can see it reflected in his actions and expressions. After playing what seemed like for hours on end with non-stop energy, it was finally time for the show I had been waiting to see, it was time for Rabbit in the Moon.

Words can not even begin to describe the kind of show this group put on. The general reaction was “WTF?”, This group not only has great music but the live performance performed by “Bunny” the main performer of the group is aw inspiring and jaw dropping, you can’t help but be entranced by what’s going on, on the stage. If you ever have a chance to see R.I.T.M to perform live I highly recommend it. You will not regret it.

I have never experienced anything like this event to even have anything to compare it too, but the venue, the performers, and the vibe from the people made this event a success to me and my companions. If you were not able to make it to this event this year no worries, this is a yearly event. So start saving your money now and get your camping gear in order, and I’ll see you all there again next year!

Be sure to drop in on the gallery and check out all the photos from the weekend. They are currently in a special category under "recently".

august 2005 editor note

And I thought last month's issue was packed full of stuff! This issue has even more goodies in it. SvS has started a column called "ask a DJ". Kent Frost from Springfield has joined up with phocas again to fill us in on the party scene down there and Shaun just got back from WEMF with the most fabulous of shots. In fact, the cover this month is one of the shots he took while at that event in Canada, and Nate brought us back a little story about those photos as well. The photos are still in a sub-category called "World Electronic Music Festival '05" under the category "recently". We were definitely happy to be one of official media sponsors of that event and are really excited about next year. Every year it just seems to get bigger and better!

Sherri took the shot on this page. Shaun and I had just finished Hot Import Nights and had gone down to see how Joe was doing at u:Move Saturdays w/ Ali Shaheed Muhammed at Kabal Restaurant & Nightclub. It was definitely a crazy night.

Another crazy night recently, was Chaos Theory v3.0: The Catalyst. It was just this past Friday in Kansas City, MO. As with the last two, it was held at the Uptown Theater. We had intended on having a review on it for this month's issue, but we decided to hold it until next month. Be sure to check back for that. The photos are up though. Shaun and I had a great time taking them and it was so good to see all of you again!

We'll be hosting a bit of a new series of events that will be called simply, "phocas presents..." featuring some of the best names around the MidWest, as well as the rest of the country. These are DJs that have somehow captured my attention as "on the rise". On August 20th, we'll host the first in this series and will be bringing Trevor Matthews in from St Louis. Be sure to read the article in this issue about that for more information.

Mark Your Calendars

I'll See You on the Dance Floor the 20th!

august 2005 issue


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Thursday, October 6, 2016

Hannah Kate and Madison :: Lifestyle

My little niece Hannah Kate has always loved her baby dolls. She has several of them, and each one is treated like a real baby. She will often ask if you want to her her baby and then proceed to show you how to do that "the right way". She feeds her babies, burps them, puts them down for naps, talks to them, and does just about anything else you would do for a real baby.

Hannah Kate wanted a baby brother or sister so bad, and she along with her mommy and daddy prayed and prayed for God to give their family another baby! I'm sure you can imagine just how excited she was when she found out God had answered their prayers! She is one of Madison's biggest fans, and you can hardly get a turn holding that baby.

She loves her dolls, but I think she's having much more fun playing with a real baby now...even though this one cries.

1 comment:

  1. Fabulous! SOOOO sweet and beautiful. GREAT job capturing these precious ones Hailey!

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Once per year, MTV hosts their legendary VMA awards, where the rich and famous glam out in extravagant gowns and flashy suits. Celebrities show off their own personal style, which can be beautiful… or disastrous.

The 2017 VMA showcase was no exception.

Lorde wore a stunning strapless purple dress adorned with feathers from the waist down. The dress was an original by Monique Lhuillier, a Filipino fashion designer known for her bridal wear. This dress was a far cry from Lorde’s usual attire, drifting from punk rock to sophisticated and elegant.

Millie Bobby Brown, the universally adored child star from Stranger Things, slayed the carpet with a short, long sleeve dress. The dress was a Rodarte get-up in patterned with studs. She rocked a pair of slick black boots to wrap up the look.

Katy Perry, this year’s host of the VMAs, had several looks throughout the evening. Her first outfit, created by French designer Stephane Rolland, was a pure and elegant ultra-white bodycon gown. As the award show progressed, Perry changed into clothing more akin to what fans are used to seeing, including an astronaut suit and a full costume of Daenerys Targaryen from “Game of Thrones.”

Pink and her daughter, Willow Hard, sported matching menswear-inspired suits, proving that they can be beautiful wearing anything they please. Later on in the night, Pink gave a heartwarming speech dedicated to her daughter and all of the artists who have and continue to dare to be themselves.

At the end of the night, Kesha stole the show with her appearance. She was glowing in a rosy ruffled dress that rolled to the floor. Draped over her shoulders was sheik flowing fabric, tied together with black ribbons. Her radiant glow is what pulled the entire outfit together.

The artists at this year’s VMAs killed it both on the red carpet and on the stage. If you haven’t watched it yet, do yourself a favor, grab some popcorn, and get ready to fall in love with all of the outfits from the star-spangled night!


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Weather Forecast

New Wilderness coach gears up for next season.

New Minnesota Wilderness head coach Tim Madsen is flanked by assistant coach Michael Benedict (left) and general manager Dave Boitz during a meet-and-greet Monday afternoon. Jamie Lund/

It seems like the last Wilderness hockey game just ended and now plans for the new season are already well underway. Along with the new season this year is a new head coach, new assistant coach and, of course, the new fresh faces under the helmets.

The new Minnesota Wilderness NAHL hockey head coach, Tim Madsen, stopped in Cloquet for a brief meet-and-greet Monday afternoon with assistant coach Michael Benedict.

Madsen, who is replacing Cloquet native Corey Millen, said he had done research on the team and asked several people their opinion on the Wilderness organization before accepting the job.

The 31-year-old Elk River native also mentioned this would be his opportunity to step up from an assistant coach to head coach back home in Minnesota. He has spent the last seven seasons as an assistant coach and associate head coach at Niagara University.

“This is my home; I am a Minnesota boy,” Madsen said. “I have not been home for 14 years.”

Madsen said he is looking forward to spending time with his family as well as seeing his parents and friends at the Wilderness games.

Madsen said he has been asked many times over what brand of hockey he is going to play.

His answer? Aggressive.

“We are going to play aggressive and relentless on and off of the ice,” Madsen said. “We will be active in the community and around town.”

He acknowledges the Wilderness hockey team is a winning organization and he plans to continue the tradition with a lot of success on the ice next season.

“The pressure I feel is self inflicted because I am very competitive,” Madsen said.

Madsen also plans to continue the tradition of recruiting local players for the team. Even though the team has to be rebuilt each season, there is a potential for several players from last season’s team to come back for the upcoming season.

“The first place we will look is our backyard,” Madsen said. “The most important thing is to bring in good kids. I am a big believer that if you bring in good kids, the results are going to come. We are going to play an aggressive, attacking style of hockey and we are looking for kids who will fit that mold.”

Madsen spent three hours on the phone and computer Tuesday making NAHL draft picks. He needed a total of 30 players for the roster. Madsen already had a protected roster of returning players from last season’s team as well as tenders already signed. That left 10 players to be drafted on Tuesday to complete the summer-protected roster.

Tryouts for the final team roster will be at the end of July.

Assistant coach Michael Benedict, 25, played Division I hockey for Madsen at Niagara University.

“The organization speaks for itself, it is a world class organization,” Benedict said, adding that he was honored that his former coach asked him to be the assistant.

“I wanted somebody I know I can trust and will have my back,” said Madsen.

Madsen saw the Wilderness play two years ago when they set the record for longest playoff game during the Robertson Cup playoffs in Austin.

In 2008-2009 Madsen helped bring the Robertson Cup home to the St. Louis Bandits NAHL, which was what the Minnesota Wilderness was called before the franchise was purchased and brought to Cloquet.

“Fun fact for you guys,” said Wilderness General Manager Dave Boitz, “this organization has had four championships and three championships before we bought the franchise and Tim was an assistant coach with the last championship team before we won two years ago. So he was a part of the organization. It's interesting how it has come around full circle.”

And what will Madsen do until tryouts at the end of July? Go back to New York and get married July 9.


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Managing intertextuality -

meaning, plagiarism and power

Perry Share

This paper seeks to recast the discussion of plagiarism in terms of ‘managing intertextuality’. Intertextuality refers to how our contemporary cultural environment is marked by duplication, interpenetration of texts and the circulation and recirculation of images, sounds and words in multiple forms and formats. Intertextuality is ubiquitous and inevitable: the challenge is how to respond to it.

Drawing on a multidisciplinary literature of plagiarism and pedagogy the paper examines contemporary cultural practices that are based in intertextuality: from literature to fashion to music. It suggests that both students and academic staff are immersed in this world of meaning, yet must still strive to make sense of intellectual practices founded within a very different context.

The challenge for teachers and learners is to develop a language and strategies that recognise the reality of intertextuality. The development of this language cannot be divorced from the social context in which tertiary and other levels of education take place. This social context - especially in Ireland but also in other societies - remains resolutely hierarchical, where the content, purpose and styles of teaching and learning are determined from outside and 'above' the learner.

A more democratic pedagogy might help us to develop new ways of talking about and managing intertextuality. This will inevitably raise questions about learning for whom?, and for what?, and what constitutes ‘knowledge’? These are fundamental questions that must accompany the more technological, administrative and legal issues related to plagiarism and its management in the educational setting.

This paper was submitted to the International Integrity & Plagiarism Conference which ran between 2004-2014. The paper was peer reviewed by an independent editorial board and features in the conference proceedings.


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Vale Action

Having lived in the Vale Action area for many years it is a great pleasure to become the first Chairman of a Local Action Group covering the north west area of Wiltshire. Businesses and organisations in the area can now access this European funding which, during the next six years, is targeted at increasing the number of jobs and economy in rural areas. To reduce costs and to ensure that the maximum funding can be put towards grants Vale Action and Plain Action Local Action Groups are sharing staff. So although we are a new Local Action Group we have the expertise of staff with experience from the previous programme to help us get up and started.

Within this website you will find details of the funding available and how to apply for it. However, please remember that this is a Rural Development Programme and that applications from the towns of Trowbridge, Chippenham and Corsham will not be accepted. Also the application process will be a competitive one so do speak to the programme staff first before putting in an Outline Application to ensure that your project is eligible for funding.

Geraldine McKibbin - Chairman Vale Action LAG

A Truscott 003Alan Truscott – Vale Action Programme Manager

This programme of funding 2015 to 2021 is all about increasing jobs and the local economy in rural areas. Applications for funding must show that they either directly or indirectly do this. For example, you may want to increase production in your business and employ more staff, or you may be a tourist attraction needing help with your marketing to bring in more visitors and thus increase the local economy. To see the priorities that can be funded please go to the “2015 to 2021” section.

We recognise that with European Funding the form filling can be quite daunting.  We are here to help and will spend time with you to complete the forms. From our experience of the last programme we have compiled a series of helpful guides to take you through the processes of applying and claiming for your grant. Do not be put off by the form filling and the terminology used - we will help you with it.

Finally, if you think you may have a project that could benefit from funding, we would like to hear from you.

Alan Truscott – Vale Action Programme Manager.


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Photo: [cipher] / Flickr

One of the top marks of a functioning civilization is the delivery of fresh, safe, clean reliable drinking water to the public. James Joyce celebrated Dublin’s public water in Ulysses for its “universality (and) democratic equality.” Much earlier societies in Greece, Jerusalem and Rome used aqueducts to transport and deliver water, allowing civilization to flourish. America has thousands of water agencies doing this for us with oversight from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA.)

Water, air, food and shelter have been the elements of human survival since our times living in caves and nothing has changed since, except the standards societies set for ourselves with laws, regulations, infrastructure and public funding. As hard as water providers and regulators work, they still need the support of the public to demand that our representatives protect our water bodies from pollution as is currently happening at Standing Rock in North Dakota.

Girls carry water in a rural area of South Sudan. (Photo: Arsenie Coseac / Flickr)

Girls carry water in a rural area of South Sudan. (Photo: Arsenie Coseac / Flickr)

Sadly, in the poorest places on our planet, people, usually girls, must invest the days of their lives searching for and transporting water back home, forgoing education and other opportunities.

We need to be grateful that in the United States, we do not have to spend hours a day getting water with manual labor, but instead we can simply turn on the faucet or press the button on a drinking fountain. It is the duty of humanity to continue to help those around the globe reach our standard of water security.

The years of 2005 to 2015 were declared by the United Nations to be The International Decade for Action focused on “Water for Life.” According to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs:

“Half of humanity now lives within cities, and within two decades nearly 60 percent of the world’s people will be urban dwellers. Urban growth is most rapid in the developing world, where cities gain an average of 5 million residents every month. The exploding urban population growth creates unprecedented challenges, among which provision of water and sanitation have been the most pressing and painfully felt when lacking. Those who suffer the most of these water–related challenges are the urban poor, often living in slums or informal settlements following rapid urban growth, in situations lacking many of life’s basic necessities: safe drinking water, adequate sanitation services and access to health services, durable housing and secure tenure.”

In America, thanks to the EPA, we hold our drinking water to the highest standards.  There are approximately 155,000 public water systems in the U.S. (A water system provides water for human consumption through pipes or other constructed conveyances to at least 15 service connections or serves an average of at least 25 people for at least 60 days a year.) The Safe Drinking Water Act was established in 1974 to bring home safety standards from municipal water systems that employ hundreds of thousands of people across the nation.

“As the federal agency responsible for ensuring the safety of drinking water, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency establishes protective standards for our tap water and oversees testing and management programs which provide confidence that our drinking water is safe.” John Kemmerer, of Cal EPA, said in a Tap Water Day speech in 2015.

One of the top marks of a functioning civilization is the delivery of fresh, safe, clean reliable drinking water to the public. (Photo: StockPhotosforFree.com / Flickr)

One of the top marks of a functioning civilization is the delivery of fresh, safe, clean reliable drinking water to the public. (Photo: StockPhotosforFree.com / Flickr)

In Los Angeles, and most other American cities, municipal water systems work hard and diligently to protect the public by delivering safe water as reported in their public statements and water quality reports that are required by law to be mailed to homes annually and available online at all times. Transparency is a public service we should not take for granted because if we don’t respect and challenge our municipal services we could lose the benefits from a well-run government.

When water has failed us it has been under the most unusual circumstances, such as in Flint, which rightly has brought public outrage and overdue attention to the matter of drinking water.  City officials and water managers who were supposed to be responsible for public welfare put secrecy and profits above the public health and are now facing prison terms.  While this was a horrific and devastating situation which caused great harm, we must not abandon our national public water system.   Municipal water systems will continue to be regulated, and we must keep demanding the best and support public water at the ballots and with our taxes.

In 2014, California voters approved Proposition One, The Water Quality Supply and Infrastructure Improvement Act, which dedicates $510 million in Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) funding to help meet the long-term water needs of the state and to deal with the first two pillars of water safety.

What does the future hold for safe drinking water in America?  The fight for clean water sources is currently led by Indigenous Americans at Standing Rock who want to protect sacred lands and aquifers from pipelines carrying dirty oil.  We have a newly inaugurated president, Donald Trump, who signed an executive order in his first days to permit the oil pipelines and to silence the EPA.

WeTap recommends the following to protect drinking water in America:

  1. Read your municipal water report and know the safety of your water supply (usually safer than bottled water because bottled water is less regulated and endocrine disrupting chemicals in plastic bottles leach into the water).
  2. If you want to make sure your water at home is as clean as it was when tested by your water agency, before it got to your house, filter at the tap.
  3. Buy a water canteen and use it – make sure your bottle is unlined stainless steel or glass.
  4. Follow WeTap on Facebook and Use the WeTap App to find and rate public water fountains.
  5. Make your voice heard for clean water through following and joining such groups as Food and Water WatchEnvironmental Working Group, WeTap and join the ongoing water protection movement at Standing Rock.  You can add to the public comments on the Dakota Access Pipeline before February 20th, 2107.
  6. Hold your local, state and federal officials accountable for using our tax dollars on water protection and water infrastructure. Contact them regularly with your concerns. Water is Life.
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Playa Del Carmen Real Estate
Best investment properties in Riviera Maya Mexico for Playa del Carmen Tulum Akumal Puerto Aventuras

Beachfront Lot in Xcalacoco Xcalacoco Beach (Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, MX - 77710) Land Only

Rare Pristine Beachfront

Living Riviera Maya Real Estate

Judi Shaw Judi Shaw 1 800 441 3275 (Office) 1 604 628 7247 (Office) +521 984 116 3251 (Cell) Request More Info

  • High-End Neighbors- Prestigious Address
  • Type: Lots and Land
  • Style: Lot / Land "Lush Foliage + Deep Beach"
  • Size: 5,000 sq. m. "50 meters of beautiful beachfront"
  • Development Level: Land Only
  • Lot Type: Rectangular
  • MLS #: XCA04.6

This lot for sale in Xcalacoco is synonymous with Pristine Beachfront, Luxury Lifestyle + Natural Beauty.

This lot for sale is 5 minutes from Playa del Carmen.
Build a private residence or a exclusive enclave of luxury condos, a boutique hotel or a high-end restaurant.

Lot is 50 meters of beach front by 100 m deep=5000 sq m of property.
Zoned for hotel or condos,

Neighbors include Azul Fives, a highly successful residential project with high-end condos, and Hotel Reve, a high-end and very popular jet-setting hotel.

Solid rock- soil tests have been performed and it shows solid rock base.
Build a beautiful boutique hotel or condos for investment.

Price is $4,650,000 USD

Sell corporate shares

This lot for sale in Playa del Carmen is a rustic lot meaning that it does not have city water nor sewage.

Xcalacoco is a beautiful beach, unspoiled and is close to Playa del Carmen. Located Noth of Playa del Carmen, this lot for Sale is located on a highly desirable, very exclusive area of Playa del Carmen.

Call us for more information.

Information is deemed to be correct but not guaranteed.


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Ace Combat 7 Gameplay Trailer Shows Off Advanced Maneuvers

September 21, 2017Written by Tyler Treese

Ace Combat 7 gameplay trailer

Bandai Namco put out a new Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown trailer during Tokyo Game Show 2017, and it shows off some advanced flight moves. Additionally, they released new screenshots that show off “Japanese fighter F-2A and the F-35C carrier-based aircraft.” You can view all of the latest information below.

Check out the latest Ace Combat 7 gameplay trailer below:

View the new screenshots in the gallery:

For even more on flight combat game, check out our Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown preview. Here’s a snippet of what Louis Edwards had to say about Bandai Namco’s latest entry in the series:

As I sat in the cockpit waiting my turn to take-off from the aircraft carrier, I realized that with this many knobs and switches, jet pilots must have some serious brain power in order to remember which button did what and which switches needed flipped in order to not crash in the middle of the ocean upon being slung off the deck of this massive ship. Luckily for me, all I had to do was press R2 and pull back on the left analog stick in order to not go swimming in a seventy million dollar or so jet. Once airborne, the heads-up display kept me abreast of my air speed and altitude, and as long as I didn’t stay in the clouds too long, gave me a crisp and clear view of the world. Flying through cloud cover has a tendency to cause moisture buildup on the canopy and can limit your field of vision.

The demo had me taking on enemy aircraft in an F/A 18F Super Hornet, over an area called Chopinburg in an attempt to recover control of a space elevator. Not all of the enemy aircraft were manned, though, as some fighter drones were also in the area. This is an interesting concept as the drones could pull off maneuvers that are humanly impossible. They could go from being in front of you, to being on your ass in a matter of seconds using a move that creates more G’s than a space shuttle launch. These aircraft add a new dimension to dog fighting, and ups the difficulty level to a new standard.

Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is set to release in 2018.


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Sponsored Feature: Al4red Studios on how Fowl Ops is a real barnstormer

Fantastic Mr Fox
Product: Fowl Ops | Publisher: Al4red Studios | Format: iPhone, iPad | Genre: Action, Arcade
Fowl Ops Multiformat, thumbnail 1
Built from the ground up by friends Syed Zahir and Mohammed Redwan, action-arcade title Fowl Ops is a great example of how the iOS market can help deliver games you probably won’t see anywhere else.

Sporting hand-drawn graphics and a custom made soundtrack, the game is clearly a labour of love for Zahir and Redwan.

The pair believe that Fowl Ops has much more to offer gamers than just handmade charm. They talked to us about what inspired the game, what it does differently, and how it's even better thanks to its recent update.

Fowl Ops sees you playing as Rusty the fox. The main game involves pillaging eggs from a chicken coop while attempting not to wake Rufus the watchdog from his restful slumber.

That may well sound a little like a less violent Fantastic Mr Fox, but Zahir claims the idea for their bushy tailed protagonist came from a little closer to home.

“Our main inspiration for the game were the foxes that run around our neighbourhoods tearing through rubbish bags and causing mayhem,” Zahir says, “so we thought it would be fun to try and capture the idea of a mischievous fox for Fowl Ops.”

In fact, it’s this knockabout sensibility that Zahir believes makes the game worth playing over other titles on the App Store.

“Ultimately, it's the fun factor that we think makes the game stand out from the rest,” Zahir says. “We're aware of games that have similar concepts to Fowl Ops, but we feel that they don't deliver the classic and modern twist that Fowl Ops has to offer.”

What are you, chicken?

There’s a lot more to the game than mere egg-snatching. There are two unlockable modes to reward the persistent player, with Lightning mode offering a trickier, faster version of the main game and the other seeing Rusty riding a dog shooting down chickens with a bazooka.

Yes, you read that right. Titled ‘Rusty Ride,’ this bizarre extra was designed to help give the game another dimension.

“Rusty Ride was designed to offer a complete different experience in the app,” says Zahir, “in the main game Rufus the dog gets alerted when Rusty misses three eggs. So to give it a twist, we thought 'why not team up Rufus with Rusty and get them to take down kamikaze aviator chickens?’”

Why not indeed. Zahir believes that this oddity doesn’t just offer a welcome change, but also makes the game's 59p price tag more than reasonable.

“We tried to accommodate the game for all types of people,” says Zahir. “We knew from the outset that when we made Fowl Ops we wanted the players to feel that they had a variety of options at their disposal and would get a good value for money package.”

Not tailing off

Fowl Ops has been made even better with the recent 1.1 update as well, with it adding a much needed competitive edge to the game.

“The update upgrades the game to support both Retina display and more importantly Game Center,” Zahir says, “which we felt was the main thing missing from version 1.0, as it’s always nice to be able to compare scores and have a target to beat, or simply just see how everyone else in the world matches up to you.”

There may be even more mini-games lined up for the game as well, and Zahir encourages Fowl Ops fans to have their say.

“We do have a few ideas lined up for Fowl Ops which involve new and unique mini-games, we just want to make sure they are perfect for the game before implementing them and making sure they add to the experience,” Zahir states.

“We're even open to suggestions to see what the mobile gamers want - they just need to send us an email. We do read them!”

In terms of Fowl Ops scampering onto other mobile platforms, Zahir says that a version made specifically for the iPad is a possibility (although the current game can still be played on the tablet), but any other formats are an unknown entity at this moment.

“We've not completely ruled out Android & WP7,” Zahir explains, “but if we do move on to other platforms Android will probably be the first base we touch.”

Fowl Ops on iOS is available now, priced at 59p / 99c / €0.79 [iTunes link].

Reviewer photo
Simon Reed 21 June 2011
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