Anamanaguchi | IHEARTCOMIX | Check Yo Ponytail | Photos

This past Tuesday I had the opportunity to catch a sold out Anamanaguchi at the Echoplex in LA as a part of the IHEARTCOMIX “Check Yo Ponytail 2” series. The 700 person capacity venue was full but surprisingly spacious as we walked in on Chrome Sparks. One of the very first things I noticed was the diverse crowd; it couldn’t have seemed more eclectic, but everyone was on the same page in anticipating an off-the-wall night. After Chrome Sparks finished up his bass heavy DJ set, Juiceboxxx took the stage and played their own style of indie rap. The crowd was all over it.

Anamanaguchi – Endless Fantasy
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Anamanaguchi/Endless%20Fantasy.mp3]

Another beer and bathroom break later and Anamanaguchi was preparing to come on and it seemed like everyone in the place rushed to the stage. The lights went out, the screen lit up and then ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ started pumping through the speakers and the crowd’s anticipation came to a head. The band ran out on stage and jumped immediately into ‘Meow’ a crowd favorite. Within seconds what seemed like the entire sea of people began jumping, moshing, crowd surfing or stage diving. It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen a crowd go that nuts!

Anamanaguchi – Prom Night
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Anamanaguchi/Prom%20Night.mp3]

Anamanaguchi continued to power through their set with songs from both their debut Dawn Metropolis and their awesome new LP Endless Fantasy. The relentless assault of a hacked Super Nintendo joined by two guitarists, a bassist and a drummer managed to keep the crowd engaged throughout the entire set. The new lights and awesome projector cubes along with the 8 bit visuals really tied together this unique concert experience. For one of their last songs the band invited Bianca Raquel on stage to handle vocal duties on ‘Prom Night’, a personal favorite and one of the band’s songs that I envision as a possible crossover hit. Almost immediately after beginning the song it seemed as though everyone in the audience was singing along with her.

After the first chorus ended I asked my neighbors to boost me up and soon enough I was crowd surfing over a cluster of terrified looking Asian girls. That was basically the cherry on top of an awesome night spent at the Echoplex with a band that lived up to the hype and then some.

Anamanaguchi – Airbrushed
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Anamanaguchi/Airbrushed.mp3]

Private Label | Tickets | Event Info

Private Label’s spring season comes to a close with the opener for Season 4: Private Label Summers. A coincidence? Perhaps. The finale/starter has quite the groovy assortment of artists. Poolside, Goldroom, and Zimmer will provide Friday night’s soundtrack. You know the drill: win the contest or buy the tickets. Either way, you don’t want to miss this night. Check after the jump for tunes from the funky bunch.

Standard procedure. The contest ends at 5PM Friday June 14th! The more ways you enter, the better your chance is to win. Be ready to check your e-mail/twitter, because I’ll be giving it to the first person who responds when the winner is chosen.

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Flume | Our Interview | Disclosure

Whether it be from deservedly hitting #1 spots in the charts or performing live unplugged (they had no choice), the word about Disclosure is spreading faster than the deep house craze itself. Along with its success, their choice on remixers brings the different sounds of future music together. Flume destroyed this remix with his impeccable ability to infuse everything great across genres in his own way. This one takes on a sort of 1950s swing sound to start and slams in a way only Flume could get away with. All we get from Flume’s SoundCloud is that it’ll be “out soon.” Enjoy this stream in the meantime.

Focus OC | Kaskade | Josh Billings

All the rumors were laid to rest last Tuesday as Focus OC’s 10 year anniversary was finally underway. The 300 person venue was filled with lucky patrons anxious to see if all the hype would result in an unforgettable night or the biggest let down of the new decade…debatably, of course. With all the talk surrounding the possibility of Kaskade playing a ridiculously intimate show in Orange County, I thought it could only go so many ways. My worry was that the place was going to be uncomfortably packed with bandwagoners who overpaid on scalped tickets. Josh Billings, Focus OC’s head honcho, fortunately had the answer.

With each ticket being attained through an in-person purchase and individual assignment, every attendant earned their place. A feeling of achievement rushed through the crowd when everyone’s trust in Focus paid off with Kaskade taking the decks. There was almost too much room! That place heated up like a sauna from everyone keeping the energy high. Kaskade didn’t make it any easier to keep cool. He had us all grooving through his two hour set; packed with his decade old classics and some of the hottest deep house tracks of today. I have never been to a show of stadium selling caliber at such an intimate spot. The vibes were just as powerful. I had a chance to talk to Josh about his accomplishment on the monumental night. Check their 10 year anniversary mix and the interview after the jump!

Ticket holders! If you saved your ticket you can go for FREE to part 2 of their 10 year anniversary with an exclusive set from Focus’s own DJs (Josh Billings, Wobs, & Nonfiction) this Tuesday!

Focus DJ’s 10 Year Anniversary Live Opening Set (Right Click > Save As)
[audio:http://liveatfocus.com/mp3s/Focus-DJs-Live-At-Focus-6-4-13.mp3]

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Durante

Skrillex’s OWSLA has been putting out a slew of new sounds on quite a consistent basis. Durante, an intern at the label, seems to have been soaking it all up. His debut EP Challenger is a deep, funk-filled and groovy record that’s perfect for an extended car drive or a night out. The OWSLA intern manages to showcase a variety of genres on this four track EP. The fact that he was able to nail sounds across the board is incredibly impressive. Whether it be deep house, electro or something really funky, he manages to make each song unique. Durante recently hit 1,000 likes on his Facebook page and released a VIP remix of “Radio,” a song off of Challenger. If the kid keeps it up, we can safely assume he’ll make it big in no time.

Durante – Take a Look
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Durante/Take%20a%20Look.mp3]

Durante – Crash
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Durante/Crash.mp3]

Durante – Radio VIP
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Durante/Radio%20VIP.mp3]

Jagwar Ma | Howlin’

Good music coming out of Australia is becoming a way of life nowadays. Case in point: Jagwar Ma. Jagwar Ma (Jono Ma & Gabriel Winterfield) take on a huge role in this ‘revival’ scene that the music world is experiencing right now. Their debut Howlin’ is a veritable psychedelia experience. What makes them unique is their flawless combination of genres from the 60’s through the 90’s – sometimes even in the same song (‘Exercise’). You’ll catch hints of The Chemical Brothers, John Lennon, Primal Scream and The Beach Boys just to name drop a few.

Now we know those are names you don’t ever see next to each other when considering musical style, but bear with us. If you were alive or have musical influences from these periods then you’ll get what we mean when you start listening. Keep your eyes and ears on this duo; they’re destined for greatness. Buy their debut using the link above!

Entice your Mind

Jagwar Ma – That Loneliness
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Jagwar%20Ma/04%20That%20Loneliness.mp3]

Jagwar Ma – Exercise
[audio:https://controlaltdelight.com/Music/Jagwar%20Ma/09%20Exercise.mp3]

Visual Delight

Private Label | Tickets | Event Info

There are only 2 weeks left of Private Label’s spring season, but that doesn’t mean its slowing down. This week we have Miami Horror, Touch Sensitive, Young Diamond, and Good Night Keaton easing us into our weekend shenanigans with 80’s infused disco-house vibes. Win our contest below or buy your tickets above. Details after the jump!

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