I NEED SUGAR
JUN27/2010
SPACE DISCO LIVE MIX FROM PEOPLE DOWNTOWN'S JUNE TEQUILA MONTHLY.
Another unplanned set, being pushed and pulled onto the patio all night. Didn't spin uninterrupted for more than 45 minutes in a go all night.
So, 1:00a, no better time for some space disco.
And sorry for the rough Spacer Woman/Black Devil mixing. I was distracted by merv who was accosting me for not sticking to my commitment for playing 2010 music.
Tracklist:
01 Anthony Rother - Cinema 2010
02 Smith N Hack - Falling Stars ? Julie van Wart 2007
03 The Hacker - Fadin' Away (Dima Remix) 2000
04 Charlie - Spacer Woman (Vocal) 1983
05 Black Devil Disco Club - I Regret The Flower Power 2007
06 Ron Trent - Alterered States 1992
07 Joakim - I Wish You Were Gone (Jk Dub) 2006
08 Popular Computer - Next Level Pope 2006
09 FPU - Crockett's Theme 2003
10 Marbert Rocel - Sexaddicted featuring Maria Andtonia Schmidt 2010
11 Andreya Triana - Lost Where I Belong (Flying Lotus Remix) 2010
JUN23/2010
SUGAR FOR YOUR PHONE.
Boy that new iOS 4 is pretty snazzy. But it has those super complex textured backgrounds that make reading your icons more difficult than reading anything should be. So without further ado, here's a lock screen I Need Sugar wallpaper for your iPhone (4, 3G, 3Gs or whatever, it works on'em all) and a matching home screen desktop for your iOS 4 phone that'll help your icons pop. Enjoy!
Just right click to download.
And here's how it looks in action!
And don't forget, you can still get the 3G/3GS skin from Stick Stick Bang Bang.
via Say Yeah!
JUN16/2010
126 MELANCHOLY MIX TO CELEBRATE NXNE.
NXNE music opens today so it's as good a time as any to post the third 126 Melancholy Mix, this one clocking in at just under 50 minutes. All vocal and focused on 2010 with the exception of an '07 Boat Club track that ends oh so similarly to Memory Tapes Bicycle from '09. Not sure what to make of that, so I'm opting to just enjoy them both.
Tracklist:
Foals -
Spanish Sahara (Deadboy Remix) 2010
Marbert Rocel -
Chicagoff 2010
Casiokids -
Verdens Største Land 2010
Monarchy -
The Phoenix Alive (The Octans Edit) 2010
We Have Band -
Love, What You Doing? 2010
Funkwerkstatt -
Drahtseilakt 2010
Boat Club -
Memories 2007
Delorean -
Come Wander 2010
Nhar -
Close Up 2010
And don't forget next Friday's G20 celebration at Tequila Bookworm. Hope to see you there!
JUN09/2010
SPICE CARDS
BBDO Israel gets all shaky shaky.
via Brandflakes for Breakfast/Alison Koh
MAY30/2010
PEOPLE DOWNTOWN'S TEQUILA MONTHLY MAY LIVE MIX.
Straight off the train from Montreal I jumped over to Tequila Bookworm to enjoy some Patio Friday sunny time before setting up for some early evening island jams. Once we lost the sun it was time to switch gears. My intention now is to explore the best of 2010 throughout the summer at our Tequila jams. Here's a selection of new vibes recorded live off the floor this past Friday May 28. Hope you enjoy!
Tracklist:
01 Håkan Lidbo - Atombomb 2010
02 Julio Portillo - All I Want 2010
03 Daniele Tignino - Woodanza (Doomwork & Neuroxyde Remix) 2010
04 Pablo Bolivar - My Favourite Colour 2010
05 Telefon Tel Aviv - Immolate Yourself (Miss Fitz Remix) 2010
06 Clara Moto - Glove Affair 2010
07 Timos - Smile (m.in & Alex Piccini Remix) 2010
08 Cortney Tidwell - Palace (Michel Cleis It's Too Late Remix) 2010
09 Shades of Gray - Simplicity (Alex Kenji Minimal Remix) 2010
10 Paul Synth - Fragiles 2010
11 Jesse Rose - (Where Were You) Last Night 2010
12 Julien Mier - A Pebble For Your Thoughts 2010
13 Alain Ho - Je Pense A Toi featuring Marlene (Kruse & Nuernberg Remix) 2010
14 M.A.N.D.Y. vs Booka Shade - Donut
15 Luca Bear - Beware 2010
16 Wehbba - Sweet Spot 2010
17 The Dolphins - Metrick 2010
18 Chris Carrier - La Faubourienne (Dub Mix) 2010
19 Santos - San Francisco 2010
20 Jayson Brothers - The Game 2010
Download and listen to this Friday's Sundown Mix here.
MAY15/2010
TOP 50 TRACKS OF THE NAUGHTIES, 16 THROUGH 20
And now back to the music...the decade in review continues with the Top 50 tracks of the decade countdown. Here now are tracks 20 through 16. Unfortunately, there was an iTunes blow up here and the list was all but lost. I managed to piece together 1 through 15, but with one of the 16 through 20s missing I've just realized after posting on blip and looking back here that there's now a track repeated. Oh well, if you've been paying attention, you can ignore it or enjoy it again. Update: Scratch that, I missed track 11 and it's an important one, so I'm updating this with the right Naughties 20.
Naughties.20 Metric - Hardwire The first Metric full-length from 2001 (which wasn't officially released until 2007) is a series of smart, sexy, Toronto-centric tunes the likes of which they haven't released since. This is how that leaked album ended in 2001, leaving you wanting for more. The rerelease had a completely different track order in which they dropped the best track from the album.
Naughties.19 Machine Drum - Freshkids featuring Mickey Factz It's artists like Machine Drum that renew my faith in hip hop. Filthy original beats and tight rhymes; no r&b wannabee samplefest here. From 2009.
Naughties.18 Fever Ray - When I Grow Up Feels like the Joy Division of the new millennium, 30 years later. I'm scared and fascinated and just can't get enough. From 2009.
Naughties.17 Underworld - Two Months Off Glory. Glory. Let that synth wash over you. You bring light in. You bring light in. From 2002
Naughties.16 Easy Star All-Stars - Electioneering Sure, there's a pretty decent brit rock version of this track (Radiohead + cowbell!), but this organ heavy reggae version is glorious! From 2006.
MAY04/2010
SUGAR, METAPHORICAL LY SPEAKING.
This is a public service announcement because, well, we care. You'll notice a distinct lack of posts on Jos Louis and Coca-Cola from I Need Sugar. That's no mistake.
Our North American diet is an abomination born of the marriage of mass manufacturing and political agendas. We consume a limited variety of foodstuffs largely derived from corn and sugar and the joyous frankenstein high fructose corn syrup (or glucose-fructose on your whole wheat bag of Dempster's bread).
Having watched a lecture from Dr Robert Lustig earlier this year on the joys of sugar consumption and the correlation between increased consumption and the obesity epidemic in the United States of America and Canada, the issue of diet has been become more and more of a priority at I Need Sugar HQ. This has been particularly weighing on the conscience after seeing how much my sugar fiend of a niece enjoyed her I Need Sugar t-shirt gift this Christmas. Sugar is no toy, but it's being treated as such. If Dr Lustig's statements ring true, fructose itself is akin to alcohol in how it damages our bodies. The damage just happens to be happening sans the rather obvious side effects. So, screw you Willy!
Fructose itself is prevalent and naturally occurring in many foods which are healthy to consume, but that doesn't mean fructose itself is healthy, particularly on its own. The trouble is, fructose must be metabolized by the liver, which can lead to all sorts of trouble, such as diabetes, liver disease and more.
None of this is helped by food manufacturers effectively overdosing their foods with combinations of high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and fructose. From McDonald's to Coca-Cola, tex-mex spice to whole wheat bread, sugar sugar everywhere. And in record quantities.
The whole point of high fructose corn syrup was to provide a more easily manufactured, locally produced, and less expensive alternative to sugar with a higher degree of sweetness so you could use less of it. Yet we see sugar content in products increasing over the years while servings are super-sized, particularly those with high fructose corn syrup.
Most importantly, fructose has two saving graces in its natural form:
1. In fruit, sugar is typically comprised of 50% glucose and 50% fructose.
2. Fruit comes with your friend fibre, helping to slow the absorption of the sugar.
In liquids, such as orange juice (freshly squeezed or otherwise), you'll find the fibre content to be, well, nil (pulp doesn't count, people!). On top of that, with your high fructose corn syrup products such as soft drinks, the ratio is about 80% fructose to 20% glucose. This means you're putting more work on your liver, faster. In other words: drink water. And, if not, you might as well enjoy a drink.
So here's a handy food chart and a sweetener/syrup chart to help you consume less fructose. And, of course, keep an eye out on product labels for all these sugars.
But this is no downer man, it's the whole reason we supply sugar the way it's meant to be consumed: for your eyes and your ears. So dig in, like or subscribe and enjoy obesity free sugar.
Finally, here's the full lecture from Dr Robert Lustig for your viewing pleasure. Riveting stuff. Really. Sugar history, biology and recommendations. Good times.
Thanks to Joey DeVilla for the heads up on Dr Lustig.
APR25/2010
PEOPLE DOWNTOWN'S TEQUILA MONTHLY APRIL LIVE MIX.
This past Friday was the People Downtown's inaugural Tequila Monthly at Tequila Bookworm. After Abdul Smooth played a nice throwback prog set I threw in with this mix before I was mistakingly distracted by a nutter. Next month will be nothing but 2010 vibes. And no damn requests.
Tracklist:
01 The XX - Basic Space (Jamie xx Space Bass Mix) 2009
02 Alix Perez - The Cut Deepens featuring Foreign Beggars 2009
03 Shlomo - Hot Boxing The Cockpit 2009
04 Roots Manuva - Witness (1 Hope) 2001
05 James Holden - Lump 2006
06 Holden & Thompson - Come To Me (Club Mix) 2006
07 Misstress Barbara - Dance Me to the End of Love (H.O.S.H Remix) 2010
08 Analog People in A Digital World - Rose Rouge (Cagedbaby Remix) 2009
09 Faithless - Not Going Home 2010
Listen and download Nathan Lee's 10:30p Tequila live mix set here.
See you next month!
APR25/2010
ARTIST MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES ONE TWO-PERSON PHOTO GALLERY EXHIBITION PER YEAR.
Digging this new gallery model from GalleryDK. Up to eleven photography artists will be offered membership for the year. Membership includes one two-person exhibition per year along with postcard printing, show lettering, promotion, and more.
The general idea is to form a close-knit community of artists who will support one another throughout the year. Artist obligations go beyond the monthly fee to include sitting the gallery once a month, general meetings, and assisting the other members where possible.
Costs are $149 per month plus 10% of sales going to GalleryDK and you're left with the responsibility of promotional design and mounting your exhibition. Membership application details here.
Photo credit: This photo is taken from the blogTO article and is the GalleryDK Twitter avatar. There is no photo credit on either of these sites.
APR22/2010
FRESHLY PRESSED 126 MELANCHOLY MIX TO WARM YOU UP FOR FRIDAY'S PARTY.
The People Downtown are throwing a parting this Friday. The first event at our Tequila Bookworm monthly residency. Here's a light 60 minute warmup mix to get you through the rest of the week. And we hope to see you after 8 on Friday. Facebook event invite here. Mix below.
Tracklist:
01 Animal Collective - What Would I Want? Sky 2009
02 Junior Boys - Hazel (Ewan Pearson's House Remix) (Dixon Edit) 2009
03 Yuno - Stand And Wonder (Flor Hasenberg & Drei Farben House Remix) 2007
04 Popnoname - Hello Gorgeous 2010
05 Phonique - For The Time Being featuring Erlend Øye (Neil Quigley Remix) 2009
06 Underworld - Crocodile (Album Version) 2007
07 Röyksopp - This Must Be It (Maxime Dangles Remix) 2009
08 Birds & Souls - Birds & Souls 2010
09 Crystal Castles - Suffocation 2010
10 Cortney Tidwell - Palace (Michel Cleis It's Too Late Remix) 2010
11 Starkey - Stars featuring Anneka (Few Nolder Remix) 2010
12 Bat For Lashes - Daniel (Jozif's Etage Edit) 2009
13 Pantha du Prince - Stick To My Side (Walls Version) 2010
Download the April 2010 126 Melancholy Mix here.
And here's a special request for Merv. The same mix, but looped, so if you put it on repeat, it never ends, never ends.
APR11/2010
TOP 50 TRACKS OF THE NAUGHTIES, 21 THROUGH 25
In honour of the terrifically mediocre Junos, belatedly continuing the decade review, tracks 21 through 25. And look, no less than two Canadian artists in the mix here, one of which had an album that surely could have been nominated for the 2010 Junos but, no, no mention of Tiga anywhere. (Though Tiga did win in '07 for Sexor so I suppose I shouldn't complain. Still Deadmau5? Is this about music or popularity? And a "Recording Package Of The Year" nomination for Patrick Watson, but no love for the actual music? Come on!) But, hey, at least I now know who Justin Bieber is. But I digress. So here's number 25 of the 2000s and, as always, just select the track name to listen on blip.fm:
Naughties.25 Tiga - Beep Beep Beep (Extended Mix) Fantastic groove building up to some terrifically unsubtle LCD Soundsystem flavoured drums (and yet not one of the two James Murphy produced tracks off the album) followed by some subtle space disco and back. A huge '09 vibe.
Naughties.24 The Whitest Boy Alive - Golden Cage (Fred Falke Remix) The man with the smoothest voice in the game meets the man producing the smoothest basslines. A massively uplifting '08 progressive house track.
Naughties.23 Hercules & Love Affair - Blind featuring Antony (Frankie Knuckles Remix) I'm actually not a huge fan of this album, but there's no denying that Blind is a great disco track. But Frankie Knuckles takes Blind and turns it into an exceptional house track. Bringing up the bass, warms up the track with some added synth and piano, and tightening up the percussion. So, so good. From 2008.
Naughties.22 Cat Power - Metal Heart My brother doesn't dig the Cat Power. Especially the covers. But on this reprise of her own '98 track from her '08 covers album, that smokey voice, those power chords, and that lyrical earnestness kick my ass hard.
Naughties.21 K-OS - Crucial K-OS has said and done some incredibly stupid things throughout the years, but he's also put out the odd gem on his albums. Crucial is a great summer reggae Can-rock vibe, showcasing a surprisingly fantastic confluence of genres.