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Features
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| Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! | | Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! | | Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! | | Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! | | Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. | | Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! | | Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! | | NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! | | Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! | | Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! | | Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! | | SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! | | The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! | | NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! | | Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project | | The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! | | A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden | | Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma | | Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino | | New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! | | PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! | | Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! | | N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood! | | Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna |
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Bliss preview with Kevin Energy
Reported by Allan McGrath
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Submitted 19-08-05 01:44
On Friday 26 August party legends Tasty and Raindance are going head to head to present Bliss, a new multi-arena concept in London clubbing. Taking over the legendary passages of Heaven will be the jumpin full-on mania of the hardcore room, the uplifting energised beats of Tasty’s hard dance arena and a whole host of classic anthems and old skool legends in the glow-stick waving Raindance room. And looking across the line-up it’s hard to think of many other DJs, bar the bad boy Billy Bunter himself, that embody this forward-thinking and multi-faceted approach quite like Kevin Energy.
He first honed his skills with rough-neck breakbeats and old skool hardcore as a budding teenage DJ. His early adventures on the legendary Dream FM pirates then lead him into the path of euphoric happy hardcore, even resulting in his first studio production and happycore anthem Hardcore Fever. Before long, however, Kevin’s insistent drive towards fresh sounds inspired him to create his forward-thinking hardcore fusion of trance-powered euphoria, acidic 303 intensity and innovative arrangements.
Alongside music-makers such as his long-time back to back partner Sharkey, he christened these new compositions as products of a freeform mentality; harking a desire to inject an anything-goes attitude into hardcore once again. And while his Nu Energy label laid out these new sonic blueprints, he was also stamping his name on the hard trance scene through tracks like ‘Beats For Me’ and the spine-tingling ‘Pounding Senses’ with Phil Reynolds. Meanwhile, the NEC Collective PA (comprising of Kevin, Sharkey, AMS and K Complex) has been responsible for bridging the musical gaps between hard dance and hardcore, taking crowds at events such as Frantic, Antiworld and Polysexual on a musical rollercoaster from 145 bpm right through to 165 bpm full-on hardcore.
Now, with Kevin’s latest mix for the Hardcore Heaven CD series waiting to explode and a whole host of hardcore bombs lying in his box we caught up with the energetic DJ to find out what’s been going down in the world of the Nu Energy Collective and also to get the lowdown on his eagerly anticipated set at Bliss on 26th August. Read on ravers…
The NEC Live At Frantic album was released last month on Resist, featuring tracks such as the soaring ‘Echelon’ by K Complex and AMS and the energized hard dance belter, ‘Thumpin Pumpin’, by yourself and K Complex. How pleased are you by the album’s success so far?
The pre sales were great but I have no idea at this stage of the final sell through figure. We’re really pleased with the overall hype on the album and are keeping our fingers crossed that it’s whipping bedrooms into a frenzy the nation over!
Just three releases in, your NEC Live hard dance label has already established itself as one of the most reliable outlets around. The epic ‘Echelon’ has become a favourite of Good cGreef resident Alex Kidd and Tidy’s Lee Haslam, ‘Time and Space’ by yourself and Sol Ray featured on Rob Tissera’s Live At The Tidy Weekender CD whilst ‘Alive’ by AMS and the forthcoming ‘Believe In The Future’ are both penciled in for a forthcoming Wildchild mix from Little Gem. What is the driving musical ethos behind the label?
The NEC Live 12” label was set up to focus on the slower material that we produce only, keeping things separate from the Freeform or Hardcore music that we reach through the Nu Energy label. The most important thing about all the NEC tracks is that they are all made for the dance floor. We make them with the live show in mind, so the inspiration is purely gauged by the way we see crowds reacting to different production tricks and content.
What future releases have you got coming up on the label?
The mighty ‘Anna’ by Sharkey, K Complex and myself, which draws on the classic Anastasia rave stab, the hoovertastic ‘Warp’ by K Complex and the spine tingling ‘Blazing Guns’ by AMS are all due for release and featured on the live at Frantic album.
And are you still running the legendary Dynamix label?
Yes but it’s now a Digital label. You can only download the tracks as it no longer exists in a vinyl format.
What is the main reason underpinning this change?
The 12” market is a tricky one these days. With the launch of the NEC 12” label we thought it would be right to offer our fans one hard dance outlet as a 12” and one as a download, because in today’s modern age it seems hard dance heads are consuming their music in different ways from the past.
From Birmingham’s Polysexual to your Frantic residency in London, the unique spectacle of NEC PA has caused serious floor damage at almost every major hard dance promotion in the country. Thinking of the events that haven’t yet been captivated by the energized mayhem of the NEC PA, which night would you most like to see the PA take centre stage at?
I’d love to see a main room Goodgreef set or even take the PA to nights like Gatecrasher.
In the next month, your pioneering Nu Energy label will celebrate a landmark 50th release. What was your main ambition when you first started the label and did you ever think it would grow to reach the point it has today?
My ambition then was to get my music out there in the streets. I had previously been releasing tracks on Sharkey’s Bonkers 12” label, but he bought that to an end. Starting my own outlet was the obvious thing to do. I didn’t really have a long term plan and would have never have guessed that I’d expand everything to the ‘Collective’ level that we’re at now but I guess that’s life. It’s been a rollercoaster ride and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Are there any special celebrations lined up for the 50th anniversary?
Sure — apart from the house party at yours (which all readers are invited to) I plan to do a double picture disk to celebrate being 50! There will be two new remixes of my proudest production ,‘Waves Of Desire’, as well as two versions of my new ‘Chemical Terror’ track. We may hold a small free party so keep an eye on www.nuenergy.co.uk for information!
Looking back across the histories of all your labels it’s fair to say you’re something of a talent-spotter. All enjoying their first release on the label, Synthetix Whites provided a vital stepping stone for Gaz ‘Dark By Design’ West, Pierre ‘P.H.A.T.T.’ Piennarr and Alf ‘Teknikal’ Bamford. Meanwhile, you signed Joey Riot’s Born Hardcore for Relentless Vinyl towards the end of last year and watched as the Scottish producer has emerged to court releases on Sy & Unknown’s Quosh as well as DJing at events such as Tidy’s huge Magna event. How important do you think it is to give upcoming producers a chance when signing tracks?
It’s vital to keep an ear to the ground for fresh talent. A newbie producer will hold bags of enthusiasm for musical styles and will want to prove themselves. Sharkey takes the A&R tip one step further buy offering training to young producers in house mix down training. This helps people with great ideas pull together more quality to their music.
Do you still listen to demos?
I receive heaps of demos to the NEC and always listen to each one.
What do you look for in each demo?
Sometimes you get a great track with a bad mix-down, which is fine as mix-downs can be worked on. Sometimes it’s the other way round — a quality well balanced and engineered track but with boring or plain content. It’s harder to teach somebody inspiration then production skills.
With the vinyl market in the precarious state it’s in right now, is it ever one risk too far when you sign material by artists that no one has ever heard of?
Yes it is more of a risk as stores look for big selling names to stock on the shelves. I think a customer will buy a good track no matter who it’s by but record stores do their ordering in a different way, especially the chain stores. A great track will always break through in the end in some way or another though. Record labels have to be more careful to promote new acts through CD licenses and general advertising to eliminate the risk.
[b]Which upcoming producers have been impressing you the most lately?
Arkitech is rocking some impressive beats. He will have releases on Sharkey’s new Kaotik label. Exphexis are also producing some stand out freeform hardcore with intense power, pace and some head-twisting psychedelic moments!
At Bliss on the 26th August, you’re playing a peak-time set in the insane hot-box of Tasty’s hardcore arena. How do you find the Tasty hardcore crowd compared to ravefloors in the rest of the country and what are you most looking forward to about the set?
The hardcore room at Tasty is always firing. It’s my favorite London residency for hardcore and I always look forward to a warm reception. It’s great to play as I can entice hard dance fans in from the main room with my crossover style. It’s always full on and I’m counting the days till bliss. He he…
What can your fans expect from your set and have you got anything special lined up for the occasion?
I may play naked….? I could well try doing the set in a straight jacket. Then again I may do it with hand puppets on or even dress as a woman. I’m not sure at this stage.
Well I look forward to the naked hand puppet Mr Energy showcase then… but seriously, are there any hot-off-the-press tunes that you’re dying to let loose on the Tasty ravers?
For sure. I have some cracking beats from around the world. There’s some intense Finnish freeform which I’m sure to draw out as well as my new Waves Of Desire remix that I’m due to finish next week!
Which three hardcore tracks have been doing the most damage for you over the summer months?
‘Transformed’ by Double Decka – full on big riff with bouncy bass.
‘Chemical Terror’ RAVE mix by yours truly mix - piano breakdown – big riff and drum n bass section.
‘Fly’ by the Dancelordz – full on vocal cheese but with that lush quality feel.
Spinning on pirates like the legendary Dream FM in the mid 90s and playing in sweat-lined rave-dens such as Bagleys, often before you were old enough to be in them, you’ve come through the ranks of the old skool hardcore days. What are the main differences between the hardcore scene of today and the one in which you first made your name?
Well I’m a lot older and everybody else is a lot younger! Lol — crowd wise it’s all the same but there seems to be less underground venues these days. Gone are the squat type sweat boxes, which is both good and bad really. Hardcore music is harder, faster and better produced then the older days but the atmosphere has not changed a bit. It’s hands in the air and electrifying all the way.
As well as your pioneering work with the hardcore sound and your notable hard trance excursions, you can also belt out a serious old skool hardcore rinse-out with the best of them. I know I’m not alone in thinking it’s not something we see enough of… When was the last time you got to play a proper old skool mash-up in a club and what are the chances of seeing you in the old skool room at Raindance?
It was a long time ago and I really miss playing my old beats. In fact I missed it so much that I decided to make my closing set in room two at Freeformation & Atomic Energy an old skool set on two occasions now. I’d happily do a main room old skool set for Raindance. I may send them hate mail till they book me!
Which tracks from the old skool era hold the most special memories and why?
Prodigy — ‘Your Love’ cos of the middle section.
Nebula 2 — ‘Anthemia’ on Reinforced cos of the heavy breaks
The House Crew — ‘We Are Hardcore’ on Production House cos of the intense stabs
In all the lost years, forgotten nights, crazy motorway missions and all-weekend rave escapades, what is the strangest thing you have ever encountered?
uMM that would have to be the multi lingual, sparrow juggling, red bearded, fire eating rabbit that we once saw riding a Harley on the m6.
That was strange!
Finally, what have you got lined up for the rest of the year? Will you be jetting off to enjoy the sun and sea?
I’m off to Oz for the one and only tour of this year which spans 3 weeks. I’m also off to Canada and the USA for a two week assault on the rave scene there!
Watch out!
All pics courtesy of Allan & Kev.
TASTY & RAINDANCE = BLISS
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On:
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Friday 26th August 2005
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At:
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Heaven [map]
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From:
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10PM TO 6AM
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Cost:
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£16.50 - MORE ON THE DOOR
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Website:
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www.raindanceravefestival.com
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Ticket Info:
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£16.50 from mad records 0207 430 0707 & ticket bank .... NO PAYING GUEST LIST.
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Buy Online:
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Click here to buy tickets
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More:
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Raindance, purveyors of the UKs ultimate rave atmosphere and Tasty, purveyors of the UKs ultimate hard dance atmosphere join together to bring you a night of heavenly BLISS.
Dance music is about fun, unity and breaking down barriers. That is exactly what we are doing on bank holiday Friday August 26th.
Raindance and Tasty represent two totally different ends of the dance music spectrum but both follow the same ethos of running their parties with dedication and passion to keep the original fun loving spirit of all night partying alive.
In joining together Raindance and Tasty will unite 2000+ “Ravers” and “Clubbers” from all walks of life to truly give you a night of musical BLISS.
The setting we have chosen for this party is perfect…. Heaven the venue that single handedly gave birth to the “ hedonistic” culture of hypnotic dance music in the late 80’s with seminal parties such as “Spectrum”, “Land of Oz”, “Earth” and “Rage”. The importance these events alongside “Heaven” had towards breaking down barriers between class and race, whilst pushing open minded music policies, is the reason why “Dance music culture” is an inspiration world wide, and it was only right for us to bring you such a ground breaking party in a venue with so much important “history” which has affected all of us in our search for musical and hedonistic “BLISS”…….
Raindance and Tasty party people now is the time to invite you all to share our passion and love in an epic journey of heavenly “BLISS”!!!...
IT'S RAINDANCE & TASTY ..... YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE PRODUCTION AT THIS PARTY!!!!!
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Flyer:
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 - 
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Region:
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London
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Music:
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Trance. Euro Trance. Hard Trance. Tech Trance. Nu NRG. Hardcore. HardStyle. House. Bouncy House. Funky House. Hard House. Tribal House. Vocal House. Breaks.
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DJ's:
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OLD SKOOL ARENA
THE FULL SPECTRUM
LIQUID - 100% LIVE P.A,
THIS WILL BE A FULL ON LIVE SHOW NOT A PRE RECORDED SET FEATURING THE MASSIVE TRACKS "SWEET HARMONY",
“LIQUID IS LIQUID", “YEAR 3000” & MORE
DJ SY
RAT PACK
NICKY BLACK MARKET
Billy Daniel Bunter
ELLIS DEE
SQUIRREL
DEMOLITION CREW
ISOTONIC CREW
MC'S EVENSON ALLEN, STRICT, ICE
HARD DANCE ARENA
EXTREME HARD HOUSE & ELEVATING HARD TRANCE
BILLY DANIEL BUNTER B2B Roosta
THE *Ting*
STEVE BLAKE B2B Phil Reynolds (CLASSICS SET)
Jon Doe B2B Kutski
CALLY CAGE
YOSHI (AUSTRALIAS NO.1)
ANTHONY ATCHERLEY
Lorenzo Barrero
HARDCORE ARENA
THE FULL SPECTRUM
DJ SY
SEDUCTION
Kevin Energy
BILLY DANIEL BUNTER
VIBES & LIVE LEE SHOW
CLSM B2B KUTSKI
UPLIFT
DARWIN
MC’S
STORM, WHIZZ KID, WOTSEE, SPENNO
JENKINS LANE MEETS PURE ANTHEMS ARENA
- CLASSIC HOUSE MUSIC ALL NIGHT LONG
NIKI DIMENSIONS
Piqué
BILLY DANIEL BUNTER
ANTHONY ATCHERLEY
SKIE
JOEY G
JACK BASS
NU SKOOL BREAKS ARENA
THE FUTURE SOUND OF THE UNDERGROUND
C.N.M
ELLIS D
SONS OF MECHA
ED 209
BREAKS ALLIANCE
JIMI MOFO
Steelo
DJ TWISTA
MC KEN MAC
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Other Features By Allan McGrath:
Kutski gets ready for his brand new residency @ Tasty - Love Muzik
Hardcore Euphoria preview: Bonkers about Arkitech
Mark Ashley vs Eryk Orpheus: the festive show down
Freeformation Chris-Mess Rave-Up Preview With Type 1
Tasty preview with Roosta
The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable.
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bring on next friday 
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he is & a great laugh. Love hearing Kev & boys play. Was wicked to see ya again at Total Mayhem (2 weeks ago) Love to you both 
