I've been a fan of Maya Jane Coles for her sets more so than her production. She's an incredible DJ and always plays super hard House and Techno. Her production is quirky, more chill, and ambient; I feel leaning more towards film or gaming. It was also through her BBC ONE Essential Mix 2015 that I found her, but it's her Boiler Room sets that got me hooked. I had the opportunity to see Maya play in Amsterdam at Amsterdam Dance Event--ADE in 2015. She headlined the show at the iconic NDSM in a show title: Maya Jane Coles & Friends, which to my delight also included my other favourite DJ/Producers—Dusky. 

 I have attached the set that got me into Maya (1), and one of my favourite sets from her (2):

(1) Maya Jane Coles, BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix 30-07-2015 - Live from Space

(2) Maya Jane Coles Boiler Room & Ballantine's Stay True Scotland DJ Set

 

 

Upon reading through a treasure trove of interviews online, to my surprise, I found out that Maya was actually influenced by the 90-00's Hip-Hop scene. She says "When growing up my main love was hip hop, so when I first started producing music, my dream was actually to be a hip hop producer… I wanted to be the female Timbaland!" (Maya Jane Coles & GAPS interview, 2015).

 

She goes on to say that if she was given the opportunity to work with any other artist, it would be "Missy Elliot, or Kelis" (Maya Jane Coles & GAPS interview, 2015). So, it's clear that her influencers are Hip-Hop based figures, either producers, rappers, or singers. 

 

·       Timbaland

·       Missy Elliot

·       Kelis

Hutchinson, K. (2013, November 23). Maya Jane Coles finds Comfort in dance music's dark side. Retrieved from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/nov/23/maya-jane-coles-comfort

 

Maya Jane Coles & GAPS interview. (2015, 12 11). Retrieved from Dummymag: http://www.dummymag.com/features/maya-jane-coles-gaps-interview

 

Rickinson, S. (2017, 8 25). INTERVIEW: MAYA JANE COLES. Retrieved from Deep House Amsterdam: http://www.deephouseamsterdam.com/interview-maya-jane-coles/

 

Ross, A. (2017, 9 21). 'Take Flight' With Maya Jane Coles: Producer Reflects on Her Career, New Double LP. Retrieved from Billboard: https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/dance/7968858/maya-jane-coles-interview-take-flight-2017

I've been hooked on Dusky since the first time I heard them. It was probably through their BBC ONE Essential Mix in 2012. I love their production and sets. For me they encapsulate Tech-House perfectly, however, more towards the House side (uplifting, melodic, but also hard beats). The first album I purchased from them was actually more chill, super strong in vocals, similar to Maya Jane Coles. Then I began to listen to their later production which was more suited towards club sets, and also my taste.

 

I have attached the set that got me into Dusky (1), and linked a few of my favourite tracks:

(1) 2012 10 13 Dusky Essential Mix BBC Radio1

(2) Lost in you [Janai] – Dusky   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExDt7LNyxXI 

(3) Not Enough [Janai] – Dusky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwwVARVjt3M 

(4) Careless – Dusky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBgVZkctLqw 

(5) Don't Go [Dusky] - Justin Martin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANP_BkWVkLI 

(6) Skin Deep – Dusky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjbibR6DV1s 

(7) Yoohoo – Dusky  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDcxCbIzKXA&t=154s 

(8) Mr. Man – Dusky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz06DI2PYHM 

(9) Square Miso – Dusky https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9YeLNcp5tg 

 

 

It was surprisingly difficult to find any information on Dusky’s influencers. I ran through 10-15 interviews with little, to no, avail. However, taking it back to the first set I ever listened to by Dusky—BBC ONE Essential Mix 2012, they introduced themselves and talked on their influencers. They discussed tracks ‘Sincere by MJ Cole’ and ‘Just Another Chance by Kevin Saunderson’ (Dusky Essential Mix BBC Radio1, 2012). 

MJ Cole is a seminal part of UK Garage and Dub. Kevin Saunderson is a pioneer of Techno. He came out of Detroit—the birthplace of Techno music, and one of the ‘Belleville Three’, known to be the creators of this genre. It’s clear through Dusky’s production and sets that they’re heavily influenced by House, Techno, UK Dub and Garage. This has led them to create their own sound and space within Tech-House, exhibiting that iconic UK sound. 

 

·       MJ Cole

·       Kevin Saunderson

·       Mark Knight

 

 

ADMIN. (2013, January 13). BEST PRODUCERS: DUSKY. Retrieved from Dj Mag: https://djmag.com/content/best-producers-dusky

 

Beaumont-Thomas, B. (2015, December 14). Interview Dusky's favourite tracks. Retrieved from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/dec/13/dusky-favourite-tracks

 

Christian. (2015, September 15). IN CONVERSATION Dusky on their formative Drum & Bass background. Retrieved from Fabric London: https://www.fabriclondon.com/blog/view/in-conversation-dusky-on-their-formative-drum-bass-background

 

Dusky Essential Mix BBC Radio1. (2012, 10 13). Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4FVYkgIPyc

 

Hernandez, C. (2016, November 11). Dusky talk new album ‘Outer’ and dig deep into their creative process [Interview]. Retrieved from Dancing Astronaut: https://dancingastronaut.com/2016/11/dusky-outer-interview/

 

John, E. (2015, 11 3). Interview: Dusky. Retrieved from Mancunion: http://mancunion.com/2015/11/03/interview-dusky/

 

London duo Dusky launch new label 17 Steps. (2016, May 22). Retrieved from Factmag: http://www.factmag.com/2014/05/22/london-duo-dusky-launch-new-label-17-steps/

 

Shinfuku, K. (2017, February 22). INTERVIEW + PLAYLIST: DUSKY ARE CHANGING THE MUSIC GAME AND BRINGING THEIR MAGIC TO THE US. Retrieved from Magnetic Mag: https://www.magneticmag.com/2017/02/interview-playlist-dusky-are-changing-the-music-game-and-bringing-their-magic-to-the-us/

 

Sweetland. (22, September 2015). Dusky Interview – ‘People that really persevere with music tend to make it in the industry…’. Retrieved from Stony Roads: http://stoneyroads.com/2015/09/dusky-interview-people-that-really-persevere-with-music-tend-to-make-it-in-the-industry/

 I have attached some of my favourites from Mark, some which happen to be the highest selling and most important tracks in House music history:

(1) Man With The Red Face [Mark Knight & Funkagenda]  – Laurent Garnier  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r7NCucfzLk 

(2) Downpipe – Mark Knight & D. Ramirez https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XmpisSFlCc 

(3) Love Sweet Sound [Mark Knight & Funkagenda’s A.H.B. Mix] – Groove Armada https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXXWgIqJ-M0 

 

 

Mark Knight’s biggest influencer was ‘Disco Garry’ (Records, Mark Knight, 2015), as discussed in his interview with his label—ToolRoom Records. Disco Garry used to play underage high school parties in his home town of Maidstone in the UK. He, along with a slew of other House legends used to take to these parties religiously, including Dean Wilson [Deadmau5’s manager], Owen Ingrim, Nic Fancuilli and more.

 

·       Disco Garry

·       Pete Tong

·       Nic Fancuilli

 

Records, T. (2015, 3 30). Mark Knight. Retrieved from ToolRoom Records: https://www.toolroomrecords.com/artist/mark-knight/

 

Records, T. (2016, January 30). Mark Knight - A Year In The Life - FULL DOCUMENTARY. Retrieved from Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKoCpPDUhtY&feature=youtu.be

 

Rota, Z. (2015, May 29). Mark Knight Makes Toolroom the Mother of All Labels (and Successfully). Retrieved from Vice: Thump: https://thump.vice.com/en_ca/article/pg8jmb/mark-knight-makes-toolroom-the-mother-of-all-labels-and-successfully

 

Top 10 House Music Influencers. (n.d.). Retrieved from Klear: https://klear.com/influencers/House%20Music

I propose a VR animated game. Set in Medieval England, you are required to play as a member of French armed forces (infantry, or cavalry). The task is to breach the English castle. You are fighting alongside 700 men, against an army of 1000 protected by heavy fortifications (wall, drawbridge, archers, boiling oil cauldrons). 

 

You begin at a distance of 700 meters shielded by woodlands, but ultimately must make an approach towards the front entrance which is in open territory. 

 

You will be the leader of your regiment (100 men) and have 30 minutes to breach the fortified gates. 

 

 

Similar game might be: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAgERnDdOoU

Typical films in the genre of comedy are easily digestible, light-hearted stories with happy endings, that aim to amuse and uplift the audience. Films often use exaggeration to elicit humour. As a genre comedy tends to really use stars as lead actors, as this is an easy means for the audience to identify what type of comedy the film is aiming for, for example Adam Sandler movies tend to focus on lower forms of humour. Jim Carey is an actor that will employ exaggeration masterfully. Ben Stiller finds himself in many Romantic Comedies. 

 

Comedy tends to have a very distinct and recognizable sound. There are many instruments and melodies we recognize as comedic in-and-of themselves. For example, “’wah-wah’ of trombones to slide whistles” (Leach, 2013) are very cliché in comedy. 

 

Many comedic scenes are built on “Creating a mood with a fast tempo; [using] an instrument palette that includes pizzicato strings, electric piano, glockenspiel and light drums; simple triadic harmony in a major key; and a bouncy rhythm” (Leach, 2013). More than this, “being over-the-top is what makes something stand out…loud is exciting and different…in comedy you can be outrageous and its perfectly acceptable” (Leach, 2013).

 

Although comedy in film began without audio, in that this technology wasn’t available, since its introduction into film, audio stood hand-in-hand with visuals to communicate deeper forms of humour along with helping to create builds and emphasize peak gut-busting laughter. As discussed above, there is now audio which is in and of itself humorous. Audio is an important part of comedy as a genre, it might be used to help underpin an awkward love scene, or anticipation for a kiss in romantic comedy. It might be loud crashing sounds to assist in slap-stick humour. Inevitably audio is an integral feature of comedy as a genre, and many, more complex forms of humour might not exist if it wasn’t for audios accompaniment in directing the audience’s attention or playing contrast.

Farley, S. (2015, May 29). Comedy…”It’s an Interesting Thing to Try and Nail Down” – Interview with Chris Scarabosio. Retrieved from The Art & Technique of Sound Design: http://designingsound.org/2015/05/29/comedy-its-an-interesting-thing-to-try-and-nail-down-interview-with-chris-scarabosio/

 

Heldt, G. (2013). Music and Levels of Narration in Film. Bristol: Intellect Books Ltd.

 

Krutnik, F., & Neale, S. (1990). Popular Film and Television Comedy. Abingdon: Routledge.

 

Leach, R. (2013, September 26). How to Score Comedy. Retrieved from Envato Tuts: https://music.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-score-comedy--audio-20733

 

Rose, J. (2008). Audio Postproduction for Film and Video. Abingdon: Taylor & Francis Group.

 

Tibbetts, J. C. (2005). Composers in the Movies : Studies in Musical Biography. Connecticut: Yale University Press.

 

Tonks, P. (2001). Film Music. Harpendale: Pocket Essentials.

 

 

Jarre is the grandfather and pioneer of electronic music, alongside Kraftwerk and Giorgio Moroder. But, he was a performer like no other. “He studied under the sonic innovator Karlheinz Stockhausen and musique concrete progenitor Pierre Schaefer in the late 60s, and in the 70s he bridged the gap between the avant-garde and pop music to huge commercial success.” (Biography, n.d.). Jarre took electronic music to unforeseen heights and popularized it as a form of music in and of itself as early as the late 70s and 80s, selling 80 million albums worldwide. This was ground-breaking considering its use at the time solely as embellishment in traditional rock or disco. An innovator in every sense of the word, “Jarre creates a new format of outdoor concert performance that has contributed to break the ground for a new generation of out-door live cultural events,” (Biography, n.d.) which is the focus of this piece.

 

 

“I’ve always been a musician. I also started by studying painting when I was a teenager doing music and visual arts. I’ve been one of the first musicians to really integrate visuals at that stage in my shows.” (Pharms, 2018)

Jarre’s first large-scale performance takes place after the release of his first hit album Oxygène. 

The stage is set at Place de la Concorde Paris, France July 14, 1979. To an audience of 1 million, this was his first entry in the Guinness Book of Records. 

His next most notable performances, which to this day, one would be hard-pressed to recreate an event in social history as significant as his Concerts in China. Jarre was officially invited into post-Mao China as the first Western musician to hold a concert in 25 years of closed boarders. The concerts took place in Beijing and Shanghai. After 25 years of zero Western influence, especially in cultural phenomena, this would have been an awe-inspiring event for both Jarre and his audience.  

Although, not his biggest ever concert, it is still North Americas largest ever audience at a concert. Rendez-vous Houston April 5, 1986 took place with an audience 1.5 million attendees, which became his second entry in the Guinness Book of Records. It was created as a celebration of the 150^th anniversary of Texas and Houston, and the 25^th anniversary of the foundation of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Centre. It’s particularly special as this was set to be the first time an astronaut played music in space. Tragically, the Challenger space craft crashed killing all inside, which left Jarre hurting, “I thought about cancelling the whole project, but all the astronauts were like, ‘You have to do the concert as a tribute to the astronauts, there heroes. Then, the concert took place in Houston in April of 86’.” (Pharms, 2018)”. This is the concert where Jarre again pushes the boundaries in live performance “I got the idea to stage a concert by using the skyline of the city as a backdrop. I think it was the first time that such a concert was done at that scale.” (Pharms, 2018)

By comparison, the largest music festival globally, Ultra Music Festival, born out of Miami, also uses this technique borrowed from Jarre. Using the city skyline as the backdrop for a show is something really only accessible to artists of the 21^st century, and it’s interesting to see how long it took for an artist or musician to finally consider this an option and further, bring it to fruition.

 

Homecoming for a hero, Paris La Défense July 14, 1990. 2.5 million people lined up in Paris for a hero’s welcome. A super special concert, with an incredible geometric lighting show became his third entry in the Guinness Book of Records. 

 

Moscow, Russia September 6, 1997. Audience 3.5 million attendees. This is Jarre’s fourth and final entry in the Guinness Book of Records for his show Oxygène in Moscow. It was in celebration of the 850^th birthday of Moscow, but also played tribute to his late friend Princess Diana only days after her tragic passing. This was his largest concert and the world-record holder for most attendees, something doubtful to be surpassed any time soon, if ever.

 

Since then, Jean-Michel has toured globally and produced a further 2 albums. He has recently released his legacy, 50 years of electronic music, composed by the master himself. It’s abundantly clear that Jean-Michel Jarre is the grandfather of electronic music, its production and performance. Holding 4 separate world records for largest audience at a concert, something no other artist holds, or probably will ever achieve again, perhaps until a new form of music arises. 

 

Allen, J. (2015, September 22). A rendezvous with electronic music pioneer Jean-Michel Jarre. Retrieved from FACTmag: http://www.factmag.com/2015/09/22/jean-michel-jarre-interview/

 

Allen, J. (2016, October 5). Jean-Michel Jarre – 10 of the best. Retrieved from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2016/oct/05/jean-michel-jarre-10-of-the-best

 

Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved from Jean Michele Jarre: https://jeanmicheljarre.com/biography

 

Duerden, N. (2016, April 22). Jean Michel Jarre interview: 'If your priority in life is happiness, don't be a musician'. Retrieved from Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/jean-michel-jarre-interview-if-your-priority-in-life-is-happiness-dont-be-a-musician-a6996576.html

 

Gordon-Levitt, J., Goss, M., & Michele-Jarre, J. (n.d.). Jean-Michel Jarre. Retrieved from BBC Music: https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/artists/86e2e2ad-6d1b-44fd-9463-b6683718a1cc

 

Jarre, J.-M. (2007). Jean Michel Jarre - The Making of "Water for Life": The Story Behind the Sahara Desert Concert. London: Idesine.

 

Jarre, J.-M. (2015, November 9). Jean-Michel Jarre on the evolution of music technology: Part 1 | Native Instruments. Retrieved from Native Instruments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4s3OsSFOGs

 

Jarre, J.-M. (2016, February 25). Jean-Michel Jarre on the evolution of music technology: Part 2 | Native Instruments. Retrieved from Native Instruments: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a8vumLIM4c

 

Larkin, C. (2011). Jean Michel-Jarre. In C. Larkin, The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (pp. 1997-2000). London: OmniBus Press.

 

Matthews, P. (1994). Guiness Book of Records. London: Guiness Publishing.

 

Pharms, G. (2018, April 2). Visiting the World of ‘Electronica’: An Interview With Jean-Michel Jarre. Retrieved from Free Press Houston: https://www.freepresshouston.com/visiting-the-world-of-electronica-an-interview-with-jean-michel-jarre/

 

Power, T. (2017, July 8). Jean-Michel Jarre revisits Oxygène. Retrieved from Q on CBC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psna_xNlWrk

 

Remilleux, J.-L. (1998). Jean-Michel Jarre. London: Futura Publications Ltd.