It's not a problem that I can't fix, coz' I can do it… IN DA MIX

Our Thursday periodicity brings us directly into what has to be taken as a new chapter, giving us the opportunity to be amongst the very first to wish you a happy new year…
So what to expect from 2K4†? Well, the answer couldn’t be anything else but the same. In other words, it will be what everyone of us will make of it. As to what concerns IDMW.com, we’re more than ever firmly decided to bring you the very best, should be editorially speaking with the contributions of new faces and the addiction of new sections to broaden our spectrum coverage, but also in terms of exposure with the progressive arrivals of new members joining the IDM Family of websites. Not to mention the welcome capacity of the IDMW.com website itself soon to be multiplied per 12 and the opening of an IDMW.com store in the weeks to come…


2003, BEST REMEMBERED
I guess it shouldn’t be a revelation telling you that there are mainly two ways of approaching things in life, depending whether you’re optimistic or not. We leave you guessing in which category we are while tending to prefer considering a bottle half full than the contrary. So, let’s come back to what went right last year, as everything has to be written for the one to come…

IDM SINGLES TENNERZ
Remember Kevin Hedge sayin’ to me while @ Sunslice Festival last summer that if talent is somewhere, it’s most definitely in the house scene where you find not only exquisite vocalists, but also positive and vibrant lyrics. Can’t see myself disagreing while listening to most of the material thereafter. Props to Louie Vega for bringing us the incredible sensitivity of Ra_l Midon as brilliantly demonstrated on his self written and sung “Cerca de Mi“. This somehow reminding us of Stevie Wonder as undoubtly Atlanta’s highlight Donnie well served by remixers DJ Spinna and Quentin Harris. At what is all this at the end of the day if not soul at its very best, as R&B diva, Beyonce with her super smash “ alternatively enlightened by Danny Krivit’s unique touch on his best re-edit to date†! Not to mention that recent collaboration between Blaze and Joi Cardwell…
This past year should also be remembered for a its massive Detroit imprint, as equally shown on this Singles 2003 Tennerz featuring no less than three faces to follow very seriously. I mean Amp Fiddler who made quite a stir with a remarkable live PA at Movement formerly known as the DEMF and a debut-LP that has recently seen the day. Also Norman Talley from the Beatdown Sounds camp, embodying this post Detroit techno era. Not to mention Dwele (see Albums Tennerz), nor Malik (Alston) who, no doubt neither, should definitely be a name to watch out cautiously in the future, with his various hats. The French scene has also had some stunning moments, should it be from the much in demand DJ Gregory, Bruno Hovaerts aka Patchworks to be put in the same category as Malik, with a special word for Olivier Portal aka Playin’ 4 The City meeting french hip hop pioneer, Dee Nasty on one of the best oppositions of genres — the so called battles — that has ever been made.

LOUIE VEGA featuring RAŸL MIDON Cerca de Mi (Vega Records)
DONNIE Cloud 9 — (Giant Step/Motown)
BEYONCE Crazy — Re-edit by Mister K. (white)
NORMAN TALLEY Change — Mike Huckaby Remix (Third Ear)
DJ GREGORY Elle — Criola Remix (Defected)
AMP FIDDLER Love & War (Genuine)
BLAZE featuring JOI CARDWELL Be yourself (King Street)
INFINITY featuring MALIK Back 2 Chicago (King Street)
PATCHWORKS Immo (Q-Tape)
PLAYIN’ 4 THE CITY Don’t You Go — Dee Nasty Remix Dialect Recordings)

IDM ALBUMS TENNERZ
Well, well, well, sorry for our numerous US and UK Friends but looks like our favors have mostly gone for a production hailing from Europe. And when I’m saying Europe, I mean the continent as the Brits tend to like calling it, should it be from the North, where the scandinavian scene provides us regularly with true aural treasures (check out Ralph Myerz and his cohorts), as from the South, where Italian duet, The Dining Rooms symbolizes the local way of life. Not to mention the german-austrian prolific scene. In search for a fabulous road book of atmospherism†? Then go for Cuki’s selection on Destination Out II. Look for one of the best travel experience that has been made so far†? Then check out austrian pair, dZihan & Kamien live album, recapturing the ambiance of the launch gig of their last studio album, surrounded by nearly 20 musicians, including Sammy Figueroa and a string section from Istanbul†! Also worth to mention, Micatone’s second album out of Jazzanova’s Sonar Kolletiv label. Meanwhile, Ludovic Navarre shows one of his other facets, producing the ultra soulful Memento for Soel. Coming from the “New Continent“, the much sought after Dwele has finally dropped his first album, meanwhile, further North (in Canada), Eric Vani aka Rise Ashen gives us the opportunity to have a better view of a growing local scene on his Refuel 1 compilation. This added to the very delicate debut of Deyampert (also) on Sonar Kolletiv. Last but not least, a bit of x-tra props to… Louie Vega for its unvaluable Soul Heaven mixed CD full of goodies.

THE DZIHAN & KAMIEN ORCHESTRA Live In Vienna (Couch Records)
DWELE Subject (Virgin)
LUDOVIC NAVARRE aka ST GERMAIN presents SOEL Memento (Warner Jazz)
THE DINING ROOMS Tre (Schema)
V/A†: DESTINATION OUT II (Ecco.Chamber)
V/A†: SOUL HEAVEN†: LONDON – IBIZA (suSu)
V/A†: REFUEL 1 (Fossifuel)
MICATONE Is You Is (Sonar Kollektiv)
RALPH MYERZ & THE JACK HERREN BAND A Special Album (emperorNorton)
DEYAMPERT Shapes & Colours (Sonar Kollektiv)

IDM PEOPLE TENNERZ

•†YAM WHO
This name rings a bell, hey†? Much has been said about the numerous works of this guy, but who is he really†? A superstar’s secret weapon†? Naaah†! But already a much sought after re-editor for sure, that loads’o people leavin’ in London have already seen selling’em records at Wreckless record store in Soho without knowing that this was he…

•†AMP FIDDLER
For a huge amount of people, Detroit is nothing but the TechnoCity by excellence, forgetting in the meantime that techno is more of a state of mind (the local response to UK’s famous do it yourself attitude inherited from the punk period) than a rhythmic system as generally depicted. On top of this, let’sz not forget that the capital of Michigan is also — and that happened long before — one of the cradles of soul music with people like Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and all of those who’ve written the history of Motown Records, the ones of which Fiddler alongside Dwele is a true descendant. True soul has never died and there’s no way to worry about its future with people like them…

•†LOUIE VEGA
Trully unmissable from day 1 til the very last day of the passed year, should he be alone, producing, remixing, spinning, compiling or with his partner, Kenny Dope…

• KERRI CHANDLER
A true classic in his genre I would say, but always having his mind with his finger pressed on the fast forward button, as brilliantly demonstrated while acting like a conductor behind the desks last summer at the Sunslice Festival…

• DERRICK MAY
Thank you Mr May for taking your word while putting the Detroit scene and its famous festival the way you did last year with the Movement…

• MALIK ALSTON
Writting music and lyrics, singing and playing, able to express himself on almost every kind of environment, from classic to the most progressive side of the things, Alston is certainly one of the future big names from Detroit. Check him out…

• NICOLA CONTE
The man who’s much contributed to the growing reputation of Schema Records outside Italy with his silky nu bossa sensibiltily.

• CUKI
Aka Allen Brown. The most well know british citizen in Vienna. If Jose Padilla symbolizes the this was then in terms of atmospheric selections with his Cafe del Mar compilations, Brown is probably the this is now to this…

• DANNY KRIVIT
Somehow the shadow guy as compared to FranÁois K. and Joe Claussell at the Body & Soul period. Nevertheless, probably the absolute groove cutmaster refering to the re-edits that have made his trademark.

• GLENN UNDERGROUND
The guy who has more than anyone else kept Chicago on the map with a whole bunch of aural treasures. In the mean time, one of the most underrated DJ’s in the world despite a U-nique touch…

All on all, not that bad at the end of the day…

MFSB