Beast Interviews...Lee Williams

Listen to Lee William's Minotaur Sound Promo Mix Part 1.

Lee Williams

The Beast receives lots of requests from those wanting to take part in his epic nights of shadowy dancefloor legend. By Minotaur decree, DJ appeals must be accompanied by mythical feats being performed to prove said talents – many an intrepid DJ has succumbed to fingers getting chopped off - such is the wrath of the Beast when demanding musical perfection. The day that Bournemouth DJ Lee Williams came forward to speak to The Beast, goes down in Minotaur Sound history. Lee had already made his mark securing bookings at some of the biggest events in the UK as well as in Europe. Working on the same bill as Sasha, Darren Emerson, Layo & Bushwaka, Dave Angel, Billy Nasty and Nick Muir to mention a few.

He’s appeared at Ministry of Sound, Pascha, Pulse Festival and The Egg as well as runs and headlines his night Terminal in Bournemouth. Masterful at wrapping his crowd in sound to scale heady musical heights and immersing them into the kind of nights that you never want to end. To say that Lee had Beast’s attention is an understatement. Beast was keen to share the DJ love and get Minotaur Sound fans learning about the hottest DJ Jedi in the Minotaur Lair.

Lee tells Beast that he bought his first set of turntables at the age of 13 and that as his Dad was also a DJ, his interest in music goes back as far as he can remember. For years he would collect records and practice on his turntables until one day, when another DJ pulled out of an event at the last minute, a request was made for Lee to make his debut appearance. He took the night by storm and never looked back.

Beast likes Lee’s dynamism – as a seasoned DJ he asks him what makes a good DJ? “I think a good DJ is someone that is original and true to themselves – delivering something exciting and unique to the people they play to. I think it’s very obvious to see if someone has a true love and passion for music. This energy resonates in the work they do in the club or studio – music lovers will see right through you if you’re not true to that.” True that! Beast will be spreading this message far and wide to future DJ’s coming forth.

Lee is inspired by so many artists – Beast can attest to this, the size of Lee’s musical hard drive makes everyone’s eyes water. At the moment Lee is inspired by Tin Man, Daniel Avery, Stephan Bodzin and Third Son. One day very soon he would love to appear on the same bill as Recondite or Ame.

Beast is left in such a cheery mood after interviewing Lee, he asks for another tasty titbit.

Lee tells Beast that stepping in to save the night has happened to him on a few occasions. Most recently when having to play at a gay bar in Cologne where another DJ had cancelled – it meant that, end to end he played for 7 hours, then gathered up his things and flew home. What a musical hero! Beast is so impressed that he wishes he could sacrifice a Virgin in his honor. Luckily the Minotaur Minions were able to stop him in time – mostly due to a lack of Virgins in the immediate area.

Catch Lee lubricating the airwaves and energizing the Beast’s techno court with Denis Horvat, G Rowe, Ellis Odyssey and Nautz & Toppa and Kuba Drypher at the next Minotaur night on May 13^th.
Get your tickets here.

Beast interviews…Kagun and Orion

Beast is at it again – bringing you the DJ juice.

Kagun

This time finding out more about back room DnB DJ’s and Producers Orion and Kagun. Beast headhunted (swords were not involved this time) the musical duo for the upcoming May gig – it’s just impossible not to hoof stomp to their bass riddled beats and Beast had to have them.

Beast just knows that Orion and Kagun are on track for big things - their talent and mutual love for bass can be palpably heard – check out their soundclouds below:


Orion: https://soundcloud.com/ori-tolkovsky

Kagun: https://soundcloud.com/kagundnb

Kagun has performed sets in Northampton, London and Bristol and is influenced by Fre4knc, Break and Amoss.

Orion is part of Bristol based Inkline Collective and Dorset based Nuphunk Collective and has played at numerous events in the South West to include alongside Xtrah – for which he won a much coveted music competition. He tells beast that he loves to mix and produce the whole spectrum of drum and bass and both he and Kagun delights the crew with a promise for B2B surprises and a journey into heavy basslines in May.

Orion

They tell Beast that they met at Bris-Tek whilst dancing at the front for the whole night and quickly realised that their musical talents were best pooled as one - in one of the most exciting DnB mandem duos to hit Bristol and the South West…watch out world. If you want to catch them before the next Minotaur night, head to Inkline at the Doghouse, Bristol this Thursday 23rd March 2017.

Beast asks them, if given the choice of DJ to get stuck on a desert island, who would this be? Orion tells Beast “I’d happily be stuck on a desert island with Calibre! The man is a genius. I look up to him so much because he makes a whole range of musical styles and is the most humble guy”. Kagun likes Calibre but says he would be most happiest stuck with Fre4knc to rinse out the riddims – Beast suddenly wants to get stuck on a desert island with Kagun, Orion, Calibre and Fre4knc but has to satisfy himself that getting stuck with them in the DnB back room dungeon with Peasoup at the upcoming Minotaur Sound Party on May 13^th 2017 will be amazingly rad and will have to suffice…for now.

Minotaur Sound Fam - get your tickets asap to catch Kagun and Orion providing an almighty back room DnB mood changer to the Techno main room with Denis Horvat, Lee Williams, Kuba Drypher, Ellis Odyssey, Nautz & Toppa and G Rowe on May 13th 2017 at The Office, Bristol: Click here for ticket and event details.

The Beast interviews…Peasoup

The beast invited DJ Peasoup to showcase his wares at the next Minotaur Sound party in May. Wrap your ears around a teaser mini mix created just for Beastie by Peasoup. Forever curious Beast wanted to know more as to what makes Peasoup’s metaphorical metronome tick the most.

Peasoup defines himself as a music lover and DJ from Bristol, into his Hip-hop, DnB & Breaks with anything else that takes his fancy. Beast and crew instantly fell in love with his versatility and the rich bassy sounds that have been emanating from his Technics over the last 16 years of his DJ’ing career.

Peasoup

He has DJ’d alongside Jon First (DMC World Champ) and DJ Rollz and has also played with Tek-One, Llaman and Goldie Lookin Chain. He was a regular at Big Chill and Thekla in Bristol and played at The Brits snowboarding festival in Tignes. He also co ran a clubnight in Leicester in the dubstep days.

Peasoup gets his musical inspiration drawing upon his hip hop background and spends a lot of time digging into past records and samples. “Every time you go back you find a new tangent to follow and expand your knowledge” he explains.

Peasoup tells the beast that if given the chance he would love to appear on the same lineup as A-Skilz for pure party vibes, DJ Premier for Hip Hop and Logistics for DnB. “I love DnB because it’s forever changing faces and assimilating new styles. I’ve never once got bored of it as a genre – it’s so broad and complex” …Beast stomps his hooves in agreement and asks Peasoup if he wants Minotaur Sound minions to know anything else about him…

“…just don’t ask me to play Beyonce”

Beast is relieved with this last statement and agrees that the B word is never to be uttered, let alone requested.

Catch Peasoup pleasing a discerning crowd in the planned Drum and Bass den. A beaty palate cleanser to the main Techno room at the May party. 

Also catch more of Peasoup's mixcloud here: https://www.mixcloud.com/Peasoup/

Denis Horvat and our next event Press Release.

Beast is back.

Denis Horvat

Hibernation was too much to hold him off. Minions and crew couldn't fend him off for much longer. To abate the hunger we decided to bring Denis Horvat for his Bristol debut. Denis is part of the well respected Aeon Audio and Innervisions record label and will be joining us on May 13th. He is joined by Lee Williams from Terminal, Kuba Drypher, Ellis Odyssey, Nautz and Toppa and just in case that's not enough a Drum and Bass den will be showcasing the wonderful wares of Peasoup, Kagun and Orion. Minotaur resident DJ's Donewrong and G Rowe will also be bringing in those mythical techno vibes.

Mythical Faun from We Creatures

As before, Naomi from We Creatures will bring in the glittering creature collective and Amy will mesmerise with her LED hoopla talents. Then there's beast's sexy labyrinth lair in BS5 7UZ, just you wait until you see that! For more details take a look at our official press release as below. If you would like the opportunity to get in touch for interviews, radio shows or any other media before May 13 please get in touch: catherine@minotaursound.co.uk.

Otherwise head to our event page here and ticket page here. Beast can guarantee lashings of mythical sleaze.

See you in May. Bring your horns.

Our official Press Release here.

Beast Reviews: Maxxi Summer 2016 Mixtape by Maxxi Soundsystem

Maxxi Summer 2016 Mixtape (Listen on Soundcloud here)

The Beast and his team of minions spent the summer chasing one of their favourite DJ's and music producers, none other than Maxxi Soundsystem. His epic grand finale at Hidden Valley on the Saturday night at Wilderness to the unlikely 'In the Air Tonight' by Phil Collins was the stuff of legend - who else could pull that off. Beastie and team were lured into a night of techno lushness and then hurled into that 80's throwback that had us buzzing from forest valley to tent lair.

So, there was much joy when Maxxi put up his Summer mixtape with the tunes that created our sizzling season's anthems. Here's the review with track timings (note that these are not approx) - Disclaimer: Beast works in analogue without a clue on techie stuff, so bear with him as his mythical hearing works its magic. Key listening cues are in the bullet points as below:

• 1.39 in and **that** heartbeat from Alpe Luisa ups the tempo and pow, you're in and on what you know is going to be a roller coaster ride.
• From 18:40 The Black Madonna remix of Tiga's Blondes Have More Fun. Fat synths and rolling soundscape echo brings in the backdrop to a lot of 2016 sunsets. Gun Finger time.
• 27:30 and time to get seduced by the honey vocals of Nonku in Andre Lodemann's remix version of Hyenah's Soak it.
• 45:20 One of the reasons why we love this mix so much is that it features the amazing collab work borne of Maxxi and Alex Banks "Lost in Memory". Combine Maxxi's fine mastery of techno tapestries with Alex's home grown glitchy synths and you have this fine example that had us raving it up in Wilderness and craving more. Take 50:01 as a punchy keyboard drop that you will want to hear over and over again.
• 1:08:30 Jamie 3:26's 'Hit it N Quit It' tail ends into Cloud Generator by Kink - what a match made in heaven which ultimately had us stomping our hooves ever more into a techno dance frenzy. Banger.
• We loved the closing track at 1:54:30 and had to double take at whether it was a Maceo Plex offering. But no, it's Autarkic's "I know". Another banger.

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Track List:

1. 0:00 "Alpe Luisa" (Robag Bodelshwing Sovar NB) by Stimming

1a. The overlaid sample is taken from the film Repo Man; Miller explains Cosmic Unconsciousness and Time Travel.

2. 7:00 "Oar003-B" by Oni Ayhun

3. 12:30 "Unknown" **Is this a potential future Maxxi release?** We don't know but we loved it and hope to hear it again. If you know this one, please comment.

4. 18:30 "Blondes have more fun" (The Black Madonna Immaterial remix) by Tiga

5. 26.50 "Soak It" (Andrew Lodemann remix - Nonku) by Hyenah

6. 33.16 "For A Memory" by Tim Green

7. 38:00 "Sundust" by Jepe

8. 45:20 "Lost in Memory" by Maxxi Soundsystem and Alex Banks

9. 51:00 "Lay Down" (Aaaron mix) by Kalyma

10. 55.50 "Searching" (Deetron remix) by Fred Everything, Dinadu, Deetron

11. 1:00:00 "Uncertain Qualities" by Krisztian Dobroscsi

12. 1:05:18 "Hit it N Quit it" by Jamie 3:26 & Cratebug

13. 1:08:30 "Cloud Generator" by Kink

14. 1:15:20: "Caminho de Dreyfus" (Rebolledo remix) by Red Axes Ft. Abrao - Maxxi version

15. 1:20:30 "Anacreon" by Human Machine

16. 1:24:14 "Unknown" or possibly a bootleg Maxxi version of "The Wrath of NIA" by DJM-Traxxx?

17. 1:31:30 "In the Turret" by PBR Streetgang

18. 1:37:20 "Burn the past" by Terr

19. 1:42:30 "Aint Me" (Spirit Catcher remix) by Bonar Bradburg, Spirit Catcher

20. 1:47:10 "Tourette" (David Mayer remix) by Terranova

21. 1:54:30 "I Know" by Autarkic

Maxxi Soundsystem at Hidden Valley, Wilderness 2016

Beast Reviews: Satsify Mix by Nero

Satisfy Mix - Nero (Listen on Soundcloud here)

In under 58 minutes the Nero trio, showcase just why they are one of the best crowd pleasing musical acts of all time. The Satisfy mix is a couple of years old but it’s also one of their best. Easing its way in with a sampler from cult film ‘Strange Days’ (aficionados will remember the reference to Lenny Nero’s memories on disc). Here find a rich tapestry of classic and newer tracks weaved in such a way that will have you desperate to jump up and dance. We love how Vangelis’s Blade Runner main title was dovetailed in such a way that it didn’t become overly cocky – how some DJ’s have got it so wrong by adding this track then finding that it becomes the ADHD child with all other tracks having a tough act to follow. If you don’t manage to listen to all of this mix, there are two parts to really listen out for:
36 minutes in: A Number of Names’ ‘Shari Vari’ and the transition to Leftfield’s Phat planet. You just don’t even realise that *THAT* drum pattern is already there in the background luring you in, then pow!

44 minutes in: As if LFO’s ‘Freak’, didn’t blow your mind (and body) enough with the tune that we have all freaked out to, listen to the mastery of that cowbell clinking in the background – recognise that? Enter Nero’s very own remix of Depeche Mode’s ‘Behind The Wheel’– if this doesn’t have you dancing your socks off we don’t know what will.

Just as you thirst for more, Jon Hopkin’s ‘Collider’ finalises beautifully into an astral soundscape with Nero’s very own ethereal ‘Satisfy’.

Did you like this review? Want to hear more? Tell us which mix is your favourite and why and we will take a listen, anatomically spread it wide on the slab and give you our thoughts here at Minotaur Central. The beast aims to please.

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Tracklist:

Alva Noto - Haliod Xerrox Copy 1 / Strange Days
Djedjotronic - Abyssal Zone / Model 500 - Future
Nero - Won't You Be There (Nero 128 Remix) VS Bart B More - Napoleon
Cirez D - On Off / Moby - Go (Trentemøller remix) / Kavinsky - Wayfarer
The M Machine - Moon Song (Edit) / Vangelis - Blade Runner Main Title theme
Daft Punk - Alive
Joey Beltram - Energy Flash (Edit)
Gesaffelstein - Selected Faces
Nero - Satisfy
Balthazar & JackRock vs Hakan Ludvigson - Meinungen Mussen Frei Sein (Angy Kore Remix)
Nero - Touch You
Psychemagik - Black Noir Schwarz
Cybotron - Clear
A Number Of Names – Shari Vari (Nero Bootleg Mix)
Leftfield - Phat Planet
LFO - Freak
Beaumanoir - Insulinia
Depeche Mode - Behind the Wheel (Nero Refix)
3Teeth - Zeit
Jon Hopkins - Collider / Nero - Satisfy

Launch Night Review!

So, following Launch Night delights and smiles and as we continue finding glitter in our clothes, our dancing shoes and inside our horns. We asked one Minotaur Sound happy customer, Mr Ben Meek, to provide us with a review of the immersive side of night. Here is what he had to tell us...


"...I entered the lair like a thief, sticking to the shadows, exercising the barest minimum of movement lest I be caught and dragged to the cells to await the legendary beast. I was excited but something seemed off, I was on The Island, but I had not imagined the fabled labyrinth to be in Bristol city centre.



The Island, Bristol transforms into a Labyrinth

Maybe it was my mind at fault, I’m struggling to remember how I even ended up here, my memory is hazy, the colours seem brighter here too. People flitted around me, obviously part of some kind of cult, worshiping The Minotaur. Already they appeared giddy with anticipation. They sweated and sparkled in the sparse lighting, whilst all around a tribal rhythm pulsed and pounded fuelling their, no doubt depraved, desires.



The Minotaur says hello to DJ Kieran Holden

Undaunted, I pressed on through gangs of nymphs and satyrs. I felt flushed and elated, just the thrill of the chase I guessed. I entered a cavernous room where the music was loudest, one of The Minotaur’s acolytes pressed a glowing rod into my hand, looking down I was shocked to discover that my clothes had been torn from my upper body and I was covered in a sparkling powder, glistening under the flashing multi-coloured lights. I needed air.




A Minotaur Sound Nymph


Panic growing I fled out into a corridor when I heard a spectral voice beckoning me onwards. I crept forward, following the call until, too late! “I need a virgin” I heard called, “who will be our virgin?” My blood froze, this could only mean one thing. Sacrifice. Before I knew it I was in front of the chamber, a small cell bedecked with shining curtains and filled with the most deranged of the beast’s followers. Before I could cry out I felt a push from behind and I fell, stumbling into the arms of the howling crowd.






Into the Cell of Fables with Micro-Rave





How long I was in that chamber, I cannot tell. I cannot recount with clarity what happened to me in that room. I only know that I left my old self behind when I finally emerged, a drooling convert. Ready to do the minotaur’s bidding without hesitation. I danced wildly, I drank with abandon, I became one with the maddening drums, I offered myself up to the wanton lusts of that crowd and I regret nothing, for I finally understood. The Minotaur was no monster, nor indeed a physical being at all. It was us, we were the beast. The Minotaur was in us all along."






Illy Noize captivates his Minotaur Sound fans