Our thank’s for an exiting 2010 to our beloved listeners,
to all the wonderful artists, DJs, composers, music labels,
event organizers, researchers, music scientists and
all friends with whom we share our passion for music.

Without you we’d have not been able to present all radio shows
for Indian Classics and Indian Electronics… Thank You.

We wish you a Happy New Year 2011 of peace, prosperity & health !

MANTRA FOR PEACE (Sanscrit Hyme)

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OM (Aum)

May good befall all
May there be peace for all
May there be perfection in everything
May all experierence that which is auspicious.

May all be happy. May all be healthy.
May we all experience what is good and let no one suffer.

OM (Aum)
——–
(Audio Source: Sacred Chants Album
Singer: Uma Mohan
Video compilation: Shravan K. Manyam)

The FCC has issued Notices of Apparent Liability against two radio licensees for apparent EEO violations at their respective station clusters. These NALs, issued on the next to last day of the FCC's business year, are the first to address EEO violations in a year and a half. The common thread in both NALs was the licensee's failure to properly recruit for new hires, relying primarily on "walk-ins" or referrals in lieu of the "wide dissemination" required for information about job openings.  In one case, where the licensee failed to widely disseminate information about 28 job openings, the FCC proposed a fine of $20,000.  In the other case, where the station owner was able to document recruitment efforts for some of its openings, the FCC proposed a fine of $8000 for the six jobs where the required recruitment efforts were found lacking. 

In the first NAL, the $20,000 proposed forfeiture was based on a finding that the licensee failed to properly recruit for 28 of the 29 full-time vacancies filled over a six year period.  Instead, the licensee relied on "walk-ins" and referrals for six vacancies, and used the Internet or on-air ads for 22 vacancies.  These methods alone do not constitute sufficient dissemination of job vacancies under FCC rules.  In a post last year, we explained that the FCC does not consider Internet advertising alone to be sufficient for recruitment purposes, and questioned whether that policy is appropriate in this day and age.

Other violations by this licensee included the failure to keep records of the number and source of interviewees and the resulting violation of FCC rules requiring such information to be kept in the station's public inspection file.  The lack of records meant the licensee could not adequately analyze its EEO recruitment program to ensure that it was achieving broad outreach, also an FCC rule violation.  The combination of rule violations and number of hires involved was found sufficiently egregious to justify a $20,000 forfeiture.

In the second NAL, the FCC found insufficient recruitment efforts for six of 24 job openings.  Rather, the licensee aired "generic" ads about working at the stations, even when there were no specific openings, and hired three of the resulting "walk-ins."  The licensee also hired one employee referred by word of mouth, one from a business referral and one from an employee referral.   Although such hiring methods are not prohibited, the FCC does not consider them to be sufficient public recruitment for the openings that were filled.   Additional recruiting sources must be used to satisfy the FCC's current requirements for "wide dissemination."

Other violations cited by the FCC in the second case included the licensee's failure to list specific job titles in its EEO public file report for seven new hires, all of whom were classified as "other."   In so doing, the licensee also violated the rule that requires information about the jobs filled to be placed in the station's public inspection file.  This NAL resulted in a proposed forfeiture of $8000.

Both licensees have the right to respond and can ask the FCC to reduce or cancel the proposed forfeitures based on the specific facts.  However, these two NALs show that the FCC is once again getting tough on enforcement of its EEO rules and licensees would be well advised to take any steps necessary to insure strict compliance with those rules.  For further information about a licensee's EEO obligations, see our advisory setting out the basics of the FCC's EEO rules and our most recent advisory on the requirements for the annual EEO public inspection file report. 

coloured form

(PDF download)

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printable form (black/white)

(PDF download)

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WOWSERS! I’ve found out that my site, nadabrahman.wordpress.com has been featured in the India’s first book on electronica music – HUB presented by Goethe‐Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan, Music Gets Me High & Samrat B.

HUB is India’s first and only anthology of electronic music – a legitimate record of everything that’s past and currently happening in terms of music, artists, events and more. The book hopes to create further awareness of Indian electronica via distribution of information, which has not been done before. The published material will serve as an official statement for and about the people involved in this field and give a much‐needed voice to this rising subculture.

This book includes a brief history of electronic music and the impact of technology on music in India from 1982 when Charanjit Singh graced us with “Ten Ragas to a Disco Beat” to the current scene.

There’s a complete list profiles of electronic bands & DJ’s, each containing detailed information about the artist, their discography and contact information. Covers 60 plus artists from India and Indians settled abroad.

HUB also has a collection of features to highlight and critically examine the impact of electronic music in India with respect to prevailing tastes, lifestyle, clubs and the various fringe and lesser‐known facets of this rising subculture.

The Resources section of the book will be most beneficial to music industry counterparts when they want to establish a working relationship with India. It contains information and contact details of most:

Artist Booking & Management Agencies // Venues // Labels // Online Music sites // Sound & equipment vendors

Guest features by:

• Randolf Correia (Shaa’ir + Func),
• Ma Faiza, (Premier DJ)
• Varun Desai (Promoter & Owner – Littlei)
• Pathaan (BBC Asian Network, UK)

This book is defo worth checking out especially for a newbie into the world of electronica rather than someone already familiar with the genre.

To view the book online: http://ranaghose.com/hub.pdf

 

Once again, we bring you a roundup of some of the most recent additions to Beatport’s roster of labels. Some of these are brand-new imprints from established figures in the scene; some of them come from dark horses just coming out of the gate. And, occasionally, we’ll be shouting from the rooftops that, at long last, we’ve signed up one of the few labels that we haven’t previously offered. This month we profile Modeselektor's new Monkeytown imprint, Trentemoller's In My Room, Vincenzo and Lovebirds' Teardrop, and Tom Novy's Nouveau Niveau Records.

Read more on Beatportal

Tired of turkey, goose and all of that stuffing? Whilst the period between Christmas and New Year is a traditional slow one for electronic music news, we have still managed to dig out some free Ali Love downloads for you to enjoy that are sure to please everyone in the family. Well, thats as long as your family like infectious italo influenced power pop with blank eyed lyrics and shiny bleeps and squeaks.

Ali Love is the British producer who's lavishly detailed electronic disco is getting those in the know all in a lather. His debut album Love Harder was released earlier this month and he will soon be taking his live show - complete with Tron-esque dancers - on the road.

So without further ado follow these links and get yourself some festive musical treats and check out the official video below.

Ali Love - Moscow Girl (Extended Mix)

Ali Love - Mosco Girl (Mustang Remix)

Where Berlin's iconic Bar25 until recently stood, there's now just snow and rubble. But the founders' dream of documenting the club's remarkable run continues apace. This morning they sent out an email announcing the most recent milestone in their documentary film project. Check out the latest footage above, and read on for the message from the crew.

Watch this video on Beatportal

What good is a sound app on a phone or iPod, really? Just ask a Filtatron user.

As with plug-ins and desktop software doodads, I find out of the sea of apps on iOS, a tiny handful are genuinely useful. But those select few can prove indispensable. I would count the Moog Filtatron in that category. Sure, in case there was any doubt, the app contains a subtle link to the Moog hardware catalog, an effort to upsell you to the company’s sound gear. And sure, owners of said gear might turn up their knows at the idea of something with the Moog logo on an iPhone.

But make no mistake: this is a darned useful tool, and a must-download if you have an iPod touch or iPhone. The surprise is, it may appeal most to lovers of other gear. Connect a mobile synth or noisemaker to your handheld, and you have a pocket-ready effects and recording unit. You can add simulated amp overdrive warmth, pop a handy delay on any audio out, and make quick samples on the go. You can plug into a mixer and have sound in a live performance set ready to go should other gear fail or crash. Any notion that mobile software will replace hardware dissolves in an instant. With the Filtatron app in your pocket, every audio jack and strange noise source begins to look like a chance for creative music making. It makes you seek out more gear, not less.

I can say this with more confidence now, as well, having been using the Filtatron for the past weeks. Something about its simplicity, its warm sound, the attention to finger-sized design, and its combination of features makes it ideal. I’ve used it to sample and transform various gear around the house and on the road, and played once with it live as external effect.

Version 1.1 is here, the first update for the Filtatron, and it adds useful improvements:

• You can import sounds to the Sampler, and record and play back samples of any length.
• The VCO pad now allows chromatic scales.
• You can choose to route audio to a speaker, earpiece, or even wireless audio via Bluetooth.
• A settings panel lets you tweak sample rate, audio latency, and control response.

I had no problem making the Filtatron work on my second-generation iPod touch – no minor feat, as that generation of device has a slower processor and often performs poorly with this sort of app. One thing I haven’t been able to test in 1.1 yet (aside from the Bluetooth stuff): I did have issues with the previous version making FTP sync work with longer recordings. I’ll let you know if that appears to be fixed. I was unable to entirely verify the issue even in the previous version.

But I think the Filtatron really is an ideal example of what a mobile music app can be. I’d love it even if it said Brogue on it.

moogmusic.com

See our original (and exclusive) first look from when this came out in October

Adam Shelton and Subb-an adopt their S.A.S. alias on a mix for Soul Clap's podcast series, which includes tracks by Romanthony, FaltyDL and the boys themselves.

Underworld, A-Trak and a host of other acts have been added to a bill that's shaping nicely into a multimedia spectacle.

In November, we announced that the post-punk, electronic-music pioneers Devo were offering two songs to be remixed by the Beatport community: their '80s hit "Freedom of Choice" and "What We Do," off of their new album, Something for Everybody. The response has been fantastic, and now, at last, we can announce the winners in the contest. Read on for the results!

Read more on Beatportal

Ah, the end of yet another fantastic year in music. 2010 was good to us, no doubt about it, and once again we find ourselves on the other side, having made it through a near-endless array of albums—from Teen Dreams to Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasies—all the better for it. Now comes the time when we sit back, plug in and reflect on the musical months in reverse. And as much as we love to put together our own best-of lists, we consider the bands themselves a far more fascinating glimpse at the sounds of 2010. Reaching out to some of our favorites, here FILTER presents a series of artists’ best-ofs running throughout the month of December. We've put in our own two cents on the Top 10 Records of 2010, so be sure to check those out, but for now we’ll turn it over to some of the artists who continue to make every year a highlight.

Known for his anti-folk work with Kimya Dawson and The Moldy Peaches in the New York underground, Adam Green has primarily been a solo artist since 2002, releasing seven albums since that time. With quirky, story-based lyrics, Green has enjoyed a cult-like followed from a loyal fanbase and the success of such off-the-wall songs as “Jessica” and “Friends of Mine.” In 2010, he released MusiK for a Play, a theatrical soundtrack for the stage play of meta author extraordinaire Paul Auster’s novel Timbuktu. Below, Green gives FILTER his top songs he enjoyed of 2010, including Los Angeles staples Devendra Banhart, The Entrance Band and Warpaint.

Adam Green’s Picks

1. “Zebra” by Beach House, from Teen Dreams (SUB POP)

2. “Thieves” by She & Him, from Volume Two (MERGE)

3. “Foolin’” by Devendra Banhart, from What Will We Be (WARNER BROS.)

4. “M.L.K.” by The Entrance Band, from The Entrance Band (ECSTATIC PEACE)

5. “Glass” by Julian Casablancas, from Phrazes for the Young (CULT/RCA)

6. “Greasy Bear” by The Shining Twins

7. “You Can’t Erase It” by Babyfangs

8. “Deadbeat Summer” by Neon Indian, from Psychic Chasms (FADER)

9. “Tall Boy” by Har Mar Superstar, from Dark Touches (DILETTANTE)

10. “Undertow” by Warpaint, from The Fool (ROUGH TRADE)

Ah, the end of yet another fantastic year in music. 2010 was good to us, no doubt about it, and once again we find ourselves on the other side, having made it through a near-endless array of albums—from Teen Dreams to Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasies—all the better for it. Now comes the time when we sit back, plug in and reflect on the musical months in reverse. And as much as we love to put together our own best-of lists, we consider the bands themselves a far more fascinating glimpse at the sounds of 2010. Reaching out to some of our favorites, here FILTER presents a series of artists’ best-ofs running throughout the month of December. We've put in our own two cents on the Top 10 Records of 2010, so be sure to check those out, but for now we’ll turn it over to some of the artists who continue to make every year a highlight.

British four-piece Athlete first emerged in 2003 with a Mercury Prize–nominated debut, Vehicles & Animals. The band’s straightforward pop appeal, complimented by lead singer Joel Potts’ mellow, laidback vocals, erupted further two years later with the massive success of their second album and lead single “Wires,” both of which landed in the top ten of the UK Albums and Singles Charts, respectively. In 2009, Athlete released their bestselling fourth, Black Swan, on Fiction. Here, drummer Stephen Roberts drops some of his favorites cuts from 2010 with notable nods to electronic duo Mount Kimbie and producer prodigy James Blake.

Stephen Roberts’ Picks

1. Mount Kimbie, Crooks and Lovers (HOTFLUSH)

2. Caribou, Swim (MERGE)

3. Sam Amidon, I See the Sign (BEDROOM COMMUNITY)

4. James Blake, CMYK EP (R&S)

5. Gold Panda, Lucky Shiner (GHOSTLY INTERNATIONAL)

6. “Cruel Intentions (JOKER REMIX)” by Siman Mobile Disco, from the single (WICHITA)

7. The Bees, Every Step's A Yes (FICTION)

8. Four Tet, There Is Love in You (DOMINO)

9. Holy Fuck, Latin (XL)

10. LCD Soundsystem, This Is Happening (DFA/VIRGIN)

The site chats with the Canadian producer about working with Martin Buttrich, his move to LA, and Wagon Repair's plans for a back to basics 12-inch only imprint.

Defected chat to DJ Sneak about his respect for Luciano and Villalobos and his dismay at the amount of "formulaic music" being produced these days.