From The Dancefloor To The Couch

You can download the Orchard Lounge DJ mixes from orchardlounge.com where you will find a wide variety of styles. Also check us out on myspace for our constantly updated event listing.

Pro-Shot Live Daft Punk=best lights ever!

There isn't much I can say as the clips speak for themselves. Daft Punk has the best stage set up and visual display that any act in the past or present has ever created. It is a complete audio/visual mindblower and they are finally playing more than just a couple dates in the US! I am seeing them in Seattle and then again at Lollapalooza.

To top that off, we are DJ'ing right before the Robot Rockin' French filter house masters at the Camp Bisco festival.... OK, not really, but our friends Future Rock are playing a set under the name "DAFT ROCK" at Camp Bisco this August in New York and we are DJ'ing right before them!!! Last year Future Rock did a set as "Aphex Rock" which was all Aphex Twin tracks and this year they are playing an entire set of Daft Punk tunes. We are sandwiched between Juan Maclean and Daft Rock so we are very, very excited to be playing this fantastic festival for the third year in a row. I am also extremely excited to finally get to see The Bays live as they are also playing Camp Bisco as well as countless other bands, DJs, and electronic acts.

The role of the opening DJ

DJ INC- Warm Up Set for Lee Burridge

This DJ mix is one of my favorite DJ mixes ever and a major factor in that is the high level of respect I have for the understanding of the opening act's role. In this case it is DJ INC and this is the second time I have posted about this particular mix (which I heard again today for the first time in ages). What to play, how to play, when to play it, these are questions that we (Orchard Lounge) often ask ourselves when asked to open for somebody. There are many DJs (and bands as well, but I am taking the DJ's stance this time...nawmsayin?) who do not alter their sound or take into account their role for the night when asked to warm up.

I guess I just do not personally see the need to bang it out as hard as you can when the doors open and the headliner doesn't start for a good 3 hours, but that's just me (or is it?) In my opinion, and yes, this is all personal opinion, the opening DJ that understands their role should set the tone for the evening. I personally think it is best when the vibe starts out slow and mellow and gradually picks up pace. As the room begins to fill and the drinks are flowing, the music gains momentum. Those first few hours of the night make a huge difference if played properly and the crowd is properly prepped for the headlining act to hit the decks. There is no need to overpower the headliner when you are booked to warm up for them and that also can annoy the crowd who may not want to listen to 3 hours of heaviness early on. I could insert some sort of sex analogy right here but I will spare you.

This set by Atlanta local, DJ INC, is a perfectly programmed and flawlessly mixed warm up set for Lee Burridge. I think the set is from 10/24/04 but I may have the dates confused. This is the first hour of the night so it is on the minimal, dubby side, a few hours before getting heavy. He uses one of my favorite Big Bud tracks which is not something you hear often in this style. This mix has always inspired me and influenced me in how I think when opening for a DJ or band.

Tempo ATL

A Fantastic Lindstrom and Prins Thomas Mix

Lindstrom and Prins Thomas-
BBC Radio One Essential Mix
5-6-07

Pete Tong himself says that this is a contender of the Essential Mix of the year and I can't see how this could not be. This installment of the DJ series is simply amazing from the first track to the final minutes. The dynamic production duo from Norway prove they are just as commanding of a dancefloor as they are behind the controls in the studio. Lindstrom did play a live set as part of an Orchard Lounge night in Chicago at Funky Buddha Lounge earlier this year which was a rare appearance and a very memorable night for Spencer. Here he proves that with Prins Thomas along for the ride and doing a DJ set, not a live set, it is every bit as solid. They also have a new release coming soon titled "Reinterpretations" so be on the lookout for that one.

Tracklisting for their Essential Mix:
Al Usher - Her Today // Misericord
Aeroplane - Aeroplane // Eskimo
Lindstrøm & Solale - Let It Happen // Azuli
In Flagranti - Bipolar // Codek
No Theory - Devils Dance // Sin&Soul
Lindstrøm - Musikal Overtones // Feedelity
Sneak Thief G-String Orchestra - My Sullen Mistress // Klakson
Ytre Rymden Dansskola - Kjappfot (PT Edit) // Full Pupp
Runaway - Shadows // Wurst
Max Mohr - Assonja Swynja // Playhouse
Dettman Vs. Moroder - Quicksand/Utopia Mash // White Label
Faze Action - Stratus Energy // White Label
M-D-Emm - Get Acidic // Transmat
Centrific - Somebody Went To Detroit And All I Got Was The Itchy Hawtins // Drop Bass Network
Fleetwood Mac - You Make Lovin' Fun (Trailmix) // White Label
M E - Rnb Drunkie // Golf Channel
Wild Rumpus - Musical Blaze Up (Rub & Tug Bitches Remix) // Bitches Brew
Chairmen Of The Board - Party // Invictus
(Interlude) Rare Earth - Get Ready (Live Version) // EMI/Motown
Niagara - Sangandongo Part 1 // White Label
Solomun & Stimming - Eiszauber // Diynamic
Still Going - Still Going Theme // DFA
Lindstrøm - Contemporary Fix (Bjørn Torske Remix) // Smalltown Supersound
Nick Chacona - Mariacha // Internasjonal
Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas - Nummer Fire En (Short Edit)

RARE Kraftwerk from 1971

I







Kraftwerk
K4: Bremen Radio 1971 [SEIDR 026]
Live at Gondel Kino, Bremen, Germany, June 25, 1971.

I was just turned on to this amazing, extremely rare live Kraftwerk recording and I wanted to share it with you. The lineup is different and includes members of Neu! and has a very different sound than typical early Kraftwerk. It sounds very much like Can with the guitar driven lengthy Krautrock jams.

You can find the downloads and full album information on the BigO site:
BigO Worldwide Website

"There isn't any extra information about this unofficial release either in the liner notes or on the interweb thing - however, as you listen it becomes obvious that this is indeed a recording of the rather short-lived lineup of Kraftwerk that includes Michael Rother and Klaus Dinger in its ranks! That's right - Neu! as part of Kraftwerk!!!

"It's basically a whole CD of extended "side-long" jams in the style of the first Kraftwerk albums performed in front of a small but enthusiastic audience and broadcast on Bremen Radio in 1971. The members of Neu! really take a forward role here, with Rother's guitar driving things for most of the time and sounding quite rocking, with glimpses of his future soaring melodic sound in the extended jam passages. The guitar and drums are backed up by synth and I believe organ bass, with notable exceptions of flute taking the forefront on the great version of Ruckzack (from the first Kraftwerk LP) and is it distorted electric violin on K4? Maybe just Rother taking a violin bow to his guitar strings! Proto-Kraftwerk and proto-Neu! It's exciting stuff, and on top of that the sound quality is excellent - a professional radio recording.

"How has this recording not become better known over the past 35 years since it was made?! I don't know. It appears to be a newly released CDR edition with good-quality (but privately printed) packaging. Maybe it has stayed in the Radio Bremen archives until now? If you're sceptical about the authenticity I'm sure a listen will persuade you... and hearing someone in the crowd shout "Michael!" in the last second of the recording is the icing on the cake." - Little Bear [who shared the recording on the internet]

This isn’t the motorik, some might even say monotonous, electronic sound of Kraftwerk. Early Kraftwerk were more experimental with sounds and effects - not quite dance music.

New Order- Electronic studio jamming

New Order- "The Perfect Kiss" 1985 Video (full 10 minute version)

I used to have this video on a mix-tape VHS compilation of random videos and live footage from the 80's and early 90's. Most of it was Yo! Mtv Raps stuff but I also had New Order videos. "The Perfect Kiss" was directed by Jonathon Demme and is nothing more than the band playing live in the studio. Never been one of my favorite New Order songs but this video makes up for that. What I love about the video is how it shows the band playing and incorporating all of the different sounds by making it seem like they are following the steps in order to build the beat. One by one the layers continue until the end where it builds to a climax. The video is on youtube and it is the full 10 minute version which has a long jam at the end. Some extremely cheesy synth effects of course but that is standard for the time. The part that always kills me are the closeup shots of Peter Hook's basslines. I have always loved Peter Hook and the tone of his bass. 20 years ago some of the bands were on a similar quest for new sounds.

I highly recommend the DVD set New Order released titled "Item". They have so many great videos and also such an interesting history dating back to the Joy Division days. ITEM has 2 dvds, one with all of their videos and the other a documentary on the band. I just watched it this week and really enjoyed it. Info -HERE

Also check out the fantastic animated video which used the track "Elegia"...HERE

Exclusive 2020 SoundSystem live video!

Exclusive video for Silver's Boogaloo!

2020 SoundSystem LIVE Video MP4

This is a clip of the 2020 Soundsystem set from Sonar which is included as the second disc of the "No Order" LP. 2020 SoundSystem is a live act comprised of producers off of the highly regarded electronic/house label, 2020 Vision Recordings. Label head and insanely good DJ, Ralph Lawson, along with Silver City and Dubble D are 2020 SoundSystem.


This is what it's all about. I have been a lover of the 20:20 Vision label for as long as I have been being records. Always been one of my favorites and I highly respect all of the producers on that label. Random Factor's "Convergence" was my #1 LP of the year in 2004, Spirit Catcher has a hot new one out, and the countless 12" blazers that they contantly put out. Now the ball is rolling with having their live act, 2020 SoundSystem, hit the US. They play for gigantic crowds overseas at some of the world's finest festivals and the dancefloors will explode when they come this way. I was given some live footage that I will be sharing on this site in multiple installments. I will add some to youtube but what I have linked is an mp4 clip that can be upped to a video ipod.

Ralph Lawson, 2020 Vision label head and dj/keys in 2020ss also just mixed the latest Fabric mix, Fabric 33. I can't stop listening to it and I think it is one of the series best mixes. www.fabriclondon.com for more info

http://www.myspace.com/2020soundsystem

Purchase the 2cd set "No Order" which includes the full live at sonar set.

Disco Biscuits with Matisyahu=dub techno Sh'ma?

The Disco Biscuits "Orch Theme">Jam+Smema Yisreal w/ Matisyahu" MP3

As soon as I heard this I wanted to send this link to a few of you in particular! The Disco Biscuits have always played interesting cover songs. From Coltrane to Zappa and the Beastie Boys but I don't think any band would, has, or ever even thought of....playing a vitual Bar-Mitzvah techno jam.

Well, sort of

What happened was the band was playing a festival called Langerado which took place recently in Florida. Matisyahu, who is possibly better known for being a hasidic jew than a reggae singer, was also on the bill. The Biscuits dropped into a dub style jam which apparently drew Matisyahu in and ask if he could sit in.

He said:
"My friends and I walked over to the Disco Biscuits set and I just felt the fire. The music sounded so good I just wanted to rock it. I made my way up to the front and asked to sit-in. It was a magical moment, the band was on fire and I was on fire. It was super cool."

They ended up playing a dubby electronic sounding jam and Matisyahu freestyled over it all. He sounded great with the band and I can only imagine how the crowd must have felt. The interesting part of his improvisational vocal stylings was his hook....SHEMA YISSSSSSSSSSSSRAEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saying those words in the same paragraph as "techno", "jamband", and of course "disco biscuits" is something that just wouldn't happen, let alone seeing it live.

more on The Disco Biscuits

Video of a classic bisco jam...

I have been having server issues as well as problems with this site so I apologize for the lack of new posts. I am trying to sort it all out and you can expect a ton of new posts because I am fully loaded with new music to share with all of you.

Here is a youtube of one of my favorite jams by The Disco Biscuits. It was from their excellent fall 2000 tour which was a tour I have always loved. This is a great version of "helicopters" and it features a guitar effect that I just can't get enough of!

Albarn+Danger Mouse+Fela+Clash+Verve=...

Happy New Year everyone! I have been terrible about updating the site so I will do my best to keep it fresh this year.

"Herculean" MP3


This new band is a super group that I never could have dreamed of. Surely this will be the next big thing when the album drops and to prove it, here is one of the tracks. With a lineup as this impressive I can't see how the final product could be anything short of brilliant. From the bit I have heard it struck me as the love child of The Beatles and Gorillaz, especially on the track "Kingdom of Doom".
The Good, The Bad, and The Queen

Wikipedia dropping the knowledge:

"The group, which consists of Albarn, The Clash's bassist Paul Simonon, former The Verve guitarist Simon Tong (who also played guitar during Blur's Think Tank tour following Graham Coxon's departure, and played guitar for Gorillaz on their "Demon Days" album) and Afrobeat pioneer and Africa 70 drummer Tony Allen, released and deleted their first single, "Herculean" on 30 October 2006 (see 2006 in British music). The single followed the band's appearance at the BBC's Electric Proms season at the redeveloped The Roundhouse in Camden on 26 October. Three warm-up gigs in East Prawle at the Pig's Nose Inn, Ilfracombes Marlboro Club and The Exeter Cavern Club preceded the Electric Proms gig. The second major gig of the band's career took place on 12th December 2006, at Wilton's Music Hall in East London. It was witnessed by 300 specially selected fans, as the launch gig of MySpace's The List. The band will release a second single, "Kingdom of Doom", a week prior to the release of their debut album, The Good, the Bad and the Queen in January 2007. The album was produced by Danger Mouse, and features songs about London."

New OL house mix!

Spencer Lokken-I Shouldn't Have Left You

It has been a little while since the last Orchard Lounge mix. We have put up a bunch of live sets and other random stuff but not a good old DJ mix recorded at home. We started doing this because we all just love the music and it is so much fun going through the tracks and programming them so it tells a story. The music is like a time capsule and is the memento of what you are feeling at that point in time. Your favorite tracks of the last 6 months, year, 2 years in the order that makes sense to you.

Spencer brought the HEAT with this mix!!! Hard to describe the style since it is a dubbed out, chill mix yet still has the hypnotic tech feel to it also. Whatever you want to call it, it is impeccably mixed house with an edge. I can't think of a better late night driving cd. I already can't stop listening to it and I am thinking this may be my favorite mix I have ever heard from him...and I have heard A LOT.

ORCHARDLOUNGE - SPENCER LOKKEN - "I SHOULDN'T HAVE LEFT YOU"
01.jimpster - square up (john tejada remix)
02.the messenger - downtown cruisin'
03.hypnos - red light
04.dauler - valbuena, kill the dancer
05.q-force - cavity
06.lifelike & chris menace - discopolis
07.satoshi tomie - glow (spirit catcher mix)
08.autotune - le sound hypnotique
09.nikola gala - night walk
10.mark knight & dj mtv - a new reality (jesse rose mix)
11.francois dubois - blood
12.unai - oh you and i
13.mathias tanzmann - still like it like that
14.frankman - hypnotice

Improvisation 101 with The Bays

THE BAYS- Live In Mexico VIDEO


I have been posting about The Bays for ages now and I have no plans in the near future to stop. I was very excited to find this video and it is not just a live concert clip. It is part of an educational workshop they were a part of where they spoke about improvisation and later had kids audition to play with the band. If you haven't checked them out already, make sure to download live shows from their website "thebays.com The band is made up of some of the finest producers in the house and electronic world. Jamie Odell aka Jimpster aka audiomontage and his Freerange Records is one of the most consistent labels out there. The video goes over their history.

“It’s important for people to know that we are actually improvising even though they don’t a lot of the time. There are no sequencers running or tapes or any kind of thing that would tie us down. We just purely go off in any kind of direction that we want to. For people to know that, it should be quite exciting for them because they know that what we’re doing is totally off the cuff” – Jamie Odell

“It’s a creative idea we think of at the time, and it doesn’t get diluted by having any business sort of side. There’s nobody watering it down before people actually hear it.” – Chris Taylor

“If you do like 70 gigs of a set that you’re just doing every night, I would imagine that you were not actually giving value for money near the end. You’d just be sort of pissed off and know it back to front. But every gig, we’re basically shitting ourselves a lot of the time because we have no idea what’s gonna happen. Not only do I not know what they’re gonna do, I don’t know what I’m gonna do, and that applies for all of us, so it’s very edgy all the time. That tension comes across and that’s why people get into it.” – Simon Smugg

"Our mission, if it has to be something specific, is trying to create music in the purest, least diluted form that is possible.

Firstly, on stage you are seeing a piece of music at it's conception as opposed to the recreation of a moment long past, and secondly, off stage there's nobody swaying the direction of the music with agendas about marketing us to the unseen masses, cos we don't sell anything.

So we constantly move on like musical nomads taking bits from here and there and working th
em into creating a sound that is totally our own, and there maybe is our ultimate goal.

To be just The Bays:
Andy Gangadeen
Simon Richmond
Jamie Odell
Chris Taylor"

OL live at Camp Bisco remastered audio!!!

I already posted about how Bethany and I represented the OL at Camp Bisco which was in NY. Just got the audio of 2 of the 3 sets and Rich Steele who is a fantastic sound engineer, remastered the sound for us. They sound GREAT!!!

Orchard Lounge (Silver and B) 8/25/06 Camp Bisco SET 1

Ben Silver (OL) 8/25/06 Camp Bisco SET 2

The first set is Orchard Lounge and was a tag team set. I spun first and then Bethany "Queen B" spun second.

The second set was a solo set that I did. I used 2 turntables, 2 cdj's, 1 live-Loop machine called a PVDJ Grabber and 1 Sampler, a Roland SP303. Lots of loops done on the fly and also a ton of samples. The video of this set is on youtube and linked a few posts down.

I do not have a tracklist yet but some of the artists were Rauschwerk, Protossov, NIN, Jeff Devas, Shiloh, Hardfloor/Da Damn Phreak Noiz Phunk and MANY more. The sets are sort of a midtempo and downtempo combo and heavy on the psychedelic.

Skeet Spirit-A Crunk Tribute To Radiohead

DJ Gyngyvytus- Skeet Spirit-A Crunk Tribute To Radiohead

Website with full album downloads

I never thought I would say Crunk and Radiohead in the same sentence, but thanks to DJ Gyngyvytus, I got no SIZZURUPRISES. Talk Show Hoes...YEAH! WHAT! OKAYYYY! Fitter Hyphier. The track names alone were enough to make me impatient while waiting for the download. 8 tracks of Crunked out beats and Radiohead inspired melodies. Kind of like what would happen if Lil Jon found his inner emo side. The album is FREE on the link above. YEAH! WHAT! OKAAAY!

TV On The Radio live

Youtube rules.
TV On The Radio was on Letterman last week and they played an incredible version of "Wolf Like Me" from their new album Return To Cookie Mountain. I had the show on my DVR but I accidentaly had erased it but thanks to youtube, I was able to watch it again. WOW! I have loved this band ever since Spencer interviewed Atmosphere and Slug said his favorite music to listen to was TVOTR. This was when the ep was out and the first LP was about to drop and I saw them play at the Fireside Bowl. Such a great band and David Sitek is channelling that shoegazer energy of My Bloody Valentine. Tunde's vocals layer perfectly over Sitek's wall of sound and the combination hits like a ton of bricks.
"I'm gonna give it....2 snaps up!"

New live house set from 1/3 of Orchard Lounge...

Lokken and Foss 8/12/06 Live from Sonotheque Part 1

Lokken and Foss 8/12/06 Live from Sonotheque Part 2

Spencer from OL recently played at one of our favorite spots around, Sonotheque, along with our friend Lee Foss. The two talented jocks tag teamed all night and they switched after 4 records all night long. I think Spencer and Lee are two of the finest DJ's Chicago has to offer and here is a chance to hear them dropping their newest tracks which are all smoking. If you have never been to Sonotheque in Chicago, make a point of checking it out. Great soundsystem, great environment, and great music.

Video of one of my sets at Camp Bisco..

Download:
Ben Silver-OrchardLounge Set 2 at Camp Bisco

ALSO...You can watch this video on YouTube.
Here are the links since it is in 4 parts on youtube:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4

Well, I wasn't going to post this but I will put it up for a couple days until I have the soundboard or mixer>DAT>WAV audio of the sets. Bethany and I represented the OL all weekend and we had a blast!

Camp Bisco V was held at Hunter Mountain in NY and we were lucky enough to be on the bill with The Disco Biscuits, The Roots, RJD2, Juan Maclean, Thievery Corporation, Shpongle, New Deal, Brothers Past, Future Rock, and MANY MANY more.

This is a quicktime movie of a set I did on Friday 8/25/06 during the daytime with 2 decks, 2 cdj's, a Roland SP303 sampler, PVDJ Grabber Looper, and LOTS of samples. All midtempo-y stuff and pretty psychedelic to fit the mood.

This is just a compressed version so fast download. Once I have all of the audio I will overlay the audio over the video of the whole weekend and make a DVD (for fun)
The festival was a massive success and 5500-7000 people were there. GREAT TIME!

Dr. Dre DJ mix 1987

Dr. Dre Old School Swap Meet 1987

Also THIS site has info and also download links.

I was sent this mix recently and it further prooves that Dr. Dre is a genius. This Swap Meet mix from 1987 is a taste of what his days as a party rocking DJ were like. This was a time before he was a gangsta rapper and producer with NWA and well before his solo years. The mix is two parts and he covers everything from bboy electrofunk to old school rap, all fused together with cuts, scratches and much skill behind the decks.

You need this one. Trust me.

p.s. Only 5 days until CAMP BISCO!!! I leave wednesday and I am DJing both Friday and Saturday. Disco Biscuits, The Roots, Thievery Corp, RJD2, Juan Maclean, New Deal, Brothers Past, Future Rock (playing the music of Aphex Twin) and many more on the bill. Check it out: CAMP BISCO V in NY

THE KNIFE/Twin Peaks

The Knife- We Share Our Mothers' Health- VIDEO

The Knife- Silent Shout VIDEO

The Knife is a duo out of Sweden with a sound that is almost impossible to describe. One minute it is heavily distorted vocals and electro beats, other times female vocals and a psychedelic world music feel. The album goes in so many directions and is so unique in sound that I feel like I am listening to Aphex Twin for the first time. LOVIN IT! We Share Our Mothers' Health sounds to me what would happen if Dead Can Dance, Simon Posford/SHPONGLE, Richard D James and Peter Gabriel shared studio time...and tabs of "brown acid" from Woodstock. There are also some awesome remixes of tracks on the album by some of my favorite producers- Booka Shade, Trentemoller, Mylo, and many more. Crazy how many there are and also good they are as well!
You can read their full bio as well as check out video's from their new album "Silent Shout" on their site:

THE KNIFE

One other video for you-
I have been a Twin Peaks freak since the show's pilot first aired and have also been plagued with BOB nightmares ever since. I am in love with this video which is an homage to David Lynch's masterpiece and the TOOL song "Vicariously"

TWIN PEAKS+TOOL video

NIN deja-vu

NIN-The Hand That Feeds (DFA remix)

In 24 hours I am seeing Nine Inch Nails for the first time in 12 years. I used to be completely obsessed with NIN and would go on "mini-mini-tours" to see more than one show on a tour. This is way before my Phish and Disco Biscuits college days where seeing as many as possible was the norm. This DFA remix of "The Hand That Feeds" is really nice. I also love the Sam Fog vs. Carlos D remix of "Everyday is Exactly The Same" but I figured Carlos D is already mentioned on a zillion other blogs so I passed.