Earlier today, DJ and producer Scott Hardkiss passed away unexpectedly, at the age of 43. He had reportedly suffered an aneurysm. Born Scott Friedel, the early 90's saw him forming the influential Hardkiss with "brothers" Gavin and Robbie. They would lead the way in the west coast/ Bay Area's developing electronica scene with their acid house/trance/psychedelia sounds and legendary warehouse parties, key to the development of the 90's rave scene. He also worked under the moniker God Within, defining an era with 1993's Raincry. In the late 90's Hardkiss moved to Brooklyn, where he continued DJing and producing under the name Scott Hardkiss (official site), also working the musical end of film and television projects from the likes of Spike Lee and Wes Anderson. In 2009, he would finally release his well-received debut solo album, Technicolor Dreamer. I'm most a fan of his countless remixes for artists that include The Flaming Lips and George Clinton.
Goodbye to a musician whose distinct hand effortlessly blurred the lines between what's hip and what's beautiful. Rest assured, he's remixing the tired afterlife into a better place.
There are a multitude of reasons that someone might take a break from writing their amateur, low-to-medium traffic music blog. Some are good, some less so, but none of them are laziness.
Initially, mine was a few of life's shittiest scenarios occurring in very rapid succession. Sort of a one-two(-three) combination that k.o.'d me, if only temporarily. For at least a little while it left me utterly uninspired to pay attention to anything as simple and pleasant as an amateur, low-to-medium-traffic music blog. These things do happen.
Soon afterward, it became a more typical case of everything that is adult in life consuming my waking hours and using up the best of my mental faculties. For at least a little while it left me utterly unable to donate any attention to something as recreational and unpaid as an amateur, low-to-medium-traffic music blog. These things happen, too.
Finally, I found myself caught up in some folly with no function beyond its bizarre culmination in a lost weekend in Montreal. But, for at least a little while, it did lure my attention from anything as personal and enjoyable as an amateur low-to-medium-traffic music blog. For the record, it's only this last one I'm sorry for.
These last three weeks, however, my distractions have been more of the "putting-food*-in-my-stomach-and-a-roof-over-my-head" variety. You see, as an indirect result of all of the above, and in my typical "because-I-suddenly-thought-of-it" fashion, I've moved from Moscow to Toronto and have had to acclimatize myself. The natives are very friendly and rarely bite, and my new flat is situated amid lots of good venues in the centre of Canada's largest city. And this should be nothing but beneficial to any amateur, low-to-medium-traffic music blog. You can expect more about live shows, better access to musicians, and photos not culled from flickr. Other than that, I hope to get everything back to normal around here.
All the e-mails and messages regarding my absence were greatly appreciated. Thanks for sticking around. I owe you one.
And in that vein, I think you should watch Slow from Twin Shadow. It's not new in the slightest, but I saw him live a couple weeks ago and he had so much raw charisma that pretty much everyone in the joint had a hard on. At least musically speaking. So this should make things up, a bit:
*alcohol and other ingestible substances of questionable moral integrity.
Any music posted is for sampling purposes only. If you like anything you hear on this blog, please support the artist by buying their music. Then maybe send them an e-mail of encouragement because money can't give them the warm fuzzies like a nice letter can.
If you represent an artist on this site and would like a song removed, e-mail me. I'll tear the song down and buy you a beer. Then we'll become best friends, I just know it.
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