Miami Horror meets Codebreaker.

We're pleased to present Codebreaker's remix of a longtime pal/comrade, Miami Horror, from his debut EP lead off, "Make You Mine"
It took us a while, but I think worth the wait. Sage & I's dub backgrounds really came out on our sleeves here.

Dub, filter, funk etc..turning winter tundras into indoor beach parties, or whatever surreal destination you choose. This one's on us.
Enjoy!

Miami Horror - Make You Mine (Codebreaker Remix)

New glogo, IMA nomination...

So here's the new Codebreaker logo what y 'all think?

Unrelated,

Codebreaker- Follow Me just got a nomination for the Independent Music Awards for Dance/Electronic song of the year!

We're up against Boys Noize, you Germans are goin down.

nobody walks in LA, they dance.

Last night I played an awesome monthly called, Shits & Giggles. Lights, fog, booming sound, liberated diversity & a love for all things four on the floor. It was a full house & the crowd was really receptive.

The club was nice, but not too nice. While there, I concluded that lavender lights look best on a disco ball...the whole layout looked cosmic, funky & goth. I know, doesn't make sense unless ya see it...so i snapped off the image up top.

Tomorrow morning I fly back to HQ work get back to work with Sage on a new Codebreaker E.P., several other remixes, payin rent & the hustle...

The hosts of the party, Victor Rodriguez & Chris Bowen were just great hosts & great people.. what a refreshing vibe the whole affair was.

P.S. Oh yeah, never fly US Airways, they shipped my records to the wrong city after forcing me to check in my records in (which never has happened). They refused to give me any compensation or at least credit for the mis-directed check in...

I guess that 30 bucks doesn't ensure your goods are going show up at the airport you are scheduled to arrive.

Finding near perfection in San Francisco

Last night I ended up spinning last minute with 40 Thieves & Lee Douglas at what apparently is normally a chach nightclub, Vessel in downtown SF.

40 Thieves & I bonded after dropping Zena Dejonay's, "Find A Way (dub version) & Lee Douglas's set hypnotized me with pulsating uplifting afro chant, proto house. The crowd size was modest, but inviting...rather have that than a large audience with bad requests & high octane print tee's.

I also got to spend much overdue time with two of my best friends, BT Magnum & Black Shag (of Beat Electric)

After sleeping in yesterday morning, I drank green tea while being wholly mystified by my hostess's cable, a commodity that exited my life several years ago in a financial scale down.

As I contemplated the shocking resembelance of Nancy Grace's head to that of an imploding peacock, or those old SNL's skits parodying Torri Spelling, BT Magnum rolled up and took me for lunch to Turtle Tower. In short, Turtle Tower was the jam pho sho.

We spent the rest of the afternoon, checking out record shops and obsessing over a fellow Milwaukee native's cassette tape.

The night before that, I spun at an awesome weekly, Chilidog! at The Triple Crown. The resident/host Stanley, was super cool, positive & just great energy. The dance floor full and the vibe all in all was on point. Black Shag even cameo'd with charmingly assholish one liners as only a brit can do...

Well, tonight it's onto SoCal... San Diego for a party called Nobody's Perfect, then to my final west coast destination in Los Angeles for a Shit's N Giggles....

the tracklisting

The train ride from Seattle to PDX is REALLY nice & pleasant. Everything in Portland is screaming autumn right now, so vibrant, animated and it makes me so happy. So much so, that even all the white kids with dreadlocks seem endearing.

I took the photo above while walking around this morning.

Anyway, I'm spinning at Holoscene tonight for the infamous Monorail party. It's refreshing to see vibrant, non cynical party people just makin it happen.

Anyway, without further ado, here is the track listing for "Together We Can Be Free"

1.) Feel Like Dancin' - Robby Love feat Charlotte Mckinnon

2.) Dynomite - Euro Funk

3.) Glad To Know You (12'' Version) - Chaz Jankel

4.) Jabdah (12" extended version) - Koto

5.) Turn The Music Up - The Players Association

6.) Burning Love - Glossy

7.) Sixty Nine - Brooklyn Express

8.) Hypnotic (dub mix) - Faze Action

9.) R.I.M.L. (DDR Labs Extended Mix) - Codebreaker

10.) I'm Only Shooting Love - Time Bandits

11.) Anybody Wanna Party? (12" Remix) - Gloria Gaynor

12.) Fondamente Nove - Bottin

13.) Void Vision - Cyber People

14.) Follow Me - Codebreaker

15.) San Francisco feat. DD (Fred Falke Remix) - Citylife

16.) My Love Sees You (Classixx Remix) - Beni

New mix!

Music should always feel like new best friend, I not only wanted to move dance floors, but also embrace the listener. Make people feel ya know, warm & free....
From me to you I give my official mix, "Together We can Be Free" premiering exclusively on Monorail.

You can listen/download it FOR FREE here:

Enjoy & warmest regards,
-Steven

I hit the road on a series of west coast tour dates in support of Codebreaker's "Follow Me" & "Together We Can Be Free" starting November 11th...

Tour dates are as follows, see you soon!

November 11th
Hard Times @The War Room
722 E Pike St
Seattle, WA

November 13th
Monorail @Holocene
1001 SE Morrison
Portland, OR

November 17th
Chilidog! @The Triple Crown
1760 Market Street
San Francisco, CA

November 19th
Nobody’s Perfect @ The Office
3936 30th St (between Lincoln Ave & University Ave)
San Diego, CA

November, 20th
Shits N' Giggles @ The 3100 Club
659 S. Westmoreland
Los Angeles, CA

Bottin-The Italian Connection.

Very few modern disco inspired artists have the sophistication of Bottin. We dj'd together in Chicago recently and spoke a few days later, right after he returned to Venice from his extensive "Horror Disco" US tour. Like most in the states, I didn't hear of Bottin until shortly after the release of "No Static"

What drew me to his work was a refreshingly warm production & inherent funkiness I find missing in much of what's become known as "cosmic disco" "neu disco" err whatnot.

Bottin's sound achieves an effortless blend of sci-fi cinema, dance floor activation & forward thumping swagger all at the same time, It's why I recruited him to remix Codebreaker's Follow Me

Most of Bottin's music doesn't have vocals, yet somehow his genuine & brilliantly creative personality really shines through in all his works.

So you just returned a few days ago from your US tour, what specifically, did you enjoy and not particularly enjoy about your experience? and be honest...

Ha! A trick question already. To be honest some of the US events were not as professionally organized as they typically are in Europe, but really I couldn't complain since I had fun at each and every party I played at and I feel I connected with the crowd often better than in some European countries. I think people are more passionate about music in North America than they are, for instance, in Italy.

Some people here tend go to to clubs just to be seen or out of fear of missing out, they don't really care about the music. Wheres in the US it happened very many times that people came talk to me, asking what about records I was playing and even requesting some tunes of my own. Generally I found them more conscious about the music they liked and that they came to dance to and listen to.

That aspect, both as a producer and as a dj, is very rewarding and way more important than trouble skipping turntables, bad mixers and unfavorable euro/dollar exchange rate.

What are the differences from your experiences, of what people respond to musically in your sets between European & US/Canadian audiences?

Really response in the US and Canada has been great and it often came from people who know about music. Not to mention Brazil, where it has been mindblowing even though people might know less there about disco and nu disco than Americans, the Brazilian however are very open minded and I you can tell they really feel the music, no matter what the style is.

What is your current favorite song off of your latest full length, "Horror Disco" and why?

Of course I like them all, but I'll give my preference to the title track since it was the one that ignited the whole album concept.

Does film play a significant role in how your music is influenced? If so, what are a few of your favorites?

All the music I like could be work great in film. And I do think of visual scenery when listening to music. The tracks I feel the most I can also "see" somehow.

I do not have a favorite movie, my taste tend to change from with time, I'm very temperamental.

I do like Italian giallos and horror movies for the weird mix of courage and naiveness they are characterized by.

I also love more "rational" movies, like Hitchcock's and Welles', where each shot&frame has been carefully crafted to mean something.

When you first heard the original version of "Follow Me" by Codebreaker, what were your thoughts?

When you guys approached me for the remix and sent me your version, I immediately know I was gonna keep those great guitars.

So far, what has been your favorite city to play?

I can't tell! It's all been extremely good! I have a couple of least favorite ones (in Europe!), but I'm not gonna tell you which ones!

But in the US even some of the smaller venues have been great to play at.

for instance I really enjoyed playing at Casanova in San Francisco, I guess because I wasn't expecting much from it - it was a last minute thing in a place near to where I was staying

and it turned out to be great. Also I had a couple days off before it, so I suppose having had the chance to rest and visit the city allowed me to enjoy my time more.

Do you dress up for Halloween?

We don't really have Halloween or go trick-or-treating in Italy.

But in Venice there's a festivity San Martino where children go round making a lots of noise by using pot and pans as drums (!) and adults give them candy.

Some time I do dress up for Carnival.

How would you describe Venice?

It's possibly the only city in Italy where I'm able to live. Maybe because it's not really like the rest of Italy or anywhere else for that matter.

It's international because of all the tourism and festival (Biennale, film festival, etc) but it's still very village-like because of the few actual residents (60,000 resident vs 25 million visitors every year)

I noticed on your page, you've just put in a blog entry, basically drawing a line in the sand about letting mp3's get out in regards to a disco edit 12" vinyl series you did for Clone records recently. You also go on to express some opinion & frustration about the state of the vinyl industry. Can you elaborate a bit?

Well my blog entry says it all. I just wrote it a couple of days ago and I have nothing to add right now.

But I'm not at all frustrated about the state of vinyl industry. I think it's pretty good, I'm actually getting to release most of my stuff on vinyl so I couldn't complain really.

but sometimes I'm frustrated by the diminishing number of vinyl djs. It makes my life harder when you go to a club and the turntables are not working or not there at all!

I'm not a vinyl freak but I do want to have the possibility to play some great records without having to burn them to cd or having to wait for laptop djs to unplug their stuff.

You've composed two soundtracks for two separate films by director Todd Verow, "Once And Future Queen" & "The Boy With The Sun In His Eyes" how did that come about?

Once and Future Queen was a long time ago (2000 or 2001?), they found my music on the long-dead mp3.com community and licensed it for the movie.

The Boy With The Sun In His eyes was different, I wrote a few tracks specifically for the movie - which I still have to see though.

Could you ever write a soundtrack for a zany action, undercover cop comedy?

I think I could write music for everything. There is not one or a few specific genres I want to confine myself into.

Where is the Bottin sound going in the future?

Possibly I'm going to be more Italo - electro. I'd like to continue exploring what I did with No Static and then sort of left there

since I had to complete the album, which is a concept album and not a collection of different tracks.

But I don't know really, this year I've basically only been doing remixes of other people's work. Which I actually loved doing, since it is a different sort of creative freedom then when working

on my own tracks. Producing my own stuff is more stressing I suppose. I do have 3-4 demos I'm struggling to complet. Also I've been asked to do a couple of collaboratios with both

Italian and international artists/producers and I'm really looking forward to those.

Bottin Myspace

Bottin Facebook

Purchase Horror Disco

“I feel like we’re writing mini soundtracks that are truly representative to who we are and what we want the world to be, look and sound like."

Here's an extensive write up in the latest issue of 4pm Magazine, scroll down to the Arts section and zoom in..

They did a nice job of doing their homework and asking provocative questions.

Rare, new live Codebreaker footage surfaces

Here's a clip of Codebreaker playing, "R.I.M.L." at the Brooklyn Electronic Music Festival in August.

Follow Me To Your Dreams.

Codebreaker's back with a criminally infectious 12" single release,"Follow Me"
"Follow Me" manages to harness the best qualities of italo funk, disco, electro & early filter house, all under one roof...
So much so, that it grabbed the attention of The Juan MacLean, Bottin & The Outrunners for remixing duties.
The group's brainchild/frontman Steven Hawley describes the single, "Shamelessly anthem-ic, warmly futurist & magical."

Limited edition 12" vinyl format is available now:

The release is out now worldwide on itunes, amazon, juno, napster etc...

Here's the first round of reviews:

Disco Delivery:

"Out of everything they've done so far, I don't think anything else summarizes their sound, that melding of sleek, Chic-influenced guitar funk, with spacey, hyper-infectious electronics more perfectly than this. There's something about their sound, and their sound on this single, particularly that manages to be effortlessly current and forward-looking, yet at the same time genuinely authentic in it's tribute to the past and it's quest for the purest musical high."

Turntable Lab:

"Codebreaker follows up their awesome debut 12" with an infectious slice of electro italo that's just begging to be played at peak-time. The Midwestern disco producers drop serious arpeggio bass and catchy-as-hell synth melodies all over "Follow Me" with a vocoder hook that'll totally ingrain itself in your brain."

Dusty Groove America:

"Follow Me" is stone cold electro soul with a really great hook -- a cut that bubbles with lots of cool vocoder bits and 80s synth -- the kind of track that could have crossed-over big back in the day, and which makes a very welcome return to our ears today!"

"Follow Me" 12" vinyl by Codebreaker feat. remixes by The Juan Maclean, Bottin & The Outrunners.

"Follow Me" w/ remixes via digital/mp3's.

Codebreaker

The Juan Maclean

The Outrunners

Bottin

Codebreaker are leading the way in 2009, Follow Them.

Kathy Diamond Gets Candid With DDR

We caught up with the ever elusive Miss Diamond to discuss in what turned out to be her most candid interview to date. From early career developments, her take on the state of music today to her true inspirations, which involve good sex & seasides, sounds good to us...

Hi Kathy always a pleasure, so your a pretty elusive...is it shyness, managerial advice or both?

There's no real decision there, I just like to get on with my music. I suppose I'm very critical of photos but i guess that's all girls! I'm manager free at the moment too so I have been keeping a low profile and just getting my writing in order.

"Fire" is somewhat of a departure from your previous singles, what drew you to it's direction?

Oh well, it was just so fresh when i heard it! I love the Codebreaker sound, I guess it's about keeping yourself interested as much as anything else and pushing the boundaries. Keeps me on the ball, I love what I do and I love what's happened with social networking etc bringing global communities together. I feel so lucky to be working with such talent from all over the world.

So what's brought you from Sheffield to Brighton?

My man! Seriously though, I moved from Sheffield to London about four years ago after the break up of a relationship and i thought, I am really ready for this? I had a ball in London and it was great for the music and networking. I made some wicked friends and partied constantly! Then just as I thought I was settled in my flat I met my now boyfriend Chris (Soft Rocks dj) and life was turned on its head! I ended up moving to Brighton and living by the sea. Life's great here, more chilled but I definitely make sure I have my little blow out trips to London!

Your writing style is so refreshingly tasteful & genuine, to what would you attribute that?

Thank you. I love writing and i really love great songs. I just try my best really to be honest because what's the point otherwise? I'm expressing myself and if I'm telling you I've been a bitch to my boyfriend or I've had good sex I mean it! I try not to borrow other peoples stories to write about although sometimes you're inspired by someone else's issues, it can be hard to avoid. At the end of the day I try to be fearless and just write what i see.

How would you describe your personal style?

My personal style I think is vintage bag lady in high heels!

Do you have any plans on ever touring the US?

I would love to come to America to play, I have so many friends out there, I just have to arrange it. Nicky Siano has remixed my next project called the kdms with Maximillian Skiba so maybe there will be a few parties to play with that. Also my mums childhood was spent in new york and I'm desperate to take her there to investigate so hopefully one day....

What sort of non-musical things inspire your sound?

Everything. People mainly and the sea is a great head clearer, it blows away the cobwebs and gets you thinking straight again.

Your bio states that, in 2002, you wrote a song with house producers SWAG called "Miracles Just Might" You released, distro'd it on white label vinyl all on your own. Whoa, what was that like, was it hard to get people to listen to you back then?

Yes it was hilarious and scary at the same time!

This track was meant to go on swags album but it didn't make the final sweep and because i loved it i decided to put it out myself and got my friends to remix it. I think Maurice gave me some tips on who to press the record and i put my order in.

What i didn't realize was the enormity of all those records being delivered on a pallet on my doorstep one day, I nearly fainted! Oh my god, what do i do next?! So previously I had wrapped up CD's as little presents for the industry magazines and other music people and luckily got a great response, so i put a little dj mag quote on the sleeve and numbered them as a limited release, it worked. People really liked it and within a month sunshine was out too with Maurice Fulton on the Idjut Boys cottage label....all good!

If there was one thing you could change about the state of popular music today, what would it be?

I think its better now as artists are more in control of their own sound and destiny. The world is much smaller in the networking field but its still hard to break on the bigger scale as there's not as much money around for music as there was. We can't have it both ways so there you go.

One thing that does my head in is the piracy of music. It's such a nightmare when you work forever on a track and then someone goes and puts it for free download. We all want the publicity for our music and are eternally thankful to the people who spread the word. The whole thing just saddens me.

What's one of your favorite movies & why?

I have bad taste in movies! I will like anything you don't! My boyfriend will vouch for that!

What's planned for '09?

The kdms out on Gomma Records and a few other bits and pieces. The Kathy Diamond album is taking longer than anticipated, I'm not going to rush it though. I want it to be perfect.

Do you believe in life after love?

Absolutely...have you heard about music and gin?!! It's the future.

Codebreaker Feat. Kathy Diamond - Fire (limited edition 12" vinyl)
Codebreaker Feat. Kathy Diamond - Fire (mp3/digital)
Kathy Diamond
Codebreaker