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Features Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood! Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna A Catch Up with John Phantasm ahead of his upcoming set at the Tribal Village 4 Day Outdoor Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022!

God is really a DJ - Faithless reviewed Reported by Agnes Klos / Submitted 22-03-10 19:55 As a band, Faithless are an institution in itself. This chart-topping dance act guarantees any event to sell out, regardless whether it is a festival or clubbing space. Their electric live performances have over years earned them the title of dance titans. Timeless songs, meaningful lyrics and iconic style create a mixture which is hard to resist. Agnes Klos took a boat across Thames, but did she leave Saturday 3AM? When I was younger I was told by my friends that the Faithless sound could not truly be appreciated until it was experienced live. At that time I did not comprehend the full meaning of those words. But I was intrigued. Since then I had been chasing Faithless around the globe whether I was in the UK, Germany or my home town. The pursuit stopped after four years when I got a chance to stand eye to eye with the members of this unrivalled British dance act. The thing that always interests me the most when I read a band or an artist’s biography is how some achieve international acclaim while others disappear completely unnoticed, despite all their best efforts. Finding out the reasons leading to fame is not always easy and might sometimes remain an unsolved mystery. But I felt determined to know how Faithless had become today’s phenomenon. I wanted to know how this band ended up playing shows in such unusual places as the Arctic Circle, on golden sands in Puerto Rico or under armed guard in Turkey. Not a scoop which many musicians can boast. Do Faithless owe their success entirely up to hard work or was it faith or maybe even destiny? Faithless’ unique sound was created through an interesting blend of styles. The core of the group spins around two innovative and highly-skilled programmers and producers: Sister Bliss and Rollo. Sister Bliss, who is nowadays one of the most successful and respected female DJs, once described her studio relationship with Rollo as "telepathic, symbiotic". She said in one interview: "He gets on with the broad strokes, textures and colours - that's how he hears music; he's got that synaesthesia - a phenomenon where sounds have colours." That distinctive collaboration of two intelligent minds was taken to another level when they were joined by the rapper Maxi Jazz from Hackney in London, singer/writer and instrumentalist Jamie Catto and a guitarist Dave Randall. As a band, they were not afraid to introduce a completely different sound (mixing house, rap, blues, folk and soul) in the times of no-risk policies. Ignored by the mainstream in the UK at the beginning of their career, Faithless toured around the globe slowly, but persistently gaining an army of dedicated fans. Some might be surprised that initially Faithless did not sell well. I was shocked to find out that their debut single Salva Mea had to be re-released in 1996 just to be noticed. Only then did it shoot straight into the UK's Top 10. Faithless like their albums were a slow-burning phenomenon. Over the years they have gone through transformations with Jamie Catto leaving the group for his solo projects and Nemo replacing the original guitarist Dave Randall. Today Faithless’ album Reverence is certified gold in 22 countries and their anthem tracks are imitated by other artists. Numerous awards, including a European Grammy for Best International Dance Band, stand as an uncontested proof of their greatness. No wonder, I had goose bums all over my body as I was literally minutes away from their performance. The night started off nicely with Neil Quigley who proved that he was really able to craft a sound which he described as 'electronic house with soul'. It was definitely a good warm-up set for the breakbeat master Pete Jordan, also well-known as the creator of the hugely successful club brand Spectrum. In Room two Pete Gooding provided a warm-up and follow-up set for an outstanding performance by Maxi Jazz. Maxi entertained the crowd for an hour and a half, whetting everyone's appetite for the most-awaited live act from Faithless Sound System. The curtains on the stage in the main auditorium of Matter slowly opened at 1.35am, with a crowd giving a deafening roar. There was the slim figure of Maxi Jazz, wearing a white suit jacket, black trousers and patterned colourful trainers, standing proudly in the middle of the stage. With his jacket slightly opened, revealing his fit torso, Maxi stood there for a few seconds absorbing the energy of the over-excited revellers. Holding in his hand an instrument which looked liked round wooden xylophone, Maxi began hitting with the stick against the wood. The sound reverberated through the entire room creating almost a mystical vibe. Behind Maxi stood Sister Bliss who was partially hidden by the DJ booth with two screens at the front. Whenever I glanced at those plasma screens, which showed images of video clips and from other concerts, I felt transported into a sold out stadium. The show offered a good mix of the biggest hits and material from their new upcoming album. Although I enjoyed their fresh tracks, among them brilliant 'Not Going Home', I was waiting impatiently for the storming dancefloor epics such as Insomnia and God Is A DJ. When the legendary beats burst from the speakers the floor started shaking under clubbers' feet who were literally begging for the songs never to end. During the entire show I had my eyes mostly glued to Maxi Jazz, a Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist, from whom an almost touchable peace and serenity beamed across the room. This 52-year-old ex-pirate radio station hip-hop rapper danced in accordance with the music like a twenty-year-old, sending a clear message to all that age does not really matter when it comes to music. His melodic, semi-whispered raps combined with extraordinarily powerful lyrics and the soaring electronic sweeps added by Sister Bliss, created irresistible eclecticism. My heart jumped with joy when Maxi asked the audience to lift their one finger and repeat after him: We Come 1, an anthem from their Outrospective album. I think it was my favourite part of the show as a forest of fingers waved in the air and people sung by heart every single line of the song. Despite the fact that Faithless is perceived by many as a commercial dance band, I still believe that their originality, soulful vocals, thought provoking lyrics and brilliant tunes are hard to compete with. Unfortunately, the initially planned 45-minute show was cut short by ten minutes, which came as a huge disappointment. Just when everyone was getting into the rhythm we heard: "Thank you very much and goodbye". I heard people going around after Faithless performance, complaining how unhappy they were. Only two tracks more and I am sure fans would have felt much more satisfied. The curtains closed and the dancefloor experimentalist, Paul Woolford, took over the decks. He served some fine quality material across the house and techno spectrum for those who were hungry for more. The night was wrapped up by the set, jampacked with breakbeat and electro tunes, from Mason. He might have rocked the teenage audience but, from my personal point of view, the clash between the almost mystical music of Faithless and ear-piercing electronically twisted sounds was too overwhelming to take. The only thing I think was missing from Faithless’ performance was a good lighting show to enhance the already electric atmosphere and a more room to enjoy a proper dance. But not to worry, Faithless return to UK in May and one of the shows is actually taking place in my favourite - Brixton Academy. Do not take your chances by waiting to buy your ticket as any Faithless event will most definitely sell out. When Faithless had a break from performing I was forced to wait four years to hear one of the dance music biggest-selling acts of all time. If you do not want to make the same mistake as I did, take every single opportunity to experience Faithless live whenever it comes by. Photos courtesy of Agnes Klos. Not to be reproduced without permission. Share this :: : : : Follow HarderFaster :: Other Features By Agnes Klos: Back2Basics - 10 Years of Party Productions & Tomorrowland Stage Hosts Atmosphere Records - The opening of IBIZA 1936 Entering the world of Waldfrieden in Germany with DJoanna Piracy is not a crime – sail away with Feestgedruis! Progressive flavours with DJ R'Deem ahead of Neelix party The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable. Comments: From: Euphoria on 23rd Mar 2010 10:52.23 GOD is a DJ!

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