Loop High Fidelity Earplugs

Loop High Fidelity Earplugs came onto my radar and I was immediately attracted to the sleek design: nothing like the neon foam plugs I had seen before.

I was given a chance to check these out while attending 3LAU at The Fillmore in Denver. 3LAU is one of my favorite live acts, so I couldnt wait to take Loops out for a spin. Each nuance of the sound came through clearly; not muffled and dull like with traditional ear plugs. I was able to discern the textures of the beats at a safer volume level. My expectations were exceeded by Loops. I think it’s safe to say I will pack these along for all future shows, whether I am there to shoot or to dance. Check out https://www.loopearplugs.com and give them a try. 

Pegboard Nerds is a Scandinavian duo
comprised of Alex Odden and Michael Parsberg. They’ve made their mark on the
dance music scene with releases that push the boundaries of genres,
in bass heavy 8-bit style. Their high intensity sound shows no signs
of slowing down with a busy tour schedule and huge releases such as “Hero
ft. Elizaveta” and “Try This”. It was so exciting to have the duo return
to Colorado for this year’s Global Dance Festival. We had the chance
to sit down and talk with Alex and Michael after the madness of their amazing
set.

It’s so great to have you guys back
here at Red Rocks. I know you’ve played here before, and we truly love you here
in Colorado. What are some of your favorite venues? 

M) I think the Gorge (Amphitheater),
in Washington. That’s probably the second best. The Gorge is beautiful, and it
kinda depends on what you’re looking for. Foundation (Nightclub) in Seattle is
also great.

A) Seattle and Denver are turning out
to be our favorite cities. The way the crowd turns up! They’re not as big as
other cities, but it’s not about how big a city is, but how they turn up, and
how they get crazy.

What kind of preparations do you do
before your performance? Any sorts of of rituals? 

A) We have one, we didn’t do it
today, but I will let Michael tell the story.

M) We will take a bottle of Grey
Goose and we would pour out huge shots, and pour the rest into water bottles.
And we would drink out of the Grey Goose bottle, which we fill with water. So
Alex and I will chug chug chug (out of the bottle) and everyone else will drink
the real thing! And we are just drinking water (laughs). 

A) As for rituals, there’s nothing
crazy. We have a last minute talk about making sure we both have the latest
versions of our unreleased tunes on the drives, and maybe do a shot, and
say to each other, “Let’s get it!!!”

Is Grey Goose your favorite kind of
vodka?

M) Grey Goose pear, that’s mine.

A) We also like wheat beer… like
Blue Moon. We just learned this trip that it is made in Colorado!

I couldn’t help but notice a tweet
you wrote last week. “The 90’s would be proud of this tune.”Can you tell us
more about that?

A) We played it tonight! It’s super
eurodancey. Michael’s from a more hip-hop background, but he was also
super involved in eurodance… the real European eurodance. We
have a specific vision of what eurodance was to us, and what it still
is. This tune embodies all those things: the riffs, the percussion, the
vocals, it’s all in there.

Your single, “Swamp Thing” has
a wild west sort of banjo line to it. Also, the melody of “Try
This” reminds me of a James Bond movie. These tracks are unique and tell a
story without skimping on the bass. Where do you get these inspirations?

A) It’s interesting because
there’s a lot of bass music being made these days, and a lot of it
comes and goes. I mean it’s very intense there and
then, but you don’t necessarily remember it. So what
we try to do is make bass music with a storyline to it. For “Try
This”, it was a spy/secret agent concept added to bass music. And for
“Swamp Thing” it was crazy country banjo-madness added. If you
can take the bass music concept and add (another) concept to it, it
gives an identity, a face, to the song. The inspiration definitely
comes from Knife Party, they’re masters at doing that.

I see you’re teaming up with Cadence
and Cause to raise funds for hearing screenings and ear infections for
underprivileged children. Can you tell us more about this?

M) Well it’s
just truly great to give something back. We are getting a lot ourselves,
and we want to give some of that back…why not give it to children in need?
We care about our hearing because we make a living off of it, and with me being
an audiologist for 20 years, it’s something close to me. We want people to
be able to hear music. Music is feeling, music is joy, music is
everything. Sound is everything…I’d rather be blind than deaf. So we
really want to do that for our community.

Alex, I know you are really
into drawing art, and that some of your work was even
offered as part of this fundraiser. What inspires your artwork?

A) Actually, the reason I got
into music was because of graphics. I’ve always liked to draw since as
long as I can remember. I used to draw the Ninja Turtles,
Transformers, whatever cartoons I saw on TV with pencil and paper,
super simple. When I got a computer, I actually made my first digital graphics
in Microsoft paint (laughs). I got involved in the demo scene, which is
smaller than the gaming community: more of a creative place where people did
graphics, music, and coding being executed live. At one of these tournaments, I
walked past this guy making music on this weird piece of software called a
tracker, which is basically your old school DAW. It runs downwards, not
sideways (laughs)..that is how I got started in music… that was in ‘96! But
the graphic thing kinda always stuck with me… whenever I need a break from
making music, I’ll sit down and draw something.

Wow, what a start.. and what a long way you guys have come
since then! Thanks again to you both for a killer set, and for taking a few
minutes to chat. Hope to have you back again soon!

Doctor P is a name we all know. Co-founder of UK-based Circus
Records and the man behind classics like “Sweet Shop” and “Tetris”, there is no
denying he is one of the pioneers behind the explosion of the international
dubstep scene. The music he produces is a distinguishable combination of heavy
bass paired with catchy melodies. We had a chance to sit down with the Doctor
(known to his friends and family as Shaun Brockhurst) before his set at this
year’s Global Dance Festival in Colorado. Not only is he undeniably passionate
about his music, but he is also humble and extremely easy-going. It was a real treat
to chat with Doctor P about his plans for the future, the dubstep scene, and
more.

APIS: It’s really great to have you back here at Red Rocks, Shaun.
Every time you come to Colorado is really special and we definitely have a lot
of love for you here!

Doctor P: Thank you! Yea, I definitely get that feeling. I never
a bad show here, the vibes are absolutely massive

APIS: Throughout your career, you’ve come from playing small
intimate basement parties to playing massive venues like this one, and other
big festivals worldwide. How do you feel out the different vibes of these
crowds to design your sets?

Doctor P: It’s a weird thing, playing a massive show…especially
a festival. I think a lot of people that come to festivals, come because it’s
the festival. They’re not necessarily here to see me. It can actually be more
difficult, so I try to win them over a little bit. If a play a headline show in
a smaller club, most of the people know every single one of my tracks. It is much
easier, I just play the tracks and they go crazy!

APIS: I saw you earlier this year at Beta Nightclub in
Denver. The crowd had amazing energy, it was a lot of fun.

Doctor P: Yea, with a good sound system and a crowd that
knows the music, it’s just good, clean easy fun. Festivals can be a little more
tricky, so I try to feel them out a little bit.

APIS: Definitely. Well the Colorado crowd definitely has a
passion for dubstep and bass heavy music.

Doctor P: (laughs) I know Denver does love dubstep, so I was
gonna play a lot of dubstep!

APIS: Speaking of dubstep, the scene in America has seen some
dynamic change in the past several years. What are your thoughts about where
the community will be in the future?

Doctor P: People always talk about dubstep being dead. But
honestly? Consistently over the years, dubstep has just been the most popular
thing I play in my sets. I guess it’s because I’m associated with it so a lot
of people come to the show who are dubstep fans. But even at festivals, dubstep
just consistently gets the best reaction. People love telling me that it’s
dead, but it’s only dead when it’s dead.

APIS: A couple months back we had Global Dub Festival with
lots of dubstep artists and that was a hugely successful show. It also sold out
Red Rocks!

Doctor P: Yea, people want it, people are hungry for the
music.

APIS: We’ve heard some exciting rumors about an EP in the
works in the near future. Can you tell us more about where you hope to go with
that?

Doctor P: The EP is basically there, I’ve got music ready to
go now. It’s taken me a long time. I work on music all the time, but I just
haven’t been happy where I’ve been with it. I feel like a lot of my stuff was
sounding old, and it wasn’t moving forward enough.  So I’ve just been making more and more music
and now I think I’ve finally got to a place where I’m kinda happy with the
sound. I’m trying new things, and looking toward hip-hop as a new direction for
my music.

APIS: What are some of your hip-hop influences?

Doctor P: I grew up listening to hip-hop. Wu-Tang Clan, D12,
stuff like that. I’ve got 3 new vocal tracks, kinda similar to “The Pit”. Full
vocal, hip-hop type tracks. A lot of producers have gone down the trap route, which
is sort of, semi hip-hoppy. I’m
trying to go the other direction of hip-hop. I feel like I’ve moved onto the
next stage in my music, finally. I was a bit stuck for a while, but I feel I’ve
moved on a little bit. Trying something a bit new, but I still think you can
tell it’s me when you hear the track. I’m gonna play it tonight so you’re gonna
hear it.

APIS: Awesome, can’t wait for the preview! You’ve clearly
been staying busy. With such a brutal tour and studio schedule, what do you
like to do to unwind and recharge?

Doctor P: I’ve got a 3-year old son so, generally, play with
him. He’s 3 and a half now. Unwinding is generally spending time looking after
him. It’s a world away from DJing and producing.

APIS: Circus Records projects have always caught my
attention because it’s very evident that your team is a tight knit family. How
has it been watching each other grow and evolve styles throughout the years?

Doctor P: I think it’s really cool that we’ve gotten a group
of friends working together. We just try and support each other and help each
other out, and work on each other’s music. In the beginning we didn’t really do
that, but the scene’s moving along so fast we kind of need each other’s help
now. Flux just finished writing his album. I was in the studio with him a lot, working
on his album with him. It’s cool to be able to do that.

APIS: Where do you record your music?

Doctor P: At the house .We don’t have actual studios, we
just record in our bedrooms (laughs) I’m still in the spare bedroom of my
house.

APIS: Oh wow, I wouldn’t expect that! I know a lot of DJ’s
work on the go while touring as well.

Doctor P: Yea I work on my laptop a lot. Macbook speakers
are actually pretty good for producing. I make a lot of my stuff on the Macbook,
and just finish it at home.

APIS: What production software do you use?

Doctor P: Cubase.

APIS: I’ve heard you and Joshua (of Flux Pavilion) played in
a band together before you got into DJing. Out of curiosity, what kind of music
did you guys play?

Doctor P: System of a Down covers. We wrote our own tracks
as well along the lines of System of a Down. We had a funk band as well! At the
time we were making electronic music as well. And then the electronic music
just kinda took over.

APIS: What would you be doing if you were not in the music
industry?

Doctor P: I originally wanted to be a graphic designer, so I
guess I would be doing that. I actually do the designs of my artwork for my
releases. I do that myself! So it’s kind of a hobby still…kind of a boring
hobby, graphic design, (laughs) but I enjoy it. I’m always quite proud when I
see a release come out, and the artwork that I did is there written on my
advertisements. That is all me!

APIS: Involved with every aspect of your work, that’s
awesome. Thank you again for taking time to talk with us. Can’t wait for your
set!

Doctor P: Thank you! Hope you enjoy.

Electric Forest

After coming off a flight from Vegas into Denver, all I wanted to do was stretch across my bed and sleep. But I had no longer than 8 hours to prepare for a road trip to my first camping festival: Electric Forest. Laundry, picking up last minute gear, marinading steaks, packing snacks; all of this had to be done before my departure. It was a long road ahead… 18 hours to Chicago to pick up a couple friends, and 4 more hours to Rothbury from there. That was plenty of time to break up my post-Vegas daze.

Once finally at the venue, it was clear we would have to be patient. Getting to the campsite was no easy task, and the lines of cars stretched long. I drifted in and out of sleep, eager to just set up camp. When we finally got in, we were lead all the way to the last camping zone, furthest from the forest. That’s when we knew we were in for lots of walking throughout the weekend. Exhausted as we were, we set up the tents and canopies right away, and then the beers came flowing. We had a few hours to rest and refuel our minds and bodies before making the trek to the forest.  As we walked the campgrounds, I could see tents and camps for miles all waiving their hometown banners. There were groups hailing  from Colorado (we saw quite a few!) all the way to Canada. As we continued toward the forest, the music got louder and louder and our anticipation was getting higher. Most of the crew was going to experience electric forest for the 1st time, and though we had barely slept, it was impossible to feel tired.

Upon walking in you notice the very first big stage called the Tripolee Stage. It rose out of the trees like a strange, abandoned alien spaceship. Here we would see new and rising electronic acts like Illenium and Snails to as well as scene vets such as Carl Cox and Paul Oakenfold. As we approached the central part of the venue, we saw all sorts of vendors selling everything from mesmerizing LED hula hoops to the famous spicy pie pizza that I found myself indulging in many times over the course of the weekend . The main stage was situated nearby: where we would witness Skrillex and Bassnectar throw some of the most defining sets of their careers. Later on that weekend, I actually spotted Lorin walking out of the artist village before his set. He covered his face, and slipped into the massive crown incognito. I had a feeling he was feeling out the energy of the crowd before throwing down our forest soundtrack.

I have never been much into the jam band scene, but I went into this festival with an open mind as I knew it’s a huge part of the experience. I caught some legendary acts that were new to me like String Cheese Incident and Yonder Mountain String Band. I was so surprised how hard they rock out. It was impossible not to dance and love how wild the crowds were for these sets, it truly matched the energy of the festival. It was also a huge treat to see Skrillex on the guitar with String Cheese. It’s easy to lose sight of the fact that he got his start in an emo band, but he blew us all away with his guitar skills. I could tell he was feeling it and absolutely loving this performance, and wrecked the crowd for over an hour.

Friday night featured a variety of dubstep heavy hitters, and had to be one of my favorites. Having artists like Crizzly, Snails, Datsik and Skrillex playing b2b all together was certainly one for the books. Snails played some of the filthiest sets I have heard in a very long time: it brings to light the meaning of “vomit step.” Datsik came on after and had another killer performance with a lot of crowd pleasing drops. To close out the main stage was, of course, the man himself: Skrillex. Everyone at the end of the night all agreed they have never seen a Skrillex set like that before. As the crowd exited, many were drawn back to the Tripolee stage where Flux Pavilion was closed out the epic night.

Though we didnt get much sleep, I pushed myself to wake up early enough to catch some yoga with the famous Hannah Muse and prepare for an epic Saturday. It was amazing seeing so many people of all shapes and sizes gather for yoga… Though I am not very good, it was fun and refreshing to get some exercise with my Forest Family. After yoga, we started up the day with amazing Minnesota. The atmosphere was so welcoming and relaxing.. everyone was all about having a good time under the sun. After this set, we assembled our crew and headed out to the silent disco where we caught some underground techno. After all, we were just a few hours outside of Detroit: when in Rome. The groovy techno beats got us pumped up deep in the trees, and before we knew it we realized, “the ceremony is about to begin.” Nectar. As we got to The Ranch stage there were already tens of thousands eagerly waiting for him to play. We all got situated under the clear night sky and waited. His 12:30 set time came and went.. The crowd was getting a bit anxious and the air hung heavy as we all waited. Finally by 1:00 he took the stage started playing a very mellow chilled set that everyone could groove to. By the end of the set our moods were so elevated, and we headed towards the exit. and as well tired from dancing all day. Though we were exhausted from dancing, the Tripolee stage drew us in like a magnet. Who better to end the night than DirtyBird founder Claude VonStroke. He threw down an amazing set with very chill basslines and lots of soul. His beats lifted me out of the forest and it felt like we were dancing out hearts out in a big city. What a set.

The final day crept up on me; I couldn’t believe the weekend was almost over. I was very eager to see acts like Alison Wonderland and Wiwek. Since we were pretty tired, a good portion of the day was spent mostly just relaxing exploring the forest, and we made memories that we will cherish for a long time. We caught the live set of Goldfish to start the evening off right, before heading back to the camp to relax with some beers and grill up the remaining. After refueling, we headed back in.

The highlight of the night once again was at the Tripolee stage for the legendary Paul Oakenfold. My favorite moment of the weekend was his mix of the famous Sandstorm by Darude. We have all heard this song thousands of times but this 10 minute remix is something I can never forget. He closed by yelling out into the crowd, “Yes you know who I am!”

The weekend in the forest was full of adventurous and was indeed very tiring. Everything about it was totally worth it, and very special. Everything from waking up sweating in that Michigan humidity, to the smiles of the crowd, to the after parties…This magical experience in the forest is something I will definitely seek out again next year.