Afro Monk

Could it be? After almost a year of hearing it wasn’t going to happen, is it actually going to happen? Did the bass gods really hear my prayers? Today at around 3:30 PST, the Symbiosis Events fan page surprised us all by posting the above image as their new cover photo. As you can see in the image, it is implied that there is going to be a Symbiosis Gathering this year! No other details have been released as of now, but the 19-23 on the far left side suggests a September date, as those dates happens to fall on a Thurs-Mon in that month. Hell freaking yeah.

Somewhere between watching a full solar eclipse over gorgeous Pyramid Lake, crying out of happiness seeing Rustie play for the first time on Friday night, and witnessing the universe and my sanity with it implode into ever decreasing nothingness and then tumble back into a newly formed and more beautiful reality during Tipper’s eclipse set on Sunday, I figured out that Symbiosis Gathering 2012 might have been my favorite festival ever. The lineup was top notch and unmatchable that summer and the location was nothing short of phenomenal. I didn’t attend the legendary Symbiosis in 2009, but have heard nothing but the very, very, very best about it. That being said, I’m hoping 2013 will be their best year yet and I can not wait to hear more information. We’ll try to keep you guys updated here at Afro Monk and keep your eye out for news on their website.

Love and Low Frequencies,
Molly

UPDATE:

This morning, those following Symbiosis were given more details in the mysterious and cryptic hunt for clues about the gathering:

“The stage is set, and signed, and sealed
It’s time to forge ahead with zeal
Anticipation and excitement grow
For all the stuff you’d like to know

The time and place, or so it seems
Is the next piece of this crazy scheme
So gather round and prepare your head
Open three eyes and let your soul be fed

At this, the year of the water snake
Which is embodied by the lake
A place which you may never have heard:
The sun-drenched loch of old Woodward

The time and place you now shall learn:
A fortnight after the epic burn
The gathering begins on the fullest moon
19th of September, festivities begin at noon!

5 days of art, music, and adventure! An astounding assortment of sensory delights! Curious characters and eccentric explorers. Rare beauties and beautiful rarities. The wise, the wild, the weird, the wonderful. Dancing, swimming, and making merry together!

TICKETS GO ONSALE 14 MAY 10AM PST”

Symbiosis will be held September 19-23 at Woodward Reservoir, CA!
See all of you lovelies there!

-Taradactyl

Dear Producers,

You should NEVER let anyone brand your music. I will admit that I’ve done it in the past and had AfroMonk.com Exclusives but back then Soundcloud and YouTube worked very differently. This is not to say that don’t let others repost your music but noticed how I use the work repost vs brand your music.

If you actually use marketing or advertising techniques (high recommend) you’ll lose all that data and information from people who listen or play your music. There are TONS of analytics that you should be looking at OR have a marketing/advertising person monitoring. When you hand over permission for someone to upload or use your music via their outlet, all of that is gone. You’re ultimately letting them capture your audience and even give them the power to advertise to these people and make money from your audience.

How could you leverage other networks to support you via their Soundcloud, YouTube, Blog, etc… You make sure they SHARE/Re-POST your soundcloud tracks or videos. The major issue is Soundcloud and YouTube. You lose the plays on your account and the opportunity to have the new listeners find you on other social media outlets that you can leverage by pointing them to which ever you want (Facebook Like to Download). If the channel SHARES your track anyone who Follows or Like’s their channel will STILL see it and they are leveraging their audience for YOU not THEM.

There are also advanced strategies that allow anyone who hits their page/channel and plays your track to be added to their list versus yours. All this can be prevented if you simply require them to point to YOUR track or website. YouTube channels are a big culprate of this. I can’t tell you enough how bad it has gotten on Soundcloud. Websites and networks should be building GROUPS not profiles. If they are posting a track on a blog post make sure they are using YOUR account or profile versus theirs.

Don’t be a fool and think that they are helping YOU vs them when pushing your music for you. They are ultimately using your music to help themselves. Just look for banners, ads, sponsored links, etc… All that traffic they are getting for your name and music is making them money. I’ve been running this blog for three plus years now and always made it a point to not advertise or take money for post. I might be running banners for festival events but assure you that all I receive in return is a ticket to cover the event.

I just want to make sure producers are aware of this and it’s a very real thing that’s happening. Times are changing and you deserve the gains versus others. If they are really out to help you they’ll use your links and mediums versus theirs and share it properly to help you not them.

Let me close this rant off with introducing you something that you might of considered… If you’re a moderately successful producer and want to take it to the next level you might want to consider bringing in someone who specializes in Marketing or Advertising. It’s a common practice to have an agent or manager but their roles and skill set usually and almost never in building your market share. PR people help out with this but deal more with keeping your name in the media but not DIRECTLY reaching people. Think about it like this if any business wants to grow or reach more people they invest in public relations, marketing or advertising. This is why I’m building an agency with a talented artist manager to address these issues and make sure artist aren’t taken advantage of.

* Note: The old Soundcloud does not have the SHARE feature. The new Soundcloud allows you to SHARE someone elses track and appears on their feed so anyone who Follows the profile will see that they shared the original track from the Producers profile.

Alright well if you didn’t notice the last post was done by our new writer, Molly!

I’ve been on a writing hiatus and music is piling up quickly for 2013. This site is important to me and don’t want it to slow down so I’ve decided to bring in someone new to contribute to the site.

A few years ago I had talked to Molly about being a writer but there were too many things going on where it didn’t work out at the time. She reached out to me when I made a small inquiry online about finding someone new.

Just as I’m extremely critical of music I’m way worse about someone representing AfroMonk.com. It’s almost an extension of me entirely. It’d be selfish of me to not have any other writers besides myself. Bringing in writers is something I’m always weary of but I’ve had the pleasure of having amazing writers like PBJ, Ed, and Tara. I’ve been friends with Molly for awhile now and am extremely excited to have her part of the staff. She always blows me away how keen she is to what’s fresh and pristine when it comes to music.

Welcome to the team Molly!

Top 5 Best Releases
1. Michal Menert – Even If It Isn’t Right
2. Caravan Palace – Panic
3. XXYYXX – XXYYXX
4. Lapalux – When You’re Gone
5. Thriftworks – Rainmaker

Top 5 Best Songs
1. LOL Boys – Changes (Shlohmo Remix)
2. Sugarpill – Space Foray
3. Tinashe – Let You Love Me (XXYYXX Remix)
4. Aligning Minds – My Heart is Love feat Robert Manos
5. Kayla Scintilla – Whomp Shanti

Top 5 Underrated Releases
1. Birds of Paradise – Ascended Blasters
2. Futexture – The Science of How Things Unfold
3. Trifonic – Ninth Wave
4. Kalya Scintilla – Dance the Spiral Never Ending (Remixed)
5. Herobust – Late Night / Morning After

Top 5 New Producers
1. G Jones
2. Trill Murray
3. XXYYXX
4. Futexture
5. Krooked Drivers

Top 5 Events
1. Symbiosis
2. Lightning in a Bottle
3. Emissions
4. Sonic Bloom
5. Lucidity

Introducing the next new controller from Keith McMillen Instruments! I recently got the QuNeo and was very impressed. It lived up to everything I expected.

They’ve launched a new KickStarer campaign to fund it and recommend jumping on it sooner than later as they ship on a first fund basis (I’m pretty sure).

Watch the video below and be blown away! I’m considering on grabbing one just to learn how to play piano. I could see myself integrating this into my setup versus the QuNeo. I use an Akai APC40 as my main controller and didn’t see myself learning how to finger drum anytime soon vs focusing right now on learning how to play piano.

I think the video covers most of the applications and info you need. Your next step is to help fund this product. Right now I’m debating on when I should order it considering I can’t right now but I’m hoping this goes viral.

September Campaign 2012 Trailer: Rwanda from charity: water on Vimeo.

I wanted to post about this awhile ago but I have no idea why I neglected it too be honest. Today it’s my friends John’s birthday. He recently put together a fundraiser called Neurovation through the Gravitas label. He wanted everyone to donate to this for his birthday. It is an amazing cause which proves 100% of your donations towards helping provide water for those in need in Rwanda. I invite you all to check out the video above. This campaign started in September and has nearly reached its goal of $150k and is only $3k shy right now.

The Neurovation campaign is over but I wanted to make sure that everyone knows about this. The recent disaster in the North East has caused great devastation and is a reminder about how insane life can be. My prayers go out to all those who have suffered due to Hurricane Sandy. I only hope someone follows in John and Gravitas footsteps and puts something together for those who need help after Hurricane Sandy.

If I hear of anything I’ll be sure to post this. Remember we are blessed to have the lives we have. Give back to the world as it has provided for you in many ways.

DONATE to Charity: Water

Alright so a lot of people ask me where I find a lot of the music that I post. One of the main sources is Addictech. I’ve never enjoyed Beatport and usually flooded with tons of music that I don’t want to waste my time with. Addictech is the one place I’m sure to find the super heady midtempo glitch stuff.

If I’m not getting the music directly from the artist on Bandcamp I’ll usually go through Addictech. I’m a huge fan of their charts versus many of the other online retailers. It’s also nice how they organize their music with tags. It can get a bit excessive it’s the best I’ve seen.

Sign up for an account and browser their selection. You’ll probably find TONS of new music just from browsing their tag pages. It would be a HUGE help if you were to sign up through AfroMonk.com as there are incentives now.

Sign up for an Addictech account through this link.

Thanks

Satellite Respond is Boris aka Gladkill’s new downtempo project. I’ve been eagerly been anticipating this to debut for over a year now. Ever since I found his first work, AlphaOne, I’ve been begging him to return to more of the IDM downtempo style vs the more bass influenced stuff Gladkill has evolved into. Boris is one of those producers that from the moment I heard his music I wanted more and would do anything to help promote. Hell this new project Satellite Respond sounds exactly like the type of music I hope to create. The emotion and energy it creates is what I hope to hear every time I hit play on a new track.

Briefly talking to Boris about the project he said that there’s a lot more of this stuff and reason why he decided to branch off and start a new alias. I’m all for this sound and hope that we’ll get to hear more of this. I’m really excited to see where this project goes. It’s a good look for music right now. I’m hoping to find more music like this for Afro Monk Records. This week-end Gladkill will be playing at Impulse Festival in Georgia and hoping to hear more of this project at his set. Go and find Satellite Respond on Facebook as it’s where you’ll also hear more about this new alias.

Intelepaths is a collaboration of the talented woman, ill-esha, and the homie, Unlimited Gravity. The two of them have had their own success working on their solo projects but a handful of events unfolded to have them work together on this new union.

They’ve put together a few tracks together that I’ve heard and blessed to be sharing this debut track. They’ve chosen Adina Howard’s Freak Like Me. The vocals Elysha put down on this one are incredible. If you haven’t heard of ill-esha sing live yet you’re missing out. Now add Ronnie dropping some vocals in the background of the chorus. The vibe and energy is just a small tease to what they have in store. I had to pleasure of playing one of their new tunes at Emissions this past week-end and hope everyone who hasn’t left to Symbiosis could grab this one. Freak Like Me is the perfect tune for any set. Who doesn’t want to find a freak out there =D

One of the things that Intelepaths reminds me about is how there is no limit to what you can do music. The EDM scene consist of instrumentals for the most part. The two of them bring so many pieces of the puzzle together to create a new blend of EDM. The vibes aren’t as focused on the dancefloor as much and creating beautiful music with good energy. Ever since I’ve been talking to Elysha about this collab I find such positivity and love behind it. Don’t expect crushing bangers with insane drops. Intelepaths represents the art of  playing live set with live vocals, beatboxing, looping, and free styling organic sounds. The true experience is seeing to joining forces of both of them in a live set environment.

There is a small EP that is in the works but there are no official dates as of now. What I’ve heard so far is fantastic and always get excited to share the music they’ve both created together. It’s great to hear tracks that include original vocals from both a man and woman.

There’s much more ahead for these two. Elysha relocation to the States has opened the door to a lot more shows and availability to work with other artist. Ronnie is finishing up school and ready to show everyone what he has been working on and accomplished with his MHSM family. Expect a lot of new things from both of them working together and on their own. This isn’t the last you’ll hear of this.

Enjoy the first official Intelepaths tracks here from AfroMonk.com <3

I am honored and privileged to bring word on Afro Monk Record’s Debut Release.  Futexture “The Science of How Things Unfold”  combines top-notch production, with out of this world  arrangements and the creativity to bring the listener to a higher dimension.  No matter if you call this release IDM, FutureBass or Downtempo, Futexture, aka Danny Krantz, has taken the more sonically diverse elements of our genres and brought us a complete piece of work that will entertain the mind and tickle the ears.  My first listen to this release was done after a long day kicked back with the cans on and a bit of a mood enhancer.  Not only did the music grab a hold of me but it provided energetic boost to my whole body.  Some would say thats just the herb, but thats what pure quality music should do to all of us!  You should not just hear it, but experience it.   I must congratulate both Futexture for such an amazing album that is sure to make quite a name for him, but also the founder of this blog, Mr. JM aka Afromonk for pushing through and bringing us his first debut release on the brand new record label.  Now, with no more bullshit from me,  I bring you the music!

I hope to hear Futexture’s sounds being dropped in the wee hours of the morning all summer long. Pick up this release Addictech!