DGTL is an event organisation established in Amsterdam, with events hosted in Amsterdam, India, Santiago, Guadalajara, USA and Sao Paulo. With DGTL Records they build on their festival’s musical theme of an evocative cross section of the sounds and styles; showcasing forward thinking, cutting edge artists.
Review: The Amsterdam-based duo Parralelle head up Klassified Music, and here they collaborate on local imprint DGTL with French techno chief Nicolas Masseyeff. He has built a solid career over nearly three decades with releases on Herzblut Recordings, Systematic, Sapiens, and Diversions Music - which he runs with legend Oxia. The result is the mesmerising melodic techno journey "Unmute", followed by a dub version which injects more danceloor dynamics into proceedings and slightly more aggression for a more powerful experience, whole the slinky and hypnotic acid of "Free Your Mind" closes it out in style.
Review: Following up some terrific releases on Tale Of Us' Afterlife albel, Amsterdam native Ewout Colijn aka Colyn returns with a new one this week on local institution DGTL. The ethereal deep house of "Martian" will truly hypnotise you into submission with its seductive vocal, while the slinky and mesmerising mood music heard on "The Pursuit Of Happiness" follows it up just perfectly. Finally, the glassy-eyed and bittersweet "Programmed for Empathy" is the perfect soundtrack to the morning lights shining in through the windows.
Review: Amsterdam's DGTL returns with a fresh one here by UK tech house hero Theo Kottis, the latest artist on their esteemed roster. The Scottish DJ/producer and Sub Club (Glasgow) resident presents "Sun" which was inspired by a particular poolside set he played in Ibiza on a sunny afternoon. It is a glorious mix of classic house and trance motifs that are altogether geared for another summer of love. This is followed by the equally blissed-out euphoria of "Sprint" which is a more melodic and groove based affair, featuring an epic chord progression made for perfect drama on the dancefloor.
Review: Amsterdam's DGTL Records proudly served up Volume Two of its various artists compilation series not long ago. The music comes from local artists hailing from the many cities where their acclaimed festivals take place, showcasing exciting talents and giving them more exposure. Now we have the remixes which are as equally worthy of your attention. Mumbai's Sanddunes takes Lovshai's "Solo" into dreamy progressive house realms, and the ever reliable Phillip Lauer takes Vermelho Wonder's "Espetaculos Extraordinarios into typically neon-lit disco territory, while Pin Up Club's "Sanguine" is reinterpreted as a tunnelling and hypnotic rendition by Fort Romeau' and local hero Tom Trago brings on the summer season with the positive vibes on FM Live's "Tal Como Soy" remixed as Sunday afternoon acid euphoria.
Review: Tape Records owner Deniro makes his debut on DGTL with a mesmerising release. The title track is a deep but impactful track, blending shimmering synths with a dense rhythm, while on his version, Berghain resident Marcel Dettmann strips it back for a steely, wiry take that skates at the edge of industrial. While this remix is sure to grab attention, Deniro's own material is just as impressive; "Infrared" is a propulsive, grainy workout, featuring impactful bleeps, while on an entirely different note, closing track 'Sunset" is a seductively deep track that's based on subtle break beats. It sounds like Deniro's got as much presence as his famous film namesake.
Review: Amsterdam-based label DGTL return with a homegrown talent in Elias Mazian, of radio show Private Hearts on Red Light Radio.The EP's origins began with Mazian dancing in sweaty clubs on sunny mornings and blissful afternoons. In his words 'I tried to create loops you can never get sick of'. The All Night EP features "Don't Break It" which is on a minimal tip with its reduced funk and clipped drum programming that's perfect for heads down moments at the after party. Also, the sensual and emotive bass-driven bounce of the title track, with its unashamedly Chicago influence throughout, not to mention BRSTL's Shanti Celeste getting onboard for a pumping tribal house remix up next.
Review: The label arm of the DGTL festival organisation comes good with a fine house compilation to soundtrack these uncertain times. The warbling bass and neat percussive undercurrents on Lovshai's "Solo" start the release in warm, ecstatic form, while FM Live recalls the glory days of 90s UK deep house with the sprawling "Tal Como Soy". The compilation takes a tranced out turn for Perdu's "The Light Within", where broken beats provide the basis for some atmospheric hooks, before Yotam Avni switches into techno-influenced mode for the rolling, drum-heavy workout that is "Jungle of the Mirror II". Peppered with dreamy synths and deep vocal samples, it shows that when it comes to modern house music, DGTL has few peers.
Review: Amsterdam festival DGTL's offshoot label has yet to deliver a duff release, with previous outings from the likes of Man Power, KiNK and Fort Romeau all passing muster. Predictably, their latest missive from sometime Disco Halal and Golf Channel artist Autarkic is also a winner. The Tel-Aviv born producer begins in confident style with "Strange Alliances", where dreamy, drifting vocals, wonky trumpet lines and inter-dimensional electronics rise above a heavy, metronomic, dub-influenced cosmic disco groove. It comes backed with two suitably stellar remixes: a spacey mid-tempo revision by Trikk Sekvica informed by the alien synthesizer sounds of early French electronica and hypnotic Middle Eastern music, and a rubbery, stargazing revision by Rebodello that sits somewhere between dark analogue house and intoxicating techno.
Review: Following releases by Man Power and Kink, Djordje Petrovic aka Satori is the latest artist to release on DGTL. Having put out records for Crosstown Rebels, he's ideally placed to blur the boundaries between house, techno and left of centre influences. Fittingly then, "Fauna" is an unusual but engaging mixture of throbbing acid lines, Middle Eastern chanting and pumping techy rhythms. On the title track, Satori opts for a similar approach and deploys tripped out, melodic riffs and a jerky, off beat rhythm as a back drop for mysterious chants. Rounding off this impressive release is Satori's own take on "Magharibi", where he picks up the tempo deliver a big room techy rhythm, replete with tribal howls.
Review: Despite releasing a rake of EPs over the past two years for Correspondant, ESP Institute and Optimo Trax, Man Power aka Geoff Kirkwood shows no sign of slowing down. The talented artist's latest missive appears on the newly minted DGTL label, and is an essential release for anyone who follows his idiosyncratic sound. "The Duellist" is the big track here, focusing on slinky piano keys, a buzzing acid line and frosty synths over a sleek, pulsing groove. "El Mago Del Tiempo" has an epic feeling, with Kirkwood fusing sublime synths with an electronic disco rhythm. Meanwhile his weird side, which is never too far from the surface, bubbles up on the slow-motion "Put Your Hands On The Car (& Get Ready To Die)".
Review: For their second release on their label arm, Amsterdam festival DGTL has tapped another one of its regulars for a release: Michael Greene aka Fort Romeau. The UK producer came into the spotlight with releases on Running Back, Live At Robert Johnson and Ghostly International amongst others. In 2015 he also set up his own label, Cin Cin, releasing split EPs from established names and newcomers alike, with a diverse musical policy that reflects his open minded and inquisitive approach. After playing at three editions of the festival, they 'wanted to propagate his sound with an EP on their imprint.' Starting off in fine fashion with the evocative mood lighting of "Untitled II" with its Larry Hard bassline and layers of neon-lit pads over a steady groove. Next up Greene offers up a taste of the acid life on "A Familiar Place" this is proper dancefloor drama - 303 style, that would make even Tin Man stand up and notice.
Review: More epic than an all-night Sasha set, Modular Arms bridges the gap between big room house, trance melodies and break beat. "Celebrate", with its filtered synth builds, rolling drums and prowling bass is a pure adrenaline rush, bringing the listener back to a time when DJs played a range of music and didn't worry about sub-genres. "Modular" is more introspective and sees DGTL deliver morse code bleeps and windswept melodies over an understated groove. However, the most impressive track is "Amplify". Like an update of late 90s breaks act Hybrid, it sees DGTL effortlessly fuse dramatic strings and searing acid lines with dubbed out, cavernous break beats.
Review: DGTL Festival mainstay KiNK produced "Neutrino" at the event's Amsterdam festival last year. The Bulgarian hardware maverick delivers high tech soul as always with his signature techno sound that utilises hands in the air chord progressions, powerful and immaculate rhythms and razor sharp synth leads. "Dynamo" has adrenalised tension and sheer dancefloor drama with its furious and reverberated kick supporting some Jeff Mills style chime melodies and sonar bleeps supported by eerie strings. In its five years DGTL has carved its style and sound worldwide as one of Amsterdam's staple dance music institutions. This year the organisation is deepening its operations and their new label arm is a fine example thus far.
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