Juneteenth Block Party: musclecars

C12 is conceived as a place where freedom, diversity, creativity
and alternative cultures are able to thrive in disciplines such as
music, dj-culture, art, fashion and so many more.

C12 w/ Kyle Hall @ Kiosk Radio 17.11.2023

Native to New York, musclecars is a DJ / Producer duo consisting of Brandon Weems and Craig Handfield. As musicians, they equally share an admiration for the artform. Their desire to blend genres and express their appreciation for music is focused around their community- the end goal is to bring people together. Through a regular stream of high quality mixes, they have begun to turn heads in underground circles.

In 2018 they launched ‘Coloring Lessons’, a party that was aimed to add value to their city’s nightlife culture. While the party and sound is not genre specific, it is heavily focused around house, disco, jazz, and soul, embracing the musical elements of their black and brown ancestors. The monthly party's intention is to bring New York City's dance music scene back to what it was during the golden era of NY nightlife. They aim to spread the music that has been influential to them, and share it with a younger generation of their peers.

COLORING LESSONS with musclecars @ The Lot Radio 12-31-2023

Self proclaimed “Underground and Black”, Detroit native Ash Lauryn leads her musical charge with a candid love for the historical roots of dance music, and the power of reclamation in modern day America. 
 
https://www.nts.live/shows/ash-lauryn/episodes/ash-lauryn-25th-january-2024

Underground & Black w/ Ash Lauryn 250124

"Art and music are the same, they're just different dialects." The Chicago house music legend talks about co-curating the photo exhibit Walk The Night and nightlife's '90s heyday. 

Ron Trent grew up in Chicago, where he dreamed of being a musician from a young age. He would end up becoming one of the architects of the Chicago house sound and working alongside contemporaries like Chez Damier, and across the pond, Basic Channel. His label, Prescription Records, became a renowned purveyor of the deep house sound. He spread his vision from the American Midwest to New York, Europe and beyond. 

In this talk recorded live at Miami Art Week, Trent talks to Resident Advisor music critic Kiana Mickles about the songs and dance floors that shaped him in this early part of his musical trajectory. In addition to playing some of his favourite jazz, funk and disco songs, he reflects on clubs like Studio 54, Paradise Garage and The Warehouse, which he claims matured him as an artist and irrevocably shaped the trajectory of club culture. Trent was instrumental in co-curating an exhibit called Walk The Night (which premiered at this multidisciplinary event), a photographic homage to these spaces and other historic clubs around the world.

To hear more about the legacy of Trent's favourite clubs and the music that shaped him, listen to the episode in full.

EX.698 Ron Trent

Up next in the mix: Archive Queen, There Is No Planet Earth serves up a gorgeous blend of New York House for the ages ~

"This mix is inspired by storied NYC House institutions: Body & Soul, Shelter, 718 Sessions & Junior Vasquez at Sound Factory. It touches on a variety of house sounds from Detroit, NY soulful gospel vocals, a Junior vs Danny remix section with a little bit of Disco. This mix is really a snapshot of what I typically play out in clubs in NYC."

@benmanzone
https://www.mixcloud.com/ben-manzone/

GABRIELA MIX #3 ~ THERE IS NO PLANET EARTH

For Future's Sake Live @ Public Records Atrium 11.25.23

Live @ Public Records NY 11.25.23

Contrary to what the title of this mix suggests, there is not a Sade track in sight, (sorry to disappoint any of you ;) ) I chose the title because it perfectly communicates why and for whom i made this: the anti-Valentine heroes, heroines and gentlethems among us. It is a companion for quiet reflections on love of many kinds. It is separate from any binaries, stereotypes, and of course the looming shadow of the patriarchy that is ever present - especially around a commercial holiday such as Valentine's Day.
   Even though the creation of this holiday and its perpetuation in the media + commerce is problematic in so many ways, as a dj it is my favorite holiday by far - the one that gets me the most inspired to create and share music. My primary currency as a person and artist is emotion - so this is THE time of year that triggers, cuts and sings to me the hardest, deepest, loudest.
   As well as providing an anti-Valentine's companion for the season, this particular selection of tracks exemplifies all of the music I lean on and enjoy when i'm not prepping for a dancefloor-oriented gig: soothing, gentle, filled with caring + positive messages, atmospheric, abstract. Allowing the mind to rest and to wander.
   The final track of this mix is especially important to me - one of my favorite single releases from last year by my friend Niia. Her voice is liquid gold; her songwriting is perfectly human and direct. I listen to idk what to tell my friends every time i take off or land in an airplane, and I have been doing a LOT of traveling recently. The rest of 2024 will be more of the same.
   I'm known for spinning vinyl, but all of the tracks featured in this mix came to me through digital means. Yes, we all hate that streaming-service-that-shall-not-be-named, but we love discovering great new music too. I've trained the algorithm to bring up the most random and obscure shit to me on a regular basis - and of course it still feeds me all the neo soul and b-side grooves that i am a sucker for.
      I hope you all enjoy this mix, and that it serves as a lover to you this season. If you like what you hear, please support the artists featured via their bandcamps wherever possible.

𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝓂𝒾𝓍 𝓌𝒶𝓈 𝑜𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁𝓁𝓎 𝓇𝑒𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓅𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑜𝒻 𝟤𝟢𝟤𝟥 𝒶𝓈 𝓅𝒶𝓇𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒟𝒾𝑔𝒾𝓉𝒶𝓁 𝒟𝑒𝓁𝒾𝒸𝒶𝒸𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝓈𝑒𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈 (𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓉𝓈 𝒵𝒾𝒶 & 𝒮𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓃𝑒)

T R A C K L I S T I N G

I Thought That I Could Get Away With It - Joseph Shabason
Let It Go - Kelela
Bumble_Bee Interlude - TWEAKS
Me VS ME - ELIZA
Pressure - D'sean Jones + Ideeyah
izzitwurkinfoya - Maurice II
Friendly Pressure - Jhelisa
Pour Le Moment - Sol Set
Sustain - Sam Gendel
With You - Jasper Tygner
in god's childlike hands - Lauren Auder
SOS - SZA
Far Away - Kelela
The Gate (Extended Mix) - Caroline Polachek
idk what to tell my friends - Niia

Cover art by me

N O  O R D I N A R Y  L O V E  '24

Self proclaimed “Underground and Black”, Detroit native Ash Lauryn leads her musical charge with a candid love for the historical roots of dance music, and the power of reclamation in modern day America. 
 
https://www.nts.live/shows/ash-lauryn/episodes/ash-lauryn-22nd-february-2024

Underground & Black w/ Ash Lauryn 220224

Pew Fellowship recipient, King James Britt (his real name) is a 30+ year, producer, composer, performer and educator in electronic music. As a composer and producer, his practice has lead to collaborations with the likes of De La Soul, Alarm Will Sound Orchestra, Saul Williams, director Michael Mann (Miami Vice) and many others, as well as being called for remixes from an eclectic list of giants, including, Meredith Monk, Solange to Calvin Harris. Most recently collaborating with MacArthur Fellow, Tyshawn Sorey for a recently released album project. In his role as performer, he has travelled globally playing thousands of venues and festivals, including, AfroPunk (NYC), Berghain (Berlin), MoogFest (Durham), Le Guess Who Festival (Utrecht) and The Kitchen (NYC). King was also the original DJ for the Grammy Award winning Digable Planets.
His curatorial work has been seen in many collaborations with the likes of MoMA PS1, Philadelphia Museum of Art and most recently Carnegie Hall. Blacktronika : Afrofuturism In Electronic Music, is a new lecture course at UCSD, created by Professor King Britt, researching and honoring the people of color, who have pioneered groundbreaking genres within the electronic music landscape. Genres span from Chicago House, Detroit Techno and Drum & Bass music. Using his position in the industry, the class has been attended by many, including Questlove, Julian Priester and Flying
Lotus. King remains one of the go to authorities on Afrofuturism in music.

Follow King Britt on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingbritt/?hl=en

Coloring Lessons Mix Series 063: King Britt

"FRANTZ is from Brooklyn, NY and had local radio and Video Music Box shape his tastes before MTV's AMP took hold, which later got him a high school internship at Astralwerks Records/Caroline Distribution picking up on sounds from major label remixes to "strictly underground" labels. Since then he's been committed to chasing cuts that lie somewhere between jovial and frenzied energy on the Rave/Groove spectrum. This naturally led him to a stint at famed digger's delight, The Thing in Greenpoint.
  Having spent some years in Mexico City just as that scene firmly re-established itself in the global view, he found a space within it playing disco, all manner of house, UK garage at famed clubs and parties Sunday Sunday, Departamento, Pervert, Japan, Por Detroit, and Yuyu.
  Since returning to NYC he's continued to forge his sound around town while daytiming as a buyer at Academy Records, of used collections and supporting burgeoning local (and sometimes foreign) electronic artists and labels. More recently he's featured on a V/A release on Death On Wax, contributing a delightfully sleazy disco edit that works on the dancefloor (or a leather bar).  
 This selection for There Is No Planet Earth is a small sharing of forever favorites, re-discoveries, and new obsessions. Come for the first track and stay for the as-yet-still unidentified Track ID at the end. Help us all if you know it. Enjoy!  Since returning to NYC after pandemic-prompted excursion to Europe he's continued to forge his sound around town while daytiming as a buyer of used records and supporting burgeoning local (and sometimes foreign) electronic artists and labels. His selection is a small sharing of forever favorites, re-discoveries, and his latest new obsessions. Come for the first track and stay for the as-yet-still unidentified Track ID at the end. Help us all if you know it. Enjoy"

@frantzishere

Episode 64 w/FRANTZ

Know as a vinyl assassin like no other, 4AM NYC has taken care of musical communities in New York and worldwide for over a decade, both on and off the dance floor...

They have traveled far n wide off the strength of their exceptional djing; spinning at legendary parties in Detroit for Movement, and headlining club nights in London, Berlin, Lisbon, Munich and beyond. All the while holding down residencies at home with their own party series Spiritual Mental Physical, at beloved NYC night clubs such as Good Room, Le Bain, and Public Records.

As a dj they provide nights of music unbound by genre, dedicated to the dance floor; ruled by a furious and vivid emotional spectrum. Storytelling takes precedence in their practice and the tale will be told by any means necessary - whether it’s via heart-wrenching soul, finger-snapping house, euphoric and demonic techno, or unclassifiable future classics straight out of left-field - their delivery is always uncompromising and energizing, passionate and sincere.

As a booker they are known as head of the house at Gabriela in Brooklyn: every audiophile's oasis in a sea of homogeny; every open-minded dancer's secret escape from the mainstream.

   Moving forward, 2024 sees 4AM NYC releasing original productions with record label Air Texture, and continuing to take care of their people through incomparable nights and days of music.


/// Accept no Imitations \\\


Booking inquiries:
4amnycmusic at gmail dot com

N O O R D I N A R Y L O V E '24

4AM NYC

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