Orion & Flight Freebie Fridays (12.03.-09.04.2010)

During the next five Fridays (12.03-09.04.) we will be giving out re-edits, remixes & bootlegs which we (Orion & Flight) have made during the past 1,5 years. The artists included are Pryda, Coldplay, The Prodigy, DJ Tiesto, Planet Funk, DJ DLG, Michael Jackson, Alex Kenji etc…

This post will be updated every Friday – bookmark it and check back soon. While waiting, check the video for our latest re-edits & remixes.

DOWNLOAD… (more…)


DJ Orion – At The Club, Radio NRJ, 13.03.2010

NRJ logo - At The Club

DJ Orion – At The Club, Radio NRJ, 13.03.2010

01. Deepsky – Talk Like A Stranger (Orion & Flight remix) (CDr)
02. Tom Fall – Cubic (AnjunaDeep)
03. Tilt – The World Doesn’t Know (Proff remix) (Lost Language)

*** FEATURED ARTIST SOMETHING GOOD ***
04. Something Good – Hold On (CDr)

05. Tomcraft – Loneliness (Adam K & Soha Shadow remix) (Kosmo)

*** VINYL OF THE WEEK ***
06. Qattara – The Truth (Qattara’s Halahitim Mix) (Steelfish)

07. Weekend Heroes – Sidewinder (Iboga)
08. Planetary Assault Systems vs. Christian Smith – Planetary Departure (Speedy J bootleg) (CDr)
09. Rank1, Jochen Miller – The Great Escape (High Contrast)
10. Thomas Feijk – Imaginary Friend (Finity)
11. 7 Skies – Caffeine (Genix Remix) (AnjunaBeats)
12. DJ Orkidea & Solarstone – Slowmotion (Lowland remix) (Molecule)

DJ Orion’s podcast
iTunes: http://bit.ly/orionpodcast
Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/OrionPodcast/


DJ Orion – At The Club, Radio NRJ, 13.03.2010 – biisivieraana Something Good

Something Good promo pic 400px

DJ Orion – At The Club, Radio NRJ, 13.03.2010

Radio NRJ:n viikonloppujen uutena DJ:nä aloittavaa DJ Orionia kuullaan joka kuukauden toisena lauantaina At The Club -ohjelman toisella tunnilla klo 23:00-00:00.

13.3.2010 kuultavassa lähetyksessä on biisivieraana helsinkiläinen Something Good -duo, joka on kerännyt huomiota Suomen klubipiireissä ja varmistanut jo alkuvuodesta paikkansa tämän vuoden tulokkaana. Useilla ulkomaisilla labeleilla julkaissut kaksikko on tehnyt ensiesiintymisensä tämän vuoden puolella jo Pacifiquessa, Jackissä ja Danceteriassa ja herrat nähdään tulevina viikkoina muunmuassa Tampereen ONE-klubilla 27.3. Viimeisimpien keikka- ja studiokuulumisien lisäksi kaksikko pyöräyttää tulevan raitansa Hold On.

Lisäksi lautasilla uusi re-edit Deepskyn Talk Like A Strangerista sekä uusi remix Tiltin The World Doesn’t Know -hitistä, Tom Fall, Solarstone & DJ Orkidea, Tomcraft, Thomas Feijk, Rank1, Planetary Assault Systems, Speedy J sekä viikon vinyyli.

Tune In – nyt lauantaina 23:00-00:00 @ Radio NRJ
Stream @ www.nrj.fi

DJ Orion’s podcast
iTunes: http://bit.ly/orionpodcast
Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/OrionPodcast/


Pacifique Luau 2010 photos

Below are all the Pacifique Luau galleries. More updated as they appear – bookmark this page and check back soon.

Joha @ Damicon
Tuomas @ Sessions2
Tuula @ Sessions2
Karo Holmberg @ Sessions2
Petri Mast
Pacifique Facebook Group gallery

Check also all the 2009 galleries and 2008 galleries .


Tracklist: Pacifique Luau, main stage opening

Calm before the storm...

DJ Orion @ Pacifique Luau, main stage opening 18:30-19:30

01. DJ Orion & J.Shore – Your Highness
02. DJ Orion & J.Shore – When All THe Ships Are Gone
03. DJ Orion – One Sunday
04. DJ Orion & J.Shore – Deep Blue
05. Mango, DJ Orion, J.Shore – Raining In Osaka (DJ Orion & J.Shore remix)
06. DJ Orion & J.Shore – Brotherhood
07. Ralphie B – Massive (DJ Orion & J.Shore remix)
08. Redanka – Waves (DJ Orion re-edit)
09. 29 Palms – Touch The Sky (DJ Orion re-edit)
10. James Bond Theme (remix)


Pacifique Luau this Saturday

Pacifique 2008, Serena, Espoo, Finland - 13

This Saturday it’s time for one of the most awaited annual electronic music events in Finland. Pacifique, held in Serena waterpark, the biggest spa in Scandinavia, gathers couple of dozen of DJs and artists (incl. legendary Danny Rampling) and 1500 clubbers to enjoy the 32C heat, humidity and beats.

It’s going to be a night to remember, especially after a winter this cold. I’ll be opening the main stage with 1h hour Pacifique style chill-out set starting at 18:30. For those who haven’t ever been there that early – the first moments of the event are truly magical – empty waterpark, still pools, gathering people, slowly moving lights above the waters – literally calm before the storm.

Looking forward to see you on Saturday :)

(And while waiting, check the Pacifique 2009 galleries)


Photos: LCS, Turku, 26.02.2010

Here’s a couple of shots from past Friday’s LCS event (plus some older Turku phots, too). Great people and good vibes around – many thanks to Gavin, Ali and other LCS possé for the invitation. It was great seeing you and other Turku people after a while, they’re always great company :)

If you can’t see the photos below for some reason, head to the gallery.


DJ Orion @ YleX 1.3.2010 – haastattelussa Toni Kurkimäki

YleX - DJ-ohjelman logo

DJ Orion @ YleX 01.03.2010 – haastattelussa Toni Kurkimäki

Tracklist
01. Hybrid – Break My Soul (Distinct’ive)
02. Ticon – Models On Cocaine (Weekend Heroes remix) (Iboga)
03. The Black Project – In The Disco (LoudBit)
04. Marc Poppcke, Alex Niggeman – Berlin Down The House (Michael Melcher remix) (Bloop)
05. DJ Sneak, Soydan – Baba (Yakuza)
06. Iranzo Lasia, Uner – Vor Haus (Diynamic)
07. Andreas Henneberg, Simon2 – Bolingo Grigo (Kittball)

*** KUUKAUDEN KLUBIKAUPUNKI: SEINÄJOKI & VAASA
HAASTATTELUSSA TONI KURKIMÄKI ***

08. DJ PP – Miami Vice (Muzik Xpress)
09. Parallax Breakz, Almaz – Collation (Phrakture remix) (Flextone)
10. Shingo Nagamura – Alice In Wonderland (Silk)

*** VIIKON VINYYLI ***
11. Madoka – Afterburner (Private Reality)

*** KUUKAUDEN KOTIMAISET ***
12. Thomas Feijk – Imaginary Friend (Finity)
13. Muffler – Kolga (CDr)
14. Muffler – Hear Me Scream (Hospital)
15. Muffler – Pinball Fantasies (CDr)

Listen again on YleX Areena (works in Finland only):
http://areena.yle.fi/haku/uusimmat/hakusana/dj

DJ Orion’s podcast
iTunes: http://bit.ly/orionpodcast
Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/OrionPodcast/

DJ @ KLUBITUS
DJ @ FACEBOOK
DJ @ YLEX


YleX:n DJ-ohjelman klubikaupunkiesittelyssä Seinäjoki & Vaasa

Toni Kurkimäki promo pic

Maanantaina 1.3.2010 YleX:n DJ-tunnilla tutustutaan Seinäjoen ja Vaasan tämän hetken klubitarjontaan ja -historiaan. Klubikaupunkiosuudessa äänessä on Syna- ja Deck Jagger-duoistakin tuttu Toni Kurkimäki, joka toimii myös promoottorina Fiksaatio-organisaatiossa.

Lisäksi ensisoitossa Hybridin uusi Break My Soul -sinkku, kuukauden (tech-)houseraidat, BT-henkistä breakbeattia kanadalaiselta Phrakturelta, kuukauden suomitrancevalinta, joukko huimia drum n’ bass -uutuuksia Mufflerilta sekä viikon vinyyli.

Tune in – nyt maanantaina klo 22-23.

Web-stream: http://areena.yle.fi/player/index.php?channel=2&language=fi

Ohjelman infot @ YleX.

DJ-tunti livenä myös Twitterissä: @YleX & @Juska


This Friday – LCS @ Klubi, Turku

Liquid Crystal Sounds - Progression, 26.02.201...

I’m returning to Turku this Friday to celebrate the local Liquid Crystal Sounds club promoter’s – DJ Progression’s 30th birthday. He is throwing a party at Klubi with Joonas Hahmo, himself and me sharing the sounds.

Funny coincidence – we almost have the same birthdate, I’m having my own 30th anniversary today so it feels great to join the birthday vibes on Friday. In addition to the latest proggy/trance tunes, I’ll be grabbing some old classics with me – just to remind myself that it’s just us getting old, not the good music ;)

I’ll be behind the decks on Friday at Klubi, Turku at 01:30-03:30. See you there :)
Check the Facebook event for further details.

To sum it up, here are two great quotes, which you might have already spotted in my Twitter, but nevertheless they fit perfectly to my thirty-year-old-state-of-mind :)

“The first sign of maturity is the discovery that the volume knob also turns to the left.” -Jerry M. Wright

“You are only young once, but you can stay immature indefinitely.” -Author Unknown


DJ Orion – At The Club @ Radio NRJ Finland 13.2.2010

NRJ logo - At The Club

DJ Orion – At The Club, Radio NRJ, 13.02.2010

Radio NRJ:n viikonloppujen uutena DJ:nä aloittavaa DJ Orionia kuullaan joka kuukauden toisena lauantaina At The Club -ohjelman toisella tunnilla klo 23:00-00:00.

Ensimmäisessä lähetyksessä klubimusiikin trancemmalle puolelle painottuneeseen tuntiin mahtuu uutta musiikkia mm. kotimaiselta Something Good -duolta, Turun Choon-klubin johtohahmo Jussi Sorolta, Jaytechiltä, BT:ltä, Vibrasphereltä ja Ashley Wallbridgeltä. Klassikkopuolella lämmitellään tälle vuosikymmenelle Bedrockin Heaven Scent, Breederin The Chain ja Whiteroomin The Whiteroom. Lisäksi ensisoitossa uusi versio Solarstonen Solarcoaster-hitistä sekä kuukauden vinyylivalinta vuodelta 2000.

DJ Orion – At The Club @ Radio NRJ Finland 13.2.2010 – The Start

Tracklist
01. BT – Every Other Way (Album Mix) (Black hole)
02. Boom Jinx & Jaytech – Milano (AnjunaDeep)
03. Something Good – Alright Cielo (SG edit) (CDr)
04. Bedrock – Heaven Scent (Orion & Flight re-edit) (CDr)
05. Jaia – Out Of Orbit (Vibrasphere Analog Tape Remix) (Tribal Vision)
06. Breeder – The Chain (Fletch remix) (CDr)

*** VINYL OF THE WEEK ***
07. Maurice – Feline (Distinct’ive)

08. Whiteroom – The Whiteroom (Myon & Shane 54 Refill) (Armada)
09. Epica – Under The Sun (Proxoz)
10. Ashley Wallbridge – Chimera (Ava)
11. Aerium – Rainlight (Jussi Soro Remix) (CDr)
12. Solarstone – Solarcoaster (Haris C remix) (Lost Language)

DJ Orion’s podcast
iTunes: http://bit.ly/orionpodcast
Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/OrionPodcast/


Chart: Top Choices February 2010

DJ Orion – Top Choices February 2010

01. Deepsky – Talk Like A Stranger (Orion & Flight re-edit)
02. Jaia – Out Of Orbit (Vibrasphere Analog Tape Remix)
03. Hybrid – Break My Soul
04. Orkidea & Solarstone – Slowmotion (Lowland remix)
05. Breeder – The Chain (Fletch remix)
06. Something Good – Alright Cielo (SG edit)
07. Claes Rosen – Delirious
08. Björk – Hyperballad (Nick Galea remix)
09. Underworld & Axwell – Counting Down The Pipes (Orion & Flight re-edit)
10. Solarstone – Solarcoaster (Haris C remix)


Labyrinth // Laserpoint // Whiteout lineup revealed

Labyrinth // Laserpoint // Whiteout, Helsinki, Finland, 17.4.2010

This year’s lineup has just been released.

WAY OUT WEST (UK)
BLANK & JONES (GER)
Darude (Emi)
Orkidea (Unity)
Leo Laker – Live (Tresor)
Anton Sonin (Laserpoint)
Proteus (Säde)
Orion (YleX)
Jace (Monday Bar)
Flight (One)
Casper DJ (Helsinki)
Paul Easy (Clinic)
T. Rio (Hooverdamn)
Pietari (Labyrinth)
Carbon Based (Finrg)

Check the full website @ labyrinth.fi


This Friday: Fiksaatio @ Night, Joensuu

Fiksaatio, Night, Joensuu, 12.02.2010

I’ll be joining Deck Jagger boys at Joensuu Fiksaatio madness this Friday. It’s been nearly two years since I was there last time – that time with Metaverse Tour – and I’m really looking forward to return. Below are the details and a short video of the latest event. See you there!

Friday 12.2.2010, 22 – 04, K20, 12€ @ Night / Joensuu
Orion (YleX, Lost Language)
Deck Jagger (Baroque Recordings)


Video: Orion & Flight – Re-edit Showcase 2010

Here’s a short collection of re-edits, tracks and mashups me & Flight have been working with lately. Hope you like them.

>> YouTube link

Tracks, re-edits and mashups on video:
1. Kenji & Jackson – Jack That Billy (Orion & Flight re-edit)
2. Voorn & Helden – Sweep The Doctor (Orion & Flight re-edit)
3. Underworld, Mark Knight, D.Ramirez & Axwell – Counting Down The Pipes (Orion & Flight re-edit)
4. Butch – Pump Pump, Yeke Yeke (Orion & Flight re-edit)
5. Marc Marzenit – Tarzan’s Assignment (Orion & Flight re-edit)
6. The Prodigy – Narayan (Orion & Flight re-edit)
7. Deepsky – Talk Like A Stranger (Orion & Flight re-edit)
8. Bedrock – Heaven Scent (Orion & Flight re-edit)


ONE Love -liput myynnissä nyt.

ONE Love -liput myynnissä.

Kuluvalla viikolla on myynnissä erittäin rajoitettu erä ONE Love-lippuja, jotka takaavat sisäänpääsyn molempiin tämän kevään ONE-tapahtumiin (27.3. ja 5.6.).

Lippua vastaan saa lisäksi 27.3. -tapahtumassa ilmaiseksi ONE-CD:n, joka sisältää musiikkia ONEn vakioartisteilta sekä ensimmäisen tapahtuman vieras-DJiltä.

Rajoitettu määrä ONE Love -lippuja on myynnissä Tampereen Studio 25:ssä vain viikon ajan 8.2.-15.2.

ONE Love -lipun hinta on 10e (sis. sisäänpääsyn molempiin tapahtumiin sekä ONE-CD:n).

Ensimmäisen tapahtuman lineup sekä ONEn uusi venue julkaistaan 15.2.2010

We Are One Family.


Youtube: Moments in One, 21.03.2009


Konemetsä not organized in 2010.


Photo by Joni Tammela.

Sad news from Konemetsä possé:

“The Konemetsä Crew have decided not to arrange the festival in 2010

There have been a lot of speculation about if Konemetsä will or will not be held in 2010. We want to cut the rumors right here and right now and replace the rumors with factual information.

The Konemetsä Crew have decided not to arrange the festival in 2010. This doesn’t mean that we quit doing it for good. We have done Konemetsä for six years in a row and now we think that it’s a good idea to have a year off. This year the core crew of Konemetsä is pursuing another kind of fulfillment in life and we need to concentrate on what we’re doing right now. As festival promotion is something that consumes a lot of time and energy we would not be able to give Konemetsä the 100 % focus that it deserves.

We hope that you have enjoyed the last six years as much as we have. Moreover we wish to see as many of you back on the field in 2011.

Love and Light
Konemetsä Crew”

Original source – Konemetsa.net


Download: DJ Orion – 323 (Chill-out mix for DJ Orkidea’s 23 hour event, 01.01.2010)

DJ Orion - 323 (Chill-out mix for DJ Orkidea's 23 hour event, 01.01.2010)

Here’s a 323 minutes long chill-out mix, made for DJ Orkidea’s 23 hour set on 01.01.2010. The mix was recorded on 23th of December and the compiler (that’s me) has his birthday on the 23.2. Coincidence? ;)

This one indeed is 5 hours and 23 minutes long, it’s the longest chill-out set I’ve ever compiled and includes lots of my all-time favorites, classic chill-out tracks and fresh newcomers worth hearing. The mix starts with ambient soundscapes, evolves to melodic downtempo, then to more rhythmic tunes and ends with Ulrich Schnauss style “big room chill-out”.

Unlike some of the earlier “From Rural To Urban” mixes, which tended to be more or less melancholic, this mix has a positive, excited and happy, hopeful vibe during the whole five and a half hours. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed compiling it.

Download DJ Orion – 323 > http://www.bit.ly/orion323
Read about DJ Orkidea’s 23 h set > http://bit.ly/9vw9Kj
Download more “From Rural To Urban” mixes > http://www.djorion.fi/downloads/

Tracklist:
01. Mark.Nine – Cellar Door (Forever and Ever)
02. Tokyo Boulevard – Passing Lights (Part 1)
(more…)


BT watching 8,000 people in Finland dance.

vector version of this image
Image via Wikipedia

BT on Wired Magazine.

“I watched about 8,000 people in Finland dance to this piece of music,” BT said during the 30-minute interview. “And when it began to convolve from 4/4 to 6/8, I thought, ‘OK, here’s the moment where a wormhole eats the room or I wish that the floor would split in half and swallow me whole,’ but people understood intuitively how to move their bodies to it! It was so exciting for me to watch!”

Read More: http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/02/bt-these-hopeful-machines/#ixzz0eS6zRD0q

I didn’t see 8,000 people there, but maybe that’s the American way to tell that story ;) I was exciting to watch, nevertheless. If you’re interested to hear more, here’s the full interview we recorded nearly one year ago when BT was planning the release of These Hopeful Machines.


Is this new Christina Aguilera?

Even though it looks and sounds like Ladytron, they say this could be viral marketing of the upcoming Christina Aguilera’s album. If these really are clips of the tracks the album will contain, this is definitely an interesting move from Christina. Many people have said it can’t be, but there is some resemblance in Christina and the character on the video.

Some nerd had even realized that if you add up all of the numbers before a decimal and attach a letter to its corresponding number (A=1, B=2, C=3, etc.) you’ll notice that each video has a distinct message:
Prelude 699130082.451322 = (38.17) = (CH.AG) = CH. AG.
9.1.13.669321018 = I. A. M. CH.
9.20.19.13.5.723378 = I.T.S.M.E.C.

Now to the videos. If you can’t see anything below, go here to check them out.


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DJ Orion @ YleX 1.2.2010 – haastattelussa Jori Nissinen

YleX - DJ-ohjelman logo

DJ Orion @ YleX 01.02.2010 – haastattelussa Jori Nissinen

Tracklist
01. Christian Cambas – Sirens feat. The Static Age (Devilock)
02. Butch – Pump Pump, Yeke Yeke (edit) (Bangbang)
03. Reboot – Enjoy Music (Riva Starr remix) (Defected)
04. DJ Sneak – You Can’t Hide From Your Bud (Gramophonedzie remix) (Magnetic)
05. Malente – I Like It (Riva Starr Snatch! Mix) (Fool’s Gold)
06. Cirez D – On Off (Sebastien Leger remix) (Mouseville)

*** KUUKAUDEN KLUBIKAUPUNKI – OULU: HAASTATTELUSSA JORI NISSINEN (HAND PRODUCTIONS) ***
07. Funkagenda – Nobody Listens To Techno (Toolroom)
08. Nic Fanciulli – Work The Week (Rejected)

*** TRIBUTE TO JAM & SPOON ***
09. LYS, Omar B – One Day (Rising Music)
10. 8 Ball – Odyssey to Anyoona (Used & Abused)

*** KUUKAUDEN KOTIMAINEN ***
11. Something Good – La Biankini (CDr)

12. Cicada – One Beat Away (Arno Cost Dub) (Critical Mass)
13. Beltek – Running Backwards (Avanti)
14. Underworld & Axwell – Counting Down The Pipes (DJ Orion & Flight re-edit) (CDr)

Listen again on YleX Areena (works in Finland only):
http://areena.yle.fi/haku/uusimmat/hakusana/dj

DJ Orion’s podcast
iTunes: http://bit.ly/orionpodcast
Feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/OrionPodcast/

DJ @ KLUBITUS
DJ @ FACEBOOK
DJ @ YLEX


Klubitus Beta hands-on.

Here are a couple of screenshots and comments about the new Klubitus forum version, currently in private beta. It’s still under heavy development, but the features look promising already. See below.


Full size
15min feed on the main page showing what’s happening currently on Klubitus. Very Facebook Newsfeed-like interface. Probably one of the biggest new features and definitely the most interesting. The navigation font looks awful, hopefully it isn’t the final version.
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YleX:n DJ-ohjelman klubikaupunkiesittelyssä Oulu

Jori Nissinen, DJ Infekto, Krafty Kutz
Jori Nissinen (vasemmalla), DJ Infekto ja Krafty Kutz

YleX:llä Tiistain Tanssi-illan seuraajana vuonna 2010 jatkaa “DJ”-nimeä kantava tunnin mittainen ohjelma maanantai-illoissa klo 22:00-23:00.

Maanantaina 1.2. DJ Orionin tunnilla kuullaan ensimmäinen osa Suomen klubikaupungit esittelevästä sarjasta. Ensimmäisenä vuorossa on Pohjois-Suomen aktiivisin klubikaupunki Oulu, jonka kuvioista, klubeista, artisteista ja historiasta kertoo HAND Productionsin Jori Nissinen.

Lisäksi lautasilla koko joukko tuoreita house- ja proge-julkaisuja alkaneelta vuodelta, kahden biisin verran kunnianosoitusta ja uudelleenlämmittelyä Jam&Spoonin Odyssey To Anyoona -klassikosta, vääntävää filtterihousea DJ Sneakilta ja Riva Starrilta, uutta Sebastien Legeriä, Arno Costia ja Nic Fanciullia sekä ensisoitossa suomalaisen Something Good -duon tuleva sinkku.

Tune in – nyt maanantaina klo 22-23.

Web-stream: http://areena.yle.fi/player/index.php?channel=2&language=fi

Ohjelman infot @ YleX.

DJ-tunti livenä myös Twitterissä: @YleX & @Juska


Video: DJ Orion, Flight & K-System vs. The Smashing Pumpkins – Tonight, Tonight

YouTube link: http://bit.ly/tonighttonight


Photos: Fiksaatio @ Karma, 5.12.2009

A couple of new photos from Fiksaatio event in Karma, Seinäjoki on 5.12.2009. Let the good times roll.


Video: DJ Orkidea 23h set – 01.01.2010

Official collage of DJ Orkidea’s 23h set on 01.01.2010. Youtube link.


ONE, Spring 2010

ONE – Reunited.

Welcome Back Together. As One.

New haven. For you and 400 of your friends.
Venue used for the very first time.

New sound. Funktion One. Uncompromised.
Battery Sound System.

New, fresh artists. Strong, approved talents.
This is One in Spring 2010.

27.03.2010
05.06.2010

Be the One.

A very, very limited amount of “One Love” tickets will be out soon – giving a queue free entry to both events + exclusive music goodies. Follow the updates @ Klubitus.


The real value of promos?

Choose the next record

Remember back in the day when DJs received promo copies? There was only vinyl format available, white label was the label with most value and if you got a promo copy in your hands (yes, despite the name, you could find them in your local record store, too), you had to mention it in your tracklists.

And think about the value – labels could print 20 vinyl promos, send them to the biggest DJs six months before the official release and the best case scenario would be that the track would become a highly sought-after gem.

The scenario a slightly different today. I’m receiving 40-80 promos a week and would have sold my mother to get that amount of music when we were still living the vinyl times. Now I’m considering it more as music spam than getting something valuable and rare.

Why?

Out of those tens of tracks I get, normally only very, very few are playable. Also, when I listen to them, they are normally already published. Most of the labels tend to send their promos only some days before the actual release date (this surely isn’t correct if you’re on the A-list – then consider this a month or two before the release), which makes me wonder what is their real motive to even send the promos this late.

In Finland there are very few EDM DJs who have so many gigs that they have the possibility to play the unreleased promos always when they still are unreleased. And despite of having a very good audience here, most of the clubbers really don’t realize or care if you play “that track I just received as a promo”. For most DJs – and I’m not only talking about Finns here – promos are just a way to make you feel important when posting tracklists afterwards even though those tracks didn’t really make your set any better.

Also – promos tend to fool you to think you’re receiving something much more valuable than you’re actually getting. This is the trick of getting something for free and from a source from which you want to get more and more music in the future.

This leads to two things: 1) when giving feedback, most DJs tell that also the bad track is “pretty good, might give some plays” instead of telling the label & artist never to release something like that again (which would be more helpful, to raise the music quality over quantity) and 2) DJs even forget to ask themselves “would I pay money to buy this track?”. If the answer is “Maybe” or “No”, I don’t even consider downloading, let alone playing the track.

Record cover - 13

A good question here is, why do DJs pretend the promotional tracks they receive would be better than the music they buy from online shops? If you think it isn’t, then tell me why do DJs spend so much energy in trying to get promos, listening to the promos, giving feedback on the promos and telling everyone they received promos instead of using all that time in the online shops where all the good music is (and all those “promos” too, just in a couple of days).

Now again – from the labels’ point of view – I asked already what’s the whole point of sending the promos very close to the actual release date. “We want to prevent piracy”, the labels answer. And then again – most of the labels see their releases appear on warez sites once the first promos are out.

Tell me, what is the real difference between a DJ, who gets a free promo two days before the release and gives a feedback “Cool track, will play, 10/10!” and a guy downloading the torrent of the release for free and not giving any feedback but possibly supporting the release as much as the DJ? Nevermind the difference, both are as (little) valuable for the label.

Wouldn’t it be the same for the label not to send out any promos (except the A-list), but to advertise that the track is available for one hour for free two weeks before the actual release? That would attract more fans, give some good publicity – and in best case, raise the sales. Exactly what the promos are failing to do. As well as the artists these days, I think labels should also reconsider updating their marketing & promotion strategies to 2010.

For DJs – what counts, is no more who has the tracks first, but who creates hits out of tracks no one else realized were there. Being different and standing out of the line of promo-hungry DJs is fruitful for the culture, audience, labels – and you.

If you think this post hit the spot, let me know in the comments. If you think it sucked, add me to your promo list.


Celebrating 5 years and over 100 episodes of Orion’s podcast.

iTunes includes visualizers. Shown here is the...

It was early October in 2005 when I casted my first podcast episode. In nearly five years, we’ve come a long way – podcasting has become nearly a standard way of sharing radio shows and DJ mixes and unlike five years ago, people feel podcasts are much more convenient way to receive music than direct download links on websites.

DJ Orion’s podcast has been already for some years in Top15 of iTunes Music podcasts in Finland and casted 104 episodes of electronic music. My radio shows on YleX and Radio NRJ will be added regularly to the podcast (without voiceovers, however) in 2010 and additional guest mixes, interviews and whatnot will see the light of the day there, too.

To start the 2010 properly, Episode 105 is now online and downloadable. It’s a one hour Best of 2009 mix, mixture of the best house/prog/trance tracks of last year.

The easiest way to get it (as well as all the upcoming shows) is to subscribe to DJ Orion’s podcast on iTunes. If you’re feeling nerdy and love RSS-feeds, head directly to the podcast feed.

Thanks for listening for all these years. As we forgot to organize a mässssiv celebration for the 100th episode, let’s look forward to the 200th ;)


Photos: Jack – And This Is Fresh! 16.1.2010

Photos from Jack from last Saturday (and earlier events is you browse far enough).


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