XtremeMac's MicroMemo Recorder for Fifth-Generation iPods is a great way to capture your musical ideas the moment inspiration strikes.
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KRK's VXT8's sound amazing and won't empty your bank account, but are they neutral enough for full-time monitoring duties? We find out...
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Beat Freak celebrates 10 years with a retrospective of choice cuts from D-Formation, Chus, Dimas, Simon & Shaker, J. Velarde and others. This 30 track anthology,
compiled by Sergio Fernandez, is the quintessential way to end 2007 in pure, progressive tribal bliss. 10 Years Of Beat Freak is not only a commemoration of the label, and
the Iberian sound they've been championing, but also a showcase of exciting things to come... LISTEN!
CD Spotlight
Anyone who follows electronic music cannot deny the talent of Anders Trentemøller. His provocative original tracks, and electric remixes
have established the Danish producer and DJ as one who blazing his own path through the frontier of me-too dance music, not an ordinary feat these days.
Fans of Trentemøller will be ecstatic over the release of The Trentemøller Chronicles, a seamless mix of original tracks on the
first CD and remixes on the second CD that narrate his work to date. On the first CD, you'll find a couple of choice cuts from his Poker Flats and
Audiomatique r'epertoire, "Killer Kat", and "Physical Fraction", as well as "Moan," a fan favorite. Second CD finds Anders wobbly rerub
of "You and I" by Filur and the obligatory inclusion of his remix of Moby's "Go." If you're looking for a savvy gift for a hipster friend this
holiday season, drop this in their Christmas stocking...
LISTEN!
CD Spotlight
The title of Annie Lenox's fifth solo record, Songs Of Mass Destruction, evokes apocalypse, or worse, but it is a little heavy-handed and overblown for the well-crafted,
multi-dimensional tracks found on this release. Songs Of Mass Destruction could almost be labeled a Best Of... compilation of new material since it showcases her mastery of
a wide variety of genres. Songs range on Destruction from smokey ballads, to driving power pop that recalls some of her best work with Dave Stewart. Glen Ballard's production
gives Lenox a grainy, rougher sound that recalls some of his work with Alanis Morissette, and creates a new depth that contrasts with her undeniable vocal in profound ways.
Look for the album's remixes, which could be this year's standouts. LISTEN!
CD Spotlight
The three CD Balance platform is the perfect vehicle to showcase Lee Burridge's taste in wonky music, and his measured mixing style. Instead of packing
20 or more tracks on each CD, Burridge chose to flow about 12 groggy cuts that accurately demonstrate what it's like to see him spin at a venue. Lee, who along with
his partner-in-crime Craig Richards, officially broke into the electronic music scene by hosting the famed Tryant parties in London, has been fine-tuning his DJing
lately by embarking on what he dubbed the 365 tour. Instead of bouncing from city to city for one-off, Burridge would move into a town for a month for a number of
play dates, before moving onto the next spot. This approach allowed him to get to know, and understand, a city and its electronic music community more intimately.
For fans of Burridge and his deep, dark tech-house sound, at least one of these CDs will transport you back to a sweaty, dank night in your past, for the uninitiated,
you'll be privy to a very personal experience with the man and his music... LISTEN!
December 4, 2007
../ 2007 FutureMusic Holiday Buyers Guide
FutureMusic Suggests A Few Stocking Stuffers
Are you having trouble scoring the perfect gift for your musically inclined special
someone? Well, let us come to the rescue with the 2007 FutureMusic Holiday Gift Guide. All the gift suggestions below have been test-driven by FutureMusic
to ensure quality.
Shure's E530PTH raises the bar once again on earphone fidelity
Earphones:
Shure E530PTH. Shure revamped their lineup of high-end earphones last year after
several upstarts took the spotlight away from the giant. The result is much improved comfort and a sonic signature that will satisfy even the most critical audiophile
in your circle. Well, he'll probably find something to b*tch about... $499. More information on the
Shure E530PTH.
mStation's Stereo Tower is the perfect gift for electronic music aficionados
iPod Dock:
mStation. The mStation 2.1 Stereo Tower is a complete iPod sound system in a very
attractive all-metal package. This floor-standing model is 43" tall and houses the five drivers in three vertical tubes. The down-firing 5.25" subwoofer
is great for electronic music with surprising power and thump. mStation didn't skimp on the iPod docking options with adapters for almost every model ever
made. The infrared remote is excellent and can control the Tower from long distances. If you have a friend that likes to listen to bass-heavy music, then
the mStation 2.1 Stereo Tower is highly recommended. $300. More information on the
mStation 2.1 Stereo Tower.
XtremeMac's sexy Luna wakes your hung-over ass up in style
iPod Clock/Radio:
XtremeMac Luna. XtremeMac's Luna iPod Alarm clock is a design-forward, feature-rich
music system that will appeal to almost anyone on your Holiday list who owns an iPod, and, um, needs to actually wake up at a specified time. We've been testing the Luna for a
couple of months and find that it offers a whole lot of stylish bang for the buck. The large, futuristic LCD screen is your window into tons of alarm and wake up options — we especially like how the volume can slowly fade up on your favorite iPod track — and
sounds good enough for full-time bedroom sound system duties. $150. More information on the
XtremeMac Luna.
Annoy-A-Tron can only be described as "pure, unadulterated, geek evil"
Prank Gift:
Annoy-A-Tron. We described this device as
"pure, unadulterated, geek evil" in one of our Weekend
Fun stories, and over the past year it has proved to be one of the most ROFL pranks in our studio. Hide the Annoy-A-Tron deep in a rack or underneath a keyboard controller
and let the fun begin. $10. More information on the
Annoy-A-Tron.
Flip Video's Ultra is the fastest, easiest way to capture your holiday memories
Portable Video Camera:
Flip Video Ultra. This ultra compact video camera has gotten a surprising amount of
use in our hands over the past couple of months. Initially unimpressed by the quality, we found that the convenience, price, Mac & PC compatibility, 60 minutes of recording
time, and the simplicity of the device made up for any serious negatives. $149. More information on the
Flip Video Ultra.
Canon's Rebel XTi takes gorgeous pictures without breaking your bank account
Digital Still Camera:
Canon Rebel XTi. Do you know someone who's addicted to their point'n'shoot camera, but
the pictures they make you sit through often come up wanting? Buy them Canon's Rebel XTi. The camera has excellent imaging quality, and a robust built-in flash that rarely over-exposes.
And the great thing about the XTi is that you can go fully automatic or completely manual, allowing your loved one to wade into the warm waters of creativity without
overwhelming their comfort zone. Canon's "L" series lenses and other peripherals mean that you'll have follow-up gifts for years to come.
$600. More information on the Canon Rebel XTi.
Guitar Hero Wii, get it? Wii, instead of III? OK, someone call me a cab...
Music Video Game:
Guitar Hero III. The latest incarnation of the Guitar Hero franchise now has an innovative
version for the Nintendo Wii system that makes use of the remote's speaker to notify you of missed notes or worse.
$90. More information on Guitar Hero III Bundle.
Logic 8 Express, your on-ramp to the music production superhighway
Music Software:
Logic 8 Express. So your little brother keeps telling you how he's "busting out the
freshest beats" with GarageBand. Well, now here's a gift that will not only bring him down to reality, but also set him up for the future. With an Apple-ized
interface, and a low price point, Logic 8 Express may be the best gift he'll get this year. $199.
More information on Logic 8 Express.
Plug it into your kit or hang it on your wall, the Virus TI sounds and looks gorgeous
Music Hardware:
Access Virus TI. This powerful line of synths stumbled out of the starting gate,
but has since recovered nicely. The creamy Virus sound coupled with the ability to look like a soft synth in your DAW, makes the virus a hardware no-brainer.
$1250. More information on the Access Virus TI.
Native Instruments' FM8 is super hot, and she cooks!
Soft Synth:
Native Instruments FM8. Even if you're not a huge fan of FM synthesis, Native Instruments' FM8
will make you one. With one of the best soft synth interfaces to date, FM8 is intuitive, easy-to-use and extremely flexible. But what makes FM8 an absolute standout is the
incredible sound quality. $339. More information on Native Instruments FM8.
Get inside the heads of some of the biggest Bombers in the world
Music-Oriented Book:
Street Sketchbook. For the first time ever, readers get a peek into the colorful
notebooks of some of the biggest graffiti names in the world, like Alexander Purdy, Banksy and Blu, revealing what goes on in their minds when they're not bombing trains, or
sneaking fake Paris Hilton CDs into retail stores. $23. More information on the
Street Sketchbook.
Surface moves the mind through provocative design
Magazine Subscription:
Surface. Want to give a gift that keeps on giving all year long? Then score your buddy a
subscription to Surface. This design-oriented mag has the ability to not only inspire, but also to educate. $30. More information on the
Surface.
The perfect gift when the only thing you know about the recipient is that they like dance music
No Effort Gift:
Beatport Gift Card. Nothing says "I put no effort or thought into your gift" like a
gift card, but if you want to at least do something for the electronic music fan on your list, then the Beatport Gift card is definitely the way to go.
$10. More information on the Beatport Gift Card.
A hip hop hip hip hippity hip hip hop and ya don't stop dictating...
Gift For Your Friendly, Neighborhood Rapper:
XtremeMac MicroMemo. If any of your rapper friends has an iPod, then for $60 bucks, you can
get them a gift that they will adore. The XtremeMac MicroMemo is a killer accessory that will enable your talented pal to record any of their rhymes the moment inspiration
strikes. Don't believe us? Read our full XtremeMac MicroMemo review.
$60. More information on the XtremeMac MicroMemo.
Good thing it doesn't provide a "Happy Ending" — females could become extinct...
Gag Gift:
Asahi's Beerbot. You can probably pour an entire 6 pack in about the same time it takes the
Beerbot to pour a single brew, but that's really not the point. For the laziest Beer addict on your list, Asahi's Beerbot not only stores and refrigerates six cans of beer,
it also retrieves and pours at the touch of a button (what? no remote?? —Ed.). It also has a programmable voice (male, female or custom) and comes with mugs
and a floor diaper in case of a foam overflow. $800. More information on the
Asahi's Beerbot.