July 7 – Amtrac |

July 7 – Amtrac

AMTRAC

Amtrac, real name Caleb Cornett, has been pushing his creative limits as a producer, DJ, musician and sometimes-vocalist since 2008. The multi-talented artist can electrify an audience, be it with a moving live music performance or by working dancefloors up to a sweat with his driving yet funk-filled DJ sets – it’s his mantra to be as diverse a DJ as possible, to connect with the crowd and to keep them moving at all costs.

Raised in Morehead, Kentucky on a diet of deep cuts by Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin, Caleb was lured to the dance realm by crossover acts such as The Prodigy and Chemical Brothers. Both sets of influences show on his debut LP, Came Along (2010), a 13-track adventure awash in post-punk influences and indie dance charm. From there, he branched out even further with Hey There Kiddo (2012), an all-sample opus with deep disco roots inspired by one of his favorite albums of all time, Since I Met You by The Avalanches; and The Scheme EP (2012) explores underground deep house vibes with dark, funky rhythms. Recently he released singles “Those Days” featuring vocals from Stevie Wonder & Marvin Gaye on legendary UK dance label Toolroom Records. In 2016 came the release of the “Lost In Motion” EP, providing a snapshot of where Amtrac is at musically at the moment. The EP includes “Long Nights” which saw Cornett once again lay down his own vocals.

But as impressive as his original works may be, one can’t discuss Cornett’s body of work without mentioning what may well be the calling card of his career: the remix. An Amtrac remix has become a coveted commodity in today’s music business – from Majors like Interscope, Warner Bros & Sony to tastemaker labels like Kitsune, Defected, and Ministry of Sound.

Never content to settle, Amtrac’s musical mood and influences change with each passing season. His ambition and curiosity keep him locked on the edge, always happy to experiment with new techniques and sounds. His music is what he feels in the moment. Simply put, his constant evolution comes from a hatred of boredom and a love for his labor. It’s just not in his nature to stagnate.

DURANTE

To crack Kevin Durante’s code, authenticity is the key. A 23-year-old Italian-born, Florida-bred, LA-based artist forever in pursuit of realness: Everything he writes, designs, learns, cooks, explores is another footnote in his endless quest for genuineness in every aspect of his life.

His timeless, soul-spirited house music is proof. Groove constructions where every element is deeply considered, nothing is left to spare and everything has its place. Just like his father’s traditional Italian cooking, which he cites as one of his biggest influences: the fullest flavours don’t come from over-cooked complexities, they come from timing and attention to the most miniscule details.

His own details speak volumes, too: playing the piano since aged six and a passionate student of all forms of electronica since his teens (he co-signs everyone from New Order to Frankie Knuckles to Tiefschwarz to Kerri Chandler as influences), Durante studied production and house music dynamics for years before delivering his debut release. Making the 2,500 mile leap from Fort Myers to LA in 2014, he worked within the industry as a product manager/creative engineer at Skrillex’s OWSLA imprint (including the design of Jack U’s Grammy-winning eponymous album) and watched the industry from the inside before making his own debut move…

That move happened in September 2014 on NEST HQ. Durante’s life changed in an instant. Embraced by key tastemaker curator brand TheSoundYouNeed and recognised as an exciting prospect in house music’s next generation, ‘Slow Burn’ amassed millions of views in a matter of months, as did its predecessor ‘Full Moon’ five months later. Both tracks swiftly secured Durante as one of TheSoundYouNeed’s most popular artists. He’s since honed his polished sexy-but-solid selector signature at some of their most illustrious sell-out shows from Paris to LA and this summer he’ll be headlining the brand’s first ever stand-alone festival in Malta and joining the brand on an exciting new adventure: TheSoundYouNeed will also releasing his ‘Goddess’ EP in June 2016. A first for both Durante (his discography is only two originals and four remixes deep to date) and TheSoundYouNeed themselves: it’s the debut single release on their own label.

Both ‘Goddess’ and ‘Cold’ showcase where Durante is at right now, creatively, spiritually and technically. Both organic compositions created through social interactions and connections with friends and peers such as Tuff Ghosts and former Hundred Waters member Paul Giese, both tracks were founded through chance encounters, impromptu moments recorded spontaneously, cinematic stories inside Durante’s head and a strong homage to femininity brought together by his velvet-touched production technique. Persistent, dynamic, rolling and gilded in soul, they’re the type of tracks that could work anywhere from late night Panoramabar to sunset at Sea Dance and compound the young artist’s skills-so-far into a future promise.

Capturing the moment where hype is translated into reality, ‘Goddess’ has been a long time coming but is yet another sign of Durante’s refusal to wildly leap without consideration to detail. A brand new chapter in Durante’s never-ending desire for realness and authenticity, the quest continues…

FUNKY TEKNOMICS

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