Internet comedy sensation “Old Friends” has used another one of my jamzzz – check out episode 8 and keep your ears peeled for “Dance With You”:
And because I’m feeling do incredibly nice and generous, for a limited time download “Dance With You” for FREE right here!
DOWNLOAD: “Dance With You” – Alan Wilkis
Love love love,
A
Add comment February 8th, 2010
Friends!
I’m insanely pleased to announce my latest remix, this time of Yeasayer’s “Ambling Alp” from their upcoming record “Odd Blood.” If you’re unfamiliar with Yeasayer, please take a moment to check them out, as they are an UNBELIEVABLE band. They write wonderful wonderful music, and they manage to combine live instruments with electronics & samples in a totally unique and inspiring way.
As I told their guitarist, Anand, within minutes of hearing the remix stems, I was completely floored. I was already a big fan, but upon hearing each instrument isolated, I couldn’t believe my ears. They labored over every little sound with the utmost care, from the tiniest percussion slaps, to their singer Chris’ own voice re-pitched through a sampler… All I could think was “man, I gotta step my game up if I’m gonna do this song any justice.”
I tried to approach my remix with that similar attention to detail in mind. I re-harmonized the song into a minor key, and I mixed a number of electronic sounds (synths, bleeps, boops) with live instruments (banjo, live hi-hat & snare drum). The song struck me as having some African influences deep in it – I tried to tease those out a bit more, although filtered through my bizarre-child-of-the-80s lens…
I’m especially proud of this, and I’ve gotten a great response from the band about it – I really hope you like it, too! And as always, please feel free to download and share it with any and everyone you know! HELP ME SPREAD THE WORD!
Download: “Ambling Alp (Alan Wilkis Remix)” – Yeasayer
Also, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE support the band and pick up their album when it drops next week. And check out their psychedelic not-safe-for-work video, below, and the also not-safe-for-work website Ambling Alp Experience:
Bye! I LOVE YOU!
Love,
Alan
1 comment February 2nd, 2010
Whoomp There It Is (LOUDER!)
Man oh man it’s been a busy weekend at AW central. Writing some new music, doing a lot of work with my pals Project Jenny Project Jan for their new record (which is AMAZING and getting closer and closer to done!), and I’m wrapping up my latest remix. I expect/hope to be sharing it with y’all in the next few days! Just tweaking the final mixing and mastering on it + testing it out on a few different soundsystems, and then Bon Voyage.
As a little preliminary taste, I video-taped myself tracking some of the percussion parts that I play on it. You’ll have to excuse the audio, as it sounds a little crude…
And moving right along, my Chester French remix really took the old intynet by storm! Even managed to top the Hypemachine Twitter charts for a few days (screenshot). And picked up some nice writeups, too – check it:
Arjan Writes
The Coolest Out “Will have you dancing all throughout your house – just make sure no one sees you”
Disco Demons
Dumb Bass
Atari Cool Kids
Sheena Beaston “I love everything Alan Wilkis touches… Delivers a post-Xmas punch to the gut!”
Too Many Sebastians
Headphone Whiplash “I love Wilkis’ remixes because they seem to encompass influences from the 80’s, 90’s as well as some of the best electro from this soon to end decade… The best part about Alan’s mixes is that he jam-packs them full of sound without ever over-doing it.”
Dope 411
Kapeep City
Boom Boom Chik
Together in Digital Dreams “Wilkis spins this heavy piano-pop song into a new years eve friendly dance-off frenzy using ingredients like fresh violin, tasty synth and electric drums. Wilkis is growing a pretty large following and he deserves every bit of it.”
The Press Play Show
Super Official!
True To Sound “The drum machine and energetic synths work really well together, as does the guitar and the other sound effects which have been added… He has a lot of talent and his beats have a great sound to them.”
Revenge of Rob Gordon “My dude Alan Wilkis never disappoints… Takes it to another level.”
Danger Danger
Nibootoo
Blastercase “Wilkis consistently comes up with some of my favorite remixes and this one is no exception.”
Indietronix Radio
JayeL Audio “Alan Wilkis continues to be one the main producers I check for when I comes to remixes. Here he puts his signature funk on one of my favorite CF tracks… Wilkis’ party ready, disco-fied remix only furthers that trend.”
Illababy “Crazy dope… Filthy”
No Modest Bear
Eat Sleep Breathe Music
Web Swag
Please Don’t Stare
Young Kingz Daily
Hood Shopping Network
NewJams.net
Radio Deconstruction
Well, that oughta do it for now.
Love,
A
Add comment January 25th, 2010
Heyoooo!
Are you familiar with the web series “Old Friends?” If not, chances are you will be, soon enough. They’ve been touted by Asylum.com as “the web’s best painful buddy comedy,” favorited by Salon.com, and landed on year-end best-of-the-web lists for both The Huffington Post and Break Media’s CEO, Keith Richman.
Aside from all the critical acclaim and my own personal enjoyment of the series, I have an alterior motive for posting about the show… They used my song, “Bad Mamma Jamma,” to soundtrack the following episode from their new season!
And because I’m SOOOOO nice, for a limited time I’m offering up a free download of “Bad Mamma Jamma” just for you!
DOWNLOAD: “Bad Mamma Jamma” – Alan Wilkis
Lastly, please be sure to catch up on previous episodes of “Old Friends” by visiting http://www.babelgum.com/oldfriends.
Happy Tuesday!
-A
Add comment January 19th, 2010
Heyooo,
Check out my song, “The Hustle,” in the new video (above) from Nika Water. Nika is a California-based 100% carbon-neutral bottled water company:
“Through the sale of our premium bottled water, NIKA hopes to bring a voice to the world’s poor who suffer without the basic right to clean water and simple sanitation.
Please visit Nika’s wesbite, http://www.nikawater.org/, to learn more about their mission. Simply put, they are doing great things for the world, and I’m honored to be involved.
Much love,
A
1 comment January 11th, 2010
Hi-de-ho, my little Wilcassettes!
I’m extremely pleased to share my latest remix of “C’mon” by Pharrell-protégés, Chester French. I was tapped by CF, alongside San-Fran electro-bangers, Pance Party, to assemble a special FREE HOLIDAY DOWNLOAD just in time for the New Year.
If you aren’t already familiar with Chester French, then you’ve probably been living under a rock… In the past year, they have toured with Lady Gaga, Blink 182, and Weezer, been featured in Vogue, The New York Times, and pretty much every major media outlet in existence… and their debut record, “Love the Future” was recently listed as one of iTunes’ top pop albums of the year… It should also be noted that CF-frontman, D.A., is just an all-around awesome dude.
“C’mon” was particularly fun for me to work on, as it’s such a complex piece of pop. It’s full of unpredictable chord changes, half-measures, and countless twists n’ turns. As usual, I tried to keep within the form of the song while putting my own spin on it. Hope you like!
You can stream or download my remix here, and please feel free to share it with EVERYONE YOU KNOWWWWWWWW!!!
DOWNLOAD: “C’Mon (Alan Wilkis Remix)” – Chester French
And lastly, I wanted to leave y’all with a few of my favorite XMas jamz:
1) Augie Rios “Donde Esta Santa Claus?”
2) Alvin & The Chipmunks “Christmas Don’t Be Late”
3) Charlie Brown – “Christmas Time Is Here”
Add comment December 27th, 2009
Why hello there, friends!
It’s been a little while, apologies for being a bit out of touch. I was busy stuffing myself full of Turkey and enjoying the drive through Connecticut. Hope those of you Stateside had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and a pleasant regular old week to the rest of you international folk!
I’ve been hard at work over here, a few exciting tidbits to report:
1) I’ve completed a brand spankin’ new remix for a very talented band, and friends of mine from college. I would have shared it with y’all already, but there’s been some talk of a potential “official” release for it… so I’m in a bit of a holding pattern there – stay tuned!
2) I’m about 2/3’s of the way finished with another remix for an artist that I have truly loved and admired over the years. By some insane stroke of luck, I’ve been corresponding with him over email and working on a new single from his upcoming record. I shouldn’t say who he is just yet, but I WILL say that fans of the show Mad Men will be especially excited about this one.
3) Been hard at work, co-producing for my pals, Project Jenny, Project Jan, on their new record. We’re entering the tracking stages. The skeletons are in place for all the tunes, now on to recording different live parts and honing, editing, and honing some more. It’s gonna be awesome.
4) Wanted to share a few more studio videos with y’all from my adventures with Rob a few weeks ago at his studio in Greenpoint. If nothing else, these videos are a neat little way of demystifying the recording process a bit…
Rob, Laying Down Dome Old-Timey Piano
Me, Doing My Best Wilco Impression
5) Lastly, wanted to share two songs I just can’t get enough of, lately… The first is a recording of “Mr Bojangles” by the legendary Esther Philips:
AND, “Aht Uh Mi Hed” by the also-legendary Shuggie Otis:
Much love,
Big A
1 comment November 29th, 2009
Man oh man… My Shwayze remix has been getting an outrageous response… THANK YOU SO MUCH to all the folks who were kind enough to listen/tweet/share/write about it! Thanks to you, I spent 3 days straight at the top of HypeMachine’s Twitter charts, as well as on Elbo.ws’ “Hot Tracks” List. Not too shabba-labba-ding-dong.
Before I jump to the blog recap, just want to share my utter excitement for the next few remixes I’ll be working on. Been in touch with some truly wonderful bands & artists whom many of you probably know quite well, and I’m SO pumped to work on their stuff!
Also, spent the majority of this weekend writing and recording with my talented friend, Rob. Here’s a little footage of me chunking along on the drums… I’m self-taught & only started playing 2 yrs ago, so hopefully not too crappy all things considered:
Here’s what peoples are saying about the Shwayze track:
Sheena Beaston “We are head over heels with Wilkis’ teched out, glitchy, grooving basslines”
The Coolest Out “Had me head nodding & hitting repeat over & over again”
Pasta Primavera
True to Sound
Pop Awesome
Ekek Promotions
We Like It Indie
The Young Kingz Daily
Atari Cool Kids
Pigeons and Planes “Badass”
Consequence of Sound
The Fast Life
Dr. Funkenberry
Rock the Dub
Earmilk
The Audio Perv
The World in a Paper Cup “Wilkis knows how to give a track a real spit & shine freshness… A must for your gym mix. It gets your pulse up and your energy pumping.”
91.9 WFPK Radio Louisville
Chic Moustache Club
Kapeepcity “It can’t get any hotter than this”
Super X Official
Etnobofin
¡Empower!
Boom Boom Chik
Blastercase
Ecoutez
Subservient Experiment
honkabitch
Attack!Attack!Attack!
Daily Beatz
Cassette Couture
No Modest Bear
Nosser Jammer
Bored and Beats
Sounds and Colors
Famous Sounding Words…
Nyne Dymondz
Drown Your Beliefs
Stallin the Man
Thieves by Tuesday
Slope Radio
Deconstruction
Revenge of Rob GordonWild Cub
Carpe Musica
Dilligent.Me
Nibootoo
1 comment November 9th, 2009
Craziness! Was just doing a little self-google-alerts-ing (not that I’m vain or anything), and I discovered that I was on KCRW twice for my Temper Trap remix! OUTRAGEOUS! It’s the not first time I’ve been on, but I’m feeling pretty cool right now, nonetheless…
Thank you so much to Jason Kramer for throwing me in the mix, let alone two times!
“The Lab” – 10/11/2009
“The Lab” – 10/25/2009
Much Love,
A Diggity
1 comment November 5th, 2009
Yes yes y’all!
Pleased to share a new remix I made of Shwayze’s “Get U Home” (iTunes) from their upcoming album, “Let It Beat” (which hits stores Tuesday, Nov. 3rd). This is my first foray into official-remix-for-a-major-label territory, and it has been… well… more or less the same experience.
My remix was included on an Official “Get U Home” Remix EP, alongside some pretty heavy-hitters: Paul Oakenfold, The Bloody Beetroots, LMFAO, and Travis Barker, to name a few… Which one is your favorite? (pick ME, pick ME!)
For those unfamiliar with Shwayze, he is a California pop rapper and is produced by Cisco Adler. “Get U Home” presented an interesting challenge for me as Shwayze’s brand of music is not my usual fare. It forced me to step out of my comfort zone and find creative ways to insert my personality – wound up being quite a bit of fun to work on!
ENJOY!
DOWNLOAD: “Get U Home (Alan Wilkis Remix)” – Shwayze
And attention record label folks, if you’d like me to remove this link, please email me at “info [at] wilcassettes [dot] com,” and I will promptly do so…
Thanks!
-A
1 comment October 27th, 2009
Welcome to Wilcassettes, the home of everything Alan Wilkis. Alan is a Brooklyn-based musician, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and general musical mover-and-shaker... This is his blog.
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