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Despite the hordes of electronic dance music artists living and working out of Berlin -- natives and foreign transplants alike -- few embody the spirit and sound of Berlin's contemporary EDM scene as fully as DJ/producer Cassy. Born Catherine Britton in England to a Caribbean father and Austrian mother, Cassy got her start performing as a guest vocalist on Elin's "Music Takes Me Higher" on Sabotage Records in 1999. Soon after she got bit by the techno bug and began honing her skills behind the decks.

By 2003 she made the move to Berlin, where she's staked her reputation as one of the city's most formidable DJs and most forward-thinking producers, with releases on the Cocoon, Minus, Get Physical, and Perlon imprints. Blending elegant atmospheric textures with understated rhythms and a distinctive soulful vocal style, Cassy sounds something like a futuristic minimal techno Sade. Her residencies at the esteemed Berghain and Panorama Bar nightclubs have made her a staple of Berlin's late-night scene, and in 2006 she was invited to mix Panorama Bar's debut club offering. Fast-forward to 2009 and Cassy is once again spearheading a new compilation mix, In the Mix - Simply Devotion, this time for the prestigious Cocoon label, and supported by a North American tour that fortunately for us includes a stop by the Electric Pickle on Saturday. This one's an early bird special starting in the afternoon, so be sure you make it in time for Cassy's set!

Cassy at Electric Pickle, with Will Renuart, Alejandro Sab, Michael Christopher and Basti. Saturday, November 21. 4 p.m.-10:30 p.m. 2826 N. Miami Ave., Miami.  

Check out Crossfade's brief Q&A with Cassy after the jump.

The Golden Filter's take on late-'70s downtown glitz has taken Manhattan's club scene (and the blogosphere) by storm. Consisting of record producer Stephen and vocalist Penelope, the duo is notable for its chilly arpeggios, pulsating beats, and plush vocals -- as well as their elusive personas. (No, those aren't their full names.)

What is known about the Ohio-born knob-twister and the Australian chanteuse is that they met in New York through a mutual appreciation for photography. After putting out a sensational debut single, the disco-noir cut "Solid Gold," the Golden FIlter cemented its reputation with brilliant nu disco remixes of Cut Copy's "Far and Away" and Peter, Bjorn and John's "Lay It Down." Couple that with a successful opening slot for the Presets on a recent North American tour, as well as a highly anticipated follow-up single "Thunderbird." In its physical form, it's a limited-edition 12-inch with a glittering disco-pop cover of The White Stripes' "The Hardest Button To Button" on the B-side. 

Crossfade caught up with the enigmatic duo by e-mail a day after they played Iceland's Airwaves Festival. Read the Q&A after the jump.

The Golden Filter. Saturday, December 5. Poplife at Electric Pickle, 2826 N. Miami Ave. Doors open at 10 p.m., tickets cost $10 in advance from wantickets.com. Ages 21+ with ID. 305-456-5613; epoplife.com

AFI has been on an upward trajectory since its inception in 1991. Starting out as a hardcore punk band out of the Bay Area, building its cred at 924 Gilman Street, AFI has evolved from its earlier punk approach to now incorporating occasional dance music, metal-tinged raucous, and goth sensibilities. The black-clad quartet hit a nerve in 2003 with the Hot Topic youth, who felt at home in the dark recesses of Sing the Sorrow -- Rolling Stone called the band "the Damned for the new metal generation." Their next album, 2006's Decemberunderground, hit No. 1 on Billboard, bumping the Dixie Chicks from the top.

Lead singer Davey Havok spoke with New Times yesterday about AFI's latest album Crash Love, which came out in September. AFI will perform at Revolution tomorrow. Doors open at 7 p.m.

New Times: Was there pressure after Decemberunderground to meet the same level of success with Crash Love?

Davey Havok: Not really we experience a ton of pressure when we make any record, but it's an internal pressure. We always want to move forward artistically in what we do and create a record we find interesting and exciting and that shows growth from what we've done in the past. And having been really happy with Decemberunderground, that was pressure was pretty strong for us on during the making of Crash Love. As far as any sort of look at what was or wasn't expected of us commercially, we've never been concerned with that.

 

via Purfiya's myspace

Diamond and DJ Purfiya

DJ Purfiya is on the streets grinding.

Not only is the team Slip-N-Slide DJ from southwest Florida not dead, he's living with purpose.

Last week we brought you news of the Purfiya death hoax that was circulated via Twitter.

We also interviewed his former boss, Howard Roberts, CEO and founder of Firmlife Entertainment, who claims to have fired Purfiya over disputes on money and loyalty.

We got an email from Purfiya saying he wanted to respond to those allegations. Here's what DJ Purfiya had to say.

In this age of laptop-toting faux live electronic dance music acts, an actual band employing actual live instrumentation and vocals is a rare thing, especially when said band is delivering funked-out dancefloor bangers like 2020Soundsystem. The musical brainchild of Leeds-based DJ and esteemed 2020Vision label owner Ralph Lawson, the Soundsystem was formed in 2003 as a means of interweaving live electronics with his DJ sets and transcending the tried-and-true record-jockeying formula at the clubs.

Originally a duo comprising Lawson and percussionist Danny "Dubble D" Ward, the project became a quartet when Argentine transplants Fernando Pulichino and Julian Sanza where invited to join on bass and keyboards, respectively. Furthermore, the band began to experiment with guest vocalists, including an early collaboration with singer Diane Charlemagne, of Goldie's "Inner City Life" fame, although Pulichino himself has since taken up lead vocal duties.

The band has enjoyed increasing recognition since 2005, when they closed the Sonar music festival in Barcelona to an audience of 10,000 people, the live recording of which became disc 2 of their first album, No Order. The Live at Sonar disc is now widely regarded as a seminal work of live electronica and DJ/musician collaboration, and gave the band's sound more cohesion as they worked towards the completion of sophomore album, Falling, released in September 2009. Crossfade had a chance to catch up with DJ Ralph Lawson on the cusp of 2020Soundsystem's live performance at LIV on Saturday night and ask him what they're all about.

2020Soundsystem at LIV. Saturday, November 7. Doors open at 10:30 p.m. $25 cover. 4441 Collins Ave. (Fontainebleau Hotel) Miami Beach. 305-674-4680.

Read the full Q&A after the jump.

William Murderface, Skwisgaar Skwigelf, Nathan Explosion, Pickles, and Toki Wartooth

Late Generation X'ers and Gen Y blasted the notion that cartoons are only for kids. Maybe we didn't want to grow up, or maybe we just didn't want to trade creativity and imagination for the drudgery of every-day adulthood. Either way mature themes have been mainstream on animated series since MTV's Liquid Television or The Simpsons. Adult Swim, seemingly run by a bunch of stoner geniuses, has since picked up the torch for the late-night set, and its series Metalocalypse is quite possibly the most violent (translate awesome) show on television.

If you haven't seen it, Metalocalypse follows the misadventures of Dethklok, a melodic-death-metal fivesome who are as much genre cliches as they are hilarious. The show subtly injects (if you can call mass slaughter subtle) social commentary about society's obsession with celebrity. But at its gory core, it's mostly just epic and fun.

Yet the music is no joke. Show co-creator Brendon Small is a Berklee College of Music grad, writes all the music, and plays all the punishing riffs as the lead guitarist. He's also the gut behind lead singer Nathan Explosion's growl. to his credit, Dethklok's first album debuted at No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and, because it was a limited release, will run you at least $500 if you can find it. The band's latest, Dethalbum II, debuted at 15, making it the highest charting death-metal record ever. The band is currently on tour with Converge and Grammy-nominated heavy-metal group Mastodon. The tour will stop by Pompano Beach Amphitheatre Sunday. Brendon Small recently spoke with New Times about scoring drum-god Gene Hoglan, the lack of females in metal subculture, why This is Spinal Tap rules, and why Metalocalypse had to distance itself from the glorious film.

See interview after the jump:

Jewel's new album Lullaby

Although Jewel became commercially successful at the age of 19 after releasing her thoughtful, melodic, and grrrly brand of Americana folk Pieces of You in 1997, she had already attained a lifetime of experience to draw from. Since her days hobo-ing around (she carried a knife and would totally cut you) to her angel-of-rock (albeit rock of the softer variety) status, she's released six albums since Pieces, has been nominated for three Grammys, and is now on tour for her latest album Lullaby, a compilation of tunes that can be described as anxiety-defusing, tranquilizer darts to soothe the soul. She'll stop by the Fillmore in Miami Beach Tuesday, November 3.

New Times: A lot of people don't know how tough you are, they hear these sensitive, thoughtful songs, and they make assumptions that you're a softy. But you're a misfit in many ways. Do you ever miss your vagabond lifestyle?

Jewel: My childhood was difficult in a lot of ways and really great in a lot of ways. I feel really blessed that I was able to be raised outdoors, and be raised in Alaska with music as an outlet. Writing always gave me an outlet that I think kept me from doing drugs and helped me deal with a lifestyle that was kind of difficult. I moved out when I was 15, and I was raised by a single father who did the best that he could with three kids by himself. And I grew up singing in bars.

I've always been a very observant person, I've always had a writer's heart, I think. I've always really enjoyed watching people and kind of watching them closely, and I guess I was always drawn to writers who were really honest. And so I became, at a young age, attracted to writers like Bukowski... I really appreciated their honesty and their willingness to show their flaws as much as their talent.

I think a lot of people tend to use the media or talent as a sort of propaganda machine to make themselves seem more perfect than they are. And I think that alienates the people watching or listening. It did to me at least as a kid. And I thought, you know, I gotta tell the truth somewhere and I might as well tell the truth in my writing. I tried to find a balance being tough in an environment that kind of required me to be on my toes and a little bit street smart and at the same time without letting it harden the sensitive parts of me that I really liked and that made me feel happy.

And so my life kind of became a balance, trying to learn how to balance, but I wasn't always great at it. I've always been kind of a little bit, I wouldn't say scrappy is the right word, but it's [like] a certain type of pride. Not the type of pride that would keep me from cleaning toilets for money because I would do anything to try and support myself and figure out a way to make a living. But at the same time I wouldn't take anything. Like if a boss wanted to fire me, because I wouldn't sleep with him. I was like, "Fire me." I've always kind of had a real fighter's attitude and fighter's spirit of "I won't be beat." I didn't want life to make me bitter, because I really felt like that would be like letting life beat me twice. I felt like I wanted to go through my life and still figure out how to be a happy person instead of being a statistic that would have ended up a drug addict.

With his Lights Out parties and releases, British super-DJ Steve Lawler ruled dance floors with a sound that lived up to that name. It was thumping, dark, and almost fiercely inward-looking -- it was no surprise, really, that Lawler cited Depeche Mode and the Doors  as influences. But just as things were getting to their heaviest in the real world, Lawler seems to have lightened up, channeling a sunnier, perhaps more South American influence. Certain scribes have dubbed it "carnival house," which is a frankly horrifying term; but it does begin to get at the more celebratory, festive mood of Lawler's recent mixes.

Perhaps the change came was thanks to the world of possibilities opened up with the launch of his new record label/DJ agency/production company/everything-but-the-kitchen-sink music juggernaut, Viva Music. Or maybe it was just, you know, musical boredom. Whatever the reason, in the last couple years, Lawler has done a 180 that's stymied those who would put him in a little "dark progressive house" box. Check out the changes for yourself tonight, when Lawler's Viva Music tour lands at Gryphon, in the Seminole Hard Rock complex. New Times caught up with him last month to chat about his latest developments. Check out what he had to say, after the jump.

Steve Lawler. Thursday, October 29. Gryphon, 5711 Seminole Way, Hollywood. Doors open at 10 pm., tickets cost $20 in advance from wantickets.com. Ages 21+ with ID. 954-581-5454; gryphon-club.com