|
Some music makes you want to get up and dance and some music dances you. It feels as if it wells up from inside and invites you into an epic new world. Each movement begins to feel perfectly purposeful. You enter into your own heroic journey through dance. Each song continues the saga as it moves you into deeper and deeper emotional states. These moments are rare gems and truly cherished. When Ean Golden approached us with his new album, we could feel the dedication in creating such a gem.
The album, Love and Shadow, is the result of Ean's personal exploration of Ecstatic Dance and how it can invite us to explore our subconscious, our love, our dreams, and our shadows. Ean traveled the world to find the right collaborators to make this dream a reality. From the jungles of South America to the lush green lands of Indonesia. All this to create music that serves dancers in their own journey. It's that level of care and vision that made us excited to help him release this new album. After hearing his story and music, we knew this was going to help dancers across the world. 
The Story of Love and Shadow
Shadow is woven into our lives as much as love. Sadness, loneliness, and grief are as important to the human experience as are the joyous moments. It can be transformative to go inward and connect to the full range of emotions we embody.
Over the course of 16 songs, Ean Golden’s new album “Love and Shadow” takes the listener on a full journey of their interior world--navigating a wide range of musical styles, rhythms, and intensities. The album blends them together in a cohesive emotional arc as an invitation to move through the full “Love and Shadow” of our lives.
“After getting completely burned out by club culture, I took several years off and returned to my roots of dancing. It was through moving at ecstatic dances myself that I re-discovered my love for dance and a format that inspired me to play again.
I have fully embraced this community because it’s the only place I know of where a DJ can play the full dynamic range of musical expression to a totally captive audience that are there to really move and go deep. This format fit my style of djing perfectly, as it allows me cross many genre and tempo boundaries while telling a very big emotional story that expresses all of my personality” - Ean Golden Listen to the Music
2 Comments
"Track of the Week" is an opportunity for us here at Ecstatic Dance Records to share music from other labels that we find inspiring and fresh. "Sacred Bali" is a deep, exotic track with a gently driving mid-tempo beat. Tablas, sitar, and flute. Hints of mantra chant in the background. Great for cruising between peaks. https://deepbalirecords.bandcamp.com/track/jose-solano-sacred-bali-original-mix  "Track of the Week" is an opportunity for us here at Ecstatic Dance Records to share music from other labels that we find inspiring and fresh. Here's a super psychedelic remix of Supersillyus from the producer Matt Carey. It starts in swirling ambience, and then settles into a driving tech-house groove. The dubby halftime breakdown in the middle is pure yum. A classic Peak dance track. https://supersillyus.bandcamp.com/track/the-great-shenanigan-matt-carey-remix  "Track of the Week" is an opportunity for us here at Ecstatic Dance Records to share music from other labels that we find inspiring and fresh.
For our first Buildup EP we had the honor of working with Momentology (Patrick) and DJ Taz Rashid. I have known both of these musicians for years. They both make a wide variety of music with such a deep musical range. I was elated to hear they were collaborating on new music for the Ecstatic Dance floor.
I had the opportunity to ask Tazdeen and Patrick about what inspires their music.
Tazdeen Rashid = TR
Patrick Kiebzak = PK 1. What draws you into the Ecstatic Dance community? What about it is special for you as a musician? PK: My personal draw to the Ecstatic Dance community is the authenticity of the participants and the gentle progression of energy. The experience itself brings out a certain feeling as people gather in ceremony. Because the music starts slow, builds to a peak, and ends slowly, it differs drastically from live performances at a club, concert, or festival concerts where the music starts off with a peak and usually hangs there until the final song. Don't get me wrong, festival style is great--however, for my preference, it sometimes seems fatiguing and invasive as a listener. That is why I love ecstatic dance! TR: I love the passion the ecstatic dance community has for their individual and collective transformation, and their dedication to express themselves freely on the dance floor. This is a drug & alcohol-free environment, where we have a unique opportunity to use the music and each other--in a non-verbal manner--to play and interact with personal and group energy. I love playing concert-style DJ sets, but during the Ecstatic Dance DJ set I enjoy the feeling of a film composer: the dance floor is my movie where the actors/actresses are going through a “choose your own adventure” type of experience. 2. How has dance affected your life? TR: Since 2009, when I began my deeper mindfulness journey, dancing has give me deep spiritual and mystical experiences. Often times I would equate a dance experience to a session with a psychologist/shaman, where I was able to hold intentions and use the music as a tool to let go of what wasn’t serving me and at the same time putting my ego on a timeout and in a space of non-judgement. PK: Dance has made me more in tune with my body and my personal expression as an artist. As someone who enjoys dancing to music, when I am creating a song I can put myself in the listener's shoes and put down the producer's hat for a moment. This allows me to experience the song from an outside perspective and better judge its effectiveness. 3. Could you tell us a story about this track? What inspired this collaboration? What were you both trying to express? Ancestors Dance started from a desire to make ecstatic, tribal, and energetic music for our listeners. We both are used to making pretty chill music that could be used for yoga or overall relaxing vibes, so this project was really fulfilling for us. It allowed us to showcase a different part of our musical expression as producers--It’s that ecstatic, get-down, let’s get wild part! 4. You both perform music at a lot of festivals and dance floors across the nation. What is your advice to other DJs and musicians to help them best facilitate an Ecstatic Dance? Start to build the energy in a live set slowly, and always be watching and listening for what the crowd is doing. Are they dancing harder than the music is meant for? Start to ramp the energy up to match them. Are they matching the energy of the music? Stay there, let that feeling simmer for a while. Are they showing signs of being tired/exhausted? It's time to slow the energy down! This becomes effortless when I stop thinking of what "I" want to play and start focusing on the room’s needs and desires. In that way, you, as a DJ, become an instrument of the experience rather than someone putting on a show. 5. What new projects do you have in the cooker? Any new releases coming out or projects that are exciting you? Both of us have a ton of new songs in the process of creation, including a dozen or so dance/funk songs. However, the project we are personally most excited about will be on our next collaboration release called Back to Life. This album is 75 minutes of both light and energizing music. In Back to Life, we really aim to give the listener a unique experience that spans across genres, tempos, and cultural diversity.
Check out Momentology and DJ Taz Rashid music at:
www.momentology.net // @momentologymusic Www.djtazrashid.com // @djtazrashid
I'm inspired by both of these artist dedication to making holistic music for the dance-floor. They have such a beautiful way of blending in genres and sounds to make an emotional tapestry. Make sure you check out their music!
Written by Isaac Cotec Co-Founder of Ecstatic Dance Records
KR3TURE's music has a way of captivating the dance floor through his dynamic range and storytelling. When we were putting together our first EPs at Ecstatic Dance Records, KR3TURE was one artists who immediately came to mind. I've had the pleasure of seeing him perform at Ecstatic Dances and knew he had a deep understanding of how his music affected movement in the body.
Here is the track KR3TURE released with us: We had the opportunity to chat with KR3TURE about his inspirations and aspirations, with Ecstatic Dance and music. Below is the conversation that transpired.
What draws you into the Ecstatic Dance community? What about it is unique?
"There is something very special about the Ecstatic Dance Community. As a performer, there is no better feeling than playing music and connecting with the audience, to create a mutual flow of energy and movement. The best way an audience communicates back to the musicians that they are receiving the energy is by dancing, and Ecstatic Dances are unique in that the audience is solely focused on dancing--they are always moving to the music, without distraction, from beginning to end. I never have to worry if the audience is feeling the music--I know they are, and so that frees up a lot of mental energy for me as a musician. I can focus on performing and playing music and reaching new heights. I've never felt so free as an artist as I have at Ecstatic Dances." How do you view the Ecstatic Dance music journey? "I think there are a couple main ingredients that make for an effective Ecstatic Dance journey. First, the set needs to be dynamic in energy--by starting off gently and quietly, it invites dancers to warm up as they prepare for higher energy movement later in the dance--and eventually capped off by cooling down and returning back to Earth. I also play much more gentle AND much more aggressive music than I would ever play in regular live set, since it's essential to capitalize on those dynamics during such a long and focused dance journey. The second important ingredient is playing diverse music. Many DJs and musicians specialize in particular styles or genres, but for a 2+ hour dance journey, it's important to change up the genres, tempos, style, and tones--that way the entire process becomes an unfurling experience of surprise and contrast." Could you tell us a story about the track I Wanna Be Like You? What inspired this collaboration? "This track was initially inspired by dear friend and vocalist Sierra (aka Sea-Ren). She showed me a cute cover on her ukelele from the movie Jungle Book. It was a jazzy, happy feeling cover of I Wanna Be Like You. I loved the message of the song and was inspired to produce a cover of it, though the general vibe (upbeat, happy, and major-scale) wouldn't fit into a dance floor tune. So I asked Sierra if she could slow it down a lot, and change the chords into a minor key. The next time I saw her, she had morphed this happy Disney tune into a seriously sexy, slow, and deep song, and it took on a whole new life of its own. In the studio I had to rearrange some of the parts of the song so it flowed as a cohesive dancefloor track, but it all came together. I added some synths, bass, and drums, as well as some tasty edits--and voila, a fun new track was born! I guess what we were really trying to express is the inspiration that we get from one another, a truly positive expression of the beauty we find in one another. What's also really inspiring about the track is that it is Sierra's first official recording and I'm really excited about working on more music with her as she has an amazing and sultry voice!" What new projects do you have in the cooker? Any new releases coming out or projects that are exciting you? "Yes indeed! I spend half of my year teaching ecology and science on the road--so my studio time is limited--but I have a bunch of new tracks slated for release this fall/winter. I have bluesy dancefloor rocker called Last Night coming out on Gravitas Recordings on Nov 29 (2018). In early 2019, expect a KR3TURE remix of a Scarlet Crow song as well as a 9 Theory Remix of my song Take It Slow. I plan on releasing an EP sometime spring 2019 as well, so lots of new music in the cooker!"
It's inspirational to hear from musicians on how they gain such insight and creativity from the Ecstatic Dance community. When you are on the dancefloor there is a living circuit between the musicians and the dancers. Grateful for musicians like KR3TURE that craft that space so elegantly.
Below is the Cruise Vol. 1 EP, in which KR3TURE was joined by ILLUMINERTIA and Kaminanda. Check out KR3TURE's other music at: KR3TURE Soundcloud KR3TURE Spotify Written by Isaac Cotec (aka Subaqueous)
This was originally posted on my website, subaqueousmusic.com, to introduce why I am excited to be a part of Ecstatic Dance Records. It's an honor to be a part of this community.
Isaac Cotec aka Subaqueous Co-Founder of Ecstatic Dance Records
Over ten years ago I went to my first ecstatic dance in Seattle, WA. The experience changed the trajectory of my life and my music. So wait… let's back up… what is Ecstatic Dance?
Ecstatic Dance is a free-form of authentic movement. The idea is to take dancers through a diverse musical journey, a wave if you will, that brings them from softness to an ecstatic cathartic place and back to stillness. WHAT IS ECSTATIC DANCE? Here is the general layout of an ecstatic dance. First of all, it’s drug-free, all ages, and generally a pretty short experience. 2-3 hours total. Think of it as a dance class more than a club. The event usually starts with a warm-up. People come and stretch, roll on the floor, and get ready to shake it. After the warm-up, there is an opening circle. Each ecstatic dance is different and I have seen a range from a circle with a 5 minute welcoming, to a shared ritual/movement practice. After the opening, the DJ starts their main set. It's usually one DJ for the event. 
The music moves as a "wave". From a softer buildup to a peak. At many ecstatic dances, it follows a “double wave” where the energy builds to a peak, dips down, builds to another peak, and then lands into a softer place to end. For the past few years, I have been helping with Muse Dance in Portland OR, and the above image is what I made to help communicate that movement to DJs at our dance. THE EXPERIENCE So what is this all about? One of the best descriptions I have found was from Ecstaticdance.com "Through dance, we believe everyone can discover, explore, unleash, and enhance their individual potential to live a fulfilling and meaningful life. By engaging our senses and listening to our bodies, we connect to others and shape a consciousness that extends beyond our own. – Ecstaticdance.com" When I dance and fully let myself go I find myself in space that lets me process my emotions. Not from a thinking place, but truly feeling my emotions in my body. I have had life-changing revelations and moments of discovery. As a facilitator and musician, I have seen thousands of people experience this same space in Ecstatic Dance. That is why it’s a growing movement. There are hundreds of dances worldwide. Portland (Oregon) alone has 5 dances a week! Some of the dance events have 100-200 people regularly. You can find a full list of Ecstatic Dances worldwide at Ecstaticdance.org. THE MUSIC A unique aspect of Ecstatic Dance is the eclectic music. During one dance you will hear sultry singer-songwriter, Latin funk, throbbing glitch music, and ambient strings. Since the experience is all about dynamics and diversity, it gives you such a wide pallet as a DJ. As a musician, this is one of my all-time favorite places to perform. I find the dancers are deeply listening and can appreciate a wider range of possibilities. It’s also been hard sometimes to find just the right kind of music. For instance, I want a soft, loving vocal track for the end of my set, but too many times those lyrics are about a co-dependent relationship. To really respect the dance, I want to make sure the message is always one of growth. You also have to think of music outside of genre but in terms of how it will affect the dancers and where it fits in the journey arc. It’s because of this that I was really excited when Peter Weinstein, aka Baron von Spirit, approached me about a new project. Together we dreamed up a record label that would help connect the musical world with the dancers of ecstatic dance. We saw how we could help curate music that holds a space at Ecstatic Dances, as well as introduce new music to the growing number of ecstatic dancers. Thus, Ecstatic Dance Records was born. ECSTATIC DANCE RECORDS LAUNCH Today, well… as I am writing this, we launched the Record Label by releasing four EPs. We worked with musicians from around the world. Check out the releases below: Since ecstatic dance is based on a musical journey, we wanted to showcase the music based on its placement in the phases of the Ecstatic Dance Journey. Peter has come up with and refined six phases of the ecstatic dance journey over a decade of performance. The phases go as follows: Arrival * Buildup * Peak * Cruise * Landing * Integration Our first four EPs correspond to the phases Arrival, Buildup, Peak, and Cruise. Our concept was to help showcase the different states of the dancers and how music can be used to move people through the journey. For the last year, Peter and I have had weekly calls to discuss the philosophy, build strategic partnerships in the community, and gather an amazing list of musicians. I am elated to finally launch this project. Since Ecstatic Dance has been such a cornerstone of my life, this feels like a natural and beautiful new endeavor. Isaac Cotec aka Subaqueous Co-founder of Ecstatic Dance Records |
