Dallas Blog

Imagine a fresh and thriving Deep Ellum hotspot, a venue that both loyally and blindly draws music lovers of all varieties to investigate and enjoy the lineup. Perhaps, years ago, or maybe, in the not too distant future, this would be (or soon will be) within grasp. Today, in such tumultuous and transitional times, it might be a challenge to wrap your brain around such an endeavor manifesting--and lasting--in Deep Ellum.

But, in efforts to bring resident DJs back to storied music neighborhood, The Lounge on Elm Street has valiantly opened its doors to the spinning set.

Oh, and they have a Wii.

Sailing the winds of a 15-year voyage through the Dallas dance music scene, Glenn Jackson, former Illmatic Records owner and one of two partnering owners at The Lounge, talked to us about the adventure and the passion behind the new space. (Partner Albert Magallon was not present.)

Tell me about the Lounge on Elm Street.
Well, it’s a bar, slash, live music venue. I used to own a record store back in the day, so, I had always envisioned opening a place that would have DJs and live music. I’m a drummer also. I’ve played in bands. I like a lot of different styles and I wanted to open a venue that, on any particular night, could have slightly different music going on. One night could be house. One night might be hip hop. One night might be electronic, ya know. Like, Wanz Dover plays on Wednesdays and he plays experimental stuff. So, I’m trying to mix it up and see what catches.

Prince William (Will Boston) has been turning out the Dallas music scene for over ten years. Whether producing, spinning, or just getting the people excited about the state of international music affairs, Prince William stays true to his passion for urban music and continues on a frenetic adventure to discover fresh ways to blend, mix and bend the genre into something new. Calmly riding the resounding crest of the post-rap wave, the Prince offered us some knowledge and buzz about his distinct music style and the city’s surfacing breakout sound.

Tell me about the music that you play.

The music that I play, I always say, is where the club meets the streets. I like really grimy street records but I like to remix them for the club. Tons of bass. I used to call it "expensive techno" as a joke because all my records are from the UK or France. They’re all imported and not distributed here. I’m real into the urban music from other markets. I try to blend it all together.

What are you listening to at home right now?

I’m obsessed with this genre from the UK called bassline. It’s 140 bpm and really, really high energy. It’s all about these really beautiful tranquil melodies and then they just flip, they just drop this ruthless bass line. It’s like this real pretty vocal, then [creates bass sounds with his voice]. It’s so exciting to be surprised. I like surprising music. I like the track to surprise me.

So, you’re involved in the Dallas hip-hop scene?

(Angela Berg)

The Dallas Dub Assembly is a DJ and MC collective. The Dallas Dub Assembly is a record label and production squad. Oh, and Dub Assembly is a quite popular monthly event at the Green Elephant. The Dallas Dub Assembly is a self-proclaimed "sound system." And in the strange and beautiful saga of Dallas dance music, the guys in Dub Assembly are immortalizing their story as the pioneers of the dubstep scene in North Texas.

We made a date with the Dub Assembly crew to dismantle the complex dynamics of an alluring music movement and their role in the swaggering surge of the dubstep sound. What was intended to be a verbal tennis match of inquiries and insight developed into a passionate school of rock – Dub Assembly 101, a unified marathon of words aimed at defining the true spirit of dubstep and the role of deep bass in orchestrating a dance-floor frenzy. I sat back in my bar stool, a delighted spectator, as Jason Mundo, Sam Uselton (Lifted MC) and Kyle Nuss (Royal Highnuss) taught me a little something about the exhilarating power of beats, bats and Dallas pride. [Not present during the discussion was Thanhyen Nguyen (Tiny).]

You guys want to tell me what dubstep means to you?

The guys in Sydney Confirm (from left to right: Gian Carlos, Preston Deanda and Sean Humphrey) bring sleaze with ease. (Angela Berg)

Sydney Confirm is a double-headed beast. Fresh off an Observer Music Award nomination for Best Electronic/Experimental Act and staying busy flaunting their DJ skills at Fallout Lounge’s buzzing Tuesday weekly, Disqo Disco, Sydney Confirm is quickly establishing itself as the go-to crew for lusty-electro-dance-parties.

We stopped by the Fallout Lounge to talk to Sean Humphrey and Preston Deanda about the meaning of sleaze and how dancing could just possibly save the world. (Third member of Sydney Confirm, Gian Carlos wasn’t present.)

Can you give us a three-word description of the style of music that you play?

Sean Humphrey: I got it!

[He whispers into Preston Deanda’s ear and they both smile.]

Preston Deanda: That’s a good one. I can’t argue with that...

Humphrey: "Hazy cosmic jive."

Do you want to give us any insight into the name Sydney Confirm?

Humphrey: [Smiles.] No, I don’t. It came out of nowhere, really. I really like the opera house in Sydney, Australia. But, other than that, no.

On your Web site, you describe your music as “ a massive rock traveling back in space to meet us here. A rock traveling at speeds that would make your sleazy uncle shit his pants.” Do you think that there is a high level of sleaze in the music you play?