New York's Electronic Music + Innovation Festival set for September

Here it finally is: New York’s Electronic Music + Innovation Festival, September 12-14, 2008! minitek is going to be quite different from other festivals you know…

minitek festival combines two aspects: electronic music and innovation. While this seems to be a pretty straightforward at first, you’ll understand that Minitek is going to explore innovation not only in respect to music but also to other forms of art, design and technology. For three days and three nights, minitek will bring together individuals, institutions and creative companies that are pioneers in their respective areas and whose creations, visions and inventions are shaping the future. MusicElectronic music is the epicenter of minitek because it is the form of music currently developing the fastest and most directly linked to innovation. The lineup is unmatched and made up of some of the world’s most respected artists, who define trends rather than follow them…

Richie Hawtin
Hawtin, an English-Canadian DJ combines his love of computers, video games, sci-fi, and inspiration from Detroit techno and his father’s record collection to create an innovative and inventive style of electronic music that has allowed him to sustain a fifteen year career as a recording artist, producer, remixer, DJ and live performer. Hawtin’s renown on the DJ circuit stems from headlining some of the most prestigious festivals and events in club culture, as well as a live performance with the Barcelona Symphony Orchestra, creating sound installations for the French Ministry of Culture’s Millennium Celebration, and composing music for the Torino XXth Olympic Winter Games opening ceremonies. In between touring the globe, Hawtin produces music for his now legendary label Plus 8 & Minus.

Tiefschwarz
The Tiefschwarz production duo, consisting of brothers Ali and Basti Schwarz, has seen its electro house music transform from the deep, mellow house they started producing in 1996 to the edgy, grittier house music they are producing today. Tiefschwarz’s productions have appeared on labels such as Wave Music, Four Music, Classic, Fine and International Deejay Gigolos, as well as numerous compilations like Bugged Out!, Get Physical and Renaissance, in addition to a mix for London’s Fabric mix series. Among remixes Tiefschwarz have composed are Madonna’s Get Together, Missy Elliot’s “Teary Eyed,” and Depeche Mode’s single, “John the Revelator.

M.A.N.D.Y.
Patrick Bodmer and Philipp Jung began their career as M.A.N.D.Y. by throwing parties and spinning records every chance they got during the influx of Germany’s house/techno scene. After a nearly 7-year residency at Frankfurt’s Monza club, M.A.N.D.Y. joined pals Booka Shade and DJ T to create their label, Get Physical, as a tribute to the dancefloor. Besides releasing music on Get Physical, M.A.N.D.Y. have also worked with other artists such as The Knife, Seelenluft, Klaxons, and Sugababes on creating remixes. M.A.N.D.Y. has been able to successfully reach across the globe from New York, to Ibiza, to Moscow, to Sydney with their music without compromising their underground, electronic house edge.

Audion (aka Matthew Dear)
Texas native, Matthew Dear (who releases under aliases Audion, False, and Jabberjaw) honed his DJ abilities throughout his decade-long career by releasing original productions and wowing sold-out crowds at venues such as Fabric while he was still a teenager. Dear’s notoriety as an international DJ after meeting Ghostly founder Sam Valenti in the late 90s and producing the A-Side for the label’s first 12” release, Hands Up for Detroit. Since then, Dear has released his album debut, Leave Luck to Heaven, its counterpart Backstroke, as well as numerous releases under his many club pseudonyms, notably chart-topping Mouth to Mouth under Audion. Dear also tours incessantly, has been sought out for his remixing skills by acts such as the Postal Service and Hot Chip, and has recently released his sophomore album, Asa Breed.

Heidi
Heidi’s career as a DJ began when the Canadian resident moved to London in 2000, immersed herself in the club scene, and helped open famed London record store, Phonica. After meeting M.A.N.D.Y. members, Patrick Bodmer and Philipp Jung, Heidi began playing gigs with them in Berlin, and eventually released track “Vejer” on Get Physical with her partner Riton. The five-year Get Physical tour saw Heidi playing alongside Booka Shade, DJ T and M.A.N.D.Y. and helped create Heidi’s infamous high energy DJ style. Currently, Heidi is working on an album for Get Physical with her partner Riton.

Magda
Hailing from Poland, Magda got her start as a DJ by making her way through the underground party circuit and joining the all-female dj collective, Women on Wax. As Magda’s ventures into house, techno, and electro evolved while appearing as a regular at Detroit area events, she was invited to open for Richie Hawtin at his millennium celebration, Epok. Magda’s use of challenging music among her increasingly minimal dj sets has made her the sole choice to open for Hawtin’s events. The next few months see Magda joining Hawtin on her third European tour as well as transitioning from dj to producer and releasing music under her moniker, Run/Stop Restore on the Minus label.

The rest of this dream of a line-up consists of some of the most sought-after artists who have a solid following in the US, such as Troy Pierce and Guy Gerber, and you will hear top acts from abroad whose US debut performances have been eagerly awaited for years including Format:B and Monoblock, all while discovering emerging talent which have gained tremondous momentum such as Heartthrob and Seph. To see the full line-up go to www.minitekfestival.com/music. And stay tuned for more artist profiles and set times.

Innovation By fusing innovation with music, a diverse group of individuals that share a passion for electronic music will be exposed to areas they would have otherwise not come across. In collaboration with Magnus Bischofberger and Jasmin Ruiz Blasco of Catalog Records, minitek curated the Innovation Pavillion with projects that explore new technologies to create sounds and visuals, with emphasis lying on interactivity. The pavilion will be present at the day site and the original creators have been invited to present their work to you live; sometimes you will even directly or indirectly become part of the art presented.

Here is a little preview of some of the projects that are waiting for you at minitek...

Roots - Jordan Hochenbaum, Owen Vallis and Memo Akten - LA, CA
Roots is an interactive installation for the Brick Table's tangible and multi-touch interface, where multiple people can collaborate in making music ina dynamic and visually responsive environment. When a user presses their finger on the table’s surface, a vine-like structure will branch out and generatively maneuver around the surface-- actively triggering sounds and loops. Harnessing "multi-touch" technology, a single user, or multiple people can very quickly create dense and lush generatively evolving sound collages and compositions, simply by pressing their fingers anywhere on the tables surface. New software is being developed for minitek where Brick Tables surface becomes a virtual ocean; ripples generated from users touching the screen, trigger sounds that decay and use the waves interference patterns to create an interactive musical experience. Brick Table has been exhibited at festivals showing Weather Report, an interactive installation where users sonify real-time surface temperature data.

Extended Room - Devan Simunovich and Nika Offenbac - NYC
Devan Simunovich and Nika Offenbac will show two installations from their "Extended Room" series."Speak My Language": What happens when familiar signs we see everyday do the unexpected? How are our experiences of signs changed when the illusion of space is changed and the sign itself inhabits this illusionary space? What happens when the sign transforms and takes on new meaning or form, evolving into a completely different message? "Speak My Language" invites attendees to experience an ultra-sensory environment to re-imagine how we interact with urban modes of sign communication."Volume" explores how architectural space and environment are altered and physics are defied, creating an imaginary arena where familiar or fabricated objects are set in motion in unexpected ways. “Volume” is a mirror with no reflections. Our experience within a space can become imaginary, where our expectations of physical architectural space becomes an illusion, a visual playground. “Volume” is an illusionary extension of a physical architectural space. The work attempts to augment and expand the interiors of a fixed architectural space by superimposing an imagined additional volume on the existing interior surfaces of an environment.

RFID Technologyminitek is among the first music festivals in the world to employ RFID technology in the form of RFID wristbands. The wristbands will act not only as admission control but also as a means for cashless payment as money can easily be loaded onto the wristband (cash or credit) at one of the many “loading stations” at the festival site. There is also the option of swiping a credit card at the box office acting as a “tab”, so that all purchases will be automatically deducted from the credit card. So instead of drink tickets or a cash bar, a simple wave of the wrist in front of a reader deducts credit from the wristband, which reduces lines at concession stands. and the wristband also stores age information so that visitors don't need to produce an ID each time. RFID wristbands will ensure a more convenient and safe festival experience for all.

minitek village
The village is a place to explore, watch, try out, discover, learn, wonder and get inspired. Music technology companies (such as Ableton) will demonstrate their newest products, record labels will show off their newest releases and young designers will present their coolest streetwear collections. Full list of exhibitors to be announced soon!

minitek competitions
minitek doesn't only present innovation, it actively encourages it! minitek launched a series of creative challenges: minitek remix competition - in collaboration with Indaba Music, AirDrop Records and Ableton, parts of Fase Miusic Sender's "Lejano Oeste" track have been made available for remixers on Indaba Music's website. The winning remix will be released on AirDrop and will be played by one of AirDrop's artists at the festival.

minitek podcasts
In order to make the wait till minitek a little sweeter, they've launched a series of podcasts counting down until the festival. They are available for download each week and each week features a mix from a different performing minitek act. Pan-Pot, Butane, Fase Miusic Sender, Paco Osuna, Camea and other exciting mixes have or will be made available for download leading up to the festival.

Social and Environmental Responsibility
Festivals are notorious for generating unnecessary waste of all sorts; minitek will counter-act this negative side effect and roll out recycling programs for waste and food. minitek going green minitek strives to encourage, promote and educate visitors about recycling and proper waste disposal and will collaborate with Clean Vibes, a company formed and dedicated to responsible on-site waste management of outdoor festivals and events. minitek is also a proud partner of WasteWise an Environmental Protection Agency partnership program helping US organizations eliminate waste and will use almost exclusively 100% bio- degradable concession disposables, such as cups, cutlery and plates, provided by Eco Products. This will reduce minitek’s carbon footprint and we hope it will encourage other festivals to do the same.

Rock & Wrap It Up!
minitek’s food is being recycled! The nonprofit Rock and Wrap It Up! (RWU) offers an innovative program: RWU arranges the collection and donation of leftover food from concerts, sporting events, political rallies, and college and school cafeterias. At the end of an event, an RWU representative organizes the safe recovery and delivery of all edible leftover food. Since 1990 RWU has secured more than 30 million meals for the homeless.

Venue and Ticket Information
The night venue is the luxurious Penn Plaza Pavilion at 7th Avenue. And the day venue will be revealed shortly, so keep your eyes peeled for future updates. Tickets are on sale exclusively on residentadvisor.net

Weekend Pass - $80.00 + fees
VIP Weekend Pass - $175.00 + fees