We here at Little White Earbuds are known for bringing you reviews of the hottest new techno/house singles; but until now our purview has been limited to the present. With Big Black Headphones, a new column we’re starting, LWE’s reviewing staff (and hopefully guests) have the chance to look back at oft-overlooked releases that had our hands in the air in years past. We want to see how once vital singles or deep cuts stack up in today’s crowded, fast paced world and trace the threads connecting the past and the present. Please join us in taking time to remember the past which laid the foundation for where we are today.

LWE’s podcast series is a favorite feature of the site for readers, artists and staff alike, one of the few throwbacks to the halcyon days of our mp3 blogging youth. But it also means we rarely post mixes unless they’re part of the series, generally leaving it to blogs like mnml ssgs, Random Circuits, Infinitestatemachine and Teleosteopathy to showcase the rest. As part of our year end round up, we would like to bridge the gap between the two schools of blogging and ask you, our readers, to contribute a mix for our podcast series. Whether you’re touring Europe every weekend or bedroom mixing for yourself, we want to hear your mixes — and the best one will be our last podcast of the year (and its creator the recipient of a bountiful prize pack from NRK Sound Division). Interested? Good, we thought you might be. Full rules and deadline after the jump.

So what exactly are we looking for? All mixes should be between 45-50 minutes long, exclusive to LWE, include a tracklist, and sent as a 192kbps mp3 through filesharing sites such as YouSendIt or Sendspace to editor@littlewhiteearbuds.com. They are due no later than 12 p.m. CST on December 16th. Late entries will not be scored.

We will score your mixes based on five criteria:

Depth: Is your mix ripped from the charts, a stale slate of house classics, or obscure yet middling? Mix it up.

Relevance: If you’re been reading LWE for a minute you probably have a sense of the sound we’re looking for. Hip-hop, blog-house, prog., trance, juke and drum n’ bass are fine enough for their own purposes, but will not score well in this competition.

Transitions: We want to hear compelling blends/combinations executed such that we’re clamoring for the next one. Slapping the fader across, dull mechanical perfection and painful juxtapositions are all turn offs.

Technique: Does your use of EQ/levels/effects leave us cringing or awe-struck? Show off and make sure it sounds good.

Entertainment Value: Your selections should make us want to move and keep our interest throughout the mix’s length.

The mix with the highest score will be featured in our podcast series and its creator will win copies of Charles Webster, Coast 2 Coast, Peace Division, Coast 2 Coast, Dave Clarke, Back In the Box, the still fresh Deep Sensation 2 2xCD, and a box of NRK goodies. Second place wins copies of Deep Sensation 2, one Coast 2 Coast of their choice (Peace Division or Charles Webster), and a copy of Back in the Box. Third place wins one Coast 2 Coast of their choice and a copy of Deep Sensation 2.

We highly encourage you to suggest this contest to any DJ trying to get a little more exposure or just interested in competing. Feel free to ask questions about the contest in the comments section. Again, mixes due no later than 12 p.m. CST on December 16th. Late entries will not be scored. Good luck and get mixing!

Dial Records manager and excellent producer in his own right, Sten/Lawrence makes his Chicago debut tomorrow night at Sonotheque (1444 W. Chicago Ave). LWE editor in chief, Steve Mizek, and event promoter cavarly (The Body Politic) will be providing support. Little White Earbuds is proud to sponsor this FREE event and we sincerely hope you can make it out.

Taking a break from techno/house, LWE’s editor in chief offers a few thoughts on the election.

Unlike many democracies whose election seasons often resemble a month long sprint, America’s presidential campaigns have grown into epic marathons lasting up to two years. That may seem excessive on the face of things, but it’s proven a great opportunity for voters to observe how the candidates present and govern themselves, galvanize large organizations, and spend enormous sums of money. Now Americans have two clear cut choices with an abundance of evidence to inform their selection. After two years of intensive deliberations, I can confidently say Barack Obama is the man for the job.

I’ve been “in the tank” for Mr. Obama since his run for the U.S. Senate in 2004, and yet I’ve been struggled with doubts from the first whispers that he might run for president. How would such a relative unknown be welcomed by voters? How would he topple popular opponents inside his own party? Was he ready to face the inevitable hordes of malicious detractors who would stop at nothing to tear him down? Was the country ready for a black president? Mr. Obama has cleared each hurdle with poise, dignity, and strategic brilliance, as well as the enduring hope Americans would look past the petty politics of fear and choose a leader based on who was best for them and their country. Regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s election, Mr. Obama’s has been an inspiring journey for so many of us.

In addition to being an excellent campaigner, Mr. Obama has the issues on his side also. After eight troubled years in which the desires of the rich have handily trumped the needs of the general populace, when the rule of law has been repeatedly trampled by government, and our country was led into a needless war and another, more purposeful war was poorly handled, he offers a new, direly needed path. As President, Mr. Obama aims to make health care affordable and accessible for all Americans. He plans a huge investment in green technology and renewable energy sources, creating over a million steady jobs and helping to free America from its addiction to oil. His tax plans encourage business growth while ensuring it does not come at the expense of our citizens. He’s pledged to reform education so future generations are well equipped for the many challenges ahead and competitive on a global scale. He wants to draw down U.S. forces in Iraq as soon as conditions permit and will move forces to where they are most needed in Afghanistan. He will restore America’s tarnished image in the eyes of the world with a renewed commitment to the rule of law and the importance of multi-lateral solutions to global problems, not least of which are global warming and the resource crunch. He wants to return accountability and credibility to the government.

But one person can only do so much. Mr. Obama has surrounded himself with an outstanding bipartisan cohort to advise him and carry out their plans. His vice presidential nominee, Joe Biden, is nearly unparalleled in foreign policy expertise and is profoundly in touch with the needs and desires of the common people. His campaign staff, including David Axelrod and David Plouffe, are sure to help his most ambitious plans become reality. His economic and defense teams are vaunted for their expertise and will not steer him wrong. I look forward to an all-star cast of a cabinet.

No endorsement would be complete without at least a brief mention of Mr. Obama’s opponent, Republican John McCain. Although he’s gained a reputation for being independent of his party and reaching across the aisle, this campaign has proven Mr. McCain will do almost anything for power, including walking away from long held principles and hiring the same shady partisans who derailed his first run for president. Mr. McCain showed an astonishing lack of good judgment in choosing the un-vetted and unprepared Governor Sarah Palin as his vice presidential nominee after meeting her only twice. He’s trafficked in smears rather than sound policy, and along with his running mate stoked dangerous emotions of fear and bigotry in their most extreme supporters. And while he is not the second coming of George W. Bush, many of his plans do not offer the significant departure from the last eight years of failed and painful policies that America craves. His well noted temper and bellicose rhetoric (calling for the invasion of Iraq before President Bush, singing “bomb Iran”) are the opposite of what the world needs at this tenuous time in history. His tax plans continue to give handouts to the wealthiest without commensurate spending cuts. His market-based health care plan will tax employer-provided health benefits for the first time ever. America simply cannot afford a John McCain presidency.

After two long years of seemingly endless campaigning, I’ve never felt more sure in my decision to back Barack Obama for president of the United States. He’s exhibited the sound judgment, even temperament, and wise leadership this country so desperately needs. I’m confident his policies and advisers will carefully steer our country out of financial turmoil and away from the poor decisions that brought us there. I don’t like making political comments on LWE, but the sheer magnitude of this election’s results necessitates that I speak up.
(post by Steve Mizek)

Hi, my name is Per Bojsen-Moller. I’m a half Danish, half New Zealand guy living in London doing my best to survive amidst what I am told is a knife crime infested, credit crunched, queuing obsessed city.

I have been a writer of sorts since the mid-nineties and a DJ for several years longer. My passion for music made me want to write, knowing secretly that my voice would never carry me to rock stardom. I spent three very influential years in San Francisco at the end of the nineties and returned to New Zealand inspired by the techno scene I saw there (small though it was). Toiling away for many years back in New Zealand, I set up a nice little life: radio show, TV show, DJ gigs, column space, a garden. I left all of that behind to come to England to challenge myself, be immersed in a bigger pool of culture and ultimately to try and recreate a similar existence to the one I left.

Fabric sure knows how to spoil you Londoners rotten. This Saturday they play host to a jealousy-enducing line up of legendary DJs and legends in the making: In room one you’ve got Craig Richards, Cabanne (live), Jus-Ed and Cassy. In room two is Terry Francis, Chicago’s own Kate Simko (live), and Mike Shannon. And just in case that’s not enough, they’ve also The Amalgamation of Sounds and Larry Heard — Mr. Fingers himself — headlining room three. If you’re in the UK and want a crack at enjoying the show with a friend for free, simply answer this trivia question: On what label and in what year did Larry Heard make his solo debut? Email your answer to editor[at]littlewhiteearbuds.com by Thursday, 10 p.m. CST. One winner will be selected at random from the correct responses. Good luck and enjoy the show!

Update: Congratulations to Gwenan Spearing for winning with the correct answer, 1985 on Alleviated Records. Thanks to everyone for entering and stay tuned for more contests like this.

Also, a head’s up about the following weekend at Fabric, its birthday weekend. ROOM ONE: Craig Richards, Terry Francis, Luciano, Shinedoe, Martin Buttrich (live), and Ralph Lawson. ROOM TWO: Robert Hood, Baby Ford, Mark Broom, and Soul Designer (live). ROOM THREE: Omar-S, Patrice Scott, and Keith Worthy.

Hello,

My name is Jeremy and I’m addicted to electronic music. I’ve lost my job, family and home due to my excessive and unrelenting desire to purchase, download, compile, list and argue about techno and house. My roommates could no longer bear to listen to me nitpick about the production on the latest Ricardo Villalobos record or lament the state of Berlin techno, so they kicked me out of my apartment, bought new phones and changed their locks. I now live in a cardboard box on the corner of Third & Market here in San Francisco and look something like the man behind the diner in Mulholland Drive.

I have nothing left to my name except a busted PC laptop running Windows 95 and a crumpled Kinko’s printout compiling every Philip Sherburne article and blog post ever published. I entertain myself by making puns about techno when I panhandle, like “spare any minimal change?” or “I can’t live in this box any more, I need some real house!” and have started eating the remains of my record collection for nourishment.

I have completely lost my mind, but something tells me I’ll fit in just fine here at Little White Earbuds.

Greetings all –

I’m guessing my name will be familiar to at least a few of you, as I’ve been at this writing game for a little while now. I used to be an editor at Alternative Press magazine (yes, I know, I know…), then at Stylus, where I was also a contributor to the fabled Beats by the Pound section (and compatriot to the fabulous Mr. Nate DeYoung), and lately, Resident Advisor (as well as lots of other places in-between).

I come from perhaps a different background and with a perspective than many of you; I’m 36, married with two stepchildren, live in Cleveland, was a DJ for something like a decade and have been in semi-retirement for the last seven or eight (although I would go play again in a heartbeat if someone asked me to), and I haven’t set foot in a club in at least five. I still love and purchase vinyl and maintain stubbornly that I will never DJ on a computer or with CDs (though I’d be kidding myself if I didn’t say that I love the whole downloading thing because it saves me ending up with many dogs in my collection).

Honestly, I do love music, and though I sure know a lot about the past, I am far from stuck in it (despite what some friends might tell you); I fully admit that there is just as much great music coming out today as there was when I first fell in love with Derrick May and Juan Atkins and Carl Craig all those years ago. I hope to share some pearls of whatever wisdom I may have accumulated over the years as well as experiencing the new and exciting things that are sure to come our way.

So basically, I’m all of you in five to ten years. Take a good look — this is where many of you are heading!

Just a quick reminder that LWE fave Osborne is playing tonight at Sonotheque, 1444 W. Chicago Ave. He’s supported by Kill Memory Crash and Michna. Starts at 9pm and is completely free! Hope to see you there.

Chicago’s City Council votes this Wednesday, May 14th on a proposed ordinance which would require promoters of live events to hold a promoter’s license. The city asserts the ordinance is a five years too late response to the stampede which killed 21 people at the nightclub, E2, holding promoters accountable for their events and making sure they have the insurance in the event of any incidents.

The actual text of the ordinance

But the city’s logic is tragically flawed. The ordinance would require already established clubs including Sonotheque, the Empty Bottle, Schubas, the Hideout, Subterranean and many others to purchase the licenses (which cost upwards of $2,000) and $300,000 worth of insurance. The ordinance also applies to everyday folks who want to put on an event at a venue with a capacity smaller than 1,000, as well. That means all the small promoters who book the various house/techno nights around Chicago will also have to pony up to play.

Background and details of the ordinance

Instead of preventing more disasters like E2, this will force more promoters underground and extort promoters who feel they have no choice but to stay legit. It will also make it more expensive to go to venues as promoters have no choice but to pass on the cost of licenses and insurance to audiences. Chicago is notorious for its high taxes and politicians who bankroll lavish wages and endless patronage with their constituents’ cash and this is just one more example. However, this one hits a lot closer to home, threatening to ruin any semblance of a techno/house scene this city has.

DeRogatis’ interview with a City Council sponsor of the ordinance

If you value live music in Chicago of any sort, please take the time to contact your alderman to strongly encourage them to vote against the ordinance. The City Council is rushing this bill through in hopes promoters and enthusiasts won’t have time to organize an opposition. I’ve provided some resources below to help you to find your alderman and be informed about the issue. My thanks to Chicago Sun Times columnist Jim DeRogatis for bringing this pressing issue into the spotlight.

Find your alderman

DeRogatis’ interview with the acting director of the Department of Business Affairs & Licensing