SEPTEMBER 16, 2004
FR: ALEXANDRA GREENBERG/MSO
818-380-0400 x223, agreenberg@msopr.com
SASHA HEADS TO NEW YORK CITY FOR
THE BILLBOARD DANCE MUSIC SUMMIT AND
BPM MAGAZINE & THE RECORDING ACADEMY’S CELEBRATION
FOR THE ADDITION OF
“BEST DANCE/ELECTRONIC ALBUM” CATEGORY
SPECIAL EDITION OF ‘INVOLVER’ SET FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 16
On Tuesday, September 21, SASHA–recognized as one of the worlds most innovative and iconic DJ’s–will make a special appearance in New York as a panelist during the Billboard Dance Music Summit and DJ the Grammy event celebrating the induction of the new “Electronic/Dance Music Album” category. At 2:15 pm during the Summit, which takes place the Union Square Ballroom, SASHA will join fellow panelists Jason Bentley, Carmen Rizzo, Victor Calderone and others to speak on the NARAS panel about the importance of the Grammys for the dance music community.
Continuing on the Grammy tip, SASHA will perform a one-hour DJ set from midnight to 1:00 a.m. at BPM Magazine & The Recording Academy’s celebration for the new “Best Dance/Electronic Album” category at Crobar (530 West 28th Street, between 10th & 11th Ave) along with Paul Van Dyk, BT, Ken Jordan of The Crystal Method and others.
(http://www.djmixed.com/global_images/media/090804_grammyparty.gif)
In other news, on November 16, Global Underground will release a special edition of SASHA’s latest CD Involver which includes the initial version of the album along with a bonus retrospective collection of his remixes from the last 12 years including works by Eat Static, Gus Gus, The Chemical Brothers and more. Compromising selections from some of today’s top electronic artists and emerging talents including UNKLE, Felix Da Housecat, Grand National, Spooky and Ulrich Schnauss, Involver is a redefining package–part-DJ mix, part-remix album and part-artist album. Track listing for the bonus CD and vinyl releases are as follows:
SASHA – INVOLVER SPECIAL EDITION (CD 2)
D-Ream “UR The Best Thing” (Sasha Dub Remix) 1992
House of Zekkeriyas “Secret Star” (Renaissance Dub) 1993
Hysterix “Talk To Me” (Sasha’s Full Music Master) 1994
Eat Static “Gulf Breeze” (Sasha’s Afroshashoz Mix) 1994
BT “Embracing The Sunshine” (Sasha Remix) 1995
GusGus “Purple” (Sasha vs. The Light Mix) 1998
Chemical Brothers “Out Of Control” (Sasha’s Club Mix Instrumental) 1998
UNKLE “In A State” (Sasha Remix) 2003
SASHA – INVOLVER SPECIAL EDITION (2 X 12”)
A Grand National “Talk Amongst Yourselves”
B Spongle “Dorset Perception”
C Hysterix “Talk To Me” (Sasha’s Full Music Master)
D Eat Static “Gulf Breeze” (Sasha’s Afroshashoz Mix)
Upon its June 22 release, Involver debuted on several Billboard charts: #1 Top Electronic Albums, # 9 Top Heatseekers, #14 Top Independent Albums and #200 The Billboard 200. The effort also garnered rave reviews in the press:
“As much a Sasha album as it is a mix CD, the superstar British DJ remixes Felix da Housecat, Spooky and UNKLE, segueing the results in one satisfying set. Hushed male vocals and despondent yet sensual melodies float over liquid grooves that circumvent trance and electroclash cliches. This is Sasha's most substantial work in years. “
***1/2 out of 5 stars
–Barry Walters, Rolling Stone, August 5, 2004
“Headf***ing is Sasha’s business, and business is good”
***1/2 out of 5 stars
–Kieran Wyatt, URB, September 2004
“The absolute coolest electronica/house DJ album out this year, so far, has got to be Sasha's latest, Involver, a lovingly produced collection of 10 tracks, all touched by the DJ's deft remixing and unique sound choreography.”
–Ron Harris, Associated Press, June 22, 2004
“Anyone who still clings to the age-worn notion of Sasha as a formulaic trance DJ will be surprised, maybe even impressed, by the range and sophistication of these selections. Moving beyond dancefloor clichés, Sasha stresses melody and structure to point a way forward for DJ’s to adapt to the current musical climate.”
–Justin Hampton, Stereo-Type, July 2004
“There comes a time in every artist’s career when they need to take a few chances in order to progress. With Involver, Sasha seems to have done exactly that.”
–Darren Ressler, Big Shot, Issue # 6
“Involver is purely deep, transcendent, and a great play for your moody escape.”
–DY, Impose, August/September 2004
"Involver will be remembered as a pulsating exploration into a new breed of electronica. A-“
–Davis Bailey, Richmond Times-Dispatch (August 26, 2004)
“…Sasha serves up ripe musicality…”
–Andy Battaglia, The Onion, July 8-14, 2004
“…Involver breaks and remakes the mold.”
*** out of four stars
–Kevin Riordan, Courier-Post/Gannett News Service, July 2, 2004
“Involver adroitly straddles the line between DJ and artist.”
–Richard Paton, Scripps-Howard News Service, July 19, 2004
“…a remarkable experience of future music….Taking its cues from 2002’s airdrawndagger, Involver morphs from otherworldly brooding into complex, often meditative conflations—semi-synthetic simulacra of Gregorian chants, polyphonic Renaissance melodies, harpsichord and electric piano accents, Flamenco guitar segues and classic Sasha breakbeats, while remixing everything from UNKLE to Felix da Housecat.”
–David Schneider, New City Chicago, June 17, 2004
“On Involver, …he employs a range of techniques–remixing, rewriting, re-editing and so on–in an effort to put his personal stamp on tracks that originated with others, and for the most part, he succeeds…Consider Sasha's glowing reputation enhanced.”
–Michael Roberts, Westword, July 1, 2004
“…Sasha's returned, discovering a medium to blend his conceptual indulgences with his knack for marathon mixes.”
–Kiran Aditham, New Times Broward-Palm Beach, July 15, 2004
“Pure, weightless elegance, Involver is true to its title, as Sasha comes up with a mesmerizing stunner.”
–Matthew Cooke, Amazon.com, June 2004
“The British dance music icon proves here, yet again, to be an ‘artist's-artist.’ Look for Involver to be a critic's darling as one of dance music's best-ever artist albums.”
–Kim Taylor, Virginmegamagazine.com, May 14, 2004
SASHA (nee Alexander Coe) rode into America on a tidal wave of adoration from the North of England's explosive early 90’s club scene and for the last decade has consistently sold out every venue, festival or club that has been honored to witness his legendary performance abilities. He established himself as a formidable, in-demand remixer by reconstructing tracks from an incredible array of artists such as Madonna, Seal, Pet Shop Boys, UNKLE, The Chemical Brothers, BT, Orbital and M People. Other Sasha releases include the acclaimed 2002 BMG/Kinetic studio full-length Airdrawndagger (which has sold over 210,000 copies worldwide), the seminal 4-track Xpander EP and his 1999 Global Underground installments Global Underground 013: Ibiza and Global Underground 009: San Francisco.
www.djsasha.com
www.globalunderground.co.uk
# # #
For more information on SASHA or INVOLVER, contact:
Alexandra Greenberg/MSO
818-380-0400 x223, agreenberg@msopr.com
http://