Only five days to go until we unleash Drum&BassArena 2014!
To celebrate we will be hosting a very special party this Saturday (April 5) at a secret London location with a very, very special guest who has never performed… Ever!
Introducing EZ-Robot… The world’s first 100 per cent robotic DJ.
“I’ve been fascinated by robots for longer than I’ve loved drum & bass,” states Drum&BassArena founder The Risky. “When I’m not locked into D&B, I spend far too much of my time reading and researching them. I’ve been talking to US robotic firm EZ Robot for several years now about the potential of a robotic selector but, until recently, honestly never thought we could pull this off!”
EZ Robot have long since established themselves at the forefront of domestic and hobbiest robotronics. Until now, this project has been very much behind the scenes. The costs and specs are mind-boggling: since the concept inception in 2001 EZ-Robot cost a staggering $20 million in research and development and a further $8 million to build.
Programmed with mood detectors which pick up heat, motion and activity levels, EZ-Robot’s sensors can identify what moves a crowd and will develop its playlist on real time dancefloor behaviour. With two arms – based on the same kinematic chain relationship you find in actual human arms – EZ-Robot has an ability to switch between over 20 channels in split seconds, putting shame to the dark art of the double drop. What’s more, Risky has been working with several major league labels to ensure EZ-Robot’s playlist is full of exclusives.
“The industry reaction has been exceptional,” he states. “I’ve been working closely with Ram Records, Shogun, Critical and Hospital to ensure we have exclusive tracks that no other DJ owns. Everyone I’ve approached with this project has been really receptive… Everyone is buzzing to have their releases debuted by a robot!”
The remaining line-up for this exclusive launch party will remain secret until the day of event. EZ-Robot’s place on the headline is to add an attraction that no other event has ever offered. For Risky, though, there’s a deeper meaning.
“Drum & bass is the future,” states Risky who shipped EZ-Robot over to the UK earlier this month. “I’ve always thought that and will never think otherwise. Everything about our scene has been at the forefront of technology. The production standards – both in terms of mixdowns and sound design – are ridiculously high and the super-tight art of mixing drum & bass is like no other. EZ-Robot represents this on a level that no human can. I’m so excited to see him in action.”
This isn’t the first time robot DJs have been in the press this year. In February US website EDM Nightlife ran a satirical story on a robotic DJ named POTPAL. Within days it was declared a spoof but caused major worry for Risky and the select industry insiders he’d been working with on this project.
“I’d been assured by EZ Robot that this DJ was full patented and exclusive to them,” states Risky. “Fortunately it was a spoof and Drum&BassArena still have the maddest exclusive any event can offer.”
What an announcement: the future of music, the future of DJing, the future of human and robotkind… EZ-Robot will not perform at any other venue until its US launch at Las Vegas EDM mecca Encore in August.
For this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity email comps@breakbeat.co.uk with your and a friends’ name and we’ll confirm your guestlist place later this week.
More information on EZ Robots
Drum&BassArena 2014 is out April 6 (download) and April 7 (physical)
Pre-order now: iTunes Drum&BassArena Store Amazon