Summary
One thing that separates [Jen Kniss] from her musically inclined peers is ambition. When Kniss hears an artist she likes, she sets out to bring him or her to Boise. After contacting Milanese's label, Planet Mu Records, Kniss hooked up with a promoter out of San Francisco and helped Milanese put together a West Coast tour. This will be 31-year-old Steve Milanese's first trip to the United States, and he couldn't be more thrilled. Though Milanese got his start DJing at squatter parties in the '90s, he's a talented multi-instrumentalist who has always had a penchant for music.
Though Milanese's sound has been described as "dark," "raw" or "gritty," his intense beats and unique sampling blend to form what Kniss calls "dirty, grimy, basey dance beats," or what Milanese simply refers to as "bass music."Milanese released his debut EP 1 Up on dance-label Arcola and has since put out a fulllength album on Planet Mu called Extend and an eight-track remix album called Adapt. Though songs like "Dead Man Walking," which include lyrics from MCs Virus Syndicate, are grimy, punch-you-in-the-face-and-steal-your-sandwich anthems, other songs like "Caramel Cognac" are more subdued and sound like eating Cap'n Crunch at a car-shredding compound while a woman with sexy voice plays the didgeridoo. Not many artists who come through Boise could be described this way, which is something Kniss takes to heart. Though a couple of DJs in town experiment with grime and dubstep, it's rare for downtown clubs to book any DJs from outside the Northwest. Kniss says that this isn't due to a lack of interest but rather to a lack of exposure. She admits that people love dancing to music they're familiar with, but also has confidence that Boise is ready to embrace something new.See the full content of this document
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From the Stage to Your Ribcage
Sitting cross-legged on a black leather couch, her hand wrapped around a sweat-beaded double vodka Sprite, promoter Jen Kniss speaks with an intensity that thumps louder than Lush's resounding bass. A few years back, you might've heard Kniss' name thrown around in connecti...
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