Enlightened Listening for July 24

While I said I wasn't going to blog this week, I can't just pretend like this week didn't come with tons of incredible new tunes, so here's an abbreviated version of Enlightened Listening. As always I've compiled it for maximum flow, moving from more chill, groovy stuff to heavier, banging bits. There's a great variety with several standouts. You can find everything listed below, but I will recommend my three favourites (hint: I'm leaning to more open-air, summer type stuff, while I have a ton of love for the new Kevin de Vries). Personal favourites: Planningtorock's supremely satisfying Planningtochanel, the Tiger & Woods remix of Sébastien Tellier, and Sasha's remix of MJ Cole. Have a great weekend, enjoy!

Jessy Lanza - All The Time

Planningtorock - Planningtochanel

Myd - Together We Stand (Bullion Remix)

The Brothers Macklovitch ft. Leven Kali - Give Love To Get Some (Morgan Geist Dub)

Sébastien Tellier - Venezia (Tiger & Woods Remix)

Tensnake ft. Boy Matthews - Somebody Else (Shadow Child Apollo Remix)

MJ Cole - Sonoran (Sasha Remix)

Sultan + Shepard - Guaba

Denney - Reflections Of Time

warner case - dance music for dancing, vol. 2

Howling - Need You Now (Adriatique Remix)

Eelke Kleijn - Woodstock (Gerd Janson Remixes)

Kevin de Vries - Utopia

Erol Alkan - Sub Conscious

Zeds Dead - We Are Deadbeats (Vol. 4/Deluxe)

Spor - Anachronic

Mixes For Thanksgiving Weekend

For us Canadians we've got a long weekend to look forward to and while it's likely to be jam packed with lazing around the house, I've compiled a list of recent mixes you can play to make the time pass more easily. You'll notice that more than half of these mixes are disco and house-centric, a variety I think ought to be acceptable to most in-laws and older generations, I have also included a couple heavier, more banger friendly affairs. Find brief descriptions after the playlist and note that the mixes marked with asterisks are available for free download. Enjoy and indulge in moderation!

Erol Alkan - Live @ Sónar 2019
It's hard to beat the power of an Erol Alkan live set, the man's got an incredible ear and an uncanny knack for putting tracks in a position to succeed. The tracklist is there but it may as well not be as this nearly two hour extravaganza of energy is far more than the sum of its parts.

Benzi - Girl Trapz Vol. Sixteen*
'Edat' expert and mix master Benzi continues to churn out killer mixes. Here he gives old standards a breath of fresh air with lightening quick cuts and grin-inducing combinations. More than that he's always got the freshest of the fresh, featuring incredible amounts of forthcoming fire.

Folamour - Tapes For The PPL #6*
Far more laid back and funky than the previous two mixes, Folamour delivers delightful disco vibes built around a live band feel. There's oh so much awesome instrumentation and it moves along with incredible ease. Put this one on while you're cooking or cleaning and the work will fly by.

LeBaron James - Music For Lovers Of Music Vol. 2*
While sharing the same spirit as Folamour, this one is much more sonically full and focused on the dance-floor. LeBaron James tap into tons of classic disco vibes with fresh cuts from the likes of Purple Disco Machine, Joey Negro and Dr Packer, plus one of my favourites of the moment, their "Party Starter."

Mighty Mouse - Autumn 2019 Mixtape (Part 1)*
Almost splitting the last two mixes down the middle, Mighty Mouse too taps Horse Meat Disco's "Falling Deep In Love" while also offering up a number of his own awesome edits including his recent Double Exposure "Free Love." Surrender to the sublime strings and melt into this magnificent mix.

Hunter Siegel - Live From No Neon @ CODA (Sept 7. 2019)
The dark plur powerhouse is somehow managing to get darker and this live set illustrates that perfectly. I'll admit I haven't been as consistent in my No Neon attendance as of late, but at the last open-to-close set I saw Hunter play it featured tons of techno and he certainly has a knack for it. Here he plays plenty of extended numbers doing incredible duty in his post-Volac/Phlegmatic Dogs set. Gotta love the Victor Ruiz remix of Moby's "Natural Blues." Bravo Hunter, bravo!

Tensnake - In Your System Vol. 10
While it was the Mighty Mouse and Folamour mixes that appeared in my feed today, it was this one that most inspired me to make this post. Tensnake takes his time with this hour, letting the magic of his mix slowly suck you in. It is incredibly smooth and full of shimmering, groovy beauty.

Greg Wilson - Live @ La Discothèque, Ibiza Rocks Hotel (09.09.2019)*
Who better to close this post with than one of my most trusted, go-to DJs. Greg Wilson nearly always gives away his live sets for free and we can only hope more DJs follow suit. Not only that but he will often answer inquiries for IDs in the Soundcloud comments. His mixes are always clean and fun, showcasing decades of experience in the scene and unreal range in terms of track selection and vibe curation.

Joshua James - Coarse (Justin Cudmore Remix)

Some pairings make perfect sense, yet further still, some trios top that. Case in point, the most recent release on Erol Alkan's Phantasy Sound imprint. Joshua James' Coarse brings the brilliance in design and delivery that we've come to love from the ambitious alternative electronic output. However that's only two sides of the triangle, as we've yet to add Brooklyn's Justin Cudmore into the equation. Certainly the original is awesome in its own rights, however Cudmore's contributions add an extra allure, stretching the track into an epic acid journey. The movement remains massive, however apart from the physical movement on the dance-floor, the lion's share comes internally, as you navigate the seas of thought in your mind. Set sail with stream below and purchase either as vinyl or digital here.FOLLOW JOSHUA JAMES: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
FOLLOW JUSTIN CUDMORE: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

A-Trak - Hollerboard Redux Set

There's no debating A-Trak's spot on the Mount Rushmore of DJs. You could literally spend days, if not weeks, enjoying his wide range of sets and mixes. Back in October of 2015 he dropped his "Bloghaus Revival Mix," with the followup coming about about six months later, here. While he didn't directly reference the Erol Alkan forum, it no doubt played part in the track selection as a hub for electronic music aficionados from around 2007-2009. Last night he released a recording of a September 28th set in Philadelphia entitled "Hollerboard Redux Set."

As he mentions in the description, this Hollerboard Redux party arose from the message board of the same name, based around Diplo and Low Budget's Hollertronix parties. Before Soundcloud and EDM, it was message boards and forums like Erol Alkan's and Hollerboard where DJs and fans alike shared mashups and "lesser-known regional styles," bringing incredible creativity and experimentation to DJ sets. The result below, a mix of tracks from the Hollerboard Era and new songs with the same spirit, is one of the widest ranging sets you'll ever hear. Where else are you going to get Billy Joel pitted against A$AP Rocky & Skepta in the same hour as Justin Timberlake, Parliament, Bloc Party and Kraftwerk.
The back and forth in the mix is incredible. One minute you're popping off to Cajmere "Percolator" the next your gliding across the floor to A-Trak's ABBA aided "Voulez-Vous" or pumping up the jam before releasing the beast on Hall & Oates. That said, A-Trak's made all of those transitions fit together better than PB&J. Like Kid Sister's "Pro Nails," which he helped write, this mix is dressed to the nines, "toes done up with her finger nails matchin'." Just one look at the massive tracklist, almost as wide as it is tall, and you'll realize what kind of treat you're in for. It's some serious "Laffy Taffy" as A-Trak's journey is sure to leave your head spinning.

Finally, as writing this A-Trak tweeted out a list of his DJ sets from Hollerboard to Bloghaus to Rap and Cut It Out (here). If you've missed any of these, make sure to save or download for your holiday parties!

FOLLOW A-TRAK: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Enlightened Listening for October 26

What's the allowance on special Fridays for releases? Seems like we've hit our quota, but boy is this one wicked. It marks the returns of Robyn, Handbraekes and Mat Zo to Anjunabeats. On top of that there's incredible albums from Savant, Adriatique and G Jones, and superb singles from Erol Alkan, SG Lewis, Krafty Kuts/Dynamite MC and Plump DJs. Finally a remix from Yung Bae rounds out this week's Enlightened Listening. Enjoy it all via playlist below and individual released linked at the bottom!

Robyn - Honey

Savant - Slasher

Mat Zo - No Words

Adriatique - Nude

Booka Shade - Sacred / Cyril's Garden

Erol Alkan - Silver Echoes (Shorter)

Handbraekes - #3

The Knocks ft. Method Man - Goodbyes (Yung Bae Remix)

G Jones - The Ineffable Truth

SG Lewis - A.A.T (ft. Drew Love)

Krafty Kuts & Dynamite MC - Light It Up

Plump DJs - Big Apple

Thanksgiving Throwbacks

After an uneventful scroll through my Soundcloud feed this morning, I changed gears to focus on tracks not released this year, but indeed played an immense role in my year. So here's a quick taste of some throwback tracks that I'm awfully thankful for. Enjoy via playlist and read brief descriptions below.

Shina Williams - Agb'oju L'ogun
First heard in an Erol Alkan mix. Minimal yet massive, majestic groove-fest.

Poolside - Harvest Moon
First heard in a Greg Wilson mix. As if Neil Young recorded the original on a moon. Weightless wonder.

Turbotito and Phillipi & Rodrigo - Canção Para Laia (JKriv Remix)
First heard in a Kölsch playlist. Brilliant blend of techno, acid, and funky electronic grooves.

The Salsoul Orchestra - Salsoul Rainbow (Dimitri From Paris DJ Friendly Classic Re-Edit)
First heard in Horse Meat Disco's Essential Mix. Sublime strings, godly grooves in a pure disco delight.

Ignition - Sunday Secret Lover (Greg Wilson Edit)
Can't exactly remember where I came across this, but I feel like someone asked about it on Twitter, inciting me to look it up myself. My favourite Greg Wilson edit, in large part due to the section at 2:42.

Michael McDonald - Sweet Freedom (Live)
First heard this version on PBS' Soundstage, but it was the 12" version that got me hooked. I've always enjoyed MM's voice but it's the horn riffs that kept me coming back. My favourite track to throw on as I'm walking home, whistling and singing all the way.

Average White Band - Pick Up The Pieces
Another one first heard in a Greg Wilson mix, although it feels so familiar. Can't help but get lost in this funky groove. Very few tracks induce such a confident strut the way this does.

Todd Terje & The Olsens - Baby Do You Wanna Bump
Right up there with my favourites song of the year, so it's weird I can't remember where I first heard it, although I feel it was another Erol Alkan nod. Cannot get enough this groove or the horns. Top Terje.

Paul McCartney - What's That You're Doing (ft. Stevie Wonder)
Another one first heard in Horse Meat Disco's Essential Mix. Jumped out at me immediately, like "damn, I need this" only to have jaw drop to find out it was McCartney. One of the funkiest riffs ever.

New Mixes from Dr Packer, Erol Alkan, Late Nite Tuff Guy and The Magician

Last week I saw the legendary Late Nite Tuff Guy's name above an hour long track entitled "Soul Mix 3" and got really excited. The recording from 2009, features the likes of Barry White, Chaka Khan, Marvin Gaye and many more. While it's a super cool insight into the mind of LNTG, its more about selection rather than transitions and easy flowing enjoyment. That said, today's search led me to 3 other mixes that bridge that gap better, so I've decided to showcase these live sets/mixtapes both for selection and mixing quality. They're all on the funky, disco end of the spectrum so if hard hitting stuff is what you're looking for you're out of luck. However you'll surely find some favourites, new and old. So let's get started, working back towards Late Nite Tuff Guy. Stream below and grab free downloads.

The Magician - Magic Tape 82
Finger firmly on the pulse, The Magician always has the hottest commodities in his show. He's got two of the new Disclosure tracks, his own remix of The Chainsmokers and the killer collabs of SG Lewis/AlunaGeorge and A-Trak/Todd Terry. The vibes are very laid back and groovy, before things pick up in the second half with FISHER's smash "Losing It," Riton's raucous "Up & Down" followed by Angelz "Yeah Yeah." While I'm sucker for disco, this deeper darker section may be my favourite.

Dr Packer Live @ Downtown Disco [25.08.18]*
So much great stuff in here. Dr Packer's ear is extraordinary, always finding the best edits and grooves. Strings and bongo stand strong throughout, while bass riffs beckon your feet to the floor. The extended nature of this set allows for longer more subtle transitions, and like the strings these swells are oh so sweet. Of course there's a number of his own productions, while other highlights include Late Nite Tuff Guy's "Startin' Somethin'," Todd Terry's "Love Sensation" and the Deep&Disco rework of "Stomp." If you're looking for pure pleasure look no further than the final half hour.

Erol Alkan (Disco Set) @ Homo Electric [25.08.18]
While only the final hour of Erol's "disco/italo/hi-nrg" set it's better than nothing. Funky, groovy and gritty, it is Erol through and through with his penchant for powerful records. Going for the classic killer "Right On Target" early, sets the stage for more high octane heat. There's a ton of bleepy brilliance in this more electronic-tilted disco mix with the likes of "Remember" and "Cybernetic Love." Hearing this hour gives a greater appreciation for the evolution of electronic from disco to house.

Late Nite Tuff Guy - Soul Mix 3
A considerable cool-down from the above sets, but still sublime. It is the opposite end of Erol's mix, the foundation from which those artists built upon. You don't have to look far to find the love at the core of this mix, as it emanates not just through the lyrics but the music that later inspired the edits used above. It's just so incredibly powerful to hear these tracks together especially after the other mixes. Watch out for the section of Prince, Roberta Flack and Minnie Ripperton: it's too nice.

* asterisk indicates free download

Tiga's New Names Mix for Pete Tong

With any new year comes a renewed sense of purpose and optimism for the future. Many outlets present lists of who to watch; even the mighty BBC and Pete Tong have joined the onslaught of augury by welcoming in well known names to provide their own picks of potential. One of those trusted sources tapped was Tiga who provided a mix of the likes of Avalon Emerson, Justin Cudmore, and Dimitri Veimar, among others. This list of "New Names" speaks to Tiga's desire for edgier, more dangerous and risk-taking productions, as opposed to the conservative tilt he's noticed over the last few years.

While even Tiga admits Avalon Emerson is not necessarily new, she does provide much of what he's looking for in the progression of trance music. The break elements may not be overwhelming in her track "One More Fluorescent Rush," but they certainly are present and continue to run through the mix, as perhaps the single common thread. Following Dimitri Veimar's title track from the most recent Turbo Recordings release, comes Tiga's "favourite track," Beton "Directions," which can only be found in this mix and will be sure to have you coming back for more. It really is one of those special tracks whose strange, uniqueness is instantly captivating, taking me back to Tiga's own productions "Bugatti," "Mind Dimension" and Erol Alkan's "Move My Body."

As the mix moves on we get another "favourite track" in the "techno breaks" of Lo Shea's "Tundish." Not only is this a supremely cool and groovy track, but it's mixed with new Justin Cudmore, and man is it magical. Even in a mix meant to show off tracks, Tiga can't resist but show off his brilliance behind the decks. The theme of breaks only seems to get stronger in this final third of the mix, bringing in ABSOLUTE. and undeniable upstart Billy Turner whose not only released with Turbo, but alongside Skream. Wrapping things up Tiga announced his own name as one to watch, with particular attention to be paid to an upcoming collaboration with Kölsch. I'm salivating at the mere thought of such a matching of minds and cannot wait. If this mix was meant to whet our appetites for 2018, it was a rousing success. Stream the mix below via BBC's iPlayer until February the 4th and find the full show via Mixcloud here.

FOLLOW TIGA: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Throwback Thursday: Hot Chip - Boy From School (Erol Alkan Rework)

It's been a while since I've done a Throwback Thursday post but lately I've found myself digging deeper and deeper through my library, in part fostered by Erol Alkan posting his "Reworks Volume 1" playlist on Spotify. I've noted before that he's without question one of the biggest influences in my musical taste, and that playlist is chalk full of some of my favourite of his works, particularly his take on Hot Chip's "Boy From School." Whether with Boys Noize, his own originals or his unparalleled remix rework/re-edit collection, the man always crafts the most infectious and inspired records.

While I could have just as easily gushed about his "Forever Dolphin Love," "Why Won't You Make Up Your Mind," or "Zero" reworks, I'm still on a Joe Goddard bent and as he's a member of Hot Chip I figured why not continue to run in that direction. What makes Erol's "Boy From School" rework so special is precisely what makes all of his work so genius. He works with the original track's appeal: if it calls for intense banging breaks and beats he does it, if it's a more melodic, expressive tune he takes that into regard. Here with "Boy From School" he keys in on the twinkling sheen of the original, and brings that to the fore, giving the bells more room to breath in the extended now bloghaus bent. And maybe this is really the crux, maybe I'm just a bloghaus boy, but it's that kind of raw mixture of post punk with alluring electronic ideology that makes all of these reworks so magical. They're epic in form and sound design, and just so much fun. That's really what dance music is about; losing yourself in a flurry of fun on the dancefloor. Do yourself a favour and check out as much Erol as you can, you won't be disappointed. He's the perfect mixture of Talking Heads, LCD Soundsystem and Kraftwerk.FOLLOW EROL ALKAN: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER
FOLLOW HOT CHIP: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Throwback Thursday: Jack Beats - All Night ft. John B

This Throwback Thursday, it gives me great pleasure to once again revisit one of my favourite DJ duos, Jack Beats and their ever extraordinary production value. As a two part post, I'll first look back at their collaboration with vocalist John B, in "All Night," and second, still to this day, one of my favourite mixes ever, that just happens to start with that very track, a live recording of their 2011 set from Bang Bang night club in San Diego, listen and download here. This post once again takes me back to the glory days of the Erol Alkan forum, which at the time led me to their live set, which hosted a number of then IDs, which turned out to be classics like their collaboration with Diplo, "War" and the incredibly hyped, aforementioned set starting track, "All Night."

It was immediately clear to Erol Alkanites that it was a forthcoming Jack Beats record, as it featured their trademark synths and subharmonic vocal manipulations, however it was the genius progression and perfect mood setting that had the forum followers drooling. Without a doubt "All Night," and the accompanying mix are quintessential Jack Beats; the duo's combination of incredible production value and songwriting from a single track perspective, and their unparalleled ability to combine tracks, and curate a top notch set that hits on all cylinders.

In the same way "All Night" combines incredible movement and depth, from the blithe and bouncy intro, through domineering and deep bass wobbles, to gyrating progressive drops, Jack Beats have crafted their set with the same transcendent touch. The tracklist is the perfect combination their own material (including ""Out Of Body," "Deep," "Shutterbug," "I'm Not Your Toy," and already a TBT, "Little Secrets") established hits ("Babylon," A-Trak's "Heads Will Roll," "Avalanche," Boys Noize's "Swoon," Afrojack's "Cool,""Innocence," Sub Focus' "Hold On," and Herve "Together") throwbacks (Outlander's "Vamp,") and underground bangers (Boy 8-Bit "Yard Birds" and Boris Dlugosch "Bangkok").

Listening back to this hour and half mix, gets me so excited to see Jack Beats, in just less than a month at The Hoxton, June 4th. It will be at least the 5th time I've seen them and I can honestly say that they never disappoint. Their mixes are always incredible, and as I look through my iTunes, I see at least 10 incredible mixes that never get old, whether it's their Essential Mixes (2010 & 2011), Promo mixes, for MixMag or their own EPs (Evolution Mix & Fabric Live), and even their live sets (Ultra 2013, Electric Zoo 2013 & Night Bass NYE 2015), there's hours of bass music to be enjoyed. Once again I've uploaded the 'Bang Bang Mix' for your listening pleasure, and remind you that tickets are still available for their show, here, while the facebook event is here.

SUPPORT JACK BEATS: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Throwback Thursday: Gesaffelstein - Variations

For this installment of my Throwback Thursday series, it is my pleasure to reintroduce the world to one of the most influential, genre destroying, face melting, wall of sound, crunchiest, warbling, synth slaying, powerful popping percussion, insanity inducing, "Variations," from French revolutionary, Gesaffelstein.

I can still remember the first time I heard the track, I was scrolling through the, now defunct, Erol Alkan forum, specifically an endless thread labelled something to the tune of "show off your hottest new tracks" and everyone seemed to be going on about this guy with a weird, unpronounceable name and some track called "Variations." Upon first listen, I was blown away, it was like nothing I'd ever heard before, so in your face and intense; seriously ear popping. The at once, subtle yet jarring progressions throughout, move the track in such a powerful way, and are only the first pieces of the genius that is Gesaffelstein's production.

There is no questioning the beyond brilliant production value on each of the sounds, that come and go at seemingly random intervals, but this is the beauty, Gesaffelstein, who is knowingly setting us up for what's ahead. The transitional effects (at 1:13, 2:03, 3:56, 4:29, etc) act as though they are the beat/melody devolving but it's really his sneaky way of adding movement and setting us up for what can be seen as a drop, changing the sounds and samples. Those sounds, as mentioned above, are clearly chosen and produced with care, in an effort to create the most impact. There's no doubt that he achieves this feat with flying colours.

"Variations" is full of attitude and intensity, and lays a foundation for his future productions, "Control Movement," "Viol," and "Hatred," (among countless others) and paved a path for other producers such as Rezz and Drezo, even becoming so popular that Kanye West had Gesaffelstein produce some of the tracks on Yeezus. Gesaffelstein will always hold a spot in my heart, as I'll always remember literally laughing all the way home to my New Years Eve party, after dropping my family off at the airport, listening to the full Variations EP, as well as seeing him DJ alongside Brodinski at Wrongbar, chanting "Mehdi, Mehdi, Mehdi," when they dropped Carte Blanche's "Gare Du Nord."

SUPPORT: FACEBOOK SOUNDCLOUD TWITTER

Monday Mashed Up Mix #4

Each Monday I post a little mix of less than 30 minutes for your listening pleasure. It contains a variety of electronic music mixed and mashed up to varying degrees. The music is always first and foremost while DJing and mixing skills are meant to take a back seat. It includes some brand new stuff but also some forgotten gems and whatever it was that had entered my consciousness. I'll be hosting them on my Dropbox page for your listening and downloading pleasure, MONDAY MASHED UP MIX VOL 4. You can find the tracklisting and links for each track after the break...

Throwback Thursday: South Rakkas Crew - Mad Again (Fake Blood Remix)

For the third installment of my TBT series, it is my pleasure to re-introduce the world to one of the bounciest, bleepiest, most chopped, screwed and manipulated, turntablist inspired remixes I ever encountered, the Fake Blood remix of South Rakkas Crew, "Mad Again." There's something special and seemingly magical about hearing a truly unique track for the first time that just sticks with you. This has happened to me on countless occasions (such as Skrillex's "Scary Monsters and Nice Sprites," A-Trak's remix of Yeah Yeah Yeah's "Heads Will Roll," and Erol Alkan and Boys Noize's "Avalanche," to name just a few) and each time I get the chance I'm transported back to the place I originally heard it with emotions rushing back; feels racing down my spine. I first heard the Fake Blood "Mad Again" remix in what turned out to be my most musically foundational years, in the shittiest of university houses; music was my escape and that shit hole transformed into a a house party on a daily basis.

Early Influences Mix - Now Downloadable

This past Sunday I released a playlist I had kicking around my iTunes for nearly three years, in the form of a two hour mix. The "Early Influences Mix" is just that, it is a collage of some of my earliest loves from the world of EDM, created to imitate my favourite radio program and greatest influence BBC Radio 1's "Essential Mix." It ranges in styles from DNB, House, Tech-House, Dubstep, Trance, Bass and downright beautiful melodic tracks such as my favourite at the time, Erol Alkan's rework of Forever Dolphin Love.

This mix is the conflagration of all that influenced me into becoming more involved in the EDM world, and eventually pushed me into joining CFBU and becoming a radio DJ. I most certainly have changed immensely since this time as I would no longer be comfortable playing any Alesso track. The times have shown that he is not deserving of my respect (at least at the level of DJing, see his "faked" live sets). Nor would I feel comfortable playing many of Skrillex's tracks; although I do respect a certain number of his tracks, I find that because of his now worldwide success and fame, his productions have taken a downturn and people are too enamoured to think critically towards him. Apart from these few exceptions of artists I can no longer support, the rest of the artists, specifically Boy 8-Bit, Boys Noize, Erol Alkan, Gesaffelstein, Clouds, Tiga & ZZT, Alex Metric and the now sadly defunct Carte Blanche, I still continue to love and have immense respect for their productions and artistry.

Unfortunately or not I decided to stick with the original form of the playlist I created so long ago (which at the time I felt to be my "best of" or "Essential Mix") which resulted in perhaps some unfavourable transitions, and playing out of some tracks in their entirety for mere ease of mixing. I justified this quality of mixing through something that resonated with me that Alex Metric said in his essential mix in 2011 that it is music first, an "anything goes ethos...no genres, just good music." This is not to say that Alex's mix had poor transitions, as it is entirely the opposite, the emphasis ought to be on the artistry of the tracks and not myself, although I am showcasing myself through the tracks I chose. One such artist I could compare the transitions and mixing style to is that of Deadmau5 as he is no DJ, he is all producer; I do not think this is a slight towards the mau5, he too agrees that his role is that of producer and does not care for DJing. My thoughts are if Joel can get away with it I don't see why I cannot.

Regardless, this is truly my first attempt (from long ago) at creating an essential style mix and I intend to do more in the future as I am beginning to miss my weekly platform and the pile of new and great music continues to grow. Stay tuned to this page (as well as my twitter @OggieJames) for more information on upcoming mixes and more.

I now leave you with the link to my now DOWNLOADABLE "Early Influences Mix" and tracklist below:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/77z9miqbk68tv4x/Early%20Influences%20Mix.mp3?dl=0
ENJOY & KEEP THING PLURNT, LOVE OGGIE

1. More Than Parallax (Rynecologist Mix) -Bryan Ferry & Roxy Music vs Shadow Dancer
2. My Moon My Man (Boys Noize Remix) - Feist
3. Madrigal - Boy 8-Bit
4. Zzafrika (Gesaffelstein Remix) - ZZT
5. Jeffer - Boys Noize
6. I <3 U SO (Bowski Remix) - Cassius
7. Promiscuous Gyal - Dark Sky
8. Carl Lewis (Boy 8-Bit Dub) - Les Gillettes
9. Tonic - Russ Chimes
10. Bugle - Djedjotronic
11. Sucker - Clouds
12. Never Stop (Erol Alkan Rework) - Chilly Gonzales
13. Bronx Brooklyn Queens - Carte Blanche
14. Lemonade - Erol Alkan & Boys Noize
15. Black Satanic Mysticism - Boy 8-Bit
16. Armed 3 - Tommy Four Seven
17. Numbers - Clouds
18. Hatred - Gesaffelstein
19. Phase IV - Boy 8-Bit
20. Jookie - Foamo
21. Images (Les Gillettes Remix) - Norman Palm
22. With You (f Alexis Taylor) - Carte Blanche
23. Fire Extinguisher - Boy 8-Bit
24. Rapture (Tristan Garner Elevation Remix) - Nadia Ali
25. Zzafrika (Sound Of Stereo Remix) - ZZT
26. Hold On (f Amber Coffman)[Sub Focus Remix] - Rusko
27. The Disco Rangers Bus (Knows How To Rock N Roll) - Skrillex
28. All Alone (Alex Metric Remix) - Splittr
29. Heiress Of Valentina (Alesso Remix) - Dune
30. I Can Change (Tiga Remix) - LCD Soundsystem
31. Keep Up With You (Lifelike Remix) - Teenage Bad Girl
32. Sun & Moon (f Richard Bedford)[Club Mix] - Above & Beyond
33. Forever Dolphin Love (Erol Alkan Rework) - Connan Mockasin
34. Black Sky - Infadels

EFYE September 28, 2012

Tracklist for show original air date: Sept. 28, 2012 from 18:00 to 19:00.

• Louis La Roche - Los Angeles (Independent)
• Los Angeles (Louis DP Edit)
• Don Diablo f Dragonette - Animale (Sellout Sessions)
• Animale (The Prototypes Remix) cc
• Deadmau5 - Strobe (Independent)
• Strobe (Special Features Remix) cc
• John Roman - Petrified EP (Turbo)
• Chimaera cc
• Nero - Won't You [Be There] (More Than Alot)
• Won't You (Be There)
• Gonzales - Never Stop (Phantasy)
• Never Stop (Erol Alkan Remix) cc
• Clouds - Numbers (Turbo)
• Sucker
• Light Year - Night / Vision (Bang Gang)
• Sex Education
• Nom De Strip - Big Knobbler (Rising)
• Suplex cc
• Steve Aoki, Tiesto - Tornado EP (Dim Mak)
• Tornado (Felix Cartal Remix) cc
• Clockwork - It's You Again (Hot Creations)
• It's You Again
• ShazaLaKazoo & Chernobyl f Suppa Fla- Zica Memo (Downpitch)
• Zica Memo (Gregor Salto Remix)
• Baauer - Dum Dum (LuckyMe)
• Dum Dum
• The Black Ghosts - Anyway You Choose To Give It (Southern Fried)
• Anyway You Choose To Give It (Boy 8-Bit Remix)
• Fake Blood - Yes / No (Different)
• End Of Days

Next show air date: Oct. 5, 2012 6-7 PM

EFYE August 31, 2012

Tracklist for show original air date: Aug. 31, 2012 from 18:00 to 19:00.

• Skrillex & Damian Marley - Make It Bun Dem (Big Beat/OWSLA)
• Make It Bun Dem (Brodinski Remix)
• Netsky - 2 (Hospital)
• Jetlag Funk
• Laidback Luke & Sander van Doorn - Who's Wearing The Cap (New State Music)
• Who's Wearing The Cap (A-Trak Remix) cc
• Erol Alkan & Boys Noize - Roland Rat/Brain Storm Remixes (BNR)
• Brain Storm (Maelstrom Ghetto Mix)
• Project 46 - Project 46 (Independent)
• Jigsaw cc
• Dimitri Vegas, Like Mike, Regi - Momentum: The Remixes (Smash The House)
• Momentum (Clockwork Remix)
• Nom De Strip & Little Bastard - Just Keep Crazy (Independent)
• Just Keep Crazy cc
• Nouveau Yorican - Nueva Part 2 (Defected)
• Nueva (John Roman Remix) cc
• Jess Mills -  For My Sins (Independent)
• For My Sins (Gorgon City Remix)
• Baskerville - The Plastics EP (Secure)
• The Plastics
• Scissor Sisters - Only The Horses (Polydor)
• Only The Horses
• Jokers Of The Scene - J0T5 RMXD (Fool's Gold)
• Organized Zounds (Gingy & Bordello Remix) cc
• Tujamo & Plastik Funk - WHO (Tiger)
• WHO
• Poupon & Prince Club - SNATCH025 (Snatch!)
• La Nuit cc
• Jagga - Love Song (Sony UK)
• Love Song (Boy 8-Bit Remix)

Next show air date: Sept. 7, 2012 6-7 PM

EFYE May 25, 2012

Tracklist for show original air date: May 25, 2012 from 18:00 to 19:00.

• Justice - † (Ed Banger)
• Genesis
• Tiga - What You Need (Different)
• What You Need (A-Trak Remix) cc
• Paddywaggle - Louis La Roché  (Independent)
• Bash Your Brains
• Mike Mago - Bloem & Plant (BMKLTSCH RCRDS)
• Plant (Keatch Remix)
• Feed Me; Kill The Noise - Feed Me's Big Adventure (mau5trap)
• Muscle Rollers
• Botnek - Fried & Tried Tracks Volume 2 (Southern Fried)
• Panama Bass cc
• M.A.N.D.Y. vs Booka Shade - Donut (Living The Dream)
• Donut (Boy 8-Bit Remix)
• Gingy & Bordello - Vaporizer (More Music)
• Vaporizer (Rynecologist Remix) cc
• Obi Blanche -  72 Hours (Bang Gang)
• 72 Hours (NT89 Remix)
• Jokers Of The Scene - Baggy Bottom Boys (Fool's Gold)
• Baggy Bottom Boys cc
• Christina Augilera - Hurt (Independent)
• Hurt (Deadmau5 Electro Mix) cc
• Armand Van Helden - I Want Your Soul (Southern Fried)
• I Want Your Soul (Fake Blood Remix)
• Erol Alkan & Boys Noize - Lemonade (Phantasy Sound)
• Lemonade (Light Year & The Finger Prince Remix)
• The B-52's - Funplex Remixes EP (Astralwerks)
• Funplex (Peaches Pleasure Seeker Remix) cc
• Example - Stay Awake (Ministry Of Sound)
• Stay Awake

Next show air date: June 1, 2012 6-7 PM

EFYE May 4/12

Tracklist for show original air date: May 4/2012 from 18:00 to 19:00.

• Jacques Greene - Concealer (Vase)
• These Days cc
• Julian Jeweil - Polaroid (Mistakes)
• Polaroid (Sebastien Leger Remix)
• ZZT - Zzafrika Remixes (Turbo)
• Zzafrika (Light Year & The Finger Prince Remix) cc
• Friendly Fires, Azari & III - Stay Here (K7)
• Stay Here cc
• Kolsch - Speicher 70 (Kompakt Extra)
• Opa
• Chromeo - Don't Turn The Lights On (Turbo)
• Don't Turn The Lights On (Carte Blanche Late Nite Mix) cc
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Zero (Interscope)
• Zero (Erol Alkan Rework)
• Gesaffelstein - Conspiracy Part 1 (Turbo)
• Hatred
• H-Man -  Turbo (Giant Wheel)
• 911 Turbo
• Boy 8-Bit - Still Killing (Mad Decent)
• Cricket Scores (Boy 8-Bit's It's Not Cricket Remix)

Next show air date: May 11/2012 6-7 PM

EFYE April 20/12

Tracklist for show original air date: April 20/2012 from 18:00 to 19:00.

• The 2 Bears - Be Strong (DFA)
• Get Together
• Azari & III - Manic (Turbo)
• Manic (The Finger Prince Static Situation Remix) cc
• Burns & Fred Falke - You Stopped Loving Me [Y.S.L.M.] (Destruction)
• Y.S.L.M. (Rynecologist Remix) cc
• Martin Solveig - The Night Out (Mixture)
• The Night Out (A-Trak Remix) cc
• Erol Alkan & Boys Noize - Roland Rat/Brain Storm (BNR)
• Roland Rat
• Fake Blood - Deep Red (Blood Music)
• Voices
• Boy 8-Bit - The Keep (This Is Music)
• Wolfen (Jokers Of The Scene Remix) cc
• The French Nobility - The Royal Standard (Unsigned)
• So Cynical cc
• Chromeo - Hot Mess (Turbo)
• Hot Mess (Djedjotronic Remix 1)
• Alex Metric - Ammunition EP (independent release)
•  Rave Weapon
• Cajmere - Percolator [Special Edition] (Not On Label)
• Percolator (Dada Life Guerilla Fart #11)

cc : canadian content

Next show air date: April 27/2012 6-7 PM