2018 DJ Mixes
Here’s a SoundCloud playlist of dj mixes that I’ve been listening to this year. Included in the list are some of my favorites… Beats Antique, Jantsen, Minnesota, Naughty Princess, and many more!
ill.Gates-Terminally Ill
I am coming out of blog retirement to write about Terminally Ill, the latest album by ill.Gates. As I dusted off the WordPress dashboard, I noticed that my last blog post was in 2012 and it was when ill.Gates released Church of Bass. Apparently his music motivates me.
Terminally Ill starts out slow and steady, warming you up with melodic synths and solid bass lines. “Flying”, a collaboration with Stephan Jacobs and vocals from Jackie Rain, is a perfectly produced track that sounds like it could be on tv or in a movie. I usually start the album when I am first getting in my car. Back out of the driveway and 54 seconds into the song, you’re moving. It really is a perfect song to start the album with…gentle but energetic.
The next few of songs are great and fit the same kind of vibe and then track five starts. “Bounce” featuring Mayor Apeshit hits you with the beats that make you want to move. For someone like me who is listening in the car, this is the song that makes me say, “Screw it. I don’t care who is looking at me. I’m going to move my head around and bounce in my seat. Hell, I might even roll the window down and slam on the side of the car with my hand!” It’s that serious.
Once you get moving, it’s on and next comes “Shine” with that sweet, sweet bass and vocals from MasiaOne, Pure Powers and Nuberto. You will recognize MasiaOne’s vocals from other ill.Gates hits, including the epic “Irma Vep” from Autopirate.
Things are still going good. “Workflow” featuring DropStars changes things up a bit with some catchy synths, rapping and tongue clicks? Let me see your workflow. Love it!
“Sankar’s Lake” is a song by CloZee, who if you haven’t checked her out, you must not like music. She is a French producer who has been getting out there for awhile now and her Soundcloud is full of full length live mixes as well as original tunes and remixes. Her song Sankar’s Lake was remixed by ill.Gates and it is awesome! It has this house drop at 2:36 that I just love.
“Unsung Heros” is a collaboration with KJ Sawka, who uses acoustic drums for live drum and bass. This song has heavy basslines over some audio from Mario Savio, who was a political activist and a key member in the Berkeley Free Speech Movement. He was most known for his speech he gave in December of 1964 that was later called “Operation of the Machine”. ill.Gates included samples from the speech in this song and those vocals along with the heavy drum and bass are inspiring. “There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can’t take part; you can’t even passively take part, and you’ve got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you’ve got to make it stop. And you’ve got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you’re free, the machine will be prevented from working at all!”
Terminally Ill ends with two more songs that are a little slower because that’s how albums work. They wind you up and then they bring you closure. “More Tea” is my favorite song on the album. This song has 3 of my favorite things: Japanese strings, samples of someone talking about tea ceremonies, and Bruce Lee talking about being like water.
“Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”
Terminally Ill is on Muti Music and available here. Follow ill.Gates on Soundcloud, Twitter, and Facebook and be sure to check out his website illgates.com.
ill.Gates- The Church of Bass
Born in Canada and now calling California home, ill.Gates is one of the trailblazers in the West Coast bass music scene- an innovative style of bass and synth heavy, glitchy electronic beats. ill.Gates is always experimenting with the limitlessness of the genre that he helped create along with his co-conspirators Beats Antique, Mimosa, Vibesquad, Mochipet, David Starfire, Opiuo, and Bassnectar to name just a few. He is an active member of online forums about music production and teaches workshops as a certified Ableton instructor. ill.Gates started out DJing in Ableton with the Trigger Finger and more recently moved to the APC40 as well as the iPad and has great templates for these various controllers available on his website as well as an eBook on production.
The Church of Bass Tour started a few days ago and will feature ill.Gates, Stephan Jacobs, and Jay Fay. More info on the tour can be found here http://churchofbasstour.com/. The Church of Bass EP will be available on Muti Music on November 19 on Addictech.
Follow ill.Gates on Soundcloud, Twitter, and Facebook and be sure to check out his website illgates.com for tons of free downloads, controller templates and the production eBook.
Dubvirus- Tesseract
Dubvirus is a San Francisco based DJ and Producer as well as the man behind the new monthly event in SF called “Resonate” and also the owner of ” Dubvirus Audio” which offers mastering and other audio services.
I hadn’t heard of Dubvirus before his song “Music” came out on An-ten-nae’s compilation Acid Crunk Vol. 4 in 2011. Since then he has been busy releasing several remixes including one on Stephan Jacobs Mad Era & In The Vortex Remixes. His music has that easy groove and glitch that many people have abandoned in favor of heavier dubstep beats. It is refreshing to hear original music coming out of the genre from a new producer. Listening to his Soundcloud shows that he is into experimentation, which often results in some of the most amazing music out there. One of my favorites on his Soundcloud is a song called “Belleville Bass” which he describes as Swang Step. Dubvirus is one to watch as he takes his passion for music and learns and evolves as a producer.
Along with plans for several shows at Burning Man this year, Dubvirus tells me that he will be releasing several remixes on Soundcloud next week to celebrate the release of Tesseract, his debut album out on Muti Music tomorrow, July 9. Preview Tesseract here. Buy the album on Addictech.
Follow Dubvirus on Facebook, Soundcloud, and Twitter.
Random Rab- Visurreal
Random Rab is a San Francisco based electronic music producer and DJ who has steadily over the years become known as the King of the Sunrise. Rab often plays the 4-6AM slot at festivals and Burning Man because of his ability to keep the energy uplifting and energized, while also evoking deep and contemplative emotions at the time of the party when the sun is coming up and people are starting to chill and reflect on the intensity of the night and existence in general. Rab’s music goes straight into your head into your soul, then reflects back out into your chest like the entire rising sun has taken up residence inside of your heart and it is beaming so much light that you feel like you might explode with joy. The movement that comes from the music is pure and unrestricted- there is no way to hold back. There is no reason to hold back because it is clear that this beautiful music is born of a purity of heart and that all things have the potential to be so pure. As the music works it’s magic, the defenses that we build around our hearts to protect ourselves from the possibility of hurt are immediately dropped and we recognize the simplicity of being and the oneness of love.
Visurreal is Random Rab’s fourth full length release and is his best work to date, complete with signature Rab midtempo breaks, luscious strings, catchy melodies and some of the best vocals I have heard on an electronic music album. Rab is one of the few producers who uses his own vocals on his albums, as well as vocals from Rigzin Tromge, Eve Ladyapples, Rodleen Getsie, Katie Gray, Sasha Rose, and Alina. I usually don’t mention everyone in the credits but I want to make sure to take a moment to recognize everyone involved in one of the best albums of the year. Guest musical appearances from David Block, Ilya Goldberg, Sidecar Tommy, Mike Maffei, and Cedar Miller. The album was mastered by Alex Oropeza from Obscura Digital, and album artwork by the one and only Andrew Jones.
Visurreal has gotten into my soul and I feel like it has changed me to the core. It sounds strange to say that an album could change the world, but if it’s possible, this album has got what it takes. Give it a listen and you will agree.
Random Rab is releasing the single “I Alone” for free available HERE.
Grab Visurreal HERE.
Follow Random Rab on Facebook, Twitter, and Soundcloud.
Pumpkin- Lightning in a Bottle 2011 mix
Pumpkin is the music producer and curator behind the Wandering Marionettes and their eclectic event, Kabinet Theatre, as well as member of the famed Los Angeles collective POCKET Underground.
I haven’t been lucky enough to experience the nightlife of LA, but if I ever do I am going to be sure to catch a set by Pumpkin! Packaging the Pumpkin style into a neat little genre is impossible- he classifies some of his mixes as bouncy lovehop, lovesauce, and cinematic crunk. His mix from Lightning in a Bottle 2010 is AMAZING and this mix from 2011 is even better! He keeps the vibe uplifting and energized while introducing super chill and sexy female vocals, current hit music and remixed tunes from our parents era. I can’t imagine anyone in the crowd without a smile on their face and a ton of bounce in their step. His bio says it best.. “Pumpkin truly loves every song he shares with the dancefloor.”
Pumpkin’s 2011 LIB mix is now available for streaming at Soundcloud.
Tracklist:
Adele – Rolling in the Deep (Jamie xx Shuffle Mix)
Phoenix – 1901 (D.L.I.D Remix)
Two Door Cinema Club – Undercover Martyn (Passion Pit remix – Pumpkin Edit)
Sia – Breathe Me (Mylo Remix)
Passion Pit – The Reeling (sammy bananas’ big choon mix)
Noah and the Whale – Love of an Orchestra (Chew Fu Killer Whale Fix)
The Temper Trap – Sweet Disposition (Alan Wilkis Remix)
Yeah Yeah Yeah – Maps (thisguyiknow remix)
Florence + The Machine – You Got The Love (The xx Mix)
Dikky – Man on the Moon Mashup (Kid Cudi vs. Postal Service)
Broadcast 2000 – Get up and Go (James Yuill Remix)
Mumford and Sons – The Cave (Pyrotec Remix)
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – Home (RAC Remix)
Bruce Springsteen – I’m On Fire (Cousin Cole’s Bad Desire Mix)
Metric- Twilight Galaxy (The Gripp Remix)
Blind Melon – No Rain (Pumpkin Remix)
Noah And The Whale – 5 Years Time (Pumpkin Remix)
Tina Dico – Count To Ten (Pumpkin Remix)
Grab more DJ sets from Pumpkin including his 2010 LIB mix at Soundcloud.
Follow Pumpkin on Soundcloud and Facebook.
MiHKAL- Live @RE:CREATiON Mix
MiHKAL is Oakland based DJ Michael Anderson. His last mixtape Snuglife was the last mix in my library to get 5 stars and nothing has come close to replacing that mix since he released it in December. That is, until now.
I get new music everyday and a lot of it is very exciting and interesting, but something really has to be outstanding to catch and HOLD my attention. It has been 3 weeks since this mix was released, and not a day goes by that I don’t listen to it. The tracklist is fresh, his mixing is flawless, and the vibe is uplifting and energetic, something we have come to expect from MiHKAL after years of consistently solid DJ mixes.
Grab this mix here.
MiHKAL ~ LiVE @ RE:CREATiON by MiHKAL
Follow MiHKAL on Soundcloud and Facebook.
: TRACKLiST :
Emancipator – First Snow (Ooah Remix) – (1320 Records)
Simplex – Theia – (Soundcloud)
R/D – Your Misty Eyes Are M.I.N.E – (The Designed Disorder)
Deathstar – Seismic – (Soundcloud)
Yeah Yeah Yeah’s – Maps (Sugarpill’s TehSlideBass Remix) – (SoundCloud)
ill-Esha – Cherry Blossoms – (True Score Theory)
Hanssen Ft. Chadwick – Rising sun (Splatinum Remix) – (Dubstep Records)
Pillow Fight – Hand on the Steel – (Prime Dub Records)
Minnesota – Push it – (Tycho Records)
Phetsta – Dance All Night – (Technique Recordings)
Stephan Jacobs & Love & Light – The One ft. Delvo – (Muti Music)
DCarls – Runaway – (Simplify Recordings)
Ben Samples – Drop Bombs (ChrisB Remix) – (Daly City Records)
Unlimited Gravity – THose Little THings – (Bandcamp)
Slim THugz – Fistful of Dollaz ft. Yound Joc – (Bandcamp)
Ghetto Sexuual – Planetary Two Step – (Abstract Logic Recordings)
ChrisB & David Block – In The Name of – (Simplify Recordings)
Sugarpill – Delirious – (Simplify Recordings)
Guttstar – Hot Mess – (Soundcloud)
Gladkill – Out of Your Comfort – (Made in Glitch)
The song that always gets me at around 21:00 after Sugarpill’s remix of “Maps” is “Cherry Blossoms” by the incredibly talented vocalist and producer ill-esha. She is a newly transplanted Canadian now living in San Francisco, so make sure to catch one of her live sets when you are in the area. Check out the single on Beatport and her new album Reverie is out now on Muti.
Knowa Knowone- Sound Paintings
Knowa Knowone has been releasing music on Muti and his label Street Ritual for several years. Knowa is a pioneer in the west coast bass and glitch music community. His early release with Sleepyhead as Knowsleep was released in 2008 when there were few musicians making glitch music and “dubstep” was just starting to catch on in the states. Along with artists such as Heyoka, Mimosa, The Glitch Mob, Vibesquad, and Eprom, Knowa Knowone was creating music that defined and created the glitch-hop genre.
Knowa’s music combines traditional midtempo and breakbeat with deep bass, glitchy sounds, and ethnic rhythms to create a sound that stands out as uniquely Knowa Knowone. Sound Paintings showcases his progression as an artist and his work shines brightly in the glitch-hop gallery. 5 original songs make up Sound Paintings along with Quade’s remix of “The Quari” and three versions of “Ra (the sun)”, which is my favorite song on the album.
“Ra (the sun)” started out as Knowa’s glitch-hop symphony years ago and has never been released until now. I heard it while attending one of Knowa’s Ableton workshops and I have not stopped asking him about it since then. “Ra (the sun)” is a symphony of strings within layers of glitch-hop beats and conscious hip-hop vocals. It brings about the swelling of the heart signifying joy and delight that humans have the ability to create such beauty. Knowa Knowone will never disappoint you with his musical offerings.
Buy Sound Paintings on Addictech.
Follow Knowa Knowone on Facebook, Twitter and Soundcloud.
Knight Riderz- 12th Dimension
As any genre grows the music lover has to sift through more and more mediocre music to get to the tunes that really stand out and give you that rush of experiencing something that is unlike any other music you have heard before. It is up to the artist to consistently push their boundaries by not relying on formulas that have worked in the past. Once they push past that familiar territory and enter into the unknown, that is where the magic happens- all things are possible and amazing music is made from the willingness to experiment.
The Canadian duo known as Knight Riderz have a new album out on Muti called 12th Dimension. It only takes one listen before it is obvious that these guys are familiar with this creative magic. Every song on the album has a dreamy quality starting with the title track- a symphony of lazers and bass, moving into glitchy hip-hop beats with “Reign in the Clouds”, “Multidimensional Being”, “Synthetic Seduction”, “Brain Explosion”, and ending with an ethereal sounding sentiment with “Collective Consciousness”. These rhythms have complex layers that tell many stories at once and can relate to each persons unique experience. In the 12 dimensions of consciousness, the 12th dimension is when we return to Source and resonate in unison with the physical form of our Local Universe. We are whole.
12th Dimension is out on Muti Music June 10 and can be found on Addictech.
Follow Knight Riderz on Facebook, SoundCloud, and Twitter.
12th Annual Techno Tribal Dance @ Harmony Festival June 10-12, 2011
The Techno Tribal Community Dance has been a part of Harmony Festival in Northern California for 12 years! The late night show follows daytime events that have included huge names like Erykah Badu, Michael Franti, K’Naan, The Mickey Hart Band, George Clinton and Parliment, Damian Marley, Arrested Development, Sound Tribe Sector Nine, Hot Buttered Rum, and Ozomatli to name a few. Harmony Festival has hosted some huge shows in its 33 years and this year will be more of the same with performances from Primus, The Flaming Lips, Michael Franti and Spearhead, G. Love and Special Sauce, Railroad Earth, among others.
The night time festivities at Techno Tribal this year include Phutureprimitive, A.Skillz, Ghostland Observatory, Emancipator, David Starfire and his newly formed ensemble, G. Love and Special Sauce, SOJA, Gaudi, Rootz Underground, and Quixotic in The Grace Pavilion. Tickets will be limited this year to allow for a more comfortable environment so be sure to buy your tickets in advance at local retailers included on this list or online at WantTickets.
To celebrate the 12th Annual Techno Tribal Dance, we will be giving away 2 tickets to Techno Tribal when we reach 1k likes on Facebook. (Don’t worry, we will give one ticket away if we get close to our goal…) Please go there and like us so you can stay up to date with all of the latest news from BeGlitched!
Harmony Festival information can be found here and Techno Tribal information is here. This is one festival not to miss!!