Installment number two of our guest mixes is a killer!  Chris Lund of Left/Right has been kind enough to send me his mix from the Breakspoll 2010 party at Fabric from a few weeks ago.  He is a veteran dj/producer from Dallas Tx, with degrees in both music composition and audio engineering.  His work has been featured on labels such as Sound of Habib, Ego Shot and Dusted Breaks (named best new label at the Breakspoll Awards this year).  If you like your beats funky, don’t sleep on this one!

Check out his Facebook fan page, and he also has a Soundcloud page with current and past mixes.  His tracks can be found on Beatport , Amazon and I-Tunes, and his Break the System tour starts at Austin’s SXSW Festival in March.  Werd!

Left/Right @ Fabric – Breakspoll 2010

01. Highspeed Lullaby (Left/Right Remix) – Hypeartist [Dusted Breaks]

02. Law Of Life – Elite Force [CDR]

03. Operator (Left/Right Remix) – Jurassik [Sound Of Habib]

04. Minimal My Ass (Krafty Kuts Re-rub) – Miles Dyson [CDR]

05. Hyph Mngo (Jurassik Edit) – Joy Orbison [CDR]

06. Lake Como (Breaks Mix) – Refracture [Noobish Records]

07. Organizized – Left/Right, Digital Pizza [Forthcoming Sound Of Habib]

08. Gangbang – Left/Right, Digital Pizza [Sound Of Habib]

09. Twinkle feat MC $pyda (Pyramid’s Stop Talking Remix) – Gella [Sub Slayers]

10. Electric Rock (Torqux Remix) – Chris Sundive [Ebony Red]

11. Curtain Caller – Karton [Forthcoming Sound Of Habib]

12. Rhythm Rocks The Blue – Elite Force [CDR]

13. Exit Enlightenment (LR Edit) – EK [Dead Famous]

14. Love Is A Drug (Left/Right Remix) – The Kickdrums [Kickdrums Musik]

15. Visions (Karton Remix) – White Papoo, Double Negative [Trans:verse Records]

with samples from Left/Right, Plump Djs, Proxy, Herve, and more

In the next few months, I’ll be hooking you up with some exclusive mixes from some DJ’s that I love.  From breaks to house and everything in between, these mixes are ones you can only find here.  They are recorded live in my humble little studio and feature DJ’s that are guests on my on-line mix show (more info about that later) and are major players in the underground music scene here in Dallas.

The first installment comes from my good friend Polyx.  He has been a rising force in the underground dance scene for quite a few years and is still one of the few carrying the breakbeat torch.  He loves his beats progressive and funky and this mix is a testament to his sound.  I can truly say that no one else can imitate his style; this brother impresses me every time he hits the decks.  So enjoy and check out his Facebook and Soundcloud pages for more info and downloadable mixes.

Break This – Polyx

Being a child of the early 1990’s rave movement, there are so many classic tunes to choose from.  Obvious tracks like “Dominator” by Human Resource and “Everybody In The Place” by Prodigy have been remixed to death due to their legendary appeal.  I have chosen to take a different route and post up some tunes I think have not been remixed due to the untouchable status they have achieved.

First up is one of my favorites of the era.  Released in 1990, this collaboration between future Freestylers member Aston Harvey and Jason Tunbridge is a full on, funky scratch-fest filled with enough bass to make you sterile. Originally released on the B-side to “Don’t Hold Back” on the Tribal Bass label, this one still makes the bins quake.

Bus’ It (It’s Time To Get Bzy) – Blapps Posse

This next track needs very little introduction.  Included on the infamous “Live at the Brain” EP, it was recorded, ummmm, live at the Brain Club in London in 1990.  ”Massif” was the track and Paul Chivers was the mastermind behind this classic, with a little help from Mixmaster Morris.  I’m on planet E!!!!!

Massif – Ramjac

Riva Starr has been flying under the radar for the last few years, but 2010 is set to make him an absolute superstar.  His early releases on Dirtybird were an absolute bass lover’s dream. Groovy, dirty and full of enough bleeps to make even the most loyal tech house fans take notice, his new work is off the charts.  From his killer rework of Malente’s “I Like It”  to the seductively strange accordion appeal of “I Was Drunk”, he might well be the one to follow in the coming year.  His new album, “If Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade”, is available now on Made To Play Records so don’t waste time and just go and get it!

Here are a few tracks to get ya started, just in case you might be new to his sound.

I Was Drunk (Jeff Doubleu’s) – Riva Starr

Juice and Gin (Riva Starr’s) – The Young Punx

My Hi Tops (Riva Starr Acid Mix) – Plump DJ’s

I am very pleased that Gary has agreed to let me do my first blog post solo style.  I am still quite the noob at this, so my first post will be simple and to the point.  If you know me at all, my musical tastes change on a weekly basis.  I have really been into the groovy tech house stuff, as you will see in this mix.  Many of the artists here will be easily recognizable, and there will be some that are unfamiliar.  Most can be found on Beatport or What People Play, so go get ‘em. Enjoy!!

Techy Shit – DJ Michael Todd

01. For Weirdo’s Only (Momma’s Boy) – Douster
02. Beat That Bird – Justin Martin + Claude VonStroke
03. Squash – Riva Starr
04. London to Paris – Mowgli
05. 1234 – Hatiras
06. The Freaks Come Out 2009 (Idiotproof) – Cevin Fisher
07. Mars (Style of Eye) – Fake Blood
08. My Hi Tops (Riva Starr) – Plump DJ’s
09. Surdo – Worthy
10. Wind It Up (Jeff Doubleu) – Jack Les L
11. Alpha 1 (Popof) – Transistor
12. Get Ya Dub On Pt. 2 – Switch + Trevor Loveys
13. Yebo Yebo (Berlin Rework) – Neuroxyde
14. I Think I Like It – Fake Blood
15. Mosquito – Channel X

It’s been a looooong time since I’ve stood behind the decks and put together a mix – 3 months in fact. The birth of my beautiful son, Griffin was the reason for this extended break and I’m more inspired than ever to continue following my music passion. I can’t wait until he’s old enough to tag team with me on the 1200s – won’t be long I’m sure (check out Britton’s son, Brayden – he’s down).

So for this latest mix, which I am calling “Ze ‘Stache”, I threw together a bunch of minimal, tech and electro tracks – there are a few rubber-neckin’ numbers in the appropriate places so there’s definitely some variety. I’m a little rusty after 3 months of downtime, but for the most part I think this thing sounds pretty good. Have a listen and don’t hesitate to hit up Beatport if you like any of the tracks you hear.

Ze ‘Stache – DJ Gary-O

01 – Vocal Chords – Claude VonStroke
02 – 23:59 – Hobo
03 – Antarctic – The Subtenants
04 – Gaseous – Jill Bellac
05 – Hot Cookies – Neuroxyde
06 – Bolingo Grigo – Andreas Henneberg & Simon2
07 – Raw Sweat – Coyu & Uner
08 – London to Paris – Mowgli
09 – Disco Recordz – Dirtyloud
10 – Get It – Wax Motif & Csk Ok
11 – I No You – Uberzone
12 – Latin Fever – Wolfgang Gartner
13 – This is Real Shit (Frederik Mooijs Moogtastic Remix) Lee Mortimer
14 – O Superman Feat. Laurie Anderson (Original Mix) M.A.N.D.Y. & Booka Shade

Happy New Year everyone! Sorry I’ve been away so long, but some big things happened in my life that required my undivided attention – the most important being the birth of my son, Griffin. He graced us with his presence in October, which was a few weeks earlier than expected. Next to meeting and marrying my wife, Kelly, he is the best thing to ever happen to me. As I told my cousin over the phone yesterday, my heart is full.

The other thing that required my attention was the continued and accelerated expansion of our artist roster at Topspin. We closed the year with more than 250 artists marketing and selling music directly to their fans using our platform. Part of this expansion has involved the onboarding of artists who appeal to my electronic tastes and one such artist that decided to take the plunge with us was Elite Force. If you’ve been a frequent visitor to this blog, you know I’m a sucker for some good tech funk and Elite Force is the reigning king of tech funk.

If you drop by www.eliteforcemusic.com you’ll find a ton of free and for-sale music in digital, CD and vinyl formats. The most recent Elite Force offering is a re-release of the 2003 record ‘No Turning Back’ only this time it’s available for download in 320kbps MP3, FLAC and Apple Lossless formats, and there are also a few bundles with complete sets of stems for remixing and limited edition CDs and Vinyl. You can also pick up a few free tracks using the widgets below, the most recent being an Elite Force vs. Yeah Yeah Yeahs re-fix of Maps.

There’s a new record called ‘Re:Vamped’ on the horizon – check out the streaming player below for a good tease of what’s to come. Get on his mailing list and you’ll get notified when the pre-order starts.

No Turning Back

Re:Vamped – Coming Soon

Some Free Tracks

Last night I was working late at Topspin and in the middle of a long period of silence (rare in our office) a groovy house track started playing on the sound system that I got completely lost in. I glanced at Peter Brambl, our creative director, and asked him who this was, assuming he had kicked on the tunes. He smiled and said, “the is me.” I was floored. Being in the music business I hear a ton of music from talented electronic musicians, but rarely do I hear songs with real depth, sophistication and potential staying power. “Regresando”, the lead single from the upcoming album “Born at Midnight” from The Silver Pesos (Peter’s band), is in my humble opinion one of these rare songs and I expect the album to be just as impressive when it’s released (coming soon!).

“Regresando” (featured several times by DJ Raul Campos on his KCRW show Nocturna) is a melodic, atmospheric, downtempo number with exceptional vocals from Chloe Conger. The song starts off simple with an infectious rhythm that keeps you engaged and eager to hear what’s next. The energy builds throughout the song and by the time it reaches the end it’s turned into a Diplo-style dancehall groove. The Regresando Remix (a cut that’s more in line with my electro/progressive house tastes) takes the song in a completely different direction while preserving the essence of what makes the original so special. This is the cut Peter played that stopped me in my tracks last night and I plan to work it into my next DJ mix (coming very soon I promise).

Have a listen to both versions below, and if you like what you hear you can download them both for free in exchange for an email address.

Some info about the band:

The Silver Pesos was formed in 2009 by producer/instrumentalist Peter Brambl, singer Chloe Conger, and guitarist Robert Weber. Their upcoming full-length release, ‘Born at Midnight’, was recorded in Santa Monica, CA and Ubud, Indonesia with a full band that features a Balinese rhythm section. Visit the band’s website at www.thesilverpesos.com.

I’ll write a post about the full album when it’s out and I might even get you an interview with Peter as a bonus.

I got my hands on the latest Boogie Basics release from Perfect Strangers and it’s slammin’. “Effer” is a solid groove featuring straight up house and tech mixes from the likes of Riche ‘BoOm’ Stanley, Jabwai, and PointBender, among others. The Perfect Strangers are Patchen (Harmonious Discord) and Sean Anderson (Grey) – very talented cats from Dallas who now call Austin home. They’ve been cranking out choice tunes for a while and this collaboration has resulted in some really good shit.

Riche came out to visit us on the Left Coast a few months back and gave me the rundown on Boogie Basics plans. They’ve released a ton of good music over the past year or so and I’m expecting even bigger things to come.

Have a listen to two mixes of ‘Effer’, then go to Beatport to get them all.

Perfect Strangers – Effer (Riche BoOm BB Edit)
Perfect Strangers – Effer (Jabwai’s Emergency Mix)

June 30th marked the 20th anniversary of the top alternative radio station in Dallas, KDGE, and there was a party last night to celebrate this milestone (wish I could have been there). The station launched on 94.5FM, then moved up the dial to 102.1FM where it currently sits today. The one show on KDGE that has stood the test of time is Edgeclub, founded by my good friend Jeff K, and presently hosted by another dear friend, DJ Merritt. When Kelly and I first started dating, we used to listen to Jeff K’s KNON show “Thudslap” and one Saturday when we were driving around Dallas listening to the show Jeff announced he was leaving KNON and moving to this new station called KDGE. We were skeptical at first, but were quickly hooked.

Edgeclub was a breath of fresh air for Dallas airwaves and currently enjoys a position as the nation’s longest-running and highest-rated mixshow on the air. During the 5-6 years Jeff hosted the show, he and his sidekick (and world-renowned DJ) Redeye/Scottie Canfield, played host to the most talented and sought after electronic/techno DJs and producers from around the globe. Miss Melissa was also Jeff’s partner in crime for a few of those years. Merritt took over the show and made it his own in 1996 when Jeff packed up his family and moved to LA to start Groove Radio with Swedish Egil (the same month Kelly and I moved to LA from Dallas). Every Edgeclub show features a late night guest mix from local and out-of town DJs, and I’ve had the privilege of being invited to guest mix 8-10 times, with my most recent appearance in February 2009. In the early years, I recorded a number of shows on tape and I’ve digitized a few of my favorite old-skool recordings for you to enjoy, including my first guest mix from July 1994 – I followed Scott Hardkiss‘ in-studio interview and debut of God Within – “The Phoenix”. I also shared the bill with him that night at a party called “Pure”. Stream or right click to download the mixes at your leisure.

Skinny G & Tim Chapman – Edgeclub Midnight Mix – 1991

Rob Vaughan – Edgeclub Midnight Mix – 1991

N.A.S.A Project – Edgeclub Midnight Mix – 1991

DJ Gary-O – Edgeclub Midnight Mix – 1994

Track listings for these mixes can be found on Jeff K’s site.

You can also find more recent Edgeclub shows on Merritt’s blog – www.ipodfood.com.

Oh, and if you know where other Edgeclub mixes are posted on the Internet, leave a comment with links. Thanks!