I Wanna Go Back...

This was the last mix I ever did on vinyl. I think that was about 8 years ago now. I guess it's fitting that the content is nostalgic in nature too. All killer. No filler. Classic house music.

Chicago gave the world a wonderful thing in the mid 80s. That particular strand of machine-driven soul blew out of the Windy City, and changed the planet. House now comes from anywhere anyone has access to a drum machine or a computer. It's mutated and splintered and cross pollinated and distorted sometimes beyond recognition.

But in this mix I've used tracks from what I think is the golden age of house. Mr Fingers, Marshall Jefferson, Trax Records... that's the real deal. But also I've also used the European imitators who first picked up the baton and danced with it, those Britons, Germans, Italians who felt the beat and moved our feet. Rave on.

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Tracklisting:
1. Mr Fingers - Can You Feel It, 2. Marshall Jefferson - Open Our Eyes, 3. Don Carlos - Alone (Paradise Mix), 4. Jomanda - Make My Body Rock, 5. Professor Funk - Move Your Acid, 6. Inner City - Good Life, 7. Fallout - The Morning After, 8. Curtis McClaine & On The House - Let's Get Busy, 9. Royal House - Can You Party, 10. Glam - Hell's Party, 11. Gat Decor - Passion, 12. Sublime - The Theme (Sublime Dub), 13. Robert Armani - Circus Bells. 14. (Hardfloor Mix), 15. ?-?, 16. Rising High Collective - Fever Called Love (Hardfloor Mix)

Just Say No

Government agencies are always trying to come up with ways to keep us off the smack. They print leaflets, commission celebrities, send earnest young proselytizers into schools... It don't do shit. People are still getting high.

The thing is, the answer's been around for a while now but not one civil servant chump has twigged. Home Is Where The Hatred Is was on Gil Scott-Heron's 1971 debut album, and was covered by the soul singer Esther Phillips a year later. It's an utterly devastating song.

With Phillips wrapping her sweet, junkie's voice around it, the lyrics are like a rusty syringe to the heart. I can't think of anything else that matches this for desolate self-loathing. It would actually be unbearable if it weren't for her band's delicately funky restraint.

Seriously, play this to a bunch of impressionable teens and they'll stay cleaner than a spring breeze. Job done.

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Eyesdown

Bonobo's new single Eyesdown, is a classy package that manages to sound both timeless and bang up to date.

I bought it for the Floating Points remix, which was used instantly on my Musical Chairs Mix from three weeks ago. But the whole thing is a total gem, and I keep drifting back to Appleblim and Komonazmuk's treatment. This swings wonderfully deep and low. A stern chord progression builds the tension, while the sad vocal line and restrained flourishes of disco strings make this perfect for the melancholic dancer.

I really recommend buying all the tracks though. The original mix, and the aforementioned Floating Points remix drift through hazy sub bass, mournful brass, and a 2-step lope, while Warrior 1's effort injects a bit of carnival fire.

And if you're still feeling generous after that, Bonobo's album Black Sands, is out now on Ninja Tune. I haven't got that though, so I can't say what the whole thing's like.

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Bonobo - Eyesdown (Appleblim & Komonazmuk Remix) from The Milky Bar Kid

Buy it from Amazon.co.uk

Shari & Vari

I have a lot of time for Shari & Vari, the two ladies behind the awesome The Number 20 blog. Here's why:

~ The music they post is invariably cracking
~ They keep it brief (which I most definitely don't)
~ The blog looks great
~ They obviously have a lot of fun

Recently Shari, who I think is quite new to DJing, posted a mix. It's called Things Are Going To Get Easier, and it's a wonderful blend of camp and star-spangled electronic disco. That's a good many of my buttons pressed right there.

So well done Shari, and well done also for letting me post it here so you good people can hear it.

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Tracklisting:
Nicolas Jaar – Time For Us, NUfrequency – Fallen Hero (Motor City Drum Ensemble Remix), Fortune – Highway (Eli Escobar Remix), Acos Coolkas – Untitled, Ali Love – Love Harder (Prins Thomas Diskomiks), Chaz Jankel – You’re My Occupation (Fromage Remix), John Daly – This Is A Lonely Beat, KRUSE, Florian ft SAARA – Thrill (Vincenzo & Elmar Schubert’s Satinsoul Remix), Mario Basanov & Vidis ft Jazzu – I’ll Be Gone (Downtown Party Network Remix), Sebastien Tellier – Things Are Gonna Get Easier

The Musical Chairs Mix

I shouldn't be farting around with this. I should be packing. My plane for India leaves in a few hours and I've still got packets of wet wipes and hand sanitizer strewn all over my room. But I haven't done a mix for a while and wanted to lay down some of the music I've been enjoying recently. They'll hold the plane for me, right?

There's been a bit of a musical crisis going on inside my head in the past couple of months or so. I'm not feeling much of the disco that's been produced recently. There's the creeping feeling that I've heard it all before. I've been so in love with the form over the past 4 or so years that I'm taking this as a bit of a betrayal. In revenge I've been seeking solace in the icy embraces of dubstep and its myriad offshoots.

This is a mix that tries to get my old love, and my new one, in a room together to talk about how we can all work this one out. It starts all hushed and splintery, but gets warmer and groovier, and there's a even a party at the end.

No cover art yet - haven't got time. I'll do you some when I'm back. Hope you like it and see you on the flip side! I'll be the sunburned one.

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Tracklisting:
Fever Ray with Van Rivers & The Subliminal Kid - Here Before, Mount Kimbi - Vertical, Bonobo feat Andreya Triana - Eyesdown (Floating Points remix), Joy Orbison - So Derobe, Bei Bei & Shawn Lee - Make Me Stronger (Floating Points remix), Dorothy's Fortress - Neon Cities, Pixeltan - Scatter, Skatt Bros - Walk the Night, Tensnake - Get It Right, Cymande - Brothers On The Slide (Bonar Bradberry edit), Pantha du Prince - Stick To My Side (Four Tet version), Massive Attack feat Hope Sandoval - Paradise Circus (Gui Boratto remix), Spaghetti Circus - Still Going, Friendly Fires - On Board (Joakim Remix)