Just a note for posterity on the evolution of the particular sound that I’m trying to achieve in my mixes.

It has been an interesting process given the new direction that a lot of dance music seems to be heading; the easily defined genres of “trance” and “house” do not seem as applicable as new music (at least that I’m listening to) seems to incorporate elements of many different styles at once. When I started DJing years ago, I only wanted to spin progressive house. I would just listen for tracks that fit within that specific framework. Easy. Then Prodigy’s Dirtchamber Sessions turned my world upside down. Z-Trip and 2 Many DJs were also particularly influential for me with their multi-genre approach to music.

Electro and its return to synthesizers, vocals and actual bands rather than just Superstar DJs was my next tangential experience. Up to that point I had primarily been buying mix compilation cds, but now I started getting actual albums by Cut Copy, Goldfrapp, etc. There are also such strong parallels with 80s music that now I can throw in a Berlin or New Order track into the mix. Gotta love the 80s–so cheesy and fun.

I have also loved the emergence of “dance indie” or “disco punk” groups like LCD Soundsystem, The Rapture and Teddybears. I deviated from rock n’ roll when I hit college and was blown away by electronic music, so dance indie really brings things full circle for me. I can enjoy dance music and rock at the same time. A heavy four-four beat isn’t mandatory for dancing after all.

So set the current stage where it is a little more complicated than the simplicity of progressive house. Different people like different stuff, so by combining it all am I effectively reducing the number of people who like all of the above? Those have been the DJ influences from inside the headphones, but what about the influences coming from the dancefloor? I’ve never thought of myself as one to play to the crowd (Achilles heel), but that can’t be entirely true. Will have to ruminate on that further…

Track listing:

01 Che DuBois - She’s Easy
02 Purple Crush - Fuck the DJ (Night Facilities remix)
03 The Gossip - Yr Mangled Heart (Linus Loves remix)
04 Yelle - ACDG (Nixon Pelletier remix)
05 Mstrkrft - Easy Love (Mstrkrft edit)
06 Michael Jackson - Thriller (Villains Too Tight Pants remix)
07 The Teenagers - Starlett Johansson (Blamma! Blamma! remix)
08 Chromeo - Tenderoni (Mstrkrft remix)
09 Trash Yourself - Touch
10 Xinobi - BMX (Moulinex remix)
11 Hot Pink Delorean - Played Out feat. Fantastadon
12 Datarock - Fa Fa Fa (Skateboard remix)
13 Calvin Harris - Merrymaking (Deadmau5 remix)

Triumphantly re-united with G-Unit et al to see David Guetta at Giant on Saturday. Started off the evening at The Well for some dancing fuel, which was great because I hadn’t been back there in ages. Love that spot–always reminds me of the glory days of the DLP. (R.I.P., DLP).

The current Giant venue is The Vanguard, which I had been to years ago to see Gilles Peterson and really liked. Great sound system and huge outdoor patio area in the back. Georgie hooked up the VIP shit, so we didn’t have to wait in the main line and paid half price. We’ve been seeing people at the Echoplex lately, and The Vanguard is much bigger. But if felt much bigger, too–shouldering through people everywhere you go, high priced drinks and even higher credit card minimums. Wasn’t able to meet up with another friend because it was too crowded and I just couldn’t find her. Standard sunk costs for a crazy clubbing night, I guess.

The opening DJs were laying down some funky house. I’ve been so focused on trolling the blogs for electro tracks and the latest/greatest producers, that I really just wanted to “nod my head to some good music”, per the classic Peace Division track. That said, the patio DJ’s beats were more akin to mine, and it was awesome to see some of the tracks that I like rocking a crowd.

I was disappointed to see a Perfecto logo in the corner of one of Guetta’s posters on the wall, as it has kind of represented the death nell for some DJs that I’ve liked in the past. A little too mainstream, in my music snob opinion. Mr. Guetta was definitely the “Superstar DJ” though. Really got the crowd going and threw in plenty of classic crowd pleasers. It was fun to see an entire club singing along to songs.

So probably not my ideal music for the night, but lots of fun. Always have a good time with George and Shaner and crew.

I had the pleasure of going to San Diego this weekend to see my good friend Sandra and hit up a five-year anniversary concert for 94.9 FM–an awesome independent station down there. VHS or Beta, Feist and The Hives were playing. Notwithstanding the poor football performances by UCLA and Cal, we had the best day watching football and hopping around to different bars and meeting up with friends. And that was before the concert even started.

I saw UNKLE a couple weeks ago, but was so disappointedly underwhelmed by the show that I didn’t feel compelled to write about it (maximum respect for James Lavelle though). This show, on the other hand, was great. We caught the first half of VHS or Beta, and I really liked their sound. Indie but it still very much rocked. I have been reading about them all over the blogs and hearing all good things.

Feist was also a good show. We were right up front for her, and she had a great stage presence. Very cute and Canadian. She played the only guitar in the band, and I liked her minimalist sound. Hadn’t heard much other than 1234 (of course), and I’ve been wondering lately about seeing a show where I’m not bouncing around the whole time (ie. not hard rock or banging dance music); if I would still enjoy it for being good music, albeit more on the mellow tip. I sure did, and it was cool to just see a good live performance given how much electronic music I listen to.

We went up to the balcony area for The Hives, and it was great to be able to take in the whole stage for them. All the matching suits and the staple neon sign behind them. They were so awesome! Their guitar riffs are so catchy, and I loved how quirky and Euro the singer is–his perfectly on-beat jump kicks made me smile each time. All in all, a very fun show. Worthy of missing Stanton Warriors back here in LA the same night. A big thanks to San for making it happen.

Track listing:

01 U-Tern - Daft Punk vs. Gwen Guthrie (Club Version)
02 Bakazou - Snake Hip Shuffle
03 New Order - Bizarre Love Triangle (Extended Dance Mix)
04 The Ones - Flawless (Italo Disco mix)
05 Death from Above 1979 - Sexy Results (Mstrkrft remix)
06 The Rapture - I Need Your Love
07 Freeform Five - No More Conversations
08 Dub Pistols - Rapture feat. Terry Hall (’Combat Rock’ mix)
09 Maurice Noah - A Message to Bob Sinclair (Disco Punk Version)
10 The Panthers - Thank Me with Your Hands (Mstrkrft remix)
11 The Teenagers - Homecoming (Gentleman Driver’s Rave remix)
12 Digitalism - Pogo