A blast from the past, weeks #5–8

Here are the four latest tunes in the link series "A blast from the past":

Week 5: Grover Washington, Jr. - Knucklehead

Week 6: Monolake - Bicom

Week 7: Lil' Louis - French Kiss

Week 8: Sasha - Arkham Asylum

Hope you like!

Mixtape: New Orleans Blues

The wind of melancholy and despair whispers through the dark streets of New Orleans, the unluckiest American city in the 21st century. Hammered by the hurricane Katrina, The Big Easy is seeking to connect itself once more with the glorious past full of jazz and blues. "The City That Care Forgot", they say. But there may be a brighter future for this saddened metropolis, after all. The first glimpse of this could be the Super Bowl victory achieved by the local heros, New Orleans Saints. Join this aural adventure seeking for a better day in Louisiana.

DJ Sam-El: New Orleans Blues

1. DJ Sprinkles - Sisters, I Don't Know What This World Is Coming To

2. Âme - Doldrums

3. Kuniyuki Takahashi - Dear African Sky (Henrik Schwarz Remix - Unreleased Live Version)

4. Henrik Schwarz & Amampondo - I Exist Because Of You (Henrik Schwarz Live Version)

5. Trentemøller - Nightwalker

6. Culoe De Song - Love Music

7. Ahmet Sisman - Sallan

8. Nina Kraviz - Pain In The Ass

9. DJ Sprinkles - Grand Central, Pt. 1 (Deep Into The Bowel Of House)

10. Intrusion - Velocity In A Minor

11. Osunlade - Momma's Groove (Nomumbah's Dub)

12. 2000 And One - Wan Poku Moro

13. CV313 - Subtraktive (Intrusion's Road To Zion Dub)

14. Culoe De Song - African Subway

15. Culoe De Song - 100 Zulu Warriors

16. Rhythm & Sound feat. Koki - Rise And Praise (Vainqueur Remix)

17. Intrusion - Reflection I (Unreleased Extended Mix)

18. Henrik Schwarz - Leave My Head Alone Brain (Parts & Effects)

19. Freestyle Man - Century

20. Norman Nodge - Native Rhythm Electronic

21. Âme - Enoi

22. Nulleins - Latenight

23. Sven Weisemann – Redux

24. Culoe De Song feat. Busi Mhlongo - Webaba (Culoe De Song Mix)

25. Kettel - He's His Own Man

Thoughts About DJ Mixing Techniques, The Soul Of A DJ Mix And Everything

Lately I have read quite a lot of discussion about DJing equipment, usually the setting is 'auto-sync vs. beatmatching by hand'. As I use auto-sync nowadays, I want to write down some of my thoughts about it and also what a DJ set means to me in a wider spectrum.

Using auto-sync was never really my aim until I bought Traktor Pro. I could never trust a DJ software to take care of synchronizing the beats for me. However, when I first tried to use three decks with Traktor, the experience was something different. I had sub-consiously grown quite bored to this traditional 'beatmatch one tune into another and vice versa' way of doing, and I felt like I was "liberated" when I didn't have to care about this techical necessity called beatmatching anymore. I was able to focus all my knowledge and vision to selecting tunes and combining them together in new ways (some loops here, a cool intro there, some nice vocals everywhere, etc.).

It was a bit like a religious experience, when I noticed what the possibilities are when auto-sync is enabled. For me a DJ set has always been about something you can't have at home (unless spending some years to learn to be a good DJ), not a collection of records played by someone in a club or bar. I think a DJ set enjoyed at a club should be something very unique, at least when I'd be playing. Of course I don't mean to say this 'a guy (or a girl also) sharing his record collection' attitude is wrong, I like to listen that kind of DJing also sometimes, I just have my own, different vision about it. The beauty of this world is the possibility to have different approaches to everything :)

When DJing with Traktor, it has felt many times like there was some kind of "cosmic rhythm" and I just resonate to it. The music isn't fully under my control anymore because I mix so many things together and really can't hold all the strings so tight as with traditional mixing. The beauty with Traktor's auto-sync is, that the mix still sounds more music than a trainwreck, which would probably be the end result when I did things analogue style.

However, intense 4-deck Traktor set isn't always the best option. I reserve it for action-packed dancefloor, when I really need the full control. That way I can keep the groove and trance flowing all the time, although of course it's quite challenging. But for some chillier sets I prefer manual beatmatching and and "looser" mixing. When people don't focus on the music all the time, there is no reason to keep mixing so tight. It's better to give it some space too and enjoy the songs instead of sequences.

There are some of my visions about the art of DJing, see you on the dancefloor where I can put them into practice! ;)