I’ve written about DJ David Hollands before, when I posted his classic “Pool Party” mix tape from 1996. “Midnight Train to Moscow” followed in 2000, and is also one of my all-time favorite house mixes. It’s a memorable blend of deep house, minimal techno, haunting vocals, and party-time cuts too. Recently I visited David at his East Village abode in NYC and he gave me a copy of the mix tape art from the original. Grab the front and the back artwork, along with the mix and enjoy.
This mixtape was recently featured on my rave forum site Ravetrash.com, re-discovered and uploaded by my buddy Ria. In his words:
JAJO was the name, DJ JAJO a.k.a Juan Mauri Vera. Jajo was from Spain & going to school here in St.Louis. He soon dropped out & started DJing full time for STL raves. the scene was just flourishing and there was a party every weekend there, it seemed. He passed away in 1997 from a drug overdose. R.I.P.
This mixtape came out circa 1992. It did not get to me until the next year as it was re-recorded onto other tapes and passed on down the line until i got it and did the same thing fro my friends. This was pre-internet so it took more motivation and time to spread your mix.
The mix is an underground legend. This mix got me into house music which then led me more into raves and such. I’m not the only one.
This became my “white whale” ever since i lost my cassette copy of it after driving off with my tape case on top of my car. I have since searched for a copy to no avail. Friends and colleagues like Perry Ellis & Melloman who had a copy, could not seem to find it in their pack-rat lifestyle abodes.
It was just a waiting game.
Melloman recently FINALLY found the tape and we reminisced about everything as it seemed like i was listening to this for the first time. My room mate ripped it from tape and digitized, cleaned up & remastered the mix to mp3. it still has a few pops & hisses but overall, decent quality to rock out to.
I’ve listened to this mix myself many times, and it is timeless and funky like all the greatest house mixes. It is a relic from the earliest days of the midwestern rave scene, but doesn’t sound “old” in any way. Rock out to this immediately and savor your old school cred.
“Sunshower” by Miles Maeda has been a favorite of mine since I first bought the tape in 2000. Miles just recently posted the mix on his blog, so I’m adding it here too. In his words:
Here is the mid-tempo Sunshower mix with original artwork. And yes, the title was indeed inspired by Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band. I believe I did this one in Colette’s basement in Chicago. This was an exercise in keeping the pace at a casual jaunt, using rich textures, colorful instrumentation, and having a ‘Sunday afternoon in the park’ mood. It’s one of those projects I felt turned out quite well from start to finish. So enjoy a little Sunshower one sunny afternoon – bask yourself in its rays, soak it up, drink it in…Enjoy!
I am reposting this mix by Bobby Corridor from Spannered, because as soon as I heard it, I knew it was one of the best hiphop instrumentals mixes ever. Bobby layers over 600 classic, golden age beats two and three deep, letting them flow effortlessly into each other. It’s both ADD and laid-back at the same time; for the first thirty minutes you’ll be naming each beat and rhyming along, but after a while you’ll reach a place of hiphop “zen” as the hits keep coming. Grab this one now and rock it on repeat. And if you like this style, don’t forget about the EvLuvX mix I posted a while back; more good stuff in the same vein.
Gypsy is one half of the Archaics hiphop crew from California. I heard his “Jukebox Jaw” mix via PearsonTowers recently and it is so good I have to add it to my collection! While this mix is only about 40 minutes long, it is absolutely perfect. Gypsy blends classic hiphop tracks and beats with the original breaks they sampled, creating a gorgeous flow from one track to another. Some excellent freestyles by Gypsy and Archaics (i think) as well. And while I’m kind of jaded these days about hiphop mixes, this one is the real deal. Soulful, flawless, and timeless! In his own words:
“jukebox jaw is the style i’ve been spinning for a few years now, blending originals with classics, splicing them with original beats by dj dutch and myself, and actually spittin while spinnin.”
About two years ago I downloaded this set from Blentwell.com, by a DJ called “Lazy.” I’ve meant to upload it and make a post for a long time, since it’s one of the best reggae mixes I have ever heard. I just noticed it’s no longer available from any blogs or share services, so I wanted to add it here. It’s a dubbed-out blend of reggae covers of soul, blues, and funk classics. Perfect for chilling out when you’re feeling the blues or you’re looking for some low-key seduction music. Track list after the jump…
I just got hip to Megasoid today via these two fantastic mixtapes. Their bio provides a good intro: “Comprised of Robert ‘Speakerbruiser Rob’ Squire and Hadji Bakara, this Montreal based duo has been smashing the local population with their brand of rap-influenced big-synth remix music.” Megasoid warps hiphop in a similar vein as their fellow Montreallers the South Rakkas Crew’s “electro dancehall.”
In the blog world of endless remixes of the same tracks, Megasoid injects fresh flavor, buzzing basslines, and a great sense of melody often missing from this style. An absolutely essential addition to the canon of this rapidly evolving and exciting side of electronic music and hiphop. Get up on it – your bassbins and your booty will thank you.
