Friday 22 February 2013

Indiscriminate 2012 top 10 1s....

Well  2012 is but a distant memory, however some of the tracks that shaped 2012 for me , do not fade very easily at all. Here is my top 10, not in any order at all, with each track as equally good as the next, with merits for all included. I've included a handy playlist via youtube so as that all ten can be played in one handy link at the bottom of the post... so in no particular order...

.....John Digweed is one of those DJ's that will deliver tracks time and time again, this is no exception and having heard this at Bedrock on the Thursday before Easter as he smashed the XOYO crowd, it c certainly had a lasting effect on me and echo's that great techno is house sound that he delivers to crowds week in week out.



Digweed once more proves his sequencing prowess with a lovely release from the massively sucessful - Live in Cordoba album in early 2012, this destroyed any dance floor which it was played on. This always brings a smile to my face when I hear or play it and never tire of this dark dirty building smasher of a track. 



Carrying on from the sucess of Paneoh's earlier track in the year, this is yet again another great track with that nasty techno base sound, released on Digweed's last album - Bedrock 14 a sure fire smasher!! 



To say Charlie May is underrated is in itself a truly underrated statement. His technical and musical knowledge as a DJ and a producer under his other guise as Spooky is unmeasureable. Working with Sasha over the years on many tracks and collaborations with his talent equating into one too many superlatives.  

For me this is ever present in delivering immense tracks with that lovely Progressive sound, that perforates you audio senses from start to finish which cannot be described, but felt. The remix of Fringe packs many a punch, yet more than I can comprehend, just goosebumps say it all for me, I am sure you will agree.



By chance I heard a short set on youtube from Sasha at  Paradiso Beach club, Greece and to say I was impressed was under statement of the highest proportion. Sasha constantly forward looks where others do not and he delivered yet another awesome snapshot of tracks in his sets & mixing. 

For months I had this track on repeat as delivers that chunky edgy baseline that energizes any crowd into obscurity and then some. Its techy, dirty sound guarantees casualities on the dance floor time and time again, nothing comes close to pulsating the slowest of heart beats, yet again Crosstownrebels deliver!!!



Going to Renaissance 20 in Leeds back in April with Sasha playing was always going to be special and he did not disappoint, smashing Leeds early on to deliver a lovely set, to warm the night up from the very start. This track packs a meaty punch without the nasty progressive or techno sound, just some lovely well delivered tech house from start to finish.



2012 was full of talk of Sasha's imminent release of Involv3r, however while he was  mastering and working through the sequencing/release of tracks for the album, this lovely remaster of Hot Chips - Flutes came out which hit the heights and just carried on and on, even till the end of the year when he smashed it at the Loft for 8 hours, playing this lovely gem...



I don't recall where I first heard this, possibly from a Sasha at Voyeur in San Diego early on in the year, however with that slow build up it makes you want more and more each time, definitely a meaty set builder, something that shows its quality from start to finish...



With every genre there is dilution and  new direction to form something new and to deviate away from Progressive into the more darker sound, to  deliver even more punch well I didn't think it would work, but it does!! 

However almost a year on, the Dark progressive sound from the likes of Moshic (absolute stalwart DJ) and many others have followed suit,  is that all I can say is that the deviation is well received and long may it continue on.

For all those that like a hard edged progressive sound, this is for you!!



Last but no means least is another favouirte from Mr Digweed, once more proving and confirming why he is at the top of the ladder, his sequnecing and prowess knows no bounds. The remix by Art department brings this lovely production to the top time and time again, showing with a great track and a great remix comes a great dancefloor smasher.



Well a top 10 filled with all my favourite tracks from 2012, with more knocking at the door to get in. As usual, too much great music and not enough time, for anyone wanting to listen to all 10 in one hit, I have added them into one handy playlist on youtube, cheers Paul :D

TOP 10 playlist


Saturday 16 February 2013

Where it all started...part1

Most people never remember where great things started thankfully for me I can... for me it goes back to Christmas 1987, with money burning a hole in my pocket, I decided (what felt I right) to purchase my first ever step into House music from the now defunct HMV, oh how the good olde days were good, however these days are just as good, just different, so began my journey!! 

However DJ'ing only goes back about 3 years or so when I bumped into the illustrious Mr Knight in Leeds one Saturday afternoon. After the seed was sown a few months later, all bets were off and I was addicted to the whole musical experience (start to finish).

When you first hear a track you love and just want to know straight away what it is, no matter what how, where and when!! Then its a battle for that all important ID, queue... google search, beg, steal and borrow!!!

So after many many hours, lots of frustation, deliberation, advice, coaxing and all round encouragement, I found my feet. 

Listening to music takes on a whole new dimension when you DJ as well, as you want people to evoke the feeling that you have, every time you hear that special track and to feel the same way when you play, well I do anyway!! (it always will be the way, for me)

 With the technology nowadays selection or sequencing is paramount and it can be seen in so many super ficial "DJ's" who don't play for the love but for the money playing throw away music, quality will always trump substance.

So in no chronological order whatsoever from last year of any kind here are all my past and present DJ mixes from 2012, with an introduction of any kind to let you know what I was thinking and my influences or state of mind....

Paul Ross Vs John Digweed - Live in Cordoba

As a tribute to John Digweed's Live in Cordoba album released back in April 2012, here is my take on the great album with some Jody Wisternoff specials thrown in and sandwiched inbetween to deliver a pulsing mix from start to finish.  



 TRACKLISTING:
  • Francys - Crossing the white line (gorge interpretation) 
  • Yooj - Madamemoiselle (Martin Buttrich remix) 
  • Philip bader Nicone/Sascha braemer - Dantze boy 
  • Guy J - Fixation 
  • Tweakers - Subatomic 
  • Rodamaal feat. Claudia franco - Insomnia (Ame remix) 
  • Maetrik - the entity 
  • Jody wisternoff - Lassoo 
  • Oliver Leib - Helios 
  • Paneoh Punto - des control 
  • Zoo Brazil - Slob (nick curly remix) 
  • Agoria feat. Scalde - Singing (Dixie Dub) 
  • Sirenize - Everybody 
  • Slam - Eterna (John digweed & Nick Muir remix)
DOWNLOAD        



Paul Ross Vs John Digweed - Bedrock 14
Another take on John Digweed's last release album of 2012. Bedrock 14 wasn't as immense as the previous release back in April, however it had, as always Bedrock albums do some  top drawer tracks. 

I managed to back fill the end of my mix with some Bedrock back catalogue gems I have just been waiting to use and the right time....sit back and enjoy.



TRACKLISTING:
  • Trezz Intro 
  • Paneoh - Vetabom 
  • Dousk - Mute 
  • Amber - Anyway (Steve Porter) 
  • Digweed & Muir - Raise (Electric rescue remix) 
  • Electric Rescue - Stucked ship 
  • Robert Babicz - Eastside 
  • Solee - Resistance 
  • Christian Smith - The Judgement 
  • Pig & Dan - Crazy 
  • Digweed & Muir - Aquatonic 
  • John Digweed - Warung Beach (Kiki remix) 
DOWNLOAD        




Reverse Coagulant
This mix for me was a long time coming, however the results were definitely worth it, with inspirations from Sasha and Charlie May with a stellar remix along with some nasty's from M.A.N.D.Y. and a track given to me by a good friend Erik Bruce, many thanks mate!! My particular favourites are the Charlie May remix of Fringe and Subb-An... so sit back and enjoy a progressive techno smasher...



TRACKLISTING:

  • Stellios Vassiloudis - Hit the lights 
  • Subb-An feat Anomaly - Misleading 
  • DYNO - Fringe 
  • Tahloula - We play house (M.A.N.D.Y. Sweatbox remix) 
  • Daniel Dexter - Storm 
  • Booka Shade - Honeyslave (Club Mix) 
  • Erik Bruce - Dub for the man 
  • DYNO - Fringe (Charlie May remix) 
  • Ferdy - Computers in Space 
  • Orbital - New France (Tom Middleton remix) 
  • Agoria - Singing (Dixie Dub) 
  • Edu Imbernon - Vitange 
  • Silinder - Second Thought
DOWNLOAD   


January is the New October
All good things come those who wait and this was a bit of an overspill from 2011, something that took longer than planned whenever I am sequencing a mix. It features some lovely tracks from Charlie May & Pole Folder with my personal favourite coming from Robytek, typically a full tilt progressive smasher.



TRACKLISTING:
  • Erphun - Paradise Cursed (Pole Folder remix) 
  • Mezza Luna Vs Felix Cage - Blizzard (Pole Folder northern mix) 
  • Robytek - Sun 
  • 16Bit Ladytron - Destroy the murder weapon (slinder mashup) 
  • Charlie May - Homecoming (Sasha & Nakov remix) 
  • 2rahmwohnnung - Wir Werden Sie (paul kalbrenner remix) 
  • Fecc - Summer night story 
  • Henry Saiz & Marx Mezenit - Radiance (King Unique remix) 
  • Stephan Barnam - Karted 
  • Carlo Lio - Purple Soul 
  • Niggeman & Poppcke - L'Aurara
DOWNLOAD



Sundown Sundays
A summertime project that morphed into something bigger than I had originally planned when I first set out to do a downtempo mix for the summer sunshine whenever it decides or decided to appear. Seen as though I have so many tracks it was hard to cram everything in I love to listen to on a summers day, but I think that it does justice to lazy mix for those horizontal days.

Influences were drawn from an old cowboy western film score, Buddha bar, Cafe del mar  and a few GU30 gems thrown in I never tire of on any day of the week and a few other spectacular laid back gems.  So find yourself a cosy corner, curl up and enjoy some blissed out beats to ward off any winter blues or welcome a sunny afternoon soak in the ocean.



TRACKLISTING:
  • Ennio Morricone - Man with a harmonica 
  • Ramp - Everybody Loves the sunshine
  • Willaim Orbit - The story of light
  • Lonely Planet - Aurtas
  • Deadbeats - Feel good
  • Deepak Ram - Kitu
  • De Phazz - The mambo craze
  • Tripswitch - Strange Parallels
  • Zen Men - Une table a' trois
  • Cinematic Orchestra - All that you give
  • Cloud - Voyance 
  • Joey Fehrenbach - Being around you 
  • Zohar - The merciful one
  • Jai Uttal - Guru Bramha
  • Coldcut - Autumn Leaves
  • Symbiosis  - Spiritual Technology
  • Nightmares on Wax - Nights interlude
  • Sabres of Paradise - Haunted dancehall
  • Ver Vlads - Crazy Ivan 
  • Ennio Morricone - Farewell to Cheyenne
DOWNLOAD



Techno is House
 John Digweed once said that "techno is house" and he couldn't be on the money, for me house music has evolved massively to what it is today, with Techno inter wound into the fabric of great electronic music. So having spent the start of the Easter weekend in London at Bedrock, I hot footed it back up to Leeds for Renaissance 20th birthday with Sasha smashing it from start to finish.

Having experienced Digweed and Coe at their best I was inspired to sequence something of worthy equal and out came my mix for April with some floor killers from Cid Inc, Eelke Kleijn & Gabriel Ananda however my favourite track is from Cormac destroying the Bedrock dance floor on the pre-Easter Thursday, just proving Digweed is the man!



TRACKLISTING:
  • Erphun - Still crazy
  • Mohrr - Dirty Feet (Cid Inc remix)
  • Joseph capriati & Adam Beyer - Congenial Endeavour
  • Cormac - Narcosa (Jennifer Cardinis Visonquest remix)
  • Electric Rescue - Lili
  • Hall North - Levinas (Soulwerk remix)
  • Gabriel Ananda - In between
  • Aragorn - Nightshift
  • Marco Bailey & Tom Hades - Stars & shines
  • Andreas Hermanasson (Inkfish) - Detriot
  • Eelke Kleijn - Papillion
  • Luke Abbott - Brazil (slow version)
  • Microtrauma - Reflections
  • Phillip Bader - Dantz Boy
  • Alex Niggeman - Don't wait (Moodapella dub)
DOWNLOAD


The Edge of Oblivion
More of the same really, a full on, full tilt, full fat 2 hour techno mix. During the summer I took part in a  24 hour marathon of music over a weekend featuring 6 DJ's from England and 6 from Holland, which came together as one big great weekend broadcasting across the interweb.

For all those that like their techno, well this one for you non stop from start to finish.. 



TRACKLISTING:

  • Erphun - Still Crazy
  • Detroit Grand Pubhahs - Nvrsaynvr
  • Slam & Gary Beck - Verto
  • Alan Fitzpatrick -Always something for nothing
  • Secret Cinema & Kalden bess - Bam Bam
  • Dustin Zahn & Edit Select - Tunnels 
  • Joseph Capriati & Adam Beyer - Congenial Endeavour
  • Adam Beyer & Alan Fitzpatrick - Human Reason
  • Marc Romboy -The overture (Egbert remix)
  • Maelstrom - USSR
  • Joseph Capriati & Adam Beyer - Rubicon
  • Alan Fitzpatrick - Xenomorph
  • Miki Litvak - Pollinator (gary beck remix)
  • Bodyscrub - Kalnedula (miniminds remix)
  • Paolo Mojo - All night alright (Manuel  de la mare remix)
  • Andrew K - The doppler effect (Max cooper remix) 
  • Marc Romboy Vs Stephan Bodzin - Triton (Gaisers Trial tone remix)
  • Minolgue -Space (Radio slave Panorama Garage remix)
  • Alter Ego - Why not (Tim Deluxe remix)
  • Einmusik - Atl Antis
  • Bushwacka! & Just be - West side (Christian Smith & Webbha remix)
DOWNLOAD

Part 2 to follow for 2011 in the next month or so, feel free to comment on any of the mixes, cheers for listening and enjoy Paul :D



Friday 25 January 2013

January from me...

Well its 2013 and as Rob said things are changing for the better, new year, new projects and new events in the coming months too come. One of the biggest changes of 2013 is how we deliver our monthly mixes.

From now really until the death of our Soundcloud account reverts back to standard we will be publishing all our mixes, along with that all important tracklisting here on this blog, along with a handy player and a download link, what more could you ask for, certainly not Soundcloud's expensive and over bloated eye saw of a platform to deal with.





















For me the end of 2012 was somewhat quiet and an even quieter start to the New year, however like Rob the rest of the year will start to gather pace with two events in the bag already, Bedrock Easter party... and Involv3r release party which has been one of the most anticipated events in the last 12 months.

Later in the year, theres a good chance that myself and Rob will check out ADE 2013 in October, as I seem to think we have promised ourselves on than one occasion, not to mention the ever mad Awakenings event just to see how the dutch smash it up!!!


Myself and Rob will be making the journey down to the capital ( I will be there from Thursday evening for Bedrock) for a full on weekend smashing up Easter right from the very start, here's one of many suspected Involv3r tracks, but we will only know come Easter Saturday at Gaunt Street.



This months and first mix of 2013 was inspired by a visit to York for New Year, a truly great city with even better company, even if the weather wasn't the greatest, so sit back, relax and enjoy a Deep House bonanza to soothe away those winter blues away...



 Tracklsting:
  • Mario Basanov - We are child of mine (mekanism remix)
  • Chris Malinchak - These dreams
  • Kaiserdisco - Menon
  • Slideshow Park - Shining (Phonique remix)
  • Mario Basanov - Up
  • Freakme & HunterGame - Sea of Love
  • Phonique - Vincent Price (Dub)
  • H.O.S.H. & Mistress Barbara - Finally mine (gorge remix)
  • Solumun & Jamie Woon - Shoulda Watching you (Steve R Edit)
  • Human Woman - Delusional (Gus Gus intrumental)
  • Booka Shade - Numbers (Club mix)
  • Gus Gus - Within you (Veiran Dub drop)
  • Roland Clark & X-press 2 - Let Love decide (Art Department remix)
  • Luke Abbot - Brazil (Slow version)
Download        

cheers for listening and see you on the dance floor, Paul :D

Sunday 20 January 2013

January 2013 - Newyear Entry for Rob2Paul

Hey Folks,

Happy NewYear




Well went to Hardtimes, Music was outstanding, big thankyou to all the Hardtimes folks, Leeds was awesome, here is the moments I captured,





Robert Owens played a really good session on the decks and also smashed out an epic live PA session, great part about this for me was that I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to capture a full 6 mins of the actual Live act, simply awesome,  Owens was really in the zone...





Next on for Hardtimes is a trip to London for the 3 Kings, not sure if I can make that one yet but never say never, found out last week that Danny Krivit will be at the Warehouse in Leeds in February, which has got me very excited indeed, well who knows what will happen before Saturday but this will be a good night for sure :-)






















After Christmas and into the new-year then it started with a bang, a few new tunes from some of the early Sasha sets, deep house was all a wash and after watching the sets from Never Say Never Sasha was on the prowl again once more, getting ever closer to that release date for the Involv3r Album sometime in the new-year I had the pleasure of playing a gig with Lee Softley of Blue Amazon and Convert Recordings.
















Lots to look forward to already then, the Retro Scene is still booming up here in the North as ever and it was nice to See a local Lancs lad from up this way burst into the limelight after he became an internet sensation with his keyboard and piano classics, nice work there Davos, most people have seen the footage by now I guess but for those that have not here it is again, In addition there is another bit of footage I found on the tube, amazing what people power does...... :-)






This post below was put out by Davos when things started to gather pace and the media & sun newspaper got involved....

Davos - Makes it Big - Read More..............





The next Retro party  is already proper planned and looks very well organised tickets are about all sold! its  at the Musiquaruium a retro night with Brad Kells @Joy loads going on in Leeds, this is a smaller venue and I have heard great things.

As I attended some of these nights I was not a regular at these events and it will be a good opportunity to see this one in full flight, Looking forward to going over and support Brad the Joy night  February 23rd, and do a write up.





But until then, Paul & I decided to travel further out towards the coast and I got the call to play out in Scarborough for my birthday with Lee Softley (Blue Amazon) Nic & Toby from Method and it was a really good positive gig, nice to see so many new people and have a good old smashup in North Yorkshire :-)


















In Scarborough I was lucky to have access to the Funktion One at Vivaz, and it was lovely to meet up with various people from Leeds and locally in Scarborough, Ian Ossia is to play next month, should be a good night again and already a buzz about Renaissance when Ian Ossia is in town love it!!!  :-)


Lots to look forward to then already and its only January.

In other news both Paul & myself had some big discussions before Christmas with our music subscription to Soundcloud, and we have worked together on a project to consolidate and cut our losses, as personally we feel that it is an over-hyped, overpriced piece of crap which everyone seems to think is where its at, but after discussions about prices and what you are getting for your money, the hideous new layout and all the downtime it has, we are gonna pull the plug on Sound-cloud as our main music provider, no doubt we will have a basic account with about 3hrs or so, but in the main it will all be found here to listen & download, with track-listings and other stuff we might like to share, Fuck Em, we are gonna have a crack at doing it ourselves... :-)


Also it would appear from the Copyright issues we have been getting after posting a mix on Soundcloud even when all the tracks have been purchased, it suggests they don't want DJ's on there really which is a bit rubbish so another reason why we are kicking it in the bollocks and leaving it for dead....







Below  is an article about Soundcloud also which makes for interesting reading and set the ball rolling a few years back when we saw and first started experiencing this awful service, what is even more annoying is that people are actually selling likes and can for a fee get you so many thousand plays on soundcloud, well we don't need it, and deffo would not pay for it either, in a word absolutely shocking enjoy the article below... ;-).....


Why You should   NOT    Use Soundcloud



Well enough about the Sound Cloud negative aspects and on to other news, January sees the Launch this week of Nick Warrens Entry to the Renaissance Masters Series


I have already put out a Renaissance Masters Series Mix from the last batch of tracks by Hernan Cattaneo which were absolutely superb, Below is my entry which I managed to upload onto YouTube without too much Hassle over Copyright however it is blocked in some countries??? but here you go!






In Regard to the new Nick Warren mixes & tracks me and Paul have spoken briefly about this and I will keep giving it a listen, as the first part is very sound garden and down-tempo, this I would definitely say is a signature mix of Nick but got to give it some more ear time, I have now all the tracks and will do some mixes of my own soon enough and post


The other part of the Mix on CD 2 to which I have not checked out yet are some clips below, its more upbeat and a lot more like the Warren we know I guess if you did not know about his Sound-garden sessions,


for more on this latest release see here:



Well what do you know! I just found out this week that the Garage in Leeds have the pleasure of Andrew Wetherall and Leeds own Ralph Lawson, so I decided to buy a ticket, its been many years since I have seen Andy Wetherall & last saw Ralph Lawson Play with Sasha @Basck2Basics at Victoria Works in 2009 so it will be a fantastic night can't wait for this one :-)




Always loved some of Britain's finest DJ's and these two are amazing live, Wetherall has a new Album coming out early February too here is a cut from it...




I love all the eclectic taste of Andrew Wetherall, here is a recent mix that he did on the BBC live at 6 series....





Ralph Lawson over the years has delivered some quality productions and as a Leeds Back2Basics Resident he has played some really fantastic parties there and in London, here is a Mix I particularly liked from we love Space in Ibiza always plays great sets both in the UK and abroad....




well if that is still not enough for you I have just uploaded the Live Set I did in Scarborough for Method @Vivaz....





Well below is the Mix and there is also a link if you would like to download it also, track-listing is included for you to mull over Enjoy folks.


Tracklsting:
  • 1.Good Love Sweet Love (Shadow Child Remix)
  • 2.Her Song
  • 3.Back to Basics (GR1N Remix)
  • 4.Flashmob - NInety Five (Dirty Channels Remix) (D. Gudinin
  • 5.Layo & Bushwacka! - Raw Defined (Aidan Lavelle Remix)
  • 6.Calling Me [School]
  • 7.Graffios (Wehbba Remix)
  • 8.Everything feat. Meggy (Mark Fanciulli Remix)
  • 9.Regrets We Have No Use For feat. Name One (Original Mix)
  • 10.Lazer Beams (Original Mix)
DOWNLOAD LINK
So I might See you about somewhere Stay Safe Folks..... Enjoy the music
Rob 2013.......... :-)