No really -- what's my point again?

Oh right: dance music! It's high time for a new mix.

Spotting Trains, Pushing Buttons

1. Lindstrøm - Take Me to the Metro
2. Hugg & Pepp - Hamster (Original Mix)
3. Sasse featuring Kiki - Losing Touch (Vocal Mix)
4. Alden Tyrell - Hills of Honolulu
5. Diskokaines - Lick the Alphabet (Take It Straight Edit)
6. Christopher and Raphael Just - Popper (Discotown Original)
7. Robyn - Crash and Burn Girl (Jesper Dahlbäck Remix)
8. Phonique - Bee
9. Jacktronix featuring Märtini Brös - Kitty Kitty Bang Bang (Anti Pub Märtini Brös Mix)
10. The Knife - We Share Our Mother's Health (Trentemøller Remix)
11. Tiefschwarz featuring Tracey Thorn - Damage (M.A.N.D.Y. Remix)
12. Ellen Allien and Apparat - Way Out (Robag Wruhme Vati Mafonkk Remikks)
13. Spank Rock - Chilly Will
14. Marc Romboy vs. Tommie Sunshine - Body Jack
15. Model 500 - No UFOs
16. Marcuss Mixx - Shake That Thing
17. Marc Romboy vs. Robert Owens / 2 AM-FM - I Need (Hugg & Pepp Remix) / Ace of Spades
18. Tomboy - I-U
19. Booka Shade - Pong Pang
20. Inner City - Good Life (Mike "Hitman" Wilson Mix)

Despite not saying much about it here, I have been listening to current dance music (and a lot of it). I decided a while ago that instead of posting an MP3 of every new song that grabs me with accompanying, dry commentary, I should combine them all in mix form. That's pretty much what's above (with some vintage Detroit techno thrown in). The idea is to let the music speak for itself, but since I have no self control, what follows are some further notes on where I'm coming from with this thing.

• I made this mix a few weeks ago, and so I've had the chance to road-test it. I mean that literally, as I've discovered that it's an awesome work-out mix (and really, that's usually my aim). I don't stick with just one style so as to avoid boredom (it moves from laid-back, disco-inflected stuff to Italo/hi-NRG revivalism to a bit of k-house to old-school Chicago throwbacks). I think constantly changing things up is key to creating a suitable soundtrack to aerobic exercise. Not that you need to work out or anything. You look great! Really.
• This is the first mix that I ever put together on the computer (I used Acid). For so long, I resisted doing this, opting only to make mixes via feeding my mixer to my computer and recording the stream live. I held onto the principle that "handmade" was the only way to go, basically because I have a lot of vinyl and I don't spin out a lot and so those records had to have some purpose. But, uh, that's kinda stupid, I've realized, especially since in almost every other instance in my life, I prefer the practical over the principle. And it turns out that I loved making this -- it's not as cut and dry as throwing some tracks together and hitting "save." I'm not saying that this is a showcase for any great skill of mine (it's just a showcase for my taste, really), but I do have a newfound respect for people who go the computer route. In fact, I loved using Acid so much to put this together that I think I might use it for all future mixes (or at least those in the foreseeable future), including planned follow-ups to my new jack swing and freestyle/booty mixes.
• However, I'm still a traditionalist when it comes to hearing music out, though -- I really believe that if you're being paid to play music that can be beatmatched or otherwise cut and mixed, and you aren't doing so, you need to retreat to your cave and practice more. There's a real arrogance to behold in dance and hip-hop DJs who lack the practical skill of mixing, and yet think that they should be playing music for a crowd anyway. As though their would-be superhuman taste is somehow better than the democracy of a jukebox!
• As far as the actual songs on this mix go, it took me five months of '06 to do it, but I finally found my favorite song of '05: Diskokaines' "Lick the Alphabet," which is a neo-hi-NRG song that supplants the vintage genre's gay-sex obsession (see Patrick Cowley's "Menergy") with dirty talk about cunnilingus. Princess Superstar masterminded this one and because of it, I'll never say anything bad about her again. Well, I'll try really hard not to, at least. Otherwise, my favorite part of this mix is the Knife-Tiefschwarz-Allien/Apparat stretch, as it combines three of my favorite remixes of the year into one suite (if you extend that to include the Spank Rock and Romboy, it becomes a stretch of my five favorite songs of the year). "Damage" is particularly mind-blowing. It's so awesome to hear Everything But the Girl's Tracey Thorn fit into a modern minimal house context that I forgive her completely for the "tragedy"/"travesty" rhyme.
• Since I did this a few weeks ago, it's already a little out of date. It kills me that I used the original version of Marcus Mixx's "Shake That Thing," and not the newly released Legowelt Mix, which is really similar in sound, just kinda more cut-up and jackier. All I can do to correct this is offer that remix here. The only pairing that could elicit more orgasmic tears than Legowelt doing Chi-house would be Mariah Carey doing Russ Meyer. And he's dead. Anyway, I didn't end up using the Legowelt remix, because I acquired it after I'd finished putting together mix and, as I explained to my friend, I could keep tweaking forever. I had to sort of just stop and not allow myself to alter it any more (it's the gift and curse of using a computer program to assemble a mix). He suggested that I rename the mix I Could Tweak Forever, but I didn't want to give people the wrong impression.
• If you've read/skimmed this far for a bigger picture of Winston in the birthday hat: shame on you! You don't care what I have to say about dance music and my journey through digital media? No?
• Fine. Here.

Comments

[Scout]

Thank you, Rich!!! I LOVE THAT CAT!

[Chris]

Happy Be-Lated Birthday, fourfour!

[anne500]

oh winnie be mine!

[mariaaaaa]

Oooh - I can't wait to listen! I need some workout inspiration - thanks Rich!

[Clare]

Rich, you are awesome! Thanks for the tunes, I'm totally kickin it here at the office today! And Happy B-Day FourFour!! Winnie looks great in the hat.

[Cath]

Kate pointed out to me your Paula Abdul gif was on AIM's home page yesterday. Oh, yeah I love the mix too.

[T]

Thanks for the mix!! Cat is cute too!

[Bill]

Et Tu Rich?

Spank Rock??

Uggggh...

[nOva]

"...but I do have a newfound respect for people who go the computer route..."

This is so obviously a hidden shout out to me. Could you be any more obvious? LOL!!

Luv ya! I'll DL when I get home...

[princemoney]

Rich i found your blog because of dance music and ive practicaly forgotten about how on point yr taste is. just overwhelmed with yr critical genius.

thanks for this awesome tape its exactly the same tracks i been feelin' and the right amount of classicism in it.

you gotta get with traktor, it made me a better dj in like 5 minutes and its soooo fun to use live. been using with vinyl for 4 years now and now ill be fucked if im gonna lug around a bag of records today. its just me and my supreme laptop bag now and im ready to roll.

[MizoFizo]

Wow, you've just given me 1hr19m46sec of long lasting pleasure! Bravo!

[Boobarella]

This mix is getting me through my afternoon sushi coma.

Muchas gracias y besos!

[Aaron]

I think I am in love with you. :|

[Silver Fox]

I dunno if you want to see this or not: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-0wKTC2bB8&feature=PlayList&p=BE61F0E753F4A773&index=0

Hehehe.

[Thesaurus Rex]

Aw, great pic of Winnie! That hat! Somewhere in Omaha, a raver is bare-headed on his birthday.

I am downloading and burning the mix now. This strikes me as great house-cleaning music. My dishes and carpets thank you!

[Andrew]

How are you liking Herbert's new album?

It's been making me really really happy. Especially "Harmonise."

[jeremy]

hot. hot. day-um that's hot. hadn't heard the mandy take on damage. obvs really, really good. neo-hi-nrg, you say . . . intriguing.
oh speaking of mandy, have you downloaded their no soap radio mix yet--almost as fun as yours.

[JVangelgirl]

Winston looks like a stuff animal..So cute.

[Steph]

I love the mix. I have been really obsessing the new Knife cd but that remix is amazing!

[rod]

between you and jockohomo i never really have to look for music anymore. you and he are my ying and yang.

[Rich]

Andrew -- I'm planning on putting something Herbert-releated up next week. "Harmonise" was the one that grabbed me immediately (I don't know why, but I always kinda get choked up at the "If you are the world, I am your people" part). But since really getting into it, "Those Feelings" has taken over as my favorite.

Dani's upcoming album is great, too!

[Rocco]

You Winston Tease.

Aka Pussy Tease

[brandy]

Oh Rich I heart you!
Now Im going to have to put all these on my ipod! Of course it will be in a seperate play list as these songs should remain together.
Im also teaching myself the fine art of photoshop.
This is a big step for me as I my current music selection is sad break up music, even though I haven't had a break up in 7 years.
I blame Morrissey.

[Abby]

You know what's weird? I don't know who any of these artists are.

~Abby

[Jess]

I scrolled right down...just like you said i would. Winston has what I call a "Batface"....it's so cute!