Essential Mix Review: Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano deliver on overdue ‘Future Stars’ nod
New York City party goers — late-night Pacha faithful in particular — will attest that the ‘Future Stars’ label is coming a few years delayed. Even festival attendees from sunny South Beach to rural Belgium will agree that the duo have been ‘stars’ on their radar for some time. But either way you slice it, no one will object to a two-hour mix from Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano.
As Pete Tong jump starts 2014 with a series of Essential Mixes for ‘Future Stars,’ this past weekend’s honors came hand selected by Steve Angello. With a bright-shining spotlight upon them, Sunnery and Ryan made delivering a should-be definitive two-hour mix appear as child’s play. From start to finish, the duo’s selection plays through as if routine, seamlessly pedalling through signature sounds.
Those becoming acquainted with Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano will find their meet-in-the-middle attitude to be the perfect storm of traditional house and modern sonic attitude. For others already familiar with the pair, their Essential Mix is crafted to fall comfortably into the fold of plunging tribal and echoing electro, where percussion curates a melting pot for genres.
Browsing through the tracklist some selections will come across as high-profile, but they’re improvised in the same taste as the more refined house tunes. Where Sunnery and Ryan hit the ground running, the journey begins and doesn’t let up for the full two hour span. Early greetings with Wayne & Woods’s “Favela” and Kryders “Tarzan” build on the instantly set vibe, and onwards the mix would flow.
Sunnery and Ryan match their in-person charisma with mid-mix nods and winks to long-time fans in dropping their mega-collaboration with Nicky Romero “S.O.T.U.” as crossed with “Jack,” and an exclusive mash up of Joe Brunning’s “Let Me See You Work” that draws on the primacy of their live sets.
Presented naturally, few tracks could be considered ‘standout’ without having necessarily standing out when executed. More so considerable in retrospect, Norman Doray’s “Filtre,” Max Vangeli and Danny Ray’s forthcoming “Grim,” and Sunnery and Ryan’s very own “Stiffness” are flaunted as the Essential Mix’s very own bedrock.
Continuing with exclusives, the duo offered up an edit including “I Could Be The One” without drifting from the ongoing rhythm, a recut of Tony Romera’s “Hey Bean,” along with the debut of their latest production, “Circus,” a collaboration with Ariyan due for Musical Freedom.
So rarely will one find a mix non-discriminatory to venues or tastes, aloof from purists, transcendent enough to sit well with all admirers of “the groove.” Sunnery James and Ryan Marciano carry out this feat effortlessly, turning an impressive moment into an ‘another day in the office’ ordeal. Their nonpartisan omnipresence has been no secret, but Steve Angello finally opened Pandora’s box in introducing (or reacquainting) Sunnery and Ryan with the eager ears of today.
Tracklist:
Yves V – Manga x We Play House (Acapella) [DOORN]
NDKj – Raw Song (DJ Chus Iberican Remix) [Recovery House]
Roman Flügel – More & More & More [Clone Jack For Daze]
Wayne & Woods – Favela [Cr2 Records]
Maarcos – Blaze (Dirty South Edit) [Phazing]
Kryder – Tarzan [White Label]
Fedde Le Grand – Metrum (Umek Remix) x Funkerman – Speed Up (Acapella) [Toolroom Records]
Karim Haas – Pussy Riot [Synergy Recordings]
Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano & Nicky Romero – S.O.T.U. x Breach – Jack [Size Records]
Sick Individuals – Pepper x Fatboy Slim – Eat Sleep Rave Repeat (Acapella) [One Love]
Thomas Gold & Kaelyn Behr – Remember [Actone Records]
Joe Brunnin vs. Bob Sinclair – Let Me See You Work vs. Sea Lion Woman (SJRM Mash Up) [White Label]
Norman Doray – Filtre (Chocolate Puma Remix) [LE7ELS]
Max Vangeli & Danny Ray – Grim [Size Records]
Calvin Harris & Alesso – Under Control (Feat. Hurts) [Columbia]
Ivan Gough & Jebu – Noxu [White Label]
Congorock & Nom De Strip – Minerals [Ultra]
Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano & Chocolate Puma – Stiffness [X Rec]
MONSTA – Messiah (Dirty South Remix) [Polydor]
R3hab & Avicii & Nicky Romero – Rip It Up (Edit) vs. I Could Be The One (Dubvision Remix) (SJRM Mash Up) [White Label]
John Dish – Homme [Flamingo Records]
Steve Angello & Matisse & Sadko – SLVR [Size Records]
Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, DubVision & Zedd – Triton x Clarity (Feat. Foxes) (SJRM Mash Up) [White Label]
Tony Romera – Hey Bean (SJRM Recut) [Megaton Records]
Jaz Von D – Fear of Silence x Make a Choice (Acapella) [White Label]
Axwell & Sick Individuals – I Am [Axtone Records]
Arty, Matisse & Sadko – RIOT (SJRM Recut) [Spinnin Records]
Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano, Erick Morillo, Harry “Choo Choo” Romero & Jose Nuñez – Jungle Blood [Subliminal Records]
Sebjak, Marcus Schössow & Florence + the Machine – Liceu vs. Spectrum (Sebastian Ingrosso Edit) [White Label]
Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano & Ariyan – Circus [White Label]
Marcus Schössow, Alesso & One Republic – Reverie (Michael Calfan Remix) vs. Lose My Self (SJRM Mash-Up) [White Label]
ID – ID [White Label]
ID, Sebastian Ingrosso & Tommy Trash – ID x Reload (Acapella) (feat. John Martin) [White Label]
Mark Knight & Funkagenda – Man With The Red Face (Hardwell Remix) [Toolroom Records]
Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano – Lethal Industry [Spinnin’ Records]