Skrillex‘s eclectic Essential Mix spurred all manner of reactions from various dance music factions, and his included bootleg of a track by UK techno producer Blawan has continued to generate conversation days after Mr. Moore left the BBC studios. As his underrated Burial-inspired Leaving EP indicated, Skrillex is exploring new sonic territory. Just as his time spent with deadmau5 contributed the plucky chords on “All I Ask of You,” Skrillex is clearly channeling a bit of current Dog Blood collaborator Boys Noize on this bootleg. From the robotic gulping bass to the stuttering electro sample stabs, this rework has Mr. Ridha’s influence written all over it. And you know what? There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. Creative cross-pollination is one of the prime driving forces in today’s dance music, and as an extremely talented producer with six Grammys to his name, Skrillex has more than earned the right to spread his artistic wings and explore.
Early next week, BBC Radio 1 will be exploring the history and importance of the 808, 303, and 909 drum machines for their Stories program. The show will highlight the instrumental role these tools played in the development of hip-hop, house, techno, and their many accompanying subgenres. DJ Premier, Richie Hawtin, Seth Troxler, The 2 Bears, Flosstradamus and Pete Tong among others will join host Kutski for this edition of Stories. BBC Radio 1 has shared some snippets from the show, which is set to air on March 11th at 9PM. Check out the previews below and be sure to tune in for what will likely be an important history lesson.
On this past weekend’s Essential Mix, Hamburg-based Tensnake took over the decks for 120 minutes of what could quite simply be described as a whole lot of fun. Tensnake has been producing for over ten years, but has popped up in popular consciousness with the heavily rotated “Coma Cat” and more recent campy 90s revivalist track “Mainline” with Syron (of which you can watch a live performance at Cafe Mambo Ibiza here). If we’re looking at the sliding scale of genres between disco and house, Tensnake’s Essential Mix lies somewhere between Todd Terje, French Express, and Bicep — layering major elements from both canons of sound while still keeping a steady eye on more modern tropical melodies.
Following up an Essential Mix from the legendary Eric Prydz is no easy task, but if there’s anyone to do it, it’s 23-year-old Matan Zohar, better known as Mat Zo. Having made a name for himself in both the house and trance worlds with gorgeous productions such as “Easy” and “The Sky,” it’s easy to forget Zohar’s drum ‘n’ bass alter ego MRSA. With both aliases in mind, it was impossible to predict what Mat Zo had in store for his 70-track BBC Radio 1 debut.
Best of the Rest is a daily feature from Dancing Astronaut that recaps the most important posts of the day as well as the stuff we didn’t get to. With the rapidity that dance music news and releases come out it’s difficult for us to hit everything — we hope BOTR serves as a catch-all. Make sure to check it out at the end of each day to ensure you don’t miss anything!
This week, Hardwell stopped by the BBC Radio 1 Studios to get behind the decks of Pete Tong‘s Radio 1 broadcast. Recently voted the 6th Best DJ in the World by the infamous DJ Mag poll, this Holland-based producer has been putting out electro/big room hybrids since he first got his start in 2007. In the last 2 years, with tracks like “Spaceman” and collaborations with Tiesto and Nicky Romero, Hardwell has seen a meteoric rise to superstardom, one that was fueled by his bootleg-heavy sets and the type of indescribable style that he himself proclaims as “Hardwell music.”
On his Essential Mix, Hardwell showcases his prowess for dismantling and reassembling familiar tracks with surprisingly unique results. Countless bootlegs and mash-ups, like his combination of REM’s “Losing My Religion” with “Three Triangles,” make up the foundation of the mix. Featuring cuts from his own Revealed Recordings artists and his upcoming track “Apollo,” Hardwell’s Essential Mix is big room at its best. If there was any doubt that his placement at #6 was ill-deserved, this Essential Mix should squelch the non-believers.
Thomas Gold has firmly cemented himself in the hallowed halls of dance music history with his very first Essential Mix for BBC Radio 1. Showcasing his innate ability for creating delicately balanced mixes, the German music-auteur stormed BBC’s airwaves last night with a barrage of exclusive cuts including the debut of his remix of OneRepublic’s “Feel Again.” Known for his incredible mash-ups, Thomas wastes no time before jumping into a slew of unique sonic combinations on his Radio 1 debut. The mix is one of Thomas’s best to date and marks a milestone achievement in the German producer’s career.
Dancing Astronaut favorite, Thomas Gold, will be premiering his first Essential Mix this Friday on BBC Radio 1. This achievement marks a milestone in the prolific producer’s career, joining the illustrious list of top-tier DJs that have come before him. Be sure to tune in early as Thomas plans to debut some brand new tracks, including an exclusive from Daddy’s Groove, a special version of “In My Mind” and his brand new remix of One Republic’s “Feel Again.”
ssential Mix. Since then Netsky has gone on to release a second album and has become one of the biggest names in drum and bass. With tracks from the likes of Danny Byrd, Sigma, Brookes Brothers and DJ Fresh blended together seamlessly, Netsky crafts a mix that is up there with our all time favorites. Sit back and enjoy two hours of the finest liquid drum and bass on offer brought to you by the Belgian prodigy.
Click after the break for the mix and tracklisting.
Any given Afrojack liveset is sure to include a number of unreleased, untitled, (and probably) unfinished tracks, and Nick Van De Wall likes keeping us in the dark on new releases until he is good and ready. Last time we went through this cycle, we ended up with “Rock The House,” a huge banger that was first debuted at Ultra, and then teased again and again until its eventual release in mid July.
Well, Afrojack has revealed another ID track, this time with the temporary name “Annie’s Theme” — fitting for Annie Mac’s BBC Radio 1 show where the track was most recently showcased. The song, which has followed a similar debut pattern as “Rock The House,” is a standard Afrojack affair, complete with bleeps, bloops, and lots of whizzing and scratching. Nick says that “it’s a piece of music… it doesn’t need a name,” but we’re sure it’ll get something fitting when it is eventually released. Listen to the preview below, and let us know what you think in the comments.
