Making mixes is pretty much like creating a new food recipe. With your palate, you taste, smell and touch each track and how they feel with each other. Upon your satisfaction, you start cooking it!

I create a playlist and bring as many tracks that fit the taste that I’m looking for. When I check on the playlist, they end up being 40+ tracks, 4+ hours long. It then goes through another filtering process that brings them down to 20. From that amount, I decide on the order, remove tracks that don’t work with others and in this case, brought the total count to 18.

The outcome is a nice blend of flavors and tastes for your ears. Hope you enjoy it!

Sharing is encouraged!

1. Mount Kimbie – Vertical
2. Flying Lotus – Tea Leaf Dancers
3. Massive Attack – Paradise Circus
4. Milosh – wrapped round my ways
5. Tycho – From Home
6. Lali Puna – Clearcut (Arovane Remix)
7. Coma – Sum 7:23
8. Four Tet – Reversing
9. Blue Sky Black Death – My Work Will Be Done
10. Emancipator – vines
11. DJ Cam – Show Your Love
12. Jose James – Park Bench People
13. Daft Punk – Make Love
14. Amy Winehouse – Some Unholy War
15. jj – Light
16. Grizzly Bear – Easier
17. J. Dilla – Track 13
18. Marvin Gaye – Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

Chillout Mixtape Numero Dos

15. Wilco – Wilco

I was not a fan of them before because honestly, I haven’t heard any of their previous albums. I decided to listen to their self titled album and I loved it. Song on mix: Sonny Feeling

14. Drake – So Far Gone

A free mixtape from a rather known unknown rapper named Drake. His singing style is more of an R&B singer, but don’t let this fool you, he can rap. His studio album was due in November but it was delayed. It doesn’t matter, he has a big challenge to top this mixtape that launched him to stardom. Song on mix: A Little Bit feat. Lykke Li

13. Brother Ali – US

This album was under the radar and I still think it is, but don’t be fooled, this is probably one of the best produced Hip-Hop albums in the past decade. I heard of this album on a reddit post. The post linked to a video preview of the album. Upon seeing this, that showed the recording sessions, it got me intrigued to listen to Brother Ali. Surely I was not disappointed. Don’t be fooled by his looks, he can rhyme. The beats and compositions are top notch. Worth checking out. Song on mix: Breakin Dawn

12. Taken By Trees – East Of Eden

I found of Taken by Trees on a gorillavsbear blog talking about one of my favorite Swedish groups, Studio. This album brings me to peace and makes time fly. This music will release your stress. Song on mix: Greyest Love Of All

11. Sub Focus – Sub Focus

I knew of this album for a long time before its release, but wow, it really surprised, in a completely pleasant way. This is labeled as a Drum & Bass album, but it’s more than that, it’s a great Electronic album. Sure, there is Drum & Bass, but there is Breakbeat, Techno, etc. Great dirty/clean basslines, great vocals, great everything. This album is full of energy. Song on mix: Could This Be Real

10. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion

Probably the first good album to be released in 2009 was MPP. I loved Strawberry Jam, but I enjoyed this one more. This is not an album for everyone, but I think it should be. The way I describe Animal Collective, is a beautiful chaos. Song on mix: Brothersport

9. Mos Def – The Ecstatic

Mos Def does not disappoint with this album. This was a better album than his previous one, not saying that it was bad, but this one is better. He got his shit together, came back to put together a great album. Song on mix: Casa Bey

8. Fever Ray – Fever Ray

The first solo album from Karin Dreijer Andersson, the female singer from the The Knife. A dark and haunting album, a style similar to Björk’s Medúlla album. This is very similar to the work that she has done with The Knife, a blend of scary voices, synth instruments with acoustic instruments. Worth a listen. Song on mix: Keep The Streets Empty (Live)

7. Zero 7 – Yeah Ghost!

It seems that duo producers Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker, decided to explore a new style for this album. It seems taking a big risk, since the album features singers that they haven’t worked on previous albums. Their risk was worth taking, this is a beautiful album. It has a trail of their work, but in a much refreshed sound. They bring singer, Eska Mtungwazi, Martha Tilston, Jackie Daniels and Rowdy Superstar. Everything was expecting Sia or Jose Gonzalez on this album, something that I was disappointed at first, but after a listen of the album, I was over it. Song on mix: Medicine Man

6. Jay-Z – The Blueprint 3

The highly anticipated Hip-Hop of 2009, The Blueprint 3 by Jay-Z. With collaborations with almost everyone. This album delivers great tracks like “Run This Town” and “Empire State Of Mind”, as well as others. I don’t like the flow of the album as a whole, but I do like most of its songs. Song on mix: So Ambitious feat. Pharrell

5. Phoenix – Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix

This was a very solid fifth album by the French band. This made them a pop band in the US market. Don’t be fooled by it’s new label, th album is very well produced, which inspired other artists to do remixes and release a whole album, which can also be included on this list. They are crazy good, and it’s scary to listen to Thomas Mars talk, he barely speaks english, but his singing is amazing. I recommend this album as well as the Remixes album. Song on mix: Love Like A Sunset Part 1

4. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest

Grizzly Bear might be a band worshipped by hipsters, but they can put beautiful melodies with beautiful words together, to create amazing ear candy. A mellow album overall, but very well produced. This is an album that I don’t have a problem to listen from beginning to end. Song on mix: Fine For Now

3. Kid CuDi – Man On The Moon: The End Of Day

After I heard his fan made mixtape album, I wanted to hear more from Scott. I instantly liked Kid CuDi, after listening to “Day N Nite”. Then his next big hit was “Make Her Say” (aka Poke Her Face), which I also instantly loved. I was excited to learn that one of my favorite musicians, Ratatat produced his first major album. “Pursuit of Happiness”, which features MGMT, it’s one of the best songs of 2009. Song on mix: Simple As…

2. The Xx – XX

I heard of this group from The Hype Machine lists. Initially I decided not to read who they were, just to listen to their music, and wow, just wow, it blew me away. Every song feels deep in emotion and feeling. It’s a beautiful sound that they this group of 20 year olds put together. Then I read it’s songs about sex (haha, awesome). Song on mix: Heart Skipped A Beat

1. Major Lazer – Guns Don’t Kill People… Lazers Do

This is an album that I kept hearing and reading about, but kept ignoring, I was a fool. I had mixed feelings on my first listening to this album, maybe my mood at the time. After a second listen, I haven’t being able to stop listening to it. Diplo and Switch collaborate in making this album, which seems like a new territory for them, but it clearly wasn’t. Diplo, having the M.I.A. Paper Planes fame, helped him to explore more of this afro-caribbean sound. They created this fictional character, which obviously you won’t take seriously, but you clearly have to take its music seriously. My favorite album of the year. Song on mix: Cash Flow feat. Jah Dan

To listen to it:
Albums of The Year

Update:
At the end of the year, I have noticed that the Internet becomes high school all over again. We tend to follow “the cool kids” of the Internet in regards with their music likings. I just have to say, that you have all the right to disagree with their lists and with my list. Have your own opinion on music, don’t let anyone tell you what’s good and what’s not, you make that judgement. Just be open in what they put up in the hopes you discover something you like. Cheers to a better music year in 2010.

Found on Google.

Its cooling down, Autumn is knocking on the door. Though I don’t feel the difference that drastic in beautiful South Florida, the rest of the Northern world does. I compiled a mix quite different from my other ones. This one is a relaxing and chilled one. It’s meant to bring peace whenever there is chaos around you. It should make your tea taste better. Enjoy!

Zero 7 – Count Me Out
Telefon Tel Aviv – life is all about taking things in and putting things out
The XX – Shelter
Boards Of Canada – Turquoise Hexagon Sun
Zero 7 – Ghost Symbol
M83 – Run Into Flowers (Midnight Fuck Remix By Jackson)
Burial – Fostercare
Benga – Emotions
Skream – Rutten
Karen O and the Kids – Lost Fur
Taken By Trees – Watch The Waves
jj – my hopes and dreams
Lake Heartbeat – Blue Planet
Nujabes – Reflection Eternal
Sébastien Tellier – L’Incroyable Vérité
Studio – Indo
Ratatat – Flynn
Air – African Velvet
Imogen Heap – Between Sheets (Instrumental)
Washed Out – Feel It All Around
Fleetwood Mac – Dreams (Mingus Rude edit)
Kid Cudi – Cudi Zone

Download here

In some sad news, DJ AM has passed away of an accidental drug overdose on August 28, 2009. Five days after throwing the first pitch for a Mets game. After what it seemed, he was rising up in his career, after cheating death once from an airplane crash. Releasing mixtapes to the public, doing big party events everywhere, being recognized everywhere he went, being in the upcoming DJ Hero game and to be dead all of a sudden. He was sure at the pinnacle of his career, a place that very few DJ’s have been. The feedback from other DJ’s have been that we lost an awesome and positive person (Diplo, A-Trak).

A curious fact: He was part of the group Crazy Town.

The following are some of mixes and mixtapes that he has put out. Enjoy them, they are full of fun music. Remember him for the music he put together, for the crowds that went crazy, I think he would have wanted it that way.

Elton Mixtapes
Fix Your Face Vol. 1DJ and Travis Barker
Fix Your Face Vol. 2DJ and Travis Barker Live at Coachella ‘09

Playlist:
Jack Beats – Get Down
Jason Sundstrom – Filth & Sex
The Disco Villains – Jason Sundstrom
Digiraatii – Blood On The Dancefloor
Kid Cudi feat. Kanye West & Common – Make Her Say (Afrojack Remix)
Drake – Best I Ever Had [DIGIRAATII REMIXX]
Likke Li – Little Bit (DEATH TO THE THRONE REMIX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Frankmusik – Confusion Girl (Russ Chimes Remix)
Wale – Chillin ft. Lady Gaga (The Knocks Remix)
M83 – Teen Angst (DEATH TO THE THRONE REMIX!!!!!!!!)
Passion Pit – Sleepyhead (Neo Tokyo Remix)
Frankmusik – 3 Little Words (Monsieur Adi Remix)
Jay-Z – D.O.A (Chase & Status Remix)

Enjoy!

Download