A thunderstorm is coming – and it’s made of Breakbeats.

Nerditional information:

I have long been a fan of Breakbeats, especially of the particular flavor that I play in this mix: Nu Skool Breaks. I don’t know why, but this sound is strongly dominated by UK-based artists. In a way, this is strange because it mixes well will Techno and Tech-House, but I have the impression that the Brits are especially crazy for Breakbeats while this is pretty much an underground style almost everywhere else.

Adam Freeland’s “We Want Your Soul” is one of the few dance tracks with a clear political message. I love this track for making a statement in a creative and original way while still kicking ass.

It’s probably only a coincidence that “Rave Is Kind” has a very similar vocal style, but that made it the perfect second track in this mix.

The Prodigy have been one of my favorite bands since my teenage years and have influenced me a lot. However, you can rarely hear them in DJ sets, probably because they typically don’t release their tracks in a DJ-friendly format with long intro and outro parts. I am still impressed with the energy in their music, and their last album was definitely one of their better ones. This is also where the track “Thunder” comes from.

Tracklist:

1. Freeland – We Want Your Soul
2. FUKKK OFFF – Rave Is King (Le Castle Vania Remix)
3. Krafty Kuts – Tim Deluxe
4. Evil Nine – Set It Off
5. Far Too Loud – You Know The Sound
6. Nasty Tales – Come On-A My House
7. PMT – Gyromancer (Stanton Warriors Remix)
8. Le Castlevania – Trouble In Daylight (LA Riots Remix)
9. Smithmonger – The Dark
10. NAPT – Make My Day
11. The Prodigy – Thunder

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27518426@N03/3507674312/ // CC-by-nc-nd

However, what I mean right now is the new release by Daniel Bovie & Roy Rox feat. Nelson called “Love Me”.
While the original was already released in 2009  on the legendary House label Stricly Rhythm, there is now a re-release of that track with fresh remixes by the equally legendary ATFC.
I have to admit that the original is a little bit cheesy for my taste, but the remixes certainly kick ass! I like this blend of soulful vocals and edgy sounds a lot.

And best of all: Thanks to Mathouse Records (the label that releases the remix on vinyl),  I was allowed to offer you one of the remixes as a free download.

Daniel Bovie & Roy Rox feat. Nelson – Love Me (ATFC Soultek Vocal)

If you like the track, you can buy the other two versions on vinyl from deejay.de or juno .

Oh, and here’s the video for the original:

It’s not a new phenomenon that people with a similar taste in music like to set themselves apart from people with different tastes.
However, with music being such an emotionally important aspect of many people’s lifes, there are certain diverging powers that result from this.

I would like to spin a few thoughts about what effects these powers have and conclude this article with some ideas on how things could be better for all of us.

“Normal” music

There are quite a few people who simply describe their taste in music as “normal”. Those people are happy with whatever the radio plays and they like to dance to songs they know.

Many people with more unusual tastes in music scoff upon those people. In their opinion, they have no style or taste. Having played on quite a few mainstream events as a DJ, I would disagree with that. I think that this has more to do with wanting to be part of a community with music being a shared cultural aspect. We are social creatures, so this is perfectly understandable.

The curse of being different

On the other hand, a lot of people don’t like listening to “normal” music. Many of those cultivate their own tastes, be it Techno, Drum&Bass, Jazz, Salsa or whatever.

It can be a real curse to have a taste in music that is even just slightly different from the mainstream. I have witnessed this myself too many times: If you live in a rural area or small town, there just is no choice when you want to go out. There are a few pubs, maybe even a small club playing “normal” music, and that’s it.

The problem is that if you have a musical taste that is not mainstream, the mainstream does not care about you. If you go to a “normal” disco or club, they will probably not just play less of your favorite music (which would at least be democratic) but they will probably not play it at all.

Musical ghettos

If you live in a big city or if you have the found the right websites, the chances are good that you will actually find quite a few people who share your taste.
You like Techno? There’s plenty of Techno parties and online-radios dedicated to that. You dig Drum&Bass? No problem. You are a Goth? There are lots of places to celebrate your dark side with like-minded people.

This is what a lot of people are used to today. You just find your own musical ghetto and stay there.

However, there are a couple of downsides to that approach. Many people also have friends outside of their scene and want to go out with them, too. I also have the impression that as people grow older, their preferences pretty much stay the same but they become less religious about them. Staying in your own musical ghetto can be quite an effort, and not everybody is willing to spend that effort.

How can you tolerate what you don’t know?

One big issue on all sides is also a lack of knowledge about other groups. It can be quite hard to stay up-to-date on the latest sub-culture trends, and the mainstream is not exactly static either.

If you just listen to whatever is on the radio, how can you know that there is so much different stuff that you might like? And if you are into Dubstep, how could you know that there is a lot of slow-grooving Rock music that kicks your ass as well? If you stay in your musical ghetto, you will probably never find out.

Tolerance starts with understanding that people can be different from yourself in various ways – but many people don’t even know where exactly other people can be different.

Leaving your comfort zone

I have no solution for these dilemmas, but I do have a couple of ideas.

If you have friends who like things that are different from what you like, it might be better to not settle for the lowest common denominator. Instead, why shouldn’t people take turns in deciding which event or venue to visit? I can only recommend going somewhere you normally wouldn’t go – this can be the most remarkable experiences.

I also wonder why DJs often stick to one style. Even if a DJ has a broad musical taste, he/she is often expected to stick to one style. I never understood why this had to be this way. Why can’t DJs be more flexible and play Techno, Salsa, Jazz, Dubstep and Rock in one set? I have already heard this a few times, and also done this myself. It is doable.

Of course, this requires an open-minded audience – and this is where everyone can play their part.

You can control this body using a couple of buttons on the bottom of the page. Thereby anyone can perform hilarious dance movements and show them to their friends. The song “Fuldans” is the soundtrack to that website, and the band asks returning visitors to buy the song or donate a few bucks.

I think this is a perfect example on promoting music over the internet. While the song itself is nice, it wouldn’t attract a lot of listeners by itself. However, by cleverly connecting the music with a viral marketing tool, the song has been heard (and probably bought) by many, many people. Congratulations to the band!

Oh, and of course you can see me dance, too.

In some rare cares, you can find true deepness in House music. This kind of music just makes you think, dream or simply dive into the music. This music can make you smile and cry at the same time, it is music that you truly feel. It took me a while to compile this mix since that kind of music is rare, but I am happy to share this with you today.

Nerditional Information: I hadn’t planned this, but this mix contains a lot of music from Cologne, the city I live in. It starts with a beautiful piece by Jeannel that includes a cello and a piano – all played by herself.

We then have two tracks featuring Alison Degbe, a fascinating singer who shines both in House and in Jazz.

Leschet&Wilde are from Cologne as well, and their live acts are certainly something worth seeing as they usually perform a mix of deep electronic tunes, Rock and lots of crazy ideas.

Finally, we have CJ Masou’s You Told Me in a nice remix by Chris Summer - both have already been featured here, and I still like their combination of acoustic and electronic sounds a lot.

Tracklist:

1. Jeannel  – 66 hpm (Henson Remix)
2. Jürgen Paape feat. Alison Degbe – Come Into My Life
3. Alex B. Groove feat. Alison Degbe – You Make Me (Extended)
4. Mr. Rain – Sleepless
5. Solomun/Trickski – Black Rose (Trickski Remix)
6. Leschet&Wilde – Autummatik (Ryan Halifax Remix)
7. Scissor Sisters – Invisidub
8. Quike – The Freak House
9. Dual Deep – In Love (Mostklik Silk Mix)
10. Faithless – Sun To Me (Gui Boratto Remix)
11. CJ Masou – You Told Me (Chris Summer Remix)

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/khear_alipala_07/3775074138/ // CC-by

Nerditional Information:

First of all, I would like to thank my friend Lumenatic for the photo! Check his blog if you are interested photography nerdism.

Paul Kalkbrenner has been getting a lot of attention lately for his appearance in the awesome movie Berlin Calling. The track “Train” that I used in this mix also played in the movie: Paul is shown recording the noise of a closing tram door and using it for a track.

This is probably the first time that I am using a Britney Spears track in a mix, but only because Wolfgang Gartner saved this one. Maybe she simply has been having the wrong producers so far?

Anyway, one woman that I am proud to present in this mix is Uffie from the Ed Banger crew who has just released a new album.

Since I am a big fan of mashups, I am glad to one of those rare cases where a mashup actually is releases officially: I don’t know how Meck managed to convince Madonna and Felix, but congratulations for this one!

Tracklist:

1. Paul Kalkbrenner – Train
2. Tim Berg – Bromance
3. Deux  – Same Way
4. Kelis – Acapella (Acid Washed Remix)
5. Kurd Maverick – Blue Monday (Vandalism Remix)
6. Discoblaster vs. Rodeofunk
7. Meck – Feels Like A Prayer (Jean Elan Remix)
8. Snap – Rhythm Is A Dancer (Armand Van Helden Remix)
9. Britney Spears – 3 (Wolfgang Gartner Extended Remix)
10. Uffie – ADD SUV (Carte Blanche HMV APC BTW mix)
11. The Virgins – Rich Girls (Le Castle Vania’s Spring Break No Parents Remix)
12. Meck – Feels Like A Prayer (Jean Elan Remix)
13. Karami and Lewis – Electronic Phunk

There is a lot of good music out there, but occasionally I find a piece of music that is more than just good. Pretty Lights is such an example. They’re not just good. They’re jaw-dropping.

It’s certainly not the first time that I hear a blend of HipHop beats, funky guitars and a lot of sampling, but it’s rare to hear something that is so well-produced, dynamic and inspiring. There is just so much happening in those tracks that they truly stand out from most electronic music productions – and it’s a miracle how those those tracks are danceable and relaxed at the same time. I listened to the “Spilling Over Every Side” EP today during breakfast with my girlfriend, but I could also very well imagine listening to this in a club.

For example, while “Look Both Ways” starts as a relaxed Breakbeat track, it evolves into a Dubstep track, then moves towards Deep House and back again. My favorite track “High School Art Class” stays on a laid-back HipHop groove all the time, but starts with sweet piano melodies and then shows some serious scratching and heavy basslines.

And the best thing: You can download every track they ever released for free from the official Pretty Lights website.
However, I suggest donating a few bucks using the PayPal button on the site. I already donated, and the music’s definitely worth it.

If you want to get a quick impression on how this sounds, you can listen to this DJ mix containing only tracks by Pretty Lights.

Jaycut can certainly be considered a driving force within the German Drum&Bass (DnB) scene. Not only does he organize the monthly PLAY! parties in Cologne, but he is also the head behind the hugely popular website drumandbass.de .

I met with him to talk about the state of the German DnB scene, the rise of Dubstep and UK Funky and his personal history in music. Let’s start with a DJ set by Jaycut. He released this one under his other pseudonym “Jon Automata” which shows his love for Dubstep, UK Funky, Bassline House and related genres:

“I started DJing at the Basswerk parties in Cologne a couple of years ago. However, as I started to work on more and more things on my own, it became obvious that I had to start doing my own party series. I was running a web TV show called Broken Beatz TV with a friend at that time and we invited DnB artists into our show every week and had them play at our party after that. This is where our PLAY! parties evolved from.”

Over the years, Jaycut has gotten to know quite a few people that are as crazy about music as he is. While I had the impression that he is a busy man who knows what we wants and how to throw a good party, he mentions a lot of supporters while we talk, including his DJ buddy Kolt Siewerts and the editors of Headliner Magazine, a DnB magazine that he occasionally features on his website.

While the worldwide Breakbeat and Drum&Bass scene is very much focussed on artists and releases from the UK, those styles are still pretty much an underground phenomenon on Germany. Unnoticed from the general public, there are quite a few well-frequented parties in many cities outside of the UK. This is also one of the reasons why Jaycut is not afraid of playing hits:

“A lot of DJs think they have to play the true underground stuff only, but that doesn’t really make sense to me. I like to play hits. I mean, this music is totally underground here anyway, so why shouldn’t I play the hits? Besides, it is still a big difference between a female vocal over a House beat and the same vocal over a Breakbeat. It just feels a lot less cheesy to me.”

The recent rise of Dubstep and UK Funky has resonated with many Drum&Bass players as well, and Jaycut is no exception here. While his PLAY! events still focus on fast Drum&Bass, his newer party series called 40Hz concentrates on bass-oriented music such as UK Funky, Fidget House and Dubstep. While those styles actually sound quite different from each other, Jaycut sees a clear connection here:

“It is all very bass-heavy music, and the beats are also very different from most Techno and House productions that people are used to. I think it’s great that these styles are gaining so much attention right now, because that also helps attract new audiences that wouldn’t normally go to a DnB party. I sometimes even notice people who actually look confused when I start playing DnB after playing slower beats. For me, those styles are not that far apart, but for many people this seems to be a new world.”

I think this might be a good opportunity to look back at the first half year of Sweet Headache and check what you liked best. Here are the Top 5 DJ sets according play.fm’s stats:

1. Snowball Fight

A lot of you seem to like Drum&Bass, and this playful DnB set came out on top.

2. Sweet Headache feat. The Discotizer

I hadn’t expected that only one guest set would be in the top 5, but The Discotizer definitely deserves it.

3. Rocket Science

OK, I got the message. You like Drum&Bass and you want to hear more of it. This is a wish that I am more than happy to grant…

4. Spring Fever

This is one of my favorite sets, too. What I like about it that it is very funky, but does not stay in one genre. I am actually happy to see that a lot of you like that, too, because I also love sets that are a little broader in their music selection.

5. Fireworks

This was actually an old set that I recorded before I launched Sweet Headache. I posted it once at the very beginning to test if everything is working, but it seems that this colorful mix of HipHop, Funk and Electronic sounds is indeed a good party soundtrack.

I had planned to create a Downbeat mix for a while. However, this mix is not your typical chill out-style mix, but something that sounds down-to-earth and alien at the same time. Based on straight HipHop grooves, it’s probably a good soundtrack to dust off your favorite smoking tool…

Nerditional information: Dadamnphreaknoizphunk used to be just a collection of Downbeat tracks by the Acid-Techno veterans Hardfloor. After two EPs that were so different from what they normally produce, they decided to separate their musical activities into these two projects. I have been a big fan of their Downbeat tracks for quite a while, and it is great to see how their original Acid-TripHop evolved over time. It started with just some TripHop beats and effected 303 sounds, but their latest album even has vocals. Love it!

Talking about TripHop, you can’t get around mentioning Massive Attack. Being (more or less) the inventors of that sound, it’s great to see that they’re still active and produce great material. However, their older releases (like the beautiful Teardrop) still sound fresh.

I got to know Dynamo Productions through their releases on Unique Records which was one of my favorite labels for quite a while. I have to admit that I lost track of their releases a while ago, but their Funky-HipHop-Breakbeat style still resonates with me.

Tracklist:

1. The Avalanches – Frontier Psychiatrist
2. Dynamo Productions – Back To Basics (Jimi Entley Sound Remix)
3. Dadamnphreaknoizphunk – Orange Crush
4. Spatnej Wliw – Den 9 (RMX Instrumental)
5. Erwin Lehn Orchestra and Stereo MCs – Color
6. Hardfloor – Dubdope
7. Röyksopp – Eple
8. Fever Ray – When I Grow Up (Version by Lissvik)
9. Massive Attack – Pray For Rain (Tim Goldsworthy Remix)
10. Dynamo Productions – Hey Yeah!
11. Kinobe – Summer In The Studio

Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rizzato/2435080104/ // CC-by-nc