I really admire what some artists are doing with bass: Some just let it drone in the background, some let it wobble, distort it, toss it out, get it back in, let it rise from below to fill the whole spectrum and let it disappear again. This mix is dedicated to what I consider bass magic – creative uses of low frequencies. This is especially common in Dubstep, but there are many non-Dubstep artists who do cool stuff in that area, so I felt it would be a shame to restrict myself to one genre. This mix is cross-genre, wild and bass-heavy. Let the magic begin!

Skream is certainly one of the people who made Dubstep what it is today. I have to admit I am not a big fan of all of his productions, but the track “Phat Head” from his latest EP with Benga is pretty cool. By the way, you can get their Scion EP for free. Go get it!

Knife Party is a side project by Rob Swire and Gareth McGrillen from Pendulum and has been getting quite a bit of attention lately. Their relation with Pendulum probably helped, but their music is actually pretty good. “Fire Hive” reminds me a bit of Skrillex’s “First Of The Year”, but it’s definitely a banger.

I hadn’t heard about Buzzwak before, but this track is a great track for DJs: It starts with around 127 BPM, but it has a massive Dubstep-style break that can easily be pitched to 140 BPM, thereby allowing nice and smooth transitions between different styles. I have written about mixing tracks with different tempos before, and this one is a very nice example.

Tracklist:

• Fytch & Catpain Crunch feat. Carmen Forbes – Raindrops
• Skream – Phat Head
• Reso – Busted Crunk
• Knife Party – Fire Hive
• Flux Pavilion – Lines In Wax Ft. Foreign Beggars
• Dodge & Fuski – Aerophobia
• Vinja – Bombassador (Original Mix)
• Buzzwak – Mumbling Music (Access Denied Remix)
• HECKMANN, Thomas P aka DRAX LTD II – Amphetamine (Umek remix)
• Kioskvandalen – Unterwegs
• Porter Robinson – Say My Name
• Mord Fustang – Super Meat Freeze
• Midnight Conspiracy – Discord (The Chaotic Good Remix)
• Skrillex feat. Members of The Doors – Breakn’ a Sweat (Zedd Remix)
• Adele – Rolling In The Deep (Dirty Noise ‘Meets The Dubstep’ Remix)

Image: Stephen Poff // CC-by-nc-nd

The mix, “Terra Techno Salut”, consists of a combination of true oldschool techno, modern minimal/techno style and current austrian techno (by Robert Stahl).

As DJ, Robert Stahl is famous for powerful and outstanding Techno sets and his productions are a driving force for the austrian Techno scene.   As well, he is event manager of excellent parties in Corinthia and has founded the label Southbeat, based in Villach (Austria).

The intro track: “Felix Da Housecat vs. Pop Tarts – Money, Success, Fame, Glamor” is a critical statement to the turbo capitalistic society in the western world.

After 4 monotonous and pounding techno tracks (including “Robert Stahl – Beast – Promo”), the mix gets to the next level of “4 to the floor” with 3 pushing techno tracks: “Angy Kore – Get get up” +  “F.L.G. & F-Man – The Joker” + “Aka Aka – Woody Woodpecker”.

After this height, 3 fine techno tracks (including “Robert Stahl – Destination 34 – Promo”) bring back the straight bass and the following track: “Bodega – Someone like you (Adele edit)” moves the mix on to another level of “sweet sensations”, which stays for the next 3 tracks.

Finally, the mix calms down with the outro track: “Sbtrkt – Hold on (Siavash cold as ice remix)”.

Tracklist:

1. Felix Da Housecat vs. Pop Tarts – Money, Success, Fame, Glamor
2. Spectre – Sixteen Sins (Spartaque remix)
3. Miro Pajic – Moans (Alexi Delano remix)
4. Robert Stahl – Beast – Promo
5. Overloque – Night in Amsterdam
6. Angy Kore – Get get up
7. F.L.G. & F-Man – The Joker
8. Aka Aka – Woody Woodpecker
9. Robert Stahl – Destination 34 – Promo
10. Angy Kore – The Rim (Worakls remix)
11. Overloque – Blue Sugar
12. Bodega – Someone like you (Adele edit)
13. Sascha Braemer & Nicone – Thank you (Aka Aka remix)
14. Filtertypen – After Laughter
15. Sbtrkt – Hold on (Siavash cold as ice remix)

Image: Roberto Rizzato // CC -by-nc

I am a former vinyl maniac, buying 20 records every month, and since the beginning of 2010, I have started to explore the world of digital DJing.My first tought when I installed Traktor and spinned the scratch control record, was:

”Wooh! Now I have 10.000 new records to play!”

Never forget the basics, always begin from start and keep the roots of vinyl mixing. You have to know, the basic technique of vinyl mixing and the special sound that real records produce. But if you want to be called a DJ today, you should not ignore the digital world of mixing.

Think of it like two different disciplines, of which you have to know both! Use the new stuff, which comes with digital DJing!

Cue points, loops and effects can bring your mix to the maximum and offers you the possibility of doing a live remix of the track you are playing.

Many people say:

“Keep it like the artist produced the song.”

However, is is my opinion that a well done remix can be a match for the original.

Another point for digital DJing is the easy way of transportation: Instead of a big and heavy recordcase, you travel with a usb-stick, which you can carry in your pocket.

A real record will always have a special value, which also increases by limited editions, and there will always be a difference in the sound created by a record and the sound of a wav, mp3, … file on a scratch control record.

I will always keep buying records, but sometimes, why not save money by downloading tracks at an online download store?

Digital DJing may not be more artful than vinyl mixing, but for shure it is challenging and can be very effective.

So don’t narrow your own possibilities of sound creation and use the digital world for your own benefit!

I don’t usually follow the GRAMMY awards since most award winners are pretty irrelevant in my musical universe. However, I do know that the awards are considered as pretty important in the music business and that a lot of people do care about who wins them.

I have to say I was surprised when I heard that Skrillex won two GRAMMY awards this year – three if you count “Best Remixed Recording”.

I am a fan of Skrillex, but I am a fan of a lot of artists who would never have a chance of winning such an award. I had assumed that the same would be true for Skrillex: His music is rough, hard and many people I know wouldn’t be able to dance to it – most people I know would probably even leave the room if this was playing.

Nevertheless, even though I usually don’t care much about those awards, I am actually happy about this as it might give this unique sound a bigger audience.

Congratulations, Skrillex!

Known as Zap’al’odd aka Zap Alnino and numerous other pseudonyms, I want to share my musical experience, by writing as an author for Sweet Headache. Let me introduce myself:

Music is my passion and I go with the flow. Whether it is calm or loud, slow or fast, soft or hard, or sweet medium. Music simply makes me feel good, motivates me and makes me think of various topics and ways of life. When I have a day without music, something is missing.

I am not a great speaker. That is why I make music to express myself.

In my opinion, there is an artful track in every genre of music and my motivation is to combine Classic, Rock and Electronic Music.

In my childhood, I have learnt to play the piano and nowadays I play keyboard. In 2003, I started to play the turntables and in 2005 came my first gig at a Veteranen – Party at Club Casino in Bad Ischl. My biggest success as a DJ has been a 3 hour set at the Sonne, Mond und Sterne Festival 2007 and a 9 hour set at Club Casino 2008. Since 2007, I have been producing my own tracks and since 2011 I am an audio engineer.

I love nature and its sounds, which I record and use for my productions. Therefore,  a Zoom H2 Recorder is my favorite technical gadget. Especially the combination of nature and “human made artificialty” inspires me.

Motto: “Be critical and do scrutinize!”

Best Parties attended:

• Liquid Planet – Parties at ARGE Salzburg (1997 – 1999) /
• Veteranen – Parties (by Erwin) all over Austria (1997 – 2007) /
• DJ Rush at Prison Club Landau an der Isar (1999) /
• Richie Hawtin at Nova Sattlett (1999) /
• Sven Väth (6 hour – set) at Flex Vienna (2003) /
• Jeff Milligan (3 deck – set) at Forum Stadtpark Graz (2003) /
• Birds – Parties (by Bitz & Pushmann) at Postgarage Graz (2004 – 2006)
• Sorry we’re minimal – Parties (by Jan Maruk) at Dom im Berg Graz (2009 – 2012)

Releases:

• “1 2 FREE – Porn Torrent” (released 06/2010) /
• “Zap’al’odd – Zapping Reason” (released 10/2011) /
• “Scrutinizer – Existenzanalyse” (released 01/2012) /
• “DJ Occupy – Generation Revolution” (released 02/2012) /
• + DJ Mixes published at play.fm & mixcloud.com (since 2010)

 Homepage: http://zapalodd.de.to – for more info and free music!

Slow grooves and rough sounds – that’s what this mix is about. I have been listening to a lot of Glitch Hop, Moombahton and Moombahcore recently, and I have to say I just love this sound! With a tempo around 110 BPM, this stuff grooves in a different way than what I am used to, but still has a lot of energy. Love it!

When I was on vacation a couple of years ago, the DJs in the beach bars played a lot of Raggaeton – a style that was relatively new at that time. I liked the rhythm, but I always found the music a bit too cheesy. At that time, I thought about why no one had thought about using those rhythms to make some cool music? It seems like a few people had the same idea, and Moombahton/Moombahcore is the result. Many Glitch Hop tracks have about the same tempo, and even though they are somewhat different in their grooves, I think those two styles actually mix quite well.

The first track in this mix, “We Can Make the Worls Stop” is a true anthem. It’s not a track I would typically play in a DJ set, but I just really had to play it.

I am also a big fan of the two remixes by Van Tek I used in this mix. Both tracks are remixes of true classics, and Van Tek transformed them in a way that respects the original song while creating something truly unique and fresh. This is what I call remix art!

Alpha Data is an artist that I discovered very recently. His track “Nefertiti” has a very nice oriental atmosphere and I have to say I wouldn’t know what to compare it with. Very unique and cool sound!

Tracklist:

• The Glitch Mob – We Can Make the World Stop
• The Jungle Brothers – Jungle Brother (Van Tek Moombahcore Remix)
• Krafty Kuts&Featurecast – Head Banger
• White Papoo & Double Negative – Vision feat. MC Kyla (Opiuo Remix)
• Skrillex feat. Sirah – Bangarang
• LeDoom – Wangas (Moombahcore Mix)
• DJ Yoda- Toot It Up (Nick Thayer Remix)
• Phase5 vs. SHM vs. Knife Party – Antidote (Moombahton Mix)
• OMG – Space Brothers
• Opiuo – Computer Music (Opiuo Remix)
• Oktored – Hit the Floor (Moombahton Mix)
• Rye Rye feat. M.I.A. – Bang (F3RAL Remix)
• Queen – We Will Rock You (Van Tek Moombahcore Remix)
• Dface – Masterpiece (:Dface Moombahcore Remix)
• Alpha Data – Nefertiti

Image: Garp B // CC-by-nc-nd 

Having rediscovered my love for banging Techno beats recently, I would like to introduce Mozambeat’s most recent release today.

We featured Tobi, one of the members of Mozambeat a while ago here on Sweet Headache, and  they just released their new “Automatic EP”. Here’s what it sounds like:
Mozambeat – Automatic EP – Simplex05 by Mozambeat

There are four tracks on this EP: “Fluctuation” is my personal favorite – a bouncy Tech-House track with a nice distorted piano melody and a strong beat. Just the sound I am looking for right now!

“Centrifuge” is a track that sounds like it was made for a peaktime Techno set: Pumping sounds, a long break that slowly builds up and then BOOM…. Not exactly my cup of tea, but surely something that works in a club.

“Autoignition” is actually my least favorite track on this release, even though it comes with an additional remix by Roland M.Dill. It’s a little too minimal for my taste and the melody sounds a little arbitrary.

However, the other two tracks are worth checking out!

They also released a DJ set that features all of the tracks and more so you can get an impression of their sound:
Automatic Mix by Mozambeat

I haven’t played a lot of Techno or Tech-House recently, and I am not even sure why. However, I got to play a set with a few DJ friends in a small bar in Cologne, and while listening to their sounds and talking about it, I noticed something that I really liked about this sound: It can be deep, almost hypnotic and still very powerful at the same time.

While I had been listening to more dynamic styles recently, I am rediscovering straight Techno beats at the moment. This mix shows what I am listening to right now: It’s dark Techno from deep under the surface combined with bouncy Tech-House that will let your thoughts fly and your legs dance.

I simply had to use my own remix of “Unterwegs” in this mix. It just fit in so nicely, and I still am very proud of this production. It combines a lot of the things that I like: Banging beats, slow buildups and multi-layered soundscapes. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Some of the tracks in this mix are actually a bit older: For example, Headleand’s “Nitefall” was already release in 2006, and Micah’s “Alpha & Omega” (on Jetlag Digital) was released in 2009. Still, they are both killer tracks and I didn’t even notice they were already a few years old until I looked it up.

Among the newer productions in this mix are “R&S” by QuestionmarQ, a nice deep Tech-House track is exactly the kind of hypnotic, but banging sound that I was looking for.

I would also like to highlight “Blue From My Window” by Airbus Modular. This one takes a while to develop, but I just love the melody in the second half. Very nice work!

Tracklist: 

• Headland – Nitefall (Kriece remix)
• Kioskvandalen – Unterwegs (Marvis Remix)
• Jeff Bennett – Sediment
• Mandy vs. Booka Shade – Home (Tim Green remix)
• QuestionmarQ – R & S
• Micah – Alpha & Omega (Oliver Morgenroth Remix)
• Antix – Hit The Wrong Button
• Airbus Modular – Blue From My Window
• Radionasty – Radio 1
• Noir & Richard Davis – Found Out
• Umek – Sunday At El Row
• DJ Madskillz – Carnival Chaos (Format B Remix)
• Drauf & Dran – La Bikke
• FLG & F-Man – The Joker

Image: Gagilas // CC-by-sa

Fascinated by the differences and analogies between UK’s vararity of genres, I found out for myself that the most amazing thing about all of them is the beat. Based on dub and syncope rhythms, there are always these breaks and preeminent percussions. I think the whole UK Bass music is the closest one to the origins of music at all: Africa!

In this mix I wanted to mix up the variety of a bunch of different styles of Uk’s Bass music (ok, there are two artists from the USA) and tried to show that they have a lot of references. Enjoy the travel through beats, drums and percussions!

Tracklist:

• Kuhn – Slime Beach
•  Sepalcure – Pencil Pimp
•  Kode 9 + The Space Ape – Otherman
•  Ramadanman – Don’t Change For Me
• Joy Orbison – so derobe
• Crazy Bold Heads – First Born
• Machinedrum – Fantastix
• Kuhn – Back n Forth
• DRC Music – Customs (Mux Mool Rmx)
• Shigeto – There is always hope
• Lusine – Gravity
• Sepalcure – See me feel me
• Joy O – Sicko Cell
• Boddika – 2727

I did a little promo mix for the next Swing United party. I am really looking forward to this one: We are celebrating in one of the most beautiful clubs in Cologne, and we got some some nice Electro Swing, Neo Swing and Balkan sounds.

To give you an impression on what kind of music we are playing, here is the mix:

By the way, I recently found out that we have a very cool Electro Swing artist here in Cologne: Alice Francis is playing Electro Swing live, and she is really, really good! I can’t believe I hadn’t heard about her before. I am currently trying to get an interview with her, so keep your fingers crossed!

Tracklist: 

• Goldfish – Get Busy Living (feat. Emily Bruce)
• JFTH – Round And Round (Original Mix)
• Shemian – Old Car (Original Mix)
• Stereo Express – Shadoorack
• Bara Bröst – Madame Mila
• Enzo Siffredi & Jfth – Jungle Dancing (Vocal Mix)
• DJ Quicksilver & Phatt Noize – Peter Gunn Theme (Frank Eikam Remix)
• Crystal Waters, Yolanda Be Cool – Le Bump feat. Crystal Waters (Original)
• Alice Francis – What Are You Made Of? (Remix)
• Inconnu – Piste 02
• Jewdyssee – Fiselekh Tsum Tantsen
• Roman Pushkin – Balkan Beat – Original Mix
• Analog People In A Digital World feat. Vlada Tomova – Izlela Neda
• Alle Farben – Drunken Sailor