On The Boogiedownload: Mix 020 by GMGN (Nu Disco/House)

What’s up Disco music. Long time no talk, homie. You’ve been doing your thing for quite some time now. You’re older than me, and even though you’ve had a hard time surpassing the fame you garnered as a child, you still manage to attract a dedicated fanbase of people worldwide. I bet that Justin Bieber kid won’t be able to pull the same thing off thirty-plus years past HIS prime. What’s cool about you now Disco is that you’re all about subtlety; nowadays you opt to collab with House, Electro, and other younger sounds, schooling them with your uncanny wisdom and taste. Drum and bass even let you collab with him around the turn of the century! (Peshay even named a song after you, dude.)

I just wanted to point out that this cat from Boston, Ben Adams (aka GMGN), is repping you HARD right now. He just cracked out this stellar mix for my blog that puts you front and center all the way through. Not only are many of your recent collaborations with House highlighted, but some of your old stuff from decades ago shows up in the flesh too. Many would argue your sound is so timeless that an average listener wouldn’t even realize some of these songs have an age gap of over 30 years. For example, Chaka Khan and Tom Trago come from two completely different generations, but with one mixed on top of the other, you would almost think they were playing in the same room together!

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 020 by GMGN (Nu Disco/House) by gmgndjs

On The Boogiedownload 020 :: GMGN (Nu Disco/House)

You came from a much simpler time, Disco, when people cared about music, not the hype surrounding it. But in these rapidly changing times, your string section, upright bass guitar, and syncopated rhythms are still widely appealing to many. You haven’t been forgotten about, pal.

Chill Winston EP by gmgndjs 

Oh yeah, hey Disco….I’m not sure if you collab’d with Ben in the studio, but he’s cranking out some work of his own right now that would make me assume so. Or, if not you, then your brother or cousin or something. His new “Chill Winston” EP dishes your style out in spades. I’m especially a fan of the title track….did you fly all the way down to Trinidad to jack those steelpans? Can you steal me a set next time you go there? I’ll return the favor right now by embedding a Soundcloud link so listeners can check out these tracks, plus a link to download the high quality versions from iTunes. If Ben’s nice, maybe he’ll kick you over a couple bucks ;)

And before I forget…the mix tracklist:

Singe Linge- Lisco Disco (Drop Out Orchestra and Martin Brodin Edit)
Nightriders - A Loving Feeling
Poka - 99 Style
Rogerseventytwo - You Take Me Higher (Geisha Twins Late For Work Edit)
Van She - So High (Alexandre Louvré Remix)
Voltra Bureau - Alley Cat
J Paul Getto - Just For You
Daft Punk - Da Funk
Breakbot ft. Ruckazoid - Fantasy (Jacques Renault Remix)
Jean Jacques Smoothie - 2 People (2011 Rework) (Louis La Roche Remix)
Chaka Khan - Fate
Tom Trago - Use Me Again
Tiger & Woods - Deflowered
Deux Feat. Sheilah Cuffy - Diskout (Nu Disco Mix)

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 018 by Eric Sharp (Party Jams/Multi-Genre)

Longtime DJ/producer Eric Sharp is no longer a green jersey-wearing, pub-crawling Beantown resident. But considering he lives in San Francisco, essentially Boston’s sister city on the left coast, I figured he still qualifies for a podcast mix on the blog here. And considering it’s been several months since we’ve had a mix in the series, a new installment is LONG overdue!

Eric first got in touch with me over email two weeks ago to alert me to the fact he was playing RISE, alongside DJ Dan, the following weekend. Juggling a hectic schedule that week, I dropped the ball with the “post stuff on Beantown Boogiedown” sticker on it, so I never got around to posting the flyer. Eric and I emailed back and forth though; and his work on Soundcloud showed a great deal of promise on first listen.

Sharp’s original work, along with the mix he recorded after I reached out to him, is the perfect representation of the walls being removed between the different genres in 2011. At first glance the mix is an old, faithful tree which is deeply rooted in house; however there are a variety of branches that represent derivative sounds embodying all things electronic beyond just house. And the thing that ties everything together are the vocals on each track: easily accessable to the average listener. Like each branch of the tree, each style is covered in leaves…and professional writers, feel free to hit me with a stick for that whole analogy; I know it ain’t my best.

Either way, if you didn’t get a chance to check Sharp out at RISE last weekend, this mix is pretty accurate to what he probably played. Imagine a party where the 808, the 909, the piercing super-saw lead, the amen break, the “EPIC” breakdown, a bunch of bongos, some Rob Papen sub bass, the early 90s rave piano lead all showed up just raved together in the same room. It sounds awkward at first, but everyone somehow just gets along and it just works out in the end. As a DJ, manipulating songs that range from house to progressive, to electro, to baltimore club, to bass, ain’t easy, but Eric can probably do it in his sleep. 

This is evidenced by the fact he turned this mix over within 48 hours of me asking him to put it together!

I also had a chance to do a quick Q & A with Eric Sharp over email. Below is a bit about what he’s been up to, and some words on his recent trip to play in Boston.

Enjoy the mix! Check out more of Eric’s mixes (as well as original production) on his Soundcloud.

On The Boogiedownload Vol. 18 :: Eric Sharp

Nick: In one sentence, how would you describe your DJ/production style, without specifically mentioning any genres (i.e. house, techno, etc)?

Eric: A major statement I hope to communicate as a DJ, Producer, and label owner is to herald diversity and the freedom to express a variety of emotions and mood through my work, regardless of the incessant genre boundaries that are rampant in electronic dance music.

Nick: Some of your recent releases have been on labels like Brooklyn Fire (Tommie Sunshine’s label). Any upcoming releases or collabs we should know about on BF or other imprints?

Eric: Definitely. I am about to release my first solo artist EP on my label Rock It Science Labs. It has three original tracks, an edit by Roy Davis Jr and a remix by White Girl Lust. This will be out in a month. My next release on Brooklyn Fire is a banger of a collaboration with DJ Fame called “Rave In The Key Of C.” My good friend Sick Boy from Amsterdam & I made a track together called “Sharp As A Knife” that I am very excited about. I also just dropped 2 remixes, one of a track called “La Fiesta” for 9G Records, and one of “Still Got Love” on Bounce House. 

I have a number of other projects and collaborations in the works, as I try to stay as busy in the studio as possible and keep a steady stream of releases moving. 

Nick: You recently visited Boston and played as one of the headliners at RISE. How was your visit, and how was the set? Any bars or restaurants from Boston you miss now that you’re in SF?

Eric: Visiting Boston is always fun, as I grew up there. It was quick though, I got into the city Friday evening and ate dinner at Life Alive in Cambridge before linking up with a good friend whom I know from SF and heading to the club. The set was a voyage, and I like the sound system and the staff at Rise a lot. DJ Dan was hanging out during my set, which was a trip. I used to breakdance to his music at New England raves in the 90’s. 

In terms of the cityscape, it’s tough to compare Boston to SF. I think SF wins on food for me, as I am freakish about health (been a vegan for 12 years and this year gave up sugar and gluten.) SF is a very health-conscious town and caters to people like me. I miss the Landsdowne St. legacy in Boston, but the scene always changes. Some of my earliest exposure to dance music was listening to live broadcasts from Axis on Saturday nights on WFNX as a kid. SF has way more relaxed laws and you can dance all weekend if you want here as multiple venues have after hours permits. What I do miss from Boston is the weather - particularly warm summer nights, fall foliage, thunder storms, and snowflakes. I also miss how direct people are, and the work ethic people have.

Nick: What’s your number-one DAW/audio production program right now? 

Eric: Hands down Ableton Live 8.

Nick: Patriots or 49ers?

Eric: Ha! Pats are my roots, and I love that they seem to always win based on their heart as a team rather than having a group of big star players. 

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 017 by John Randall (Funky House)

Funky house is a style of music I honestly think will never go out of vogue. The ebb and flow of new styles and sounds can sometimes get out of control; as the timbres and tempos change, it becomes easy for the casual listener to become overwhelmed. Quality house has surpassed every fad dance music has witnessed in the last 25 years, and if you’re looking for my textbook definition of what constitutes “quality house”, allow me to get you affiliated with a mix by Boston DJ John Randall.

If you don’t know John and you live in Boston, I’m willing to bet you are somewhat familiar with what he has accomplsihed on the promotion end of things. As one part of Aural Pleasures, he’s worked alongside Jordan Jaser Kane for several years throwing parties downtown at hotspots like Goodlife and Felt. If you witnessed the last sets Onionz or Simply Jeff laid down in Boston, these guys were behind making them possible.

After a single listen to Randall’s mix I give it my seal of approval for our podcast series with zero hesitation. The funk is very heavy across the 60 minutes this session occupies. To the point that if Derrick Carter were in the room mid-set, I wouldn’t doubt he would take a sneak peak at Randall’s laptop in trainspotting desperation. It happens to the best of us, trust me. Throughout the first half we hear a bit of disco house and strings to go with the bottom-shaking bass. 

The second half is more vocal-oriented than the first, and includes a number of well-engineered remixes of well-known pop standards from the past few decades. Examples being 4-on-the-floor renditions of the Beatles’ “Come Together”, Steely Dan’s “Peg”, and Afrika Bambaata’s “Planet Rock”. Bootlegs can be very hit-or-miss, but these three that Randall plays in succession actually work very well and easily hold my interest during the final stretches of this session.

If you’re looking for quality house events in Boston, keep on the lookout for future events from Aural Pleasures. Jordan regularly keeps me in the loop with what they have going on downtown, and try to post as many of the flyers as I can to keep our readers in the loop.

On The Boogiedownload 017 :: John Randall 

Giom: Morning
Jam Funk: Whorehouse Music
Scrubfish: Home To You
Sonny Fedora: Flamboyant
Wattie Green: Knock John Booker
Muthafunkaz: Gotta Hold On Me (Skatt Thing)
Jangatha Jeff: Guesthouse Music
Service: Been Told
Garrett & Ojelay: What Am I Gonna Do (Dr. Kucho Remix)
Guess Who: Over Me
Emil Lanne: Rock It, Don’t Stop It
Corduroy Mavericks: Biscuit Love (4 Peace Remix)
JR From Dallas: Big House
Rubix: Tobacco Man

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 016 by Marc Grooves/Headtunes (Deep House)

It’s 1983, and you’ve got your gameplan set for the night as you step outside your flat in Milan after a glass (or four) of chianti. The goal is to head over to the misty local nightclub and soak in some beats on the diligently-crafted soundsystem they’re touting there. It’s a warm spring night, the month of April to be precise. The Italo disco sound is all the rage right now; the latter of these two words happens to be the genre’s distinct predecessor, imported directly from America. 

With disco 12” singles from the U.S. costing beyond an arm and a leg, the Italians have opted to create their own interpretation of the genre. For most DJ’s and producers, live musicians are not in the budget, nor is a lofty recording studio with hardwood floors and Studer reel-to-reels. Instead, it’s all about drum machines, down-and-dirty synths, blood, sweat, tears, and some money to press up some copies of your hard work on vinyl to sell to the kids. Italo disco’s D.I.Y. ethos is almost similar to punk rock, regardless of the drastic musical differences. With the original sounds of disco crashing-and-burning in the U.S. several years earlier, comes a renaissance, and what better place for it to happen than on DaVinci’s own court.

Of course, then you wake up from the surreal dream you just had, only to realize it’s not 1983, but 2011, and you’re not in Italy at all. Don’t panic. Just put on your yellow-tinted sunglasses and cue up Marc Grooves’ April Cosmic Shower Mix. As part of our podcast mix series, this is a mix featuring 50 minutes of sun-drenched deep house that personifies a HEAVY slant towards the Italo disco sound from the early 80s. Simple, four-to-the-floor beats laid down by no-nonsense drum machines form the foundation; rosy pads are the icing. The biggest plus is the vocals layered on the beats here are better than the gibberish that most vintage Italo tracks were notorous for in its heyday…thank god most 12” singles had dub/instrumental versions on the B-sides!

Marc is one of the minds behind the locally-run Headtunes record label. Headtunes has been around for a little while now; they launched back in 2005 and currently have over 15 releases in their back catalogue. Most of which have seen vinyl releases too, which should leave little question as to how serious this Cambridge-based company takes their imprint. Look out for track number 2: Do It Proper’s “The Ride” is about as real as deep house can get these days, making no compromises for all the other forms of music that are popular. Sleazy McQueen, another alumni with releases on Headtunes, is also heard in the opening remix.

I’m getting spring fever listening to this mix. Now pardon me while I head over to the North End for some gelato. 

On The Boogiedownload 016 :: Marc Grooves (Headtunes Recordings)

Giovanni Damico - Can Be Other (Sleazy McQueen Remix) - Home Audio
Do It Proper - The Ride - Headtunes
Illija Rudman - Call Me Tonight (The Revenge 1800-MIX) - Red Music
Toomy Disco - Age Of The Jaguar - So Sound
James Curd - A Friend (Instrumental Mix) - Lost My Dog
Cosmic Boogie - Talk To Me (Cosmic Boogie Edit) - Bedmo Disco
Crazy Pen!s - Drop Your Weapong (Faze Action Edit) - Paper
Clockwork - It’s You Again (Lee Foss Meets Robert James In The Art Department Remix) - Hot Creations
Mile Grozdanovski - Deep Meep - Deep Edition

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 014 by Donut Boy (Alias of Jungle Sky's "Tube")

Over the past several weeks I’ve been in touch with Frank Heiss, who is a very versatile and talented composer, musician, and DJ. Heiss sports a variety of medals from his work, which include his performances as a timpanist in the New England Conservatory’s Youth Philharmonic Orchestra as a kid, years of teaching music to both kids and adults and writing articles for Keyboard Magazine. In fact, it’s rather difficult to list everything he has done without writing out one big drawn out run-on sentence!

But aside from his classical training, electronic heads should note that Heiss had several releases on Soul Slinger’s legendary Liquid Sky imprint in the mid-1990s, under the alias “Tube”. He’s released no less than five full length albums, with one of them (“Bending Spoons”) getting major label support from Harvest/EMI. Although the majority of his work stems from the late 1990s, he is still active in the local music scene and enjoys performing and DJ-ing to this day.

And one thing that should be noted about Heiss is his “anything goes” approach to making and playing music. He’s never been one to box himself into a single genre or sound. He has had a hand in manufacturing everything from drum and bass, to downtempo, hip hop, breakcore, and deep house. He is known for using a variety of aliases to support each of these umbrellas, which I sort of like because it just lets the music do the talking without the need for any sort of unified brand recognition. It’s quite a different and unique marketing approach.

I am proud to present Heiss’s latest mix, under his “Donut Boy” alias, as the newest installment of the Beantown Boogiedown podcast series. It is one half hour of awesome tech house, augmented in spots by a couple of deep numbers as well. Hope you enjoy!

On The Boogiedownload 014 :: Donut Boy

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 013 by Kid Optimus (All Original Material)

I have a special treat lined up for you folks. I’ve been in touch with Josh Guyotte, a New England based promoter who runs Hyper Hypo productions for a little while now. The other day he sent me a custom crafted mix from Worcester-based electro producer Andy Coache, better known as “Kid Optimus”. Optimus performs a first in the podcast series: it’s entirely a self-produced mix, containing either his own work, and a couple of remixes to boot. 

Although Optimus calls himself an “electro” producer, the styles and influences he brings to the table in this presentation are immense. All of the tracks include landscapes that are permeated by intense synth work, especially for the lead riffs, which come from trance. The tempo changes from time to time; it isn’t uncommon at all to witness dubstep breakdowns or even subtle breakbeat to 4x4 transitions take place in a calculated manner. The mix gels nicely together overall!

Optimus and I actually got in touch over the weekend for a quick interview as well. Here are some things he had to say.

How long have you been interested in electronic music for? Did you listen to it as a fan for several years before you realized you wanted to be a producer/DJ, or did it hit you straightaway that you wanted to get involved?

Ever since I knew what music was, it has been a huge part of my life. I started playing instruments at 10 years old with drums. A year later, I started playing the guitar, bass and even as a vocalist in bands up till I was about 15 when the movie “Hackers” hit the theaters. I remember falling in love with the sound track being the first time electronic music had ever hit my ears. About a week or two after buying the soundtrack, (about the age of 16) my friend Chris took me to my first electronic show. That’s when I decided I wanted to spin and got heavily involved with Trance. In 2002, I picked up my first music-producing program. I enrolled with Entertainment Career Connections and completed the Audio Engineering program. About two years ago, I started following the progression of EDM and found my niche with producing electro. 

What DAW/DAW’s do you use when you produce? 

I work with a few different DAW’s. For recording purposes, I use Adobe Audition, for sequencing and track building I use Fruity Loops Studio and for mastering I use pro tools.

Which producers worldwide influence you the most? Who are some producers we should be on the look out for (local or global)?

There are many great producers hitting the scene this year from all over the world, but one to keep an eye out for would be Drivepilot from Portland OR. He just recently made the switch from rock production, started producing electro in the past year or so, and is already on major record labels. He has also been an influence on my production.

If you were forced to work only with MIDI controller for the rest of your career, which one would it be?

KORG Triton for the win! I don’t actually own one, but if I was forced to only use a controller that would be it.

How did you come up with your alias (Kid Optimus)? 

My name was given to me by a friend back in high school. I don’t remember how it came about but it has stuck with me all these years!

Tell us what your plans and goals are for 2011. Where can we see you play out over the course of the next few months?

2011 looks like a busy year for me, with about 5 tracks and remixes being released in the next few months on Ear Time Records. Also with the production company I’m in, Hyper Hypo Productions, I will have many local shows including Rebirth on Feb 1st – Worcester, MA, as well as a headlining spot in Houston, TX - March 25th, L3V3L in Portland, NH - April 27th, SYSTEM May 27th – Worcester, MA along with web appearances on HHP’s Sunday Night Sessions & the official optimal podcast the 1st of every month. I hope to keep the energy strong well through the years with more gig dates and track releases!

On The Boogiedownload Mix 013 :: Kid Optimus

1. Break You Open (Kid Optimus Remix) - Aruna
2. Complete Control - Kid Optimus
3. Wait & See - Kid Optimus
4. Marie (Kid Optimus Remix) - 1200Junkie
5. Pleasantly Disturbed - Kid Optimus
6. Bass Minions - Kid Optimus
7. Sector # 5 - Kid Optimus
8. What On Earth - Kid Optimus
9. Revenge of the Synth - Kid Optimus
10. The Filibuster - Kid Optimus
11. Mind Over Matter - Kid Optimus
12. Bloody Tears (Kid Optimus Remix) - Castlevania

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 012 by DEF 7 (House)

So it’s early on a Friday night, you’ve got your peeps at the crib and everyone is getting warmed up for a hot night out on the town. In between Jager shots you suddenly realize you need some background tunage to kick off the night correctly. However you don’t want to just toss on something too mellow, or even worse, too over the top. It’s a REALLY tough decision. Thank god I’m here to help.

Doug “DEF 7” Goudreau lays down what I recommend as your starting point of the evening in our latest Beantown Boogiedown podcast mix. Setting the tone properly, all of these tracks have a bouncey, funkafied feel with just the right amount of call-and-response hip hop hooks across the mix. Don’t you hate really wordy songs where the lyrics are impossible to memorize? No worries here: plenty of one-liners strewn all over the place like LL Cool J screaming “I’m just getting warm”, A female rendition of Buffalo Springfield’s “Hey what’s that sound?” hook, even William DeVaugn’s soothing “Digging in the scene with a gangsta lean”. Each assist in making this an easy mix for you to sing along to. 

With straight-up house DJ’s becoming a rare breed nowadays as many have gone the route of electro, minimal, or dubstep, I’m definitely thankful we still have some cats around like DEF 7 who have remained true to the Chicago sound!

Check out some of Doug’s other mixes on his Soundcloud, and if you want to book some house for your next event, why not drop him an email?

On The Boogiedownload :: DEF 7

Tracklist:

Hokus: The Start
Jr from Dallas: Sunny Jackers (Leonardus Rmx)
Anhanguera: 4 All the Gangstas (Mark Funk Rmx)
Loopity Goofs: Sleepless (Hector Moralez Mix)
Garrett & Ojelay: Got Philly Funk
Mr. Clean: 8 Balls
Craig Hamilton: When Keeping Real Goes Wrong
1200 Warriors: DiscoTech (Craig Hodges Rmx)
Jeff Service: Gangsta Leanin
Light Year: Marcelius
Mel Rosario: The Movement (Soydan Rmx)
Nate Laurance: Couitus Addictus
Anhanguera: Taking it Over (Sonny Fodera Rmx)

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 010 by Johanns G (Tech House)

Although legally a New York City resident, Johanns G might as well take up a co-residency in downtown Boston as well with the amount of time he spends up here. I’m glad to have him record a mix for the Podcast Series, which turned out to be a 45 minute sequence of ten ass-shaking peak hour tech house joints. This is a catchy mix-up session right from the opening bars; Johanns wastes no time setting things off. It’s a bit faster paced than most house mixes, so if you’re looking for a pick-me-up, this sesh will whip you into shape with the quickness.

One common element I found in many of the tracks here (especially during the first half) is the inclusion of latin percussive instruments, such as bongos, congas, and toms. Not often heard on a daily basis in the world of tech house, I am wondering if some of the producers here are extracting a bit of influence from the tribal house guys back in the late 90s. And to be honest, from a drums standpoint, some of these songs even have quite a bit in common with UK Funky - at a pace of about 10bpm faster. However these tunes are crafted, I like them alot. To be honest, most people are fans of latin percussion, whether they know it or not!

Talking with Johanns after listening to this mix for the first time last month, he told me that he was restricted to using only ONE of his arms while recording it. Not exactly sure what happened, but one of his arms was either in a sling or cast. From listening to the mix, you wouldn’t notice at all. The mixing and EQ work is flawless. Next time around, we ought to try to get Johanns back into the studio to record another one for us blindfolded.

You can catch Johanns playing alongside Matt McNeil (another alumni in our podcast series) at their Buskers Lounge monthly night on Saturday October 16th. Flyer for that event, and tracklist below.

On the Boogiedownload 010 :: Johanns G

Afrodisium By Gabriel and Castellon (Groovenatics remix)
Soy Como Soy by Makossa and Megablast
Chants by Sollscher Und Siech
Own by Adam Port and Sante (Riva Starr remix)
Palmito by Flash Brothers (Steve Angello remix)
You Will Never Know Me by Armbar (DJ HomewrecKer remix)
The Voice by Thyladomid
Tomelas Frias by Fausto Messina (swing version)
Riddim by Mark Broom 
Room 414 by Tomcraft (Tube and Berger remix)

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 009 by Dark & Stormy (House)

Another podcast incoming! Number 9, number 9, number 9. This time around, we have guest DJ John Morabito, better known as Dark and Stormy, throwing down a guest mix for the podcast series. Originally hailing from Brooklyn, John is now a Boston transplant. We welcome him with open arms and a Red Sox cap. Complete with a bag full of dancefloor corkers and some of his own originals to keep things interesting, Dark and Stormy shouldn’t have a problem working his way behind the decks of a party or two up here.

Having listened to this mix several times already, I can tell that Dark and Stormy brings a big-room influenced sound with him to the table. Many of the tracks here aim for the jugular with very dramatic build-ups and progressions, but without the throwaway novelty factor. And who doesn’t like a few bits from the Dirtybird crew and Swedish House Mafia?

One of my personal favorite bits here is actually one of his originals: “This Could Be Love”, which ends the set. Imagine tuning into an urban music radio station in 1991 at about 3 o’clock in the morning. This is probably the only way I can describe it! John takes throws some sampled R&B vocals, new jack swing drum programming straight from the TR-909, and a undulating bassline into his blender to generate this sonic time machine. Honestly I don’t think I’ve heard anything like it before, there’s a really unique vibe going on here. I’m interested in seeing what his future direction in music production is going to be; if it’s anything like this, sign me up immediately.

On the Boogiedownload 009 :: Dark & Stormy

FatGrL: Fatter Girl
Galen & Justin Martin: Dust Devil 
Dark And Stormy: Rock This Beat
Deepgroove: Annihilate (Brodinski Remix)
Claude VonStroke: I Am Europe 
Para One: Toadstool (Jesse Rose Made To Play Dub Mix)
Camel: Bamboo
Afrojack & Gregor Salto: I’ll Be There (Main Mix)
Fabrizio Maurizi: Mundaka 
Steve Angello: KNAS
The Martin Brothers: Steel Drums 
Detroit Grand Pubahs: Numb, Deaf and Dumb (DJ Pierre Afro Acid Mix)
Carlo Lio: Lets Get Back
itch-E, Scratch-E : R.E.frEsh (Tom Piper remix) 
Solid Grove: This Is Sick
Andreas Henneberg & Simon: Bolingo Gringo
Junior Jack: E-Samba (Dark And Stormy Remix)
Dark And Stormy: This Could be Love

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 008 by Frydae (House, Fidget, B-More, etc)

On The Boogiedownload :: Mix 008 (House-Fidget-Baltimore Club-Dubstep) :: DJ Frydae

Because of the fact that I have a very “anything-goes” type mentality when it comes to the musical content I cover and promote on Beantown Boogiedown, it’s only natural that I welcome multi-genre mixes when it comes to our Podcast Series. Following in the footsteps of Kat Fyte and DJ Eight, I’m proud to announce another multi-genre mash up session from Kyle “Frydae” LaPointe. 

Frydae has been around for a minute-and-a-half. Hailing from the one and only Manch-vegas NH, he has well over a decade of experience behind the wheels. He spent many years playing jump up and ragga drum and bass, serving as one half of the War Stories, on the Liquid Sky imprint. On the podcast mix here he works his way through a variety of different genres and styles while managing to keep the mix cohesive and catchy all the way through. We should just go ahead and classify it as certified party music. There are plenty of vocals throughout, along with some especially good tracks from Rico Tubbs, B.Rich, and Tittsworth! 

Be sure to check out some of Frydae’s mixes and originals on his blog, The Undercarriage Marauder.

Dj Frydae - Fall Back - 60H 2 DA BEAN

1) Beantown intro - Dj Frydae
2) Bumble (Nate Day RMX) - Rx
3) What is Guru - Renaisssance
4) Never Going Home (Eskimo Twins RMX) - Cassette Jam
5) Wild Child (Myd RMX - We Are Enfant Terrible
6) Gunny Gunny (Schlacthofbronx RMX) - Timberlee
7) Addicted - Alan Braxe
8) A Millie (Excision & Datsik RMX) - Lil Wayne
9) Rumblee! - Radiokillaz
10) 24’s (Rico Tubbs & B-rich RMX) - T.I.
11) Bootymore - Yeah! Woho!
12) WTF (Deekline & Ed Solo RMX) - Tittsworth
13) Crux’d Da Muel - WoNK
14) This Sound - Down’n’Out
15) Hypnotized Booty - Melting Man
16) Cooler Then Me (Skeet Skeet’s AY! Edit) - Mike Posner
17) No Beef- Radiokillaz RMX
18) Ice Cream (Luvstuff RMX) - Breakdown, Whiskey Pete & Stellar MC
19) Squares - Wolfgang Gartner
20) We Are All Kidz (B. Rich RMX) - Kelevra & Jaimie Fanatic Ft. Whiskey Pete 
21) Rhythm is a Dancer (Rico Tubbs RMX) - Snap

In his words:

“I hadn’t done a two turntable and a mixer, one pass, traditional dj mix in a long time so I decided to bust one out the other day. Considering I didn’t really pick anything out beforehand it came out ok. Managed to pick a variety of both new stuff from my buddies like Radiokillaz as well as some good stuff that has been hiding in my hard drive over the last year or so. Hope you enjoy. Be on the lookout for a new studio mix upcoming which will include a bunch of new production from myself and my friends throughout the Bass Music world.”

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 007 by Jeff Keenan (Deep House)

The newest edition of the podcast is ready to download, and this time around it’s brought to you by local house producer Jeff Keenan. For those who don’t know, not only does he have pristine taste in house, with a notable lean towards the soulful side of the genre, but his production skills in the studio are also pretty impressive (especially considering his level of experience, which is fewer than two years!)

To summarize: Look out for this guy. I think he’s got a good future in music ahead of him if he continues at the rate he churns quality tracks out at now. The activity on his Soundcloud page is a keen indicator of that, with dozens of people leaving comments amongst a list of followers exceeding 1,500.

Having already listened to his Beantown Boogiedown Podcast mix several times, I feel this is the closest thing to stepping into a time machine, going back to the 1990s, switching on a freestyle-format radio station, and hearing a commendable house DJ juggle recognizable hooks with deeper grooves. Many of the songs on Jeff’s mix encompass both disciplines; starting with a Curtis Mayfield mash-up and never letting the level interest dip from here at any point.

On the Boogiedownload 007 :: Jeff Keenan

Manaboo feat Curtis Mayfield (Stadfast Records Free Download)
Mark Morrison: Return of the Mac (Imanni Brown Remix)
Imanni Brown: Clap Your Hands
Moby: Honey (Farley & Cornin Remix)
John Hellson: I am Still Here
Imanni Brown: White Label
Quantum Soul and Model 1975: Release
Mr. Cenzo: Moving Shadows
Rio Padice: RM01
John Dahlback vs. Candi Station: You Got the Vallrybrook (Chris Lawyer Birthday Edit) 

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 006 by Kat Fyte (House, UK Funky, Dubstep)

On The Boogiedownload :: Mix 006 (House-UK Funky-Etc) :: Kat Fyte

This past sunday night as I was getting back from Bump at the Phoenix Landing I was mulling about on Twitter and dropped DJ Kat Fyte (also known on there as Maxpearl) a line extending an invite to record a mix for the podcast series on here. For those who know, Kat Fyte has a pretty diverse taste in dance music, drawing from all different types of influences and backgrounds. This “melting pot” style aesthetic perfectly mirrors a lot of the music itself that has been coming out recently on both sides of the Atlantic, so he obviously makes a great addition to the BBD series.

So anyways, after hitting him up, he delivered a mix literally HOURS afterwards. Now that’s quite a turnaround!

In his own words: “So I’ve actually been thinking about this mix for a while and I just sat down with Ableton and popped it out. I would record it turntables but one of my tonearms is broken so I figured why not use Ableton?? It’s actually incredibly eclectic- I wanted to try and settle down and do a single genre mix but this is just so much more fun- going from house and techno to uk funky and dubstep…”

Kat Fyte summed everything up perfectly, this mix is a nice snapshot of what’s fresh right now across house, UK funky, dubstep, electro, and even experimental type stuff towards the end. Despite the multiple genres, overall it gels together quite well and there are no “WTF” moments where the mix abruptly changes or turns sharp corners.

Be sure to check out Kat Fyte’s blog over at popinfluence.blogspot.com and catch him play at Basstown’s next installment of Visions at Goodlife on June 12th!!

Tracklist:

Here Miura / Pull Up - Metro Area / Mr. Vegas
Starship (Dubbel Dutch Remix) - Robot Koch    
Calypso - Round Table Knights    
Blow Me Down - Popof
Energy - Roska ft. Nikki
Home    - Weird Tapes    
If U Want Me    - Deadboy
The Shrew Would Have Cushioned The Blow - Joy Orbison    
I Might Be (My Dear Disco Remix) - Todd Edwards    
Multicultural    - Hackman    
I Know - Dark Knight 
Always (Brackles Remix) - Hackman    
Footcrab - Addison Groove
Wallabee Part 2 - Kalbata
Bwwooy - Tes La Rok
Deep Down - SYNKRO

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 003 by Judea Stonez (Deep House)

On The Boogiedownload :: Mix 003 (Deep House- Descent #1) :: Judea Stonez

Our third installment of the BBD podcast series comes from local house guru Judea Stonez. If you’re a regular reader on here you may remember a brief write-up I did on Judea last month on one of his “Question Why” EP he released. Balancing both DJ-ing as well as producing with finesse, Stonez’s taste for soulful deep house grooves shows whether it’s an original production or a mixtape he’s slingin’. I’m definitely happy to have him lay down a mix for this series!

This mix, nicknamed by Stonez as “the Descent #1” keeps the tempo a little slower and more laid back; pretty much all of the songs on here are filled with rhodes, pianos, and pads hitting lush combinations of black and white keys. Very soulful stuff indeed; most of the tracks are minimal on the vocals (which honestly the way I like it, I’ve never really been into full-on vocal house) and the tracks are fairly upfront.

Many people argue that there are very few people pushing the sound of quality deep house music forward in Boston these days…regardless of whether or not this theory holds water, Stonez is certainly one of those cats promoting and producing quality house music on the regular.

Tracklist:

Doo Whop (Blast)
Thriller Build (intro)
Moter City Drum essembly- Raw#5-#6
E man- Filterscapes
Johnny Dangerous- Unknown Zone
Kerri Chandler- Corro
Big Moses- Brighter Days (feat Kenny Bobien)
Bangana feat. Asha Edmund- Oblivion
Santos- Hold Home
Johnny Dangerous- Beat That Bitch
IO- Caberet
Sole Fusion- Bass Tone
Johnny Dangerous- The Magic
Michael Jackson- Working day and night (outro)

On The Boogiedownload: Mix 001 by Matt McNeill (House)

Matthew McNeill, a longtime bedroom dj, has spent nearly a decade honing his skills playing a wide variety of music.  He started playing hip-hop in the late nineties and eventually branched out into electronic dance music after a few “spiritual” experiences at the now defunct New York City nightclub Twilo. These days you are likely to hear him play techy, funky and chunky house music.  Matt looks forward to gigging out in Boston hopefully in the near future and beyond.  If you enjoy this mix and want to hear more please contact him at matthewpmcneill@gmail.com.  

On The Boogiedownload 001 :: Matt McNeil (House)

Anthea and Cellar- Playmaker 
Arnaud Letexier & V-sexion- Funk Some Thoughts 
Geddes- The Scene 
Jens Bond & Guido Schneider- Under Control 
Two Armadillos- Hawthornes Theme 
IO- Cabaret 
Maps- I Dream Of Crystals (Lawler Mix) 
Einmusik- Jobloko 
Mini Mode- Process 
Chymera- Fiernex 
Gregor Threshar- The Life Wire (Part 1) 
J.O.S.H.- Born Sleepy

Recorded with Serato, 2 1200’s, and a Trigger Finger.

Beantown Boogiedown Podcasts Are Here! Mix 001 by Matthew McNeill

I have now upgraded my Soundcloud account to Pro, which allows me to have as many mixes as I want in my profile. This means I can finally launch the Beantown Boogiedown podcast series! These mixes will include guest DJ’s from all over the northeast and cover pretty much any electronic based music under the sun. Deep house? Yep. Chiptune? Yep, we do that too. Goa Trance from 1994? Hey, why the hell not! Any and all styles are welcome.

There are a few people who I’ve approached already regarding the podcast series so I do have a few lined up from the get go, but if you are interested in contributing please let me know. I plan on releasing 2-3 each month to be hosted on my Soundcloud account and am looking to have them be around 40-50 minutes each. I would also like to have a good balance of up-and-coming DJ’s along with vetrerans/established jocks as well.

On The Boogiedownload 001 :: Matt McNeil (House)