This Old Mixtape: Dan Efex-Protocol (techno/trance)

This is an interesting tape I obtained by a dj known as Dan Efex. He was apparently fairly well known in both the club and rave circuit in the mid-late 1990s and was well known for his energetic sets that consisted of anything from trance to techno to hardcore. Taking a brief look at the bio on his website it sounds like he is originally from Chicago, although he probably played in NYC and Boston a great deal back then. Looks like he's been inactive since 2001 but his diverse selection and eclectic taste in music lives on through tapes like this.

I highly enjoyed side 1 of this tape- it's pretty much entirely goa trance, which means that this tape was probably recorded during its' heyday in 1996 or 97. Goa trance music eventually evolved and became more complex and experimental in terms of its sound and has been known for the last 8-10 years as psytrance. I think goa trance is more stripped down and less structured (which I actually prefer), and this part of the tape illustrates this.

Side 2 of this tape is ok but I honestly admit I did not enjoy it as much as side 1. The flow was good but some of the songs with vocals weren't my cup of tea. There are still some nice goa tunes in here mixed in during various parts.

Oh yeah, I have a gabber mix by Dan Efex I also recently recorded that I will be uploading soon. It's a little, er, different from the trance mix, to say the least....watch this space. 

And if anyone has any of Dan Efex's ambient tapes that they would like to share, please get in touch with me!

Dan Efex- Protocol (side 1)
Dan Efex- Protocol (side 2) 

DJ Overload: Subsonic Soundscape (house, electro, florida breaks, mid '90s)

Really nice tape I've had for a minute now by a DJ who was well known in Boston's dance and rave scene in the early-mid 1990s. From what I have heard in his mixes he appears to be very versatile and used to play everything from techno to hardcore to techstep drum & bass. He was involved with promoting one of Boston's first dnb events, "Jungle Roots", with Al Fougy. This tape shows a bit of what his interests were on the other side of the 140bpm range however. I have 2 of Overload's mixes on my computer and have this one on cassette-although I found a web link for it courtesy of dj Entropy!

Over the course of Subsonic Soundscape's 90 minutes we hear bits and pieces of detroit techno, classic electro breaks drenched in 808's and vocoders Miami-style, synth laden deep house, club-oriented vocal house, even a little bit of acid towards the end. Sound quality isn't the best but is a nice journey regardless.

Overload-Subsonic Soundscape (side 1)
Overload-Subsonic Soundscape (side 2) 


ps- anyone from Upstate NY recognize any of the flyers in the pic there? ;)