Category Archives: Music

Vee Mix May ’08

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Okay, so with last month’s Vee Mix I got a lot of flack for mentioning all the great releases that have been coming out the last couple of months and hardly putting any of them in my mix. So to prove that I can actually listen to constructive criticism, I put a bunch of new tracks in this latest mix.

Fellow ex-patriot, Junkie XL just released one of his more dance oriented records in while. Maybe all the music he’s writing for video games and remixes he’s done for Madonna got him back on the right path again. Good to have him back again……..You’re not Dutch unless you throw four on the floor! Ghostland Observatory are an upcoming rockatronica outfit from Austin, Texas. They were just in Portland the other week and put on a great show at the Crystal Ballroom. Goldfrapp and Moby don’t need an introduction except that they both just released some listenable records. Had to throw some Cut Copy in the set. My band of the moment put on a great show at Doug Fir two weeks ago. I was curious to see and hear how they were going to pull off their polished production sound live and I wasn’t disappointed. Some of the reworks they did of their older material was brilliant. Definitely try to catch these guys live if they come to your town. Here is their touring schedule.

Ladytron’s new album is called ‘Velocifero’ and will be released June 3rd in the USA. 2 songs from the album are widely available on the internet at this time. ‘Ghosts’ is going to be the first single and ‘Black Cat’ is actually available for download from their website.

Finishing off the set are some great remixes of some older tracks. The Gorillaz remix is a stand out. Enjoy!

1. You Make Me Feel So Good – Junkie XL
2. Dancing On My Grave – Ghostland Observatory
3. Happiness – Goldfrapp
4. Nightshade – Alexkid
5. 257.zero – Moby
6. Geisha Boys and Temple Girls – Heaven 17
7. So Haunted – Cut Copy
8. Need U Tonight (Jon Gill’s One Of My Kind Mix) – INXS
9. Black Cat – Ladytron
10. Hey Joe (Jeremy Sylvester’s Socafrica Remix) – Wolfman
11. Feel Good Inc. (Amir Amitai Remix ’08) – Gorillaz
12. Baby Get Higher (Chew Fu Refix) – Van Velzen

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Vee Mix April ’08

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There have been some great new releases the last couple of weeks. None of which I’m playing in this mix except for Moby. His latest album is called ‘Last Night’ and it’s a flashback to earlier Moby material from the ‘Everything is Wrong’ and ‘Play’ days. Classic signature Moby sounds abound, but also some of the most repetitive loops this side of Eiffel 65. Good for a couple of listens but then it gets a little grating.

Not so much with the latest Raveonettes album ‘Lust, Lust, Lust’. Distortion drenched music straight from Denmark. These guys sound like Bloody Valentine, Ride and Lush with a bit of Romeo Void thrown in for good measure. Great throwback ‘Shoe Gazer’ material but the over the top distortion might scare off a few listeners. Keep listening though, there are some great changes in the song.

The latest Kosheen album is called ‘Damage’ and is sadly not getting enough play on the radio, except for the area54 program on 94/7fm and www.area54.com…nothing wrong with plugging my own radio show! The title track is probably the best song on the album but in this mix I threw in the edgier ‘Freak of Nature’. Also, with Cinco de Mayo around the corner, I couldn’t resist going back to the classic Ween track, ‘Buenas Tardes Amigo’ off their seminal 1994 release ‘Chocolate and Cheese’.

If you’re in Portland on May 3rd plan on coming by the Area54 Cinco de Mayo party at Cha in NW Portland.

Map

As they say at my local taqueria, “enjoy”.

1. Aly, Walk With Me – The Raveonettes
2. Ooh Yeah – Moby
3. Inspection (Check One) – Leftfield
4. Una Linea De Luz – Kinky
5. Precious – Depeche Mode
6. Hello there – Cagedbaby
7. Hiding On The Staircase – New Young Pony Club
8. Freak Of Nature – Kosheen
9. Someone Great – LCD Soundsystem
10. Thieves Like Us – New Order
11. Buenas Tardes Amigo – Ween

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Vee Mix March ’08

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Pipiwai Trail, Maui, Hawaii
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Just got back from some great hikes on Maui. Also epic surf and windsurfing but those pictures didn’t turn out as colorful as the ones from the hikes. This one was taken hiking up the Pipiwai Trail at the Seven Sacred Pools. It’s a 4 mile hike gaining about 650 feet in elevation. There are some great waterfalls and pools all the way up towards Waimoku Falls. Not to mention one of the densest bamboo forests I’ve seen on Maui. The Falls are the end of the trail and fall 400 feet down sheer rocks walls. You can stand underneath the water but it’s pretty chilly for Hawaiian standards.

Also found a great dance station on Maui. They are called Maui’s party station and they’re at 105.5fm if you get a chance to listen. During the day it’s pretty much CHR but they have a great mix show at noon as well as 5pm and at night it’s pretty much free format. For the Euros visiting Maui they’ll get their fill of Tiesto and Paul van Dijk every night.

Here’s a little mix inspired by a couple of songs I heard on the station. Doesn’t happen very often that I hear something on commercial radio that interests me.

1. People Are Strange (Chew Fu Remix) – The Doors
2. Hearts on Fire – Cut Copy
3. What Is Love -John Bourke
4. Rise Up (Original Mix) – Yves Larock
5. Sound Of Freedom (Original Club Mix) – Bob Sinclar
6. Alice (General Midi Remix) – Moby
7. Heart On The Line – Michal Canitrot Ft. Ann Saunderson
8. Ready For The Floor – Hot Chip
9. Electric Mistress (2007 Remix) – Jamiroquai
10. Superstylin – Groove Armada

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Vee Mix Feb ’08

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The latest Dave Gahan solo project is called ‘Hourglass’ and ‘Kingdom’ is the standout track on this release. Listen to ‘Hourglass’ once and you’ll realize that he’s the dark side of Depeche Mode. I heard the Yelle track a couple of times before it dawned on me that it’s basically Heaven 17’s ‘Let Me Go’ with some fresh new French lyrics thrown over it. We’ll it’s not the whole song. They loopt part of it and even threw in the killer break, but it’s basically Heaven 17. Felt like an idiot that I didn’t hear it right away since ‘Let Me Go’ is one of my favorite Heaven 17 songs. Herbert’s remix of Jamie Lidell almost makes it a different song and Mark Ronson’s ‘Stop Me’ is a great Mash-Up of the Smiths and the Supremes. Probably the best song on his latest album ‘Version’. I love almost everything Deadmau5 is releasing lately and was stoked to see that he’ll be playing at Coachella this spring. It’s an expensive show, but you almost have to go all 3 days with the line up they have this year.

1. Kingdom – Dave Gahan
2. See Me Now – Cassius
3. Ce Jeu – Yelle
4. Multiply (Herbert’s Hoedown Bump) – Jamie Lidell
5. Moisture – Headman
6. Stop Me (Album Version) – Mark Ronson
7. Happy Feet (Yuksek Remix) – Klanguage
8. Pictures – Sneaky Sound System
9. Love Sweet Sound – Groove Armada
10. Cut Right Through – Cicada
11. Overpowered (Seamus Haji Remix) – Roisin Murphy
12. Not Exactly – Deadmau5

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Winter Chill Mix

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I didn’t get a chance to put up a December Vee Mix before my holiday travels so now that I’m back I’ve decided to post a nice little winter chill mix to help you through the dreary post holiday blues month of January. Nothing special here, just a mix of some nice older songs with some of my current favorites. It’s 80 minutes of Chill Out bliss! Enjoy.

1. Soñe Otro Mundo – Manu Chao
2. The Chauffeur – Urbs
3. Come To Me – Koop
4. Givin Up – Hairy Diamond
5. Get Up Stand Up – Ojos De Brujo
6. Drink Me Hot – Chris Joss
7. Chez Roger Boite Funk – Troublemakers
8. Hypnotic – T Spigot
9. Yes Boss – Hess Is More
10. Lemon Tree (Thievery Corporation Mix) – Herb Alpert
11. For All We Know – Parov Stelar
12. Drum ‘N’ Boogaloo (Fort Knox Five Latin Funk Bomb) – Mo Horizons
13. Alhambra – El Kado
14. The Girl`s In Trouble (Thievery Corporation Mix) – The Januaries
15. Small Axe (Paul & Price Remix) – Bob Marley & the Wailers
16. I Think of You – Ivy
17. I Don’t Know What I Can Save You From (Röyksopp remix) – Kings of Convenience
18. One Evening (Rene Goulet’s Da Luz Mix) – Feist
19. Shadows of Ourselves – Thievery Corporation
20. Don’t Stop – Brazilian Girls

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Vee Mix Nov ’07

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Here’s a mix that I did for 94/7 fm’s Cocktail Mix segment that airs every Tuesday and Friday at 6pm. I only post one mix a month so if you want to hear the rest you’ll have to go online and listen live at 6 Pacific. www.947.fm

Currently the Bass Kleph track has been dropping hard for DJ’s all over the world and the Hook ‘n’ Sling remix is outstanding. What is it with all these producers from Down Under? It seems that anything they touch just turns to gold. Electro Blitz does a nice electro job with Visage’s 1980 hit single ‘Fade to Grey’. These guys might have to be considered one hit wonders if it wasn’t for Midge Ure taking a break between Ultravox and going solo. Since we’re still in the 80’s, how about Bronski Beat’s ‘Tell me Why’ being sampled together with Yaz’s ‘Situation’ in the latest house track, ‘You & Me’. This is pretty much a barn burner for anyone who lived through the 80’s. Maybe someone can sample ‘Smalltown Boy’ since I always felt that song was Jimmy Sommerville’s magnum opus.

1. Coup d’etat (Hook n Sling Remix) – Bass Kleph
2. Fade To Grey 2004 (Electro Blitz Remix) – Visage
3. Crocodile (Radio Edit) – Underworld
4. You & Me – Blue Ray Feat Jimmy Somerville
5. Waiting 4 – Peter Gelderblom
6. Feel The Hard Rock (Heiko & Maiko Mix) – Hardrox
7. Stereo (2007 Digital Dog Club Mix) – Unklejam
8. The Creeps (You’re Giving Me) (Vandalism Mix) – Freaks
9. I Thought That (Boris Dlugosch Remix) – The Migrants
10. Calabria (Club Mix) – Enur
11. Rainbow Country (Radio Edit) – Bob Marley Vs. Funkstar De Luxe

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Vee Mix Oct ’07

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Okay……….So I’ve got some catching up to do. It’s hard when I’m gone from my computer as well as music to be able to put a mix together and get it posted online. This is a quick one though with a killer remix of the almost classic Ladytron track ‘Destroy everything you touch’ remixed by Hot Chip. Check out the Playgroup remix as well, which also comes highly recommended. There’s just something about the intro and build up of the Hot Chip mix that stands out for me. Check out my favorite Dutch band (I didn’t day DJ since there are many from the Lowlands!) Kraak & Smaak. There are many remixes out there of this Resin Dogs song, but this is by far the funkiest one. Check out Kraak & Smaak’s release ‘Boogie Angst’ if you like the funky breaks.

Again. Check out the Cocktail Mix every Tuesday and Friday at 6pm Pacific here in Portland on 94/7fm

1. Destroy Everything You Touch (Hot Chip Remix Edit) – Ladytron
2. Missing – Everything but the Girl
3. She’s Gone (Kraak & Smaak Remix) – Resin Dogs
4. Crocodile – Underworld
5. I Feel Loved (Danny Tenaglia’s Labor Of Love Mix) – Depeche Mode
6. Things That Dreams Are Made Of – The Human League vs Kissy Sell Out
7. Metropolis (can’t stop the feeling mix by Sasha) – Evolution
8. Dexter – Ricardo Villalobos
9. The Equalizer – Junior Boys
10. Destiny (Photek Mix) – Zero 7

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Vee Mix Sept ’07

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Wow. It’s almost the middle of October and I haven’t even gotten the September Mix up and running yet. If you’re not listening live to 94/7fm every Tuesday and Friday at 6pm this is the only place you’ll be able to hear any of the commercial free cocktail mixes. Remember also to check out 94/7 every night at midnight for the area54 Chill Show.

The September mix features a killer track from Fujya & Miyagi who are in town tonight for a show at the Doug Fir Lounge

Also my favorite band from Brazil at the moment, Bonde De Role. Don’t even try to pronounce their name since some Brazilian guy tried to teach me the Portuguese pronunciation and it was a complete tongue twister. I threw in a great remix of Roisin Murphy. Her new album ‘Overpowered’ will be released next week. At this point it’s just an import, but I’m sure all of us Stateside will be able to get our hands on it on-line. Chicane’s latest album ‘Somersault’ has a track with 67 year old Welsh pop and soul singer Tom Jones laying down some vocals over a nice 4 on the floor house beat. Check it out.

1. Collarbone – Fujiya Miyagi
2. Summer Of Love – The Presets
3. Around The World Again – Nicky Van She & Dangerous Dan
4. Solta O Frango – Bonde De Role
5. Ice Cream – New Young Pony Club
6. Overpowered (Seamus Haji Remix) – Roisin Murphy
7. Sound of Freedom – Bob Sinclar
8. Killer – S.C.A.M.
9. I Found You (Remode Instrumental) – Axwell
10. White Lies (Dave Spoon Remix) – Paul van Dyk
11. Stoned In Love – Chicane feat. Tom Jones
12. Love – Simian Mobile Disco
13. Woman (MSTRKRFT Mix) – Wolfmother
14. Take Me Away 2004 (Exclusive VIP Mix) – Napt

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Sia ‘Buttons’ video

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Sia’s working on a new album tentatively called ‘Some People Have Real Problems’ which will be released in early 2008. Here’s a hilarious promo video of her new song ‘Buttons’ to hold you over until then. If her last album ‘Colour the Small One’ was any indication, she’ll be touring heavily when her new album is released. Don’t miss her when she comes to your town. She’ll stay after the show and hug every person in the audience….serious!

Vee Mix August ’07

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I’ve really been digging the re-release of ‘Mi Swing es Tropical’ by ‘Quantic and Nickodemus’ now that Apple is using the song in its latests iPod commercials. It’s actually a perfect song for an iPod commercial and it’s great that they’re using some more eclectic music rather than the rock and alternative acts that they’ve been pushing since they first started doing iPod commercials. That said, ‘Mi Swing’ is the opening song for this month’s Vee Mix. I also went back to some early 90’s Happy Mondays. From their ‘Pills ‘n’ Thrills and Bellyaches’ I’ve included ‘Step On’. Also, check out ‘Loose Fit’ and ‘Kinky Afro’ from that album.

We’ve been getting lots of calls at the station for ‘Hess is More” so I threw in a faster version of ‘Yes Boss’ Even with the changed pitch, the song is still sexy as hell.

For more mixes, check out the Area54 Cocktail Mix on 94/7 fm every Tuesday and Friday at 6pm Pacific.

1. Mi swing es Tropical – Quantic & Nickodemus
2. Truth And Rights – Thievery Corporation
3. Drum ‘N’ Boogaloo [FK Five Latin Funk Bomb] – Mo Horizons
4. Step On – Happy Mondays
5. Intergalactic – Beastie Boys
6. Never Let Me Down Again – Depeche Mode
7. Yes Boss (Album Mix) – Hess Is More
8. Small Axe (Paul & Price Remix) – Bob Marley & The Wailers
9. Mind, Body & Soul – Mark Rae
10. Give The Drummer Some – Stimulus & Dionysos
11. Sea Groove – Big Boss Man
12. Hello there – Cagedbaby
13. Tricks – Cicada

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