Vee Mix for May 2009

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lofifunk

Here’s one of my latest cocktail mixes which was featured on 94/7fm in Portland. The Area54 Mixes are on every Tuesday and Friday at 6pm.  You can also listen online at 947.fm, or you can check this site or the area54 site for archives of the shows.

Been playing Lo-Fi-Fnk for a couple of years now but really like this track which I pulled off of the Maison Kitsune 6 compilation.  Number 7 is already coming out next month and it looks like another great compilation with some really ripping tracks.  I had to go back to the granddaddies of the genre with an older New Order track from their 1985 LP Low Life.  I remember playing that album so much that I had to get a second copy because I wore out the vinyl.  It’s amazing listening to New Order and realizing how influential they were for many of the bands that are currently getting airplay with the new electro 80’s sound that’s so prevalent today.

The Presets were just in Portland and put on a great show.  I like their live act but they are definitely a studio band.  Not that that’s a bad thing, it’s just hard to reproduce their studio produced sound in a live venue.  I’m still up in the air about the new U2 album.  This is a nice remix by Fred Falke, but I’ve come to expect more from him.  I only have the edit so maybe the extended version offers a bit more but so far I’ve been left cold by both the latest U2 effort and the remixes I’ve been hearing.  Judge for yourself.

Moby has a new album coming out next month called ‘Wait for Me’.  I’ve heard one track from it so far and it sounds really mellow.  Seems like he’s following up his last album pretty quickly though.  Finishing off the set with some older standards by M.I.A and a great Plump DJ’s track featuring one of my favorite vocalists; Gary Numan.

1. Want U – Lo-Fi-Fnk
2. Forever [Feat. Neneh Cherry] – Kleerup
3. Sub-culture – New Order
4. This Boy’s In Love – The Presets
5. Magnificent (Fred Falke Remix – Edit) – U2
6. I Left My Heart In Tokyo (Fred Falke Dub) – Mini Viva
7. Lift Me Up (Mylo Mix) – Moby
8. I Remember – Deadmau5 & Kaskade
9. Boyz (The Twelves Remix) – M.I.A.
10. Pray For You (Feat. Gary Numan) – Plump DJs
11. Lights Out – Santogold

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Pet Shop Boys

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I don’t care what people say about these guys. They’re still around and still sound better than ever. Check out this video from the Brit Awards. It’s a creative medley of their songs from the last 25 years. Lady Gaga makes a guest appearance and kind of ruins it but Brandon Flowers from the Killers looks like he could have been in the band back in ’84.

Vee Mix Feb 2009

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What, it’s not February anymore?

Okay you can call me a slacker but here’s a mix to make up for my tardiness!!  The Twelves are the hottest things to come out of Brazil on the musical front and they do a great number on this Groove Armada track.  Currently only available online via a Bacardi Promotion.  Supposedly there are 5 tracks on the upcoming Groove Armada EP.  I love everything Breakbot’s been doing and he added a great 80’s electro feel to an otherwise marginal song.  Gotta plug my Dutch homeboy JXL  with a track off his latest.  And what’s up with John Bourke?  Supposedly he’s from Oklahoma (The Reddest State in the USofA..) but he sure sounds like he’s been hanging out at Sprokets in Berlin on this track.  It actually sounds good with a psuedo German accent.  N.A.S.A. is blowing up right now.  It’s an acronym for North America/South America.  Music doesn’t sound like anything new to me but they do have some big name vocalists on the album.  These guys must have quite the rolodex.  Presets are coming back to Portland for a show in April and I love “If I know you” off their latest album “Apocalypso”.  They took everything that was great from 80’s new wave music and put it all in one song.  Brilliant!!  Speaking of 80’s, Plump DJ’s and Gary Numan…..Treat!!

1. Drop The Tough (The Twelves Remix) – Groove Armada
2. When We Were Young (Breakbot Mix) – Sneaky Sound System
3. New Toy – Junkie XL
4. Kids In Technicolor(Knights Remix) – Coldplay vs MGMT vs Daft Punk
5. What Is Love – John Bourke
6. Beat myself up (Don Diablo ReRub) – Plump DJs
7. Whachadoin? (Instrumental) – N.A.S.A.
8. Arguru – Deadmau5
9. If I Know You – The Presets
10. Jump N Twist – Freestylers
11. Pray For You (Feat. Gary Numan) – Plump DJs

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Vee Mix January ’09

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plastic

I have so much recycling piled up that needs to be taken to the recycling center that all I can think about is recycled plastic.  Hence, the picture of what all our plastic products look like when they are all squashed together in a pile, ready to get melted down and made into new plastic consumer products again.  It’s a vicious circle, at least, if I can get to the recycling center!

Latest mix that aired on 94/7fm during the Cocktail Mix at 6.  Lykke Li is coming to Portland in a couple of weeks so we’ve been pushing her a bit lately.  Lots of great remixes floating around but I haven’t head the Chavez mix all that much so decided to start the set off with that one.  The Twelves are the new gods from Brazil.  They just make magical remixes and take the Black Kids to another level.  Love the Dizzee Rascal/Calvin Harris tune and Shazaam just makes it even dancier.

Afterlife takes the Eric Prydz smash hit and ads some new elements to it.  Surprisingly dance oriented considering Aferlife is known more for slowing their remixes down to the point where it’s almost ambient.  Okay, so I kind of missed the whole Vampire Weekend thing but I’m catching up with a great Chromeo remix.  I like their whole album, which is a pretty amazing feat to these jaded ears.

Metronomy is coming to Portland as well this month. They’ll be at Holocene on the 23rd.  I don’t know what it is about these guys but they seem to write songs just to get remixed.  Curious to hear what they sound like live.  The smash 2002 Shakedown track gets a remake from Seamus Haji and still sounds great almost 7 years later.

last song is a great mellow outro track from French DJ and producer Dimitri from Paris.  It’s from his brilliant 1996 album “Sacrebleu”.  It was recently re-released so if you don’t have it yet, now’s your chance.

Enjoy the mix and see you at some shows this month.

1. Little Bit (Diego Chavez Remix) – Lykke Li
2. Hurricane Jane (Twelves Mix) – Black Kids
3. Lights Out (David Rubato Remix) – Santogold
4. Dance Wiv Me (Shazam Remix) – Dizzee Rascal feat. Calvin Harris
5. Feel The Love – Cut Copy
6. Pjanoo (Afterlife Remix) – Eric Prydz
7. Lazy (Moto Blanco Remix) – X-Press 2
8. The Kids Don’t Stand A Chance (Chromeo Remix) – Vampire Weekend
9. Why (Wez Clarke Remix) – Shiny Grey
10.Heartbreaker (kris menace remix) – Metronomy
11.At Night (Seamus Haji Remix) – Shakedown
12.Toujours L’amore – Dimitri form Paris

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Vee Mix December ’08

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8tracks

Time for a quick mix before the holidays kick in.  This is a mix that will actually be broadcast this evening on the 94/7fm Cuervo Cocktail mix at 6pm. (That’s Pacific time for those of you who don’t know that I’m in Orygun!)

Kraak & Smaak were just in town the other week for a great show at Doug Fir and afterwards we were able to get a mix tape cd from the boys.  Some great tracks including one from Discodeine.  The one on their tape mix is a remix but I actually like the orignal version too and opened the mix with it.  After that we have a great remix of Toronto’s Crystal Castles and then going straight into a Modernaire remix of a great MGMT track.  Modernaire remind me a bit of the Human League.  Maybe only because it’s a guy and two girls and they have that classic retro ’80’s sound.  Or maybe just cause they are from the UK?…….Who knows?

I love Dance Wiv me by Dizzee Rascal and Shazam only takes it to a higher level with his remix.  Lykke Li was also in Portland recently and she’ll be coming back again in February.  I missed her show at Doug Fir the other month but this time she’ll be playing at the Hawthorne Theater and I’m going to make a special effort to make it to that show.  I like her sound and Fred Falke makes this track into a dancefloor stomper.

A non remixed song in the playlist?  Sure, why not.  You can do that with Hot Chip.  I heard rumors that they were breaking up and I sure hope that it was only a rumor.  These guys are a lot of fun to watch live so if the rumors aren’t true and they come and play in your town….go see them.

The mix finishes off with a cool Hendrix remix.  How can you not love the sound of his guitar.  Finally a remix of The Killers track Human.  I’ve never been super stoked on The Killers and I don’t think Human is even one of their better songs, but this remix adds a new dimension to the song that actually makes it interesting……to me anyway.

Enjoy the holidays.  We are getting snowed in this week so I’ll be shoveling snow in between playing gigs and the radio show.

1. Joystick – Discodeine
2. Crimewave (Crystal Castles VS Health) – Crystal Castles
3. Of Birds, Moons & Monsters (Modernaire Remix) – MGMT
4. Dance Wiv Me (Shazam Remix) – Dizzee Rascal ft. Calvin Harris
5. I’m Good, I’m Gone (Fred Falke Vocal) – Lykke Li
6. Back Of The Van (Fred Falke Ultimate Beverly Mix) – Ladyhawke
7. Faraway (Hundreds and Thousands Remix) – Cut Copy
8. Boy From School – Hot Chip
9. Heartbreaker (Anoraak Remix) – Metronomy
10. Cross The Dancefloor (Lifelike remix) – Treasure Fingers
11. You Got Me Floatin’ (Dj Mighty Mi 1der Mix) – Jimi Hendrix
12. Human (Ocelot Remix) – The Killers

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Vee Mix Nov ’08

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Here’s what a little November rain in Oregon looks like.  You see all the yellow with the red areas?  That’s me!  Enjoy the mix.

1.    Circuit (Aeroplane Remix) – David Rubato
2.    El Microfono     – Mexican Institute Of Sound
3.    Whispers (Original Mix) – Aeroplane
4.    L.E.S Artistes (Molecule Remix) – Santogold
5.    Breathe Me (Mylo Remix) – Sia
6.    When We Were Young (G.L.O.V.E.S Mix) – Sneaky Sound System
7.    Showroom Dummies – Señor Coconut
8.    Day ‘N’ Nite (Jori Hulkkonen Remix) – Kid Cudi
9.    Bismarck (Knife Machine Remix) – Lost Valentinos
10.  NASA (Cryptonites Remix) – Futurecop!

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Vee Mix Oct ’08

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I normally start my mixes slow and build them up as I go along.  This time I did a decrescendo and worked my way back down.  Great track to start off at around 135 BPM is by Dopamine and then working right into the Plump DJ’s ‘Pray for You’ featuring the vocals on none other than Gary Numan.  It’s an older track from 2003 and sounds like the Plump’s wrote the song with Numan in mind.  Numan turned 50 this year and he’s still going strong.  One of my favorite bands from Toronto at the moment are Crystal Castles and Sinden does a great job with this remix.  My last favorite band from Toronto was Martha and the Muffins.  Remember them from back in the day?

Dutch LA resident, Junkie XL’s latest release is called “Booming at You” and it’s one loud record.  He wasn’t kidding about the booming part.  The dynamic range of the recording is pushing the high end of the spectrum and he’s got some resonate lows driving the bass.  It’s crunchier than most hip hop records.

I put the Klaxons in there for Calvin who still loves to listen to this track way too loud.  Had to put another Dutch plug in there with an older track from Martijn ten Velden.  What’s up with the drinking water in Toronto??  MSTRKRFT are off the hook with Bounce as remixed by fellow Torontonians Mansion.  Be on the lookout for a new release by the MSTRKRFT boys due out in January ’09 called, “Fist of God”.

The last track is a song I overlooked by a band from Texas called “Midlake”.  I would classify them as Indie Rock, but at the same time, there’s a great mellow electro remix of their track “Roscoe” by Beyond the Wizard’s Sleeve making the rounds.  I picked up a dance remix by Jody Den Broeder who puts some dance floor magic into Midlake’s song.  The mix ends around 127BMP.  I guess I didn’t bring it down much at all!  Enjoy.

1.Hold You – Dopamine
2.Pray For You (Feat. Gary Numan) – Plump DJs
3.When The Dawn Breaks (Dub Mix) – Narcotic Thrust
4.Crimewave (Sinden Remix) – Crystal Castles
5.Clash – Junkie XL
6.Burning Up – Ladytron
7.Gravity’s Rainbow (Van She Remix) – Klaxons
8.I Wish You Would (Martijn Ten Velden Mix) – Phunk Electric
9.Bounce (Mansion Remix) – MSTRKRFT
10.Pyramid (Dirty South Remix) – John Dahlbäck
11.Roscoe (Jody Den Broeder Remix) – Midlake

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