I got back from London yesterday afternoon, so it’s about time to settle into the Horse’s saddle and resume normal service. Let’s start with something I really should have found time for before I left - the pre-Munted! spectacular on Krafty Radio from a couple of weeks ago.
I had the honour of starting off the two-hour set, and decided to pillage an unfinished Alek Szahala-only mix I had been planning as a Facebook page gift, combining it with a couple of older mixes that long-time Ustream listeners might remember. In a token effort to be more up-to-date I replaced the old Ustream stalwart of Aurora with Polaris, a nicely uplifting way to end my section and which Midas did a brilliant job of running with. Sorry about the overly-long use of Comet Catcher by the way - originally it was supposed to mix from The Purification but that would have meant overshooting my time limit, sadly ruling out my first use of a UK tune for about 5 years.
Anyway, I’m quite happy with the atmosphere in my set, and with a superb final section from Pearsall that’s very heavy on the Japanese tracks, the two hours have a nicely consistent feel while still showing off the distinctive style of each DJ. Look out too for some amazing variety from Midas and Aryx’s brand new The Golden Chariot.
PlasmaDancer
01. Alek Szahala - Comet Catcher 02. Alek Szahala - Pink Magic 03. Suge - Terrible Oneness 04. Alek Szahala - Solar Hive 05. Carbon Based & Nemes - Heaven n’ Hell (Alek Szahala Remix) 06. Alabaster - Acid Maker 07. Pain on Creation & DJ Rx - Super Sonic 08. Aryx - Polaris
Midas
09. Substanced & J-Mx - Flawless Victory 10. Substanced - Signal Lost (Endemic Remix) 11. Substanced - Seismic Activity (Transcend Remix) 12. A.B. & Amplitude - Thinking Machine (Douglas Remix) 13. CLSM - Wicked MC feat. MC Sharkey 14. Cube::Hard - Hold The Beat 15. Cube::Hard v CLSM - See You On The Other Side
Aryx
16. Aryx - Polaris 17. Aryx - Celestia 18. Aryx - Aurora 19. Aryx - Sylph 20. Aryx - The Golden Chariot (Unfinished) 21. Substanced - The End of All Things (Aryx Remix)
Pearsall
22. Qygen - Silicon Skies ft Leo Hartley 23. Dani Delirio - Neo Tokyo 24. Guld - Castle In The Sky Remix 25. Substanced - Damage Point 26. Nomic - Rift 27. Le Dos-On - Marionette 28. Penguin Conspiracy - Reality Distortion Field 29. A.B. & Nick 235 - Future’s Past Feat. Rhona 30. Le Dos-On - Yksisarvinen 31. Epyx & Cyrez - Sound Of The Golden Clarion (Le Dos-On Remix)
Munted! in London was absolutely fantastic by the way - some superb sets and great people made for a top quality night. Some photos and video will hopefully surface at some point, so stay tuned for a proper look back in the nearish future.
Here’s that post I’ve been trying to find the time for - an inspired contribution to the Freeformaniacs show that’s hands down the best freeform set I’ve heard this year. It’s clear right from the start how much effort Cuedy put into this mix, and it flows brilliantly through a lovely selection of TYFTH-friendly melodic freeform and some fantastic, creative connections. For the first time in a long time I found myself enjoying the transitions themselves (very rare, but the way it should be, surely) and really being drawn into the set’s atmosphere. Just when I thought the set might be fading away, the Morokai - Quantum Epiphany combination energises the finale in fine style, while the earlier Chaos Maker - Leadbeater is another real standout.
No time for further comment (and forgive the possibly confusing copy/paste tracklist down below), but hopefully the scene will give this excellent set the praise it deserves - creative, thoughtful and a proper inspiration.
1. Explosive Tendencies Penguin Conspiracy [Freeform Exposed 2/Electrode] 2. Sound Of The Golden Clarion Epyx & Cyrez [Two Against The Void/Watchtower Records] 3. The Gatekeeper Eryk Orpheus & Flip [Freeformania/Rebuild Music] 4. Dilapidated Ikaruga_Nex [Subaru Shu ~Subaru no Tama~/Hukagyaku Hardcore] 5. 28 Day Later Audio Warfare & Audio Impulse [Free Release/ Soundcloud] 6. Chaos Maker Nomic [Free Release/ Soundcloud] 7. Leadbeater Alchemiist & J-Mx [TYFH][Free Release/ Soundcloud] 8. Sadness & Sorrow (Epyx & Cyrez Remix) Nightforce [Electronic Exclusives 11: Plundered Vaults/Electronica Exposed] 9. Yabarekabare Suge [Freeformania/Rebuild Music] 10. Verzweiflung Hommarju [Relentless Digital][Subaru Shu ~Subaru no Tama~/Hukagyaku Hardcore] 11. Human Hater Horzi [FiNRG][Free Release/ Soundcloud] 12. Sarcomite Alabaster [Hardcore Syndrome 3/Hardcore Tano*C] 13. Morokai Aryx [Smiling Corpse CD1/Smiling Corpse] 14. Quantium Epiphany Qygen [Freeform Exposed 2/Electrode] 15. Ja Tri Fu Le Dos-On [核-Core-/Solidbox Records]
Yet more mixes for everyone, this time courtesy of the ever-prolific Midas. The first is episode 21 of his excellent Freeform 101 series, and concentrates entirely on Electronica Exposed’s back catalogue. A glance at the tracklist shows that we’re in classy freeform territory here - the first half is very heavy on the Alek Szahala tracks, but also includes some classic Pain on Creation and Mental Ward, one of my favourite Carbon Based tunes. The second half is a Lost Soul special, so there’s plenty for both the UK and Finnish crew here. Very nicely mixed, as you’d expect, this is highly recommended.
Alek Szahala - Tigris
DOK - Mental ward (carbon Based remix)
Tazz, Shanty and Dodgee - Eidetiker
Pain on Creation - Shine
Alek Szahala - Timiquizqueh
Pain on Creation - Religionx
Alek Szahala - Unicorn Grove
Shanty, Tazz and Devestate - DDR
Lost Soul - Adversaries (insane version)
Lost Soul - Come and get it
Lost Soul - Ragnarok
Lost Soul - Daemons
Lost Soul - Artificial Universe
Midas also recently put together a set to mark 600 likes on the Munted! Facebook page. This one is more Nu-Energy slanted, including a few of the older tracks I used to play around with in the distant past, while the final section has plenty of Finnish melodies, albeit in remixed form.
K-Complex - Mindwinder 06 (original mix)
Dj Energy - Acid Dawn
Kevin Energy - Crescendo’s of ecstasy (K-Complex remix)
Dave Elizyum - No limit (Arkitech remix)
Kevin Energy - waves of desire (Mark Ashley & K-Complex remix)
Eryk Orpheus - PVC
Mark Ashley & K-complex - Atomic orbital
Cube::Hard - Hold the beat (original mix)
Cube::hard vs clsm - see you on the other side
Visionary - Taste the funk (cube::hard remix)
Kevin energy, K-Complex & sharkey - Anna (cube::hard remix)
K-Complex feat Scarlett Belle - Chennai
Alek Szahala - Alanamra (Arkitech remix)
Carbon Based - Cyclone
Carbon based - Anger Ball (kevin energy remix)
Alek Szahala - Lumi (kevin energy remix)
Lost soul feat Dark Angel - Taking Over me
Kevin Energy & K-Complex - filling me with desire (endemic remix)
I’m having a break from all-out freeform listening right now, so indulge me while we check out another wonderful Bukem set from the archives. Recorded live at Dance Paradise in (I think) 1994, this is right up there with his seminal Rebirth mix of 1996 as an example of structuring a set, creating new atmospheres inside the mix connections, and just flat-out technical excellence.
Bukem runs through a huge number of my all-time favourites here, and absolutely nails the contrast between deep, futuristic melancholy and aggressive amens that made 94-96 the era for intelligent drum and bass. Check out the final moments of the Drift to the Centre - The Western transition, as the drums stop and the ‘Drift…to the centre’ vocal plays over PFM’s trademark intro - just one example of the winning combination of Photek (in his various guises) and PFM that forms the backbone of the set. Another favourite moment might be Heavy Vibes into Horizons, a genuinely beautiful mix that sums up why Bukem is my main DJing inspiration.
In a perfect world Bukem’s older mixes would be required listening for anyone wondering how to incorporate deeper sounds into a high-bpm club set - get past the MCs (easier said than done, I know) and see what you think.
‘Two hours of new freeform mixed by Pearsall’ should be enough for any Horser to hit the download button, and once again this is a top quality set from the man himself. As always, checking out Pearsall’s original Sonicrampage post will explain all, but this is a set made up of recent digital releases, covering everything from FINRG to UK freeform via Le Dos-on and Qygen. The tunes don’t stick around for long before the next comes mixing in, making this a pacy, breathless couple of hours that focuses almost totally on TYFTH-friendly sounds. You could make a case that the set has fewer inspired connections than Rampage Turbo 10, but it makes up for that with excellent selection and structure (including Amini’s Lost Elegy - much obliged!).
Great stuff then - here’s hoping that Pearsall continues to explore more of the newer releases in future sets.
01. DJ Rx - Code Of Silence (Le Dos-On Remix) (Finrg) 02. Alek Szahala - Deimos (Finrg) 03. Aryx - Sylph (ReBuild Music) 04. Yuki Kajiura - Memaze (Nomic Bootleg Remix) (Unreleased) 05. Proteus - Get Fire! (Watchtower) 06. Qygen - Temporal Temple (Watchtwower) 07. Wyrm - Can’t You See It? (Electrode) 08. Lost Soul - Twisted Dream (Watchtower) 09. Amini - Guitarian (Smiling Corpse) 10. Substanced - Crank Cleopatra 2012 (Finrg) 11. Endemic - Hurricane (Watchtower) 12. Aryx - Chaldea (DJ Fury Remix) (ReBuild Music) 13. Epyx & Cyrez - Prelude (Penguin Conspiracy Remix) (Electrode) 14. Substanced & Alchemiist - Permission To Die (Finrg) 15. Douglas & Remane - Disorder (A.B.’s London Techno Remix) (Stamina) 16. Transcend - The Calling (ReBuild Music) 17. Transcend & Dyzphazia - Tormenting Flames (Relentless) 18. Ionosphere - PYLAAM (Electrode) 19. Lost Soul - Sacrifice Feat. Dark Angel (Endemic Remix) (Watchtower) 20. Penguin Conspiracy - Tripswitch (Electrode) 21. Substanced - Ghost Of The Future (Watchtwower) 22. Substanced - Stockholm Syndrome (Smiling Corpse) 23. Substanced - Shadows Of Tomorrow (Finrg) 24. Amini - Lost Elegy (Thank You For The Horse) 25. Nomad - Lose It (Transcend Remix) (ReBuild Music) 26. A.B. - Escapia (Stamina) 27. Eryk Orpheus - Benodihydrochloridebenzylex (Eryk Orpheus) 28. Le Dos-On - Flame 29. Alchemiist - Fate (Finrg) 30. Le Dos-On - Unelma (Relentless) 31. Substanced - Reptile Zoo (Finrg) 32. Aran - Taranis (Qygen Bootleg) (Qygen)
It’s been a while since we featured a raqhow mix on TYFTH, but I’m more than happy to give this excellent set a shout. This is one of those rare things, a ‘dark freeform’ set that actually lives up to the name, with some quality atmosphere and raqhow’s usual solid mixing. The set gets into its stride from Metaphysical Redemption, and the sequence all the way through to Fking Pirates is very nicely done. Everyone’s probably familiar with the tunes here, but Izanami still gets a big recommend.
1.Epyx & Cyrez - Why 2.Substanced & Grimsoul - Harder Than U Think 3.Nightforce - Metaphysical Redemption 4.Twisted Freq - Death From Above 5.Micken - Change The Past 6.Micken - The Channeler 7.Substanced - Acid World 8.Alchemiist - Anthrax Injection 9.Amini - Fking Pirates 10.Nightforce - Symphony For The Devil (The Virus Escaped) 11.Betwixt & Between - Inexistenz
This one jumped to the head of my mix-listening queue recently for obvious reasons, and thankfully Mysterave has come up with the goods again - this is a planned-with-care set that does both Aryx and Alek justice. The mix mainly concentrates on the lighter side of their sound, and it’s actually the first time for me to hear tunes like Aryx’s lovely rework of Dawnstar and Alek’s Lagash 2012. With other new tracks like Deimos and Celestia, it’s a set with a very fresh feel, before finishing with some welcome darkness in the ever-anthemic Man Eaten and Desagoon Juniper.
Connection of the set for me has to be from Unicorn Grove to The End of All Things, a superb transition that could even have overlapped a little more without any problems, and that echo of UG’s melody that you hear in TEoAT’s first mini-break is just wonderful. Top, top work there.
An excellent set then, and maybe the first in a series…?
I’ve already seen some photos from this weekend’s FINRG & FUTURISTICS in Tampere, and at the time of writing you’ve still got a chance to download Epyx & Cyrez’s mix to tie in with the event.
This is one of those rare sets that I haven’t listened to all the way through before posting, but from my quick check of the connections it was sounding fantastic - heavy on the NRG and a transition from Alek Szahala’s Mageslayer that’s really top level. Grab it while you can!
Quite busy at the moment, but in between I’m slowly working through some of the excellent sets that have appeared over the past couple of weeks, starting with Tyranoid’s Hardform.
This might be one of his most impressive sets so far, with a very strong theme running all the way through and a great mix of old and new. Really interesting to see some UK freeform in there - it’s thankfully not overdone and gives a nice melodic edge to the set, eventually leading into the classic Battle of Dawn. It’s also a lesson in how to set the scene with some slower tracks, then matching them in atmosphere with some well-selected freeform. Very highly recommended, then.
01 Lowroller - No Longer Human 02 SAM - Halluzinogen 03 Tiifa - Pleasure 04 Wragg & Log:One vs Iain Cross - Run For Cover 05 A+D+A+M+ Lab4 & The DiabloTraxx Collective - Infernal Desire (Psycho Surgery Remix) 06 Epyx & Cyrez - Game Over (Tyranoid/Strongstream Remix) 07 Lost Soul - The Answer 08 Douglas - Jonestown 09 Substanced & Alchemiist - Permission To Die (Original/Tornadoz Remix Mashup) 10 Tyranoid/Strongstream - Deepcore (unfinished edit) 11 Tyranoid/Strongstream - You Need Another Drink (Cyrez Remix) 12 Lost Soul - Human Being 13 Epyx & Cyrez - Crossfire 14 Blender & Nomic - Battle Of Dawn 15 Apollo 440 - Stealth Overture
We already know that Alchemiist sets are worth looking out for, and thankfully his recent Freeformaniacs appearance has kept up the standard. There’s a really nice atmosphere in this one, maybe best described as melodic dark freeform - any set with a lot of Alchemiist tunes is going to be pretty nasty, but this one does a good job of switching back to the slightly-lighter side to throw in some melodies. Excellent use of a couple of classic Kreatrix tracks gets the set an extra thumb up.
01. Substanced - Ghost Of The Future (Alchemiist Remix) 02. Transcend & Dyzphazia - Tormenting Flames (Original Mix) 03. Twisted Freq pres. Nightforce - The Ghost Of Jupiter 04. Substanced - Damage Point 05. Ephexis, DJ Rx & Carbon Based - Decimator 06. Alchemiist - Anthrax Injection 07. Alchemiist - Noise Of Thunder 08. Substanced & Alchemiist - Facemelt 09. Twisted Freq - Kreation 10. Endemic - Xen 11. Alchemiist - Neurotic