JW / Electronica Classics 033: All 12 Sets of Oakenfold's 1999 Essential Mix World Tour

Regrettably my weekly updates to the Electronica Classics series took a hiatus in November & December, but I'm hopeful this music-packed post can make amends.

While I showcased one of these mixes in September, Oakenfold's entire body of work from that tour a decade ago is really quite remarkable. Clocking in at nearly 22 hours of audio, you truly get a sense of where electronic music was at the time, and why Mr. Oakenfold rose to the status of most popular DJ in the world.

I encourage you to download each of these and then listen to them back-t0-back over the course of a few days. While you'll hear a few songs repeated over the course of the 12 mixes, the majority of the tracks stay surprisingly diverse. It's also interesting to see how Oakenfold tailored his track selection to each locale, especially the performances in Miami & Buenos Aires.

As we begin a new decade, enjoy these selections reminiscent of how we rang in the last.

Paul Oakenfold - Live at Home, Sydney, Australia 1999-01-17
Paul Oakenfold - Live at Jonis, Havana, Cuba 1999-02-21
Paul Oakenfold - Live at Shadow Lounge, Miami, FL 1999-03-28
Paul Oakenfold - Live at Museum, Buenos Aires, Argentina 1999-04-25
Paul Oakenfold - Live at Homelands, Winchester, UK 1999-05-30
Paul Oakenfold - Live at Gatecrasher, Leeds, UK 1999-06-20
Paul Oakenfold - Live at Home, Space, Ibiza 1999-07-25
Paul Oakenfold - Live at Creamfields, Liverpool 1999-08-29
Paul Oakenfold - Live at Rojam, Shanghai, China 1999-09-26
Paul Oakenfold - Live at Home, Leicester Square, London 1999-10-31
Paul Oakenfold - Live at Liverpool University, Liverpool, UK 1999-11-28
Paul Oakenfold - Live at Home, London 1999-12-31

JW / Electronica Classics 032: BT's 1995 Essential Mix

Photo Courtesy of Adam Jackson

This week's selection is particularly memorable, and not just because of Pete Tong's intro which seemingly reveals his personal stance on Essential Mix recordings. It's also notable because it's Brian Transeau's debut on the BBC mix show.

One of my first electronica album purchases was BT's "Ima" and I've considered myself a fan of his work ever since. His performance in New Orleans during the "Movement In Still Life" tour was also my first show at the French Quarter House of Blues way back in September of 2000.

While he's had a few artistic missteps over the years, *cough* ahem *cough*, he's also managed to put together some of the most moving electronic music arrangements in history, such as This Binary Universe (seriously, if you buy no other BT album, buy this one). Further, he's been involved in the development of a rather entertaining iPhone music app, called Sonifi.

His Essential Mix from 1995 gives an excellent representation of his earlier sound, and as an added bonus contains the "Sasha's Voyage of Ima" mini-mix from Sasha which was the highlight of Disc 2 of the Ima album. BT has been plagued throughout his career with accusations of being somewhat unskilled at mixing records, and this Essential Mix was even rumored to have been mixed by fellow DJ pal Guy Ornadel. It's then perhaps unsurprising that BT would feature a 45 minute long "track" (which is what "Sasha's Voyage of Ima" is classified as) in his two hour long mix, but said track really is fantastic music, so I'm not one to nit pick. The nearly two minute long crescendo of that track which ends at the hour and 35 minute mark of this Essential Mix is downright delicious.

Regardless of BT's mixing efficacy, the man is undeniably a skilled musician & producer which his nearly 20 year body of work clearly demonstrates.


BT - Essential Mix 1995-09-24
Download Link

01 - Kitaro - "Heaven and Earth (Land Theme)"
02 - G.T.B. - "Entropy"
03 - G.T.B. - "Sketchpad"
04 - B Tribe - "Nanita"
05 - B Tribe - "Nanita (Dub)"
06 - Sheila Chandra - "Zen Kiss"
07 - Riverdance - "Riverdance"
08 - Seal - "I'm Alive"
09 - Smashing Pumpkins - "Rhinocerous"
10 - Bernie Kraus - "Equator"
11 - Elastic Reality - "Casa De X"
12 - BT - "Relativity"
13 - Mary Kiani - "I Imagine (EMF Mix)"
14 - BT - "Sasha's Voyage of Ima"
15 - Cyborgasm - "Cyborgasm"
16 - Libra feat. Taylor - "Anomaly"
17 - Dean Evanson - "Forest Rain"
18 - Libra feat. Taylor - "Le Chakra Sexuel"

JW / Electronica Classics 031: Desyn Masiello's 2004 Essential Mix

This week's selection is one of those mixes that seems to sound as fresh on the 1,000th replay as on the first. Dare I say it's also one of the most danceable selections out of all 31 currently in the Classics series.

I've never had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Masiello perform live (he doesn't get to the southern US much, aside perhaps from Miami...which isn't even really "the south", but I digress) though I've been a fan of his work for a number of years. His collaborations with fellow DJs Demi & Omid 16B under the collective moniker "SOS" have also yielded delicious results, such as their Balance 013 compilation and the notable SOS Boat Party cruises around Miami & Manhattan. I intend to feature a recording of one of those cruises as a future installment in the Classics series.

In the meantime, enjoy this wonderfully smooth two hour mix from Desyn Masiello.

Desyn Masiello - Essential Mix 2004-10-03
Download Link

01. Krak + Smak - Keep on Searching
02. An-2 - Venus
03. Serge Santiago vs Kano - It's a War
04. Ethan - In My Heart (Edit)
05. Rex The Dog - Prototype
06. Unknown - Unknown
07. Scissor Sisters - Mary (Mylo Mix)
08. Deep Dish - Stay Gold 2004 (Unknown Mix)
09. Arcade Mode - Your Love (Sebastian Ingrosso Remix)
10. Jakatta - One Fine Day (Livio Romanian Re-Edit)
11. Unknown - Unknown
12. Harry Peat - Affrodizziac (Asad Rivi Remix)
13. Diego - Intermezzo
14. Sebastian Ingrosso & John Dahlback - Lick My Deck
15. Bush 2 Bush - Soulshock
16. Asad + Tangun - Untitled
17. Leftfield - Not Forgotten (Edit)
18. Inner City - Pennies From Heaven (Edit)

JW / Electronica Classics 030: John Digweed Live at Pawn Shop WMC 2007

The Electronica Classics series underwent a tad of a hiatus the past month or two, as I've been wrapped up with a house move & a bit of a medical bout culminating in back surgery. It's that last piece that's led to this week's musical selection.

Since 2000, I've run more miles listening to John Digweed albums and live performances than any other artist. With my back injury, I've been unable to run and it's made me realize just how much value I place on putting on my Nikes, strapping on my iPod, and then heading out to run a few miles while listening to Diggers.

This mix I've selected today is the one I had on my iPod when I ran my first Crescent City Classic 10K race in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina. I find it has a song progression that lends itself very well to a 10K pace, with upbeat tracks hitting at just the right time. Of particular note is the track that starts building around the 40 minute mark and peaks some six minutes later.

I encourage you to give it a shot the next time you go out running. Hopefully I can do the same within the next 8 weeks or so!

John Digweed - Live at Pawn Shop Miami WMC 2007

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01. Tube & Berger - Funky Shit (Andrea Doria Remix)

02. Fabenlehre - Unbekannt

03. Abyss - Mind Games

04. ID

05. Merkins - I Sleep In Cellotape

06. ID

07. Pryda - Ironman

08. ID

09. Dubfire - Ribcage

10. ID

11. Laurent Garnier - Flashback

12. ID

13. Tom Pooks - Amande Deuce

14. Marco Bailey & Tom Hades - Smooth Driver (Danny Howells Remix)

15. Pryda - Rymd

16. Red Devil - Gamelan (Remix ?)

JW / Electronica Classics 029: Lucien Foort's 2001 Essential Mix

This week's mix is a bit of a sleeper favorite in my collection. Originally aired during the spring of 2001, it's a great selection of house & progressive house tunes from that era. Mr. Foort's offering struck a chord with me, so this particular recording found itself in regular rotation on my WimAmp player in late 2001 and early 2002. Hope you enjoy it, too.

Lucien Foort - Essential Mix 2001-03-04

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Kerri Chandler - "Digital Love Affair"

Alric - "Une Fois"

Nectar - "As She Peeled An Orange"

David Jamas aka Mr DJ - "(Always) A Permanant State (Original Mix)"

Tatoine presents Jamez - "Music (16B Remix)"

A Small Phat One - "Respect the Cock (Dub Mix)"

Mark Lowndes - "Indya"

Cirque vol. 1 - "Cirque Music (Part 1)"

Headspace - "Schizophrenic"

Blackwatch - "Skin Deep (Original Mix)"

Satoshi Tomiie feat. Kelly Ali - ''Love In Traffic (Satoshi Tomiie Dark Path Remix)"

R.B.A. - "No Other Alternative (Lemon & Lime Sanctuary Mix)"

Bladey - "The Nelson Effect (Fearless Young Orphans Remix)"

Mundo - "My Life (Original Mix)"

Piece Process - "Deepside (Chab Remix)"

Rouge - "Jingalay (Praha Remix)"

JBN - "All I Want (Marc O'Tool Remix Edit)"

Incisions - "Amorak (Original Mix)"

Medway - "Release (Andy Moor Remix)"

Medicine - "Junior Asprin"

Kybosh - "Playing With My Mind (Sleepfreaks Mix)"

Luigi - "Jet Black (Original Mix)"

Riva - "Stinger"

Innate - "Changes (Killahurtz Kilo Remix)"

Alice Deejay - "Celebrate Our Love (Pronti & Kalmani Remix)"

JW / Electronica Classics 028: Grayarea Live at Transit Chicago 2002

This week's selection is from one of my favorite live performance electronica acts. I had the opportunity to see this trio perform three times between 2003 & 2004 in Baton Rouge & New Orleans. Truly high energy shows on each occasion.

My first exposure to this group's music was on John Digweed's Kiss 100 show back in November of 2002. That broadcast was a recording of a show they performed two months earlier at Transit in Chicago on September 5, 2002. As you can see from the tracklisting below, the show consisted primarily of their own production work, with a couple of remixes thrown in for good measure.

It's been a few years since I've heard anything from these guys, but apparently they are still doing production & remix work. Their website links to profiles on a few social networks and it seems they've shed one of their original members and are now a duo. Enjoy this mix from their early years.

Grayarea - Live at Transit Chicago 2002-09-05

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01 - Grayarea - Yewminyst

02 - Scanners - Femme Fatale (Grayarea's Damaged Goods Mix)

03 - Grayarea - One For The Road (Designated Mix)

04 - Grayarea - One For The Piano

05 - Grayarea - Blueletter

06 - Grayarea - Gray (Part One)

07 - Grayarea - Sector Seven G

08 - Grayarea - Gray (Part Two)

09 - Grayarea - Energy Vampires

10 - Bjork - It's In Our Hands (Grayarea's Lawsuit Mix)

JW / Electronica Classics 027: Paul Oakenfold Live in Shanghai 1999

This week's selection was an old standby whenever I needed to put in a few solid hours of studying at college. Recorded in late 1999 in Shanghai, China, it was part of the Essential Mix World Tour 12 part series that Paul Oakenfold anchored that year.

There are several tracks to love in this two hour mix, although track 3, "Symphonic Music", was always the one that kept me coming back to this MP3 over the years. The performance as a whole still stands as perhaps my favorite Oakenfold recording, in close competition with his Global Underground 002 New York compilation.

For those of you disenchanted with his current musical direction, or curious as to why he gained such international stardom, this mix is an excellent example of why he's assured his place in electronic music history.

Paul Oakenfold - Essential Mix Live from Rojam Shanghai, China 1999-09-26

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01. TasteXperience - Highlander (Original Mix)

02. Everything But The Girl - Five Fathoms (Club 69 Future Club Mix)

03. Team Progress - Symphonic Music (Sunrise Mix)

04. Vengaboys - Paradise (Album Mix)

05. Desyfer - 831 (Original Mix)

06. Eve - Riser (Christian West Remix)

07. The Blackmaster - Solid Tube

08. Amanda Ghost - Filthy Mind (Boy George & Kinky Roland's Trancesexual Mix)

09. ID (Sample)

10. Moogwai - Viola (Original Mix)

11. Space Manoeuvres - Stage One (Orkidea Remix)

12. Mobile Bitch - Sex For Pleasure

13. Planet Perfecto - Bullet In The Gun (Saturday Mix)

14. Skip Raiders - Another Day (Perfecto Trance Mix)

15. Amoeba Assassin - Speedway Revisited

16. Georgio Moroder - The Chase (Perfecto Remix)

JW / Electronica Classics 026: Ferry Corsten Live at Partynight 2000

This week's selection was the mix that made me a fan of Ferry Corsten. When I originally found it on Napster back in late 2000, it was labeled simply "Ferry Corsten - The Partynight Mix". That's how I've referred to it for the past nine years.

While trying to nail down a track listing (which Shazam + Google is awesome for, by the way), I discovered that this particular mix was broadcast on three different occasions in early 2000, and therefore goes by several names.

For those of you keeping score at home, this "Partynight Mix" is alternatively known as "Ferry Corsten - Live on Radio 1's Judge Jules Show 2000-01-14", "Ferry Corsten - Live at 538 Dance Department 2000-01-20", or "Ferry Corsten - Live at 538 Partynight 2000-02-05". Obviously my version was the last in that series, although the track list is consistent across each.

While I tend to post many recordings from BBC Radio 1's various broadcasts, this one is from the largest radio station in The Netherlands, Radio 538. If you see any live sets with names like "Live at Dance Department" or "Live at Partynight" from earlier in this decade, it was almost surely from this trance-friendly station in a trance-friendly country.

The picture above is from Ferry Corsten's first appearance in New Orleans on October 5, 2001, at Club 735 on Bourbon Street. I remember listening to this mix on the way to the club that evening, and then dancing more to his live performance that night than I have to any trance set since. Truly one of those Great Moments in Clubbing History (TM).

Ferry Corsten - Live at 538 Partynight 2000-02-05

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01 - Generation X - Lost Horizon

02 - Der Dritte Raum - Hale-Bopp (Jackdaw Mix)

03 - Saints & Sinners - Pushing Too Hard

04 - Zero Gravity - A New Sensorium (HH's Ohral Dub Mix)

05 - CFC - Rest In Hell (Timo Maas Remix)

06 - Da Hool - Wankers On Duty Duty (Hands Up-Wankers Mix)

07 - Transa - Transtar

08 - Insigma - Insigma

09 - Paul van Dyk - Another Way (Main Club Mix)

10 - Evolution - Phoenix (Breeder Remix)

11 - Nick K. - Fluctuation (Ferry Corsten Remix)

JW / Electronica Classics 025: Underworld Live in Oakland 2009

For the 25th installment of the Classics series, I thought I'd post a set that, while very recent, probably merits the "instant classic" classification.

Underworld holds a special place in my heart. It was their single, "Kittens", that was the first MP3 file I ever downloaded to my computer, way back in early 1999. Their "Beaucoup Fish" album was also the first CD I ever listened to in my first new car, a 1999 Volkswagen Jetta. In the 10 years since, I've purchased each of their commercial releases, and have watched their "Underworld Live - Everything Everything" DVD more times than is probably considered healthy.

Given that brief background, you can likely appreciate how excited I was to see this post from 9to5Mac come through my Google Reader feed two Fridays ago, passing along a last-minute announcement that Underworld would be doing a live concert broadcast to iPhones later that evening. As luck would have it, I didn't have plans to go out that night, so I grabbed my headphones, iPhone, and my laptop to keep up with this thread on their fan site during the performance. I have to say, it was pretty cool getting to watch a live concert on my phone & see fans call out track IDs in real time on a message board.

From a musical stand point, Underworld demonstrates they are clearly firing on all cylinders. As you'll see from the track list below, they touched on almost each of their hit songs, sadly (for me) only missing "Kittens". For even a casual Underworld fan, this is perhaps the best recording of the group to come along in at least 5 years.

Underworld - Live at Fox Theatre Oakland 2009-08-07
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01 - Intro
02 - Nu Train / Dark Train
03 - Cowgirl
04 - Two Months Off
05 - Push Upstairs / Cups
06 - Beautiful Burnout
07 - Small Conker and a Twix / You Do Scribble
08 - Between Stars
09 - King of Snake
10 - Born Slippy (NUXX)
11 - Pearl's Girl
12 - Jumbo
13 - Spikee
14 - Moaner

JW / Electronica Classics 024: Sasha & Digweed Live in Atlanta During 1996 Olympics

This week's selection is the kind that makes you wish you could've witnessed such an evening of music in person. It's a 3 hour monster from two musical legends right at the inflection point towards international prominence for both the artists and a city. And it might be one of the best Sasha & John Digweed performances I've ever heard.

I luckily ran across this set on the Mercury Server forum last month, and it's been a mainstay in my daily music routine ever since. For those of you who may have cut your teeth on their Northern Exposure Series of albums in the late 90's, this set will feel like a familiar friend.

At the time it was recorded in Atlanta, the city was in the final week of the Centennial Olympic games. I'd visited about 5 weeks earlier to watch a Braves vs Giants game at the now-demolished Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. I recall seeing the Michael Johnson Nike ads on the sides of city buses and just perceiving a general electricity in the city as it was about to become the focal point of the world. While this show wasn't directly affiliated with the Olympics (like Tiesto's performance at the 2004 Opening Ceremonies in Athens), I feel the timing is still notable.

What really strikes me about this thirteen year old Sasha & John Digweed set is just how fresh the music sounds even today. 1996 and my memories of the Atlanta Olympic Games seem like a distant time in the past. But 1996 in the context of this performance still seems relatively modern. Probably more of a cognitive disconnect on my part, but it's stuck with me and makes this set all the more personally special.

Sasha & John Digweed - Live in Atlanta Northern Exposure Tour 1996-08-02
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01. Sasha - Arkham Asylum
02. ID 12
03. Apollo 440 - Krupa (Alcatraz Within The Joint Remix)
04. ID 26
05. ID Nootropic - Cant Stop
06. ID 38 The Music
07. ID 46
08. ID 50
09. ID 54
10. ID 60 Sounds Like A POB Or Origin Track Also On Simon's Set
11. Konya - Come On
12. ID 77 Male Chanting
13. SNS - You Do Me Wrong (Violator Mix)
14. Third Man - Solar Cycle
15. The Light - Panfried (Original / Mind Over Matter Mixes)
16. Third Man - Planet Hunters
17. Universal State of Mind - All Because Of You (Mindsweeper Mix)
18. Pop In Wonderland - Beautiful People
19. Stef, Pako & Frederik - Seaside Atmosphere
20. Paul Van Dyk - Words
21. Goldie vs. RITM - Inner City Life (RITM's Vocalic City Mix)
22. AGH - Yummy
23. LSG - Hidden Sun Of Venus
24. ID 165
25. ID 170
26. BBE - 7 Days & 1 Week

JW / Electronica Classics 023: Trendroid Live on Whoop! Radio October 2001

I've been on a darker progressive house kick this weekend, so this set from Trendroid seemed like an appropriate selection.

I believe I originally stumbled across this mix while browsing Audiogalaxy in early 2002, around the time Trendroid was garnering press coverage for their soon to be released Transport 6 album. It's truly one of the better snapshots of the darker, but perpetually upbeat sound popularized by acts such as Saeed & Palash during late 2001 & and most of 2002.

The photo above is one I took when the two members of Trendroid, Matt & Pankaj, came to Club Hyperia with Satoshii Tomiie in June 2002. This Whoop! Radio mix is quite similar in feel to that performance while at Hyperia in Houston. Enjoy!

Trendroid - Live on Whoop! Radio October 2001
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JW / Electronica Classics 022: Platipus Sound System Live Set

The Platipus Sound System is a collection of 3 trance producers on the Platipus Records label: Terra Ferma, Art of Trance, & POB. The duo of Terra Ferma & Art of Trance also produce under the moniker Union Jack. I had the pleasure of seeing these artists perform at an event in New Orleans during May of 2000. To this day it is still one of my favorite live electronic performances I've witnessed. Here are a few photographs & video clips from that performance.

This week's choice is a set I ran across in early 2002 purportedly from the trance production outfit. Sadly there was no date or other metadata that came along with the file. However, there are several recognizable Platipus tracks during the 2 hour long recording which at least lend some credence to its authenticity.

The Platipus Sound System - Live Set

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JW / Electronica Classics 021: Julius Papp Test Press July 2000

I ran across this mix during the early summer of 2001 after seeing Julius Papp perform at Freak Fest. A few years have gone by since I last thought about it, although I always remembered enjoying the mix starting off with the lyrics, "Tonight, gonna leave the 9 to 5 upon the shelf, and just enjoy yourself."

Having never listened to all of Michael Jackson's earlier work, I was laughably unaware that those lyrics were sampled from the title track of "Off The Wall." As I've caught up on the entirety of Michael Jackson's catalog in the last few weeks following his death, this mix from Julius Papp sprang to mind and seemed like a fitting addition the weekly Classics series.

My attempts to hunt down a track list or other information on this set online have yielded no results. For you house music lovers, feel free to add track IDs in the comments if certain songs jump out at you.

Julius Papp - Test Press 2000-07-13
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JW / Electronica Classics 020: Erick Morillo & Harry Choo Choo Romero Essential Mix

Inspired by this past Friday's Independence Day Essential Mix from Erick Morillo, I couldn't resist pulling out this gem from late 2000. I recall my suite mate at Tulane during sophomore year absolutely loving this mix, and his enthusiasm admittedly influenced my appreciation for it.

My apologies for the lack of Classics posting last weekend. I took a road trip to Austin to visit an old college buddy and check out a fairly large electronic music event, so it zapped my availability for blog posting. For those interested, you can view the video recap of the show I put together here.

Erick Morillo & Harry Choo Choo Romero - Essential Mix 2000-12-24
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Ron Carol - The Sermon
Minister De La Funk - Believe
Spiller - Miami (Grooovejet)
M&S - Salsoul Nugget
Lucy Pearl - Dont Mess With My Man
EBTG vs Soulvision - Tracey In My Room
Rui Da Silva - Touch Me
Thick Dick - Welcome To The Jungle
Georgie Porgie - Life Goes On
Halo Varga - My Sound
Bass Toy - Running
Eddie Amador - Rise
Plastikman - Spastik
Daft Punk - One More Time
Azzido Da Bass - Doomsnight
Kings of Tomorrow - Finally
B-Series Vol. 1 - Feelings
Africanism - Tourment DAmour
Harry Choo Choo Romero - Beats Vol. 1 (Beetle Mix)
Mongobonix feat. Inaya Day - I Will (Congobonix Dub)
Harry & Alex - So Lonely (Original Demo)
Soul Providers feat. Michelle Shellers - Rise
Simon - Free (At Last)
Hatiras - Spaced Invader
Afro Medusa - Pasilda
Bob Sinclar - I Feel For You (Spiller Vocal Remix)
Alan Braxe & Fred Falke - Running
Various Artists - Essential Punishment
Modjo - Lady

JW / Electronica Classics 019: Thievery Corporation Live at Vienna Jazz Fest

Today's selection showcases one of my favorite electronica acts of all time: Thievery Corporation. As you can see from my Last.fm artist ranking page, I've listened to these guys more over the past 4 years than any other musical act. What can I say? Their music suits me both when I need to study & when I need to relax.

I've had the pleasure of seeing their live act twice: once at the French Quarter House of Blues in 2003 as part of their "Richest Man In Babylon" tour and then at the Voodoo Music Festival in 2008 (pictured above) as they were promoting their "Radio Retaliation" album.

I ran across this particular show recording about a year ago. From what I've read, this was taken directly from the sound board during their performance in Vienna, Austria, at the 2005 Jazz Fest Wien. Enjoy!

Thievery Corporation - Live at Vienna Jazz Fest Wien 2005-07-08
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01 - Omid (Hope)
02 - Facing East
03 - Lebanese Blonde
04 - Shadows of Ourselves
05 - So Com Voce
06 - Sol Tapado
07 - Liberation Front
08 - 38.45
09 - Meet The Band
10 - Illumination
11 - Revolution Solution
12 - Wires & Watchtowers
13 - Exilio
14 - The Time We Lost Our Way
15 - Marching The Hate Machines

JW / Electronica Classics 018: John Digweed Live At Massive

I must admit I'm quite excited about this week's selection. That's because while researching the track listing for this set, I stumbled upon a longer version of the performance than the one I added to my collection nearly a decade ago. I also learned that this set had been distributed under an incorrect name, so it's also refreshing to learn its true identity.

Most fanatical John Digweed set collectors are familiar with the recording that was widely shared on Napster back in late 2000 under the name "John Digweed - Live at Massive Germany". This performance has the somewhat unique distinction of blasting out of the gate at 100 MPH. Digweed's typical approach to constructing a set is to build slowly, until by about hour two or three he's warping your mind in an un-Earthly vortex of sound. Conversely, this Live at Massive set is like a 40 foot tidal wave that you see approaching on the horizon for only 54 seconds before it crashes on top of you & sends you deep into an abyss of sound. (Of note, the only other Digweed set from the past decade that I've run across to follow a similar "destroy you from the outset" pattern is his Live from Amnesia performance recorded last August in Ibiza.)

Similar to last week's Parks & Wilson classic set, this Digweed performance sits neatly between the trance sounds of the late 90s and the progressive house sounds of late 2000 and early 2001. You'll notice in the track listing below that there are a few tracks in this performance that also found their way onto Sasha & John Digweed's "Communicate" album that was released later in 2000 & very indicative of their style honed during their monthly residency at Twilo in Manhattan during this period.

As I mentioned earlier, this set is widely known as "Live at Massive Germany", but upon further investigation, it was actually recorded in Holland. Perhaps the foreign-language announcer in the recording or the name "Jaarbeurs" in the accurate title confused the original uploader in those heady, turn-of-the-millenium days. Whatever the reason for the mis-titled ID3 tags, the quality of this set remains. The second hour is a new treat for me, since the version I had until yesterday was only an hour long. Be sure to keep this one in a safe place. It is exceedingly worthy of the label "Electronica Classic".


John Digweed - Live at Massive Jaarbeurs, Utrecht, Holland 2000-02-26

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Boyd Westerman - Loop Life (Escape Mix)

Novy v. Eniac - Pumpin? (Bluefish Mix)

Online - Automatic

POB - WAAH! (Seismix)

Killahurtz - West On 27th

DJ Gogo - Ajuna

Unknown

Unknown

Tsunami - Mode Confusion [System F Mix]

Salt Tank - The Energy

Bedrock - Voices (Dj Remy??/Slacker's Dumbstruck?? Mix) (unsure which)

Luzon - The Bagiou Track (Bedrock Mix)

Breeder - Tyrantanic (Slackers Kingdom Come Mix)

Berock - Heaven Scent (John Johnson Remix)

Timo Maas - Ubik (The Dance)

Unknown

JW / Electronica Classics 017: Parks & Wilson Essential Mix 2000

Today's choice really brings me back to my freshman year of college. I can't recall exactly how I stumbled across this duo's productions that year, but it didn't take me long to uncover their Radio 1 debut once I did.

Parks & Wilson are two-thirds of the production outfit Tilt, along with John Graham (also known as Quivver). These guys were really pushing the envelope of what the trance genre could be at a time when most producers and DJs were frankly basking in the trance glow at the height of its popularity. I find this mix most compelling if you approach it as the bridge between the anthemic trance that dominated in the late 90s and the darker progressive house sound that came into vogue in early 2001. At one end of the spectrum you have Paul Oakenfold's "Tranceport". At the other you have Deep Dish's "Global Underground 021: Moscow". This Essential Mix falls neatly in between.

Listening to this mix some 9 years later, I'm pleased to say it's aged quite gracefully. Check out the download links below to add it to your collection.

Parks & Wilson - Essential Mix 2000-04-09
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Jin Long Uen - "Bow To Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva"
Tilt - "The Dragon"
Science Department - "Persuasion [Domica Mix]"
Andy Ling - "Fixation [Tarrantella & Redanka Mix]"
Soul Drivers - "Innerspace"
Halo Vargo - "Future"
Innate - "Changes [Louise Strange Remix]"
Rue De Silver & Chris Coco - "Cossa Noisa"
Leftfield - "Snakeblood"
BT - "Fibonacci Sequence"
Steff, Pako & Fredrick - "Magic Shop [Voyager Mix]"
Souldrivers - "Narcotic"
Innate - "Changes [Tranzition Mix]"
Origin - "Wide Eyed Angel [Oliver Lieb Mix]"
Pete Lazonby - "Sacred Cycles [Quivver Mix]"
Odessi - "Moments Of Space"
Mr Flash - "Extreme Exhilaration [Ian Wilkie Dub]"
War Of The Worlds - "Eve Of The War [Tilt Remix]"

JW / Electronica Classics 016: Sander Kleinenberg Live From Everybody 2002

Despite last weekend's Memorial Day hiatus from music posting, I'm back this week with a favorite from early 2002. This set from Sander Kleinenberg was recorded shortly before he began his album promotion tour for "Essential Mix" and had a regular spot in my car CD changer for most of the year.

It's a bit of a departure from the darker progressive sound that was championed around this time, especially by the Global Underground artists. There's a distinctly jazzy feel to the set, which is a description you don't often hear applied to progressive house. Unfortunately I wasn't able to uncover a tracklisting for this performance, but if you were a vinyl connoisseur around this period, feel free to leave some IDs in the comments.

Sander Kleinenberg - Live from Everybody 2002-01-06
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JW / Electronica Classics 015: The Crystal Method Live At Showbox Seattle 1997

I've been on a big Crystal Method kick this week. This past Tuesday saw the release of their fourth studio album, "Divided By Night," and I've got tickets to see the guys do a live performance here at the House of Blues in Houston this coming Monday. Heck, I even downloaded their new iPhone app to keep up with their Twitter updates from the tour. Regarding "Divided By Night," I've probably listened to it about 6 times this week, and it's easily my second favorite Crystal Method album, behind the legendary "Vegas." I'm not a huge fan of every track on the new album, but there are some real stand-outs like "Smile" and "Black Rainbows."

There aren't many recordings of actual "live" performances of The Crystal Method floating around; most of the recordings I have in my collection are of DJ sets that the duo put together. However, I did run across a live performance while digging around Soulseek back during the summer of 2003. Prior to last weekend, I'd only listened to this performance a handful of times. But digging it out again revealed a really good find.

Surprisingly, there isn't a lot of info about this recording online. From what I've been able to determine, it's sometimes called "Live in Seattle," "Live at Showbox in Seattle," or "Live Seattle Bootleg". A few of the tracks were listed as "Unknown" or otherwise mislabeled when I originally downloaded it, and none of the websites I found online actually had the tracklisting correct. However, I believe I've been able to correct all those mistakes. The recording quality won't pass for a studio album, but it's definitely listenable.

This performance consists primarily of tracks from their "Vegas" album, so for those of you who are partial to their earlier work, you should really enjoy this one. An added bonus is their remix of Keoki's "Caterpillar" track which originally appeared on the "Altered Ego Trip" remix album that Keoki released in 1998. I'm a big fan of that album, too, and it's a good one to add to your collection if you're looking for a nice snapshot of remixes from early American electronica producers & DJs such as Uberzone, Rabbit In The Moon, & DJ Dan.

I'm glad to see these guys are still putting out new music. Now go grab this performance from the late 90s for a little historical perspective.

The Crystal Method - Live at Showbox in Seattle 1997
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1 - The Crystal Method - High Roller
2 - The Crystal Method - Cherry Twist
3 - The Crystal Method - Now Is The Time
4 - Keoki - Caterpillar (The Crystal Method Remix)
5 - The Crystal Method - Trip Like I Do
6 - The Crystal Method - Vapor Trail
7 - The Crystal Method - Alright
8 - The Crystal Method - Busy Child
9 - The Crystal Method - Keep Hope Alive

JW / Electronica Classics 014: Chris Fortier's 2002 Kiss 100 Mix

Harkening back to the golden days of progressive house, this week's pick showcases one of my favorite mixes from American DJ Chris Fortier. This two hour set was aired on John Digweed's long-running weekly Kiss 100 radio show during April of 2002.

At the time this mix was compiled, Chris Fortier was promoting his recently released Bedrock 3 album, which I still consider to be one of the definitive CDs from this period. His Kiss mix is in the same vein as that album, and very indicative of what he was playing in clubs at the time.

I had the opportunity to see him perform at now-defunct Club Hyperia in Houston, TX, about two months after this set was broadcast back in 2002. The combination of his Bedrock album with this Kiss set shows both the minimalist side of Fortier and his more approachable peak-time floor-mover side. In each case, I believe you'll find the sound still feels fresh today.

Chris Fortier - Kiss 100 2002-04-12
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Part 1 Tracklisting

01. Spooky - Belong (Original Mix)
02. Second Hand Satellites - Orbit (P. Charles Mix)
03. Lilac House Road - Deeper Than A Deep Blue Sea (True Housing Fuck)
04. Youtopia - Zomaye (Instrumental Mix)
05. Descent - Fusion
06. Daniel Ash - Unknown (Pole Folder Remix)
07. R-Tribe - Phyre
08. JV - Into The Blue (Jas Remix)
09. Patrick Turner - Soulstream
10. Phil Kieran - Juicy
11. Astroglyde - Kinky

Part 2 Tracklisting

01. Astroglyde - Kinky
02. Jas - Bourgiouse Tech
03. Moonface - Nahn Madol
04. Haris - Penalty Charge Notice
05. Morgan King - I'm Free (Re-Edit)
06. Yunus vs Cervus - Sheltoks
07. Bravemusic - Spiritualised
08. Datajack - Burning
09. BT - Loving You More (Vocal Mix)