5 Magazine Covermount DJ Mixes That I still Listen To
There was a recent post from @fourfourfun on the maturing of Electronic music that had me thinking about my own introduction into electronic music. His writing on the decline of the commercial mix CD made me realize how influential some of these DJ mixes were in my life and largely inspired me to write this post.
Growing up in a small town in an era where gaining access to music from overseas wasn't as easy as it is now, I found myself really gravitating towards the covermount mix CDs that graced the cover of expensive import magazines in order to get my fix for new electronic music. Now I'd like to share some of the best ones that still make me nostalgic for those younger years in my life.
- Miss Kittin - Electroclash: Berlin is Burning! [Muzik Magazine, 2002]
The instant Arpanet's Wireless Internet starts it's slow arpeggiated build, you know you are in for something special here. Miss Kittin was seemingly brought in to helm a mix defining the electroclash sound of the time that she was closely related to, but instead turned in a mix of electro and techno classics featuring tracks from System 01, Pan Sonic, Echomorph, and Ellen Allien. All the while her vocals tie a narrative through the mix that makes the entire thing distinctly her own. When DHS's House of God finally slams into Dot Allison, the results are an electric energy that feels timeless and her technical skills are in full force. Also, this was an introduction for me to Micheal Mayer whose cover of Love Is Stronger Than Pride slays me every time I hear it.
- Jon Carter - Mixmag presents Jon Carter: Acid House Reborn! [Mixmag, 2003]
Kicking things into gear immediately with the classic Where Is Your Child? by Bam Bam, this cd then proceeds to rip through high energy songs from FC Kahuna, LFO, Josh Wink, Tiga, and Hardfloor (and a pre-hammered into annoyance Radio Slave remix of Benny Bennasi's Satisfaction). The tracklisting may seem obvious, but Jon Carter manages the tracklisting with quality layering that presents tracks in a fresh way. Never lingering on songs for too long. By the time the mix barrels to the end, it is about as high energy as one can get as Underworld and Chemical Brothers provide full on rave moments in the later half.
- Erol Alkan - One Louder [Muzik Magazine, 2003]
At the height of the influential Trash in London, Erol Alkan turned in a mix that absolutely nailed the anything goes spirit that was being re-introduced into the club scene at the time. In many ways, this feels like a predictor of the music that would soon be coming from artists like The Rapture and LCD Soundsystem, but at the time it was like nothing I had ever heard. Satisfaction once again makes an appearance here which should be a testament to how unavoidable that song was, but the true highlights come from Duran Duran's Night Version of Girls on Film, Tom Gilleron and Ravi McAuthor's bleeping and throbbing Now It's Dark, and Chicken Lip's criminally underrated remix of Headman's It Rough. Closing things off is a strangely mesmerising Japanesse cover of Daft Punk's Harder Better Faster Stronger full of punk rock energy. Erol consistently proves himself even now as a DJ that takes risk and this is a great early example of it.
- Chris Coco & Rob Da Bank - The Blue Room [Muzik Magazine, 2002]
Unfortunately I was unable to find a digital version of this mix cd, so instead I'm posting one of the CDs strongest and weirdest highlights, Asa-Chang and Junray's Hana. It's out of sync drums and choppy vocals are held together by a haunting string line that cuts deep. It's a rare work that still sounds distinct years later and worth the listen for Aphex Twin and Warp Records fans that are unfamiliar. The mix as a whole is the sound of the long discarded chill out rooms that used to hold a space in nearly every rave until their near-total disappearance as EDM began it's rise into the mainstream and they were disregarded due to fears that they encouraged drug use. The music from that time frame though still holds a special place from me. Here, Flunk turns in a cover of New Order's Blue Monday that recontextualizes it into an acoustic beauty if it were reimagined by Bjork while the Big Nylon Rhythm Machine remix of Hardkandy is like drifting off into the night on a glacier. I've posted the link to the tracklisting below for interested parties as there are some real beauties in this mix worth hearing.
https://www.discogs.com/Chris-Coco-Rob-Da-Bank-The-Blue-Room-70-Mins-Of-Lazy-Space-Grooves/release/63182
- Fergie - Fergie's Funky Techno Mix [Mixmag, 2003]
As the vocal of Jon Carter's Humanism begins (again with Jon Carter, but it really is a brilliant opening track) the stage is set for a high energy set of techno that is sadly out of fashion. Blazing through stormers by Smithmonger and Humantech as the BPMs reach into the mid 130s, this mix reminds me of a time when Techno was a bit more fun rather than the ultra-serious Berlin sounds dominating the circuit today. While it may sound dated now, each time I listen I'm reminded of the raw energy that Tomaz vs. The Filterheadz's Sunshine became popular for. Once it emerges with it's chugging beat I'm reminded of my first raves and how exciting everything was for me.