Vital Radio

This month's resident mix on Vital Radio is super techy. Not really sure why, but it happens. I'm particularly fond of the first tune in this mix: Kevlar - Weapons That Can Kill feat. Lisa Jane.






Tracklisting:
Sad trombone... I didn't do a tracklist this month. Ask me though, if curious.

Direct-download: Right click HERE and Save-as.

Boom. Another year has passed and this past weekend I was fortunate enough to kick off the 2011 season of Vital Radio. This month's VR mix features some bangin' progressive of the mainstream variety that'll get you moving.

If you haven't already done so, check out the Vital Radio year-end special to scope out my Top 10 for 2010 along with countdown from my fellow Vital jocks.

Happy new year all, and I hope you enjoy the mix!


Tracklisting:
01. Morgan Page – I’ve Had Friends feat. Jan Burton (Jean Elan Extended Remix)
02. Andrea Bertolini – Drop That Beat (Original Mix)
03. Daishi Dance – Sax@Arena (Mitomi Tokoto Remix
04. Erika Jayne – One Hot Pleasure (Dave Aude Remix)
05. Yug – Shake The Heartbreak (Original Mix)
06. Avicii – Ryu (Laidback Luke Edit)
07. Stars On 45 – Stars On 45 (Olav Basoski Remix)
08. JES – Awaken (Inpetto Remix)
09. Sandro Silva – Prom Night (Laidback Luke Edit)
10. David Penn, Rober Gaez – Sunshine People (Brown Sugar & Kid Shakers Remix)

Direct-download: Right click HERE and Save-as.

I had a ton of fun putting this mix together for Vital Radio about two weeks ago.

I've been on a big time house binge lately and gearing up for my Speedboats and Big Explosions project with DJ Endgame. The two of us played our first official gig as a duo at the People Downtown Halloween jam here in Toronto a couple of weeks ago and the place was electric. In terms of bringing our two styles together in to one neat little package, we're pretty much already there.

This mix is a pretty good representation of, at least a portion, of the Speedboats style. Often techy, and even more frequently kitschy and disco-influenced. From there to progressive and pop and back again.

Really looking forward to unveiling the project one piece at a time over the coming months. Endgame and I will be playing will be playing separately this coming Friday night at Calisto Lounge here in Toronto and then together as Speedboats the following Monday at the Gladstone Hotel. If you're in the city I hope to see you there!

I hope you enjoy the mix.

Tracklisting:
01. Ramon Tapia - Organized (Original Mix)
02. Segio Fernandez - Playa Del Carmen (Original Club Mix)
03. Alex Kenji - Rabatiry (Original Mix)
04. Dan Castro - Eastern Ensemble (Original Mix)
05. Audio Junkies - Let's Make a Party feat. Eyal Talmudi (Manuel De La Mare & Alex Kenji Remix)
06. Crazibiza - Everybody (Tommyboy Teque Remix)
07. Manuel De La Mare - Guess What (Original Mix)
08. Ivan Pica - Freak (Vocal Disco Mix)
09. Chris Lake & Marco Lys - The World Around Us (Extended Mix)
10. Benny Royal - Let's Keep it Coming (Original Mix)
11. Fatoby Slim - Star 69 (Thomas Gold What The F**k Mix)

Direct-download: Right click HERE and Save-as.

Sorry for not posting this here sooner - thinks have been pretty crazy lately! My resident mix on Vital Radio last month was super vocally-focused and features some of my favorite, more accessible, tunes of late. In some ways I'm channeling a new project that DJ Endgame and I are working on - but more on that later.

Things have picked up again on the live show front after a quiet few months. Endgame and I are performing together tomorrow at the Toronto Beer Experience, and then again on Haloween weekend at Tequila Bookworm. Vital will be throwing parties again in November and December so keep an eye out for those as well.

Anyway - Hope you enjoy the mix!

Tracklisting:
01. Nadia Ali – Fantasy (Morgan Page Remix)
02. EDX feat. Tamra Keenan – Out of The Rain (Extended Mix)
03. Tone Depth & Vivie-Ann feat. Michelle Narine – Taking Time (Marcelo CIC Remix)
04. Andrea Martini feat. Jason Mc Riod – Eternity (Original Mix)
05. Kaskade – Fire In Your New Shoes feat. Martina of Dragonette (Sultan & Ned Shepard Electric Daisy Remix)
06. Kaskade & Seamus Haji feat Haley – So Far Away (Kaskade Mix)
07. Sultan – GStringz (Original Mix)
08. Mr. Sam, Andy Duguid, Amanda Wilson – Satisfaction Guaranteed feat. Amanda Wilson (Original Mix)
09. Tim Berg – Bromance (The Love You Seek) (Avicii’s Extended Vocal Mix)
10. Dido – Everything To Lose (ATFC Remix)

Direct-download: Right click HERE and Save-as.

One of the challenges of being a huge lover/supporter of the Progressive sound is that my production sound and live sound rarely meet. I can get away with playing all sorts of random stuff on Progressive Aggressive because people expect to hear it. Most of my gigs are here in Toronto - I frequent small lounges and clubs on a regular basis. Sadly, Toronto is no longer the kind of city that appreciates trance and progressive (although it is coming back to some extent thanks to some awesome venues that are willing to take risks).

As much as I'd like to be holier than thou and play the high-brow music snob card, it just doesn't work when you're playing out. People want to hear songs they can sing to, familiar melodies... stuff they're comfortable with. A good DJ knows this and does what he can to get crowds moving.

I've found a happy place that I feel good about in funky house music - the feel good kind of stuff you hear Hed Kandi residents and UK garage legend Grant Nelson pumping out. It works really well at Vital events because we've got an awesome mix of regulars who are familiar with the dance music scene or just like to have a good time.

For the second year in a row I had an absolute blast playing on the Vital boat cruise. I played, I danced, I managed to spill beer all over myself (surprise, surprise). Anyhow... here's the recording from my set aboard the Klancy II from Pier Pressure, The 2010 Vital boat cruise. Enjoy!