RAYDEUS (GuerillaBASS, STiRTy, Jungo Road, SF)

Jungo Road contributor Raydeus (a.k.a. Darin) pumps up the dirty, throbbing bass with a mix specially crafted for the heat of summer. It starts out with Greena’s groaning and breaky drums then quickly builds into a blistering mix of bass, beats, and breaks. It’s all about the B’s.

You nu disco and fidget house heads will find the sounds that make you go jump on the dance floor too. Raydeus delivers a set that turns it out and doesn’t let go until the final beat.

Get more info on Raydeus at Raydeus.com, Facebook, and right here at Jungo Road.

Booking: Click to reveal email

Stream the mix and support the musicians by purchasing the tracks and hearing them played live! You can also download this full podcast mix above.

1. Greena – Actual Pain
2. Big Bang Breaks – Get Down (Skip To My Loops Mix)
3. Eddi Zanetti featuring Jackinori – Bust Dis (Lee Mortimer Remix)
4. NT89 & Distrakt – Pumpin’
5. The Gulf Gate Project – Beezy (Electric Soulside Remix)
6. Dom G – Work (DJ Dan & Mike Balance Remix)
7. Elite Force featuring Hatiras, Vandal, JELO, Stanton Warriors – M.A.D.
8. Soul Puncherz – Crush Nasty (Filthy Rehab Remix)
9. Altered Grooves – Higher Raver
10. DJ Fen – Here Comes Funky
11. DJ Mutiny – Tell U Something (Afghan Headspin Remix)
12. Mr. Tools – Humanize
13. Javi Gongora – Studio Number 8
14. DJ Dan – Chop Shop (extended version)
15. Calvertron & Tim Healey – Back 2 The Ghetto (Krafty Kuts Remix)
16. Mightyfools – We Dont Care (Tommie Sunshine & Figure’s Brooklyn Fire Remix)
17. Lady Packa – Pretty Bop feat. Elise 5000 (RunRiot Remix)
18. S-File – Heads Up (F.O.O.L Remix)

I first heard the name Dylan Rhymes when I discovered Whole9Yards – the UK record label that would forever change my taste in electronic music. It started with Dark Globe, then I discovered Meat Katie and Elite Force. I knew Lee Coombs from Fingerlickin’… but this was the beginning of my love-affair with all things tech-funk.

The record store I frequented the most in LA at the time was on Melrose Avenue… one of the shop DJs knew I was into breaks and ordered me all kinds of great stuff from the UK. After moving from LA to Chicago and Gramophone Records being my new home for music – it didn’t take long for the shop to know all Lot49 music would be purchased (at $12 per 12″) by yours truly.

Almost as quickly as I had discovered this music, I made my first visit to San Francisco – where a talented young DJ named shOOey was playing Salty at a small bar in the Mission. I knew at that moment that this town “got it”… not less than 4 hours later I would hear Melyss play my all-time favorite Rhymes track Party People at an underground Opel event. This was May of 2005. It was decided: we had to move to San Francisco.

It is fitting that we feature Dylan Rhymes this week – the 8th anniversary of Opel is this weekend. I know SF has become as special of a place to Marvin as it has to me, so I decided to ask him a little about his experiences in the city on the bay:

JR: When did you first hear about breaks being popular in San Francisco?
DR: Before my first trip, which seems an age ago now, I had heard there was a big party scene in SF. For such a relatively small city I was amazed at how many people were in to the whole underground culture. Luckily having always worked with Opel promotions there I wasn’t DJing to a one genre crowd. They were very accepting of all styles of dance music which was great for me as I play a lot of different music.

JR: What is the most special about visiting and/or playing in San Francisco for you?
DR: I love going to SF because it is one of the most welcoming places I have ever been to. There is a great spirit amongst the people that live there and I have made some amazing friends. The shows are always fantastic but you gotta prepare for the after party onslaught

JR: Can you share with us a memorable moment from your gigs at Opel over the past several years?
DR: One of many special moments I can remember was playing @ Mezzanine with my Label partner Meat Katie. Prior to the party there was a fashion show of all local talented designers and manufacturers. It blew my mind the work and effort that went in to this production and how well it went. It was only my 2nd or 3rd time in SF and this experience cemented the fact that it would be my number 1 destination to play.

JR: What is it like playing at Opulent Temple at Burning Man?
DR: It is an experience which I find hard to describe as every time I think about it I conjure up different moods and memories. You have to go to Burning Man to fully comprehend and appreciate the hedonism of it all. I guess the easiest way I can describe playing there is to imagine thousands of people in front of you that are having the best time of their life and you are responsible. At the risk of sounding like a Trance DJ, I would say EUPHORIC…if that’s allowed?

JR: What is different about playing in SF compared to other cities around the world?
DR: The main differences are the crowd is very open to different styles and they are out to party. It’s a very simple process for the Bay Area people……they go out…..they get down……they enjoy themselves! SIMPLE!

I would like to thank Marvin for participating in this years “Take Five” (we did a five question interview with Syd Gris last year prior to the Opel 7 year anniversary). His music has been an inspiration to me and I am thrilled we could feature an amazing mix of his this week on Jungo Road.

A little more about our friend Marvin…

Dance music has been the biggest part of Rhyme’s life from a young age. Inspired by early hip hop and electro a la Kraftwerk and Doug E. Fresh, Marvin purchased his first set of decks at 15 and caught the bug in a bad way. Rhythm Design Studios in Uxbridge became the birthplace of Outsiders, Drake and Beaver’s much-lauded project for Junior Boy’s Own Chicago influenced Jus Trax label. Friend, DJ and London mainstay Clive Henry then joined the team and the trio became Peace Division, a project that gained props from every corner of dance music without exception.

Since then he has cemented his reputation as one of the leaders of the breakbeat and tech house scenes through his output through Kingsize Records, Meat Katie’s Whole9Yards and Lot49 labels and his own Blue Black imprint. Besides original work, Beaver has also remixed the likes of Deep Dish, Infusion, Dave Gahan, BT, Overseer, Unkle and Puretone while he has collaborated with Meat Katie, Christian J, Force Mass Motion (as Silencer) and Anthony J Gorry (on his 2004 album, Dead Famous).

Catch Dylan Rhymes in the US over the next month or so starting this Saturday February 27th at Mighty (SF) for the Opel 8 Year Anniversary, March 6th in Tucson, AZ at The Rock, and then March 16th & 18th at SXSW as part of Lot49’s Texas invasion!

More about Dylan Rhymes on his site, Lot49, MySpace, SoundCloud, and Twitter.

Booking: Click to reveal email

Stream the mix and support the musicians by purchasing the tracks and hearing them played live! You can also download this full podcast mix above.

1. Dylan Rhymes + Meat Katie – ONLY YOU (Haggstrom remix)
2. Etienne De Crecy – Move
3. Zoo Brazil – FANCY (Popof remix)
4. Andreas Henneberg, Simon2 – BOLINGO GRINGO
5. Dylan Rhymes + Meat Katie – ONLY YOU (Echo Vacio Remix)
6. Reset Robot – v3
7. Thomas Schumacher – HEAT IT UP
8. G.e.R.M. – GLITTERBALL (Dylan Rhymes re-shift)
9. Odissi – DIRTY SECRETS
10. Cirez D – On Off + Depeche Mode – PEACE (Accapella)

Born in 2004, marrying skills and tastes from different musical backgrounds to push for a common cause, Robosapiens have moved with the landscape around them, evolving through technology and pressing their sound forward, never following, but forging their own path. Not content with sitting still, Robosapiens have a desire to transcend genres, to produce music to an ethos, not to a trend…music for an altered consciousness, for an adrenaline overdose.

The combination of a drum ‘n’ bass graduate and a techno survivor, Robosapiens uncovered a mutual interest in breaks that has lead to some memorable gigs and studio successes. The Robo/Sapiens – Jamie Flukes and Steve Kyte – met while DJing breaks at parties around Bristol, a club scene both knew well from years of service in the city.

Jamie had previously earned his stripes as a resident for Drive By, Bristol’s leading drum ‘n’ bass night, as well as gigs for other promoters including Bulletproof in Cardiff and Pink Lime in Bristol. Jamie has pushed the Robosapiens sound abroad with regular visits to Japan playing Tokyo’s prestigous WOMB.

Formerly one half of techno outfit Pranksterz, Steve is no stranger to the studio or club environment and has DJ’d throughout the UK and Europe, not to mention releases on major dance music compilations and countless releases on his own numerous labels.

Robosapiens journey so far has seen them travel the world, taking their sound from the studio and impregnating it into people first-hand. Their appeal has been far-reaching, leading to remixes for many labels, name-checks from producers as a major influence, and a set for Annie Nightingale on Radio 1 played again on her Christmas show, and called her best mix of the year. Their music draws on their former styles, adding a tech edge to rolling breaks with some deep tracks and some upbeat ones – all capable of igniting dancefloors.

Keep up to date on Robosapiens’ live performances at their websites below and the Jungo Road calendar.

More about Robosapiens on MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, SoundCloud and their own website.

Booking: Click to reveal email

Purchase Robosapiens Tracks on Beatport

Stream the mix and support the musicians by purchasing the tracks and hearing them played live! You can also download this full podcast mix above.

1. FIORD – GET UP JUDE(BECKERS RMX)- EVAPOUR8
2. SIC – WE ARE NOT ALONE(ROBOSAPIENS RMX) – AUX CDR
3. INFUSION – DOGTOWN(BECKERS DNOX RMX)-OMNIS
4. MARC D PULSE – PS YOU ROCK(SPEKTRE RMX) – SK SUPREME RECORDS
5. UMEK – SLAP – 1605
6. ROBOSAPIENS – THE 9 – DEADFAMOUS
7. ROBOSAPIENS – BODIES – DEADFAMOUS
8. FUSSYBOY – JONNI(ROBOSAPIENS RMX)- LOT49 CDR
9. UMEK – DEMENTIA (ALEX DI STEPHANO AND DYNA RMX) – HELL YEAH
10. MOTEM – SCANNERS(AUDIOPHASE RMX)- CDR
11. SLEVEN – DEMENTIA -CRESCENT RECORDINGS
12. DEPECHE MODE – HOLE TO FEED(POPOF VOCAL RMX)- MUTE
13. ROBOSAPIENS – NEW WORLD ORDER(KULTAR COLUMBO RMX) – DEADFAMOUS CDR

Decompression '09 - photo by Devin Sezgen

RAYDEUS (GuerillaBass, Stirty, JungoRoad.com – San Francisco)

JungoRoad.com is proud to welcome Darin Eriksen (aka Raydeus, his DJ handle) as our newest official contributor. As a mover and shaker in the San Francisco underground dance music scene, he brings a distinctly West Coast point of view to the proceedings. To mark the occasion, we’re featuring his newest mix as this week’s exclusive download.

In what city, region/state, and country do you currently reside?

Nation of San Francisco, recently moved to The Mission district.

When did you or your family notice your interest in music?

Probably when they heard loud rock music coming from the basement of the house. My family was very Christian and conservative. So, if anything sounded in any way “Satanic”, I got yelled at and the record would be taken away. That all changed when I was in college; my music collection grew.

When did you get interested or exposed to electronic dance music?

It goes back to 80’s electro-pop and hip hop. I listened to everything from New Order to LL Cool J. The common thread was the groove and the bass. I remember Beastie Boys’ “Brass Monkey” and LL’s “Goin’ Back to Cali” making people go nuts at school dances. Looking back, it was the heavy Miami bass kicks that really got people going. I followed the evolution and melding of styles into the 90’s with Massive Attack and Portishead. And then, in 1996, I heard Underworld’s “Born Slippy NUXX” and it turned me inside out. I dove head first into electronic music after that. In addition to being an Underworld fanatic, I started listening to The Chemical Brothers, Tricky, Aphex Twin, The Orb, and Orbital a lot.

What do you like (or moves you most) in any type of music?

There are so many intangibles, but #1 would have to be inventiveness. I love hearing new ideas in music; shit I have never heard anyone do before, and yet it sounds so good it’s as if it always existed. Like the first time I ever heard The Pixies. Their music was so brilliant, different, and amazing, you knew it would have an impact on everything that came after it.

What do you like (or moves you most) in electronic dance music?

Well, like I said, bass is really important. Deep bass and a solid groove are sometimes enough on their own. But what takes a track to the next level is a great hook. “Born Slippy” has that instantly recognizable synth line that, whenever played, people lose their shit.

When did you start DJing?

Around 2002 or so, I bought decks and started playing dub & downtempo. I didn’t have a name yet. I worked my way up to spinning progressive house after about a year and, then, I got caught up in the big breaks wave that took hold around 2004. Finally, I started getting some bookings, started a crew, started throwing parties, and named myself Raydeus.

What do you like about DJing?

Having a good excuse to spend truckloads of money on a glorified hobby! Really, being able to justify the huge amount of time I spend listening to music, and lots of money buying music. Also, that the communities rise up around the music you’re playing, and that the act of DJing is for the sole purpose of making people happy. That’s why I do it… it’s certainly not about the money.

Are you associated with any record labels or crews?

Until recently I was affiliated with Pronoia, a crew I started with my friends Pieter Rizen and Damien Jones back in ’04 with a fundraiser to help get enough voters registered to vote Bush out of office. The idea was that Pronoia would only do events that were charitable, hence the idea of “others conspiring to benefit you.” That crew name is now retired as of this year, after five years full of memorable parties. I’ve now joined two other crews in SF, GuerillaBass and Stirty. And, of course, JungoRoad.com. Here’s to new horizons!

For what types of music genres or styles are you known?

I think most people got to know my breakbeat side and I became known for playing really super hard, dirty breaks. Then, that sound evolved to incorporate electro house and tech funk.

For what types of music genres or styles do you want to be known?

I still play the banging, grindy stuff. But, I have realized pouring on 100% full throttle dirty bass is not the answer to keeping the dancefloor enthralled. You have to dose it just right, and hold a really solid groove, to get your grip on people. I have developed a more groovy, deep, minimal tech side, to balance out the harder side, that has been getting very good reaction.

What are other DJs and music producers that you admire?

• Lee Burridge – My favorite when it comes to techno & deep tech. I have been taking more cues from his DJing than anyone else lately.
• Lee Coombs played my single favorite set I heard this past year (at Opel Productions’ post LovEvolution party). Another true master of holding a groove. I hadn’t danced that hard for a while.
• Krafty Kuts – The man is a genius producer (in the form of dope original tracks and remixes) and DJ. No one brings the heavy funk like Krafty.

What the best venue (in your judgment) you played at in the world?

Burning Man, at a big sound camp like Opulent Temple or a dope art car like the Neuroweapon. Or, really any outdoor venue, especially at night. There’s nothing better than rocking out in the open air with a sea of bouncing freaks and blinky lights in front of you.

Speaking of Burning Man, did you experience whatever it was you were looking forward to this year?

I would say so! I counted 10 times that I got to DJ in 7 days I was out there. The Duck Pond ruled!

Any specific music tracks stand out on the playa?

I think I played Tim Deluxe’s “Storm In a Teacup” more than any other track. It’s an incredibly versatile track.

Are you participating in the upcoming Burning Man?

TBD!

Welcome to the Jungo Road team, Raydeus! Thank you for your past and upcoming contributions to Jungo Road and the electronic dance music scene.

Find Raydeus online at Raydeus.com (with many more DJ mixes), and his page on Facebook.

Those in the Bay Area can catch Raydeus at:

• Opel NYE 2010 w/ Stanton Warriors (in the main room with the all-important opening set, 9:00-10:45)
• GuerillaBASS presents Stamina Keeping the party going January 2! Tag teaming with SF underground legend Forest Green.

Booking: Click to reveal email

Play individual tracks and then click on the links below to purchase!
Mix notes: This was recorded old-school style with a Pioneer DJM-700 mixer and two CDJ-800s without use of “Master Tempo” function.

Mix tracklist:

1. philly blunt & signal drivers – muzik (autoslide remix) [destination?]
2. fill dirty – loathing on drugs [london loud]
3. jaimie fanatic & kelevra – we are all kidz [feat. whiskey pete] (reid speed & mike balance remix) [legacy kids club]
4. dirty inc – i wish my girlfriend was as filthy as this track [dirty trax]
5. hirshee – the rinse out [big fish]
6. electric soulside – moulin rouge (lazy rich remix) [bugeyed]
7. valerna – street racer [tasty bytes]
8. meat katie – needles & pins [lot 49]
9. butter party – eat the mushroom [trickery collective]
10. circuit freq – supertripper [circuit freq]
11. aaren san – friction (costello remix) [aelaekropopp]
12. skinny – shake it [nu industry]
13. ryan galbraith – road trip [plasma.digital]
14. j*o*k*r – dr. oetker (quadrat beat remix) [dusted breaks]
15. break the box – rock the mic (robosapiens remix) [dead famous]
16. leeroy thornhill – connect [adhd digital]
17. ali kay – numb [sirenium]

Rising New York producer/DJ and Jungo Road co-founder Chad North delivers an characteristically impeccable mix of throbbing tech-funk, techno, and breaks this week. He can possibly lay claim to the youngest age for a first remix. “I remixed MC Hammer when I was 11 years old using two tape decks to create an extended dance mix of U Can’t Touch This. I spliced together different sections of the track and even made some new breakdowns. I had no idea that Kool Herc was up to the same tricks 15 years earlier with turntables.”

A prodigy was revealed. “I won a 7th grade talent show by dancing to [that tape]. I didn’t think to mention in the program that it was an original remix. This was 1990.” It would be the first of many successes over the years to come. A music-obsessed Chad taught himself writing music, kept recording throughout high school and college and got a degree in music theory. A turning point was being introduced to the intense stylings of The Prodigy and Moby by his older brother. “The sound was captivating and a little scary in fact,” Chad says.

In 2001, he got a Macintosh with Logic software and began, in his words, “hitting the sequencer hard.” By 2007, his first 12-inch Get Mean was unleashed by Chicago-based Bad Advice Records. Since then, Chad has had his collaborations The Grind and You Got What released on Erase Records (with co-producer DJ Aaron Pope); then a remix of Waveplant & Ernesto’s (I Need A) Bassline on Exceptional Records (also with Pope).

Chad’s skills have reached beyond dance music and into film and television. He’s worked for Hans Zimmer(!), composed for LA-based music house Spank Music and has had his work featured in national TV ads for Bally Fitness, Absolute Vodka, Nokia and BMW. He now runs his own music company in NYC called Habitat Music. Other highlights include working with pop-singer Jennifer Paige, having tracks remixed by artists such as Trifonic and Mike Hulme, and most recently remixing Jared Leto’s band 30 Seconds to Mars.

And yet Chad’s first love is still all things tech-funk – a reliable staple in an underground scene that has experienced seismic rifts in recent years. “It seems the scene I have associated myself with for a long time has splintered into those more interested in dubstep/breaks and those more interested in tech-house/techno,” says Chad. “I like both genres, but, I see the shift toward techno being a more lasting trend. Of course, since tech-funk embodies all of these things, I could see these producers having more and more of an influence on the scene. And, producers who push the boundaries (such as Meat Katie, Lee Coombs, Elite Force, Dylan Rhymes) and want to keep it fresh will always cycle back to forgotten ideas. Acid, for instance, will never get old in my opinion. Nor will a 4/4 kick, a good bassline, or a fat break beat.”

You can next catch Chad at Lee Coombs’ Light and Dark Album Release event on Saturday Nov 21 at Public Assembly in Brooklyn. Keep up to date on his other live performances at his websites below and the Jungo Road calendar.

More about Chad North on his site, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and SoundCloud.

Booking: Click to reveal email

Stream the mix or click on the links below to purchase!

1. Intro – Barry McGovern
2. 30 Seconds to Mars – Kings and Queens (Chad North remix) [Capitol Records]
3. Mark Knight & D. Ramirez vs. Underworld – Downpipe [Toolroom]
4. BT – The Rose of Jericho (Sultan & Shephard remix) [Nettwerk]
5. Tim Deluxe – Storm in a Tea Cup [Skint]
6. Sour Grapes – Mantra [Televizion]
7. D-Nox & Beckers – Cala A Boca (Meat Katie remix) [Sprout]
8. Format:B – Hot Rod [Formatik]
9. Audiojack – Red Eye [2020 Vision]
10. Chad North vs. Aaron Pope – You Got What (Mike Hulme remix) [Erase]
11. Meat Katie – Tension [Lot49]
12. Mike Hulme – 100mg [U&A]
13. Odissi – Empty Vodka Bottles [Lot49]
14. Z-Listers – What U Waiting For? [Erase]
15. Kiwa – Drop Control (Rektchordz remix) [High Grade]
16. Hedflux & Tom Wilkes – Basscake (Matthew McCurry & Stephen Cole remix) [Broken Robot]

For better viewing quality choose HQ from the SD/HQ button on the video player’s control bar below.

This week, we’ve got breakbeat and tech-funk from Stephen Cole. Stephen hails from North Carolina where good things like powered flight by man and Krispy Kreme both started. Early in his life, Stephen was exposed to a wide variety of music. This influence shows up in the selection of music he plays in his sets; both live and in his mix we have for you this week.

Stephen Cole has been in the electronic dance music (EDM) scene for a decade; playing at numerous clubs, radio stations, and events along America’s east coast. While attending courses for recording and engineering at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, he began producing his own music.

 In 2007, he kicked off with the Sweet Melody remix released on A-Squared Muzik. Hotwired was up next; released on N-mitysound and produced with his frequent collaborator Matthew McCurry. Both the original and the Introspective remix of Hotwired have received a wide range of support; showing up in notable playlists such as Elite Force’s Strongarm Sessions and Annie Nightingale’s Radio 1 show. Stephen finished up 2007 with The Fringe, which landed on Introspective’s Ministry Of Sound compilation.

In 2008, Stephen released his Born To Roll EP which included productions by himself and a collaboration with Matthew McCurry. Then, in 2009, Stephen and Matthew remixed I Am Sweet for Lot49 label owner Dylan Rhymes, Back With It by Boonos, Basscake by Headflux & Tom Wilkes and Midnights by Benjamin Vial. The latter remix you’ll find titled Echotech Remix. Echotech is the new alias of the Stephen Cole and Matthew McCurry duo. Stephen will be rounding out 2009 with new releases on Dead Famous, KDB, N-mitysound and Audio Logic.

You can next catch Stephen Cole on Monday October 19th @ Tutto Mondo (Charlotte, NC). Keep up to date on his other live performances at his website Noctural Breaks and the Jungo Road calendar.

More about Stephen Cole on his site, Facebook, MySpace, MySpace for Echotech, Twitter, and SoundCloud.

Booking: Click to reveal email

Play individual tracks and then click on the links below to purchase!

1. Product.01 – Ready To Rage (Vandal Remix) [Dead Famous]
2. Boonos – Back With It (JHz Remix) [XSSR]
3. Access Denied – One More Time (Stephen Cole Remix) [KDB Records]
4. Benjamin Vial – Midnights (Echotech Remix) [Plasmapool]
5. The Loops of Fury – Flick A Switch (DJ Dan & Mike Balance Remix) [U&A]
6. Armand Van Helden – NYC Beat (MSTRKRFT Remix) [Southern Fried Records]
7. Stanton Warriors – Precinct (Plump DJs Remix) [Punks]
8. Dylan Rhymes – Kemptown (Peo De Pitte Remix) [Lot49]
9. The Whip – Trash (Crookers Remix) [Southern Fried Records]
10. Elite Force & Meat Katie – Believe [U&A]
11. Hedflux & Tom Wilkes – Basscake (Stephen Cole & Matthew McCurry Remix) [Broken Robot Recordings]

Ahhh, control tower this is flight 479er. I’ve got a bogey; looks like a breakbeat jammer. Ahhhh, flight 479er, that’s no breakbeat jammer; its a tech-funk slammer from Aaron Pope. Yes, friends. Aaron has landed again at Jungo Road with beats far and wide; plus we got the 411 during an interview with him.

Aaron, where do you live? Tell us something about it.
San Francisco, California. SF has places where people still want to dance to good non-commercial music with a variety of styles. I’ve been lucky enough to have several residencies where I got to play long DJ sets with that diversity.

When did you get interested or exposed to electronic dance music?
Probably sometime in college. I went to some good underground parties; really started enjoying just spending time on the dance floor. I used to dance for hours and hours. I never studied music or played any instrument until I was about 28; when I started learning how to spin.

What was that like at the beginning?
A friend of mine basically forced me to try and beat match two records. Up until then, I had been really afraid that I would mess up the music and was reluctant to touch the equipment. But, when I finally started playing around on some turntables, I got really hooked.

What kind of music do you play?
I think I’m known for playing a pretty diverse array of high energy breaks, electro and house, with some surprises thrown in. I always need a certain groove or funky feeling; that moves me a bit and brings good energy; an uplifting feeling to it. I love, and spin, many different styles of music, but everything I love has to have a certain movement to it. I usually stay away from really dark music. I love bangin’, strong beats. I also love to play mid-tempo sets when I can. They include old-school hip-hop, latin, breaks, funk, indy, reggae, etc.

What do you like about DJing?
I love to pump up a crowd. I love that I am able to dance and play music at the same time. I love the creative possibilities available as a DJ. It’s just a great experience and has been a very positive part of my life. Electronic dance music (EDM) has inspired more emotion and positive energy out of me than any other type of music–far and away. The fact that it inspires just as much emotion in my friends means I can combine all my favorite things. Plus, it’s impossible not to want to dance when a good DJ is throwin’ down in many different styles.

What do you not like about DJing?
There is not much I don’t like. Sometimes, I think the need for everyone to categorize, and often prejudge, different types of music gets a little silly. But, in general, I’ve got nothing but love for the dance community and culture.  I’ve met some really amazing people through my music; a lot of great moments with friends and sharing great trips in search of amazing music.

Do you produce your own music?
Yes. I started about five years ago and started to work much harder at it two years ago. My first release that I really felt proud of was Bassline on Exceptional; written with my production partner Chad North. We have two other releases, The Grind and You Got What, on Erase Records; both of which I think are pretty good. The Grind went to #20 on Beatport’s breaks chart.

Do you have any creative process in producing music that you want fans to know about?
All of my ideas flow best when I am in front of the computer in Ableton Live with all the plug-in’s and effects available to experiment with. I really enjoy using it; it feels very intuitive and creative. There are so many other great options when it comes to music production that you really just need to pick what works for you. I usually start with beats and a bassline, unless there’s some sample that I’m really lovin’. I don’t have any formal music training, although, I’m certainly learning more and more music theory all the time. I wish I had played an instrument when I was younger.

What other DJs and music producers do you admire?
There’s a tremendous amount of great music being produced and played right now, with lots of barriers being broken. It’s inspiring. Some of the current producers and DJs I’m diggin’ now include Peo de Pitte, Zodiac Cartel, Sinden, A Skillz, Krafty Kuts, Chu Fu, Foamo, Nextmen and Wolfgang Gartner.

What are some highlights that we should know about you?
I’ve been at this for ten years. I’ve had gigs in New York, Miami, Chicago, Brazil, the Caribbean and Ibiza. I’ve spun alongside Roger Sanchez, The Chemical Brothers, Jo Mills, Derrick Carter, Felix the Housecat, Scumfrog, The Breakfastaz, DJ Dan, Lee Coombs, D-Fuse, Adam Freeland, Nick Thayer, Stanton Warriors, Bassnectar and Freq Nasty. In 2004, I won Scion’s DJ of the year award. In 2006 was voted “Best San Francisco DJ” in the Bay Guardian’s reader poll. And, 2005-07 was voted one of San Francisco’s top 20 DJ’s in Nitevibe’s DreamTeam poll.

What the best venue you played at in the world? And in NYC or SF?
Easy. The Deep End Camp at Burning Man where I was the first resident DJ and booking manager. It’s the most amazing crowd and setting in the world, and certainly most of my favorite sets have occurred there. I also achieved a personal goal by playing on the Terrace at Space in Ibiza. The Sullivan Room is a favorite in New York. In San Francisco, my favorite venue has got to be at Whisper during Breakfast of Champions, but I also love to spin at Shine because so many friends hang out there.

You can catch Aaron Pope at the following upcoming performances: Friday October 9th Project Ahimsa benefit @ 111 Minna Gallery (111 Minna St., San Francisco); Thursday October 22nd @ California Academy of Sciences NiteLife residency (San Francisco).

More about Aaron Pope on Facebook and at his podcast.
Booking: Click to reveal email

Play individual tracks and then click on the links below to purchase!

1. D’ Secret Svc – Tight Jeans (Fukkk Offff Remix) [Coco Machete Records]
2. Beach Boys – Good Vibrations (Stanton Warrior Remix) [White Label]
3. Drumattic Twins – Crazy Love (Peo De Pitte Remix) [Finger Lickin' Records]
4. Brodinski – Eurostar (Last Japan Remix) [White Label]
5. The yank – We Can’t Be Stopped [Gung Ho! Recordings Ltd.]
6. Splitloop – Party People (Adsorb Remix) [Against the Grain]
7. Midnight Oil – Beds Are Burning (High Spies vs Sam Norling Remix) [White Label]
8. Calvertron – Doggy Style (Zodiac Cartel Remix) [Jack Knife Records]
9. Para-Beats – Put the Needle on the Record [White Label]
10. Splitloop – Party People (Rico Tubbs Remix) [Against the Grain]
11. Big Deal – I Wish I Was Taller [Big Deal Records]
12. Rico Tubbs – Ghetto Funk Baby (High Rankin Remix) [Menu Music]
13. Booty Luv – Say It (Nero Remix) [White Label]
14. Gramophonedzie – Why Don’t You [Guesthouse Music]
15. Sinden – Y’all Want Mo [Cheap Thrills]
16. CagedBaby – Forced (Foamo Remix) [White Label]
17. Last Japan vs Crispin J – DJ Saved My Life [White Label]
18. Tittsworth – WTF feat Kid sister and Pase Rock (Deekline & Tim Healy Remix) [Rat Records]
19. Hostage – Hangin’ [White Label]
20. Jono Fernandez – Girls Vs. Boys [BamBamMuzik]
21. The Body Snatchers – We Here (Mickey Slim Remix) [Passenger]
22. Drummatic Twins – Crazy Love (Peo de Pitte Remix) [Finger Lickin']

There’s a freshness to this week’s mix from Mike Hulme. Yes, its from the old country, the UK; seeped in tradition, in depth, in darkness. However, techno is fresh for Jungo Road and Mike’s take on it prevails. He has created for us a mix with dark, at times minimal, techno, tech-house and tech-funk tracks where the beat goes ON!

Creatively, Mike Hulme started producing under the alias Introspective in 2002 at Sinister Recordings blending the best bits of breaks, techno, electro and house with over 20 singles. In his eight years there, he helped establish and run the legendary breaks label while DJing around the globe, mixing Ministry of Sound compilations, and gaining the firm support of James Zabiela, Meat Katie, Elite Force, The Crystal Method, Rennie Pilgrem, Plump DJs, Laurent Garnier, General MIDI, Cut La Roc and Überzone.

Now, Mike is out front and center stage recording under his own name and signed to Elite Force’s U&A Recordings. In this direction, he has released three singles, has four releases in the pipeline, and gained support from peers like Carl Cox, Slam and Laurent Garnier.

On Mike’s business side, he’s worked for Ministry of Sound and DJdownload.com in London; licensed material on Fabric Live, Sony Playstation and Y4K; even worked for a Japanese-owned music licensing company where he composed and sold thousands of ringtones in Asia. Music everywhere!

While writing this feature, we were listening to Mike’s mix for Jungo Road. I had my headphones on part of the time; while the majority was open air with our Velodyne sub pumping. Two friends were listening in and we all agreed this is a fresh side of techno; big props to it! The groove was relentless. It dripped with audio gravy that surrounded us and we wished our minds would leave our body for a short time to float then dive down into it. Mike’s rediscovery of techno, obviously a past love, is welcomed and we look forward to his upcoming releases:

• Mike Hulme – 100mg [U&A Recordings]
• Butter Party – Eat The Mushroom (Mike Hulme Remix) [Trickery Collective]
• Aaron Pope & Chad North – You Got What? (Mike Hulme Remix) [Erase]
• Peter Paul – Count Drak (Mike Hulme Remix) [N-Mity Sound]

More about Mike Hulme at MySpace and SoundCloud.
Booking: Click to reveal email

Play individual tracks and then click on the links below to purchase!

1. Intro / GusGus – Add This Song (Klovn Remix) [Kompakt]
2. Stephan Bodzin – Mustang [Systematic]
3. Layo & Bushwacka – The Raw Road [Olmeto Records]
4. Tommy Four Seven – Surma [Electric Deluxe]
5. Queen Atom – Refuse Greed [Dumb Unit]
6. D-Nox & Beckers – Cala a Boca (Meat Katie Remix) [Sprout]
7. Mike Hulme – 100mg [U&A Recordings]
8. Meat Katie & Elite Force – Believe (Dopamine Remix) [U&A Recordings]
9. Marc Romboy ft. Blake Baxter – Where Would You Be? (Version 1) [Systematic]
10. Aaron Pope & Chad North – You Got What? (Mike Hulme Remix) [Erase]
11. Electric Rescue – The Devil’s Dance [Cocoon]
12. Extrawelt – The Dark Side of My Room (Timo Maas Remix) [Cocoon]
13. Freeland – Mancry (Gui Boratto Remix) [Marine Parade] / Outro

Lee Coombs today announced that his long awaited album Light and Dark (Lot49) will be released October 12, 2009. Lee is a taste maker, a hit maker, and a true industry icon. We got to preview the whole album; we know DJs and electronic dance music fans alike are going to love it. Its smashing!

Light and Dark is the culmination of Lee’s nearly 20 years on the forefront of electronic music and takes listeners through a history of electronic music, whether they know it or not. The album carries the raw essence and edginess of 1991’s burgeoning musical birth without seeming contrived. Lee has managed to warp time it seems by creating a masterpiece of a record that seamlessly blends his musical experience and genius from both the past and the present. Grimy old school analog sounds fused with bold techy drum progressions and the BIG tech funk sound that Lee is known for. The innovative use of vocal cuts and Lee’s innate ability to infect all his music with that little touch of dirty sonic mayhem really take this record to the next level.

Light and Dark has classic written all over it. The first two singles from the album are already out. Control was released (with remixes from Rogue Element and 10 Rapid) in November 2008 with big bouncy basslines, trademark percussion and Katherine Ellis’s unmistakable vocals. Right Now is what rave music should be all about; big stabbing key riffs that explode into monster basslines! Its hot on the DMC and Beatport charts. The club mix and a dopamine remix arm DJs with a dance floor anthem to keep fans jumpin’.

Fusing all the elements of the genres he favors is a definitive mark of Lee Coombs’ music. By integrating elements of tech-funk (a genre that didn’t exist before Lee and a few other industry vets like Elite Force, Meat Katie, and Dylan Rhymes coined the phrase), breaks, house, electro and techno, Coombs has once again has broken the boundaries of music and how we perceive it. Light and Dark pushes all the right buttons by somehow fusing essential elements of everything we love about electronic music, those intangible parts that can never be explained, just experienced.

The Light and Dark tour is set for October and November 2009 taking Lee to the Far East, the United States, Australia and Europe. Expect full previews of Light and Dark when Lee takes to the decks this September at Black Rock City, NV at Burning Man.

More info at leecoombs.com, MySpace, and Facebook

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