I have a lot running through my head right now. It’s a hectic time. Part of me wants to stay anxious, thinking of all these possible scenarios, wondering if everything will turn out alright. This Essential Mix from Disclosure coaxes me towards another mindset, another option. As I sit in rush hour traffic on my way to work, I can’t help but let go. Let the music lead..
– Jimi Jaxon
M.I.A. is back bitch. Today she unleashed “Bring The Noize” through Zane Lowe’s show on BBC Radio 1. She’s been having issues getting her new album Matangi out there. Originally scheduled for release in April through Interscope/N.E.E.T. Recordings, it’s been delayed till fall. The frustrated energy comes through strong in this new track. I am patiently awaiting her powerful return.
M.I.A. – Facebook Twitter Soundcloud
– Jimi Jaxon
This chick is somethin’ else. I wrote about her first Essential Mix for BBC Radio 1 in 2012; a set that raised the bar for holding a consistent sonic theme. She really blew me away with that one, expanding my understanding of possibilities in the DJ realm. Well she is back, invited by Pete Tong to showcase yet another 2 hour mix. Many artists dream of one day being featured on the Essential Mix, and Maya Jane Coles clearly shows she’s worth another go.
The standout track to me comes in about halfway through her set, Daniel Stefanik’s remix of Marbert Rocel’s “Small Hours”..
Maya’s debut album Comfort will be released next month..
Maya Jane Coles – Facebook Twitter Soundcloud
– Jimi Jaxon
I’m cleaning my very messy room, while re-listening to the Atoms For Peace Essential Mix. Throwing away trash, organizing pieces and making space to breathe is a fitting analogy for what Thom Yorke and Nigel Godrich have done in this 2-hour exploration. These songs have a distinct place in the musical landscape, not grasping onto cliches and instead taking you deep into the mind and nature of the world around you. On a production and sound quality level, I feel this is one of the more superior Essential Mixes created, since the series began in 1993.
I remember the first time I heard this mix, it was 4 am. I was so entranced by what I heard. Lying in bed with my headphones on, I felt like I was floating in this ocean of sound. I listened through the whole thing, and at 6 am thought, “what the fuck just happened?”. It was wonderful, and it is that kind of reaction that I hold onto as an artist.
Atoms For Peace – AMOK album, Facebook
Thom Yorke – 2013 RA interview
– Jimi Jaxon
Happy to see my friend HxdB featured on BBC Radio 1 & 1Xtra. B Traits had him put together a guest mix, and I must say it’s sick! As he says at the beginning, you’ll hear brand new tunes from himself and his friends out of Vancouver and across the globe. If you missed it, I talked with him for Disco Droppings last year, which you can read here.
If you want to see the man behind the beats, Lowpass TV presented a lovely documentary as well as a HxdB Slowcast Mix.
HxdB – Facebook Twitter Soundcloud
– Jimi Jaxon
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