phys ed (aka "the Coach")...
One spring day in 1994 I was exposed to something entirely different. A friend of mine was listening to a CD in our art class and I was curious what it could be. He offered the headphones to me and that was my first taste of the most beautiful voice I had ever heard: Tori Amos. After that day I realized there was more to the world than just rap. There was also this new, unexplored genre which I called Tori. "Under the Pink" has remained one of my favrite albums to this day.
A lot has changed ever since then. From hip-hop I was exposed to drum 'n' bass; from drum 'n' bass to house; from house to hardcore; hardcore to trance to where I guess I see myself now. Recently I've been really getting into breakbeat music. Something that you can pop and slide to. Of course all of this led to a 2 year exposure to the Pittsburgh rave scene from 1995-1997 as well as 3 years of DJing for Carnegie Mellon's radio station, WRCT 88.1fm. I helped to expose many listeners to the similarities between hip-hop and electronica often mixing the 2 into perfect blends.
To me, DJs are like favorite bands to people. Perhaps you really like Metallica, or maybe Madonna. My love is to Sandra Collins: a DJ from NYC that introduced me to trance which I immediately fell in love with. She played in Chicago once a month and I never missed her. She was playing at a rave that I went to in November which was a delicious surprise. If you love music like I do then you can understand how someone can do that to you.
But my music horizon is as vast as the skyline itself. I like Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Rage Against the Machine, Jungle Brothers, 80's music in general - just to name a few. If you know me then you know that my obvious preferences are trance and drum 'n' bass, though.
NOTE: YOU CAN'T LISTEN TO ANY OF THE SONGS AT THE CURRENT MOMENT...
breakbeat
How can anyone not love Sarah's beautiful voice?! Well throw in some good breakbeat by Uberzone and now you've got yourself an angelic song that you can really get down to.
SarahMclachlan-SweetSurrenderUberzoneMix.mp3 :: 4.2mb
"Dooms Night"Only Philly DJ Josh Wink could do it better. I first heard this song by Azzido De Bass on a set that Josh played in the summer of 2000. Talk about making the crowd rip it up.
AzzidoDeBass-DoomsNight.mp3 :: 4.2mb
"Ubik"Timo Mass with lyracist Martin Bettinghaus create a beat sensitive song with a relaxed overtone. Mellow enough for anyone to enjoy.
TimoMass-Ubik.mp3 :: 3.6mb
drum 'n' bass
The Pharcyde hits it nice and smooth with this hip-hop classic while UK D'n'B DJ, Aphrodite, breaks it down no-vocal style like only he can do.
Pharcyde-PassingMeByDnB.mp3 :: 4.9mb
"How High - Remix"How hard can you beat hip-hip? Have Aphrodite meet Method Man from the legendary Wu-tang Clan and you'll feel the power they can produce. Do I hear some KRS-One?
AphroVsMethod-HowHighDnB.mp3 :: 5.1mb
house
The Basement Jaxx have been around for a long time and their energetic and unique style is sure to to make even the lamest wall flower get up and dance.
BasementJaxx-WheresYourHeadAt.mp3 :: 4.9mb
"Music Sounds Better With You - Remix"I've always loved Stardust ever since I can remember. Their mellow style just makes your body want to glide across the dance floor. Get together with Daft Punk and you can't go wrong.
DaftPunkStardust-MusicSoundsBetter.mp3 :: 6.4mb
"You Don't Know Me"It's a lot truer than you might think. I really connected with this song by Armand Van Helden because all too often you judged by people who don't even know anything about you.
ArmandVanHelden-YouDont.mp3 :: 4.9mb
"Sugar is Sweeter - Remix"Armand takes an already great house song and kicks up the bass notch just a bit. What you're left with is a funky beat and body moving rhythms.
Helden-SugarIsSweeterDnB.mp3 :: 5mb
techno
Who knows where they come from but remixes from cartoons are VERY popular with party kids. Here's a mix from the theme song to Rainbow Brite's cartoon from the 80's. eNjoy!
RainbowBrite-remix.mp3 :: 1.4mb
trance
No one can argue who the undisputed trance master of the world is. None other than Paul Oakenfold, of course. Straight from the U.K. right to you here's his mix of Madonna's beautiful song.
Madonna_Oakenfold-WhatFeelsLike.mp3 :: 6.7mb
"I Love You - Remix"Trance musician BT's remix of a Sarah McLachlan song. Beautifully sung and remixed. One of my favorites.
BT_SarahMclachlan-ILoveYou.mp3 :: 6.1mb
"Blue Skies"Tori Amos teams up with BT on an original track that he wrote. It's a wonderful collaboration between the two.
BT_ToriAmos-BlueSkies.mp3 :: 3.5mb
"Butterfly"The beautiful and amazing Sandra Collins will lift your spirits high with this euphoric song.
SandraCollins-Butterfly.mp3 :: 7.3mb
welcome.to.chicago :: 21 may 2013 @ 7.16am CT

