It’s getting hot out there.

I turned 33 recently. That’s only 7 short years to 40. Too soon… Enjoy your summer, kids.

I am a creature of habit, and like everyone else, I have my favorites. I intend to play them on this next mixtape. I’ve got some Plastic Plates, RAC, St. Lucia and the new Flight Facilities. They don’t disappoint, and I’m sure you’ll like them just as much as I did. If not, well then feel free to take your Skrillex and jump off a bridge.

1. With You (feat. Grovesnor) – Flight Facilities | Watch the video for this. It’s equally as great.
2. Sophie – Theatre of Delays | Great groove on this track. Really layered and built up to something fantastic.
3. Higher (Flume Remix) – Ta-Ku | This ends up somewhere other than you’d expect based on the very beginning of the track. Great production work, Flume.
4. Hey You (Waek Remix) – Pony Pony Run Run | We can all thank Justice for popularizing this style of production, but even though it’s been used a billion times, I still like it when it’s done well.
5. Hollywood (feat. Penguin Prison) – RAC | Penguin Prison is another artist I have featured before. This one reminds me a little of Chester French.
6. Before The Dive – St. Lucia | I’ve always been fond of these guys’ ability to create a mood. They’re up there with Friendly Fires.
7. I Already Forgot Everything You Said – The Dig | This kind of thing happens to me on a pretty regular basis.
8. House – Kindness | Not a house track. So very good though. Very… very good. Just listen, quietly. Intently.
9. Float (Polaris At Noon Remix) – KO KO | This is just one of those kind of tracks you have playing in the background in the pool area of a nice resort, as the sun is just setting, with your 5th vodka tonic already empty.
10. Set Fire To The Rain (Plastic Plates Remix) – Adele | You’ve probably heard the original a bajillion times on the local adult-alternative radio station (“All the hits from the 90′s to today!”). I promise you haven’t heard a better remix than this.
11. Euphoria – Motopony | If you’re a fan of the tv show House, I can tell you this: You will recognize this soon.

(Mediafire Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?1zmarcjwvcm0uu3)

…And we’re back. This post has been a long time coming. I had this collection of tracks compiled by early last week, but here’s the thing about work, life and traveling… When you’re gone, everything doesn’t wait around for you to get back, so when you’ve taken two weeks to prepare, and you’re out for about a week and a half, when you get back, you’ve got about 3 solid weeks of catching up to do. Needless to say, I’m not done yet. BUT I’M TRYING.

Coachella was awesome, thank you for asking. I DEFINITELY could have done without the 100+ degree heat, but I admit, there’s something cleansing about it. And when I mean cleansing, I mean you’re sweating out the beers you had in the Heineken dome from 11:30 in the morning come 3:30 in the afternoon. Oh and I know you all love your 4/20, but some of ya’ll bought some stank weed. I could smell that crap from across the Gobi tent. In the words of Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, I think you been cheated!!

1. The Birds Pt 1. – The Weeknd | *Played Coachella! Old track, yes, but GOOD track. Deserves another listen if it’s been a while, and I’ll bet it’s been a while.
2. Don’t Gotta Work It Out – Fitz & the Tantrums | *Played Coachella! I didn’t get a chance to check them out, but they would have been fun to watch. Get the whole album if you like this track, it’s worth it.
3. Awake – Electric Guest | Did not play Coachella because they are pretty new, but had they been there, I would have made the effort to see them perform.
4. Wildfire – SBTRKT | *Played Coachella! I think I was busy trying to cool off…
5. I Love… That You Know (Purity Ring Remix) – Disclosure | I’ll be honest, I’ve never heard the original, but I kinda don’t care. This version is plenty gewd.
6. Every Night I Say A Prayer – Little Boots | Boots has been trying to break in big on the scene, and I know she has her fans, but I think the reason she’s falling short of greatness is the song writing. Otherwise, I think everything else is there. This is a good track though. Kinda 80′s in places, good production. Needs a sick remix or something.
7. Obedear – Purity Ring | One of my new favorite tracks. I think it’s that bit of synth that floats along the top.
8. Love That’s Gone – La Sera | I need more of this kind of mellowness for the next few weeks. It’s the summer, it feels like summer, and I just want to chill.
9. Two Hours (RAC Mix) – Theme Park | I just like RAC remixes. I mean, c’mon. Can you blame me?
10. Ross Ross Ross – SebastiAn | *Played Coachella! SebastiAn wins the award for the most theatrical, and most evil “DJ” set at Coachella. You just had to be there to understand this. The videos you might find on youtube don’t do it justice.
11. Le Goudron (Edit) – YACHT | More frenchy stuff. It’s an odd track, but there’s something dirty about it that I dig, like a hot Parisian prostitute with smoke curls floating over her lips. DIRTY.
12. Take a Look Around (Caze Nove Mix) – The 2 Bears | It’s official, I am a fan of the 2 Bears.

(Mediafire download: http://www.mediafire.com/?q1c9kgcqm5n1cgc)

YES! There will be a mixtape soon…

NO. I have not deserted you.

YES! I am preparing for a lot of traveling. A week in Vegas for the NABShow followed by Coachella

NO. I have not had enough time for everything.

I have a thing for gingers. My friends know this. It’s an odd condition, I admit. I mean how could one love something that apparently has no soul? Hmmm… I think someone has been telling lies.

Today is New Release Tuesday. If you’ve ever wondered about why this is, I’ve heard it’s largely due to sales figures being published on a Monday (at least in the states), so to maximize sales potential on a historically slow retail sales day, most media –books, music and movies on consumer media– are released on Tuesday. In the UK, new releases are on a Monday, but the sales figures are published the day before, and so it goes. Also I’ve heard that logistically, with shipping demands and production demands, Tuesday is an easier day to deal with those sort of problems.

Also because they do it, I’m gonna do it.

I’m sorry to say that anything new today is not going to end up on the mixtape, and it might be good to come to expect this since I’m not always interested in being a new release outlet. I like to introduce you to new stuff, sure, but the idea is to expose you to stuff that is GOOD. If it’s new AND good, then bonus, but it’s not likely that I’ve had a chance to listen to everything until maybe a week or two later. This is why occasionally, these tapes take a little longer than the typical one-week cycle that I’ve claimed. I might need to change it, but it helps me keep on top of it. Some days, I simply don’t find anything I really think is good. Not that there isn’t something out there. I just don’t find it in my sources. But if it’s out there, eventually it will find its way onto a mixtape.

THIS WEEK is SPRING WEEK. The temperature’s are finally hitting the high notes we in the southwest come to expect for this time of the year. Fortunately, it’s not sustained. A toasty day here and there helps keep the other “nice” days, really nice.

1. You’re A Animal – Jonathan Boulet | Older track, but “spring” loaded. That’s not a typo, by the way.
2. Dreamlike – Vacationer | Need I say more? Really? Okay, its another one from their latest album which came out this time last week. If this is new to you, get the album. If it’s not, you had better own this album.
3. It Feels Good To Be Around You – Air France | Air France called it quits recently (March 26th). Too dang bad. It felt good to be around them.
4. Girls Just Want To Have Fun – Starfucker | Yuuup. I mean c’mon, it’s spring.
5. Sunny Daze (Original Mix) – Viceroy | Thank you, Sheima, for this track. Now I miss the beach.
6. No Time To Wait – NatNaiel | Dis sum good pizza. Go git yours.
7. Running (Disclosure Remix) – Jessie Ware | After all these years, I still love me some good UK Garage. I blame EverythingButTheGirl.
8. No Prayers – Zeds Dead & Omar LinX | This is getting lots of deserved attention. It’s got it’s bullshit dubstep moments (at least it’s not Skrillex), but otherwise, it’s a solid track. I went back and listened to the earlier dubstep stuff I had… it’s so sad that the genre has ended up where it is now.
9. Shut Her Down (THiNK Remix) – Anneka | “Needs more Anneka!” “Now with more Anneka!” “30% more Anneka!”
10. Bottle – Texture Like Sun | This song is like a tall mountain. Starts near the rest of the earth, and then eventually punctures the clouds.
11. Ekki Mukk – Sigur Ros | Yes, this is new. NEW new. New NEW new new “New”.

(Mediafire Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?esv2xu163n0wll2)

Got my Coachella tickets package a few days ago! Very happy about this. I love what they’re doing with the whole “cigar box” of goodies now. The last time I made it out to Coachella was (I think) 2007 when the event was only two days, and the tickets were just a print-out from a .pdf file. (Also they didn’t replace all the good drum and bass with bad dubstep. I suppose it could’ve been worse. They could’ve booked Skrillex.) Anyways, this new package really makes it feel like something special. I was a little bummed that UPS smashed the package causing one side of the box to break (You can kind of see it in the picture; it’s the top right corner of the box, same thing on the bottom right as well), but I grabbed some tape and went to work. We are Car Camping this year, which is also new to me, and sounds like a whole bunch more convenient instead of having to lug all your camping gear, coolers, and whathaveya across like 3 or 4 football field lengths only to have to do it all over again on Monday morning.

I didn’t make it to SXSW this year. I’ve never had the opportunity to go, but I think next year will be the year. In advance of my trip, I bought a neat map of the city from Herb Lester Associates in London. They are this cool little design house that seems to do some pretty nifty work with specialty maps of popular cities/boroughs like Brooklyn, Chicago, Glasgow, Berlin, etc. Most of the work is hand-illustrated, extremely well designed and printed on fantastic materials. They made one for Austin with a lot of the local flavor in mind.

These maps are just adding to my wanderlust…

As for the new mixtape, I’m still working on it. This week was a busy one, and I just ran right out of time to do the cool schtuff I wanted to get done. Rest assured it will be up soon, so In The Mean Time… I suggest you check out one of my favorite mixtapes from the archives, “3M – Living The Dream“.

Photo work by http://barracuda68.deviantart.com/. Show her some luv, eh?

Due to further injuries sustained in the line of battle, I was unable to post this week’s mixtape on the promised day –Monday, and for that I am truly sorry…

BUT IT’S HERE NOW.

The Amalfi Coast is a wonderful place in Italy where one would go for a spring vacation if one had a very nice car they enjoyed driving on steep, picturesque switchbacks through a village setting one would only see in Europe. I wish I was there. It finally feels like spring, and I am dreaming of these far off places near the water with such frequency, the wanderlust is becoming harder and harder to keep at bay. Not to mention with SXSW and Coachella just around the bend, anywhere but “here” sounds like the best idea ever.

1. Too Close – Alex Clare | This is the track from the Internet Exploder commercial that I’ve been asked about a few times. I included one of Alex Clare’s tracks back in 3M – Hypercritical. While I was compiling that mixtape, I found the “Too Close” track as well, but didn’t initially like it since it felt a little too aggressively pop-music. It still does, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t a good track to begin with.
2. Please Forgive My Heart – Bobby Womack | It’s been a while since Womack had anything new. Like years or something, if memory serves. The producers, Damon Albarn and Richard Russell are doing something interesting that is likely to make Womack’s new album something to watch out for.
3. She Said It’s Ok – Blu & Exile | This track came out in December of last year, so release-wise, it’s not that old. However, as the story goes on this one, it was recorded back in ’09. Last week was the first I’d ever heard of it, but I’m glad I did. Classic, instantly.
4. Evening – HOUNDSds | That’s not a typo, that’s the band’s name. I don’t know why the extra “ds” on the end there, but I do know that this is some good quality dream-pop straight out of the early 60′s.
5. Oh Fortune – Dan Mangan | Kinetic energetic, like a slinky waiting at the top of the stairs for a push. Once it gets going, you can’t take your attention off of it.
6. Signs of the Civilized – Bravestation | When I first heard this track, I was reminded of those new wave acts of the 80′s like the Thompson Twins, but in a good way (hahaha!) No really, this is worth the listen just to see how quirky it is.
7. Can’t Promise Anything (feat. Human Life) – Pelifics | Speaking of the 80′s, this is just oozing it. I am reminded of movies like Better Off Dead and Real Genius.
8. Hands (Goldroom Remix) – Alpine | Everyone’s favorite remix! Mine too, truth be told. This is a spring-time track.
9. De Ciel – Humans | I’m feeling the 80′s right now. Couldn’t tell you why. Maybe it’s because I’ll be 33 this year, and I wrote so much of that era’s music off initially, that this time around I feel like I have to give it it’s due. What comes around…
10. I – Donaeo | Done with the 80′s. Here’s a great vocal house track that I’ve been listening to non-stop. It’s older, but it just popped up on my radar two weeks ago. Apparently Donaeo (or “Donae’o”, rather) has some new stuff in the works.
11. The Wave – Miike Snow | I love that this band’s mascot is a Jackalope.

(Mediafire Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?zwz254rz8ek32o6)

1. “On and On” – This down-tempo track was created to see if I could make something that felt like it had forward momentum, but still laid-back and chill.
2. “Western Jam” – A little EQ issues with this (treble heavy) but still worth a listen. You’ll notice most of this stuff is housey as most all of it was produced in the last 3 years while I was still something of a house DJ.
3. “Words (Sticks and Stones Remix)” – My favorite work of the set takes a sample from a song by The Real Group (check out the original here).
4. “99 Single Ladies” – This was to be the production back for a mashup of Jay-Z’s “99 Problems” and Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”. Obviously not finished.
5. “Indiscriminate” – I started playing with some new synths here. Odd little track.
6. “Last Song” – This is my corporate stuff. I used this in a video with customer testimonials. Bet you can just imagine it now, can’t you…
7. “Miss You Lots” – House’d up version of the chord structure used in The Rolling Stone’s “Miss You”.
8. “Truckin’ On” – Just listen to it. I can’t really explain what I was doing with this one.

As for the mixtape, look out for it on Monday. It will be called “Amalfi Coast”, it will feature great music to drive to, and it will feature a sexy lady on the cover. Thanks for tuning in.

P.S. Skrillex can eat me.

That’s my NYC Girl, Meg, lookin’ like East-Coast TNT Supafly.

So real quick, I have to tell the story about my “Peg Leg.” About 2 weeks ago, I went on an EPIC hike. I wasn’t prepared for it, but dammit, I was innit-2-winnit. I ended up hurting my foot afterward (stress-related injury), and ever since, I had been posting facebook updates about how it was going to need to be removed (gangrene and the like). In reality, it was getting better, but that’s not interesting! Finally, I claimed I had it removed and replaced with pirate gear. Sorry to disappoint, friends… My foot is still intact and doing much better, thankyouverymuch. Still kinda want a peg leg though…

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“Remixes, Controversy and Video Releases” is the theme for this week’s mixtape. If you can’t find something to love about this one, you’re probably a butt-pirate.

1. Icarus (Keys ‘N’ Krates Remix) – Madeon | This one is for my brother who’s turning OLD this month. Madeon is making an appearance at Coachella, so we’ll say “Hi” when we see him. These Keys ‘N’ Krates guys know how to work a remix.
2. Love In Motion (feat. Mayer Hawthorne) – Sebastian | So here starts the controversy. “Sea Bass”, no stranger to PR trouble (see the album cover of his first album) had Gaspar Noe (THAT Gaspar Noe, director of Enter the Void and Irreversible) direct the video for this track. The video, which was released a few days ago, features a really young girl dancing in her bedroom in a not-so-really-young-girl way. I won’t link to it here for obvious reasons, but I’m sure you can find it somewhere. Relax, it’s not illegal, but certainly not something you want in your browser history. Great track though, and Mayer Hawthorne can do no wrong, as far as I’m concerned.
3. Disparate Youth – Santigold | New video for this track. I think this came out in Feb., but the video is brand-spankin’. I thought her first album was a little hit-or-miss, and I hadn’t taken much time to look back. I believe she done redeemed herself real good with this one.
4. Hollup (Mister Tweeks Remix) – Nina B Blanka | Reeemiiiixxx!!! The contrast in styles –remix production vs. Nina’s flow– grabs on and doesn’t let you go. This is what remixing is all about.
5. Snake Charmer (Cassian Remix) – Bag Raiders | I posted the original in a mixtape some time last year, and it’s stood as one of my silent favorites. Then Cassian comes along, and puts such a solid house remix on it, I damn near started a dance party in my office. The kind of stuff that I hear so much of these days (“Where’s the drop, bro?”) had me longing for the GOOD, SOLID HOUSE this remix is bringing.
6. Goin’ In (French Fries Remix) – Birdy Nam Nam | I love this group’s name. Makes me smile. So the original is pretty tasty, but the work put down by French Fries on this turns it into something altogether epic. It’s almost kinda mellow, but with some bangin’ reverb snare, and those original vocals. It’s scary good.
7. More Than Words – Stumbleine | No relation to Extreme’s rock ballad. Super chill, deep bass, lush landscapes. It’s like a day at the spa for your ears. Technically, it’s the odd man out on this mixtape, but I couldn’t possibly deny you it’s magic.
8. Candil De La Calle (Apparat Dub Mix) – Apparat | Does it count if the original artist remixes his own work? Fuck yeah! Apparat’s another artist that could do me no wrong, unless he decided to start making bad dubstep (Skrillex, I’m looking at you). But let’s get serious here; not gonna happen.
9. Something Good Can Work (RAC Remix) – Two Door Cinema Club | Way too catchy for me to deny. Not NORMALLY a big fan of TDCC, but I have some serious respect for the work of RAC (just look at past mixtapes). It’s possible that RAC made this entirely listenable for me, given that I’ve never heard the original, and honestly, I don’t plan to.
10. Still My Baby (feat. Omarion) [Extended Mix] – Wolfgang Gartner, Omarion | Collaborations normally result in some fine work, and this is no exception. This is a great track for the DJs out there. The hotness happens around the 15 second mark, and from there on out, it’s all lava. Omarion’s vocal work is just intense. Drop this in the presence of the ladies if you want a sexy dance party.
11. Futile Devices (Shigeto Remix) – Sufjan Stevens | Another cut that commanded my attention, despite the original artist. Truth be told, I find Sufjan Stevens’ work a little boring, but I do believe the guy is talented. Here we have Shigeto getting involved. His remix done gone and made it completely interesting for me. If all of Sufjan Stevens’ work was like this… whole ‘notha story I’d be telling here.
12. If Heaven is a Ghetto – Hodgy Beats | Had to give a little OFWGKTA love here. Hodgy Beats just put out some new material (get it here). Here’s a little slice to wrap up this week’s mixtape.

(Mediafire Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?oek96kxuwgo9klu)

“Love is…” …the name of this week’s mixtape, said R. Buckminster Fuller.

Happy late V-Day, lovers. As my special gift to you, I’m doubling up the typical offer. Each tape is stylistically unique. Volume one is housey and a little more danceable, while volume two works on your slow jamz, end-of-the-day, get-cozy-with-the-significant-’notha vibe.

1. Shock – Ana Tijoux | La Bala, Ana Tijoux’s new album dropped on Jan. 31. She’s been on my radar since “1977″ appeared on Breaking Bad (best tv show evar!)
2. Back 2 You – Jason Burns | When I first heard this track, I was afraid it was going to turn into a heavy-handed dubstep track. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it wasn’t ruined by the wub-wub, it kept its’ delicate yet sensual gravitas intact, AND it got some respectable beats. WIN.
3. Feels Like Love (Original Club Mix) – Lost ‘N’ Alive | This track is old, yes. Like 2003 old. Cram it, kiddo. You wouldn’t know good taste if it ran you over with a mack-truck. This cut still holds up after all this time. ALLLL this time! (What are you, like 15? Get off my lawn.)
4. Maniac – Moullinex Feat. Peaches | When Michael Sembello had this track appear on Flashdance (IN 1983. Yes I’m OLD. Shut it, zygote.), it was probably the biggest thing happening in his career at the time. Who knew? Incidentally, he’s probably one of the more accomplished producers you’ve never heard of. When was the last time you worked with Michael Jackson?
5. Count On It – Dunson | Kenton Dunson is one of my favorites that falls squarely in the “hip-pop” genre. The classic Sesame Street sample will own you. You’ll know it when you hear it. Unless you were born in the 90′s.
6. Good To You – Claptone | When I told my brother that this week’s mixtape had some “Good House.™” for a change, this track is what I meant. The stuff you youngsters call “EDM” makes me want to pull my hair out with a claw hammer. P.S. Skrillex can die in a fire.
7. I Will Change (Jordan Lee Remix) – Allure | The vocals (and remix, hey!) are courtesy of Jordan Lee, while the rest is Lorris Piasco, which is exactly as French Pop-Housey as his name sounds. I just dig French house, mmkay??
8. Rope (Deadmau5 Remix) – Foo Fighters | The day after the grammy’s, one of my co-workers –an older gent with a few kids and a lot of church choir guitar experience– remarked to me about how cool that “Dead Mau Five” guy’s DJing set-up and head piece were, and thought I might know something about who it was. I did. I think Dead Mau Five is the cat’s pajamas.

(Mediafire download: http://www.mediafire.com/?15ol7hbbm99bgod)

No hot girl for artwork this week. Mostly because it’s hard to meet my self-imposed deadline during my lunch hour, AND search for questionable female imagery on the internet AT THE SAME TIME, and not get busted.

1. Some Nights – Fun. | Yep, it’s that “Fun.” that I went on and on about earlier in the year. Respect, children; you have none. This is definitely an upbeat track, but it’s the one you end an incredible night with. After that, it’s come-down time with that expensive bottle of wine you’ve been saving.
2. No Ordinary Love – Ango | If Sade we’re born 20 years later, and also with male genitalia, this is what she’d sound like. Now don’t get me wrong. I mean no disrespect to Sade or Ango. This is just that kind of track. If you’re not making out by the end of it, you’re doing it wrong.
3. Into The Black (Bob Dylan Cover) – The Chromatics | This was released along with a really beautifully shot video. Should I post the link? I think SO!
4. Loner – Burial | Ohh Burial… What can I say that hasn’t already been said a bajillion times by friends, lovers, and people I don’t even know? I’m just glad you put out some new stuff. All is right with the world.
5. After You – Meg Myers | I will admit that I came for the cuteness (Meg Myers is a very attractive brunette), but stayed for the tunes.
6. My Better Self – Tennis | The thing about Tennis is that I’m either totally indifferent to them, or –as in the case with this track– I think they’ve done something to cause the part of me that I remember as a child, listening to 45s with my dad, come whipping right back from the depths of my memory, and I don’t know why that is. You’d think a band capable of something like that deserved more attention from me…
7. They Don’t Know (Produced by The xx) – The xx & Milo Mills | I’m not really familiar with Milo Mills, but I like what he’s done here. I don’t believe the original track by The xx needed anything else, but if you told me someone had, I would have hoped it turned out as well as this did.
8. Open – Rhye | All I’m going to say about this song is: 1) go find the video. 2) don’t watch it during office hours. Would it be irresponsible of me to link to it here? MAYBE. If you get fired over this, don’t come crying to me.

(Mediafire download: http://www.mediafire.com/?iu4kjy8y5884mx4)

The winters are starting later every year. Today it felt like one of the coldest days in recent memory. My hope is that this works out come Coachella time. If the summer weather is pushed back enough that April 20th weekend is a beautiful spring day, I’ll be one happy car-camper.

1. The Head I Hold – Electric Guest | Produced by Danger Mouse. Don’t miss it.
2. Work (St. Etienne Remix) – The 2 Bears | No one but me liked their last single. But I’m not giving up.
3. Golden – Future Unlimited | Electro goodness.
4. Athens – Mansions on the Moon | I really can’t wait for these guys to release an album.
5. We Must Go On – Pretty Lights | This one came out of nowhere. Gets you nice and chilllll…
6. Terra Incognita – Atlas Sound | Different, but good. Reminds me of the 70′s, early 80′s acts like Firefall, America and Bread.
7. Makeover – Escort | More tasty electro.
8. Pushin’ Aside, Pushin’ Along – De La Soul’s Plug 1 & Plug 2 | The end of this track makes me laugh everytime.
9. Rest of Our Days – Mansions on the Moon | So good, you’re getting a double dose. I really had high hopes for a Coachella appearance, but alas…

(Mediafire download: http://www.mediafire.com/?1lrfyhx5wlh5i8v)