Digi-Dancehall

Ok so as promised, I'm gonna keep this blog active and keep uploading mixes--just not at the pace that I was keeping up last year. The first mix is one that I should've gotten around to as one of the Year of Mixtapes tapes, but I am just getting done now: Digi-Dancehall.

In the late 1970s and early 1980s, "dancehall" referred to the kind of reggae that got played at soundclashes & dancehalls--basically the same as standard-issue reggae, but with a more driving beat and a bigger focus on DJ/MC vocals (the precursor to rap), as opposed to your traditional sung reggae vocals.

In 1985, this whole reggae/dancehall dichotomy was radically redefined when Prince Jammy (and other producers) introduced electronic instrumentation into dancehall music. Suddenly "dancehall" came to connote electronic reggae (in addition to the DJ / toasting business). 

This synthing-up of reggae music in the '80s is the direct ancestor of today's UK bass music genres like jungle, UK garage, dubstep, UK funky, grime, and the like: disco & house are where electronic dance music ultimately comes from, but the popularity of digi-dancehall in the UK is largely how the Brits were able to relate to the concept of Midwestern electronic dance music, and thereby invent raving. Reggae music still informs the aesthetic choices of urban British musicians, arguably more than the American dance styles that kicked the whole thing off.

Anyway, "Digi-Dancehall" is the term for the characteristic style of dancehall from those first few years of experimentation with electronic instrumentation (circa 1985-1990, before the whole Tin Pan thing took over). A lot of people requested this tape, so here it is!

DOWNLOAD LINK: Chrissy Digi-Dancehall Mixtape.

Week 52: Boogie

This is the LAST WEEK, and frankly I'm kind of shocked I actually managed to do this project. It was a lot of work, and it was really fun, but a part of me is relieved it's over so I can actually get to work on other music projects. Either way, I am gonna keep this blog active, posting every week or two with mini-mixes from me, guest mixes from others, and the occasional full-length mixtape from myself. (For all the people who requested specific mixtapes that I never got around to, there's still time!) So keep your eyes peeled guys...

Anyway, this week's subject is Boogie, which is really kind of a vague term (and used more in the UK & Canada than the US), but is really the best description for this kind of music: funky, late-1970s disco that draws as much from jazz traditions as it does from R&B, and has the kind of slippery, walking basslines that make you think of the roller rink. I really love this stuff, and figured I'd cover it in this last tape.

Oh, and I purposefully left off "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth, Wind, & Fire and "Boogie Oogie Oogie" by A Taste of Honey because I'm really bored with them.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 52: Boogie

1. Pleasure; Joyous (Fantasy, 1977)
2. The Blackbyrds; Thankful 'Bout Yourself (Fantasy, 1975)
3. The Jimmy Castor Bunch; Space Age (Atlantic, 1975)
4. Heatwave; Boogie Nights (Epic, 1976)
5. Earth, Wind, & Fire; Let Your Feelings Show (CBS, 1979)
6. Edwin Birdsong; Cola Bottle Baby (Philadelphia International, 1979)
7. Direct Current; Everybody Here Must Party (TEC Records, 1979)
8. Bohannon; Let's Start The Dance (Mercury, 1978)
9. Tasha Thomas; Shoot Me With Your Love (Atlantic, 1978)
10. Jermaine Jackson; Burnin' Hot (Motown, 1980)
11. Tamiko Jones; Can't Live Without Your Love (Polydor, 1979)
12. Shadow; I Need Love (Elektra, 1979)
13. Rufus & Chaka Khan; Do You Love What You Feel (MCA, 1979)
14. Gary Toms; Turn It Out (Tear This Building Down) (MCA, 1977)
15. T-Connection; Do What You Wanna Do (T.K. Disco, 1977)
16. The Gap Band; Baby Baba Boogie (Mercury, 1979)
17. GQ; Disco Nights (Rock-Freak) (Arista, 1979)
18. Jackie Moore; This Time Baby (Columbia, 1979)
19. Fay Hauser; Reachin' Out For Happiness (Jonathan Fearing Remix) (SMI, 1976)
20. The Real Thing; Can You Feel The Force? (John Luongo Mix) (Epic, 1978)
21. Crown Heights Affair; Galaxy of Love (De-Lite, 1978)
22. Brass Construction; Sambo (Progression) (United Artists, 1976)
23. 2 Tons O' Fun; Do You Wanna Boogie, Hunh? (Fantasy / Honey, 1980)
24. Brainstorm; Hot For You (Tabu Records, 1979)

Week 49: Golden Era Happy Hardcore

Another happy hardcore tape. Hate all you want—I LOVE THIS STUFF SO DANG MUCH AND I WILL NOT BE DISSUADED.

Like jungle, happy hardcore spent 1993 breaking away from the old breakbeat hardcore rave paradigm, and 1994 finding its own identity. By 1995 it had really come into its own as a distinct genre—still tied to jungle and rave, but with its own unique sound and aesthetic. It lasted for a couple of years before devolving into an even-cheesier breakbeat-free kind of hyperpop for the Dance Dance Revolution crowd (much like jungle eventually evolved into clownstep drum & bass).

Anywho, this tape focuses those prime years for UK Happy Hardcore, 1995-1997. Enjoy!

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 49: Golden Era Happy Hardcore

1. Infernus; I Want Your Love (UK Breakbeat Remix) (Rogue Trooper Happy Trax)
2. Happy Tunes Vol. 3; Let the Good Times Roll (Happy Tunes)
3. Pooch & Wivvy; Think (United Dance)
4. DJ Seduction; Samplemania (Remix) (Impact)
5. Justin Time; Help Me (Just Another Label)
6. DJ Ham; It Would Be (Remix Records)
7. DJ DNA feat. Jenka; Reality (Just 4 U)
8. DJ Seduction; Higher Now (DJ Unknown & Seduction Remix) (Impact)
9. DJ Poosie; It's Gonna Be (Remix Records)
10. Edit V; Sensation (Vibes & Wishdokta Remix) (Impact)
11. DJ Pooch; How It Started (Impact)
12. Rebel Alliance; Sometimes (Remix) (Stormtrooper Recordings)
13. Seduction & Eruption; Bust the New Jam (Hard Mix) (Impact)
14. Happy Tunes Vol. 5 vs. Billy Bunter; Raging Desire (Happy Tunes)
15. DJ Ham & Poosie; Master Peace (Kniteforce Records)
16. Illogik & DNA; Kick Your Legs in the Air (Essential Platinum)
17. Seduction & Dougal; It's Not Over (Remix) (Impact)
18. DJ Seduction; Drop the Bass (Vibes & Wishdokta Remix) (Impact)
19. Highlife & Style; Give it to Me (Remix) (Happy Jack Productions)
20. Frantic & Impulse; Spiced Up (4 The Floor Recordings)
21. Substate; Take Me Up (Rogue Trooper Happy Trax)
22. Vibes & Wishdokta; No More Tears (Impact)
23. Happy Tunes Vol. 8; Positive Energy (Happy Tunes)
24. Vibes & Wishdokta; Passion (Rogue Trooper Happy Trax)

NEXT WEEK: Deep House.

Week 48: Detroit Techno

I'm nearing the end of this whole year of mixtapes project, so here's another genre that I couldn't really leave unrepresented. A lot of people still don't realize this, but Detroit's African American community invented techno. Anybody who says different is either uninformed or selling something.

Detroit's local brand of techno has some key differences from the countless other types of techno that have evolved from it in the last 25 years—generally speaking it's more "soulful" (whatever that means); it's more in touch with its roots in house and electro; and it's got a heavy tendency toward Black Nationalist and sci-fi themes (although in a primarily instrumental genre, these themes are often conveyed more through song titles and cover art than actual lyrical content).

I've started this tape off with some classic first-wave Detroit Techno, and gradually progress into the (somewhat) newer stuff.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 48: Detroit Techno

1. Rhythim is Rhythim; Strings of Life (Piano Mix) (Transmat, 1987)
2. K.S. Experience; Electronic Dance (KMS / Ten Records, 1988)
3. Model 500; Sound of Stereo (Metroplex, 1987)
4. Suburban Knight; The Art of Stalking (Transmat, 1990)
5. Paris Grey; Don't Lead Me (Nexus 21 Remix) (Network Records, 1990)
6. Mia Hesterley; Spark (Chrissy Instrumental Edit) (Metroplex / Ten Records, 1988)
7. Inner City; Big Fun (Magic Juan Mix) (KMS / Virgin, 1988)
8. Juan Atkins; Techno Music (Ten Records / Metroplex, 1988)
9. Model 500; No UFOs (D-Mix) (Metroplex, 1985)
10. Rhythim is Rhythim; Feel Surreal (Subconscious Mix) (Transmat, 1988)
11. Nexus 21 feat. Donna Black; Still (Life Keeps Moving) (Carl Craig Remix) (Network Records / KMS, 1990)
12. Inner City; Good Life (Magic Juan's Mix) (Virgin, 1988)
13. Blake Baxter; Brothers Gonna Work It Out (Black Planet) (Logic Records, 1992)
14. Cybersonik; Technarchy (Plus 8, 1990)
15. E-Dancer; Pump The Move (KMS, 1991)
16. Alan Oldham; Orietta's Theme (Generator, 1995)
17. Suburban Knight; The Warning (Underground Resistance, 1996)
18. Drexciya; The Journey Home (Warp Records, 1995)
19. Model 500; I Wanna Be There (M500 Remix) (R&S Records, 1996)
20. Aquajazz; Bodyrhythms Bodyfusion (Carl Craig Mix) (Aquarhythms, 1995)
21. DJ Mark Flash; Cachaca (Underground Resistance, 2008)
22. Blake Baxter / Dreamsequence III; Compromised Evolution (Tresor, 2001)
23. Suburban Knight; Shapeshifter (Peacefrog Records, 2003)
24. Underground Resistance; Electronic Warfare (Aux 88's Take Control Mix) (Underground Resistance, 1996)
25. Drexciya; Black Sea (Warp Records, 1995)
26. Underground Resistance; Codebreaker (Underground Resistance, 1997)
27. Robert Hood; Parade (M-Plant / Tresor, 1994)

NEXT WEEK: The Golden Era of Happy Hardcore.

Week 47: Giorgio Moroder

A lot of people have been asking me for this one. For those of you who are unfamiliar, Giorgio Moroder was a key figure in the mid-to-late-1970s Eurodisco scene, and one of real pioneers of using synthesizers in dance music (or pop music in general, really).

The early part of his career took place in Munich, where he discovered Donna Summer (and wrote/produced the bulk of her catalog). In the late 1970s he moved to L.A., and ended up doing a ridiculous amount of film work. Seriously, if we're talking 80s pop trash and cheesy film soundtracks, Giorgio's name is bound to come up: he scored American Gigolo, Scarface, Midnight Express, Top Gun, Flashdance, The Neverending Story, and the colorized recut of Fritz Lang's Metropolis, among many others. He wrote/produced "Call Me" by Blondie, "Take My Breath Away" for Berlin, "(Highway to the) Danger Zone" by Kenny Loggins, almost anything you can think of by Donna Summer, and that's really just scratching the surface of the tunes he's made that literally EVERY LIVING CREATURE IN THE WESTERN WORLD knows (and let's not forget, he has a HUGE catalog of crazy underground synth disco gems on top of that).

So yeah, I suppose a mixtape makes sense. Here you go.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 47: Giorgio Moroder

1. Donna Summer; Spring Affair (Casablanca, 1976)
2. Giorgio Moroder; Chase (Casablanca, 1978)
3. Suzi Lane; Ooh La La (Elektra, 1979)
4. The Three Degrees; The Runner (Ariola, 1978)
5. Roberta Kelly; Trouble Maker (Chrissy Re-Edit) (Oasis, 1976)
6. Donna Summer; Our Love (Casablanca, 1980)
7. Munich Machine; Whiter Shade of Pale (Casablanca, 1978
8. Giorgio; I Wanna Rock You (Casablanca, 1979)
9. Giorgio; Utopia Me Giorgio (Casablanca, 1977)
10. Donna Summer; I Feel Love (Patrick Cowley Mega-Edit) (Casablanca, 1982)
11. Giorgio Moroder; Valley of the Dolls (Casablanca, 1980)
12. Donna Summer; Sunset People (Casablanca, 1980)
13. Amy Holland; She's On Fire (MCA Records, 1983)
14. Melissa Manchester; Thief of Hearts (Casablanca, 1984)
15. Madleen Kane; You Can (Chalet, 1981)
16. Limahl; The Neverending Story (EMI, 1984)
17. Giorgio; E=MC² (Casablanca, 1979)
18. Sparks; When I'm With You (Ariola, 1980)

NEXT WEEK: Detroit Techno.

Week 46: The Year in Jungle—1994

Over the life of this blog, I've spent a lot of time blathering about how amazing 1991-1992 was for dance music. Before this year of mixtapes project is over, I really ought to devote a tape to 1994, the year jungle music really came into its own. 1994 was the year I really started buying dance records in quantity with the intention of becoming a DJ or whatever, and it was really the peak of the jungle scene. The whole genre just seemed so crazy and revolutionary and new, and SO MANY CLASSIC tracks came out every week that it was just impossible for a high-schooler in Kansas City to keep up.

So yeah, here's a tape of some of my favorites. I've tried to really run the gamut from ambient wishy-washy dolphin music to mashed-up dread bass to ruff-and-rugged amen ragga smashers. Enjoy!

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 46: The Year in Jungle—1994

1. Deep Blue; The Helicopter Tune (Rufige Kru Remix) (Movin' Shadow)
2. DJ Hype feat. MC GQ; Roll the Beats (Remix) (Suburban Base)
3. Sponge; The Crash (Suburban Base)
4. Area 39; Attitude (Bear Necessities)
5. Goldie; Saint Angel (Metalheadz / FFRR)
6. DJ Hype; Mash Up Da Place (Origin Unknown Remix) (Ganja Records)
7. Droppin' Science Vol. 3; Firin' Line (Droppin' Science)
8. A Guy Called Gerald; Finley's Rainbow (Juice Box)
9. Aladdin; We Enter (Deep Forest Dub) (Aphrodite)
10. Amazon II; Beat Booyaaa! (Remix) (Aphrodite)
11. Jungle Warrior; No Surrender (Pure Warrior Style) (Strictly Underground)
12. DJ Dextrous & Rude Boy Keith; King of the Jungle (VIP) (Kings of the Jungle)
13. DJ Krome & Mr. Time; Studio One Lik (Tearin' Vinyl)
14. Johnny Jungle; Johnny '94 (DJ Dextrous Remix) (Suburban Base)
15. Tom & Jerry; Dancer (Tom & Jerry)
16. Sophisticated Bad Boyz; Feel the Magic VIP (Suburban Base)
17. DJ Dextrous; With A K (Subliminal)
18. Urban Jungle; Back in the Days (Jungle Mania)
19. Mental Power; Real (Formation Records)
20. Dred Bass; Dead Dred (Origin Unknown Remix) (Movin' Shadow)
21. The Dream Team; Yeah Man (Joker Records)
22. Fallen Angels; Hello Lover (Desired State Remix) (IQ Recordings)
23. Dillinja; Baby Your (Logic Productions / Breakdown Records)
24. Undercover Agent; Oh Gosh (Juice)
25. Noise Factory; The Future (Strictly Underground)
26. Remarc; Thunderclap (White House Records)
27. Dextrous & Teebone; Top Gun (Subversive Records)
28. Pooch & Hursee; Baby Baby (Cut & Run)
29. D'Cruze; Lonely (Suburban Base)

NEXT WEEK: Giorgio Moroder.

Week 45: Turn-of-the-Century Ragga

Before about 1993, dancehall and ragga had always been firmly rooted in traditional reggae aesthetics: dancehall (even digi) was essentially just reggae or dub, but stripped down and with DJs/singjays/toasting instead of traditional sung vocals. In the mid-'90s, dancehall took a pretty sharp left turn into some really odd areas—new producers like $ham$, Ward 21, Tony CD Kelly, and some veterans like Steelie & Clevie started turning out riddims that bore scant resemblance to reggae. These things were weird, synthy, minimalistic, and borrowed heavily from big room techno and American R&B. Somebody could write a whole thesis about how much these dancehall dudes influenced folks like Timbaland and the Neptunes, and then how much said R&B producers influenced the Jamaicans back, and how that whole weird feedback loop has led to a world of Top 40 tunes that sound like a Bollywood version of Kraftwerk.

Anyway, here is a mix of some of my fave stuff from that mid-'90s to early-'00s era.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 45:Turn-of-the-Century Ragga

1. Merciless; Ashes to Ashes BADDIS RIDDIM
2. General Degree; Bag A Tings
3. Spragga Benz; Peace
4. Mr. Vegas; Jacket
5. Beenie Man; Number One
6. Red Rat; Me Can't Sleep
7. Buccaneer; Gweh KASHMIR RIDDIM
8. Anthony B; Wave
9. Spragga Benz; African Move PUKE RIDDIM
10. Elephant Man; Can't Roll
11. Ward 21; Haters BADA BADA RIDDIM
12. Wayne Wonder / Bounty Killer; Criss Pack of Boots BACKYARD RIDDIM
13. Alias; Punanny Holiday
14. Baby Cham; Boom Tune
15. Bounty Killer; Mr. Tear 'n' Boar SIREN RIDDIM
16. Bad Gregory Hines; Fool Her PLAYGROUND RIDDIM
17. Lexxus; Fade Away
18. Mad Cobra; Hot Gal
19. Glamma Kid; Big Ting
20. Red Rat; Girl with a Car MERCURY RIDDIM
21. Dutty Cup feat. Looga & Mossy Kid; Happy Days
22. Sean Paul; Work With It
23. Red Dragon; More Gyal IN & OUT RIDDIM
24. Spragga Benz; Mad House Tek Him
25. General Degree; That Thing PRESS A FOOT RIDDIM
26. Lady G; Perform
27. Tanto Metro & Devonte; She Gone BAGPIPE RIDDIM
28. Mr. Vegas; Latest News
29. Goofy; Fatty Boom Boom
30. Spragga Benz; Unu Say Yeh
31. General Degree; Signal
32. Beenie Man; Kickin for Show
33. Admiral Bailey; Work Wid It VOLUME RIDDIM
34. Amin Brasco; Bang Bang
35. Lexxus; Who the Fuck
36. Mad Cobra; Fraid A Wi
37. Cutty Ranks; Badman Sittin'
38. Ward 21; Firehouse Anthem
39. Goofy; Look Out Fi Dem
40. Red Rat; Thief
41. Wayne Marshall / Baby G: Flossing (Bling Bling Bling)
42. Vybz Kartel; Injustice TYPHOID RIDDIM
43. Anthony Cruz; All I Have
44. Tanto Metro & Devonte; Say Woyee BOOKSHELF RIDDIM
45. Beenie Man; Bookshelf
46. Sean Paul; Deport Them
47. Evette; Over and Over
48. Wayne Wonder; Watching You

NEXT WEEK: The Year in Jungle—1994.

Week 44: The Year In Rave—1992 (Part 2)

Two weeks ago I posted a mixtape about rave music in '92, and briefly mentioned the existence of a more hardcore side of the scene. These guys were really pretty much over Belgian techno and Italian piano house, and were much more interested in incorporating hip hop and reggae influences into the music. What you got was a very distinctly British form of hardcore rave that was faster, more bass-heavy, and more breakbeat driven than anything that had previously existed in the electronic dance music world. Originally it was just called "UK hardcore" or "hardcore breakbeat techno" or some combination of those words; by late-'92 people were calling it "jungle music". In the next 18 years it would evolve into Drum & Bass, Happy Hardcore, Speed Garage, 2-Step, Grime, Dubstep, and UK Funky (just to name the big ones).

So here's a tape of all my fave UK tunes from '92 that bridged the gap between 1991 and the dance music world as we know it. Enjoy!

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 42: 1992 Rave (Part 2)

1. Sonz Of A Loop Da Loop Era; Let Your Mind Be Free (Suburban Base)
2. Altern 8; Brutal-8-E (Jungle Brutalism Mix) (Network Records)
3. Soundcorp; Dream Finder Remix (Tone Def Records)
4. The Hypnotist; House Is Mine '92 (Dark Syndicut Remix) (Rising High Records)
5. Blame; Music Takes You (2 Bad Mice Remix) (Movin' Shadow)
6. The House Crew; We Are Hardcore (Magic Fantasy Remix) (Production House)
7. The Criminal Minds; Presence (White House)
8. Altern 8; Respect Is Due (Breakbeat Hysteria Mix) (Network Records)
9. Serotonin; Rumblism (white label)
10. Aurora; Sunshine (Adrenalin)
11. Dance Conspiracy; Dub War (XL Recordings)
12. 4Hero; The Power (Remix) (Reinforced)
13. Noise Factory; My Mind (3rd Party)
14. Cloud 9; You Got Me Burnin' (A.A.S. Remix) (Movin' Shadow)
15. Manix; Oblivion (Reinforced)
16. NRG; Feel The Fury (Chill Records)
17. Nu-Matic; Keep You Movin' (XL Recordings)
18. The Criminal Minds; The Criminal (White House)
19. Acen; Trip 2 The Moon Pt. II (The Darkside) (Production House)
20. DJ Krome & Mr. Time; Manic Stampede (Suburban Base)
21. Wishdokta; Joy (No Bogle Mix) (Kickin' Records)
22. Nebula II; Peacemaker (Reinforced)
23. X Certificate; Bass Nightmare (Limited E)
24. Manix feat. Mark Douglas; Reach Out (Reinforced)
25. SL2; Aftershock (XL Recordings)
26. Run Tings; Something To Dance To (Suburban Base)
27. Neuromancer; Pennywise (Symphony Sound Records)
28. The Prodigy; Everybody In The Place (155 & Rising) (XL Recordings)

NEXT WEEK: '90s Dancehall.

Week 43: Eurodisco

I've mentioned the existence of Eurodisco in passing a few times over the life of this blog, but I figured it was time to give it a proper introduction. In the mid-1970s, as disco left the confines of Philly and NYC to take over the world, you suddenly had record producers all over the world deciding to try their hand at disco.
European record producers like Giorgio Moroder and Jean-Marc Cerrone replaced Philly's R&B string arrangements with fluffy pop hooks and a ton of synths (thus beating the Italians, Quebeckers, and San Franciscans to the punch with the whole "synth disco" thing).
These European tunes started getting imported back into America and blowing up our charts by about 1975—the term "Eurodisco" came into existence shortly thereafter. This stuff pretty much ruled European pop radio (and club life) from that point until the rise of house music in 1986. It was a huge influence in the development of Italo Disco, Quebecois Disco, Hi-NRG, Italian House, Rave, Belgian Techno, and pretty much everything else that's come out of Europe's dance scenes since then.

So yeah, here's a mixtape. I know Giorgio Moroder is woefully underrepresented on this one; that's because I'm planning a Giorgio Moroder mixtape in about a month.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 43: Eurodisco

1. Roboterwerke; High On Tech (RCA Victor, 1981)
2. 202 Machine; Get Up (Rock Your Body) (Baby Records, 1979)
3. Back In Time; El Condor Pasa (Carrere, 1978)
4. Cerrone; Supernature (Malligator, 1977)
5. Nancy Nova; The Force (Hansa, 1981)
6. Risque; The Girls Are Back In Town (Polydor, 1982)
7. Mike Mareen; Double Trouble (Night'n'Day, 1986)
8. The Chaplin Band; Madman's Discotheque (Casey Jones Disconet Remix) (Bovema Negram, 1978)
9. Suzi Lane; Harmony (Oasis, 1979)
10. Sylvia Love; Instant Love (Chrissy Re-Edit) (RCA, 1979)
11. Ottawan; Hands Up (Give Me Your Heart) (Carrere, 1981)
12. Music Machine; Can You Feel My Heartbeat? (Pye Records, 1979)
13. ABBA; Voulez-Vous (Polar Music International, 1979)
14. Mike Mareen; Dancing In The Dark (Galactica Remix) (Night'n'Day, 1984)
15. Rockets; Space Rock (IPG, 1977)
16. Cerrone; Phonic (Malligator, 1985)
17. Harry Thumann; Underwater (Baby Records, 1979)
18. Marc Harris; Airport (Hansa, 1981)
19. Five Letters; Got Got Money (And I Moo) (Malligator, 1979)
20. Queen Samantha; Close Your Eyes (Jonathan, 1983)

NEXT WEEK: The Year In Rave—1992 (Part 2).

Week 42: The Year In Rave—1992 (Part 1)

Ok, so 1992 was pretty much the best year ever for music. The Rave scene was blowing up, and every week it seemed like dozens of amazing records were coming out—way more than little 10-year-old me could buy. This was the year that the UK really took the reins from Belgium & the States w/r/t dance music, and when the idea of "rave music" as a distinct thing from house/techno started to emerge.

Some of the bigger tunes were even getting aired on prime-time American MTV, and the TV coverage of "raving" hadn't yet turned into the hyper-negative anti-rave sensationalism that Hard Copy & other sources would make their bread and butter in the late '90s. There was really a sense that this whole rave thing was gonna take over the world and radically change "normal" society (which half-happened, but certainly not to the extent or in the ways that we'd imagined).

Anyway, the records that came out in 1992 are what got me into dance music, and made me become a musician. I love this stuff, and while a lot of it is VERY dated, I still stand by my statement that 1992 was the best year in the history of electronic dance music.

That being the case, I've decided to devote two mixtapes to it. This week, I'm exploring the more poppy/traditional side of the '92 rave scene: these guys were much more about hazy memories of the '88 acid house parties, super-saccharine feel-good synth lines, and staying true to the Belgian techno and Italian piano house sounds that helped establish the rave scene in the first place.

There was another, more hardcore side to the scene—by 1992 they were already absorbing a lot of reggae influence from England's Jamaican population, and evolving in a direction that would soon be known as jungle. I'll cover them in a couple of weeks.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 42: 1992 Rave (Part 1)

1. Utah Saints; Something Good (FFRR / UK)
2. DJ Seduction; Hardcore Heaven (FFRR / UK)
3. Fierce Ruling Diva; Keep Moving In Time (Vocal Mix) (Lower East Side Records / The Netherlands)
4. Radioactive; The Eliminator (XYMO Records / Belgium)
5. GTO; Love Is Everywhere (Reach For The Sky Mix) (NovaMute / UK)
6. Meat Beat Manifesto; Mindstream (Orbital Remix) (Mute Records / UK)
7. Love Inc.; Trance Atlantic XS (Rising High Records / UK)
8. Bizarre Inc.; Plutonic (Vinyl Solution / UK)
9. Messiah; Temple of Dreams (Kickin' Records / UK)
10. Dream Frequency; Take Me (The Prodigy Remix) (CityBeat / UK) 
11. Opus III; I Talk To The Wind (Transcendent Mix) (PWL International / UK)
12. Mig-31; Mig-31 (Pirate Record / Italy) 
13. Sonic Experience; Protein (Strictly Underground / UK)
14. A Homeboy, A Hippie, & A Funki Dred; Start Da Panik (Rising High Records / UK)
15. Project One feat. Nanisha; Roughneck (Remix) (Rising High Records / UK)
16. Sub Love; One By One (Earth Recordings / UK)
17. Channel X; Channel X (Beat Box International / Belgium)
18. Messiah; 20,000 Hardcore Members (Program 2 Remix) (Kickin' Records / UK)
19. The Prodigy; G-Force (XL Recordings / UK)
20. Praga Khan feat. Jade 4U; Injected With A Poison (MNO Power Remix) (Beat Box International / Belgium)
21. Wishdokta; Teknoskitzo (Kickin' Records / UK)
22. Baby D; Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Production House / UK)
23. Altern 8 feat. Evelyn "Champagne" King; Shame '92 (Network Records / UK)
24. Liquid; Sweet Harmony (XL Recordings / UK)
25. Run Tings; Fires Burning (Suburban Base / UK)
26. Phuture Assassins; Future Sound (Suburban Base / UK)
27. The Prodigy; Fire (Sunrise Version) (XL Recordings / UK) 
28. Program 2 & Joey Beltram; Threshold (Vortex Records / USA)
29. C of E; Church of Extacy (Crucify The Acid Remix) (Rising High Records / UK)

NEXT WEEK: Eurodisco.

Week 41: Synth Pop

I don't really see the need to wax historic on this one, as I think most people are on board with what happened here. In the late 1970s/early 1980s there were some (mostly British) people who were really into Kraftwerk, Northern Soul, Post-Punk, etc., and set out to combine all these things into a new kind of synth-heavy pop music that pretty much conquered the world for the next decade or so. Then a bunch of other people jumped on the bandwagon; some were awesome, some were decidedly un-awesome. Ho hum.

Anyway, I've compiled a mix here of a lot of my favorite Synth Pop tunes...for the most part I've left out the super-huge mega-hits we all know and love because a) everybody already knows them, b) you can find them 9850239705239 other places, and c) I'm frankly fucking worn out on 'Blue Monday' and 'Just Can't Get Enough' and 'Take On Me'. Sorry guys.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 41: Synth Pop

1. Blancmange; The Day Before You Came (London Records, 1984)
2. Wham!; Everything She Wants (Remix) (Columbia, 1984)
3. The Pet Shop Boys with Dusty Springfield; What Have I Done To Deserve This? (Shep Pettibone Disco Mix) (Parlophone, 1987)
4. Erasure; Chains Of Love (Truly In Love With The Marks Bros. Remix) (Mute Records, 1988)
5. Book Of Love; Pretty Boys And Pretty Girls (Extended Mix) (Sire Records, 1988)
6. Depeche Mode; Shout (Rio Mix) (Mute Records, 1981) 
7. The Human League; Do Or Die (Chrissy Edit) (Virgin, 1981)
8. New Order; 586 (Chrissy Edit) (Factory, 1983)
9. The Bridge; Love Dance (Second Vision, 1984)
10. 52nd Street; Can't Afford (Factory Benelux, 1984)
11. Vision; Love Dance (Chrissy Edit) (MVM Records, 1983)
12. Secession; Touch (Part 4) (Beggars Banquet, 1984)
13. Experimental Products; Glowing In The Dark (Short Circuit Records, 1984)
14. Tuxedomoon; What Use? (Remix) (Ralph Records, 1980)
15. Crash Course In Science; Cardboard Lamb (Press Records, 1981)
16. Visage; Frequency 7 (Dance Mix) (Polydor, 1981)
17. A-Ha; Train Of Thought (WEA, 1985)
18. Home Service; Only Men Fall In Love (Chrissy Edit) (Cachalot Records, 1981)
19. Joe Jackson; Steppin' Out (A&M Records, 1982)
20. Ultravox; Sleepwalk (Chrysalis, 1980)
21. Berlin; The Metro (M.A.O. Records, 1981)
22. Yello; Bimbo (Ralph Records, 1980)
23. Devo; Going Under (Warner Bros., 1981)
24. Soft Cell; Frustration (Some Bizarre, 1980)
25. Depeche Mode; Now, This Is Fun (Extended) (Mute Records, 1982)

NEXT WEEK: 1992 Rave.

Week 40: Juke

This week we have a mixtape of a genre very dear to my heart—Juke. It's a type of uptempo dance music from Chicago that grew out of Ghetto House, much like ghettotech from Detroit. The two scenes have a lot in common—overlapping musical heritage, an overlapping set of big hit tunes, and similar footwork-oriented dance styles, but actual juke & ghettotech are different in some key ways:

1. Juke is (usually) from Chicago, Ghettotech is (usually) from Detroit.

2. Juke uses a lot of tom tom drums, Ghettotech doesn't.

3. A lot of juke tracks use the bass drum as a melodic element as well as a rhythmic element, pitching it up and down to define the chord structure of the track. Ghettotech usually doesn't do this either.

4. Ghettotech tends to adhere either to a four-on-the-floor rhythm pattern or a Miami Bass / Booty Bass / Electro rhythm pattern. Juke is a lot more varied, rhythmically.

The lines between the two are blurry, and certain things are a bit of both. Still, they are very different styles, and a lot of people miss that. Anyway, here is a tape to catch you up on the last ten (or so) years of juke.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 40: Juke.

1. DJ Nephets; Juke N Money
   
2. Paul Johnson / DJ Puncho; Get Get Down Low (DJ Gant-Man Remix)
   
3. DJ Nephets; Down To The Ground
   
4. DJ D-Man; One, Two, Three, Four
   
5. DJ Deeon; Per-Cu-L8
   
6. Parris Mitchell Project feat. Waxmaster; Ghetto Shout Out
   
7. M.A.W. feat. India; I Can't Get No Sleep (DJ Gant-Man Remix)
   
8. DJ Nephets; Wanna Party
   
9. DJ Deeon; Freak U Rite
   
10. Juketastrafe; Work Baby
    
11. Beta SP; Bacteria (Chrissy Murderbot Remix)
    
12. Green Velvet feat. Russoul; Walk (DJ Gant-Man Remix)
    
13. N.O.R.E.; Nothin' (DJ Nephets Remix)
    
14. Waxmaster; Footwork
    
15. DJ Nephets; Juke Somebody
    
16. DJ Nephets & Lil Wish; Pop Drop
    
17. DJ Gant-Man vs. BBD; Poison (Juked Out Remix)
    
18. Mike Love; Nappy Headed Hoes
    
19. Chrissy Murderbot & DJ Gant-Man; I Nutted In You
    
20. Justice; Let There Be Light (DJ Funk Bounce That Ass Remix)
    
21. DJ Rashad & DJ Gant-Man; Juke Dat Juke Dat
    
22. Mic Terror; Juke Dem Hoes (Maddjazz Remix)
    
23. DJ Chip; Do The 40s
    
24. Twista; Pimp Like Me
    
25. DJ Lil Tal; Pop Yo Back
    
26. Kid Sister; Damn Girl (DJ Gant-Man Remix)
    
27. DJ Chip; Juke Slide
    
28. R. Kelly; Through The Hood (DJ Nephets Remix)
    
29. Waxmaster; Work Out
    
30. DJ Deeon; The Freaks (Remix)
    
31. DJ Slugo; Where The Rats
    
32. Chrissy Murderbot feat. Tha Basix; Red Bone (The Yoshi Track)
    
33. Dude N Nem; Watch My Feet (Remix feat. BNC)
    
34. Waxmaster; You Big Dummy
    
35. DJ Rashad & DJ Chi Boogie; Ay Yo Yo
    
36. DJ Pillsbury; Sugar Plum Fairy Dance
    
37. DJ Rashad; Get It Shorty
    
38. DJ Chi Boogie; 1,2,3,4
    
39. Three 6 Mafia; Don't Call Me No More (DJ D-Block Remix)
    
40. Traxman; Pac-Man
    
41. DJ Spinn & DJ Rashad; Bob It Low
    
42. Juketastrafe; Juke Dat Juicy Booty
    
43. DJ Rashad; Roy Ayers Show
    
44. DJ Spinn; Bounce N Break Yo Back
    
45. DJ Solo; Let Me See You Bounce
    
46. DJ Remi; Get Down On Tha Ground
    
47. DJ Rashad; Deep Inside '06
    
48. DJ Rashad; In Da Club Before 11 O'Clock
    
49. DJ Deeon; Like We Do
    
50. Maddjazz; Beeper Juke Remix
    
51. DJ Diamond; Footwork Twist Em Up
    
52. DJ Gant-Man; Juke Dat Girl From The Back (DJ Rashad Remix)
    
53. DJ Spinn; Feelin' U
    
54. Juketastrafe; Get Retarded
    
55. DJ Deeon; Debo Juke Slide
    
56. DJ Spinn & DJ Rashad; That Booty
    
57. DJ Spinn; Mario Revenge
    
58. Traxman; Newports
    
59. DJ Slugo; 114799 (The Godzilla Track)
    
60. Mariah Carey; Always Be My Baby (Thunderous Olympian Remix)

NEXT WEEK: Synth-Pop.

Week 39: New Beat / EBM

I'm not gonna go on much about this one, because I've already blathered enough about it in this mixtape for Mashit from 2007. And this article I wrote for XLR8R.

Without being too terribly redundant, let's just say that a lot of fun music came out of Belgium in the late 1980s. There was EBM (which stands for Electronic Body Music)—basically a really-dancey Belgian version of industrial—and New Beat, which was a slowed-down, tarted-up combination of EBM + Chicago House + Euro-pop. EBM/New Beat bridged the gap between American house/techno and European rave, by way of a lot of post-punk/gothic/industrial influence. The music itself is slowed down and slutty and completely mindless, so obviously I adore it. Here's a mixtape!

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 39: New Beat / EBM.

1. Bazz; The Drop Deal (Chrissy Edit) (DiKi Records, 1988)
   
2. Boytronic; Bryllyant (New Beat Mix) (Rush Records, 1986)
   
3. Jade 4 U; Rainbows (Instrumental) (Subway, 1988)
   
4. Telex; Rendez-vous dans l'espace (Magnetic Dance, 1988)
   
5. Nasty Thoughts; Acid Sex (Acid Version) (Kaos Dance Records, 1989)
   
6. A Split-Second; Flesh (New Beat Mix) (Antler Records, 1986)
   
7. Nitzer Ebb; Warsaw Ghetto (Rush Records, 1986)
   
8. Insekt; Control Your Fear...Now! (New Beat Mix) (KK Records, 1990)
   
9. Neon; Voices (Target Records, 1988)
   
10. Zsa Zsa LaBoum; Something Scary (Kaos Dance Records, 1988)
    
11. Public Relation; Eighty-Eight (Instrumental) (R&S Records, 1988)
    
12. Logo; Businessman (12" Version) (USA Import, 1988)
    
13. Trisomie 21; Take The Shock Away (Play It Again Sam, 1989)
    
14. Sister Movie; Hold Me (Complete Kaos, 1989)
    
15. Edwards & Armani; Acid Drill (Instrumental) (MG Records, 1988)
    
16. Agaric; I Am Gonna Beat Dis (Instrumental Acid Mix) (Kaos Dance Records, 1988)
    
17. Gail Robinson; Bust Your Body (Chrissy Edit) (N.B.S. Records, 1989)
    
18. Groupietemple; I'm Your Acidbaby! (Big Sex / Contempo, 1989)
    
19. Unknown Artist; ??? (white label, 1988)
    
20. L&O; Even Now (Target Records, 1988)
    
21. The Neon Judgement; TV Treated (Kleo / LD Records, 1982)
    
22. The Invincible Limit; Push! (Last Chance Records, 1986)
    
23. Front 242; No Shuffle (Another Side, 1985)
    
24. Rhythm Device; Higher Destiny (Music Man Records, 1990)
    
25. Royal Guards; New Beat Is Clean (Instrumental) (Target Records, 1989)
    
26. Major Problem; Love Parasite (Beat Box International, 1990)

NEXT WEEK: Juke.

Week 38: Chicago House

After last week's tape, I felt like it was time for some ACTUAL house music, so here goes...

The stories about this genre have been told a bajillion times, so go google them if you want the in-depth version.
The short version is this: there was a guy from New York named Frankie Knuckles who moved to Chicago in '77 to play at a new discotheque called the Warehouse. He played lots of very odd, deep, drum-oriented disco, which soon became the dominant sound of early-'80s black Chicago (and spawned a lot of other, even weirder DJs—most famously Ron Hardy, who played at the Music Box).
By 1981, Chicagoans were referring to the Philly Disco, Italo, Quebecois disco, and new wave records heard at the Warehouse not as "disco", but as "House Music".
By 1985 you have a bunch of local Chicago kids attempting to MAKE this type of stuff on their own, with loads of crummy equipment culled from thrift stores (equipment which, in the intervening 25 years, has become incredibly valuable due to its house music cachet).
By 1986, this local Chicago music has blown up and gone worldwide, conquering New York's club scene, hitting #1 on the UK pop charts, and directly inspiring Detroit techno (and every other dance music genre since).

25 years later, Chicago House still sounds different than house music from the rest of the world. It often has a rawer, less polished quality than, say, French house, or NY house. Also, Chicago house tends to vacillate between VERY traditional, R&B-inspired vocal tunes and VERY weird, psychedelic, oddness in a way that most other genres (including other sub-genres of house) don't.

But enough of my rambling. Here are my faves from the early years of Chicago house.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 38: Chicago House.

1. Jamie Principle; Waiting On My Angel (A Frankie Knuckles Production) (Persona Records, 1985)
   
2. Adonis & The Endless Pokers; The Poke (D.J. International Records, 1986)
   
3. J.M. Silk; I Can't Turn Around (Chrissy Re-Edit) (RCA Victor, 1986)
   
4. Mr. Fingers; Washing Machine (Trax Records, 1986)
   
5. The House Master Boyz & The Rude Boy Of House; House Nation (Dance Mania, 1986)
   
6. Mr. Lee; I Can't Forget (Dub) (Trax Records, 1987)
   
7. Marshall Jefferson; The House Music Anthem (House Your Body) (Chrissy Re-Edit) (Trax Records, 1986)
   
8. Sterling Void & Paris Brightledge; It's All Right (House Mix) (D.J. International Records, 1987)
   
9. Joe R. Lewis; Love Of My Own (Target Records, 1987)
   
10. Robert Owens & Fingers, Inc.; Bring Down The Walls (Trax Records, 1986)
    
11. Steve Poindexter; Computer Madness (Muzique Records, 1989)
    
12. Project Democracy feat. China; Is This Dream For Real (Under Dog, 1987)
    
13. Vicky Martin; Not Gonna Do It (Mike Dunn Dub) (Movin' Records, 1988)
    
14. Pierre's Pfantasy Club; Got The Bug (Club Mix) (Trax Records, 1987)
    
15. Phortune; Jiggerwatts (Hot Mix 5, 1988)
    
16. 2 Houss People; Feel The Rhythm (Acid Mix) (Neco Records, 1988)
    
17. Sleezy D.; I've Lost Control (Space Mix) (Trax Records, 1986)
    
18. Jackmaster Curt; Real Fresh House (House Mix) (Jiszack Master Records, 1987)
    
19. Armando; 100% Of Dissin' You (Warehouse Records, 1988)
    
20. Maurice; This Is Acid (Les Adams Remix) (Vendetta Records, 1988)
    
21. Cool McCool; World Turns Around (Hot Mix 5, 1988)
    
22. Phuture; Slam! (Trax Records, 1988)
    
23. Tyree; Let The Music Take Control (D.J. International Records, 1989)
    
24. Ralphi Rosario vs. Richie Rich; You Used To Salsa (The Remix of Salsa House) (FFRR, 1989)
    
25. Frankie Knuckles Presents Satoshi Tomiie feat. Robert Owens; Tears (Classic Vocal) (FFRR, 1989)
    
26. Pleasure Zone; Fantasy (Trax Records, 1988)
    
27. Jack Frost; Clap Me (Trax Records, 1988)
    
28. Ce Ce Rogers; Someday (Club Mix) (Atlantic, 1987)

NEXT WEEK: New Beat.

Week 37: UK Funky

UK Funky is a genre that has been blowing up mega-huge for the last year and some change, but what is it? Well basically, think of it as UK Garage + Grime + R&B+ Dancehall + Soca + Dubstep over a House music template. Here's a mixtape—far from definitive, and definitely an outsider's perspective on an essentially London genre, but here goes.

(Note: A lot of these are white labels, dub plates, unreleased tunes, etc. For things that are actually out on a label, I've included the name of said record label.)

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 37: UK Funky.

1. Gracious K; Migraine Skank (white label)
   
2. Cooly G; Narst (Hyperdub)
   
3. Lil Silva; Different (Kingdom Remix feat. Jazmine Sullivan)
   
4. Maxwell D & Lil Silva; Blackberry Hype (Different Riddim)
   
5. Atki2; Sundial
   
6. DJ Champion; Motherboard (white label)
   
7. Roska & Jamie George; Wonderful Day (Roska Kicks & Snares)
   
8. L-Vis 1990; United Groove (MJ Cole Remix) (Mad Decent)
   
9. Bubbz; Citizens of the City (Bok Bok Dub)
   
10. Egyptrixx; Phones (Aaah! Real Monsters)
    
11. Kanji Kinetic; Thrill Seeka (Sleazetone)
    
12. Drop The Lime feat. Carrie Wild; Set Me Free (Lil Silva Remix) (Trouble & Bass)
    
13. Stush; We Nuh Run (Sirens Riddim)
    
14. Roska; Elevated Level (Kingdom Edit feat. Brandy)
    
15. Fuzzy Logik; What Goes Around (white label)
    
16. Fingaprint Production; Night Time (Invasion)
    
17. Diamond feat. Sophia Romai; Flyaway (Spoilt Rotten)
    
18. Donae'o; Watching Her Move (My-ish)
    
19. Dark Knight; My Bitch (It's Funky)
    
20. Fuzzy Logik feat. Egypt; In The Morning (Relentless Records / Virgin)
    
21. Perempay & Dee feat. Katie Pearl; In The Air (Bopstar's Wonky Mix) (white label)
    
22. Fuzzy Logik; Twiss (white label)
    
23. WunnaDemWuns; I Feel (Ear Dis)
24. Bok Bok; Ripe Banana (Dress 2 Sweat)
    
25. Ghislain Poirier feat. MC Zulu; Go Ballistic (Toddla T & Duckbeats Remix) (Ninja Tune)
    
26. Tigerstyle feat. Vybz Kartel & Money P; Balle! Shava! (Dirty Canvas v. Sinden Remix)
    
27. Sticky feat. Marvin Brown; Jack It Up
    
28. Reese Project; Direct Me (Chrissy Refix)
    
29. Hanuman; Bola (Atki2 Remix) (Idle Hands / Sleazetone)
    

NEXT WEEK: Chicago House.

Week 36: Italo Disco

Italo Disco is, well, disco from Italy (mostly Milan, really), and its golden age was approximately 1980-1985. It was influenced in equal parts by American & Canadian disco, Giorgio Moroder-style Euro-disco, and 1970s electronic music like Kraftwerk, Jean-Michel Jarre, and the like. So basically what we've got here is another odd, techy offshoot of classic disco with weird synth noises and broken English. Which means I love it.

A lot of people use "Italo Disco" as a blanket term to mean any mostly-electronic disco, lumping in Quebecois disco, Euro-disco (which was mostly based out of Munich & Paris), even San Fran Hi-NRG. I know I'm being pedantic, but those people are wrong. For instance, if anybody tries to tell you that Lime or Bobby Orlando or Giorgio Moroder are Italo-Disco, stop listening to them. (Yes yes, I know, Moroder was born in Italy. But he was ethnically Tyrolean, his native tongue was German, and every record he made was recorded in Munich or Los Angeles. Besides, some tiny village in the Dolomites where they speak Ladin or Romansh or whatever probably has a lot more in common with Innsbruck than with Milan.)

Anyway, Italo Disco has been hugely influential to modern music—it is one of the cornerstones of house music, techno, synth pop, electroclash (for better or for worse), and it informs a bunch of other genres as well. Track 8, for instance, was a huge influence on Jamie Principle's genre-defining house classic "Your Love".
Some other footnotes: Track 15 was recorded in 1982, but sat unreleased in some vault somewhere until 2003, when Detroit electro label Ersatz Audio released it on a N.O.I.A. retrospective album. Track 24 is a cover of Giorgio Moroder, not the other way around.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 36: Italo Disco.

1. RAF; Self-Control (Carrere, 1984)
   
2. Scotch; Disco Band (Remix) (American Disco, 1984)
   
3. The Duke Of Burlington; Flash '83 (Proto Records, 1983)
   
4. Kasso; The Walkman (Delirium, 1982)
   
5. Doctor's Cat; Feel The Drive (Il Discotto, 1983)
   
6. The Creatures; Machine's Drama (Full Time Records, 1982)
   
7. Expansives; Life With You (Leader Records, 1982)
   
8. Electra feat. Tara Butler; Feels Good (Best Record, 1982)
   
9. My Mine; Hypnotic Tango (Chrissy Edit) (Progress Record, 1983)
   
10. Mr. Flagio; Take A Chance (Squish, 1983)
    
11. Cyber People; Void Vision (Memory Records, 1984)
    
12. Koto; Visitors (Memory Records, 1985)
    
13. International Music System; Dancing Therapy (IMS, 1984)
    
14. Hipnosis; End Title (Blade Runner) (Memory Records, 1983)
    
15. N.O.I.A.; We Wanna Glow (Italian Records, 1982 / Ersatz Audio, 2003)
    
16. Plastic Mode; Digitally (Discomagic Records, 1985)
    
17. Lama; Love On The Rocks (Numero Uno, 1983)
    
18. Fun Fun; Color My Love (X-Energy Records, 1984)
    
19. The Flics; Take It Easy (Tanga Label, 1984)
    
20. Kasso; Kasso (Instrumental) (F1 Team, 1981)
    
21. Bizzy & Co; Take A Chance (Deejay, 1982)
    
22. The Passengers; I'll Be Standing Beside You (Chrissy Re-Edit) (Durium, 1979)
    
23. Kano; It's A War (Full Time Records, 1980)
    
24. Hananas; From Here To Eternity (Zanza Records, 1983)
    
25. Fun Fun; Living In Japan (X-Energy Records, 1985)
    
26. Sphinx; Collision Remixed (System Music, 1982)

NEXT WEEK: UK Funky.

Week 35: Dubstep

Ok, this one is gonna get me yelled at by some people, but let's be real. Dubstep is Over. It's been over for a while.

I'm not saying it's DEAD or it's gonna STOP EXISTING, and I'm certainly not saying it's BAD...just that its time has come and gone. A year ago, Dubstep was this time-defining hyper-relevant world-dominant sound-of-the-moment, and it's quickly turning into its own cloistered, insular, largely-irrelevant-to-the-outside-world little scene (similar to what happened to Drum & Bass in 1997-8). Many of the most interesting, creative, forward-thinking producers from Dubstep have already moved on (to UK Funky / Future Garage / Post-Garage / whatever you wanna call it), so I felt it was only fitting to do a retrospective Dubstep mix.

So here's a mix with a bunch of the huge genre-defining anthems, and a lot of my own personal faves as well.

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 35: Dubstep.

1. Joker; Snake Eater (Soul Motive)
   
2. Loefah & Sgt. Pokes; Mud VIP (DMZ / Planet Mu)
   
3. Morcheeba; World Looking In (DZ Remix) (LoDubs)
   
4. Bodil / Cycheouts Ghost; Mirrorz (ROMZ)
   
5. Brackles; Rawkus (Planet Mu)
   
6. LD; Shake It (Hyperdub)
   
7. Zomby; Strange Fruit (Ramp Recordings)
   
8. Tes La Rock feat. Uncle Sam; Up In The VIP (Dub Police)
   
9. Cotti vs. Mr. Party & Jammer; Dem Fi Know (Argon)
   
10. MC Jakes & Joker; 3K Lane (Hench)
    
11. 6Blocc; Burning Dub (6Dub)
    
12. Digital Mystikz feat. Speng; Anti War Dub (DMZ)
    
13. Benga & Coki; Night (Tempa)
    
14. LV & Dandelion; CCTV (Hyperdub)
    
15. Hoodz; Clash (LoDubs)
    
16. Benga; Crunked Up (Tempa)
    
17. Joker; Digidesign (Hyperdub)
    
18. Guido; Orchestral Lab (Punch Drunk)
    
19. Monkey Steak; Ratatosk's Tree (unreleased)
    
20. Gemmy; Supligen (Planet Mu)
    
21. I.T.; Tipsy (white)
    
22. Rusko; Cockney Thug (Sub Soldiers)
    
23. Ebola; Alpha Paw (LoDubs)
    
24. The Bug feat. Killa P & Flowdan; Skeng (Kode9 Remix) (Hyperdub)
25. Cardopusher; I Need You Tonight (unreleased)
26. Dess; Sick Room (Dead Homies)
27. The Art Of Noise; Moments In Love (Caspa Remix) (white)
28. Skream; Midnight Request Line (Tempa)
29. Stagga feat. Skamma; Sick As Sin (Ultra VIP) (ElectroStimulation)
30. Kanji Kinetic; Scatter (Sleazetone)
    

NEXT WEEK: Italo Disco.

Week 34: Booty Bass

This week, as a palette-cleanser for the non-disco-fans after all the disco of recent weeks, is a mixtape of Booty Bass. The term "booty bass" really comprises a lot of genres (Miami Bass, Freestyle, Hip Hop Electro, and Detroit Electrofunk to name a few), but they're all pretty much tied together by big, 808-driven drum machine breaks topped off with raps about ass-shaking. The key differences between this stuff and, say, ghettotech/ghetto house/juke would be the breakbeats, and the hip-hop song structure.

It's easy to forget how HUGE this stuff was in the states in the '90s, but looking back on it a lot of these tracks were Top 40 mega-hits here. I've been told by a few people that this stuff never really made it across the pond, which is a shame. I guess this was our cultural equivalent of UK Garage, perhaps?

Anyway, for this tape I've left out the Detroit Electro / Electrofunk stuff, which I'll cover some other week. I've decided to focus on classics from the 90s (some well-known, others more underground), with a few 80s proto-anthems and a couple of more recent tunes as well. Enjoy!

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 34: Booty Bass.

1. MC Zeus; It Ain't A Crime
2. Jock-D; Partytime '91
   
3. Cybotron; Clear (Jose "Animal" Diaz Remix)
   
4. The 69 Boyz; Tootsie Roll
   
5. Danny D & DJ Wiz; Get On Up And Dance (Remix)
   
6. Ghost Town DJs; My Boo
   
7. Model 500; Night Drive (Time, Space, Transmat)
   
8. Sir Mix-A-Lot; Baby Got Back
   
9. Tag Team; Whoomp! (There It Is)
   
10. E.V.I.A.N. & The Atlantis Posse; Techno City
    
11. DJ Laz & Danny D; Miami El Negro (Club Mix)
    
12. Sabo; La Negra Chula
    
13. Sammie; I Like It (Remix)
    
14. Freak Nasty; Da Dip
    
15. 2 Live Crew; Get It Girl
    
16. DJ Funk; Get The Hoe
    
17. DJ Smurf; Shakin'
    
18. Splack Pack; Shake That Ass Bitch!
    
19. Playa Poncho; Whatz Up Whatz Up (A-Town Mix)
    
20. 2 Live Crew; Come On Babe (Doo Doo Brown Mix)
    
21. Quad City DJs; C'mon Ride The Train
    
22. Luke; Scarred
    
23. Splack Pack; Scrub Da Ground
    
24. Half Pint; One Leg Up
    
25. DJ Kizzy Rock & DJ Smurf; Let Me See U Ride
    
26. DJ Smurf; 4 Pt. Stance
    
27. Creep Dogg; Bounce Tha Bootie
    
28. Disco & The City Boyz; Wiggle Wiggle
    
29. Johnny Moog; Dope Love (Chrissy Murderbot Remix)
    
30. DJ Smurf; Pop That Thang Girl (Remix)
    
31. Godz Of The Quad; 2 The Flo
    
32. Luke f. No Good But So Good; Raise The Roof
    
33. Bone Thugs N Harmony; Crossroads (DJ Magic Mike Remix)
    
34. DJ Marquis; Rock This
    
35. Godz Of The Quad; Can U Feel It

NEXT WEEK: A Farewell to Dubstep.

Week 33: Post-Disco, Pre-House

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a tape of NY Garage (prompted by Birgitte from Norway). I went on about how that music bridged the gap between disco and house, and really paved the way for all this new-fangled 21st century electronic dance music to exist.
Meanwhile, however, there was a lot of other, more mainstream R&B that was doing essentially the same thing—just in the pop sphere. Here is a tape of precisely that—more 1980s R&B cuts that rose up from the ashes of disco to pave the way for house (and everything that followed).

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 33: Post-Disco, Pre-House.

1. Jocelyn Brown; I Wish You Would (Vinyl Dreams Records, 1984)
   
2. Gwen Guthrie; Ain't Nothin' Goin' On But The Rent (Chrissy Re-Edit) (Polydor, 1986)
   
3. Patrice Rushen; Forget Me Nots (Elektra, 1982)
   
4. George Benson; Give Me The Night (Warner Bros. Records, 1980)
   
5. Sylvester; Tell Me (Remix) (Megatone Records, 1983)
   
6. Luther Vandross; Never Too Much (Epic, 1981)
   
7. Cashmere; Do It Anyway You Wanna (Philly World Records, 1983)
   
8. Evelyn King; Love Come Down (RCA, 1982)
   
9. Kool & The Gang; Get Down On It (De-Lite Records, 1981)
   
10. Teena Marie; Behind The Groove (Motown, 1980)
    
11. Raw Silk; Do It To The Music (West End Records, 1982)
    
12. Splash; When We Touch (The Hive, 1982)
    
13. Unique; What I Got Is What You Need (Chrissy Re-Edit) (Prelude Records, 1983)
    
14. Young & Company; I Like (What You're Doing To Me) (Brunswick, 1980)
    
15. The S.O.S. Band; Take Your Time (Do It Right) (Tabu Records, 1980)
    
16. Aretha Franklin; Get It Right (Arista, 1983)
    
17. Tramaine; Fall Down (Spirit Of Love) (A&M Records, 1985)
    
18. Zena Dejonay; I've Got To Find A Way (TVI Records, 1983)
    
19. D Train; You're The One For Me (Prelude Records, 1981)
    
20. GQ; Someday (In Your Life) (Arista, 1980)
    
21. The Emotions; Turn It Out (American Recording Company, 1981)

NEXT WEEK: Booty Bass.

Week 32: Weed Songs

So I was at the all-you-can-eat sushi bar with my buddy Mega Mic, and he says to me something along the lines of the following:

"you know what's funny? you got all these weed tunes, but you don't even smoke weed!"

I think he was referring specifically to "Roll Another One" (off my last album), and "Ganja Fi Legal" (the Jacky Murda track I remixed). But regardless of whether he's talking tunes I've made/released or just tunes I own/play out, he's right: for some reason I love tracks about weed.
So here's a mix of weed anthems. I've probably dropped a dozen or so weed-related tunes throughout previous mixes, so those ones aren't on this one, but it's still pretty packed. You're probably either going to find this the most awesome thing in history, or the most tedious, juvenile yawnfest ever. Or both!

Chrissy's Year of Mixtapes Week 32: Weed Songs.

1. Snoop Doggy Dogg; Gin & Juice
   
2. Cypress Hill; Hits From The Bong
   
3. Mr. Vegas; Crack Town
   
4. Wayne Marshall & Assassin; Weed Smoke
5. EQ; Give I Di Herbs
   
6. Ziggi; Ganja Smoke In The Air
   
7. Cocoa Tea; Weh Di Drugs
   
8. Cutty Ranks; Healing Of The Nation
   
9. Yellowman; Stay With Me
   
10. Marlon Asher; Ganja Farmer
    
11. Buju Banton; Sensi
    
12. Bone Thugs N Harmony; Weed Man
    
13. Freddie Gibbs; Boxframe Cadillac
    
14. Wayne Marshall; Purple Skunk
    
15. Vybz Kartel; Visa (QV Weaver Riddim Remix)
    
16. Chrissy Murderbot f. Hawatha Hurd; Roll Another One (Tremor Dub Refix)
    
17. Wayne Marshall; The Whole World
    
18. Wayne Marshall; Gan-Ja
    
19. DJ Krome & Mr. Time; Ganja Man
    
20. Bagga Worries & Jooxie Nice; Legalise (Remarc VIP Mix)
    
21. L Double; Sess (Little Rollers Vol. 1)
    
22. Jacky Murda f. Ward 21 & Jason Sweetness; Ganja Fi Legal
    
23. Carlton Livingston; 100 Weight of Collie Weed
    
24. Mungo's Hi-Fi f. Top Cat; Herbalist
    
25. Mac Dre; I Need An Eighth
    
26. Cutty Ranks; Ganja Pipe
    
27. Prince Fatty; Gin & Juice

NEXT WEEK: Post-Disco, Pre-House.