Like much of what Andrew Weatherall has produced during his time on this plane, this mix is of substance and technical nous. It is one of my favourite DJ mixes of all time. It has aged incredibly well. Still sounds Fresh today. He was 33 years of age when this was recorded, on two decks and a DJ mixer.
Now, why would anyone want to read a review of a DJ mix? People don’t even want to listen to DJ mixes anymore. But that’s kind of the point. I think a masterful DJ mix is better than any playlist that can be formed on a streaming platform that people seem so enamoured about.
Background
Most internet music mags spin up a few of his mixes and articles each year on the anniversary of his death or birthday, but I don’t see a lot of in-depth information beyond a simple description to justify the bombardment of advertising you get on those sites now.
Over the past few years since learning about the man, I’ve sought to find out as much as possible about him. That said, I’ve come to really appreciate The Guv’s body of work and general outlook. So, I’m hoping to do this one justice from a fan perspective, but also deconstruct some of the mix in order to convey why I think it’s so good.
The Guv brings a really hypnotic vibe to his practice, producing many trippy dubbed downtempo tracks as well as peak time slammers and a bunch of things in between. I understand from interviews with him that he is very much into mysticism, seeing dance music as a ritual of transcendence. A kind of portal through which we can be lost, found and regenerated.
For context, I was just 10 years old when this was released in 1996, so with respect, I wasn’t there when it went down. Strangely though, I seem to be drawn back to the fruits of this time period across genres. It was a year that I really started to get more into collecting music across genres. Mostly commercial bits that were available at HMV and the likes. My brother had purchased ‘Tha Crossroads’ by Bone-Thugs-n-Harmony on CD single (which features a wicked 2-steppy mix of ‘1st of Tha Month’ by Kruder & Dorfmeister).
Here in Australia the commercial level visibility of dance music was pretty low, there was basically no dance music in the Billboard top 100. MTV had just launched 24hrs a day programming if you had cable. That said, public access to information on dance music culture was there–Wild FM was broadcasting in Brisbane and Scene Magazine was 3 years old.
The Mix
Meanwhile in the UK the BBC essential mix was well and truly up and running and they were about to begin online streaming. Programming wise, this mix was published between The Chemical Brothers and Carl Cox so I wonder if this one was kind of lost at the time.
At the time of the recording, with his newly formed Two Lone Swordsmen, he and Keith Tenniswood had recently released a 3x LP with another on the way. The mix features two tracks from these two early Lone Swordsmen releases. Almost all of the tracks in this mix were released in 1996 or the closely surrounding years. So at the time of recording, everything in this was fresh-in print.
Key to a great DJ mix is managing the energy of the sequence. In order to transport the listener, you have to find a way to move through different moods without disrupting the flow in a unpleasant or jagged way. Sustaining interest is the knife edge of continuity and difference. Therefore, it is important to understand how basslines and drum programming can be sequenced to keep a groove going, while other instruments can be short (steccato) or sustained. Short sharp sounds can speed things up, while long continuous sounds lift you off the ground and keep you there.
Anyway, have a listen yourself. No doubt you will have your own highlights, but please allow me share with you a few of mine.
Highlights
The third mix sets the scene and invites the listener to really go in. I love this mix because he keeps the vocal chop from ‘Hep Cat Speaketh’ running while working in his own track, a transformational blend, because it sounds like a new track. The combination of the two tracks has yielded a third that really gets me rotating on the spot from left to right, as if I’m moving between the two tracks to the mix–
Into
The next transition that I really like is this one between the Weatherall produced ‘Long First Friday’ (reissued in 2019) which is a banger with a bellowing bassline, which has a bridge that builds tension.
So this mix capitalises on that bridge and extends it, making you think that the bridge has evolved and you are waiting to come back to that throbbing baseline but things are moving on and by the time you realise it your actually in a different place.
A cool bridging mix.
Into
He also uses this ‘Beats Version 2‘ as a DJ tool throughout the mix.
The first instance is right at the beginning of the mix, as part of the introduction into ‘Deep In The Feeling’, then later as a segue out of Mess of Afros (Glenn Underground Remix) in order bring us into the Boo Williams track.
This is an interesting moment and almost feels like you are re-entering the portal opened at the beginning of the mix.
It’s not extremely technical or musical but rather a motif. It’s different and could be considered risky to basically interrupt the flow.
My last moment is this standout track, N.Y. Connection – The Push produced by Mark Pritchard. Funky sample driven track with repeating horns and vocal samples.
Tracklist & Additional Notes
One fan has compiled as many of the records from the mix into a Discogs link so you can go and investigate the labels and tracks further.