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One of the many hardest hit industries in 2020’s Covid legacy’s is music. I thought it might be worth the effort to dig through the youtube stacks for a selection to serve as a reminder that there is still great music out there. There are still people enjoying older tracks and most importantly, there are still many talented people making brand new tunes. So buckle up and enjoy the ride from the comfort of your office or living room. Here are a few sets that have stood out for me.

10. Nora En Pure @ Brac Island (Croatia)

South African born, Swiss based Nora En Pure somehow landed on a mountainside with a full set of Pioneer decks. How did she get there? Who cares? All that matters is that she’s brought a great track list to start this lockdown party right. Top marks for Mathias Winnfield’s Close your Eyes. I like that one.

Tracklist courtesy Daydream:

0:00 Last95 – Zvezdara 3:26 Stean-D & Andy Kulter – By My Side (Extended Mix) 7:00 Mathias Winnfield – Close Your Eyes (Extended Mix) 11:53 Nora En Pure – In Your Eyes (Club Edit) 16:20 Stil & Bense Feat. Ally – One in a Million (Lunar Plane Remix) 21:14 Chris Luno – The Ride (Extended Mix) 25:50 Paradoks – Wander 30:00 Paradoks – Flying Particles 35:34 Oliver Schories & Jan Blomqvist – Packard (Nora En Pure Remix) 42:00 Alex Breitling – Black Wolf (Extended Mix) 47:00 AKA AKA & Junge Junge – Vallut Bass (Extended Mix) 51:33 Nora En Pure – Wetlands (Extended Mix) 56:00 Matt Fax – Abenaki 1:00:12 Alex Breitling – Arosa (Extended Mix)

9. Disclosure @ Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia)

Wow, these guys have grown up – look at that facial hair! Luckily for us, Disclosure have not lost their excellent propensity to find audio gems. Although they might have deserved the Nobel prize for converting unsuspecting wildlife into dance floor culture, I think the Cercle production geezers opted for headphones over speakers. Too bad. I would have loved to see how Croatian squirrels would get down to this set.  There’s a bit a deliberate build up here, so if you need to skip to some blippy deep house bounce, head on over to What’s in your head.

Tracklist courtesy Underground Station N9:

1) 00:00 Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs – Islas Canarias 2)02:39 Tennyson x Mr. Carmack – Tuesday 3) 06:15 Disclosure, Fatoumata Diawara – Douha 4) 11:00 Disclosure – Expressing What Matters 5) 15:29 Jovonn – Pianos Of Gold (1993) 6) 19:22 Kousto feat. Aroop Roy – The Job 7) 21:40 Disclosure – What’s In Your Head 8) 26:31 Disclosure & Blick Bassy – Ce n’est pas 9) 31:54 Traumer – Agenou (Y.M.O. Remix) 10) 36:36 Disclosure – ENERGY 11) 39:42 Memphis – Lxury 12) 43:13 Anorak Trax – Burnin’ Up 13) 48:18 Disclosure – Ecstasy 14) 52:35 ID – ID 15) 57:30 ID – ID 16) 1:01:24 Disclosure – Tondo 17) 1:06:36 Disclosure, Kehlani & Syd – Birthday (Disclosure VIP Remix) 18) 1:11:59 Disclosure feat. London Grammar – Help Me Lose My Mind (ID Remix) 19) 1:17:10 Tom VR – Couldn’t Find The Words 20) 1:22:30 Malin Genie – Venus 21) 1:27:09 Disclosure & Mick Jenkins – Who Knew 22) 1:32:50 Interview in English

8.  Christian Löffler live @ Fontaine de Vaucluse (France)

Heavily textured soundscapes sculpted here make for a truly ethereal experience. The rocky hills laced with clouds of green trees only add to the journey. This is a set that will make you reflect and pontificate.

Tracklist courtesy of Rodolphe Marquant:

00:00 Christian Löffler – Neo 08:20 Good Guy Mikesh – Spare (Christian Löffler Remix) 17:00 Christian Löffler – A Hundred Lights 21:08 Christian Löffler – Beirut 27:34 Christian Löffler – Blind 34:40 Christian Löffler – A Forest 41:26 Christian Löffler – Haul (ft. Mohna) 47:30 Christian Löffler – Field 52:55 Christian Löffler – Athlete 58:05 Christian Löffler – Licht 1:04:10 Christian Löffler – Mt. Grace 1:11:30 Christian Löffler – Tausend

7. THYLACINE – Home Studio (France)

Featuring an all original set list, the multi-talented Thylacine holds it all down in lockdown. It’s a set that never fails to feel fresh. Exotic and bold. Expect the unexpected, in saxophone form. Oops, I just ruined that, didn’t I?

Tracklist: Purmamarca Alda Volver Versailles Piany Pianino The Road Train 5th Floor War Dance Stormur Moskva Anatolia

6. Carl Cox – Melbourne, Australia 

One of the originators still kicking around and serving beats as fresh as today’s special. Yet another flawless melange of bounce featuring plenty of new and old flavours.

Tracklist: 1. J Boogie – Dubtronic (Eric Powell Re-Edit) 2. Chris + Dee – Come Together 3. Ninetoes Feat. Maria Marquez – Vio 4. Javi Colors & Dr. Alfred – Feeling Good 5. Jovonn – Random 6. David Morales & Michelle Shapa – Let It Go (Journey Mix) 7. Marshall Feat. Yazid Le Voyageur – Rainy Days 8. Eric Powell – Hey Dj 9. Horatio – Next Summer 10. Ronnie Spiteri – Musical Minds 11. Louie Vega & The Martinez Brothers with Marc E. Bassy – Let It Go (Honey Dijon Remix) 12. Fiorious – Follow Me (Harry Romero Club Dub) 13. NO1NO’s X Missy Elliot – Double Take 14. Crystal Waters & DJ Spen – Party People (MDFC Party Mix) 15. NiCe7 Feat. Mikey V – Bad Advice 16. Jamie Jones & Nicole Moudaber – Pepper Shake 17. Purple Disco Machine – Body Funk (Carl Cox Remix) 18. Cakes Da Killa X Proper Villains – Don Dada (Honey Dijon & Luke Solomon’s Extended Alcazar Remix) 19. Marshall – Desert Island Discs 20. J&G – Boogie Down 21. Geraldine Hunt – Can’t Fake The Feeling (Carl Cox Remix)

5. Bob Sinclair – Home Studio (Paris, France)

Warning: Bob Sinclair’s spirited animation in the following video is highly contagious and a mask will be useless against it. Be prepared to learn lyrics and sing along, even if you don’t want to. This is House 101.

Tracklist: 1. Alan Dixon – Bless Me Today 2. Bob Sinclar – Save Our Soul 3. Bob Sinclar Feat. Ron Carroll – House Music 4. Boys Noize – Mvinline 5. Bob Sinclar & Daddy’s Groove – Burning 6. Moreno Pezzolato Feat. Octahvia – Take Me Up 7. Bob Sinclar Feat. Mercer – I Feel For You (Mercer Remix) 8. Bob Sinclar Feat. Omi – I’m On My Way 9. Dual Beat – Déja Que Llora 10. ID-ID 11. Uch – Genius of House 12. Bob Sinclar – Someone Who Needs Me (Kryder Remix) 13. Boris Dlugosch & Booom! – Keep Pushin’ 14. Bob Sinclar Feat. Dawn Tallman – Feel The Vibe 15. ID-ID 16. Bob Sinclar Feat. Steve Edwards – World Hold On (Unknown Remix) 17. Bob Sinclar – Love Generation

4.  Joachim Pastor – Home Studio (France)

There are certain words I hate to use, often due to their proclivity for overuse. Epic is one of them. But it’s the only one I can think of for this mad genius. All of these are extended versions of intricate, self-produced, synth-laden future classics. Fantastic.

Tracklist courtesy Alexy Eon:

0:05 – Kenia (special live edit) 8:50 – Millenium (veryyy long live edit) 22:00 – Reykjavik (special live edit) 32:17 – Trauma (Joachim Pastor remix, live edit) 42:28 – Mountain (special live edit) 50:55 – Eternity (live edit) 58:39 – Wayfaring stranger (very special live edit) 1:03:55 – Bunker (unreleased track – made in his corona bunker) 1:09:40 – Fixi (incredible live edit)

3.  Sébastien Léger at the Great Pyramids of Giza (Egypt)

Did you read about how they found a mysterious metallic monolith in Utah last week? Rumour has it that is the transporter device that Sébastien Léger uses to get from gig to gig. Check him out for a stunning live set with the pyramids in the background. Say what you will about 2020, this is a treat to watch.

Tracklist courtesy of Social Spreading:

0:00:00 1. Oasis – Sébastian Léger 0:08:30 2. Giza – Sébastian Léger 0:15:00 3. Secret – Sébastian Léger 0:21:15 4. ID – Sébastian Léger 0:47:00 5. Skadi – Sébastian Léger 0:55:00 6. Ashes In The Wild – Sébastian Léger 1:01:00 7. Jaguar – Sébastian Léger 1:08:45 8. Lanarka – Sébastian Léger

2.  Benny Benassi – Venice, Italy

Audacity bordering on the ridiculous, this one’s impossible not to break out in a grin over. Benny Benassi boldly goes where no DJ has dared go before. Standing up fearlessly on a gondola (well, it’s technically more of a motorboat, but you know, gondola shaped, you know?) cruising through a post apocalyptic Venice during a pandemic. You have to see this one to believe it. Featuring an extended re-cut of Gat Decor’s classic Passion track at roughly the 4min. mark. Gorgeous. Sorry, couldn’t dig up a track list for this one.

1. Stephan Bodzin – Home Studio (Bremen, Germany)

While it’s technically a single track and not a full set like the rest of this selection, it’s a powerful signal from one of techno’s most accomplished pioneers. Hang in there, everyone. There will be brighter days ahead. In the meantime, crank those speakers, take off your shoes…and boogie. Hands in the air for this one.D

BONUS

Mark Oliver – Vertigo (Toronto, Canada)

After settling in Toronto in the late 80s from Scotland, Mark first began his DJ career spinning rare groove, acid jazz, acid house and techno at the Tazmanian Ballroom (often referred to as Canada’s Studio 54). While there, he founded North America’s first weekly event devoted to acid house and techno (1988) which ultimately served as the musical blueprint of the future rave music scene.  He soon became resident DJ for the infamous Kola parties (1989). Two years later,(1991) alongside several UK expats, he helped establish Canada’s first rave company (Exodus Productions) at 23 Hop which, concurrent with his long held residency there, would ignite the rave industry phenomenon.  He simultaneously helmed the Acid Jazz Wednesday nights at the iconic Cameron House, located in the city’s fashion district, where he chopped up and dished out funk, rare groove, acid jazz, trip hop, soul and hip hop essentials.  Of all these accolades, however, Mark Oliver is perhaps best known for his weekly residency at The Guvernment nightclub lasting nearly 20 years.

Mark was such an important part of dance culture development in Toronto. Like everything to do with music, it’s near impossible to put into words. So I’ll stop writing.

Here he is taking us back in time to hear some treasured vinyl classics from the 80s and 90s.