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May 30, 2007
What Do You See, David?
Download in either: High Quality (320kbps) or Medium Quality (160kbps)
Here's my spring mix for 2007 (finally). It's been nearly 6 months in the making and I'm very proud of it. After moving to a purely digital set-up with Final Scratch & DJ Studio 3 I went a little mix crazy; more excited about putting tracks together than creating a mood or vibe that would develop over the course of an entire mix. My last effort, EyeHeartSynths (Winter 06/07), was an exercise in taking the 8-bit, danceable tunes I enjoyed listening to as singles and stringing them all together. I really liked the finished product but it lacked a flow that I instinctually accomplished with Leaves Fall, Beats Drop (Fall 06).
In the comments section of my EyeHeartSynths post a good friend, Nick, wrote: "To make a martial arts comparison, (first thing that came to mind, weirdly enough) your Fall Mix was like judo, circular, flowing like water throughout, while your Winter Mix is more like karate, angular, choppier with power strikes and pauses in between." I whole-heartedly agreed with him and began a search for tracks that would flow in and out of one another, united in overall atmosphere but, once pieced together, would create an aural journey that brings the listener through a series of moods created by the music.
I wanted to recreate the feeling I got when traveling to my friend Mitch's house during the summers I was in high school and college. It was during these long drives that I would roll down my windows, put on a CD I had just purchased and speed through New England back-roads, allowing my mood to be dictated by the ebbing synths and driving beats I was discovering for the first time. The sound became associated with escape, adventure and long, lazy weekends filled with swimming, video games, laser tag and hide & seek.
Those drives were a time to be alone with my thoughts, reflecting on either the adventure I was about to start or the one I had just completed. The music served as a soundtrack for these journeys, mixing with the sounds of rustling leaves, disturbed by the motion of my car.
The title, 'What do you see, David?' comes from the relationship I've developed with a boy who is blind, autistic and developmentally delayed. I was introduced to David through Kayla -- the cute nanny I started dating who takes care of him -- and developed a deeper connection once I discovered that he loved the same music I did. His usual habits of teeth-grinding and gagging evaporate when headphones slide over his ears and a regular beat fills his head. His normally shut eyes widen and he stares blankly, enraptured by the rhythmic expressions causing me to wonder at what is taking place in his mind's eye. That's him on the cover, if you're wondering. :)
As usual I uploaded it in 160kpbs (Medium Quality) and 320kpbs (High Quality). I really hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think in the comments either here or on my MySpace page.
Tracklisting:
01: Dusty Kid - Cowboys (Original Mix)
02: The Screetch - The Screetch (Dusty Kid Remix)
03: Aril Brikha - To Begin (Original Mix)
04: 2020 Soundsystem - High (Llorca Remix)
05: Art of Tones - Praise (Llorca Remix)
06: Paradogs - Technical (MKII Mix)
07: Niels Van Gogh, Eniac - Pulverturm 2.0 (Eric Smax & Thomas Gold Remix)
08: Felix Rennefeld - The Max (Original Mix)
09: Fine Taste - My Golden Parachute (Original Mix)
10: Fine Taste - More Grey Than Blue (Original Mix)
11: Beckers, D-Nox - Naked Punch (Mashtronic Mix)
12: Pryda - Frankfurt (Original Mix)
If anyone wants to write a 'review' send it to me in an email (jon [at] respondcreate.com) and I would be more than happy to post it up. :)
Oh, and the intro quote is from the audio book of 'Miracles' by C.S. Lewis, a piece of writing that is deep, enlightening and beautifully constructed. If you think there might be something supernatural apart from the world we see everyday, that book is a great place to start the search for it.
Posted by Jon at 11:16 AM | Comments (1)