Posted by: Derek

Sometimes, a tune is just magical - simple, yet entirely enveloping.

This cut here is one I’ve been caning in my progressive sets because, well, it’s got THAT THING. The indescribable je ne sai quoi that takes you away to another world. The construction and elements are super simple, but they’re also just THAT amazing.

Enjoy, and happy Monday!

Posted by: Derek

Greets, and welcome to August!
We’re knee deep in summer, but yet it’s still cloudy round here…ah the Bay Area.

So, today is a pretty fantastic day - I’m excited to announce that my latest single Catharsis is out on general release!
Some of you may have seen this go by when it was on Audiojelly exclusive, but today it’s out to all the usual portal suspects.

Here’s the label’s previews, direct from SoundCloud:

Derek Ryan - Catharsis (Original Mix)

Derek Ryan - Catharsis (SNR Remix)

Derek Ryan - Catharsis (Danny Chen Remix)

For the original - I went for a pretty progressive feel on this one, with a punchy bassline set agains melodic-stab-waves and a super processed piano part. Still keeps the trance with a big breakdown and build to a chorded melody, but still eschews the obnoxious super upfrontness. I played this out at the campout last weekend and was quite happy with it!

The remixes both take it in a deeper direction, with SNR putting some serious fire in his worming, squirming bassline (and it hits hard after the break!), and Danny Chen giving extra atmosphere, soundcape, and a chugging groove. Both are great for a housier floor, as tested this with SNR’s last weekend at Helix .progression…SNR got hands in the air and cheers; mighty fine work.

So woohoo! Another release out!
If you dig it, find it on iTunes, Juno Records, Beatport, and Audiojelly.

Posted by: Derek

Wow, last weekend was awesome. I played a community campout called Frolic up in Willits, CA and it was complete epicness. Amazing vibe, amazing people, and amazing LAZERS provided by SF crew Heroic Robot. Man what a ride. Nothing like DJing in the fog and mist outdoors under the wide open sky.

That set is already up online, but one thing about loving music and DJing is you never get to play all the tunes you want to (unless of course you preplan live sets - lame!). So there are a number of tracks that didn’t fit, or weren’t in my key range, etc etc that I would have loved to have played as well.

I’ve put a few of those together for this week’s Friday 5 podcast set. You may recognize some of them, including the boshing mashup I posted about a bit back, along with a remix of one of my latest tunes! Altogether, a fun ride through some banging housey trance!

Derek Ryan - Sake Flight 4 - Mendocino (right-click and save as to download)

1. Gareth Emery vs Alex Speaker - Exposure (Ben Nickey Mashup)
2. Duderstadt ft. Hannah Ray - Painted Red
3. Derek Ryan - Catharsis (SNR Remix)
4. Jan Johnston and Tenishia - Flesh (Rework)
5. Dan Viaz - Cycling Universe

Posted by: Jay

Are you enjoying your summer, Northern Hemisphere?  I, for one, can’t get enough of these loooong days, warm nights, and summer festivals!  Last week we brought you some funky mid-tempo breaks, this week it’s onto some luscious, banging progressive house*.

* One of these days I will get to my long rant about how this type “progressive house” is totally mislabeled and as a genre has FAR more in common with trance.  And yes, I’m fully aware that no one will actually care but me.

As a long time suffer of divaphobia* I’m not into about 80% of the vocals I hear over my house and trance tracks.  That being said, I some how ended up with this fantastic collection of proggy house tunes with vocals that range from tolerable to “make the track better”, to great!  Surprising as a summer rain in California…

*Divaphobia: An abnormal and persistent fear of a diva’s vocals over any EDM track, particularly in “house” or “trance”. Sufferers from divaphobia experience undue anxiety even though they realize the risk of being physically harmed by a diva is small or nonexistent. They may avoid going to house clubs, trance nights and may be especially alert when attending gay dance parties.

Alex Kenji, Starkillers, Nadia Ali - “Pressure” - Alesso Remix
BUY IT!

Avicii - “ID (Levels)”
As heard on Austin Gregory’s “Cosmic Dreaming”

Swedish House Mafia - “Save The World feat. John Martin”
BUY IT!

The Japanese Popstars - “Song For Lisa” - Benny Benassi Remix
BUY IT!

Bingo Players - “Cry (Just A Little)”
BUY IT!

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PLAY ALL

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Posted by: Cor

Today we have one of the few remaining DJ mixes from the DJ Cor vault. It was over a decade ago, but I do believe this was the mix I recorded after Bump, which makes it the first demo I ever laid down on CD. Apparently I had yet to get used to this strange new medium, as I still recorded two separate short sets like we did in the cassette days. Old habits die hard, I guess. Anyhow, the first “side” is good old fashion funky house, and the second is slightly more chill funky house. What range! There’s some classic tracks on here: Burnin’ by Daft Punk, Sing It Back by Moloko, Go Insane by… damn, I can’t remember. Don’t count on a tracklist for this one. Ten years was a long time ago, but the music still holds up. Let’s take a trip back…

7&7 - Part I (right click to download)

7&7 - Part II (right click to download)