Liquid Stranger - Anomaly Mix

I feel like I discovered a hidden treasure right beneath my nose - except that I didn't b/c Liquid Stranger has over 100K followers on Soundcloud so I am well behind on this one! But damn I'm glad I found it. Liquid Stranger is a producer out of Scottsdale AZ who makes the most amazing wonky dub sounds with hip hop and reggae sounds and vocals. I've been listening to this mix on repeat for the las 24 hours (literally) and just downloaded a slew of his tracks to add into my own mixes. Check it out:

Razoof - 15 Years of Dubby Downtempo

Razoof, dub master DJ and producer, constantly selects great downtempo, dub and reggae tracks for his mixes. This mix - 15 Years of Dubby Downtempo - is exactly as the title says. It's pure dub through the years. Timeless for sure, and forever the perfect chill.

RAZOOF - 15 years of dubby downbeats by Razoof on Mixcloud

AMBUSH - South African DJ mixes amazing dub, reggae and jungle

If DJ Ambush is in town you have to go see him, and if you come across his mixes, you just have to listen - i'm loving all of his sounds, an amazing mix of dub reggae and jungle sounds. Not too crazy, and just downtempo enough that you can really get into this however you want, channel the energy however you need. 

Razoof - Reggae & Dub Mix 2013 - Sunday Jammin'

Razoof drops another chilled reggae and dub mix, perfect for my Sunday morning, and perfect for my return to the blog after a few months of transitioning from grad school to my new job in NYC. Love it here, and I'm excited to be back sharing tunes with you!

RAZOOF-DJ-Mix-Reggae&Dub-2013 by Razoof on Mixcloud

Chilled DUB: Jahtari Promo Mixtape for SKANK IT UP

It's mad chilly in my part of the world today, but I heard this mix (shared by a friend MorningSteppa - a fresh downbeat DJ and music curator in New Zealand) and it brought sunshine and warmth into my day.

This mix is a collection of super chill, beachy dub - just fantastic for lounging around or relaxing, or gettin deep with some of your closest friends. It's a promo mixtape for a dub/reggae party SKANK IT UP happening in Paris next weekend, if only I could be there... though I can't be there I'll be listening to this mix, check out the tunes and the track list below...



1. Jahtari Riddim Force - Gunshot Dub demo
2. Jahtari Riddim Force - Tascam Riddim demo
3. Tapes - Make Dem Dub
4. Soom T - Summer Days
5. disrupt - Summer Days Dub
6. disrupt - R2D2 Riddim demo
7. Mr. Williamz - Dancehall Hobby
8. Kenny Knots - Herb From Grow
9. Speng Bond - Tann Up Solid
10. Maffi - Robotron Dub
11. Part2Style - Fever
12. Tapes - This Weed's Making Me Nervous
13. Speng Bond - White Horse
14. Mr. Williamz - Sit Down Steady

George Solar - Comfy Dub Mix #13, IbizaSonic Radio

Sometimes its good to kick back and enjoy this beautiful life and all the sounds and energy that swirl around us. I like to do so with some COMFY DUB - a chilled theme that George Solar has been offering through his original tracks, DJ sets and radio show for several years now. Though, I hadn't heard a Comfy Dub mix from George for a bit, so when he posted his latest COMFY DUB radio mix I instantly listened...and haven't stopped. It's so chill, perfect for mornings or anytime when you need a bit of atmospheric dub to lighten and tap the brakes a bit, sometimes we need to slow down and appreciate the joy and energy that is inherent in BEING. Now, I'm gonna go dub out with some COMFY DUB...

COMFY DUB radio #013 on Ibiza Sonica by George Solar on Mixcloud

Monday Mix - a "classic": Mikey Dubs - One Drop Ruination

This is one of my favorite mixes of all time. Mikey Dubs dropped this back in 2008 and I'd say it was pretty eye-opening for me in terms of the spectrum of dub and reggae. This mix is deep, chilled and dubby and as near to perfect mix composition as you can get (in my humble opinion).

Here's the tracklisting, it includes downtempo tracks from a lot of artists who have really blown up in the DJ scene since, included Zed, Caspa, Rusko and Skream:

01 Zeb-Lovers Step
02 Frankie Paul - Worries In The Dubstep
03 Skream - Dutch Flowers
04 LV feat. Dandelion - CCTV
05 Caspa+Rusko- King George
06 Clouds - Elders
07 Headhunter - Physics Impulse
08 Skream - Shake it
09 The Others - Light Up Your Spliff
10 Joker - Gullybrook Lane
11 Parsons - Big Killaz
12 Deadbeat - Babylon Correction
13 Skream - Dub Period
14 Kromestar - High is the limit
15 Unknown - Big Up An Bun Her
16 6Blocc Remix - Uptown Top Rankin
17 Carlton Livingstone - Chalice In Hand (Dubstep Rmx)
18 Syncho- Jahlove
19 12th Planet - Just Cool
20 Sublomatic - Spliff
21 Whitelabel - ??? (sorry I lost the sleeve)
22 Matty Heilbronn - Matty's Dub
23 Dread Fox - Moments in Dub

Monday Mix #5 + Label to Watch: Bohemian Club Soundtrack (Episode 7) + Future Dub

The Bohemian Club is a new music label I've been following since its inception. Alistairr - the man behind the Bohemian Club - does a great job showcasing downtempo talent via his mix series The Bohemian Club Soundtrack.

In Episode 7 of the Bohemian Club Soundtrack, Alistairr ties fantastic tracks together from artists and producers around the world. This is certainly a chillout mix, with ambient elements and atmospheric lead-ins to rewarding, jazzy drum breaks and cool melodic synths. Definitely listen for a chilled evening - you won't be disappointed. Plus, check out two other dub songs I'm particularly enjoying right now from The Bohemian Club, called FUTURE DUB:



Track List for "Bohemian Club Soundtrack - Episode 7":
1,Rykard - North Cormorant Obscurity
2,Conrad Schnitzler- Ballet Statique
3,Mister 1-2-3-4 - The bones will stay
4,Jon Brooks- Regie
5,Mordant Music - Pissing in Sinks
6, Walls-Raw Umber/Twilight
6,Oneothrix point Never- Sand Partina
7,Hyph mngo- Joy Orbison
8,The Advisory Circle- As the crow files
9,Theo Parrish- Summertime is Here
10, Raiders of the Lost Arp- Night time (Rude 66 Forever Darkness Remix)

Plus, here's the FUTURE DUB tracks that I'm really grooving to. I connected with Alistairr about these songs and this is what he shared: "Modern dub and reggae producers usually fall into 2 categories: either very traditional and follow the King Tubby route or they are dubstep influenced. Future Dub is centered around the main trumpet/sax/organ interaction which is a key feature of most of my dub productions, and is highlighted here. The sound I tried to create uses the traditional template - combining edgy samples and effects, to create an atmosphere of mystery and surprise." Keep up the mystery and surprise - its working!

Monday Mix 3: New EROK Mix - Ebb Glitch Flow

This Monday Mix is one of my own. "Ebb Glitch Flow Repeat" is my latest mix and starts with an atmospheric intro that crescendos into melodic bass, dub and glitch-oriented downtempo music that pushes the intersection of chillout and dance. When I create mixes, I start with a theme - this one being particularly deep and glitchy. I also treat every mix like a story with an introduction, peaks and valleys, and emotional components, delivering an experience that isn't complete without hearing how the entire mix works together.

This mix features artists from Cut Music, Pretty Lights Music, DJ Kicks Series, and more. Download the mix for free and see the tracklist below. Please note, the download file is large because I preserved the quality for your listening pleasure.



Track List:
1. Indian Wells - Wimbledon 1980
2. Great Skies - Polaroid
3. Existance - Uninhabited
4. SBTRKT - Colonise
5. Gramatik - Illusion of Choice
6. Koloah - Pets Can Rock
7. Sepalcure - No Think
8. Supreme Cuts - Amnesia
9. Fog - Wonka Bass
10. Paul Basic - Doozy
11. Sepalcure - Taking You Back
12. Zero 7 - Ghost Symbol
13. Supreme Cuts - Fools
14. The New Law - Opium Den

Monday Mix 1: Junior X - Temple of Gnosis Dub Mix

Today kicks off a new feature at Downbeatscape - the Monday Mix! Every Monday, I will post a mix that I've been listening to and loving over the weekend, to make sure it's a worthy mix for you. That means you'll be getting 52 amazing DJ sets via Downbeatscape every year!

To kick it off, I was immersed in and inspired by the Temple of Gnosis Dub Mix by Junior X - a live recording of his hypnotic trip into dub and Goa-flavored downtempo at the Aurora Festival on Samothraki Island in Greece. Junior X is Greek and plays the outdoor European festival circuit. His next gig is the Tree of Life festival in Turkey in just three days.

OHM Dedication Series #2: JD Twitch x Adrian Sherwood

The second mix in the OHM Dedication Series showcasing legendary and behind-the-scenes influential artists is another must listen. This mix - JD Twitch presents Adrian Sherwood - showcases downtempo dub and industrial electronic music produced by British artist Adrian Sherwood, including his work with Lee "Scratch" Perry, Prince Far-I and Tackhead, among others. (Paraphrased from One-Handed Music's description via SoundCloud) There are two parts to this 3-hour mix - the first is more electronic and industrial oriented, the second is more dub oriented:





Here's more about the mix, direct from One Handed Music via SoundCloud: "As one half of Optimo, JD Twitch is amongst the most respected DJs in the UK and his free-spirited genre-hopping approach makes him one of our favourites too."

"JD Twitch says it best: 'For my ears, Adrian Sherwood is the most sonically innovative producer the UK has ever given birth to. If you don't know anything about Mr. Sherwood or his ON U Sound label, either do a bit of Googling, have a listen to this mix or read this interview I was fortunate enough to conduct a couple of months ago (when he was in Glasgow) that is on the Racket Racket website.'

JD Twitch continues: "In my late teens and early 20s, Adrian Sherwood's work impacted on me more than anything I had previously heard and made me think about sonic possibilities in a completely new way. I would buy any record he had been involved with unheard and got into a lot of other artists purely because he had been involved with making their records. Indeed, my nom de plume "Twitch" came from a record he produced. It was a complete labour of love to do [this mix] and a revelation to hear how fresh and wild this music still sounds."

DJ EROK - Live DJ MegaSet (Part 1 of 2) @ Natt Spil, Madison WI - feat JBoogie, Pretty Lights, Mux Mool, Gramatik, Trentemoller, Big Gigantic, more

I had the pleasure of DJing a 4-hour set at Natt Spil in Madison this week. The venue is fantastic - a very loungy bar with carved tree trunks and stylized wood carvings for chairs and tables. It's a DJ's bar - where people can come as they are, its cash only, and the patrons are very appreciative of really good eclectic music. They want to hear different things, new things that engage them and make them want to learn more. It was a great night - a night of a range of downtempo that you can hear for yourself in this free megamix. (NOTE: this is Part 1 - I will post Part 2 soon, the chillout to the end of the night...)