by Simon Murphy
In this new article series we’ll be catching up with featured artists from our upcoming Prognosis events to give you an insight into their musically minded brains. Expect to hear music that’s been getting airplay in their DJ sets, stuff they’ll be planning to play at Prognosis and generally tunes they’ve been vibing off. To open the series, and in the lead up to our December edition of Prognosis, we are very pleased to welcome Simon Murphy! -ED
Tis the season to be merry and the summer season is in full swing here in Melburn town. The festival folk are kicking up dust, the club kids are staying up past their bed times and the vibe around town is one of elated enthusiastic energy.
In the lead up to the final Prognosis event for the year, I thought I’d take some time to share some of the sounds I’m digging at the moment. No particular order, no obvious choices, no particular theme, just tunes I’ve dug up recently that have struck a chord with me musically. So many to choose from, so many missed, a snapshot in time of musical inspirations.
See you at Loop!!
Tom Hades – Theory (Original Mix)
Hades is an artist who I always keep a close eye on due to his diversity and ability to move between sounds and deliver high quality audio artillery. From his darker, staunch techno through to more delicate pieces like this, Hades regularly pops up in my sets and you can hear why… This has summer written all over it.
The Tweakers – Reina Roja (Original Mix)
An inspiring mainstay on the global techno fixture for a long time now, Funk D’Void has earned his place through tirelessly delivering consistently good music, through both his DJ sets and his productions. His label Outpost is one of my all time favourites. Supporting him this year was a huge honour and this tune encapsulates a lot of what I love about his music.
Stephen J Kroos – Kraton (Original Mix)
One listen to this and anybody who has seen my sets at Prognosis will immediately recognise the elements that appear in a lot of the music I play. This track has gritty glitched out sounds amongst captivating melodies and a solid bassline. Fair to say I listened to this on repeat for a while.
Anthony Megaro – Sensation (Original Mix)
A gem I found whilst digging through the deep dark corners of Beatport. This tune brings some of the club sensibilities that fill the airwaves each week at venues across town but has little a twist that shakes things up and keeps me interested where other tunes would have lost me. Definitely summer dancefloor fodder.
11-11 – Indian Summer (Original Mix)
As a long time Guy Gerber fan, when I heard he was teaming up with Diddy to release a collab album, I was initially completely gobsmacked and then quite intrigued. The result? Pretty bloody amazing. There are quite a few highlights on the free album but this one has found its way into my sets a few times. Solid production as always from Gerber. A great early Christmas present.
Gabriel Ananda – Earthed (Original Mix)
One of my all-time favourite producers and DJs, Gabriel Ananda has been one of a handful of artists who have continually inspired the musical direction I have followed. His radio show Soulful Techno has tempted me with tunes I’ve had to wait months to own and his personal output have found their way into lots of my sets. This one isn’t a new one but is one of my favourites for the year and will continue to get air time from me.
Tube & Berger – Imprint Of Pleasure (Adam Beyer Enhanced Dub)
Another tune that is by no means new, but which captured my attention since I first heard it, is this gem from one of the hottest labels of the year Suara. Adam Beyer one of the undisputed kings of techno gives this track a feather touch and creates an enthralling journey through the melodic side of techno. I still can’t get enough of this slow-burning bliss. Quality all the way.
Uone – Connections (Timmus Remix)
The pairing of two Melbourne lads on this tune appearing on Sprout Music is a big thing and the tune delivers the goods. Quirky, bass laden beats with mass dancefloor appeal. Has been pulled out a few times when I’ve played sets needing some lower bpm booty shaking action plus there’s just the right amount of dusty dancefloor action for me.
Deepchild – Haitian Rum Runner (JSTX Remix)
In the last few months I’ve had the chance to play some solid techno all around town and this track has popped up on a lot of those occasions. One of Australia’s most successful exports in the house and techno sphere at the moment Deepchild has had his tune Haitian Rum Runner given a solid techno workout and the result is this stormer. Bass heavy techno beats.
Kiasmos – Looped (Original Mix)
To wrap up the list I’m including a track that hasn’t been played in any of my sets but is more reflective on the type of music I listen to for inspiration. The long awaited release of the Kiasmos album on Erased Tapes, with all its expectation, proved even more amazing than imagined. Electronica fused with classical orchestral mastery and delicate soundscapes into an album of timeless beauty. Olafur Arnalds and Janus Rasmussen pair up on their Kiasmos project with brilliant results. Immerse yourself in this album with a glass of wine and your best headphones.
Photo by Noxid Productions
