Dubbel Dutch

Dubbel Dutch has hit us with a brilliant remix of Deborah Cox's R'n'b groover 'It's over now', to round up a fantastic year for the US based producer and DJ.

Dubbel Dutch has been fired into the lime light this year, off the back of a release on Enchufada's 'Hard Ass Sessions IV' (Soundcloud link) and his incredible 'Throwback' EP' (Soundcloud link) on 'Palms Out Sounds', which has flew under many people's radars, but is still one of my favourite releases of the year.

He has also stepped up to the mark with some huge remixes on Sound Pellegrino, Palms out Sounds, Youngunz and recently he had his bootleg of Ciara - Deuces featured in Brodinski's 'Best of Everything Compilation' (download link), where some of the top producers on the scene each made their own twists on an R'n'b or Hip-hop track which revealed some outstanding results, with Dubbel Dutch's fast moving rejig taking the cake in my opinion.

Now back to the Deborah Cox remix. To be honest, I missed this track the first time round when listening to Brenmar's XLR8R mix (Soundcloud link), but after hearing it again, I can't stop replaying it!

So with all that, it goes without saying that Dubbel Dutch has been one of my top producers of the year and I eagerly await what he has in store for us in 2011!

PS. I just saw that his Deborah Cox remix is 11th in Brodinskis December chart. Wowzers.

Solo (UK) !

Solo (UK/DeadFish Audio) is one of the many artists currently riding on a nu-wave tech sound. His productions, including his highly noted remix of 'Put Your Hands On Me' by Parisian outfit 'The Crookers', contain an overload of catchy, melodic elements. By fusing them all together, he tends to make minimalistic tunes that grab you until the outro has all but played out - leaving you scouring Beatport for any more of his wonderful material. In his festive spirit, and in order to promote his 'secret London gig' this new years eve (alongside the Sound Pelligrino Thermal Team), Solo has dropped a bootleg for all of us to use and abuse. In his own words, he's 'been playing it out for quite some time now', needless to say its more than proven in the battlefield. If you enjoy his sound and your in or around London come the closing hours of this year, jump on board and check this guy out - he's dope!

Solo vs Vega - The Love Ritual

mmm yeh mmm yeh.

Mashed Potatoes

Credit of Chow.com.

Seem's like now days mixing intros and outro's is likened to listening to Brittany Spears. Everyone does it from time to time, but it's definitely something you'd want to do alone rather than projecting to a crowd. For most, solutions to this problem come from a) learning new and improved mixing techniques, b) cutting song lengths on a music editing program or c) making mash-ups. Consider a mash up a mix within a mix. Love them or hate them, there is no denying they are the poor mans production. In saying that however, they are also a fundamental way to get a crowd to actually listen to what your playing.

A well executed mashup should contain at least one track the teenie boppers are willing to take their clothes of to. Combining this generally commercialised, vocalised, 'chillwave' sound with a more bass orientated track is generally the best way to go. Alternatively, add 1 part pop track with 2 parts acapella for same effect. Here's a few mashups floating around at the moment.

Yolanda & Angello - We No Speak Knas (Deniz Koyu Mashup)

Steve Angello vs CREAM - Sunshine of Knas (Glowtape! Mashup)

Supabeatz vs Mujava - Get 2 Town (Dan Aux Party Edit)

Calvin Harris & Peace Treaty - Not Alone In The Ganga

Yum.