My girlfriend Nefertyti is a DJ and she found this compilation from Nigeria. I’m obsessed by this sound. I was talking to the percussionist Akinola Famson from “Kabukabu"-band and he said that these records are made semi-live. The DJs do the shouting and sometimes talking drum at the live event that is then recorded. To my understanding that’s part of the reason that the levels in the mixes on this compilation are so refreshing and sometimes quite wild. I hardly ever DJ myself, but when I played this track the people went wild. I love the Fruity Loops vibe here. Sampled flute sounds instead of an expensive analog synth.
Nyege Nyege Tapes - Beat Kali Duke
Oh my god… I was a bit nervous to put this one on the list. It’s crazy as hell. But I have to say I love this kind of vibe if I go to a club. It’s not middle of the road and not boring.
Orcar Sulley - Bukom Mashie
I took the liberty of putting a non electronic track here. I love high life and Ghanian music. Oscar Sulley is one of my favourites. Anyway the bassline is definitely something that could be considered electronic bassline. So repetitive and demanding. The horns are really old school big band jazz. Like 30’s or something and a little bit rigid. I love it. I so much would have wanted to see this live in the late 60’s or early seventies in a club in Ghana..
Dj OP Dot - Biza Biza
Another Nigerian DJ. I guess you have noticed that I’m into the fruity loops sound. Well, of course I don’t know for a fact that it was used here, but you get the idea. I am a saxophone player but a sax-sample synth always work in this type of a context, so I have no complaints. I don’t think all drummers hate drum machines either… I like uplifting music when I go out and I’m happy that there are people in this world who are able to do it really well.
Hatsune Miku - Po pi po
OK this one is a track a serious DJ could play as the last song of the evening. The moment when people don’t know anymore who they are. This is Hatsune Miku , a vocaloid song. I think it was originally made for a vegetable juice ad. I love this song. The bassline is wicked! Anyway, I don’t suggest this song to any serious professional DJ out there. But I would play it. Most of the music I listen to at home lately are Brasilian and african music. And I also love Tito Puente and latin jazz. But that’s not electronic music and this list is mostly about electronic sounds. …my taste in electronic music does not lean to hard and dark sounds. And I’m not too crazy about black clothes either.
György Ligeti - Pièce Electronique no. 3
Finally I put something European in this list. But it’s a Ligeti electroacoustic piece from the 50’s. For a DJ this might be a perfect track to start their set or perhaps to mix with something. This has no low end , really so it could float above the mix perfectly. Electroacoustic music sounds great in a club with good PA-system. Thsi music is so pure. No layers to dirty the sound. And it’s funny that I love Ligeti , but I can’t stand Stockhausen or Boulez. Can somebody explain to me why that is….? My guess is that Ligeti simply was better than the rest!
