Back To Mine with Def Mike

M/A/R/S – Pump Up The Volume

So let’s start with my very first own bought record – in 1987 this track was, after Paul Hardcastles Nighteen, one of the very first electronic music tracks entering the austrian charts using mainly samples. It was so different from everything I heard before and my first touch with electronic music.

S-Express – Superfly Guy

A groovy bassline, a smashing beat and powerful vocals… this one released in 1989 by S-Express (Mark Moore) was this typical kind of early 90s commercial electronic dance music. Listening now to this one, it gives me a little smile but when I was 18, I simply loved it 🙂

House of McLaren – Deep In Vogue

In 1989, during my very first club visit, I recognized a few people moving quite strange when this track was played… a new dance style, called “Vogue” was born.
Although it was only a short period, I enjoyed watching moving people to this track 🙂

Jaydee- Plastic Dreams

Oh yeah – what a hymn! This track was the opener of one of the very first house clubbing series in Vienna, when a little nice house scene was arising where everyone knew everyone. It was a fantastic time.

Galliano – So Much Confusion

Besides the electronic dance music, I was interested in soul, jazz and hip hop productions as well, and Galliano was combining all these styles in his music. I was listening a lot to their music.

Stereos MC’s – Connected

If you are a 90s child you know this track, because it was everywhere… in the radio, the clubs and of course power-played on MTV.

The Bucketheads – The Bomb

What a funky, fresh, feel good track – I loved to listen to this one every time and really – can’t you listen to this one without dancing?! Many thanks to Kenny Dope for that one!

Hercules & Love Affair – Blind (Frankie Knuckles Remix)

What a sad moment for all house lovers when Frankie Knuckles died in 2014, he produced so much nice music giving people a wonderful time. Of course I know a lot of great tracks of him, but this remix of him I played very often in the beginning of my DJ carrier, mostly in my warmups sets. What an amazing voice also from Antony Hegarty.

Kraak & Smaak – Squeeze Me

I’m a big fan of Kraak & Smaak, and I did my very first edit of their track ‘Squeeze Me’.  Being proud to the result of my work I was uploading it on youtube and it got over 2000 plays, but suddenly it was deleted somehow ;-O

Tony Lionni – Found A Place

What a track! The very first time I was listening to this one when the sun was rising at Space Ibiza – it was such a magical moment! I had the pleasure to play two times together with Tony who is a really smart guy. I’m still looking for his releases as I love his style.

Def Mike – Kenzo (Moodmusic Records)

Now into its 20th year, the ever excellent Moodmusic serves up a hot new EP from Def Mike. Having previously released on this label as part of a split EP in 2015, he now offers up a full solo offering that comes with a remix by the other half of that split team, namely Ed Ed, as well as Mallone & AntiAlias. Vienna born Def Mike has been in the game for 20 years himself, and in that time he has risen through the ranks to be a headline DJ at events around the world. His productions are suitably slick affairs that find their way onto labels like I Records, Save Us and Seamless and here he impresses across all three originals. Smooth opener ‘Kenzo’ is an exquisite eight minute track that makes full use of its length to slowly but surely cast you under its deep house spell. Sombre drones and soft percussion are underpinned by warm rubbery kicks and the whole thing is elegant and classy. ‘Before Sunrise’ is then slightly darker and more driven, with upright drums this time run through by spraying, searchlight like synths. Big hi hat ringlets and grumbling bass finish things off in elastic, subtly uplifting style. Continuing to up the pace and intensity, the moody ‘Running’ is a nimble cut that comes with perfectly rippling melodies and cooing vocal whispers. It’s big but heartfelt and will mark a fine gear change in any deep house set. Remixes Mallone & AntiAlias hail from the Schakal label and have worked together a number of times before. Their refreshing take on ‘Before Sunrise’ is much more techno – the drums hit hard and deep, the synths are long tailed and hypnotic and the whole thing races along like a midnight train. A second German producer in Ed Ed, aka DFCTD, Moodmusic and OFF Recordings talent Edmond Weinfeld, also contributes a remix of ‘Running.’ It is a big, room filling track with darkened bass, shadowy grooves and crunchy claps that all slowly get more and more light and airy as things unfold. It’s a truly impressive tune that will move any ‘floor. Def Mike is an exciting new addition to the Moodmusic ranks who adds another dimension to an already assured label.

Def Mike – Kenzo (Moodmusic Records) Out Now ! Cat. No. Mood-174