Maestro B back-to-back Alement LIVE

March 31 2008

Category: Events, Mixsets

This set was recorded Live at Ministry of Rave, Ministry Nightclub in Christchurch, New Zealand on March 29th 2008. It was an extremely successful night, which involved 2 zones and over 10 DJs. This recording is the set I DJ’d with Alement (Alain Hinton). It was the first time we have done a back-to-back set and it was a lot of fun. Hopefully the first of many collaborations.

The first few tracks were cut off since the recording didn’t start straight away. Most of the set is there, however.

Maestro B (Brent Silby) and Alement (Alain Hinton) LIVE at Ministry of Rave, Ministry Nightclub, Christchurch NZ

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NaJ - “Powerful Mix April”

March 30 2008

Category: Mixsets

Time for a deeper house sound. Here is the April mix from NaJ. As usual we are treated to some wonderfully laid back soulful arrangements throughout this set. The chord progressions in the tracks contained here are definitive of the deeper house sounds. This music is good for early night, sort of pre-club, or in a chill zone at an event. It would also fit nicely at the end of a night, or (as I heard it) on a Sunday after a late night out.

Thanks for the set NaJ, we look forward to your next offering.

“Powerful Mix April” - mixed by NaJ

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MAESTRO B - “Feel the Push CD”

March 21 2008

Category: Mixsets

Enjoy the journey from the realm of disco/funky house through to some electrohouse beats and back. As always, I attempt to construct a set that takes the listener from point a to b to c. The beginning of the set contains a range of nice clubby house tracks. It then develops towards a chunkier electrohouse sound. Listen out for some sampling from “I feel love”, which I loop through “Push it” before transitioning to “I feel love”. This sounds quite good and has prompted me to produce a small mashup track. Hopefully I’ll have it done before “Ministry of Rave” next week so I can test it on a dancefloor.

After the harder section of the set, I take it back to a cleaner disco sound which serves as an easy going resolution to the anticipation that builds during the development.

“Feel The Push CD” - mixed by Brent Silby aka “Maestro B”

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David Morales - “Aurora Club 2007″

March 17 2008

Category: Mixsets

Live recording of DJ David Morales at The Aurora Club mid 2007. This set represents David Morales’ harder style, minimal on the vocals, highly percussive, creative use of acappella sampling. Its serious dance music. David uses some clever sampling within the set. For example, in track 9 “Armed” - Pryda, David samples heavily from the acappella of “Don’t Make Me Wait” - The Peech Boys. The tracks fit nicely together creating a pleasing mashup.

From a critical point of view I think there are ways this set could be improved. I think house lends itself very naturally to the idea of creating a journey within a set. Now, this set from Morales is cleverly mixed, but it doesn’t really take us on a definite journey. It sort of hovers around its starting point without any real progression. Of course, it is possible that this is a section from a larger set, in which case it may be part of a journey. However, as it stands, it doesn’t take us on the type of journey I have written about in previous posts.

David Morales is a legend in house music circles, having been active since the beginnings of the genre back in the early 1980s. He continues to tour the world, working crowds of thousands of people. If you ever have the opportunity to see him live, I recommend the experience–not that I’ve seen him “live”, but thanks to youtube, I’ve come close :).

“Aurora Club 2007″ - mixed by David Morales

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Ministry of RAVE

March 13 2008

Category: Events

Mainzone
Alement (Massive)
Maestro B (Audiodreams)
Firefly (Rinsed)
Crisis (Nitrate)
Seb Wild (Nitrate)
Dr Muz (Psy Central)

Chillzone
Mixtape sessions
Luna (Audiodreams)
Skywalka
Zaacmac

therobsta - “Vocal Sessions”

March 1 2008

Category: Mixsets

therobsta brings us his latest vocal house mix. From the very start, this set treats us to a wonderful selection of disco orientated bass grooves and rich vocals.

Around the 20 minute mark, the mood changes nicely to slightly harder sounding bass line. At 22 minutes we get experience a drastic change in mood as the track playing drops in tempo along with a complete change in rhythm. This is the sort of development in a mixset that gives it character and enhances the overall journey. The best thing about the change in mood is that it keeps going, building anticipation until the release / resolution comes in at around 26:10. Nice!

At around the 53 minute mark Rob changes the mood again. He shifts it back towards a more laid back vocal house sound. The track is deeper than the style that opened the set, and fits perfectly along the journey Rob is taking us on. This is a good example of what I have written about in the past. A mixset should shift up and down in mood. It needs to develop and take its audience from a clear starting point, through some anticipation / resolution and move towards a clear end point.

Unfortunately the set cuts off at exactly 80 minutes, which meant the final track doesn’t complete. It would have been nice for the last song to be finished in order to close of the set as a complete package. I’m guessing it had to be cut off to fit on to an audio CD. Its no big deal, really.

If you are in Christchurch City on April 5th, you can see therobsta playing live at Audiodreams event at “Level 5″ (Hallensteins building, Cashel street). Tickets $20, on sale soon at Cosmic Corner.

“Vocal Sessions” - mixed by therobsta

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