Melbourne Deepcast

Captured in the woods at last year’s Dripping festival, Bay Area legend Primo Pitino treats us to a wildly transcendental ride through 20+ years of deep crate excavation, swerving between dizzy acid freakouts and deep progressive melters from the late ’90s. @primo-pitino

Q. What sounds/feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this set? Describe the setting + vibe out there while you were playing..

A. Dripping was wild, spaced out & transcendental, but also a moment to connect with friends, community, & even the earth tbqh. It was otherworldly but also felt very much like a family affair. I wanted to play a set that would bring us down to some oceanic depths, out into space, but also ultimately bring the dancers together.

Dripping takes place on a lovely mid sized campground in New Jersey with a lake, lots of foliage, & also many left over accoutrements of Ren Faire type events which take place during other times of the year. There are dance and art performances in various parts of the campground downtempo music on the lake, a big sound system in a large field, and in two indoor venues, the Inn (expansive, feels like a club but opens out to to the air) and the barn (bouncy wood floor, jam packed, hot and sweaty) I closed out the first night in the Barn, it was exciting, the energy was euphoric and infectious, at that point (3am) people had been dancing for hours but they fully seemed like they could easily go until dawn, the first record I played “No Command - Keim”, was meant as a sort of trippers clarion call, to answer their energy and bring it forward. When I started to play people really started to fizz, and it just felt like the best house party I had ever been to, so tripped out, silly, and also friendly.

Q. Are there any records in the mix that you were especially excited to share? What is it about these that resonate with you so much?

A. One of the tracks I was most excited to play that night was “Smiling in San Antonio” by Ed2000, it sounds so much like a 1992 UK hardcore piano rave “second summer of love” type tune but it was recorded in 2001 & has this crazy heavy bass, and almost post modern restructuring of that style, that I felt would make it go along with these heavier techy and acidic things I had chosen for the rest of the set, and at the same time bring that feeling of euphoria & togetherness that, for me anyhow, only raving has truly been able to bring out.

"The fight against oppression" - Pure Science 1997 ~I think I’ve been playing it for at least 9 years. It has a super heavy kick combined with some watery vibration & depth, the Dr Martin Luther King sample is played over itself again and again, also creating a tension build, so that when it is taken out again, the heavy beat of this deep track is brought into sharper focus. Definitely Two Billion Year Journey with the whale songs as synths, Reese type bass, and voice over suggesting whales as space traveling entities, is a big favorite. Also Analogue Bounce by Freak and Swank really stands out for me, very unique, and Bay Area, which I love.

Q. You made the big move from SF over to NYC a couple of years back, leaving after a 20 year long stint of running parties (including co-founding the iconic Club Lonely nights) and DJing around the Bay, tell us about how the transition has been + what new projects you’re excited about?

A. It was terrifying! I had lived in the same house for 14 years, and DJ’ed in some of the same clubs for 16/18 years. But I'm very happy to be here, I'm excited to connect with the Brooklyn dance community, and to make paintings again as well. Project wise, I just completed a fun painting on Mansions, & have been playing sets with my friend Kiyoshi909 which for me have been a few of the best sets I’ve played in all my 22+ years of djing, we both seem to bring out the freakiest possible tracks when we play together, so if you’re in Brooklyn this summer keep an eye out for us :)

Shanghai tastemaker Yu Yang pulls us into her twilight zone, navigating deep hypnotic house, synthy techno and tracky minimal groovers for the after hours inclined.

@yuyang11

Q. As a music lover that has lived across multiple corners of the globe, bouncing between London, Shanghai and Bali and having spent time living in NYC, what sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed?

A. All the life experiences in different places exposed me to different sounds & communities and helped me discover the core element of sound that I am attracted to - synth, groove and flow; and myself as a person of what experiences I am looking for on the dancefloor, which is feeling emotions and being introspective on the dancefloor. Sometimes it’s fun, sometimes it’s overwhelming, sometimes it’s even unpleasant, but it’s all part of the journey.

This set goes a bit deep and trippy so I think it could be listened to at after parties, taking a walk or going for a run in the evening, or any time when you feel like being on a music journey.

Q. Are there any records in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these songs that resonate with you so much?

So many but if I have to choose:

Bullet Proof by Hd Substance
Synth-driven. Smooth groove. Rolling waves that go deep.

Wata Igarashi & Polygonia - Cross Passage
The most techno track on the whole set. Love a rolling bassline pushing deeper and deeper.

Keplrr – 4DRK
Been playing a lot of Keplrr lately. This one drifts on the calmer side, while others dive deeper, more emotional. A constant balance of techno and breaks, weaving feelings into every layer.

Q. You’re spending more and more time playing in the UK and Europe these days, where do you feel your uniquely global sound has been well received of late?

A. Japan and the United Kingdom both really champion this sound—through festivals like Rural and Houghton, and artists such as Powder, DJ Nobu, Wata Igarashi, Craig Richards, Jane Fitz and many more. Feeling inspired—and lucky—to move between Asia and the UK within this scene.

With a new album freshly minted on @mistersaturdaynight earlier this month, Mister Sunday and Nowadays co-founder Eamon Harkin draws on his storied 25-year journey as a DJ and NYC dancefloor specialist to soundtrack the end of a particularly chilly New York winter.

Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed?

A. The mix was made as we were starting to emerge from one of the coldest and hardest winters in memory here in New York. I wanted to channel that vulnerable feeling of early spring as the evenings stretch a little and there’s the occasional hint of warmth emerging from the cold.

Q. Are there any records in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these songs that resonate with you so much?

A. I’ve featured a lot of artists that have been with me most of my musical life. Producers who I’ve always looked to for inspiration like John Tejada, Donato Dozzy, Mike Huckaby and Bobby Konders. Overall it’s really about collecting a range of songs to fit a certain musical idea and feeling that I’m trying to convey in the mix.

Q. Your new album, The Place Where We Live, is described as feeling both physical and introspective and exploring themes such as belonging and transition, tell us more about the themes that inspired the music and how you found the right balance between club ready tension and quieter reflective moments.

A. I think for many of us electronic and dance music fans we enjoy the back and forth between club ready music and more introspective home listening. That spectrum of sounds is very much who I am musically and so it was a natural act to reflect this range in the album. At the same time as a long time immigrant in the US who has grappled with certain feelings of alienation from his origins since covid there were those emotions and feelings I wanted to bring to the record. I’ll let the listener determine if the right balance was struck!

Naarm's own Babycino steps up next mixing dubwise rollers and summery house digs. A budding DJ, producer and open-air dance specialist, his Reasons To Be Cheerful parties and Skylab shows blend classy jams with playful flair, meaning 100% good times for the groove inclined!

@babycinoofficial

Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed?

I wanted to try to keep it nice and hypnotic in parts, mostly through the first hour or so. So there’s some dub tinged house, deeper house cuts and then into some kind of psychedelic, percussive funk jams. All roads lead back to House music though, in some form or another.

If I can lock in, lose my train of thought and kind of forget where I am for a little bit while listening to a mix or music. That’s the best. Almost like entering another realm.

That being said, I do like flourishes of chaos being injected as well, so hopefully there are some well placed disruptions and switch ups.

For the listening environment. Perhaps a long car journey, or a long walk/ jog through a changing landscape

Q. Are there any records in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these songs that resonate with you so much?

A. There are a few favourites in the mix but I have to say that the closing track, the Janeret remix of Flash And The Pan’s Walking in the Rain, is on heavy rotation at the moment. I absolutely love the original, it’s so moody and ethereal while also being raw and kinda edgy. This particular remix reworks it for a dancefloor, while keeping that vibe sooooo well.

Q. Your Reasons To Be Cheerful parties have become a much-loved part of the annual party calendar, featuring a smorgasbord of house and disco legends the likes of Jex Opolis, DJ Lloyd and Chee Shimizu to name a few! Tell us about your plans for the party going forward, and what you’ve most enjoyed about the experience thus far?

A. Aw, bless! Thank you so much! Going forward, I just want to work on maintaining a consistent quality with the curation and to ensure it’s a free and open space, musically and spiritually. Quite simply, I really want to focus on improving with each event, adding more visual art elements/installations, not to reinvent the wheel but just to add my own personal weirdness to the space.

Things I’ve enjoyed so far.. I’d say meeting people and inviting artists who I really respect, whether it’s an OG like Chee or connecting with some of the local peeps that I deeply admire.

A specific top experience so far is going b2b with Chee Shimizu at Angel. He really is one of the best! Chee and Weatherall are the guiding stars for me, so it was such an honour to go beat for beat with a master!

Carving out a special place within Taipei's harder-edged sonic landscape, the Mango Season party founder and infinitely groovy DJ Pocari Sweaty has been at the forefront of Taipei's house scene for the past few years, offering Mango Seasoners extended dubs, deep euphoric house and obscure disco journeys from guests like Telephones, Benedek and Mayurashka to name a few.

Currently in Australia for the first time, we're lucky enough to have him in the mix with a wonderfully spaced out selection of floated techy groovers and deep house music in its finest form.

@pocari_sweaty

Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed

A. To be honest I didn’t put too much thought into this mix, and didn’t go into it with any plans to release a mix. I just hooked up a recorder and started playing from a loose selection of deep and techy records I’d recently bought, and I liked how it turned out! Thank you guys for digging it too, and for putting it out!

Q. Are there any records in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these songs that resonate with you so much?

A. I would say I’m especially stoked to share this Terry Francis track Rock Hopper. I bought this record from a discogs seller in Taipei called bigbadjimmy. It turns out he was a DJ in Taipei in the late 90s / early 00s and even opened for Terry Francis in Seoul on his first Asia tour back then. I think it’s really special to have a direct lineage to this record’s original context!

Q. Your Mango Season parties have become a regular fixture of the Taipei underground scene over the last few years with a host of deep digging guests covering all kinds of house and disco leaning sounds, tell us about your idea behind the night and what have been some of your favourite memories thus far?

A. Taipei is definitely a city that likes heavy music, so I started Mango Season to create the kind of warm and sweet party that I really want to go to.

Damn there are really too many good memories, all of the guests have been amazing. Dea’s closing track last August, 多情沒有問題 by 馬玉芬 was really fun, the entirety of Telephones’ set last October was incredible, and last month MLiR and I played b2b all night for the second anniversary of the party. We didn’t plan a thing and played one track each for the whole night. Perfectly in sync, it was awesome.