Back in the camel-stepping days where ‘mixing’ tracks was just starting to take over the clubs, resident DJs would regularly publish their ‘recommended mixes’ to encourage other selectors to put down the mic and get in the mix. This practice was somewhat forgotten as DJs became competitive and protective over their unique sound.

Enter 2010, where everything’s available for piracy and bootlegging anyway, so why not share the love? We asked Phonica Records tech-man Sam Relleen – known for turning out the T-Bar & Big Chill Bar on a monthly basis – to walk us through a one-hour live set he recently put together.

What he delivered was not only a step-by-step guide to his killer live set – complete with pitch levels in the tracklisting – but also an explanation of the tracks dropped, scene history and knowledge that can only be categorised under mixing philosophy, that completely blew us away. Hopefully be hearing more from the man sometime soon.

Download or stream the mix here: Sam Relleen – Bluffer’s Guide Mix

TRACKLISTING
1. Goody Goody – It Looks Like Love (KZA Edit) – Let’s Get Lost 0%
2. Morgan Geist – 24k – Environ -0.5%
3. [See Track One] 0%
4. Mark E – R&B Drunkie – Golf Channel +6%
5. Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King – I’m In Love – RCA Victor +6%
6. Tempest Trio – Do You Like The Way That It Feels – Marlin 0%
7. Asha Puthli – Peek-a-Boo-Boogie (Lee Douglas Edit) – Blackdisco -2%
8. Class Action – Weekend (Larry Levan Mix) – Sleeping Bag -5.5%
9. Change – Don’t Wait Another Night (Long Version) – Atlantic / RFC -0.25%
10. Syreeta – Can’t Shake Your Love – Motown -1.75%
11. Inner Life – I Like It Like That (Todd Terje Edit) – White +3%
12. Daniel Wang – Gotta Get Up – Balihu +7%
13. Crystal Waters – Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless) (Basement Boys Mix) – Mercury +4%

“So I’ve been bluffing for the past sixty-two minutes and thirteen seconds and now I’m going to compound this thinly veiled charade by offering a few words and a bit of borrowed knowledge about these brilliant records that I’ve cobbled together with two 1210s and an ill specified Vestax “Scratch” mixer. Self-deprecation aside there is a bit of a story to the way some of these records link together. And while I’ve detailed the speed at which these records are to be played to facilitate a smooth(ish…) mix it’s the complementary musical elements in each track that makes for a good mix.

The first track sets the bar sky-high. Goody Goody was a project of the untouchable Vincent Montana Jr, he of MFSB and Salsoul Orchestra fame, with his daughter Denise on vocals. The rhythm guitar and percussion really make the groove in this one although it would be nothing without the sultry vocals. It’s worth noting this has been made DJ friendly by Japanese producer KZA and he’s done a fine job. Leading out of this is Morgan Geist’s classic “24k” from his “Super EP” and I’m probably making this up but the vibes (vibraphone…) used in this record are played by Vincent Montana Jr so there’s the connection there fact fans. I liked the way these two blended so much that I brought Goody Goody back in to form track 3. Lazy perhaps and I think I got it a bar out of time but by then it was too late, no going back now.

Up next a bit of a smart arse move maybe but I’m young and wasn’t there first time around and still find an irony in doing so: Yes, it’s the old play a track followed by the original that it ripped off trick. More specifically, Mark E’s “R&B Drunkie” followed by “I’m In Love” by Evelyn King. I’ve missed out the most important ingredient however and that is Janet Jackson’s “R&B Junkie”, the halfway house between the two. I’m geeking out massively here but all you need really know is that through all this sampling and manipulation the pitch remained the same so I played them both at plus six and they sound ok one after another.

For the middle of the mix I’m just dropping a few records in sequence. If two records were recorded with a live drummer then attempting traditional beat matching can become a bit of a minefield (as you will hear later on…) so sometimes it’s better to cue them up and keep the transition nice and clean. Good advice you might think but then where’s the fun in playing someone else’s records one after another when trying to mash them up until you get a bar or two in time is a possibility?

Enter the next section of the mix where I piss all over two classics with an attempt at synchronising two records played at either end of the pitch range. It’s at this point I’d like to remind everybody that I’m not taking advantage of the latest software quantisation methods and merely using my hands to ease two thirty year old pieces of plastic into holy matrimony, forgive me if you can.

Moving on to the greener pastures of drum machines and sequenced bass lines I present the final section of the mix. If I had to name one person who has held the candle for the now somewhat waning disco resurgence it would be Todd Terje. The young Norwegian has something of a midas touch for taking great records and making them even better or at least a little bit easier for us to use for today’s dance floors. His edit of Inner Life with the magnificent Jocelyn Brown on vocals a magical, infectious and, er, a bit repetitive. It’s true that he’s ripped the “song” out this track but you can’t blame him for that really – it sounds killer.

Contrary to my earlier mention of a nice, easy to mix section the next track comes from Daniel Wang’s “Look Ma, No Drum Machine” EP. Worry not though as Mr Wang is a multi talented, Theremin toting wizard of a producer and even though this was put together entirely on an Akai sampler in 1993, it’s guaranteed to be on the beat. Spotters will notice the vocal hook comes from Indeep’s “Last night a DJ saved my life”.

I thought it would be nice to play this instead of “Like Some Dream” which everyone always plays… I’m ending the mix on a bit of a guilty pleasure and this will either make or break the mix for you. A mega chart hit from ’91 in its “stripped to the bone” variety. If I had to record this again perhaps I’d omit this one but by this point I was a little excited after a few cups of tea and what’s a modern disco set without the odd house classic?”