All posts by Monsieur Seb

DJ with 25 years experience, composer/producer, music journalist, translator, writer, cook, dad.

New mixes

Yeah, been slacking on the upkeep of this blog… Here are a few mixes that came out since Atom & Eve that I uploaded directly to my Mixcloud page instead of here…

Monsieur Seb Presents Cosmix 10: Atom & Eve

Image copyright Paul Brisson

Every new Cosmix is an intense labour of love, and this one was even more so.

Why?

Well, since volume 9—almost 2 years have gone by! —, I have been distraught by the fact that the genre represented in this series of mix has kind of withered. . .

The Nu Disco label has become a kind of fad, shall we say for lack of a better term, and in doing so, the forebears of the genre have become more quiet, distracted or otherwise absent, while the hangers-on and wannabes took centre stage. . .

Now, I’m not criticizing, I’m merely explaining why I found this iteration slightly harder to give birth to.

I must admit I almost struggled to find tracks that would fit in a new Cosmix, and even though I am extremely proud of the final result, it is obvious even to the least attentive listener that this mix is a lot more house and tech than it is disco, although the filiation is never far.

Am I forecasting the end of the series?

No.

That would be akin to forecasting the end of music. . .

But the future will be a continuum of the past and I doubt there can be more than one additional iteration in this series, if at all. .

Love,

S)

You can stream or download it here and and your donations are welcome to help me pay for the file hosting!

TRACKLISTING

Monsieur Seb Presents Cosmix 10: Atom & Eve

  1. Tender Love – Layo & Bushwacka
  2. Les Mondes Engloutis (Psychemagik 5am Mix) – Alico Vs. Cagri
  3. Switch – Tomson & Benedict
  4. Faux De Baux – Real Connoisseur
  5. Saturday Morning (Ruben & Ra’s Cosmic Jam) – Ajello
  6. The Blue Train (Dicky Trisco Mix) – Drop Out Orchestra
  7. Circle – Mad:Am
  8. Pieces (Panorama Mix) – Flashmob Feat . Laila Walker
  9. Eternity – Roberto Rodriguez
  10. In The Morning – Wolf + Lamb
  11. Sweet Talk (Urulu Works For Me Dub) – Jessie Ware
  12. The Traveller – Manuel Tur
  13. Systemwide – Christian Smith
  14. Mungolian Jetset Presents Knights Of Jumungus: The Dark Incal – Mungolian Jetset
  15. Castle (Fran Von Vie Remix) – Stas Karpenkov
  16. Karoo – Larse
  17. All I See Is You (Miguel Graca Remix) – Lemi Featuring James Reid With Natasha Flame
  18. Mon Duul – Cerebro
  19. Earth – Nu
  20. Are You Sure Joe (Neil Quigley’s Journey To Metaluna) – Cine City
  21. Brothers On The Slide (Jimpster Remix) – Patchworks Ginger Xpress
  22. Mark My Words (Monkey Boots/Disco Edits Re-Edit) – Shallow Taxi Club
  23. Eg-Ged-Osis (Todd Terje Extended Edit) – Lindstrom
  24. The Church of Moroder – Chardonnay
  25. Lipps (Inland Knights Kiss It Remix) – Inland Knights/Gil Tamazyan
  26. Silver Tears (Space Ranger Remix) – Ajello
  27. Love Somebosdy Else (Feat. Joi Cardwell) – Maceo Plex & Jon Dasilva
  28. How Do You Do? (Todd Terje Remix) – Hot Chip
  29. Gun Shy (Lindstrøm Remix) – Grizzly Bear
  30. Journey To The Sun (Milton Jackson Club Mix) – The Sunburst Band
  31. Dance Like Nobody’s Watching – Roberto Rodriguez
  32. Sunset (Lpz Remix) – Compuphonic
  33. Faar-I-Kaal – Lindstrøm
  34. Mungolian Jetset Presents Jaga Jazzist Vs Knights Of Jumungus: Toccata – Mungolian Jetset

Loungin’ with Monsieur Seb Volume 4: Journey to the Heart of the Soul

Happy new year! You can stream or download the mix here and your donations are welcome to help me pay for the file hosting!

  1. Infinite Jones – John Lee & Gerry Brown
  2. Apricot Morning – Quantic
  3. Insurrection – Souljazz Orchestra
  4. Change Up The Groove – Roy Ayers
  5. Shape Of Things (To Come) – George Benson
  6. Red Light – Souljazz Orchestra
  7. Anonymous Skulls – Medeski, Martin & Wood
  8. Feel It All Around – Washed Out
  9. Rotation – Herb Alpert
  10. Root Down – Jimmy Smith
  11. You’ve Got To Have Freedom – Pharoah Sanders
  12. The Rich And The Poor – Keith Jarrett
  13. Rose Petals – Branford Marsalis
  14. The Creator Has A Master Plan – Souljazz Orchestra
  15. I Am Your Mind – Roy Ayers
  16. 37th Chamber (Flytronix Mix) – Courtney Pine
  17. Amazon Adventure (Jazzanova Mix) – Azymuth
  18. Chicago – Roy Ayers
  19. Inner City Blues – Gil Scott-Heron
  20. Celestial Blues – Gary Bartz & Ntu Troop
  21. Morning Child – 4Hero Feat Carina Andersson
  22. Hum Along And Dance – The Jackson 5

Rogue Orbit

My new mix is out, if there’s anyone out there reading this blog even though I haven’t taken care of it in a LOOONG time… 🙂

First mix after moving back to Montréal from the burbs!

You can stream or download it here and and your donations are welcome to help me pay for the file hosting!

TRACKLISTING

Rogue Orbit

  1. Inner City Blues (Gidge Remix) — Winhill/Losehill
  2. Prayer feat. Nicolette Krebitz & Udo Kier (Gui Boratto Mix) — Terranova
  3. Go On Then feat. Jem Cooke — Kate Simko
  4. Can’t Hurt You feat. Kim Ann Foxman — Layo & Bushwacka!
  5. Jump Leads — Sixth Avenue Express
  6. Bright Eyes, Dirty Hair — Lake Powel
  7. Raw Defined — Layo & Bushwacka!
  8. Throw (Slam’s RTM Remix) — Paperclip People
  9. 5am — Layo & Bushwacka!
  10. Curious Smile — Tim Green
  11. Analog Tour — T. Williams
  12. Lividup — Disclosure
  13. Yellow Magic — Luke & Jimmy
  14. Jammin — Show-B
  15. Ra-ako-st (Todd Terje Extended Edit) — Lindstrom
  16. Complete — Omar V & Robin C
  17. Interaction — Datassette / Slakinov
  18. Superficial Robots feat. Coco Solid — Lorenz Rhode

The Light Within

I’ve been noticing a trend in the past year or so: my mix production is cluster-like. When I make one, many follow in short order, apparently…

This is the fourth in two months, and just before that, around the Holidays, I did four in a month!

In any case…

Ambient mixes I love doing because they require a completely different approach… There is no beat matching going on; it’s a totally musical job.

Now, ever since I discovered and bought Mixed in Key — probably one of the best DJing software I’ve ever bought — making ambient mixes is even more interesting. What this software does is analyze your tracks to find out what key they’re in so you can mix harmonically…

I use it for all my mixes, but it really has become invaluable to create ambient sets like this one.

I am an amateur musician and possess a rather good ear, but this software means I can whip up a two-hours mix (in this case) in just a little more than double it’s length, and that doesn’t mean I skimp on the musical research. Nope. I just don’t waste as much time figuring out if the tracks are compatible harmonically…

Anyways…

Here’s the result of my latest endeavour: I sincerely hope you will enjoy it!

You can stream or download it here and your donations are welcome to help me pay for the file hosting!

TRACKLISTING

The Light Within

  1. …Or Are You Just A Technician / Chant — The Durutti Column (2010)
  2. Make The Pain Go Away — Bvdub (2011)
  3. Thrill Wave — Yello (1980)
  4. Metamorphis — Trentemoller (2010)
  5. Ruling (King Britt Scubambient) — Osborne (2008)
  6. Horizon — Hatchback (2008)
  7. Simple Peal — Underworld (2010)
  8. Love & Air — Essáy (2011)
  9. Libretto — Barnt (2011)
  10. My Frozen Spirit — Pechenga (2008)
  11. Once In A Moment — Marsen Jules (2011)
  12. Beginner’s Waltz — Bhutan Tiger Rescue (2011)
  13. Sad And Fucked (Not Moving) — National Park System (2011)
  14. Volax — Jens-Uwe Beyer (2011)
  15. Smirak’s Train — Yello (1980)
  16. Ghost Town — The Spaceape (2009)
  17. Gamma — Trentemoller & Buda (2007)
  18. The Real — Brian Eno (2011)
  19. Titan — Thomas Fehlmann (2011)
  20. Dunkelraum — Triola (2011)
  21. The Visitor (The Field Remix) — Miracle (2011)
  22. Elevatorium — Terre Thaemlitz (1995)
  23. Summa Afrique (Oren Ambarchi Remix) — Tape (2004)
  24. Brother — The Durutti Column (2010)

Monsieur Seb’s Cosmix Volume 9: Lysergic Emanations from Outer Space

Let’s be clear right from the get-go:

This is the best Cosmix iteration since the serie’s inception.

Period.

I could very well stop here and let the music do the talking, but I still feel like making introductions for this monster…

Yes, monster.

Nothing short of that.

Why?

Well, for one, because its 43 tracks make for a three hours and fifty-three minutes listening experience.

And also because, even though many hours of preparation were involved, it was recorded in one straight take with no edits or touch-ups, and nothing but a bowl of cafe latte in this DJ…

Needless to say I am extremely proud of the final result of this session, for the following reasons (among others):

  • The track selection is (humbly) flawless. It ranges from your basic Boogie to Jazz-Funk influenced Electronica to downright Deep House and Electro and even a few that are impossible to categorize, all the while keeping to the spirit of the Cosmix series.
  • The mixing is (again, humbly) spot on. As usual, there are many long, drawn-out mixes, the longest one clocking in at 5 minutes (by that I mean that two tracks play at the same time and at the same volume for 5 minutes).
  • I felt like it was ages since I had recorded the last Cosmix, even though it’s not even been 6 months.
  • I was afraid the series was dying from lack of interesting material, but these 43 tracks have given me hope for the future.

Still, that being said, I haven’t given away one iota if this mix’ intensity and the music still has the whole stage to speak for itself and make you its slave!
Oh! And if you’re wondering about the lysergic thing, well… Let’s just say there’s plenty of acid sprinkled throughout…

You can stream or download it here and your donations are welcome to help me pay for the file hosting!

P.S.: Yes. the title of the last track IS a message…

Enjoy!

TRACKLISTING

Monsieur Seb’s Cosmix volume 9

Lysergic Emanations from Outer Space

  1. Gladys Knight (Alex Barck Remix) – Prommer & Barck (2011)
  2. You Know I Know It – Tensnake (2011)
  3. Fine Taste Cliche – Danel (2010)
  4. Get Together (Ooft Deep Dub) – Bubba & T-Bone (2011)
  5. Express – Black Van (2011)
  6. Love – Alphabet City (2011)
  7. Pinisi – Midnight Savari (2011)
  8. White Dwarf – Marco Passarani (2011)
  9. Repitition (Art Of Tones Remix) – Evan Evans (2011)
  10. Do You Believe? (James Curd Instrumental Mix) – Poolside (2011)
  11. Love The Freak (Loose Fit Remix) – Duffstep (2011)
  12. Shower Show – Chicken Lips present The Rhythm Odyssey (2011)
  13. Berlin Sunrise – Daniel Wang (2004)
  14. Hot On The Heels – Soft Metals (2011)
  15. Acid Reflux (Prins Thomas Diskomiks) – Ulysses (2011)
  16. 90 Seconds – Kael Misko (2011)
  17. Soho Phaze (Faze Action Edit) – Elixia (2011)
  18. Kilimanjaro (The Revenge Reekin’struction) – Letta Mbulu (2011)
  19. This Groove Is On The Loose (My Cousin Roy’s Way Past Due Mix) – Greyship Daviz (2010)
  20. No One Belongs Here More Than You (Ewan’s Balearos Maximos Remix) – Martin Dawson & Glimpse (2011)
  21. Discuss – Stopmakingme (2010)
  22. Teamgeist Feat. Patrick Pulsinger – Wolfram (2011)
  23. Going To Chicago – Weekend Express (2011)
  24. Bozak – Rune Lindbaek & Frisvold (2010)
  25. Chick Chick – Toby Tobias (2009)
  26. Galactic Juju – Kid Who (2011)
  27. Yeah (Jay Shepheard Remix) – Ooft (2011)
  28. Vacuum Phenomenon (Ytre Rymden Dansskola Remix) – Kelton Prima (2011)
  29. Stockholm Syndrome – Beatfanatic (2010)
  30. In Your Eyes (Black Strobe Instrumental Remix) – James Curd & Ziggy Franklin (2011)
  31. My House (Stopmakingme Remix) – Hercules & Love Affair (2011)
  32. Into Your Face – Downtown Party Network (2008)
  33. Good Day Today (Diskjokke Remix) – David Lynch (2011)
  34. Galli (Give It Up) – Bottin & Rodion (2010)
  35. Love Papers – Toby Tobias (2011)
  36. New Years Eve – Chaim (2010)
  37. I Want It (Lindstrom & Prins Thomas Remix) – Locussolus (2011)
  38. I’m Gonna Make You Dance – Wagon Cookin’ (2010)
  39. Dayshift (Oliver’s Nightshift Remix) – Juan Atkins (2011)
  40. Killing Jokes – The Glimmers (2010)
  41. KKK – G.A.N.G. (1983)
  42. The Car – Gianni Rossi (2011)
  43. Start It Again – Datassette (2001)

Summer Breeze vol. 2

Yes, summer is finally here, albeit a bit timidly, so it’s time for the second installment of my Summer Breeze series.

In a nutshell: summery, breezy, unpretentious music for sipping a good glass of your favourite drink on a terrasse with your friends.

Nothing more, nothing less.

During these nearly one hundred minutes, you’ll hear new stuff as well as oldies, including two back to back tracks — a classic and a new one — by one of my favouritest House producers, Montréal’s own Miguel Graça.

P.S.: Here’s a drink suggestion to accompany this mix. I’ve tried this recipe and it’a amazing: Rosé Sangria by none other than Martha Stewart! 🙂

You can stream or download it here and your donations are welcome to help me pay for the file hosting!

TRACKLISTING

Summer Breeze vol. 2

  1. Shelter – Midland (2011)
  2. Stay – Borderline (2011)
  3. The DJ’s An Alien (The Layabouts Reprise) – David Harness & Roland Clark (2008)
  4. Shoulder Pad – Cab Drivers (2011)
  5. Back to Me feat. Ricky Reid – 6th Borough Project (2011)
  6. Up to the Sky – Miguel Graça (1996)
  7. And On Now (Miguel Graça Remix) – Miguel Graça (2011)
  8. Entrance – Graceful Exit (2011)
  9. You. Me. World. – Monique Bingham (2011)
  10. Steppin’ Out feat. Romanthony – Tom Trago (2011)
  11. My Beat feat. Palmer Brown (Swag’s Spiritual Mix) – Blaze feat. Palmer Brown (1998)
  12. Pleasure Capsule (Jay Tripwire West Coast Drums Mix) – Signal Deluxe (2010)
  13. Mind Your Mind – Chamboché (2011)
  14. 5AM – Toby Tobias (2011)
  15. Through Motion (Tevo Howard Remix) – Midland (2011)
  16. Acidic Sun – Benjamin Brunn (2011)
  17. Sueno Latino (Original 12″ Mix) – Sueno Latino (1989)
  18. Palenque – Betina Bager og Brian O (2011)

House Music for Grown-Ups, volume 2

A few days ago, I set out to do a new House/Tech mix (and I write House/Tech rather than Techouse on purpose) and, just a few tracks into the planning, it became obvious that this new mix was going to become the second iteration of a new series.

The more I think about the concept, and the more I listened to the original House Music for Grown-Ups mix, the more I realized I was onto something, here.

“Yeah? What?” I can hear you say…

Well, what I’m onto is a new series of mixes devoted to House music, and electronic music in general, that can be used on a dancefloor — if only because of its tempo —, just as well as in a living room, lounge, car, or whatever.

Fear not, the Cosmix series won’t suffer from this coopetition.

In other words, this new series will be devoted to House music devoid of the usual (and ultimately boring) dancefloor gimmickry, House music that you are not ashamed of liking and playing for your mom (if you’re under 40) or for your friends (if you’re over 40).

One might call it headphone House, but I find that limiting.

I must say that from this point of view, I am REALLY proud of this mix, as much for the musical selection as the technical aspect of the mixing.

As a matter of fact, I think it is one of my best outputs, technically, with several mixes lasting well over a minute or three, with one even lasting a full 5 minutes (from 1:01:31 to 1:06:39).

Now, I’m not saying I’m an mix athlete.

No.

I’m just an old-school DJ and as such I was taught that a good mix is a long mix and that the real art of DJing is creating a new atmosphere, almost a new track, from by combining two tracks.

Well, I humbly think I’ve succeeded, here. 🙂

You can stream or download it here and your donations are welcome to help me pay for the file hosting!

TRACKLISTING

House Music for Grown-Ups, volume 2

  1. Phobos – Forces of Nature
  2. Speechless – Agoria feat. Carl Craig
  3. Find Your Soul (Minilogue’s Introspection mix) – Larsson
  4. My Girls (Mike Monday’s Unofficial Remix) – Animal Collective (unreleased)
  5. Silk City (Fred Everything Lazy Vox Remix) – Kruse & Nuernberg feat. Nathalie Claude
  6. Subzero (D Pulse Remix) – Amberflame
  7. Every Minute Alone (Tale Of Us & Seth Troxler Dub Edit) – WhoMadeWho
  8. Strange Aeons (Strictly Jazz Unit Muzic Eternity Mix) – Snoretex
  9. 40004 A – Wax
  10. Easy As Can Be (Tom Middleton Liquitech Mix) – Guy J
  11. Somebody’s Property (OOFT Bassline Dub) – Mash
  12. Naked Lunch – Subwave
  13. Everything – Prommer & Barck
  14. OFI (SDC’s Evasive Funk mix) – Model 500
  15. You Know The Score – Hardfloor feat. E.R.P.
  16. Clear & Present – Paperclip People
  17. Reindeer Salsa (The Knights of Jumungus Jingle Jungle Morning Mix) – Skatebård

A Tribute to Paper Recordings, part one

 I’ve been meaning to do such a mix for many, many years now, and here it is, finally.

“It” is a mix of some of my favourite tracks — a very personal and by no means encyclopedic selection — from the mythical mancunian Deep House record label, Paper Recordings, my all-time favouritest record label, even today.

Now, I entitled this post “…part one” because while I was preparing this mix, I realized that although we mostly remember the Paper catalog because of its classic dancefloor burners, there’s just as much great downtempo tracks to be remembered and, because of this fact, I decided to record two mixes, the first of which I offer to you here.

Rest assured: you won’t have to wait years for the downtempo installment! (July 2022 update: turns out you might need to wait decades!)

I truly hope you will enjoy this, because all these tracks have a special meaning to me and, if you didn’t know of Paper Recordings, I hope you will enjoy discovering this truly amazing record label.

P.S.: I would like to dedicate this mix to my dear friends Anne-Caroline, Nicolas and Karim, because of all the people I think of fondly when I hear these songs, these three are the ones I associate the most with my love of Paper Recordings.

You can stream download here and your donations are welcome to help me pay for the file hosting!

TRACKLISTING

A Tribute to Paper Recordings, part one

  1. There’s A Better Place – Crazy Penis (PAPCD016)
  2. Viva Blue (Martin Venetjoki’s De-Pressed & remastered mix) – Keyboy (PAPD02)
  3. Finbiff Patrol – Those Norwegians (PAP011)
  4. Origami – Wastepaper (PAP004)
  5. The Dancer – New Phunk Theory (PAP006)
  6. Do Un Goodur’ (Tom Middleton’s Cosmos Mix) – Crazy Penis (PAP044)
  7. The Way We Swing – Crazy Penis (PAP013)
  8. The Book (Hardback Dub) – Salt City Orchestra (PAP001)
  9. Downtime – Paper Music (PAP002)
  10. I Feel Music – Harlem Zip Code (PAP072)
  11. Bustabubble – Shaboom (PAP005)
  12. Honey Falls – New Phunk Theory (PAP021)
  13. Don’t Fuck with My Shit (Da Floor Mix) – Dirty Jesus (PAP014)
  14. Bessie’s Kurbdog Remix / Bessie’s Reprise – Shaboom (PAP012)
  15. Lara’s Theme – Streetlife Originals (PAP022)
  16. Nu Odyssey – Departure Lounge (PAP017)
  17. Fatdansrubadub – Salt City Orchestra (PAP015)
  18. Theme From Salt City Orchestra – Salt City Orchestra (PAP015)
  19. The Big Thang – Hot Toddy (PAPCD008)