In April 2013 Dave Seaman once again made mix compilation history. 24 years previously he had been the first DJ to mix a compilation CD, alongside Carl Cox to deliver Mixmag Live Volume 1. And in an area that has evolved countlessly since, stretched to breaking point in recent times, he proved not only the enduring interest in the art form but that it also could remain ground- breaking.

Putting his reputation, and that of his fledgling record label Selador Records founded with Steve Parry, on the line, Dave reached the funding target with 11 days to spare of the initial 28 day campaign through the crowd funding website Kickstarter. In the end, the total figure raised was £32,000, seven thousand more than the £25,000 needed to make this limited edition album. With the album now finished, Dave has begun embarking on delivering the rewards to those who pledged, including DJ lessons & private parties and was naturally elated and excited about the compilation:

“It was something out of my comfort zone, a bit of a risk and therefore fresh and exciting. Sometimes you just have to go out on a limb just to feel alive”, said Dave. “Continuing to make mix compilations in the traditional way was becoming to feel like I was just going through the motions. Plus, this was also a way of being able to give something back to my fans that had supported my compilations over the years by offering special rewards that just wouldn’t have been possible through the usual retail outlets.”

The mixes themselves reflect Dave and Selador’s current stylistic choices, with a focus on upfront twenty first century house music. Naturally the label and Dave’s own production output is represented, with five tracks from each, but there is also music from the finest imprints such as Crosstown Rebels, Hot Flush, Get Physical, Circus Recordings, Dirtybird, Systematic, Diynamic and Cocoon. 

As you’d expect from a forward thinking idea, the producers involved are just as cutting edge. With CD1 opening via the abstract sonics of Alpines in Maribou State remix form, the rest of the disc weaves through the bleepy electronica of Dominik Eulberg, the deep techno of M.A.N.D.Y and Damian Lazarus and the warped tech house of Fairmont. CD2 offers further adventures through Gabriel Ananda and Scuba’s takes on melodic deep-house, Solomun’s noir-disco, the anthemic jackin’ sound of Breach and the gorgeous strung out percussive beauty that is ‘Hoyle Road’ from Pedestrian.

If there’s a more expertly crafted mix compilation this year, we’d like to hear it!

Full Tracklisting

CD1

1. Alpines ‘Empire’ (Maribou State) [Alpines]
2. Ryan Murgatroyd ‘Bantwanas Piano’ [Tenth Circle]
3. Lake People ‘Point In Time’ [Krakatau]
4. Dominik Eulberg ‘Noch Ein Bass Im Armel’ [Herzblut]
5. Sven Dohse ‘Am Wald’ [Prestige Weltweit]
6. Coyu & Edu Imbernon ‘Open Air’ [Suara]
7. Blondish feat. Thomas Gandey ‘Voyeur’ (Jay Shepheard & Martin Dawson mix) [Get Physical]
8. Han Haak ‘Jezebel’s Milk’ (Piemont mix )[Selador]
9. Wehbba ‘On You’ [Tronic] c/w Rychard ‘Marionette’ (accapella) [Selador]
10. Damian Lazarus ‘Neverending’ (M.A.N.D.Y)[Get Physical]
11. Dave Seaman ‘The Holy Ghost’ (Florian Meindl mix) [Tulipa]
12. Piemont ‘Okinawa’ [Plumbum]
13. Dave Seaman & John Fleming ‘Pixelated’ [Outside The Box]
14. Paul Rutherford ‘Get Real’ (Pete Gooding mix) [Selador]
15. Fairmont ‘Libertine’ (Nitin & Clayton Steele mix) [My Favourite Robot]
16. Dave Seaman & John Fleming ‘Unexpected Item In The Packing Area’ [Pro B Tech]
17. Mylan ‘Memory’ (BP Land Van Wij mix) [Coochy]
18. Marc Romboy & Ken Ishii ‘Seiun’ (Max Cooper mix) [Systematic]  

CD2

1. Samu.l ‘Restless Dreams’ (Dave’s Staring At The Ceiling Mix) [Selador]
2. Dubspeeka ‘Lost’ [Hope]
3. Gabriel Ananda ‘Rims & Prophets’ [100% Pure]
4. Luke Fair ‘Long Road’ (Inxec mix) [Espai]
5. Dave Seaman ‘Roman Casseta’ (Inxec mix) [Tenampa]
6. Chris Gavin & Tony Hell ‘Fog Trench’ [Pumpz]
7. Scuba ‘Too Strong’ [Circus]
8. Scuba ‘Hardbody’ [Hot Flush]
9. Kink & Catz ‘n Dogz ‘Bad Love’ [Dirtybird]
10. Solomun ‘Yesnomaybe’ (Dub) [Diynamic]
11. Jamie Jones ‘Tonight In Tokyo’ (Breach mix) [Crosstown Rebels]
12. Sante & Frank Lorber ‘All About’ [Cocoon]
13. Joel Mull ‘Tintin’s Journey’ [Last Night On Earth] c/w Azari & III ‘Indigo’ (Accapella) [Dim Mak]
14. Dave Seaman & Funkagenda ‘Naughty Forest’ [Selador]
15. One Million Toys ‘Ohara’ [Freegrant]
16. Pedestrian ‘Hoyle Road’ [Born Electric]
17. Cat Power ‘Cherokee’ (Nicolas Jaar mix) [Matador]