There are Old Skool mixes and nights, there are nights and mixes where you can go and hear brand new music. But there's a time in the first decade of this century which often gets overlooked for tunes, bar the odd one played here and there.  

It also happens to be the time when I had a vinyl addiction far greater than my bank balance could really cope with.

This mix is a celebration of the tunes from that period, from 2002-2009 in this one, all played from lovely, lovely vinyl. It's also the longest mix I have ever recorded I think, enjoy :)

Do The Math - Ain’t No Home
Marcus Intalex - Instrumental (For Change) 
Digital - Crazy Girl
Mathematics vs. Tactile - Rub A Dub 
Danny Byrd & Adrock - Planet Music
Holdtight - Mac 10 (Influx UK remix) 
Icicle - Lost Hours
Tactile - Changing Slowly
Fierce & Optiv - Surface Noise 
Drifter - Close To Me (Matrix remix) 
Nu:Tone - Breathless
Spinline - Backdoor 
Henree - Hold Me Tight (Chris SU remix) 
Shimon - Humanism 
High Contrast - Everything’s Different 
Humanoid - Tibetan Mist
Commix - Tycoon 
Artificial Intelligence - Switch On 
Ill Logic & Raf - One Stop To Glory 
M.I.S.T - Barracuda 
Icicle - So Close 
Contour - Wisdom
Break - Traits
Deep Inc. - Keep On 
Brooklyn - With All My Heart
Lomax - Bad Cop 
D Kay & Lee - Manipulate The Universe
Ram Trilogy - Huggy Bear
Zinc - Just Roll
Naibu - Back Engineering 
Serum & Bladerunner - Gunshots
Keaton & Nitrox - Users 
Marky & XRS - Closer (Total Science remix)
Wickaman & Hoodlum - Sub Tub 
Icicle - Can’t Be
Noisia - Facade 
Artificial Intelligence & Jenna G - Rising
Tactile - Aldabra 
London Electricity - Hanging Rock 
Break - Shipment
Twisted Anger ft. Danny C - The Latin Thing 
Fierce & Break - Food Chain 
High Contrast - Twilight’s Last Gleaming
Jubei & Tyrone - Tremors 
Electrosoul System - Purple Sky (Lomax remix) 
The Insiders ft. Tronik 100 - Seventh High 
Calibre - Basic 
Downlow & Ramjack - Remember The Dayz
Break - Destiny Comes Ringing 
State Of Mind - Sun King

Ascension Mixes

Journey Through The "Middle Skool"

Drum & Bass/Jungle/UK Garage/various breakbeat based genre dabbling DJ/promoter/producer.

*Sun & Bass DJ competition winner
*innerSoul DJ competition winner 
*Drum & Bass Arena Ministry of Sound DJ competition winner
*Drum & Bass Arena Breakin' Science DJ competition winner
*Roll Your Own Records DJ competition winner


For DJ bookings, please email
mike(dot)ascension(at)gmail(dot)com

For Middle Skool event enquiries, please email
middleskooldnb(at)gmail(dot)com

For SubCulture event enquires, please email subculturedrumbass(at)gmail(dot)com

I am a 51 year old lover of rave hardcore techno drum and bass trance and psy trance in fact any 4beat sound enjoy my playlists

Essence of Chi was birthed in South London in February 2004 and swiftly emerged as one of the most rapidly expanding Drum & Bass promotions of the early 2000s. Renowned for throwing unforgettable parties that ensnared all facets of drum and bass, from the depths of deep grooves to the explosive energy of the dance floor, EOC events are famed for their electric atmosphere, meticulous attention to detail in sound, lighting and space, and of course a roster of exceptional artists, harmoniously blended together to achieve the perfect equilibrium.

From humble origins at Brixton's Plan B, EOC gradually evolved into roadblocked birthday soirées at Scala and Hidden, whilst regular events at the then-infamous Herbal in Shoreditch witnessed around-the-block queues. Gramaphone became the next stomping ground from 2010 until its eventual closure in 2011.

EOC’s sonic wings continued to spread: hosting tour parties in locations across the UK, such as Leeds, Oxford, Brighton, Guildford, and Portsmouth & arenas at some of London's most prestigious drum and bass events, including Renegade Hardware v Valve during Carnival 2006, The Baby Box and Bar at the iconic Ministry of Sound for their in-house d&b nights, Fuse and Switch. EOC even had the privilege of commanding an entire weekend at Innovation in the Sun two years on the trot, alongside Rotation. Not forgetting their legendary legacy at Moondance, the EOC area held a regular residency for an unparalleled ten years running. This lead to being twice nominated twice for the coveted title of Best Small Club Night at the Drum n Bass Awards, in both 2008 and 2009.

Fast forward to 2017, when Essence of Chi made an explosive comeback, taking on the mighty task of leading the electrifying Drum n Bass stage at Moondance Festival, while also returning triumphantly to Scala for a curated extravaganza on the hallowed ground of New Year’s Eve. And thus began a wave of "Middle Skool" events, paying homage to the Golden Era of 1999-2009 in conjunction with scene stalwart, DJ Ascension, captivating the hearts and souls of ravers at North London's Work Bar & Club 512.

With the dawn of 2024 on the horizon, EOC sets its sights on a momentous 20th Anniversary celebration. Plans are underway for a multi-venue jubilee, crafted in collaboration with their longtime allies and ethical clothing sponsors, THTC. Coincidentally, THTC themselves are celebrating an impressive 25 years in the industry, making this a harmonious convergence of musical milestones.