In the mid 2000's, Code was a scene. Based in the basement vault of an old bank building, circa 2004-2006, it had an intoxicating energy that was all it's own. Different to the Drum n Bass fueled passion of Fu or the Tech and House den that was Ink, and certainly much grungier than the Handbag House clubs on the waterfront, this was a home for the Electro House lovers and at it's centre was two of my all time favourite Djs, the incomparable Greg Churchill and Angela Fisken. The home of Aural Trash. There were also legends like Mark (Who?) Emerson, top resident and running the bookings was the stalwart, and genuine legendary scene veteran, Sam Hill, and then later came bursting in two legit star producers in Luke Walker & Dj Loki and finally later still came a young up and comer getting his start, Daniel Farley. I was lucky to play there a few times and they are among my most fondly remembered sets.

I had a random inspiration to record a new mix that was inspired by those sets. Now this is not to say that this sound is a representation of what Code was all about in this era, but it is representative of what I brought to it when I was lucky enough to be booked to play there. I used to love hanging out on the couches and taking in the mighty sets that Greg and Angela brought to the club at the time. It was like watching the metaphorical lightning in a bottle, happening before my ears and eyes. They didn't play straight Electro House, there were elements of Breaks, Techno and Ghetto Bass all fused together into a sound that was very "now" (then) but also with a toughness and edginess that people really responded to. When I came along, I wanted to bring my own take on that, which of course, was to shift the (record) needle more towards the Breaks. My true love. I could never get away with this kinda spectrum at a genuine Breaks gig, so it was a real pleasure to be able to indulge into areas that I also loved hearing loud.

Onto the mix itself, it was fun, I hope it comes across that way. It's main inspiration and vibe was a set I played at 5AM one Sunday morning in 2005 for a gig called Shock Rockers. I never used to play at that end of the night so it was firstly, if I am to be honest, a logistical challenge to make it to that end of the night relatively clear eyed and focused enough to play at the standard the club expected! But also, it was a fun opportunity to just plain get a bit nasty. So I started this off with a reference to the Code Queen Angela Fisken's amazing June '04 mix, which still is among my favourites of all time, she started that off with Rocker, so I have also done, but as is my wont, the Stanton's Breaks take on it of course! We have a couple of exclusives here, the first of which is an early version of Luke Walker & Dj Loki's Dirty Secret, that Luke gave to me as a demo of what they were working on, while I was working at the Newmarket Sounds store. I was blown away and I've always preferred this version, even after the properly mastered final version came out. Then there is Greg's unreleased version of Timmy Schumacher's first and biggest track, What's Down Low. I love this twisty, grinding acidy version of it. I played this cooooonstantly. So I am stoked to have included some true Code legends contributions to the scene and to local music! Add in a little techno, some rave, some all time classic Breaks and we got ourselves a stew going, baby! Finally I don't think this ever came out properly, but we finish on "Skanktuary", which is actually one of Adam Freeland's rock bootlegs, he did a few during this time (most famously - Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit, which is miiiiiighty and features on a couple of my other mixes), this time of The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary. If ever there was a sanctuary for the weekend ravers in this city to just get dirty, loose and wild and dance away all the shit of the working week without any fear of judgement, self aware or otherwise, it was Code. Enjoy!

CODE @ 5AM

Dj Dalai was rocking dancefloors in Auckland city between 2002 and 2014 but he lives a more quiet life in suburbia these days. Based in Auckland but never afraid to spread the love around his home country of New Zealand, Dalai quickly established himself as one of the Auckland breaks scenes leading lights, with an intelligent approach to set composition and a tight mixing style, he along with his regular cohort and partner in crime Dj Randomplay, became known for pushing a funky girls on the dancefloor friendly style while the breaks scene at the time was largely dominated by a darker heavier sound. 

He regularly played support slots for many touring artists, including: The Freestylers, Kid Kenobi, Evil 9, The Scratch Perverts, Deekline and Wizard, Rennie Pilgrem (who singled Dale out afterwards to the promoter for special praise on his warm up set - a career highlight), Napt, Koma and Bones, Dub Pistols, Drummattic Twins, Dj Hyper, Dopamine, Malente, gaining many plaudits and fans along the way. 

He started the brands: New School Funk and Insert Breaks Pun Here with Dj Randomplay, Tight Squad with Randomplay, Rob Knight and Mark Emerson, New Sound and also held a bi-monthly residency at Cassette 9 between 2010 and 2014 called Animals with Randomplay and Defcon One and then later just himself and Randomplay. 

After cutting his teeth as a host on small band radio station, Twisted fm, as well as being a regular guest and fill in host on the Lowpass radio show hosted by Page-3 on George fm. He eventually ended up getting his own show on George with Randomplay and Defcon One, also called New School Funk on Friday nights 8-10pm. This show ran from 2009 - 2010 before becoming one of the many casualties of the Mediaworks takeover. 

He played at Studio, Fu, Fu Bar (old and new), Zen, Ink, Code, Coherant, Morrison, Bacio, Asta, Coast, St James, Galatos in Auckland and regularly visited Buddha Lounge in Tauranga, Monkeyfeather and Catalyst in Hamilton and played one extremely memorable night at The Projection Room in Ohakune as a part of the Fallout Festival in 2007.

Following the decline of the Auckland breaks scene he moved into more of an wide ranging full spectrum sound with influences from, but not exclusive to, the Brokenbeat/UK Funky/Future Garage/Tech-House/Techno scenes in the UK. It's a sound that encompasses all his influences and experiences that came before and now he prefers to sum up simply as "Beats and Bass."

Stay tuned for more throwback mixes from the era Dalai was active. He will be periodically releasing different themed mixes to celebrate the good old days of Auckland's vibrant underground electronic music scene.

CODE @ 5AM

djdalai