About the middle of December 2010 I was in Vancouver, Canada. I'd just downloaded a progressive breaks DJ set by Alex Levin, entitled "Introvert", and was very taken by it. I pulled on some warm clothes, plugged my giant headphones into my mp3 player, and went for a walk in the chilly late afternoon sunlight.

As I made my way through the streets, the padded bass and slightly melancholy vocals kept me in warm company. It seemed like the perfect soundtrack for me, at that time and in that place.

My experience in Vancouver was bitter-sweet in the extremes. Yet, while there were constant challenges and trials, I seemed able to remain always optimistic, always hopeful, if in a wry kind of way as I noticed irony after irony around me.

In powerful contrast to my dogged troubles with employment and money, I was fully surrounded by great friends and lovers -- I was alive and well in a staggeringly beautiful corner of the planet, and there was a lot within which I could find fun, comfort and positive growth.

So, this mix of music reflects that mix of feelings. While it sounds sombre and sad in some places, yet there is always a persistent hope and optimism that underlies it, and at times shines through in bursting colour. There is love, there is fear, there is doubt and there is reassurance.

I've also spent longer preparing this set than any other set I've released so far. My standards have risen since living in close-quarters with my great friend and ally Will Marshall (http://soundcloud.com/willmarshall) here in Sydney, and he has been incredibly helpful with my technical ability as well as my self-confidence with mixing. The result is that this set has taken me over two months to arrive at a point where I'm finally happy with it.
...Well... I'm happy enough to release it, anyway. ;-)

Vancouver, you Beautiful City, this one's for you.

I genuinely hope you like & enjoy this set.
With Love, Always
- Helios:Maddock

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TRACKLISTING
00:00 Everytime (http://soundcloud.com/way-out-west's Sunrise Mix) ::: Lustral - [Hooj Choons]

05:55 Loving You More (http://soundcloud.com/habersham & http://soundcloud.com/djnuminous Remix) ::: BT - [http://soundcloud.com/perfectorecords]

11:16 Faithless ::: Cass & Slide - [Import]

14:33 Disappear (D-Lerium & Faze Remix) ::: Belize Affair vs Sassot - [Selective Progressive]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/yn5Vz5

19:17 Come To Me (http://soundcloud.com/abdomen-burst Desert Mix) ::: East Café - [Mistique Music] 
Buy this track: http://j.mp/xjvrWK

25:00 Running Down The Way Up ::: BT & Hybrid - [http://soundcloud.com/405recordings]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/Az9EqD

31:31 Surreal Things (http://soundcloud.com/abdomen-burst Remix) ::: http://soundcloud.com/monojoke - [http://soundcloud.com/springtube]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/A7ET8N

37:31 Stereo Rainbow (http://soundcloud.com/aeronaether Remix) ::: http://soundcloud.com/mesmer - [http://soundcloud.com/scarcityrecords]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/A4qoC2

42:20 Moments of Love (http://soundcloud.com/aeronaether Remix) ::: http://soundcloud.com/abdomen-burst - [http://soundcloud.com/silkmusic]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/yYEfvt

46:43 Promises (http://soundcloud.com/aeronaether Remix) ::: Dale Anderson & Keenan - [Navigation]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/waUl0R

51:29 Round-Trip Dreams (http://soundcloud.com/grade-e Remix) ::: http://soundcloud.com/trukers - [http://soundcloud.com/rune-recordings]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/wIMyLv

57:11 Promising ::: http://soundcloud.com/trukers - [http://soundcloud.com/breaks-sk-records]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/yy25UB
-------------------------------------------

"Winter Warmer" Progressive Breaks DJ Set (for Vancouver)

About five years ago I came to Melbourne (where I'm now based) for the summer, and had a GREAT time just hanging out, working at a restaurant & bar, partying and generally enjoying life. And now... I'm back -- this time, building a Life for the long-term... But I still remember those old times, and that old time music. This set is a collection mostly of tunes from five or six years ago. Yup, it's time to reminisce a little with some old shit. :)

When I was here last time, before I'd started DJing, I was making mix-tape style CDs for friends which were full of electro house and breaks songs. I gave one to the head chef at the restaurant and they'd crank it at full volume in the kitchen while they sweated and churned out T-bones, ceasar salads and fish & chips.

So, having been reminded of those times and those tunes, I decided to put some of those tracks from that period of time together in a mix, and post it up here for you to enjoy.

These tracks are intended to get you amped. Crank them in your mate's car on your way to the club, stick your earbuds in and bike to work, or get your crew round for a black-light party and turn the sound system up to 11. This is a midnight-to-1am set. Get yo hands in tha muthaf**ken AIR.

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TRACK LIST:
00:00 “The Funk Hits the Fan” - http://soundcloud.com/plump-djs [http://soundcloud.com/fingerlickinmanagement]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/KlGc2i

05:01 “All Right” (http://soundcloud.com/heavydutybrothers Remix) - http://soundcloud.com/dj-cheeky-dean [http://soundcloud.com/dont-look-productions]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/IIlZAp

08:07 “In Love With You” (DJ Bomba & Señor Remix) – http://soundcloud.com/freestylers [http://soundcloud.com/against-the-grain]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/J784XB

12:55 “Bouncin' Off The Walls” (Tom Real and The Rogue Element Remix) - http://soundcloud.com/ninelives-the-cat [West Records]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/J78A7O

17:42 “Waters Over La La Land” (Vandal's Bootleg) - Green Velvet vs Justice [not on label]
Visit Vandal on Beatport: http://www.beatport.com/artist/vandal/58

21:53 “Yeah Yeah” - Minuit [Tardus Music]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/J78Wvk

25:38 “Bangers & Mash” - Stereo:Typical feat. The Foreign Beggars [Hardcore Beats]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/J7f4nh

29:24 “Rogue One” - The Rogue Element [http://soundcloud.com/exceptionalrecords]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/J7fgDd

35:10 “Rogue Rock” - The Rogue Element [http://soundcloud.com/exceptionalrecords]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/J7fN81

39:25 “Standard Practice (More Drugs, More Threesomes)" - http://soundcloud.com/organikismness [artist direct release]
Buy this track: http://j.mp/J7aEge
----------------------------------------------------

"Get Busy Living" Electro House/Breakbeat DJ Set

I'm dedicating this set to the city of Melbourne in sincere gratitude for the opportunities she's giving me. Since I hit the ground here three months ago everything has been going amazingly well. This place and I, we resonate; I feel that we have good things to offer each other... quite a change from a year ago, when I was really struggling.

A consequence of this positive attitude right now is that I've been listening to a lot of more positive, uplifting tunes that can reflect my Self back to me. Thing is, most electronica is written in minor keys, and a lot of breakbeat is of the deliciously dark, heavy, and often brooding variety. While I genuinely like that stuff, it's actually quite hard to find moving and energetic progressive breaks that make me feel lifted.

Still, there are definitely a lot of good breaks tracks out there which are very uplifting, encouraging and outrospective. I've done my best with this set to bring this positive breed of progressive breaks together in a way that lifts you and sends you flying out into the world with a forward-looking smile on your face.

Think about it: You are on a 7 billion year old rock floating through space at 30,000 metres per second. The atoms that make up your body were born within stars, of which there are 200 billion in our average-sized galaxy. You are the result of four billion years of selective evolution, and you have the capacity to feel, to think, to learn and evolve.

You are wired for experience and social interaction. That experience and interaction includes music and dance... Your evolution through the universe has brought you into being, here and now, and this is a part of your experience.

Are you paying attention?

Good. Now, press play. ;-)

With love, always,
~O~ 
Helios:Maddock

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TRACKLIST:
00:00 "Invisible Universe" (http://soundcloud.com/alfoa Remix) by http://soundcloud.com/gregory_esayan [http://soundcloud.com/morphosisrecords]
Buy this track here: http://j.mp/JtZyP0

07:21 "Eta Carinae (http://soundcloud.com/aeronaether Remix) by http://soundcloud.com/elfsong [http://soundcloud.com/solaris-records]
Buy this track here: http://j.mp/Ju2sUa

12:22 "Sky In Your Hands" (http://soundcloud.com/dynamicillusion Vocal Breaks Mix) by http://soundcloud.com/abdomen-burst [http://soundcloud.com/rune-recordings]
Buy this track here: http://j.mp/Ju6LyF

17:53 "Sakkura" (http://soundcloud.com/llupa's In Bloom Remix) by http://soundcloud.com/abdomen-burst [http://soundcloud.com/rune-recordings]
Buy this track here: http://j.mp/Ju6PhT

21:49 "Painted Skies" (http://soundcloud.com/arthur-deep Remix) by Seba [not on label]
Download for free here: http://j.mp/Ju0Lpy

27:10 "Feel Alive" feat. Naan (D-Lerium & Faze Breaks Mix) by the Benassi Bros. [not on label]
(Can't even remember how I found this diamond of a track. Anyone out there know where it's available?)

31:00 "Clouds" feat. Shebuzz (http://soundcloud.com/alfoa Cloudless Remix) by http://soundcloud.com/imp1812 [http://soundcloud.com/rune-recordings]
Buy this track here: http://j.mp/Ju1wiv

36:43 "Peyote" (Deep Shepherd Remix) by http://soundcloud.com/alfoa [http://soundcloud.com/ssr7]
Buy this track here: http://j.mp/Ju1JSH

45:00 "Changes" (http://soundcloud.com/malevichmusic Remix) by http://soundcloud.com/abdomen-burst [http://soundcloud.com/silkmusic]
Buy this track here: http://j.mp/Ju1OG7

50:34 "It Feels Good" by http://soundcloud.com/monojoke [Particles]
Buy this track here: http://j.mp/Ju29Zl

55:21 "Syneidesis" by http://soundcloud.com/trukers [not on label]
Visit Trukers at Beatport here: http://j.mp/KT0377

56:17 "The Spirit and the Harmony" feat. Aida Fenhel (Vocal Mix) by http://soundcloud.com/schodt [Particles]
Buy this track here: http://j.mp/Ju2aws
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'Onward & Upward' Progressive Breaks DJ Set (for Melbourne)

Breakbeat:
From melodic & progressive, to nu-skool & aggressive, with smatterings of electro & house grooves to tickle your neurons.

Bedroom DJ. I wouldn't ask anyone to pay money to listen to me, I make too many mistakes. ;-)

Helios:Maddock

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