Fuck yeah Mr Thayer! This mix be slick like glass! Classic BwangaZzz packed!! Solid :)

To celebrate 14 years of inthemix, we're looking back at the big tunes of each year since we were founded, with special year mixes by the hottest DJs of the time.

Following on from Kid Kenobi's year 2000 mix, trance star BeXta's 2001 mix, prog-breaks whiz Ivan Gough 2002 mix, Mark Dynamix's double mixes of tech-house and electroclash for 2003 and the 2004 mix from Melbourne's underground king Boogs, we've recruited bass and beat stalwart Nick Thayer, who's delivered a massive selection of tracks from around the era that define the mid-00s breaks and drum'n'bass scenes. TUNES!

Tracklist:

Black Grass - Bang (2003)
I played the hell out of this whole album when it came out. This one and Nice Up were a staple of most of my sets for a long time. This tune has such a tight old-meets-new vibe to it.

Jay Z - 99 Problems (2003)
Jay Z kills it on this. Pretty sure this is my fave flow on any Hov record. And that beat is so damn heavy. 

Dizzy Rascal - Fix Up, Look Sharp (2003)
Using the same sample as 99 Problems but making it sound so different with that London twang. We were all so enamoured with Dizzy Rascal around this time as he took the underground UK grime sound we were loving and made it around 25% more pop. 

Fatman Scoop - Be Faithful (2003)
There was an earlier version of this released in 1999 I think, but it wasn't until this touched up version dropped in 2003 that it suddenly became an anthem. I still play this record. To see its continued influence just take a look at Recess from Skrill's new album.

A Skillz - It's Your Booty Day (2003)
Made as an invitation to the Fingerlickin birthday party this is another sure fire party jam. Showing the knack for groove and space that defines Adam's production I loved playing this back when the term 'limited' still meant something when it was related to 7" records!

Bronx Dogs - Tribute To Jazzy Jay (1997)
Ok so this is a bit older, but this typified the kind of records that got us to this point. Based on Edwin Starr's 'I Just Wanna Do My Thing' it showed how those stripped back elements and grab bags of samples could lead to great records. 

Slyde - Slippedy Slide (2003)
This basically takes the blueprint from Tribute To Jazzy Jay and take it one step further. Instead of just looping Lakeside's 'Fantastic Voyage' they use it as a base and add a host of their own elements on top.

Shakedown - Get Down (2001)
This record was unstoppable, bridging the gap so neatly between house, breakbeat and funk so perfectly. Plus its arrangement was perfect for maximum ease of mixing.

Chemical Brothers - Get Yourself High (2004)
The Chems have ALWAYS beaten their own drum. When this came out I remember thinking they had somehow combined all these different elements I loved and made this record that seemed to transcend them all. I could easily have put four or five Chems tunes on here like Base 6 or Morning Lemon etc.

GT - Kid Dynomite - (2004-ish)
The first time I heard this was when Kid Kenobi played it at The Lounge in Melbourne. Like 'Get Yourself High' it seemed to have all these disparate elements just thrown into a blender. And sirens. LOTS of sirens.

General Midi - The Westerner (1999)
This was made in 1999? REALLY? This STILL sounds so fresh and effortless. The groove is so loose, it reminds me of Kool & The Gang's 'NT Funk' or something, and the fuzzy bass is so warm but so gnarly too.

Mr Oizo - Flat Beat (1999)
This one was ALSO from that long ago? I remember buying the album 'Analog Worms Attack' and digging the weirdness and then all of a sudden as a hidden bonus track (remember when hidden tracks were a thing?!?!) was this crazy beat. Then of course along came music video with a crazy sock puppet and the tune was suddenly everywhere.

Chicken Lips - He Not In (2000)
Released in 2000, but with endless mashups and remixes this record was in the clubs 'til at least 2008! This was an anthem at Revolver, both at The Late Show and also on the Sunday sessions with Boogs. There are still records coming out trying to capture this exact vibe.

Solid Groove / Switch - This Is Sick (2005)
I remember when Switch burst onto the scene. There was the four guys - Switch, Loveys, Herve and Sinden - and out of nowhere they were suddenly EVERYWHERE. Switch was unstoppable, and his production was SO unique. That school of "I don't care if this is how you're supposed to do things but this is how I'M doing it". It IS sick.

Soul Of Man - Dirty Waltzer (2003)
Soul Of Man were presiding over Fingerlickin who were basically ruling the roost at this point. They had a knack of squeezing maximum funk into everything. And their artwork was amazing. This tune has such a strange structure, but always sounded cool to mix. And maximum sirens.

Groove Armada - Superstylin (2003)
Monstrous tune, that once again combines so many different elements and just became its own thing. The MC toasting, the dub horns, the UK garage bass and the straight up house beat seem so effortless. 

Timo Maas - Shifter (2002)
How do you follow up something like 'Doom's Night' remix? Chickaboo was killing it at this time too, and sounds so great on this record. Great drums and the bass that kind of envelops you. I don't think this album quite did everything they were hoping it would. There were some massive collabs on it. I know I, and everyone else I knew, played the hell out of this tune.

Evil Nine - Crooked (Bassbin Twins Rmx) (2004)
Another ANTHEM for The Late Show at Revolver. This Evil Nine album really defined that 'rolling' sound that had been bubbling away at the time, adding a kind of 'psychedelic rock' edge with live drums that felt like they were falling over themselves. Bassbin Twins were kind of an enigma too, with impeccable production but seemingly popping up at random.

Stanton Warriors - Pop Ya Cork (2005)
Stantons just cornered this whole end of the market, mashing up garage sounds with hip hop acumen, and this example with Twista shows how great that combination can be.

Krafty Kuts - Dangerous (2001)
Another tune that has a HUGE garage edge to it, but still manages to sound unique. I used to put all manner of acapellas on top of this from Ginuwine to Salt'N'Pepa. 

Freestylers - Push Up / Push Up (Plump DJs Mix) (2004)
If you lived in Australia at this time you could not avoid this tune. Originally surfacing as a white label (I still have mine) before ending up being covered on Australian Idol no less, it was surreal to watch the progression of this tune from underground weapon to top 40 hit. And the Plumps rmx takes it in such a cool direction, twisting the vocal til it was almost unrecognisable.

Drumattic Twins - Feelin Kinda Strange (Bass Kleph & Nick Thayer Rmx) (2005)
Stu and I made this rmx back in 2005 and it seemed to catch on quite quickly. However at the time we couldn't even get in to festivals where this tune was being played three or four times on the main stage. It was amazing seeing everyone playing our record, but maddening that we didn't seem to be able to be a part of it. 

Bass City Rollaz - Get Funky (2004)
This was a sound I absolutely LOVED, born out of the garage funk stuff that was around but with a slightly gnarlier edge. Kinda like slowed down drum and bass.

Natural Born Chillers - Rock The Funky Beat (1996)
This tune from the very beginning of the jump-up wave that gave birth to Aphrodite and that Jungle Brothers remix suddenly seems incredibly current again, except now they call it drum step. Also using that Chuck D sample way before anybody else too, and probably in a more interesting manner!

Roni Size - Snapshot (1999)
Snapshot had SO many incarnations it's kinda scary. I love how Roni Size has continued evolving throughout his career too (I think he is just about to put out another album??). 

Andy C & Shimon - Body Rock (2001)
There was so much hype on this record. I remember hearing test pressings of it maybe six months before it actually came out, and people would go to drum and bass shows JUST to hear this record, as that was the only possible way. 

Bad Company - Planet Dust (2001)
The definitive hoover drum and bass record, but let's not forget that amazing booming jungle drop. There was a guy called Ruxspin who used to play at the Lounge and would rewind this maybe five times every time he played it, and it never got old. I still play this record.

The Prodigy - Voodoo People (Pendulum Rmx) (2005)
Pendulum were already huge by this point, but this remix sent them into the stratosphere. Originally a bootleg, but Prodigy loved it so much that it got an official release. The live drums at the start make it feel like a metal band and the way they amp up the riff is life threatening. It definitely foreshadowed where Pendulum would end up many years later.

Muse - Hysteria (2002)
I put this at the end not just because it fuckin’ rocks, but also as I wanted to locate this mix in whatever else I was listening to at the time. I have always listened to, and played in my sets, music from as far across the spectrum as possible.

inthemix Flashback mixes: 2005 by Nick Thayer

inthemix.com.au is Australia's dance music community. It is the first and most frequented destination for Australians who are passionate about dance music, clubs, parties and festivals.

Comments

Renee Brereton

Renee Brereton

Renee Brereton

Renee Brereton

Taco Mcbell

Leroy Cunningham

SCooBY trAcKs

Tom Gresavage

streeta

coissoiree