03 - ASH & DASH - insight inside - (Skender daBalkanimal & Mel Hammond) - RIVA SESSIONS Live 2 Two

From the dust laden warehouses of Chicago emerges “Ash & Dash”.

The voluminous collaboration of Skender Makota and Mel Hammond.

Well respected in their own right, individually these two madmen have done more than most duos can conceive.
 

Skender Makota a.k.a. “The Balkanimal” has leant his talents to legends like Frankie Knuckles, Roy Davis Jr., Julius The Mad Thinker and The Monkeynuts Project.

This Berklee School grad is the multi-instrumentalist of “Ash & Dash”.

Delivering funky live and synth bass licks with heavy jazz filled keys atop signature drum programming  from Hammond.

 

Mel, the best kept Chicagoland secret, is known for his beat driven productions, which keep the dance floor moving, as well as deep spoken word vocals in all of the Ash & Dash productions, and other well known classics, such as “From Chicago to Paris”. 
The prose he provides is not only thought provoking but entertaining as well.

The group also has a few guest vocalists and players in rotation.

“Ash & Dash” delivers all of these elements in one futuristic sonic mélange.


03 - ASH & DASH - insight inside - (Skender daBalkanimal & Mel Hammond) - RIVA SESSIONS Live 2 Two

ASH & DASH 2026 INTRODUCTION!

DJ's and others who LOVE killer beats, DJ's and DJ sets which are one of a kind MASTERCLASSES in the art of the DJ set building - do yourself a favor and listen to all teh Mel Hammond DJ mixes im posting here. 
Not because of me, but because of you!
These DJ sets of Mel are partly here because I wanted to introduce Ash & Dash and our Live Act sound, the mixes themselves have our own songs in them as well, so very unique and exclusive, but most importantly - they give an insight into what our project Ash A& Dash will/does sound like!
Much to be learned from decades of house music experience in these sets, step away from the boring and add color and dynamics to you're djing, here is how..
 
Mel Hammond aka DJ Sir Mel Hammond) really IS the legendary, and this word is def not misplaced here, Chicago's best kept underground  house music secret! 

Mel IS the scene, and gave it all to the scene, has been giving it to the scene for decades and has NOT been nearly as recognized for that, and this is not only a shame and pity. 
It is probably part haters, part Mel himself being his own worst enemy, just as I am to myself, and really not giving a shit about haters hating while focusing 100% on just doing it... DOIN'
 the damn thang! 

However, this is about to change, and I will start by giving you access and download in hi res of some DJ mixes I recorded of him, when he least expected it, so that you can really see what being ORIGINAL means in today's DJ world of oversaturated garbage...

Besides Mel. there are of course quite a few Chicago DJ's that are just as important and which co-created HOUSE MUSIC in its infancy, since we ALL KNOW BY NOW THAT CHICAGO IS HOME AND BIRTHPLACE OF HOUSE MUSIC, period! 

Frankie Knuckles and the warehouse (hence - house), Marshall Jefferson, Farley Jackmaster, the late Paul Johnson, DJ Funk, Ron Carroll and many others, like Derrick Carter, Mark Farina, just to name a few... 

But There are countless "less known" DJ's out there who are simply put gems of DJ-ing as an art form and house music as a conduit for it... Gene Hunt, Steve Miggedy Maestro, Rahaan, my pasrtner in Abicah Soul DJ Staxx, etc... They have been doin the damn thang for decades, and never changed or gave in to the trends... In their 50's 60's now, they keep playing out there just as hard and with just as much enthusiasm as ever! 
One day in some overseas festivals headlining and being paid big bucks and given respect for the quality... the next day, playing at the local bar in Chicago for free... supporting the scene and maintaining its presence all the time. 
Paid or not, they are out there jacking the Chitown, that's how we get by in the city of big shoulders, house music glued us together from all over into a real melting pot no other scene or city can show for out there...
 
Mel is one of them. 

And HE is part of Ash & Dash, our own Live Act Duo, since Mel is not just a DJ, he is a music curator, underground unofficial promoter whose word of what's good and whats not good any night of the week, even before facebook and social media, through text messages and niche scene around the underground Chicago events, he has been a go-to person to get in touch with for the house heads looking for those on the DL undeground events Chicago was made famous for... where anything goes.. 

Mel is finally a producer, a GREAT producer, composer and percussionist..
And he is currently in the WHEELCHAIR, yet, going stronger than ever... and this energy is what he is known for. 

HEAR these mixes, and listen to what he does and how... 
You will learn that beatmatching is nothing but water under the bridge, there is so much more around building the experience of a set, and this is a great lesson for all! 
Me included! 
******
Keep an eye out for NEW RELEASES AND LIVE SHOWS announced soon! 
www.ash-dash.com or www.balkanimal.com to sign up for newsletter and get free downloads full access in hi res format for REAL, none of this "hi quality" SHIT they claim is NOT compressed at the detriment of sound quality - it IS, and if you want minimum quality worth your listen... that would be 44k/16 or 24 bit digital WAV or AIFF file, NOTHING less than that.

I have my own sites for that reason specifically, to host cd quality files and allow downloads to those who are nice enough to say hi and sign up for news, or even better - SUPPORT ME! 

I make no dineros with music, times are tough, gear is breaking down, ww3 about to start etc, so any donation is appreciated! 

You all know we make no money with music sales any more, so merch and support is the only income we can rely on, other than live shows which may or may not actually bring in any money, they often actually COST more, but music is love and that is ok with me!  

I am for some reason unable to reply to messages on soundcloud, says undeliverable or something, sorry I'm not being a dick, the system is dodgy ya hear!
It did not bother me too much in the past, but ppl seem to like the new stuff, and I just want to say thank you and if you wanted to get in touch, email me rather at musicnlight@gmail.com or through my site balkanimal.com. Cheers!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Future historians do not follow trends...
They set the trend followers on the right path to the future!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
www.balkanimal.com for more songs and free downloads 
www.skendermakota.com for more music in all sub-genres
www.ash-dash.com for my Chicago based all original music Live PA House Music Duo with DJ Mel Hammond
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Balkanimal - focus on live pa performances where I try to recreate different mixes of my own original house, deep house, tech house, techno, minimal, ambient, jungle... well, you get the  idea :)
IF IT MOVES, THEN IT GROOVES!

I try to not restrict myself in the world of electronic music composition and creation by staying within the confines of sub-genres, expectations, lingering in the (boring) safe zone, the beaten path which in my view is a waste of time. 
I try to push the envelope and reinvent. 
I also like meeting, collaborating and otherwise hanging out with people who share this view, not just music and art, but science, education, life and social acceptance, where we truly are equal cause we truly feel that way. 

Trend followers are not worth my time, neither am I worth theirs...
...but if you want to reinvent, and have fun in life doing it by exploring options and adjusting instilled expectations in electronic music creation... then by all means - we're already friends!

contact: musicnlight@gmail.com
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Additional Info and projects:

Part of ASH & DASH - house music live act duo with Chicago legendary DJ/producer, Mel Hammond. 
www.ash-dash.com
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Another live act project, the legendary Chicago Underground House Live Act from the 2000's - DA MONKEYNUTZ PROJECT - currently being revived and prepared for live performance.
Monkeynutz Project 
- Corey McCue aka Munk Julious
- Skender Makota aka daBalkanimal
- Miles Holt
- DJ Kwak
--

Starting a live act duo with my talented sister, Jasmina Makota (jasminamusic.com), keep an eye out for upcoming releases of our new songs with her on the vocals!
More on all that soon, sign up for updates on skendermakota.com or balkanimal.com!

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Some of the gear I use when composing, producing or performing my music...

Keys/piano; MOOG, Roland, KORG
Bass guitar:- Sandberg Jazz bass; 
Synth: - Moog bass, synth lines, 
Guitar: Gibson Les Paul
+ the pretty awesome poor man Gibson, but just as good Epiphone Les Paul, 
Moog Subarmonicon, 
Moog DFAM, 
Moog Mother32, 
Moog MINITAUR (I used this baby a LOT, especially in the earlier unreleased work you can hear on this page, or my website + download for free). 
Moog Sub37
Moog Little Phatty SIg Edition
Pioneer DJM900NXS2
Pioneer CDJ900NXS
+ many other pieces of gear these are just to name a few.
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Currently updating my music database on all sites, and adding some new material which I'm excited about. I will also try to schedule some gigs soon after, starting end of 2025, first around Chicago, then we'll see :)
Check back or sign up for newsletter on my site, where many downloads are available for free and in uncompressed format... plus some cool remixes I could not post here on soundcloud ;)
Hit me up at musicnlight@gmail.com just to say hi, or whatever!