15.5

friday at sustain-release 2021, 12-2am. thank you karen nicole for the photo :)

thank you @sustain-release-nyc

livwutang @ Sustain-Release Year 7

live at @sustain-release-nyc 2021, main stage saturday night 1-2:30am
thanx to everyone involved, big energy!! <3

dj fart in the club @ sustain-release year 7 (2021)

Recorded live in studio from @refugeworldwide, a journey into the darkside of 2-step, garage, and proto-dubstep.

Big up the bad gyals, boys and theys!

𝙡𝙞𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙙𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚 w CCL #9 Cape Fear: A Trip to the Darkside of UKG @refugeworldwide

Tracklist + Q&A: https://bit.ly/3CX7s7R

Play weirder: @livwutang is the DIY-inspired DJ playing at her own speed

"I'd been trying to make a mix that opened with this track by James Bangura for at least 6 or 7 months, but every time I tried to use it for other mixes it wasn't the right fit for one reason or another. I knew that it would set the thematic tone for whichever mix I'd eventually end up using it in, and I was feeling appropriately contemplative when I finally had the presence of mind to record this one. My friend Sami, one of my other favorite artists from DC, had just sent me a demo that he'd made with Sir E.U; it mixed in perfectly and the rest of the mix followed :) The mix overall has a brooding, but speculative tone to it."

Tracklist + Q&A

Impact: livwutang

A sunset set at Waking Life, Portugal, in June 2023. I DJed after Vlada and before Anthony Naples, in front of a beautiful lake with the sun setting behind me and an incredibly wholesome, engaged, positive, locked-in crowd in front of me. Kept this one pretty measured in pace, and went for expansive, moody, euphoric, maybe also a little psychedelic in vibe, sorta imagining gazing into the deep starry abyss.

Tracklist:

Marlui Miranda – Tchori Tchori (feat. Uakti)
ISOR29 – Mi Vida
TB Arthur – Acid Artifacts 1B
Powder – Alien
Petra & Co – Just Let Go (Dub)
D'Marc Cantu – 1Lb Of Flesh
Hodge – Lanes
Supereal – Body Medusa (Leftfield Mix)
Delkom – Maskulin Feminin (Es Muy Facil)
Marcel Dettmann – Renewal Theory
D.O.P. – Get Out On This Dancefloor
Lockgroove – Feel The Joy
D.Yaroslav – Real to Real
Brain Pilot – Serotonin Flow
Fraxinus – Pass One
Bassrace – Futurama (Aqua Space Mix)
Unknown Artist – W.L.W.A.S.I.O.H. (K Lost Acid Dub)
Bassrace – Futurama (Aqua Space Mix)
Jasen Loveland – F--K 6-6 (Trip Report Mix)
Griffit Vigo – Yasizwa Les'gubhu (Vigo Music Original mix)
Data Theft – Dr. Rhythm Tec Beat
Zone – Eternal #2
Shunji Moriwaki – Shirushi-O-Chodai
3 Play – Get On Up
Frankie Bones – Mandolay Break
R-Zac – Untitled
Andreas Gehm – I Don't Care
Factory Floor – Relay (Charles Manier Remix)
DHS – # 9 Bad Acid
Peter Van Hoesen – Voodoo Benny's Wishbone
Wishmountain – Tap
Thomas Brinkmann – NRT
Stanislav Tolkachev – No matter what they've told you
Nilotika Cultural Ensemble – Ejokawulida
DJ Zinc – Dirty
Ambien Baby – Aventura ft. Priori
Tricky Disco – Cosmic Tones
Gilles Renneson – Yara
Bamao Yendé – Begoona
Tati Quebra Barraco & DJ Marlboro – Boladona
Groove Connektion 2 – Club Lonely (Serious Danger Mix)
Oliver Ho – Anaesthetic - Veil - Transform
Cari Lekebusch – Output 2 - A1
Reeko & Surgeon – Gangster in Disguise
2 Bad Mice – Waremouse
Paradise 3001 – Temazepan
Lighter Thief – Zippo King Two
Temudo – Ashamed
Tikiman, Stereotyp – Jahman
Nicolò – All Night Heat
Atrice – Levels
DJ Sliink – Emergency
Leo Anibaldi – Acid Pervertion
Ruff Da Menace – Dub Rush
Sansibar – Sunshine In Gomorrah
Minimal Compact – Statik Dancin'(Mad Professor Extended Dub Mix)
Xes Noiz – A1
Donato Dozzy – messy kafka world
Metasplice – Buoyant Slight
TV on the Radio – Staring at the Sun

Photo by Sara Herrlander

DJ set at Waking Life 2023

No one like Hessle Audio's grandmaster could have better welcomed sound scouters on a 24-hour (mind)trip to the island of Spandau. Listen back to this testament of impeccable UK mastery, an impeccable selection of bass mentalism, groovy perreo and tribalism ✨ It's dance, it's jungle, it's drops of spiritual crystals: it's Ben UFO.

Ben UFO - Climate Of Fear - April '22

@ccl-url blasted us all into space in their closing set atThe Grove on Saturday night.

Campout Mix Series: CCL

Words by Ceci (@ccl-url): 

"Special thanks to Steevio & Suzybee & all the volunteers, workers & dancers 💙

This is my recording from Friday night Room 2, 12:30-2am, my first time being at the mythical Free Rotation. Playing one of the first sets & seeing the room, decor and the big bad subs of Room 2, years of fantastical lore and reality melded, I wanted to keep it sexy, wonky, trippy— imagining a psychic electric swamp and how one would levitate thru it... to the sky. No bpm trickery this time. Out to the heavenly bodies of the universe! ;)

Mastered by Wordcolour"


i <3

ani/live Fifty Six: CCL @ Freerotation

Live in the Valley.

https://solsticefestival.fi

Nosedrip & OKO DJ At Solstice 2024

Live recording of Dj set - opening back up the grove stage 8pm-10pm on the 2nd night. Thank u SR team x

https://soundcloud.com/secondcousins

Cousin @ Sustain Release Year 10

“For the closing night of Return to the Source at the @ithqdetroit presents @thebunkerny party, we have a night of unique pairings, back to back sets from people who knew each other mostly, but usually don’t play together. After a full weekend of non stop great music, what better than the drama of the unknown combinations to keep you fully engaged, with deeply curated pairings and flows for each room. On May 27, @mikeservito x @jeffreysfire scheduled from 1am until 3am. Mike Servito always majestically closes out No Way Back, but what would this combination bring? Sfire brought the heat, and their styles melded in a slightly pitched down form, music from all eras appeared. To me, it was a form of sonic bliss. I went and asked the Danny from Bing (who does the sound and built the speakers for the Garden Stage) if he minded if we went later, he was all for it. So were Servito and Sfire, and it just kept getting better and better. The crowd was totally locked in, the feeling was ecstatic, it was truly a beautiful moment. A magical closing set that naturally extended from two hours to 5 hours of pure heat from two DJs whose whole life is this music and this culture — who could ask for more?” — BMG

Catch Servito and Sfire playing an extended set to close out No Way Back NYC presented by The Bunker at the Chocolate Factory as a day party on Sunday November 12:
https://ra.co/events/1983236

The Bunker Podcast 233: Mike Servito x Jeffrey Sfire

@LenaWillikens's mix is nothing short of a magical trip through an auditory kaleidoscope, so, turn on, tune in, and drop out. 🍄

The jewelry released with this mix is inspired by Lena's fascination and love for all kinds of mushrooms. She believes that mushrooms rule the world – silently and without wars. In many ways, mushrooms can help humans grow mentally and find a more respectful way to treat each other and the environment.

Visit www.forge.fm for more information and to explore more. :)

Lena Willikens

The third offering in our mix series is a live recording of Priori and Cousin's dj set at Sustain Release 2024. Recorded on the last morning between 6am and 1pm on what was meant to be an ambient stage, it featured everything a 3 day festival closing set should. Eclectic picks, strange and emotional sounds, dubious transitions and a few feigned endings. Massive thanks to all the dancers, the Sustain staff (Aurora, Ash and everybody else who put their blood, sweat and tears into this), the music makers, the birds, the stars. 

Much love,

P & C

@secondcousins x @priori-ties

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             \|

naffcast003 ⦾ Cousin & Priori ༻ Sustain Release 2024 Bossa Nova Stage closing set ༺ ❁

Command D summons the gods of the deep to have us completely submerged in a world of interdimensional dub techno, traversing us through an hour and a half of infinitely looped reflections and subaquatic soundscapes. 

@commandd

Q. This certainly feels like one of your most immersive mixes to date, deeply contemplative and full of dreamy dub techno atmospherics. What inspiration did you draw upon, and what type of setting or situation could you imagine it being enjoyed in? 

A. I started to get into this sound when I was putting together my mix for the Moonshoe mix series. I didn’t know what to call it at the time but I found all of those tunes and tied them together with a certain feeling that was really inspiring me then, it was very organic and that is still one of my favourite mixes. You can hear dub elements scattered throughout that whole mix.

As I started incorporating more dub elements into my productions I discovered artists like Stephen Hitchell and Rhythm & Sound that had created a kind of music that was really extremely satisfying for me to listen to, especially considering my developing love for hi-fi and larger sound systems. I incorporated those artists into my FHUO mix which was a much more considered exploration of the style. Looking back on the process of making the mixes and how much I enjoyed them really assures me that the deep and contemplative sound is a big part of who I am.

For this mix I’ve taken inspiration from the MDC series itself which I’ve been listening to for years. I wanted to add little hints of deep house sounds as a nod to the mixes of the past. I personally think mixes like this are the best to listen to when you’re travelling and looking out a window, otherwise maybe sitting at a desk on a rainy day doing some work. I’d like people to listen to this in a time where they won't be distracted by something else or feel the need to skip forward, I’d want people to just throw it on and let it play, drifting in and out of the tracks and their own thoughts.

Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much?

A. My favourite tracks in the mix are Saftig Komposition by Rasmus Hedlund and Sedlec Ossuary by Persuasion. At a base level I love these tracks because they take a more modern approach to a dub techno track with tight production. Going deeper, the thing that really resonates with me is hard to put into words and best left unsaid. I think this kind of music (along with many other kinds) allows the listener to feel emotions that aren't able to be put into words, part of why I love it so much. I find that dub techno specifically can feel sad and happy at the same time like lots of jazz ballads. That to me is a really beautiful sound that kind of encapsulates life in general.

Q. Tell us about the development of your live set, and where things are currently at with it? Do you feel like you’re able to explore different shades of your sound when playing in a live setting?

A. Putting together my first live set was an awesome experience. I got to play it all around Australia from clubs to rainforests. I’ve put the current live set to bed for now and am starting to work on a new one with a slightly different setup. Although it was a challenging experience, I loved making a live set because often when I would dig for tunes to play out I’d think ‘I wish I had a song like this’ and writing a live set meant that I could bring those ideas to life and curate a set exactly how I wanted. I think I’m really starting to settle into ‘my sound’ in production and DJing, but there are creative limitations in both like finding new music or learning new skills. Overcoming technical barriers in production allows me to get closer to my most true form of expression when it comes to what’s coming out the speakers so I’ve been really working on that recently. Hoping the next live set will be bigger and better : )

MDC.302 Command D

"The forest is such a special place because it is simultaneously rowdy and psychedelic. The timing of my afternoon set, leading from day to night, meant I wanted to play a set that moved from deep and dreamy to joyful and riotous, the momentum and energy building and blooming like a flower. I think it very much turned out as I intended, and it was totally so so special to play as I did in front of this incredibly giving and open-minded audience. Thank you Draaimolen for the incredible opportunity." - Ciel

Ciel at Draaimolen Festival 2024

@earthdog_jek live at @sustain-release-nyc

ED038: Jek at Sustain-Release 2024

Name: Alicia Greco
Alias: Leesh (@dj_leesh)
Pronouns: they/them
Location: Chicago

Influences: Flowers, prisms, the sun and moon and stars and planets, addiction and recovery, kung fu, interconnection, acceptance, love.
 
Affiliations/Residencies/Projects: Daisychain

Favorite Quote: “Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” 

Advice for the DJs, producers and artists of our community:
You are good enough. Your voice is important. Do not let anyone put you beneath them, and if they try to - use your FORWARD ENERGY. When the punches get more intense, relax harder. Breathe. Keep going. You’ll get stuck sometimes, and then you’ll keep going. Things will change, and you will keep going. 

There is not something deeply broken inside of you. We all have parts of us that are hurt and need healing, but the core of you is not broken. The core of you is beautiful and whole. And that beauty can be found. Listen to your inner voice, speak kindly to yourself. Healing is not linear. When you feel the urge to isolate, reach out. It is OKAY to ask for help. Learn what form of self-care works for you at any given moment. You deserve to love and be loved.

Imposter syndrome happens to all of us. But all of those minutes you spend questioning your sound, your message, your decisions, your selection, your transitions - all of those minutes you spend questioning and judging YOU - enough time will pass and you’ll look back or listen back and you’ll be proud of who you are and what you made. The mistakes that felt blinding will fade. You’re still going to sweat about it, just try not to sweat too much because it will keep you from enjoying the moment. You are not a machine! You are a human! 

Fuck the system. Use that DIY energy to create the space you long for but don’t go it alone. Find others, build something, do it together. Play the game if you wish, but remember you also don’t have to. You can forge your own path, one that’s less trodden. It will be hard and you will have doubts but if you keep going, you will find authenticity. It’s never too late.

Know yourself. Learn to love yourself. 

About the mix: In all of these years, I myself have never made a Daisychain mix. Now, here it is. Talk about daunting pressure! But with these ideas of time, transition and change, I did a retrospective to create this concept: my sonic journey through Daisychain. I went back and listened to all of my old mixes to select tracks that were of utmost significance to me during this span of time. I wrote down 125 tracks on 125 post-its that took over the walls of my dining room. I somehow narrowed it down. [Continued on website]

With this mix Leesh asks for you to please learn more about and consider donating to:

❁ Dogs Matter: An organization that provides temporary foster service for folks going into rehab for alcoholism and addiction. (https://www.dogsmatter2.org/)

❁ FreeFrom: This LA-based organization was created to help survivors of domestic violence achieve financial security and help to dismantle the systemic economic structures that perpetuate the violence. As a survivor myself, this organization is doing something incredible and I truly believe in it.(https://www.freefrom.org/)

❁ Beagle Freedom Project: Beagles are the most used dogs for experimental testing due to their kind and trusting nature and temperament. BFP rescues and rehomes beagles from these labs to provide for them a better, safer life. If you know me, you know Yahtzee. He's the rescued beagle baby angel of my life. Rescue the beagles! (https://bfp.org/)

Read more - https://thedaisychain.club/2025/01/16/daisychain-360-leesh/

A goodbye (for now) letter - https://thedaisychain.club/2025/01/16/a-letter-an-end-a-new-beginning/

Daisychain

Daisychain 360 - Leesh

Batu closing Outburst on Saturday night at Houghton 2024.

Recorded at Houghton - Batu (2024)

Yamour has quickly gained a reputation for her versatility as a DJ, serving both House and Techno music with equal passion and finesse in her vinyl-only sets. Besides touring around the world, she is a regular guest at Giegling events and at Blitz Club in Munich. Enjoy!

ITPS113 YAMOUR

An incredibly special recording from Hewan Aman @hewanaman live from pe:rsona festival last year. 

From Hewan:
"The set is all playful, dubby, tecky, with some psy vibes and also a bit of deep and introspective bits. I played on a hot, sweaty afternoon during day 2—just as the sun was starting to cool down and the music heads that made up this special crowd were starting to get in all their feels. LOIF took over after me with his live set, carrying us into the darker hours of the night with his sexy psy vibes. It was such a magical moment, and I’m so glad to have it captured in this recording!"

Beautiful photograph by Romain Guede.

15.5

SchorschLeroni