These are mixes that are reflective of how I'm playing lately.

Mixes

First time playing vinyl out, at the Studio Collective Showcase in SF. A beautiful evening of live music and a wonderful younger community of musicians and enthusiasts gathered to listen and dance. An ice breaker for me for sure, it was nice to feel nervous! Greatful to Tösh for the opportunity to play.

Tracklist with notes on where I found each of these below. With all music, but particularly vinyl, the act of discovery is such a beautiful part of the process, so thought id share these stories. 

(00:00) David Mayer, Nico Stojan - Fling [Ouie] 

- Nico Stojan and Acid Pauli (Martin) run one of my favorite labels, Ouie. I've had the opportunity to drop in Berlin with Nico a few times and he's kindly sent me home with some of their records over the years. This is a collaboration between Nico and David Mayer. David has also released twice with them previously in 2018 and 2019 and all of this music is excellent. 

(07:40) &ME, Rampa & Adam Port - Confusion (feat. Ali Love) [Keinemusik] 

- Send Return doesn't really need an introduction, particularly given the popularity of this Keinemusik release. I bought the record after a conversation with Ry X over dinner about his work with them on Feeling. 

(12:25) AtJazz - For Real (Versions Remix) [Innervisions] 

- Found this buried in a returns bin at Vinyl Dreams in SF. Surpised to find innervisions there, first time. 2006 release, played the vinyl only versions remix. 

(17:50) Peter (The Drifter edit) Nils Frahm [Philomena] 

- I found out about Philomena after chasing a track that I heard Dixon play at our second Further Future event: Un by Patrick Bishop, remixed by Tuff City Kids. Searching for it led me to Philomena, a sublabel of Innervisions created to release some of their favorites vinyl only across 14 records. I've been slowly chasing them down used over the past few years and finally completed the set last year. 

(23:25) Isolée - Favouride [Pampa Records] 

- Berlin digging at Spacehall with John Dill on our way to Sacred Ground.

(27:15) Mass Digital - Rain in June [All Day I Dream] 

- I find myself generally quite picky about ADID releases, and while I play a lot of Lee's labels music digitally, I hadn't yet felt compelled to own any vinyl. I was at Vinyl Dreams in SF last year for a quick dig and came across this. Rain in June is a track that Dill and I both love and play regularly.

(32:30) Innelea - Confronted Reality [Afterlife] 

- latest Innelea release from Mary Gone Wild before they closed after ADE this year. I spent an afternoon wandering the city with Darren Smith, and we went to Rush Hour, Red Light, and Mary Gone Wild. Their selection of newer work from labels I love was impressive, and I found myself excitedly picking up stuff I might not have otherwise.

(37:40) Robag Wruhme - No [Kompakt]

- Spacehall in Berlin seemingly had everything ever released on Kompakt in one section, which id never had the chance to see in person. It was fun digging through it all. I've always been a huge Robag fan and this track in particular is fantastic. 

(43:05) Massimiliano Pagliara - To A Faraway Place [Ostgut Ton]

- I first learned about Massimiliano Pagliara via a gift from Lorenz Aschoff, who gave me the Live at Robert Johnson compilation records with Phasing Down the Sea on it. This is newer release on Berghain's label Ostgut Ton. I found it at Mary Gone Wild in Amsterdam recently as well. 

(50:00) Robert Dietz - Swallowing Tubes [Live at Robert Johnson]

- Another gem from Mary Gone Wild and the ADE trip. This track in particular was a challenge to mix well, and I really enjoy experimenting with it. Definitely my favorite from the album. 

(53:25) Map:ache - Love (s.o.s) [Giegling]

- From Rush Hour in AMS, vinyl only new release from Map:ache/Giegling.

(58:55) The Veils - Vicious Traditions (Daniel Bortz edit) [Philomena]

- Back to Philomena for the closer. Daniel Bortz reworking the Veils.

Justin Shaffer - [02] - Studio Collective Vinyl Set - SF Oct 2022

A Costa Rican sunrise high up in the jungle to close the celebration of the nuptials of Jake and Dani. Such a pleasure to share music amongst an incredible group of humans gathered to support these two.

I picked up from Jason Douglas around 4am and then started into the sunrise from 45 min in or so. The clouds prolonged what was ultimately a moody, emotional sunrise, and it was a neat opportunity to play with the soundtrack for our shared experience as they teased us with the light. 

Jason rejoined me for the end to close it down b2b - last 4 tracks/~22min.

Justin Shaffer - [04] - Chai-Do Sunrise Costa Rica Nov 2022

Phonobar is the room in San Francisco that celebrates vinyl above all else. A beautiful and thoughtfully put together booth, great monitoring, and a classic ARS mixer. I've gotten to know Chuck this year through Mark Slee and Gunita, and it's always been a dream of mine to have the opportunity to play there. This was a Thursday evening in April 2023, and I'm incredibly grateful to the crew that came out to dance and enjoy the experience together. Thanks to Phonobar crew for letting us run late and carry the energy through what ended up being 6 hours of vinyl.

This is a reflection of where I've been digging the past few months, and evolving sound. Also a reflection of lots of practice with vinyl, but not perfect! Listening back to it, I really enjoy the flow - hope you do too! Some new, some old, many dear friends musical efforts represented, and a broad spectrum of emotion.

I put the tracklist in the comments as it was too long to fit here.

A particularly special thanks to the artists and friends who made this music, contributed to my perspective, gifted records, exchanged ideas, and encouraged me along the way. Not exhaustive, but an effort vis a vis these particular selections: John Dill, Nico Stojan, Vivian Wang, Caleesi, Holmar Filipsson, Benjamin Alexander, Jason Swamy, Mia Maestro, Adar Zango, Gunita, Anthony Naples, Team Philomena, Jay Prouty, Jeremy Loucas, Ashu Desai, Eric Wahlforss, Atish, Mark Slee

Photo: https://www.instagram.com/harrykh_/

Justin Shaffer - [05] - All Night Vinyl Session @ Phonobar SF Apr 2023

A gorgeous night in Soho to celebrate Bradley. Bradley and Rachel have been such big supporters of my musical journey over the past year, and it was a pleasure to join them in New York to celebrate his birthday. Reflecting on it, this one just flowed really nicely. An exercise in energetic management, weaving in and out of some deeper dance floor moments and intertwining nostalgia and a darker evolution as the night progressed. I appreciated the feedback on this evolution as it was happening and thereafter. Worth noting, It was fascinating to prepare for as I wasn't sure where I'd be starting energetically after the previous artist, and ultimately I think this made the set more interesting. Chloe definitely influenced me in this regard. Also quite happy to play music from a few artists I've been enjoying that just haven't found the moment to come out yet, particularly Josh Caffe. This is hands down my favorite set all around thus far. Thanks for listening! 

I ended up playing from 12:45-4am. I've included 2 tracks b2b with Jason Douglas at the close as well. Thanks to you both for the opportunity to share music with so many people I love. Happy Birthday Bradley!

Tracklist in the comments.

Justin Shaffer - [06] - Celebration of Bradley, NYC May 2023

This was a very special night playing records at RŪMU in Portugal. 

A note about vinyl, a medium many of us love. Playing vinyl for me is more pleasurable, even if it’s less convenient. It’s also more vulnerable, and one thing I like about this set is it’s illustrative of the path travelled this year. This is an unedited recording, straight from the booth at RŪMU. I haven’t shared a set in over a year, largely as my perspective and taste have been shifting faster than my desire to share beyond the dancers in the room when the music is being played.

The set feels like it has three chapters of roughly one hour each. First, a Detroit/Berlin axis exploration with the dance floor. Second, a deeper, hypnotic, broadening of the musical spectrum of the set significantly as I felt more comfortable with the energy in the room. Third, an energetic and more progressive recapitulation of the collective experience. Part of what made the night so special was the feeling of trust and support from the dance floor in going further musically than I might have otherwise.

This year I moved to Berlin to study, to learn, and to go deeper with music. This is my own exploration of music’s connection to my life story and purpose, but it was without a doubt inspired by so many who have moved there long before me. I don’t know where this journey will take me, and I am doing my best to just be present with it in the process and contribute my energy as best I can.

Please enjoy!

Justin Shaffer - [07] - RUMU Lisbon Dec 2024

@shafferj ambient & deep house and melodies interpretations of a Lost Rhythm are a captivating blend of intricate grooves, rich basslines, and smooth, soulful melodies. His podcasts typically highlight his expertise in curating an immersive atmosphere using vinyl records, creating a unique listening experience that combines the warmth of analog with the precision of his mixing style.


Lost Rhythms Podcast




https://www.discogs.com/release/2925862-Various-Enjoy-The-Silence-Vol-2 B2 00:00:00
https://www.discogs.com/release/14898716-Yagya-Old-Dreams-And-Memories D2 00:5:45
https://www.discogs.com/release/15404969-Luciano-Luci-Neu-House B 00:08:20
https://www.discogs.com/release/3363658-Prâslesh-Out-Of-Time-EP A 00:16:30
https://www.discogs.com/release/1453850-Sis-Trompeta-Clarinete B 00:25:45
https://www.discogs.com/release/15160195-Triptease-Mescaleros D2 00:31:35
https://www.discogs.com/release/1313797-Rhadoo-Dor-Mit-Oru A 00:38:40
https://www.discogs.com/release/27659724-Swayzak-Snowboarding-In-Argentina-25th-Anniversary-Edition B2 00:44:40
https://www.discogs.com/release/4135412-Various-Von-5-Bis-12-Uhr-LP B2 00:53:00
https://www.discogs.com/release/12561390-Omar-S-One-Of-A-Kind B1 00:57:12
https://www.discogs.com/release/3839847-Iar-Organisch-EP B1 01:04:40
https://www.discogs.com/release/31843208-Various-Various-Artists-01 B1 01:07:33
https://www.discogs.com/release/1897838-DJ-WLD-La-Cigogne B1 01:13:22
https://www.discogs.com/release/194548-Villalobos-Alcachofa-Tools B2 01:18:20
https://www.discogs.com/release/2519446-Various-Superlongevityfive A2 01:24:50

Lost Rhythms Podcast | 013: JUSTIN SHAFFER

The last stop of my winter tour in New York for Golden Record. This was an evening playing before Morgan and Daniel Bell. Lovely times with old and new friends and the deepest afters all weekend. Grateful for this beautiful landing after so much movement the past 2 months. Particularly thankful for time spent at Solana's with her and the Varia!

Reflecting on time on the road... I left Berlin Dec 19th and returned Feb 27th. So much learning, so many beautiful moments and musical dialogue, and lots of dancing. Huge thanks to those who invited me to play!

This is a nice contrast to the last set I posted from the beginning of the tour: https://soundcloud.com/shafferj/justin-shaffer-07-rumu-lisbon-vinyl-session

Hope you enjoy walking a bit of the path with me.

Justin Shaffer - [08] - NYC Golden Record @ Apollo Studio Feb 2025

Justin Shaffer is a vinyl DJ. Born and raised in New York City, he’s a lifelong musician, event producer, and a discerning selector. Since 2010 he’s been gathering people and building community in San Francisco. As of 2024, he now resides in Berlin.

Justin is an enthusiastic and passionate storyteller with a critical, musical ear. He plays music from a broad variety of genres, including house, minimal, dub techno, techno, and more progressive sounds.

Justin’s musical journey started classically. After 12 years of the cello, he also explored  jazz via the tenor sax. Concurrently, he found electronic music via the bittersweet tail of the pre-Giuliani NYC house music scene, a period from which he continues to draw inspiration.

In the 2000s, he shifted his energy and focus from classical and jazz performance to studio work and audio engineering. This path eventually led him to a deep commitment to the acoustic experience, a move to the west coast, a reinvigorated interest in electronic music, and then the last decade spent focused on audio engineering, musical curation, and producing experiences, predominantly with the Robot Heart crew.

His sets have moved dance floors in Australia, California, Costa Rica, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nevada, New York, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Texas, UK, and more.

Inquiries: booking@shafferj.com

Justin Shaffer

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