Truants Crew

Re-up of the mix I did for Jamal a couple years back. I looooved putting this one together and was stoked to be asked to do their 50th mix at the time! It's a proper party mix with warmup to close vibes so here's to new ears. 

Again, for any IDs, give me a follow, ask and you shall receive :)

Boccara

Boccara Mix 50 - Villella

I recorded this mix during my last week living in Barcelona featuring Gamma Intel, Soso Tharpa, Simo Cell, Mike Huckaby, Beta Librae and more. Enjoy! 🧚🏾

Vichy Catalan Mix

Truants founder Soraya Brouwer evokes peak-time dancefloors and cavernous spaces with this unrelenting set of techno, electro and kinetic party fuel.

"The tracklist includes lots of my favourites – many of them, including Beta Librae, soso tharpa and Stenny, have done mixes for Truants in the past. I also added tracks from producers I’ve been obsessing over more recently, too, like Kosh and Gamma Intel."

Check out the tracklist on crackaud.io: crackm.ag/3jv4YnF
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Crack Mix 442: Soraya

Hadn't recorded a new mix for the personal SC series in 9 months so here's a new one  mark the 10th edition. As always, ask for an ID and you shall receive. 

Bookings: riccardo@truantsblog.com

Artwork - Chris Perani - Butterfly Wings Series

The Truth of Fact, the Truth of Feeling (010)

riffing on drifters, grifters + everyone numbed out from feeling like a freak

tracklist: https://tinyurl.com/2p8eeyw7

dl: https://tinyurl.com/2p87ckcn

TAYSTII - Clangistan Vol. XIII

faves old and new, set alongside night-time moods

tracklist: https://tinyurl.com/55ky99x5

dl: https://tinyurl.com/yckj4ux9

TAYSTII - Clangistan Vol. XIV: Nocturne

Perhaps best known for his association with beloved dance music blog Truants, @riccardovillella is also one of our favorite DJs—with a streak of mixes that always feel like instant classics—and a staple of the broader dance music scene in his own right. Villella's penchant for community began on early dance music forums and extends into today's social media networks and elevating others through mixes and in-depth interviews on @truants. His mix for us, inspired by timeless mix CDs like those of Fabric and a 'spiritual successor' to his mix for our friends at @sure_thing, is also a vivid memory of teenage bike rides along the beach in 2006.

Read the interview and see a tracklist:
spontaneous.zone/051-villella

"For the last 11 years I’d been living in London and for a long time, I had no desire really to leave. People say you can call somewhere 'home' after living there for a duration of seven years, so I was well past and on my way. The last three years though, I had really burnt out quite hard creatively, and was kind of just trudging along. It took me a while to realize that I’d maybe needed a break away from London and the constant living for the weekend parties. Work had gone remote, so the option of moving back home to Brighton on the seafront for a temporary reset and to save some money seemed like the logical next step.

I was quite excited about moving back, as one of my friends Bobby had moved back home from London a year prior to also work remote, my friend Sean was still down there and had been making some really cool art recently so we’d been reconnecting, and my friend Sam who moved to Australia 10 years ago was going to be back for a short trip in Brighton this year for a couple weeks. This felt kind of important to me as, as we’d all be in the same city for the first time in a very long time, and these were people that made up my favourite summer ever - the year 10 one in 2006.

... We spent most of that summer going on these really long bike rides from Shoreham-by-Sea, past the cement factory before reaching Brighton beach, and just cycle as far as we could until the sun went down. Me and Bobby would pack our little MP3 players (think I had a Creative Zen Touch then) the night before with as much ‘feels’ music as we’d like to call it, anything that would make our cycles feel like an extended Michael Mann movie, or "LA Action" we’d say. There was just something quite life-affirming as a 16 year old, headphones in, cycling back as the sun sets after exploring some beach cave and you’ve got either of Fila Brazillia - "Subtle Body", Groove Armada - "Paris", or DJ Shadow - "Blood On The Motorway" playing in the background. It was all very Stand By Me in the most musically liberating way possible. I’ve caught myself thinking of those times a lot lately.

I’ve tried to channel a lot of those feelings quite subtly into my studio mixes over the years—hopeless nostalgia, bittersweetness, a sad euphoria—more so on ones where I’m trying to achieve something other than a club-mix. The Sure Thing mix comes to mind especially, but that was also very influenced by the techno aspect of the series and certain life events. Whilst this feels very much like a spiritual successor to that mix, I didn’t want to be so subtle with this one. It’s a straight ode to a single perfect 24 hours that summer, and all the tunes that I was listening to back then, plus some that capture that perfect world-at-your-feet, carefree, teen vibe for me. It covers many moods and feelings of a hot day down at the beach and the transition as the sun sets and you’re getting ready to dance the night away.

I’ve wanted to record something like this for a long time, something that kind of felt like a timeless mix CD, and think you gave me the best opportunity and timing in wanting to put it together, especially as I’ve been doing that same cycle route every other weekend whilst down here."

@riccardovillella / @truants

Spontaneous Affinity

Interview + Tracklist

Spontaneous Affinity #051: Villella

"When I started putting together the tracklist for this mix, I think I knew I wanted to create a mix that could showcase what I could do when given a more peak-time slot and a club ready with dancers wanting to get loose. It’s filled with some of my favourite club tracks whilst going through the motions in terms of genre, style, energy. Lots of rolling techno, euphoric breakdowns and tracks I’ve not generally had the chance to play out in a club scenario yet. It’s a long one at 2 hours, but I hope people enjoy it enough to stay till the end. It finishes on one of my favourite tracks Tys - Astral that sums up my style of DJing to an extent - feel good nostalgia." 

@riccardovillella
@truants

Mantissa Mix 273: Villella

Streaming from Amsterdam's Radio Radio: this is RRFM.NL w/ @soraya

RRFM • The PARDON Show w/ Soraya • 01-12-2022

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Caldera ft Villella - 18.07.2023

In a world in which there is so much music it can be difficult to know whose perspective and opinion to trust. Often those with the most public profile and reputation receive the most recognition. However, behind the scenes there is a whole array of folk who picked them and so on and so forth…

Villella has been involved in the underground music sphere for many years – as a leading curator behind Truants and as a DJ in his own right. Having been exposed to a broad array of sounds and styles across well over ten years in Dance music it is interesting to see what has stuck not only in the mind but in the record collection of a DJ who has seen a hell of a lot come and go.


 
This mix has been a little while coming – something Villella apologised for upon delivery. However, all things considered, we were glad for his respective patience as the result is well worth the wait.

This mixtape features two hours of music spanning an eclectic array of sounds. It’s a real mix from start to end – a journey through sound done proper which really feels considered and put together in a way which few DJ’s tend to these days.

Villella: The 'Shine A Light On' Mix

In a world where attention spans are constantly under siege by a myriad of distractions, the search for a reliable source of quality music can often feel like navigating a vast, unpredictable sea. In this era of inconsistency, there are shining beacons of reliability. One such beacon, which has consistently graced our monthly selections of favorite mixes, is the music platform Truants.
Truants has been a steadfast provider of top-tier music, a sanctuary where music enthusiasts can find solace in the promise of quality content. Among the architects of this musical haven is the talented and eclectic Riccardo Villella, a London-based designer and DJ renowned for his exceptional taste and mixing skills.
Today, we are thrilled to present to you this special mix, meticulously crafted by none other than Riccardo Villella himself. We vividly recall the moment we first encountered this mix – a serendipitous drive through the picturesque Spanish landscapes, rewinding our way from the Paral.lel festival to Barcelona. It was the perfect soundtrack to soothe our souls after an unforgettable weekend amidst the mountains. Mixes of this caliber have a unique power, a lasting resonance that ensures they become cherished companions, revisited time and time again.

Before we dive into this fabulous journey that Riccardo has curated for us, this is what Riccardo said in his own words about the process behind this remarkable mix: "It took me a little while to think of a direction to go in this. I've always loved the style and atmosphere to a lot of the mixes and tracks that get posted on Delayed but knew I didn't really want to record a techno or house mix. So I ended up putting lots of tracks on a half-time tip that evoked strong emotions of nostalgia and a hopeful sadness. I got to an hour of tracks and felt like I had perfect passage into more clubby double time stuff to round off the later stages of the mix. So there's a big switch half way through but hope it's seamless in essence. Some amazing tracks in there from some artists that are really doing it for me at the moment such as Morgan Wright, Cousin, Vardae, Downstairs J, Sobolik and Tom VR."


https://soundcloud.com/riccardovillella
https://www.instagram.com/villella303/
https://www.facebook.com/riccardovillella1991


www.itsdelayed.com
www.instagram.com/_____delayed/
www.facebook.com/itsdelayed

Delayed with... Villella

DC DJ, artist, and Truants writing contributor Taylor Trostle debuts at Studio 96 with a two-hour set featuring her latest discoveries and favorite gems, running the gamut from moody UK dub to uptempo warehouse techno!

Broadcast live Friday, November 10th, 2023, on WERA 96.7FM Radio Arlington.

Follow Taylor Trostle:
@ttrostle
www.instagram.com/tltrostle
www.truantsblog.com/author/taylor

**Track list unavailable but feel free to inquire about IDs in the comments below!**


www.wera.fm

Nocturnal Wax Presents: Studio 96 on WERA 96.7FM

Support the groove!

Nocturnal Wax Presents: Studio 96 #271 feat. Taylor Trostle (November 10, 2023)

ＥＸＡＭＩＮＩＮＧ ＴＨＥ ＧＯＤ ＨＥＡＤ
ᴀ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʀᴀɴꜱᴍɪꜱꜱɪᴏɴꜱ ᴀᴛᴛᴇᴍᴘᴛɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴅɪꜱꜱᴇᴄᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴇᴄɪᴘʜᴇʀ ᴄᴇʟᴇꜱᴛɪᴀʟ ᴄᴏᴅᴇꜱ ᴛᴏ ꜰᴜʀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀꜱᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴏᴜʀ ᴀɴᴄᴇꜱᴛʀʏ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ…

For our first examination of oo24 we are overly blessed with a transmission from a true rhythmic archaeologist and relic purveyor... 

Godfather of the lauded @truants series, 𝗩𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗮 has an unearthly knowledge of all strands of the rave pool, demonstrated here with this masterful and euphoric journey through house, breaks, prog, trance, grime, everything your soul desires. 

Villella creates the types of mixes that you will consistently return to over and over, he has the true gift of being able to choose a world and a feeling and realise it entirely. We offer our infinite thanks to him for this effervescent mix to start our urth rotation and to our cherished orbsmith Darius Zoltan for visualising this sonic world.

Elevate, resonate & perforate into paradise…

Examination by @riccardovillella
World Build by @dariuszoltan

- t r a ck l i s t -
 coming soon.....

examine ｡°

EXAMINING THE GOD HEAD ｡ Villella °

Rinse FM Podcast

GODDEZZ: PORTARA0000 B2B VILLELLA - 23 February 2024

Burn After: Taylor Trostle | 3.21.24

Yeeeehheeeew!!

TOMBOLOMIXX has the enormous pleasure to welcome  @RiccardoVillella, boss of the classic and admired @truants series. Vilella has an incredible knowledge of all strands of the rave pool, shown here with this masterful and euphoric journey through house, prog, breaks, trance,everything your soul desires.

Villella creates the types of mixes that you will consistently return to over and over, he has the true gift of being able to choose a world and a feeling and realise it entirely.

TOMBOLOMIXX 123 - Villella

@riccardovillella

In a world overflowing with music, finding reliable curators can be a challenge. Villella has been a key figure in the underground scene for years, both as a DJ and as a curator for Truants, where he has been running the iconic Truancy Volume and the recently established Truancy Sessions series for nearly 14 years. With over a decade of experience navigating the ever-evolving landscape of dance music, Villella has developed a distinct DJ style rooted in rave nostalgia and euphoric serenity.

His DJ sets reflect his eclectic taste, shaped by years of exposure to a wide range of sounds and genres. Villella has crafted mixes for esteemed platforms, labels, and parties such as The Ransom Note, Spontaneous Affinity, Goddezz, Delayed, and Tombolo, showcasing his ability to effortlessly blend genres—from house, breaks, and prog to trance, grime, jungle, garage, and beyond. A proper tastemaker with an ear for the past, present, and future.

𝙇𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙄𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 - zizi K invites Villella / Internet Public Radio

"It’s a long way the sea-winds blow
Over the sea-plains blue,—
But longer far has my heart to go
Before its dreams come true."

Incredible selection by @riccardovillella of @truants

✢

MFIS LXII ✢ Villella

"Summer of Solstice 3055: 

I’d just returned from a long stint working the orbital docks, preparing to settle back into the life cycle routine that was Valkor Zenith. The last thing I expected was to reconnect with three old friends from my days at the Echo House orphanage. Sora had slipped back from exile on Neoterra Prime. Rion had fled the undercity of Crysalis after a grav-bike race gone bad. And Omrin, who I hadn’t seen or heard of in more than a decade, had shown up out of nowhere as if no time had passed with a stolen data map and a proposition: we’d go find the Dream Beacon.

We’d grown up with the story. A myth, really. Some ancient alien relic buried deep in the sand sea, spoken of in hushed tones in level D bars and back-alley data centres. The promise was simple, if you could reactivate its signal with your own transmission, you’d be granted your most longed-for dreams and unimaginable wealth. No one had ever found it.

I’m still not entirely sure what made us set off and follow Omrin so blindly that summer. Maybe it was grief, maybe hope. Or just that need to move, to do anything but sit still. Each of us were adrift in our own orbit of longing and loss, and somehow, we collided again, drawn together like shards of a broken constellation.

We had left the neon haze of Valkor Zenith behind at sunset, riding the wide stretches of plasma rail to the outer edges as the city lights faded behind us. Nights were lit by twin moons and we passed the time listening to old mixes we’d recorded in our youth, our playlists humming through our comms as we hurtled across other-worldly landscapes at 200mph. In the two months that followed, we would laugh in the ruins of the Oblivion Cradle, party with rogue miners in bioluminescent fungi caverns, feel the cold rush of air as our bikes skimmed the ridges of the Halcyon Scar, be chased by Karn bike gangs through synth-storms, and save a lone settler named Joyce trapped in a dust pocket whilst traversing the Ash Spires. 

As we hurtled towards the promise of the Dream Beacon, I often wondered, was the beacon even real? And if it was, what would I even upload as my transmission? Maybe one of those old mixes we used to make. I’m sure all these questions flickered across all our minds, unspoken. But that summer, deep down, none of it really mattered. I would’ve followed those three anywhere..."

@riccardovillella
@truants
IG: @villella303
truantsblog.com

Distant Signals 077: Villella

TRUANTS: http://truantsblog.com
PATREON: http://patreon.com/truants

Music imprint curated by a group of globally dispersed friends, contributing vibes to the internet since 2010.

Crew: 

@soraya
@riccardovillella
@taystii
@ttrostle
@mellolololo