OUEMS Mix Series

squidj deejays!

We are back on Soundcloud after 4 long years! 

We begin our new series with an amazing celestial journey provided by none other than top selector and Oxford scene veteran, sea elegans. 

Intricate, expressive, tense; just a few words to capture the atmosphere of this gorgeous mix; it weaves seamlessly in and out of genres from electronica to techno and everything in between, blurring the sounds in trademark sea elegans fashion.

Wherever you are, grab a coffee or tea, close your eyes and enter the carefully curated soundscape in this mix.

We will be uploading mixes weekly, stay tuned.

TRACKLIST:
1. Monolake - Atmo [Imbalance Computer Music]
2. Struction - Strukture [Ilian Tape]
3. Jon Hassell - Picnic [Ndeya]
4. Speedy J - Symmetry [Warp Records]
5. Marco Zenker - The Tibet Terrier [Ilian Tape]
6. Donato Dozzy & Mike Parker - Meltemi [Spazio Disponibile]
7. Untold - Yukon [Hemlock Recordings]
8. DJ Who - Give a Little More (Mike Parker Remix) [Ellum Audio]
9. James Shinra - Gyorgy [Craigie Knowes]
10. Neil Landstrumm - Swing/Jerk [Peacefrog]
11. Planetary Assault Systems - Screen (2018 Re-edit) [Mote Evolver]
12. Basic Channel - Phylyps Track [Basic Channel]
13. Sterac & Scor P - Energetix [Token/N.E.W.S.]
14. Skee Mask - Larus Canus [Ilian Tape] 
15. Shed - System Azac [Final Experiment]

EMS Mix #001 - sea elegans

This week we welcome London-based selector, Mademoisel. Mademoisel takes us on a cosmic journey at warp speed through all things trance and techno. 

This mix is nothing short of an hour of power. We start with some fresh European neo-trance cuts and slowly delve into a wormhole of explosive techno bangers, before finishing with a sprinkle of top tier Euro-dance. 

Heavily inspired by the emerging neo-trance sounds from Berlin to the industrial techno might of the Paris scene, this mix is sure to keep you stepping all through the hour. Mademoisel has mastered the driving sound in the short time she has been mixing and I think it's safe to say, she's smashed it!

Be sure to follow her journey as a DJ and check out her upcoming radio shows by following her Instagram!

TRACKLIST:
T_st - Slowly [Loopdeville]
PHONY ORPHANTS - detector dude [Iboga Records]
Ezy - Die Anyway [Fast Forward Productions]
Yan Cook - Whistleblower [Cooked]
Bad Boombox - Medulla [Record Union]
131bpm - Dark and Shit [Crazed Behaviour]
Walfroy - Research (Skynet Mix) [Play Labs]
Narciss - Physical [RAW] 
Alpha Tracks - Starbeams [UTE.REC]
Lenny Funk, Zorra - Mein Kopf ist leer (Original Mix) [recordJet]
Moody Gliani - Jolt & Mooga [Bardouin Music]
The Jaffa Kid - Acid Raver 9 [Utter]
Mark Terre - Gravity Zero [Katana]
Хочу Тебя - TK-33 [angels gun club]
THELMA - Boujee Bitch [Filth Inc.]

EMS Mix #002 - Mademoisel

We're back for another mix in our weekly series, this time welcoming another London-based DJ/Producer, Bob Z. Continuing the theme of our last mix, Bob Z takes us on an angelic trance pilgrimage for the first half of the mix before plunging us into a gabber hellscape for the last half.  

In the beginning there was trance - lots of trance. The mix starts with an impressive blend of the newer Scandinavian sounds coming from Norway and Southern Sweden to obscure mid-90's cult-classics from the golden era of trance - a delightful listen to the ears. 

But at some point, there was a tear in the universe and the demonic spirit was let free to rampage. That demonic spirit lives at ~180 BPM, with wide distorted 909 kicks and hefty claps. Bob Z let that demon free in the second half of this mix, for what I can only describe as "gourmet" gabber. Strong influences from the 90's Dutch gabber and hardcore scene gives this mix unparalleled, exo-scale energy. A rare hat tip to a truly underground sound.

We finish with a tribute to one of the best Euro Dance songs from '95 to return you back to this realm

Bob Z can be found on SoundCloud where he also uploads live hardware jams. I would 100% recommend checking out some of his existing work and future production if you are a fan of 303s! 

This mix really is Gabriel vs Lucifer, a tale of Good vs Evil...

TRACKLIST:
X-Coast - Mu Tai [UNDERTHESEA]
Omformer - Interstellar Injection [translucid]
Omformer - March of The Goblins [Ute.Rec & Amniote]
Tadan - Sistrum Hathorium [Mana Abundance]
Alpha Tracks - Rainbow Worms [Ute.Rec]
Omformer - Orbital [Sinesis]
Artemis - Eccos Journey [Atoom Records]
Peska - Acid Is Here [Acid Laboratory]
Matriark - Virvle [self-release]
2 Push - Universal Nation (1luu Edit) [GAUL]
HLLW - Where Were You When All Withdrew [HLLW]
Omniself - Atonement [BODYCOUNT]
Omniself - Dreamkeeper [Megatech Industries]
L'Ektoplasm - Brain Faillure [self-release]
Hyperforce - Tool Rotation [Morph]
Blümchen - Intro (Herz an Herz) [Control]
Menace & USD - FILE 001 [Area 51 Recordings]
Rave Nation - Going Crazy (Forze DJ Team Mix) [Forze Records]
Menace & USD - Trip X5 [Area 51 Recordings]
Bass X & Genaside - Metal Core [Twisted Vinyl]
Blümchen - Herz an Herz [Control]

EMS Mix #003 - Bob Z

We return this week, welcoming Oxford's very own Talayi as our fourth guest. If you have been in Oxford over the past few years then you have almost certainly come across Talayi behind the decks at various raves, ranging from The Bullingdon to some more intimate, green locations shall we say. One thing is for certain; deep tech house and progressive trance is sure to be blaring out

This mix kicks off with a mesmerising glitch/trance sound to begin the journey before smoothly transitioning to some 90's inspired groovy, swinging house bangers. The next stop brings us to neo-trance, with a tech house twist to keep things pumping with energy, mixed in with some rumbling 303's and dreamy synths.

We begin to up the tempo from here on, increasing the energy but keeping the positive atmosphere. A few breakbeats are thrown in for good measure to keep you on your toes later on in the mix keeping you guessing where the beat will go next! We finish this mix with how we started it; high emotions. Pads, synths and drums - a simple recipe that's hard to master. 

Talayi has moved on to pasture's new and continues on his journey of music in Europe after finishing his PhD! I'm sure you'll be back with even more spiritual sounds!

Check out his Soundcloud for more mixes!

TRACKLIST:
Koreless - White Picket Fence [young]
Capricorn - Love In London (Piano Mix)[4th & Broadway]
Jasper Tygner, LUXE - Blush (LUXE remix) [Silver Bear]
Babylon x - Milliard Prisma Cliché [Tofistock]
Furious Frank - Trip 2 fantasy [Kalahari Oyster Cult]
Justin Jay - My First Trance [1Ø PILLS MATE]
Theo Everyday - Everybody's Talking (Well Let's Talk) [Cheeky Music Group]
TAFKAMP - Take Me Away (Taffie's Final Cut) [self reflektion]
LUXE & Tom Place - Moonquake [Dansu Discs]
not even noticed - Declination [Eudemonia]
Kiara Scuro & Timothy Clerkin - Lola's acid [GODDEZZ]
Desire - An Ode to Our Night [Matière]
Bailey Ibbs - Clocked It Got Long [Night Service]
Cream - Keep Your Eyes Open [Everyone On Acid]
Von Riu - France Progressive [JERRY HORNY]
Trancial-X-Tion - Dead Bodies (Remix) [Bonzai Jumps]
Escape Artist, Adam Pit - Energy Breakthrough (Adam Pits Lightspeed mix) [Phonica]

EMS Mix #004 - Talayi

We're back again with a fresh of the press mix from Oxford selector, Kate. A regular amongst the OUEMS crew, Kate has been delivering seriously bouncy house sets at the open decks and we just had to ask Kate to send in a mix! Her distinct sound infuses all things house, from the deeper Chicago sound to the introspective minimal cuts, and not to mention a few French house cuts sprinkled in for good measure!

On that last point, Kate has recently returned to the UK after living in France and that influence is clear as day in this mix. We begin proceedings in a tranquil manner with some downtempo house populated with some airy synths ebbing and flowing in time with the shuffly hi-hats. Not long after this we take a detour to the continent with some bouncy, 90s infused French house. Grand piano chords sweeping in and out perfectly in tune with that distinctive driving vocal sound from a bygone era.

For this next stage of the mix, Kate takes us globetrotting to Chicago, Bucharest, Manchester and more. Kate weaves us through all the giants of the golden age of house, reminiscent of a certain Laurent Garnier set from the Hacienda days.

As we progress deeper into the mix we get treated to the current sound of the past 12 months. A few neo-trance/prog records give us a chance to get lost in the synth heavy melodies. A vision of where house is going? It certainly seems that way. We finish on some vintage pumping, feel-good deep house to keep your hips swaying and feet stepping, before being treated to an absolute show stopper finale of a classic!

This mix is all things retro and neo. A classy mix all around, this one will be sure to age like a fine red wine!

TRACKLIST:
Mother Tongue - Message is Love [Rush Hour Music]
Alex Kassian - Spirit of Eden [Pinchy & Friends]
Seydinah - A la folie (Club Mix) [Sound of Music Records]
Aaliyah - One in a Million (Giegling remix)
Traumer - Quanta [Gettraum]
Fibre Foundation - Don't You Ever Stop (Club) [Big Big Trax]
Moloko - Sing It Back (Mousse T's Feel Love Mix) [Echo]
Kim Ann Foxman - Magic Magic [Firehouse]
ronan - Geodesis [On Loop]
Escape Artist - Wanna Dance? [X-Kalay]
Youandewan - Cauliflower Wing [Small Hours]
Ko Yang - Pony (Alex Kassian remix) [Bliss Point]
LT - Grain (No Moon remix) [X-Kalay]
Bliss Inc - Hacking the Planet [Radiant Love]
Bell Towers - Maybe We Can Work it Out (Eden Burns 48hrs remix) [Public Possession/Cascine]
Chrissy - Can't You Feel It [Dansu Discs]
Fibre Foundation - Free Your Mind (UK mix) [Big Big Trax]
Donald's House - Bassian Plain (Alex Kassian remix) [Touch From A Distance]
Unknown - Hot Like Jam [Parallax Unknown]

EMS Mix #005 - Kate

My second set!!! A little janky but so so so bleepy n bloopy! 

OPSxOUEMS opener

SETSETSET!!! For raving lost woodlanders and societal knitters alike!!! 

MAYDAY2025

for those who celebrate in fullmoonlit forests, humming 'happy birthday' to the beat ...

(a few mixing bugs, my fault, so apologies for that!! but i hope it gives the groove regardless!)

BIRTHDAY MASSIVE BIG UP!!

she oro on my boros till i oro on my boros till i oro on my boros till i

OUEMS Mix #018 presents close collaborator, DJ and journalist squidj, who has not only rocked our dancefloors in recent weeks but our inboxes too, writing numerous excellent investigative articles for the new OUEMS newsletter (available on her Substack @scarlettsnotes).

Recorded during the same musical rut that inspired her article on the phenomenon of DJ burnout, squidj has stitched together a sequence of invigorating earworms to help her clamber out of the burnout hole.

Starting groovy and deep with 6 minutes of a Gabriel Belabbas deep house track, squidj’s long-form DJing feels more akin to a selection style than the frenetic transitions typical of the digital DJ era. Stepping with confidence over Eris Drew’s uplifting swing and Kaval’s funky percussion, these longer mixes afford even more impact to each drop, bringing out the subtleties of the production and enveloping the listener.

squidj smoothly slides into a euphoric bounce of trancey and progressive styles towards the second half of the mix, with expansive arpeggiated synths and syncopated bass plucks, before ending the set with the addictive loops of Lew E and Avalon Emerson to travel deeper into the wormhole than ever before.

As evident from the slighter tracklist than that of previous mixes, squidj is experimenting with a slower form of DJing to appreciate tracks in their near-entirety, drawing out each mix and allowing the alchemical combinations to bubble away.

Tracklist:
Gabriel Belabbas - Rider On The Storm
Eris Drew - Transcendental Access Point
Inland Knights - Bounce
Kaval - Iguazú
C.K - Decisiveness
Joe Goddard - Rapid Fire (feat. Laima)
Sweely - Recentre Yourself
Spray - Double Stunt
Cameo Blush - Just Concentrate
Utah Saints, Drumsound, Bassline Smith - What Can You Do For Me (7th Heaven Remix)
The Trip  - My Paradise
Fruit - Bull of Heavens
Avalon Emerson, Tornado Wallace - A Dam Will Always Divide (Lew E Asks The Dust Remix)

OUEMS Mix #018 - squidj

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OUEMS Mix #018 - squidj

Oxford University Electronic Music Society