FTA MUSIC: The Librarian presents Cheap Vinyl Challenge 2021

 The Librarian's set from the international DJ competition called Cheap Vinyl Challenge.

In the spirit of Top Gear, we were tasked with creating a set of 15 records for under $40.90 / £30.

Thus I set out to create the very cheapest Jazzy Jungle vibes, all vinyl from the annex archive.

... did I win? No, but a very nice set was created. 2nd place ain't bad.

Big ups to Catch 22 for bringing home the gold.

Also a huge shout out to all the other players. DJ B-Sides, BeersAndBeatsPDX, Ghaleon everyone brought their A-game to the party.

Of course, I would be doing their whole event a disservice by not toasting the host Man Like Deeps. Respect

Big ups to the chatroom massive, mad love to the DC DnB community, and Respect to Junglist World Wide.

If you want The Librarian's Playlist:

01) On A Journey - I-Cue
02) Me Myself + I - JB & DJ Spice Featuring Dark Angel
03) Insomnia - Vital Elements
04) High Contrast - Music Is Everything (Danny Byrd Remix)
05) Philly Styler - Heist
06) Sound Advice (E-Z Rollers Remix) - Roni Size
07) Space Pigz - SKC
08) The Way It Feels - D-Region
09) The Streets - Juju
10) Places N' Spaces - Peshay
11) My D.J. - Filibuster
12) e.Spresso - Nu/Tone
13) Switchblade - Use Of Weapons
14) Get On Down (DJ Die Remix) - Lemon D
15) Ain't Nobody - 60 Minute Man + DJ Touch

or here:

https://www.discogs.com/lists/Cheap-Set-Challenge/864886

Thank you & Keep Smiling,

The Librarian

Track Review: Mutt - Changes / Just My Luck

 
Mutt: Changes

Review Summary:
Jazzy Blues male vocals mixed with sensual melodic female vocals. Finely orchestrated string section with snippets of a dubby horn. Drums are heavy on the 2, similar to a jump up drum pattern with dashes of bongos in the background. Overall a great track for someone looking to fill out their Liquid / Intelligent: Jungle / Drum & Bass crate.

The Full Review:
Often the first 8/16/24 bars of a track are rarely heard alone. They are generally mixed in with whatever track was playing before it. I enjoy listening to how a producer uses this space, they either treat it as a great space to introduce you to a mood or just lump all the sounds in and not put to much though into this area.

Mutt takes the first 24 bars of  his track to craft a sound scape of enveloping instruments, voices and sound FX, creating a scene of haunting melodics mixed with a chorus of uplifting vocals. The first 8 bars introduce you to the main core of the musical instruments used, while an almost inaudible conversation is taking place behind a veil of ever expanding audio frequencies. The next 8 bars introduce you to the players in this musical sparing match with female and male vocals. These 8 bars would be especially haunting when mixed into another track just as the strings start seeping up and through the EQ's. The next bars raise you up just before dropping you off in a moment of isolation with just the strings and accompanying vocals.

The next 24 bars do as one would expect, they hold the line. The subtle changes in orchestration is a much needed focused repetition for dancers to find their groove.

The following 8 bars is where the break drops, opening with a processed dubby horn and envelops you with swirling strings and that soulful female vocal.

Then no build up, no gentle wooing you back into the track - WHAM, SMACK, BOOM - your tossed right back into the heart of the track. Just like the title and hook would imply - "changes". Here we spend the next 16 bars with a bongo backbeat rhythm, and more dubby horn snippets. Then suddenly it "changes", reintroducing the strings and female vocal.

The last 16 bars are comprised of your standard down shifting of sounds and FXs. The cherry on top is actually its last 8 bars, a beautiful minimalist bongo drums, wooden rhythm stick and bass.

Conclusion:
If your looking for a vocal driven Liquid / Intelligent track. Then, Ding Ding Ding we have a winner. Its not going to be an immediate classic but its strings have a staying power that will loop in your noodle for a few days afterwords. It also has the ability to conger a sense of love and empathy in its strings and vocal sparing. I would say its worth a listen and if not a purchase for any Drum & Bass DJ.

Time: 5:14
Key: 6A / G Minor
Tempo: 86BPM
Energy: 6
Mastered: Ill Omen
Released: 08.18.2014
Catalog Number: FDR00033



BUY IT:
Beatport | Juno.co.uk | Satellite Records

==

Mutt: Just My Luck

Review Summary:
This Liquid / Intelligent jungle track contains a somber male vocal, that is riddled with swirling piano riffs, mellow baselines and standard Jungle / Drum & Bass drum patterns. His ability to seep emotions within the frequencies of his productions continues to impress me. I would say its worth a listen and I've personally added it to my record crate.

The Full Summary:
The first 16 bars are drums and a EQ seeping piano riffs that swaggers into the room like a long last lover. This hypnotic state is shattered by a ringing set of chimes, leaving the piano riff alone and naked.

The following 48 bars is where the magic happens. Drums, Bass, Piano and this voice. This male voice is middle aged, weathered and half speaking, half singing to his lover. The words are those of survival, and gentle plea for love and support as he deals with his own inner demons.  Those demons are echoed in the stealthful use of whirling piano loops and echoing staccato FXs. This section ends in a break down, leaving you with a mans pleading and that haunting piano riff.

The next 48 bars hold the line, giving us the full range of the drums, bass, piano and vocals. Then slowly pulling back into the darkness.

Conclusion:
This track has a haunting charismatic staying power, especially that piano riff. It is a somber male vocal, that is riddled with swirling piano riffs, mellow baselines and standard Jungle / Drum & Bass drums. This is another solid Liquid / Intelligent track from Mutt, that I've already added to my record crate.


Time: 4:55
Key: 3A - 7A / B-Flat Minor - D Minor
Tempo: 86BPM
Energy: 6
Mastered: Ill Omen
Released: 08.18.2014
Catalog Number: FDR00033

BUY IT:
Beatport | Juno.co.uk | Satellite Records

==

Notes from the Librarian:
When I got these tracks in my inbox, I was not expecting the sound I received. Faction Digital Recordings are known for a certain sound. This can be summed up with two keywords: HARD and HEAVY.  Currently not my cup of tea but as one who used to be a fan of the dark and heavy sounds of the 2000's I can appreciate them. But this is not your standard FDR fair, this is something bright, smart, insightful and haunting. Hat tip to both Mutt and Faction Digital Recordings.

All BMP and harmonic key information came from Mixed In Key

FTA Spotlight: Joanna O: V001

From the Annex [FTA] is embark on a new adventure in showcasing the DMV's finest. To start this adventure off, we traveled down to Richmond Virginia.

JOANNA O.
Turnstyle / Richmond, VA

Joanna O: FTA Spotlight: V001 by Fromtheannex on Mixcloud

Joanna has been playing vinyl records for underground dance music enthusiasts since 1998.
Her vinyl boutique - Turnstyle has been serving up the fresh underground musical selections in downtown Richmond since 2003. You can hear her live every Saturday night on her FM radio show "Frequency" on 97.3FM at 7pm (since 2005), and monthly in front of Turnstyle for the First Fridays Artwalk.
Joanna has held down many dj residencies, and produced quite a few great weeklies, monthlies, and festivals in Richmond VA over the last decade. She has played at many diverse venues, ranging from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, to art galleries, nightclubs, festivals, and lounges. In the past couple of years, her liquid dnb sets have travelled along the East Coast with sets at Konkrete Jungle DC @ UStreet Music Hall (DC), Cadence @ Flash (DC), Telluric Activity @ The Knitting Factory (NYC), Remedy @ Tamanny Hall (NYC), and Stamina Sundays (San Francisco) to name a few.
Her fine track selection and technical mixing skills have earned her spots alongside many notable dance music greats, both in and out of state. Not just a pretty face behind the decks…she is known for her smooth + sweet drum n bass sounds.
http://turnstyleonline.com
http://mixcloud.com/joannao
http://soundcloud.com/joannao


[FTA] So what was the inspiration to start Turnstyle Records?
[Joanna O] Turnstyle provides urban necessities for the turntable lifestyle. My partner Jesse and I opened Turnstyle in 2003, while I was a full time student studying fashion at VCU. I was 23 and super ambitious apparently. I felt there was a void in the market in RVA and Turnstyle could help fill that.
There was a need to share our specific vision, and people got that at the time. Plus, I needed a place to get the music and clothing I loved, so Turnstyle the store was born. It’s been an interesting ride in the last ten years. I’ve learned a lot and wouldn’t change a thing!


 

[FTA] Have you always been in the same location? How much has the area
 change since you moved in?
[Joanna O] Turnstyle has been located in the Jackson Ward, Downtown Arts District of Richmond, VA since its inception in 2003. You can visit the brick & mortar location at 102 West Broad Street or shop online at turnstyleonline.com.

The area that the shop is located in has recently seen a rise in residential loft spaces, new restaurants, independent boutiques, record stores, and art galleries. You could have classified the neighborhood as a bit ghetto back in 2003, but in 2014…not so. There is valet parking for restaurants by the shop now. It’s definitely become more of fancy area. It’s been fun to watch the neighborhood grow. 

 

[FTA] How many years have you been in business?
[Joanna O] Turnstyle will be celebrating its 11 Year anniversary in June 2014. Time flies!



[FTA] What has been the most rewarding part of owning Turnstyle Records?

[Joanna O] Meeting like-minded people from all over the place,  and being able to personally help people find exactly what they are looking for whether it’s music or fashion.

It’s also pretty cool to go out to events and hear sets by my customers, from purchases I helped them with at the store. It comes full circle - from me initially sifting through tons of music available at my distributors, to buying selected titles, to selling them, and then hearing them played around RVA. It’s pretty sweet!


[FTA] How do you feel about Turnstyle being a corner stone of Richmond club culture?
[Joanna O] That’s super nice! Thanks, but I never have a minute to stop and think about that. I just do what I love and try to share the old school vibes to the next generation. It may look like it’s an easy life, but it’s not. There’s always a lot of things to happening at once to keep it moving.  




[FTA] You’re a DJ, Record Store Owner, and a local fixture on WRIR 
independent radio... did I miss anything?
[Joanna O] Hmm, well I have a pretty vast collection of rave street wear styles that I’ve been collecting that range from 1996 to present. I got a fashion degree from VCU, and have a definite love for underground fashion. I guess you could say I may be a rave street wear hoarder (an organized one).

I also take care of all the music buying & selling at Turnstyle. As well as the marketing, event bookings / production, and web content for the turnstyleonline.com site. I wear many hats, but DJ’ing is definitely one of my favorite titles. It’s fun to make people dance! 



[FTA] When did you first want to become a DJ?
[Joanna O] I can’t say that I set out to “become a dj”, I always loved dancing at parties, and dj’ing was the next logical progression for me. I still love to get my dance on! When I’m not spinning, the dance floor is where you can find me. Drop it down!



[FTA] Have you always been a Drum & Bass DJ? If not what did you play before Drum & Bass?
[Joanna O] I started playing drum & bass in 2005. Prior to that my sound ranged from funky breaks into uk breaks. I won’t play anything but drum & bass now. It moves my soul. I love it!




[FTA] What do you look for in a track when you’re pulling your set together?
[Joanna O] I don’t necessarily look for something specific in individual tracks, per say. But if it’s a club / event set, I like to pull tracks for the appropriate time in the night that I’m going to playing. It’s helpful to know who plays before you & after and pick music based on the flow of the event.  If I’m opening up for a headliner, I will obviously not pull tracks that artist just released…as they should be able to bang those out. It’s nice to pull tracks that are not all out bangers, but a progression of beats that flow & set up the person spinning after you. Play what you love and you can never go wrong.



[FTA] What was your first record you bought?
[Joanna O] I’m not sure about that one, probably a horrific trance track from the mid-nineties that some record store employee pulled from the back stock they couldn’t get rid of, but could sell to a beginner girl DJ. Funny, but true. However, there are three records that were given to me early on that are worth mentioning:

Icee – Tricks Theme (Zone Recordings)
Sandals – Feet (FFRR)
Taylor – Anomoly (Music Now)



[FTA] Where have you played out?
[Joanna O] Oh Wow. Lots of places! That would be a rather long list, since I started playing out in 1998. But it’s always fun to play in NYC. The vibe in that city is pretty amazing. I’ve played Tammany Hall a few times, and opened for Furney (GoodLooking, UK) at the Knitting Factory for the Telluric Activity night. Last year I played UStreet Music Hall in DC & Flash DC, which were super fun gigs. On a non EDM related event tip, I played an event for a Women in Technology Conference that was hosted by Arianna Huffington (of the Huffington Post), and did a cool art event for Hennessey in RVA hosted by graffiti king Futura 3000. That was pretty crazy & fun. 

I just got back from playing some West Coast shows. The Stamina Sunday’s DNB night in San Francisco was super fun to play!   Great sound, good vibes, and stellar lineups at this weekly thrown by Lukieno (of the Bachelors of Science) & Jamal. I can’t wait to go back!



[FTA] Where do you want to play?
[Joanna O] I would love to cross the pond and hit some UK spots. Most of my music comes from there. 




[FTA] What do you say to any DJ trying to get started?
[Joanna O] Play whatever medium you want, always play what you love and not what you think others want to hear you play. Be true to you. It’s also helpful to have your own equipment to practice on. Play often and watch others that have been at it for longer than you. You’d be surprised at what you can pick up from veteran DJ’s just by watching and even asking questions.

 

[FTA] Do you have any upcoming gigs where the FTA audience can check you out?
[Joanna O] YES! I’m really excited to be throwing down at Flash in DC alongside LTJ BUKEM on Thursday, March 27th. For me that’s super exciting. The event is a monthly called “Cadence”, and Flash has a Funktion One Sound System that will be booming!



[FTA] In closing would you like to say anything to FTA audience?
[Joanna O] Thanks for the super cool opportunity to share all the above. Hope to see you on a dancefloor soon. Much love! And… drum & bass!...let’s keep it jazzy!