new mix! d.J presents >> 20:::21

It's been a while since i've created a mix, mostly due to a lack of material. I'm not sure why, but the last couple years have displayed a real dearth of quality material in my opinion. I've learned over the years that electronic music seems to ebb and flow with creative bursts, almost as though each sub-genre grows tired and longs for a new direction. And then some savvy new teenage producer emerges from an anonymous basement with something fresh and brilliant, and suddenly a new sound is born (as are a pedigree of imitators).

Here though, I suspect the pandemic quieted many producers. Electronic music is made for the masses; it's played in sweaty clubs and festivals, dripping with emotive, social intent. With that pulse of humanity muted over the past fifteen months, there was little commercial incentive to release new material. This is just a theory, and there still have been quality tracks slipping through the grips of lockdown, but I have noticed a sudden uptick of releases lately to quickly fill my gigabytes enough to warrant a new release; hence, "20:::21".

This mix is dark and melodic with less vocal tracks than previous releases of mine. And that's fine. While I'm a sucker for washed out angelic voices coaxing dopamine from every last neuron, I'm not going to force it. The electronic music I follow and enjoy is always reflective of the moment and the future -- but never the past. And the moment and immediate future seem to be dark and melodic. The vocal tracks that are included here though are among my favorite tracks in the entire mix.

In all, it's (pun intended) a transition mix of what was to whatever's next. 2020 seems like a blur -- a fast-forward in slow motion, however paradoxical. And I think and hope this mix reflects that. There's a primitive nature to it, especially the opening tracks, that, to me, depict the primal nature of humanity that is still very much a part of us, including viral-induced lockdowns that have been plaguing humans for eons. Yet, there's a rapid acceleration towards to the future where technology is both the tool that saves and dooms us. It's jarring and discordant, and it's reshaping how we see ourselves, from our biology, to our governments, to our society, to even our species -- we did just witness the first civilian flight of humans to space this week! Whether we're ready or not, or even whether we want it or not, the future is here. Perhaps it only seems like the transition was in slow motion because of our collective resistance to accept it. I hope this mix reflects this transition. If not, you know, i hope it's at least a good mix of songs that you can enjoy.

Download >> HERE