DJO Event Management

Armand Van Helden was everywhere in the 90’s and early 2000’s. There seemed to be nothing he couldn’t do in terms of House. Funk Phenomenon with the guitar loop, the superb Professional Widow remix, the Soulful You Don’t Know Me with Duane Harden, and this…..Koochy interpolates the Miami Freestyle beat and a lot of DJ scratching, along with the lead sample from Gary Numan’s Cars and an electronic voice talking about “koochy”. The track works wonders in the peak hours of an Eletrco set, a Pop set, a Tech House set, and if you’re feeling daring, a Hip Hop set could use snippets of the track if based on the mixing and scratching alone. DJ competition seekers could do well with this track as its multi-layered genres open up several possibilities. If you’re on a Hip Hop vibe, follow this up with Fergie’s Fergalicious. Let me know in the comments how this works with you.

Some tracks are timeless. Bangers at every single party in every single setting, no matter the crowd, no matter how old the track is. Baby Got Back is most definitely one such track. Culture references will always be made to keep the track relevant. Whether it’s Ross and Rachel singing it to a baby in the 90’s or Nicki Minaj sampling it in 2014, this track will never grow old. Hip Hop sets, Pop sets, and if you get your hands on the single, the Tekno Metal Mix could work in a Retro House set. Mix it up with Jason Nevins’ It’s Like That remix of Run DMC to keep that freestyle vibe going.

Although the Wankelmut version was a bigger radio hit, I am personally a fan of the Gui Boratto remix. There’s a bit more of the Nudisco-esque feel, and there’s more going on in the remix. It still works in a Pop set as well as the Wankkelmut version does, but this also could be on a rooftop set or the early parts of a Tech House set. I’d go back to basics with the follow-up, hitting the crowd with Modjo’s everlasting Lady. You can never go wrong with that.

This is Tech House at its finest, That bass and drums at the start sets the tone and tells the crowd where it’s at. There aren’t too much vocals, but a haunting whisper well halfway into the track keeps us on edge. This clashes with soothing “people loving people” in sensual vocals being sung before a 90’s House piano progression kicks in. But make no mistake. This is a killer Tech House track that can really do wonders for the dancefloor, so use wisely. Mix it up with Undercatt’s Futura to get the Tech feels up, up and UP.

Better known for his Tropical and Sunshine House, Bob Sinclar goes more Disco House/Nudisco on this outing. It’s a great track that still contains Sinclar’s signature uplifting layers on top of soulful vocals, and works wonders on a Funky House set. Even if people don’t know the track, there’s the Bob Sinclar element that keeps everyone happy and full of life. Mix this up with Roberto de Carlo and Colin Covrvez’s absolutely brilliant remix of D Train’s The One For Me.

How a Dane managed to remix Funk, Soul, and Reggae tracks so well is astonishing. Apparently, Funkstar Deluxe had fake palm trees (or were they real?) in his studio just to capture the right feel. This track displays his DJing at its best. A really slow jam, taken to higher levels, doing the right thing by slowing the pace down to restore the Reggae rhythms, and speeding back up. Absolute magic. This track belongs in a Tropical House set, a 2000’s House set, Funky House, Tech House if you’re willing to go into uplifting moods. Beaches, lounges, rooftops, anything that needs those feelgood sunshine vibes. Mix things up with Underdog Project’s Summer Jam or KVSH’s Who Loves The Sun if you want to keep the mood going.

A guilty pleasure that crowds adore and DJs avoid…but when this track is played, everyone goes wild. Meaning it works as a Pop song in a Pop set or even a Hip Hop set if the DJ is feeling risky, Off the same single though is a decent remix of Way I Are, so if anyone needs a reason to get their hands on the single, this is it. A hidden gem on a single is valid enough of a reason as any to own the tack. If you’re playing Apologize, throw in Right Now by Akon, as it’s got the same effect of guilty pleasures and fits just as well in a Pop or Hip Hop set as Apologize does,

Another release on the exact day of release (the album not the single). Wet Tennis, the single, is less clubmode and more partymode than Drinkee and Batsh*t, previous singles by the duo. The first difference is the lack of a clubbing beat, replaced with more funky beats and horns. It’s a refreshing change from what most Hip Hop, giving a smoother jam feel. The racy lyrics don’t deter anything from the track, and Wet Tennis steers away from the rather generic previous releases. A Pop set, a Hip Hop set, MAYBE a Funk set if you’re feeling playful. Go with Punjabi Mc and Jay Z’s Mudian To Buch Ke as a follow-up and watch the crowd break into ecstatic screams.
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The late 2000’s saw regular shout-outs to the producer RedOne,…and with good reason. Low by Flo Rida? Check. Lady Gaga’s debut? Check. Within the same timeframe? Sean Kington’s Dancehall classic, Fire Burning. Somehow, the track retains its Pop sensibility while still carrying the weight of being a Dancehall track. It’s a bit overproduced, but that’s what Pop is at the end of the day. It gets the crowd jumping, and works wonders for a Pop or Hip Hop set. I wouldn’t include it in my Dancehall sets though, as it’s a little too Poppy for those. If we’re at a Pop set, keep the high energy without shooting that BPM up the roof with Riton’s Push The Feeling.

The KLF were an American response to what the Utah Saints had done across the pond. With a lot of vocal samples, heavy Acid breaks, Rave synths, this is what the early 90’s were all about. The White Room earns a place on this list thanks to it being rereleased on April the 23rd 20201 with original remixes and extra mixes of the tracks. Highlights off the album are obviously 3AM Eternal and Last Train to Transcentral, but Justified and Ancient is also worth its weight in gold as a part of any 90’s set. If you’re playing 3am Eternal, try out Pat & Mick’s cover of Michael Zagger Band’s Let’s All Chant.

22. Kings of Tomorrow Burn so Good (Sandy’s Disco Burn) 2015
A very necessary addition to my Funky House and Nudisco sets and playlists, this track contains the requisite strings loop and soulful vocals over a funky groove. The interlude in the middle sees the strings spring out of their looped sample and start to soar before landing back down to the subdued background. If you’re into Funky House, if you want your crowd to move, if you want to build up to something more grandiose, this is the way to go. I would try mixing this track with Lumoon’s La Papaye, heading into the later parts of the night while still maintaining the funky elements.
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Search your closet, and get those bellbottoms out. Stick those flashy shades on, and strut your stuff. Because You and I, off Rick James’ 1978 album Come Get It, is a great jam, and is a great addition to any Retro Funk set. The album version is at a good 8 minutes, so movement in and out of transitions is facilitated. I love this type of track at a buildup in a Funky House set, and matching it up with Sugarhill Gang’s Apache, Positive Force’s We Got The Funk, and Kurtis Blow’s The Breaks.