Diplo - Essential Mix 09.16.2007

Diplo, Essential Mix BBC Radio One September 16, 2007 (YSI link) tracklisting in comments

This is the one, the most essential mix of all for me and, therefore, Pound for Pound - Diplo's Essential Mix. One-half of Hollertronix, the man behind the Mad Decent label, I'm not sure there's been a DJ that has had a bigger influence on my taste, my nights out, my impression of a DJ (except the other half of Holletronix, Low Budget). It's kind of hard to explain without sounding like a fawning douche, and in turn losing my jaded, hipster cred that keeps this blog afloat. Seriously though, Diplo was one of the first DJs that showed me the potential the role held, what I expected from all future ones at a party or on their mixes, who seemed to have the exact same tastes and loves. I remember that first time I was at the Ukie Club, very early on, when I heard "Tainted Love" coming out of a Dirty South rap set, my life was never the same since.

I first saw the listing for an upcoming Diplo Essential Mix a month or two ago and have barely been able to wait to hear what he came up with for this biggest forum of all. He doesn't disappoint, putting together possibly the best mixed set the show's ever heard. Take a look at the sheer quantity of songs he gets to in comparison to the normal ones we've put up before, probably twice as many as Digitalism played. He gets to each one without forcing it or seeming like he is just cramming shit in, before you ask. You also get the first pre-mix warning from Pete Tong about explicit language and that some viewers should turn off their radios. With that, I knew right away that this one was gonna be good.

It covers an immense amount of ground, from dancehall to rap to classic dance to indie dance to just plain indie. It's a little less dancefloor-friendly than his club sets, it definitely has the feel of a mix for home-listening with quicker genre shifts and less straight bangers. For me, it's the best Essential Mix, adhering as close to my own listening habits as humanly possible. What makes it even more the impressive is how hard it is to be able to hold a person's attention through so many shifts, only the most talented can handle that. I'd go so far as to say that this mix represents what I try to do with this blog, covering the new and the old, any and all genres, based in the electro and bass scenes. I think that over the next few weeks we're gonna try to get back to this style, less structure, more genres, more fun. Yeah? Yeah!

It's really great to see Pete Tong and crew recognize one of the best non-dance DJs in the world, a nice change from the normal schedule. It's nice to hear rap and dancehall and Baltimore club getting its proper due. All of which is to say, Mr. Tong, it's time to get the Low Budget Essential Mix. Seriously, make this happen, so that I can forever live in the years 2003-2005.