Ruforia: Global Bag

Well, another season here in Ibiza is well and truly at an end, and I thought it'd be good to make a mix of all the tracks I've been totally hammering (maybe a little bit too much lol) this season down at Coolture Cafe. I've been feeling really happy this year, because there's been so much good House Music around, unlike last year when everything seemed to sound exactly the same. 

So this mix is there's absolutely no story behind this mix, it's just straight-up music I've been loving to pieces this Summer, strung together in a way that may or may not mean something to you. Whatever, who cares, just have a boogie :) There's a bit of everything thrown into this one, from the soulful mix of "What is Love?", to the downright deep and dirty grooves of "The Girl You Lost to Cocaine". 

Tracklisting: 

1. Greenpower - What is Love? (Licious K Mix)
   No head-banging in a Night at the Roxbury stylee to this one, although I can't help but be reminded of that movie every time I hear this track now, this one's been a staple for starting the night off with some great grooves down at the Caf. Just imagine Haddaway took a load of hash browns and helium, and you'd be about there. 
   With: HCCR - I Go Back (Acapella)
   
A Subliminal classic in it's own right, if I could have found the full acapella anywhere, believe me, I'd have used the whole thing. Oh well, you can't win 'em all. 

2. Mike Dunn & MD XPress - God Made Me Phunky (HCCR Mix)
Another classic in it's own right, this one gets the Harry Choo Choo Romero treatment. We're taking it back to the mother load, the mother ship. Whatever that means. 

3. Soundbluntz Feat. Cheyne - (Maybe You'll Get) Lucky (Hatiras Mix)
Cheyne sounds like if you heard her in real life, she'd sound like Karen from Will & Grace, which is one reason I hope I never meet her. Having said that, it doesn't get much funkier than this. This one always made Vicki wiggle her bum whenever I played it, which is a sight I don't think I'll ever tire of. 

4. Laurent Wolf - No Stress (Original Mix)
Combining some funky piano action with some serious dirt and a shedload of "uughmm!", it was pretty much a given that this was going to make it's way into a Ruforia mix somewhere along the line. 

5. DJ Nick - Summer Samba (Andy F Mix)
I love the way this one teases you with the Samba De Janerio riff, everyone would always get up and start screaming when they heard those first 3 notes, only to give me evil looks when it dropped back into the beat >:) Mwahahaha. By the time the whole riff comes in finally, there's no point in even trying to contain yourself. 

6. Macelo Castelli - Zion (Rastafari Mix)
   Another track shamelessly pilfered from DJ Steveboy's GrooveElectric podcast, it's got evil and funk in equal combinations. Add in some Bob Marley, and, well, it's pretty much game over. Just remember to sing along: "Do you do druuuuugs?... I do druggs!"
   With: Trendroid - Rastafari (Distorted Acapella)
   Apparently his name is Rastafari. Who knew?
   The BeatThiefs Feat. Shena - Why Did Ya? (Shenapella)
I love the original Stretch version of this track, but give it a female vocal, stick it to a house beat and look what happens, it's like crazy town out there. 

7. Juan Morgan & Marcos Rodriguez - Bora Bora (Original Mix)
I've been liking a lot of these wierd tracks with Moroccan sounding leads lately, Bucovina (Chemically Unbalanced), Gypsy (Red Light Mixstrict) and now this. Obviously the inclusion of this track has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Bora Bora is within walking distance from my house (not that it matters anyway, Bora Bora is not the same now Gee is no longer there :( ). Wierd? yes. Dancable? Fuck yes.

8. Sia - The Girl You Lost to Cocaine (Sander Van Doorm Mix)
Ok, I'll admit it, the whole mix up until this point has been pretty much working up to this track. Quite possibly the track of the season. And then some. I can't help but make gutteral noises when that synth drops in. As if the groove wasn't good enough already, the vocal is amazing. One of the first house tracks I ever owned was Sia's "Drink to Get Drunk", which I still play to this day, it's nice to know that she's not lost her touch. 

9. Mark Knight, Adam K, Soha - From the Speaker (Original Mix)
About the only great track Morillo introduced me to this year, this was about the only track Carmello would turn the volume up to instead of down (fucking Ibiza noise restrictions - who ever heard of such a daft idea?) - that's how good it is. 

10. Axwell, Ron Carroll, Bob Sinclar - What a Wonderful World (Original Mix)
I've always wanted a house mix of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World", but I think this is about as close as I'm going to get. If I was honest about it, I've probably played this track the least out of all the tracks on this mix, but I think that's only because it's one of those ones where it's got to be exactly the right moment to play it to get away with it. 

11. Dave Darrell - Children (Original Mix)
    Play the Robert Miles version these days, and either a million candy kids will stick their glowsticks in the air, or you'll get kicked off the decks faster than you can say "Mauro Picotto". Dave Darrell has done a great job of mixing this epic track into something you can enjoy in the company of strangers without fear of getting laughed at. Amazing. 
    With: X-Press2 - Lazy (Acapella)
It's kinda how I've been feeling since the season finished here, but I think these two tracks really work well together :)

12. Steve Mac - Paddy's Revenge (Club Mix)
    The original loop is taken from a Penguin Cafe Orchestra track called 'Music for a Found Harmonium'. I've loved The PCO ever since Telephone and Rubber Band was used on that 121 advert (now T-Mobile), and I've been wishing for a house mix of at least one of their tracks ever since. Steve Mac has really done a great job here, walking that tricky line between progressive and funky, which can easily go so terribly wrong. 
    With: Bongo Lovers Feat. An-Tonic - Power of Music (Acapella)
13. Dirty South - The End (Tocadisco Loves Techno Vocal Mix)
Yes, I know, this one should be at the end. Call it irony that its not. Happy now? It actually was going to be at the end, until Obama won the election, Ruforia got all political, and this happened:

14. House Music United - Yes We Can (Original Mix)
    If the hairs have not been standing up before this point, they will for this one. What's in store for us under and Obama leadership, who knows, but one thing's for sure, He's pretty inspiring. 

Ruforia: Non-Distance Relationship

The last mix I did (Chemically Unbalanced) I tried to keep my emotions out of it, as they were (and still are, for the most part) a bit all over the place. Ironically, as a few people pointed out, that's exactly how the mix ended up coming out - a bit all over the place. Perhaps that's a testament that you should never try to create art without emotion, maybe it's not even possible. Who knows, I'm a DJ, not a philosopher.

In this mix, I take the opposite approach - it's an unashamedly cathartic mix for me, a chance to air some emotions. I'm not really sure what the intention behind that is yet, apart from it feels the right thing to do, and because I'm of the firm belief that whilst a picture is worth a thousand words, a song can convey a thousand emotions. I was never good with words anyway.

So this is a mix with a story behind it. It's a story of distances too wide for a relationship to survive, of a breakdown in communication, of stubbornness, nostalgia, hope, love, regret, strained acceptance, of trying to make sense of a million things that just don't make sense and of an unhealthy obsession with House Music. It's a story fit for an opera, or at least a low budget straight-to-DVD Hollywood movie.

Tracklisting:

1. Deepsky Feat. Jes - Ghost (Trent Cantrelle & Redanka Mix)
   If I were to pick one track from this mix that perfectly embodied how I feel right now, this would be it. So many amazing lyrics that reach deep to the core, whilst at the same time remaining completely ambiguous. Jes has a voice like Tracy Thorn and Bjork's lesbian love test-tube baby would have (in a good way), and sends chills down my spine every time I hear it.
   
   With: Db Boulevard - Point of View (Acapella Mix)
   Aside from being an outstanding track in it's own right, it sets the scene for the rest of the mix: How it is and how it has to be and trying to show strength where none exists in an attempt to deal with the situation.
   


2. Tegan & Sara - Back in Your Head (Josh Harris Mix)
   Born in the ancient fire-mines of Middle-Earth (otherwise known as Canada) as the illegitimate love-child of a dwarf and an elf, Tegan and Sara take the credit for being the only live musical event I've ever attended where a DJ wasn't involved. Shocking, I know. I think I was the only heterosexual in the room as well. Just be thankful I didn't use the Tiesto remix.
   


3. Soul Central - I Need You Now (Deep Josh Mix)
   v.10:13 The DJ's Bible: "And lo, by thy third track in thy mix, thy will'st have achieved a level of energy so potent that Felix Da Housecat will have kittens"
   
   So it is, and so it shall be. Felix was unavailable for comment after the birth of what are reported to be twins.
   


4. Kemal Feat. Foxxee - City Street Walkin' (Main Mix - Rufus's Re-edit)
   Let's let that energy dip for a second, otherwise we'll burn ourselves out before the end of the mix. Ever since I first heard Graham Sahara drop this track over the Winter, it was destined to find its way into a Ruforia mix. That piano, that groove, that sentiment, I think we can all relate in one way, or another.
   


5. Everything But the Girl - Missing (CL McSpadden Unreleased Power House Mix)
   I can't think of any other track off the top of my head that glorifies stalking using public transportation, so kudos for that Tracy. Everything else is pretty self-explanatory.
   


6. Hagenaar & Albrecht - What Would We Do (Original Mix)
   The main ingredients are all here already: We've had the piano, the soul, the groove and the passion, all that's missing in this mix is some sista diva to tell us how it really is. You may have been told that Diva house died and left us in 2004. Who told you that? Did STEVE tell you that?
   


7. No Tone - Down Down Down (Matthias Mix)
   1 minute and 12 seconds after I first heard this track, it was in my collection and begging to be included in this mix. After deliberating for a lengthy 0.5 seconds (I didn't want to seem too keen), I begrudgingly agreed to letting it take me out for an expensive meal. It was such an amazing track I put out on the first date. I feel so dirty.
   


8. Jason Rooney & Nello Simioli - Without Me (Original Mix)
   I don't know if there's many tracks in the "Celtic House" genre, maybe there's a whole underground movement devoted to it, with clubs called things like "Henge". And if not, WHY not? I'd dig out my Afro Celt Sound System back-catalogue to play there, no bother.
   


9. Axwell & Sebastian Ingrosso Vs Salem Al Fakir - It’s True (Axwell & Sebastian Ingrosso Remix)
   The mix has reached it's sentimental, nostalgic peak right here. If this track doesn't give you warm, fuzzy feelings, you're probably dead. You should get yourself to a doctor. I remember playing this track at a house party as the sun came up over Ibiza castle, and everyone hugging each other. It doesn't get better than that.
   


10. Stefan Gruenwald Vs Jerry Ropero - Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Jerry Ropero Remix)
    Now we've got those fuzzy feelings out of the way, it's time to examine what else is in my big pot of emotions. Dark, sexual, dirty, and yet uplifting, this track is like naked bungie jumping while covered in chocolate body paint with the lights turned off..... I imagine. The original was one of the first tracks I ever bought on vinyl, read into that what you will.
    


11. Fragma - Toca Me (Deadmau5 Mix)
    Stop dancing and close your eyes. Nothing more needs to be said. Mostly because you'll have a hard time reading it with your eyes closed.
    
    With: Fatboy Slim - Song For Shelter (Acapella)
    When I first heard this track, I found it annoying. What the fuck was this guy on about? The album ("Halfway Between the Gutter and The Stars") sat doing nothing for many months after I first heard it, until one day after my first experience with pills, I rediscovered it, and suddenly everything became crystal clear. In 11 minutes of musical genius, Mr. Norman Cook has single-handedly summed up the experience of that night, of being part of that community. Perhaps it should be required listening for politicians, I think the world would be a better place for it. I can't pretend to be able to do the original justice in any way, shape or form, so I'm not going to try, just enjoy the message for what it is.
    


12. Johan Gielen - Revelations (Original Mix)
    Dutch sounding name? Check.
    Ambiguous Title? Check.
    Pulsing bass-line and synthy pads? Check.
    Yes, all the signs add up, and I can see what you're thinking, and it's creating big, awkward silences between us all, so I'm just going to clear the air and put this out there. Yes, technically, this track is trance. I'm sorry. Now let's try and forget about that (and the fact that this is the same guy that produced the "Alice Dee-Jay" tracks, which I'm sure he wants to forget too... Actually, thinking about it, he probably doesn't, the Dutch have no shame when it comes to music), and get on with appreciating this track for what it really is: A beautiful track, that's full to bursting with emotion. I shamelessly pilfered this from Steve after hearing it on his GrooveElectric Podcast, and have not stopped playing it since. Sorry, Steve. Maybe we're even after the whole Diva house thing now.
    
    Just so you know - never ever ever ever watch the video to this track. Your senses will disown you. From the visuals to the cringe-worthy vocals, it's an affront to everything good about this track. Trance has moved on a lot in the last few years, hey?
    
    
    With: Fatboy Slim - Song For Shelter (Acapella)
    
    DJ Dove - Memories of Love (Acapella)
    You need something to sum up your mix, to finish it off, and this one does the job perfectly I think.
    

Burn, baby, Burn

Once again, so many people are trying to download the Ruforia XML file that it's exceeded google's bandwidth limitations on my site, meaning that some people will not be able to get the podcast today. I've now moved the XML to another server that has more bandwidth, and set up a redirect in my old XML on Google. It will take a couple of days for everybody's iTunes to update, but I think this will be a lot better in the long run.

If you are having problems getting the new mix on the podcast, you can click advanced>subscribe to podcast... on the iTunes menubar, and copy/paste this address: http://feeds.feedburner.com/Ruforia - this should allow you to get the new episode and any future episodes no problem! (Your iTunes will do this automatically on it's own, but it may take a couple of days, and I know how desperate some people are to get their hands on the new mix!)

For anybody that subscribes to the podcast in any other podcast software, please update your subscriptions to this new address.

Thanks a lot for your patience!

Shiiiiiiiiiiit.....

Well, yesterday came the true evidence of how popular Ruforia is... So many people downloaded the podcast XML file (only a 100Kb file on its own) after releasing 'Unless You Wear a Rucksack' that it maxed out the bandwidth on my Googlepages, stopping many people getting the podcast for most of yesterday. This is great in popularity terms, but not so great for my server. I'm just going to have to find somewhere else to host the xml file that doesn't have these bandwidth restrictions!

Perhaps this would be a good time to start running my podcast through feedburner, so I at least know how many people are downloading it!

Ruforia: Unless You Wear a Rucksack

After just over a month being back in Ibiza, and just under a month of having no electricity, we've now joined the civilized world, and all their 240v glorious advancements. Meaning that I can finally get back to producing some Ruforia mixes again! This time I've enlisted my long-suffering girlfriend (long suffering because she's had to listen to all these tracks and a million others about 600 times in the process of choosing tracks for this mix - a Ruforia mix doesn't just happen over night you know!) to help with the track commentary for this mix:

1. Luis Paris Vs. Adamski - One of the People (First Life's One Nation Mix)
   Rufus: I was given this track handed to me on some random promo CD when I first got back to Ibiza this year, and haven't stopped playing it since! I really love the "anytime I find myself... wrestling with my mental health... playing that same old song... all night long" lyric, something I think everyone can relate to at some point in their lives! Plus I think it's just one of those tracks that you couldn't stay in a bad mood after listening to, it was destined to start a Ruforia mix!
   Marisa: Every time Rufus plays this track, I get an image of Rufus dancing around in the kitchen like a tard. Then I go into the kitchen and he actually is dancing around like a tard. With ABANDON. It gives me great joy, this track.
   With: Ivor Cutler - If Your Breasts
   Rufus: How can one 10 second sample make me laugh so much every time I hear it? I don't know, but Ivor Cutler clearly took a lot of drugs in his life. Long live Ivor Cutler! May his wierd Scottish soul rest in peace.
   Marisa: Long before Jack Black and / or Kyle Gass and / or any of our other perennial favorite comedy / folk rock duos ever picked up a guitar, there was Ivor Cutler. Being bizarre with a harmonium, and the occasional company of his muse and girlfriend, Phyllis King. She wasn't his baby mama, and I don't even think she is on this track, but I felt her name bore mentioning, for reasons unbeknownst even to myself. I'd like to add, Ivor Cutler is a very researchable guy, with his very own ''.org''.
   
2. Bassmonkeys feat. Naomi Marsh - The Answer (Eric Kupper Dub)
   Rufus: It's been a long time since I heard a piano house track with so much funk and passion behind it. It made me want to hump the walls. Nothing more needs to be said.
   Marisa: Piano house. I don't know what to say. It has taken me a year of solid, unrelenting exposure to the genre, which, kicking and screaming ''this is GAY!'' I eventually succumbed to. Now I love piano house, diva house, Dr. House, all house. Blame the DJ.
   
3. Delano & Crockett - Walking on the Moon (Delano & Crockett's Grand Club Mix)
   Rufus: The only thing better than Sting is Sting + Piano. The only thing better than Sting + Piano is Sting + a drink, while he lets you beat him at pool and relives his acting in "DUNE" in vivid detail. That never happened (at least not to me), but this is a fair substitute.
   Marisa: This is exactly what a pop remix is supposed to do: maintain the original voice of the song, multiply it by 7,000 times the dance and rock-ability, and serve it to you over a heaping pile of beats and piano plinks. I really have nothing else to say about it, other than the only thing better would be what Rufus just said, videotaped by me.
   With: Admiral Titbit - Upside Down (Acapella)
   Rufus: The image of the guy singing this turned on his head and inside out, so his guts were spilling all over the place, while at the same time trying to pen a love song about how he feels about his present situation still haunts me to this day. I'm going to stop thinking about it now.
   Marisa: This track reminds me of having a girlfriend.
   
4. DJ Spinnin - Punk Chic (Johan S Original Mix)
   Rufus: If any one track is responsible for getting me into Funky House in the first place, this would be it. An old friend of mine gave me this on CD (Where are you Alex Parks? I miss you!!) when it first came out, and after hearing it, I alienated myself from the entire world trying to find more tracks this good. I'm still trying.
   Marisa: If someone would drop this after ''Common People'' at [insert Los Angeles club venue here] I'm pretty sure I would stay and keep dancing, and so would ever other vintage store clothing assistant and record label intern there as well.
   
5. James Kakande - You You You (Alex Gaudino & Jerma Mix)
   Rufus: My new "Love Generation" - the only difference being that this one hasn't been ruined for me (yet) by being played 6 billion times a day on every radio station, and every cheesy club in the UK.
   Marisa: As I was passing out on the stairway in Pacha, and this came on over the speakers I thought to myself ''Wow, me and Erick Morillo actually have something in common'' and ''I am going to hear this every day for months after Rufus gets it off Beatport.'' But I'm not mad.
   
6. Danny Rodia & Dave Gallucci - Electro Move (Harmo Bass Mix)
   Rufus: I shamelessly pilfered this off a Record that Donald bought, and if he thinks I'm not going to play the bloody socks off it, he should think again. Buy more records like this Donald (and then let me nick them).
   Marisa: Remember that part in The Anchorman where Ron tells the jazz club band to take the bass line for a ''walk''? Exactly.
   With: Joe T Vanelli - Sweetest Day of May (Acapella)
   Rufus: One of my all-time favorite Ruforia tracks finally makes a welcome return in Acapella form. Don't touch any of the remixes from this year, you'll be sadly disappointed. Besides, why would you - you can't improve on perfection! Sadly, this means whatever I mix the acapella with is going to do it an injustice, but even I'm not shameless enough to just play the original in 2 different Ruforia mixes.
   Marisa: Finding an a capella that showcases the talent of the vocalist, rather than the talent of the studio production team is a rare thing indeed. You could loop it over a gravel truck driving over nails and her voice would still sound amazing.
   Rufus: What She said.
   
7. Mr. Fuzz Pres. Twisty Fuzz - Disco Biscuits 3000 (Original Mix)
   Rufus: Not every track can get away with the line "How tall are you? 5'10''? I didn't know they could stack beauty that high!". It's cheeky and funky in equal measures, and therefore I like it. Plus there's not enough house tracks that mention biscuits at all, and I say that in my professional capacity of biscuit connoisseur.
   Marisa: You thought you were bored, but you were definitely ''thirsty'' so you headed over to the bar and got a mojito and then you heard this, chucked a bunch of cash at the bartender, made a start for the dance floor and started texting like mad to find some chemicals. Your night just got saved.
   
8. Josep Gardinho - Acid Workout (Soul Avengerz Vocal Remix)
   Rufus: We're getting a little bit darker now, but not dark enough to stop with the awesome piano solos. This isn't Jimi Hendrix (if he played piano) quality solo material like "The Answer" is, more kind of Jimmy Nail on pills quality (ie. take a few choice chords and just keep repeating to the beat), but that doesn't mean you can't dance to it.
   Marisa: Aren't you glad you stayed? Even if you haven't gotten a hold of any disco biscuits, by now I'm certain you don't care. Saying you will be home by sunrise is pushing it. I hope you don't have to work tomorrow.
   
9. Fun Da Mentalists Feat. One - World Wide Party (Hoxton Whores Full Vocal Mix)
   Rufus: If I'd have known I was going to get this dirty, I wouldn't have had a shower before doing this mix. Classic "We're going to talk about how much you can dance to house music" house music. (That's an actual genre in my collection)
   Marisa: Every time I hear this track I instinctively expect to hear Rockwell's ''Somebody's Watching Me,'' but I'm never disappointed when an artist combines the epic synth riffs of the past with the uplifting message to shake one's ass.
   
10. D. Ramirez - The Ramirez EP (Side B Whitelabel)
    Rufus: This was one of those infuriating finds in Delta Discos, that just says something like "The Ramirez EP" on the label and nothing else. Who did these remixes? Maybe we'll never know. Side A sucks donkey balls (The Lost in Rave Remix of "Lost", but with more vocals!), but if you come across this one, it's worth it just for Side B.
    Marisa: The best thing about this track is how the hollowed out production functions to make a bigger deal out of the vocals, rather than competing with them. There is so much going on in this track I suggest you listen to it many, many times, both in and out of context.
    
11. Liquid - Sweet Harmony (Spoon & Talk Mix)
    Rufus: The first of my 'back to the old skool' selection on this mix, this one couldn't disappoint if it came home one day with all F's on it's report card, apart from in General Studies, which everyone knows is gay.
    Marisa: Yes, please and thank you. This track is tight and economical without being spare or minimal. Try pulling that off while busting an Eddie Van Halen double arpeggio technique and kick flipping off a seventh-story roof top into a pit of fire, why don't you?
    With: Chemicals are Important
    Rufus: I have a feeling this came from Steve. I love samples from old black and white English television and government education television. They remind me of an innocent time when going to a club involved ballroom dancing, and the only drug people were getting high from was the mercury used to make the top hats.
    Marisa: Chemicals are important.
    
12. Roar & Baumartner - The Beat (Josh Nordlander Mix)
    Rufus: You can't go wrong with this song - every track that's ever used this sample has been amazing, and this one is no exception. I like the shameless use of Ableton Live's beat repeat effect in the second breakdown.
    Marisa: I haven't been this excited since I heard the original played at the Hi-Fi in Leeds. People always make a fuss about how Buddy Rich is the best drummer in the world and what-not, but I always thought the chick singer was cool. I still do.
    
13. Gat Decor - Passion (Moss Szade Mix)
    Rufus: Just as I managed to unearth the original single of this in Oxfam, with a view to putting it on Ruforia, along came a shed load of remixes. Few tracks can be so famous from a 1-bar riff, but this remix manages to take that 1 bar and turn it into an entire track on it's own. Take out the weedy vocals from the original, and turn the piano riff into an entire breakdown, and you've got the makings of a true leg end.
    Marisa: I never got anything neat from Oxfam. But I won't say Oxfam never gave me anything.
    
14. Moby - Porcelain (Daft Mix)
    Rufus: A house mix of Porcelain is looooooooong overdue, and I'm glad this one does the original justice. The speeding up is noticeable, but necessary. Never has a string hook been reversed in such a haunting way before now. Now I just need some remixes of Massive Attack, and I'll not know whether to dance or get stoned for ever more.
    Marisa: Why is it not cool for me to feel the same way about Moby as I do about Beck? Moby is a perfectly stand up guy, and he owns Teany, for god sake. Give the man a break. He also recorded this, and let's not forget ''Raining Again.'' We can forget that thing he did with Gwen Stefani. Bygones.
    
15. Mick Jagger & David Bowie - Let's Dance (Whitelabel)
    Rufus: Do they smoke grass in space, or do they smoke astro-turf (such an artificial high)? I don't know, but if they did, this is probably what Bowie (Ya freaky old bastard) and the Mick Jaggernaught would compose.
    Marisa: Not that this would ever happen, but let's just say that you were dj-ing a wedding, and a bratty 23 year old came up to the booth with her mom, her mom's chain smoking, angry older sister, and um....my dad. And they were all like ''I'm sorry, but do you have anything we can DANCE to?'' You'd know what to do, I'm just saying...hypothetically.
    
16. DJ Joe K. - Born Slippy (Instrumental Mix)
    Rufus: The apex (I just wanted to get that word in somewhere to be honest) of this mix, in my opinion. The first time I ever went clubbing (Jabez Cleggs in Manchester, if you must know), they played this at the end of the night, and I realized this was a turning point in my life. I would never listen to music with the same ears again. Pair with 'The First Time' acapella for extra sentimental meaning heaped on top.
    Marisa: Much in the way that The Pixies ''Hey'' reminds me of every crush I have ever had (real or imagined) Born Slippy makes me nostalgic for memories I've never had in the first place. I don't know why. I didn't even like Trainspotting that much, honest.
    With: Roland Clark - The First Time (Acapella)
17. Blur Vs. Jonathon Ulysses - Parklife (Rufus Returns to Bora Bora Mix)
    Rufus: Another first on Ruforia, a friend of mine wanted a version of Parklife he could play at the closing party of Bora Bora this year. And so this mix was born in an afternoon. A blatant splice between Parklife and Jonathon Ulysses - "This is how we... ROCK!", I take minimal credit for this track: the groundwork for it's awesomeness was already done for me ;).
    Marisa: Like upstart younger siblings vying for the respect of an older brother, Lucky and I fought over the speakers for the better part of an afternoon-- ''listen to my track...no MY track!!!! Me next, me next....!'' while Rufus quietly bimbled away on his laptop, producing this gem. And then we were all like ''awwwwww Heaaaaaaaath....'''
    

Home is where the heart is

So I've been back in Ibiza for nearly 2 weeks now, and barely had any time (or connection) to sit down and sort out all my internet stuff. As always in this place, there's a million and one things goign on all at once, and I'm just so happy to be back home. Already the madness of the island has set in, and within 10 minutes of being on the island and getting down to Moby's, we were being fed pills by people we didn't even know.

I feel like even in these 2 weeks of being back I've done so much that I could only dream about while being back home - I've been to set up the DJ booth in Pacha for Erick Morillo, and at the same time got a glimpse of the backstage areas of the club (I never knew anything about the huge workshops that they have attached to the club - pretty much everything that they use is made on site!), I've also been to Chris Leibing's villa party at 8am and auditioned for DJing at Penelope's that's opening in Barcelona.

We're currently in the process of finding a definite place to live - a couple of days ago we saw a perfect one-bedroom flat in the port in Ibiza town, it was a little out of our price range, but if we can make it work it will be much nicer than staying in the crappy Moby's apartment!

As soon as we're all sorted and have a proper internet connection, I'll write a longer post, I also have the Penelope's Demo CD which I'll put on the podcast, but for now, click the pictures above to see a couple of albums of what we've been up to since we've been here!

Ruforia: Chronic Fatigue

Finally the latest installment of the only feel-good force to be reckoned with is here! I'm sorry it's taken so long, but I hope it's worth it! Personally I feel this mix has got some absolute gems in there, but then I would say that, because I chose them all. I suppose the only way we'll truly find out is for you to have a listen and tell me yourself!

This mix is dedicated to Timo, for being a true leg end, and for having his birthday. It's important. Once upon a time, Timo didn't like House Music, and denounced it as being faggy and gay. After listening to a few Ruforia mixes, it was all a different story. How strange. Anyway, Happy Birthday Timo, and I hope you like the mix :)

Tracklisting:

1. Beach Boys - Surfin' USA
   I don't need to say anything. Widely acclaimed as performing the best album ever ever.
   
2. Laurent Wolf Feat. Soni Dee - Sunshine Paradise (12" Vocal Mix)
   I've been wanting to put this track on a Ruforia mix for a while - some of the most beautiful interplay of vocal harmonies around going on in this track (maybe even better than the Beach Boys?). Plus it's one of those tracks you can't help but feel good when you listen to it.
   
3. Cosmic Love Feat. Gramma Funk - This is the Way We Funk It (Original Mix)
   I picked this up on a tiny whitelabel at Delta Discos last year in Ibiza, and never looked back - I never heard anyone else play it, but that doesn't stop me wanting to dance like a lunatic to it.
   
4. Francesco Diaz Feat. Karl Frierson - Say a Little Prayer (Raul Rincon Mix)
   If I had a remix of Aretha Franklin's original, I'd be playing it here, but it seems it was never to be. That doesn't stop this one kicking ass though, and it's got that classic smooth Funky House bassline a.k.a 2004. More please.
   With: Bhernandez Vs. DJ Tyo - Let You Down (Power Dub)
   A pretty bland track, in my opinion, but this sample leads us nicely onto...
   
5. Dennis Ferrer Feat. K. Brooks - Change the World (Main Mix)
   A great message in this one, and for this reason alone it deserves to be on a mix dedicated to Timo.
   With: Sugar Caine - White Lines (Vox 29)
   A bit of a teaser for later...
   
6. Switch - A Bit Patchy (Kenny Dope Mix)
   I'm sure you've heard this one around, I've heard it everywhere, Digweed even played it at the Giant NYE party, LA, and for sentimental reasons, it's included here. I never get tired of those 60's sounding horns!
   
7. Bob Sinclar - Ultimate Funk (Tocadisco Mix)
   A little-known Bob Sinclar one, this, but definitely still worthy. Bob Sinclar is credited with producing one of my favorite songs of all time: Love Generation, and he's one of those artists that seems to be able to do no wrong at the moment. I might even forgive him for being French.
   
8. Bionik Phunk Feat. D. Mac - White Lines (Playmaker's Oldskool Mix)
   The original is of course, seminal, you can't argue with that, and I've been waiting for a while for someone to give it a House remake. You'll find a couple of dirtier mixes on Beatport, but this is my personal favorite.
   With: Afroman - Because I Got High (Acapella)
   This being a mix for Timo, there needs to be at least one reference to some nasty California weed in there somewhere, otherwise I wouldn't be doing my job.
   
9. Joe T. Vannelli Feat. Rochelle Fleming - Get It On (Summer Love) (Tom Novy Remix)
   Mr. Vannelli's Sweetest Day of May is quite a few people's favorite moment of any Ruforia mixes, and I can see why, although I'm a little unhappy with a lot of the 2007 remixes - they lost a lot of that Soul feeling that was so strong in the original track. Get It On on the other hand seems to sum up everything Subliminal in one track though, those big build-ups that seem to fade away to nothing, and a track so deep you could drown in it. I love it.
   With: Roland Clark - Resist (Acapella)
   It does exactly what it says on the tin.
   
10. Skee Lo - I Wish (Aqua Sky Remix)
    A great hip-hop song in it's own right (which is high praise indeed, coming from me), this remix is just plain dirt. Do the robot. Rinse. Repeat.
    With: Erick Morillo - House Music is a Feeling (Acapella)
    One of my favorite acapellas, this one should be in every house DJ's collection.
    
11. Micha Moor - Space (Klass Club Remix)
    You'll recognize the hook in this one instantly as from Prodigy's Outer Space, and I've been hanging on for a true House re-make for a long time. Try keeping your arse still during this track. It's not physically possible, I assure you. I love the reggae breakdown, and the way the beat comes slamming back in with more nasty dirt than Courtney Cox in a mudbath.
    
12. Muttonheads & Mattieu Bouthier - Make Your Own Kind of Music (original Mix)
    None other than Mama Cass did the original vocal for this track, and I can't stop listening to it right now. A proper sing-along monster, and I'm glad the producers had the sense to keep the original Motown feel to this track. It puts a great big smile on my face every time I hear it :)
    
13. Rufus White - Mind Games (Reprise Mix)
    A track I've been working on - the piano is from Five For Fighting's Superman (Which I'm told is the theme tune to Dawson's Creek, but please don't let that stop you from listening to it!). I wanted to make a track which I could use at the end of the set, and I think the result is pretty nice - it needs a little bit more work, but it's definitely getting there. If you want to get your hands on this track, all I ask is a small donation to the Ruforia cause. You can donate securely via PayPal here.
    With: Red Carpet - Alright (Acapella)
    A staple of any good Subliminal Sessions night, I was so happy when I managed to find the Acapella to this track. It's been 3 years since I first heard it, and I still get goosebumps when I hear it now.
    

Enjoy, Rufx

Scare the Children

As well as working on a new Ruforia mix over the last couple of days, I've been working on a new track called "Scare the Children". I started out with an idea that I wanted to create a "main room at Space" (Ibiza) track: ugly, nasty, and dark - in short, just a little bit eeevil. The only problem is, it's getting to the point where it's actually starting to scare me! The breakdown consists of a load of hellish sounds and evil chanting. It's actually sounding more like a techno track than a house track, but I'm not going to get in the way of how it's sounding right now lol!

Chimpanzees without cause

Well, that's the first night over and done with! Despite the fact that the students had all gone home for the Summer, and it was pissing it down, therefore it was dead in town, we had a good crowd in, and got down to some funky tunes all night :) I was going to try and record my set, along with the live section with Dom on the bass, but unfortunately, due to the club setup, there was nowhere to plug my miniDisc recorder in :( It has to be said though, Dom was amazing on the Bass - I'm hoping to get a bongo player for the next party we do :) And after all the stressing over the fact that the helium for the balloons had not been delivered, Naomi (bless her cottons) ran all the way across town with a bunch of balloons and filled them up at the Hard Rock Cafe. :) Click the picture below to see some highlights from the night:

Ruforia UK 21 06 07

Frankie says "relax"

Well, today is the day. The first Ruforia UK night! I'm really excited, but petrified at the same time! Today we find out if all the work we've put into this is going to pay off or not :s Right now I'm just burning some Ruforia mix CDs to hand out to people. The balloons are coming later (hopefully!) along with all the helium, and the banner looks awesome (unfortunately I've already taken it to Fudge so they can put it up before I get there though, so I can't show you that. I'll take a picture tonight. Here's a couple of pictures of the t-shirts though...

Girly t-shirt

Blokey t-shirt

I'll see you there! Doors open at 9pm at Fudge!

Wierd Naked Indian Guy

Well, all the organization for Ruforia is finally coming together, now people just have to turn up! I'm getting a little worried about this, as I still haven't been visited by either Jim Morrissey, or a Wierd Naked Indian Guy, although last night I did have a dream that I was trying to get to my gig at Fudge, which happened to be at the top of a huge skyscraper, which was currently under attack from Spider Man. The police wouldn't let me up the stairs, so all I could do was try and get up the fire escapes and try and use ladders made of paper to get up to the next floor. Nothing worked, and my other problem was the fact that every time I seemed to be getting somewhere, Marisa needed the toilet so we had to go back down again. What does it all mean???

Promoting good moods.

It's been a bit quiet round here just purely because I'm trying to get everything ready for our first Ruforia UK night - I've been hard at work making flyers, banners, T-shirts, balloons, and anything else I can think of to make the night go well.

Here's a few more bits and pieces...

This is going to be the banner that goes across the door at Fudge:

This thing is like 6" wide and my laptop ran out of memory while trying to make it, poor old thing. The actual Photoshop file ended up being 2GB!

Also the actual printed flyers ended up being pretty different from the ones I put on the blog here before, we ended up making them the size of a credit-card, but folded in the middle, so we could fit more information on them:


The outside of the flyer

The inside of the flyer

Ruforia @ fudge flyer

OK, it looks like everything is pretty much set in stone, the first Ruforia UK party is all going ahead at fudge, Leeds on the 21st June!!!

Tell everyone you know to come down, you can forward them this flyer if you want! email me if you need any further information. Can't wait to see everyone there!

Where Is Oliver?: My favourite Podcasts

Where Is Oliver?: My favourite Podcasts

More good reviews for the Ruforia podcast make me a happy bunny. And I didn't even need to use the gun this time :)

More reviews of Ruforia because I'm anal and need my ego massaging sometimes.

I found a place where we can boogie...

Great news! I just got the go-ahead from the owners of Fudge! The proposal I sent them was all tickety boo, they didn't want to change anything, which means that we can get started on getting everyone down there!

So here's the date you need to put in your diary for the first Ruforia UK night:

21st June 2007

Tell everyone you know and make sure they keep it free. Remember, if you don't come, you've only got yourself to blame!

More details to follow!

w00t w00t!!!

Umm. Wow! I just had the phone call today! My "Strawberries and Cream" mix I made for the Cream DJ competition has got me through to the heats! I'm sooo excited! So my heat is on 20th May at 8pm, BabyCream, Liverpool. If anyone fancies coming along to support me, I'll guarantee you a boogie lol :)

I still can't believe it!

Ruforia: Daft Punk is Playing at my Wedding

No, don't worry, I'm not changing the Ruforia logo, the Angel of Funk will be keeping his 'fro for a while yet (I'm always touched how much love people have for the Ruforia logo). I just thought I'd give a quick mention to the new mix that I've just put up today. This is the longest mix I've done, but I've tried to keep the quality up! I hope you like it :)

Because the mix is 2 hours long, and I know a lot of people like to burn them to CD, I'm going to split the mix up into two 1 hour mixes and put them on the podcast also, so everyone is happy. That's what Ruforia is all about ;)

Normally my mixes have a story behind them, this one is just about having a good time, and getting some tracks that I've wanted to put into a mix for a long time out there and doing their thing. Yes, I know there's a shameful number of CR2 and Big Love/Soul Love tracks in there, but what are you gonna do about it?

As always, if you regularly enjoy the Ruforia podcast, please consider making a donation - with 15,000 people regularly downloading the podcast now, bandwidth charges are creeping up. You can make a donation here, all donations are handled securely by PayPal.

Here's the track listy goodness:

1. D-Troy Feat. Marshall Jefferson - Move Your Body


2. Czr & Ito - Bringin' The Dub


3. Lee Cabrera - Shake It (Dub)
   
   With: Czr & Ito - Bringin' The Funk (Acapella)
   
   Big Love Records - In the Mix (Acapella)


4. Supermode - Tell Me Why (Raul Rincon Mix)
   
   With: Roger Sanchez - Turn on the Music (Acapella)


5. Danny Howells & Dick Trevor - Dusk 'Til Dawn (Shapeshifters Mix)


6. Eric Prydz & Steve Angello - Woz Not Woz (Jerry Ropero & Denis The Menace Mix)


7. Seamus Haji - Last Night a DJ Saved My Life (ATFC Mix)


8. Blur - Girls & Boys (Hoxton Whores Mix)


9. Steve Lawler - That Sound (Original Funky Mix)
   
   With: Big Love Records - Not a Dream (Acapella)


10. Sabrina Johnston - Peace in the Valley (Brothers in Rhythm Mix)


11. Macy Gray - Sexual Revolution (Retro Club Mix)


12. Groovestylerz - We Are Family (2-4 Grooves Mix)


13. Dee-Lite - Groove is in the Heart (Tocadisco Remix)


14. Nirvana - Smells like Teen Spirit (Dirty Funker Remix)
    
    With: LCD Soundsystem - Daft Punk is Playing at my House


15. Pete Heller - Big Love (Steven Lee & Trent Cantrelle 2006 Re-Rub)


16. Booty Luv - Boogie 2Nite (Seamus Haji Big Love Remix)


17. Marco Petralia - Just Believe (Original Mix)
    
    With: D2 Feat. Dan Diamond - Therapy (Acapella)


18. Johnny Gleeson - Electric Pillow Case (John Jacobsen And Mikel Molina Sushi Mix)


19. Africanism Allstars Feat. The Hard Boys - Hard (Superchumbo Thunder Mix)
    
    
20. D-Dee Jackson - Automatic Lover (12" Mix)
    
    With: Pete Heller - Big Love (Acapella)

Avril Lavigne is next to me...

In the iTunes charts that is. Right now I'm sandwiched between Avril and Tiesto. He keeps trying to get his grubby Dutch mitts on her, but I won't let him. Mwahahaha. Go take your sex festival elsewhere, you crazy Dutch bastard.

What I'm really trying to say of course, is that I'm higher than Dutchboy in the iTunes charts. You might as well pack your bags and go, old chum. Yeah, I'll play that show for you tonight, oh and if you wouldn't mind leaving that suitcase of cash as well.
Thanks very much.

The new spiritual home for Ruforia?

This could well be the new home of Ruforia in Leeds - I've been in talks with the owner about getting the night going there, and he's definitely up for it. I've just got to get a proposal to him for Monday, and all going well, we should be able to organize the first Ruforia UK night in about a month's time! If anyone wants to help out with this project, or just knows a shitload of people they can bring down, get in touch! I'm thinking the way I might work it is to charge £3 on the door, or free if you can get 6 or more people together (perhaps before a certain time). There will not be a guest list, but I will also not have people queuing outside if there is room in the club. There's also going to be drinks specials all night. Any ideas?

Fudge seems to have exactly what I'm looking for in terms of intimacy, atmosphere, straight/gayness (around 50/50), size, sound system, lights, and just general aesthetics. At first it will just be a once a month party, but if things go well, there's no reason why we can't make it once a week. I want the emphasis to be on just having a party and a good time rather than "going clubbing", that was how House Music started out, and that's how I want to keep it. Likewise, I will not be labeling the night with one specific genre of House Music, rather sticking to my "if it's good, play it" philosophy that's worked so well in my podcasts and previous Ruforia nights.

iPoo

Oh Ho Ho! Which piece of software has incurred my wrath today? It's everyone's favorite, iTunes! Yay! I put it back on my computer today, and presumably because it's been installed in the UK this time, it shows a completely different set of reviews for Ruforia than when I installed it in the US. Not only that, but the podcast charts are seperate as well! In the UK charts, Ruforia is currently #61, whereas it doesn't even register on the US charts.

I can understand them having seperate charts for paid music, but for free podcasts? And seperating the reviews just seems even stranger - surely 5*s means the same, regardless of the language the rest of the review is written in? (Yeah, that's a little cocky, I know ;)