How to Find Music

If there is one post you should definitely read. It is most definitely this one.

Please, have a cup of coffee. Sit down. Stay awhile? Learn things.***

It's time to learn fun stuff; like where to find the DDPs, how do we find the DDPs, and how do we keep track of all the DDPs. This has been a long time coming because it's one of the reasons why DPC was started. We wanted to archive the music we'd been emailing around for the last year (seriously, over a year - thousands of mixes probably. it hurts my head thinking about how many I still want to post), and for the last 4 months, we've done a good job at sifting through what we enjoy, and posting it. New stuff. Old stuff. Hipster stuff. DJ stuff. Disco stuff. Deep stuff. House stuff. Baking stuff.

Lately, I've found myself "Following" more people on SoundCloud, and digging through tracks and mixes to find "the good stuff". If there's one thing that you need to do that you haven't done already:

Get yourself a SoundCloud account.

Upon checking it, you'll notice an "Incoming" on your Dashboard with all of the people you follow. New mixes, tracks, and EPs can be found here.

Do it. Get a SoundCloud account now - it's free! Stalk your faves, thank me later.

You can also "comment" at sections of mixes and get track ID's - subsequently leading you to other artists and potential mixes (!!!) Some people get annoyed by commenting, or think it's "dumb" and you should figure it out yourself. Trust me, save yourself some time and just ask around - usually someone will answer in the comments and it really isn't that painstakingly awful for others - they're just assholes. There. I said it (//rant).

Moving along to some blogs and websites (!!!).

There are a few that I have been following for quite some time, and really enjoy. And there are some that I think suck. I'll leave out the latter and let you figure that out as I list some that I believe are a great source of information and music. With thousands upon thousands of blogs out there - I have a handful that I reference on the reg because. There's never enough time to catch up on all the good music, but if you go to a few good sites, you'll find what you're looking for. (Feel free to click the links now as they will open up a new tab).

1. SlothBoogie
   
2. La.Ga.Sta
   
3. UhOhDisco
   
4. Beats in Space
   
5. Blisspop
6. Golden Scissors
7. Click this and find a goldmine
8. Click this and find a goldmine (p2)
9. White Light Mixes
10. The Ambitious C
    

There is also this wonderful thing called, "Google".

If I am in the mood to listen to a particular band, artist, DJ, whatever - I usually just Google them, and then "mix". You'll be surprised at what you find. Sometimes it's forums or boards that aren't in English but have awesome links, and other times you're not as lucky. And (do this at your discretion), but usually you can also find albums or recordings this way as well - instead, put in Mediafire, .zip, .rar, .mp3 with the artist and you'll find some fun things as well.

Finally - reference your friends, acquaintances, and/or enemies.

People know more than they lead on... and personally, I LOVE sharing what (I think) I know with people, and exposing friends and/or readers to things not so familiar. With the blog, those are my favorite posts; delving into something more than what I had originally thought. Like album reviews, or spotlights on artists. It makes me feel smart, and that's something I like (duh). My friends and I have music threads where we share all kinds of music and fun things, and I highly recommend you do the same thing.

Hopefully you learned something... maybe you found a new website or blog to stalk, or now have a nice SoundCloud account. Please use this knowledge to find some music - then give it to me. K. Thanks!

Your turn - Favorite website to go to for music? We love suggestions, so throw them at us!

And because I can't leave you without music, here's a mix I found via SoundCloud on Friday. I love how it was recorded in 2009, but still relevant almost 3 years later. Plus, he made it for his wife. #swoonworthy #iwantsomeonetomakeamixforme

http://sparkless.promodj.ru/promos/1263107/Sparkless_When_I_see_the_sun_in_your_eyes.html

*Edited to add: Sparkless recently took the mix off Soundcloud, but you can stream from the link above. I promise it's a great one :D

***Side note: if you're trying to figure out what the picture above is it contains a disco ball, musical notes, and a man with a top-hat - looking hard, because he's boss. Duh.

Fresh'N'New Music: Sparkless

Every so often you come across a mix that is nothing short of something special. I think DJ mixes often get written off or discredited as an expression of art. When it comes to live sets, the DJ can come prepared with set list and adjust the selections accordingly to fit the mood of crowd. With a recorded mix, it's a one shot deal. The DJ has to select and mix in such a way to keep you listening till the end, and hopefully hitting "repeat". Every DJ has their own style and technique. To keep me tuned, I want you tell me a story, capture a mood or vibe: Take me on a sonic journey. That's how you enthrall me.

This next mix in the Fresh'N'New Music series I am playing with this week comes from Alex Khomenko, a.k.a SPARKLESS. In this set, smooth and atmospheric, almost ambient at times, Deep House tracks come together seamlessly to capture and express the feeling of the "Last Sunny Days". Sparkless describes:

People - Wake up!

Last rays of the sun was replaced by the autumn melancholy. But that is no reason to be sad, it's so beautiful it's time, that sometimes takes your breath away. On this subject, my next mix.

Deep, right? Enjoy!