It’s time for a new exclusive mix. This time from a local techno hero Thomas Dockx. He’s quite a young talent from around Antwerp deejaying his way to the top. Currently he’s very busy organizing his dance event project “Kazzino”. So I was lucky to get him to do an exclusive phase02 mix and make some time for a quick interview.

phase02: Hi Thomas! How are you doing? Tell a little more about yourself and how you started as a dj/producer?

Thomas: Hi Tim, I’m fine, just a little bit tired after a long weekend.. I am now seventeen years old and I’m playing music for almost six years. It all started very small at my room. I played a lot of different styles and there was no structure in my sets. A few months later I discovered the online music store Beatport. Thanks to beatport, I learned a lot of new dance music. My love for techno and minimal was born.

phase02: You’ve played at some quite amazing party events and clubnights. You’ve finished your 4th track. Ever considered to join a label?

Thomas: Maybe in the future .. Today I still prefer deejaying. The songs that I’ve made now are not finished yet. I have to add and modify details.

phase02: I’d describe your music choice and production as a subtle and simplistic part of the tech-house and techno genre? How would you describe your music?

Thomas: Yes indeed, I play deep house to techno, depending on my mood and the place where I’m playing. The search for new good music takes a lot of my time.

phase02: You’re also spinning with your friend Nicolas under the alias Flat Fish. How’s that project going? Do you prefer playing alone or with two? Is your track choice any different?

Thomas: The project is going well. Nicolas is one of my best friends, we’ve already been through a lot together. It’s fun playing together and have someone to fall back on. But I also enjoy playing alone. Usually I play slower and deeper.

phase02: Nice to hear that! How do you see yourself (or flat fish) as dj/producer in a couple years? Do you have any big plans?

Thomas: No big plans.. We are organizing parties in and around Antwerp. In a few weeks our concept Kazzino will take place in Cafe D’Anvers.

phase02: What’s your opinion on the today’s electronic music scene in general? Do you like the way the mainstream evolves?

Thomas: I don’t really know what to think about the music these days. Many people of my age listen to dubstep and electro. I don’t know why, but that music has never touched me.

Okay Thomas! Thanks a lot for this interview and most importantly the amazing dj set you’ve recorded for us.

Now enjoy Thomas Dockx’ exclusive phase02 mix presenting some of the best techno, minimal, tech and deep house in the scene. These 55minutes  is a must-have recording for everyone who appreciate some warm, deep and relaxing beats. Not to mention Thomas’ smooth mix style that finishing of this lovely mix.

Thomas Dockx – Phase02 In The Mix 003 (54:55) (myspace) (soundcloud)
Download here (mediafire)

This chart is on me. Tony is bit busy with other stuff at the moment. He’ll be back active soon. Meanwhile I’ll try to keep up with Tony’s amazing charts. The following tracks are my personal favourites of last month. I highly recommend to check out Tretmühle if you love good techno and tech-house. They’ve assembled the best underground productions in several amazing releases so far.

Before you enjoy these tracks, I’d like to make our phase02 readers warm for a huge update coming up. You may have noticed a lack of activity lately. Don’t worry. Phase02 will soon be more vivid than ever.

Also thanks to everyone who entered our poll. It seems we’re doing a pretty good job providing original tracks and producers. That’s what I’m aiming for with this post. Let me know if I succeeded. Now enjoy!

Leeks – The Guy Had A Gun (Original Mix) / The Guy Had A Gun / FHD

Ruckspin – Get Naked (Orignal Mix) / Jibber / Ranking Records

Gino, Snake – Metro Area (Original Mix) / Analogue Tapes / Tretmuehle

Wedge, Aesoteric – A Night On The Wonk (Gemmy Remix) / A Night On The Wonk / If Symptoms Persist

datA, Kingsin – Baggage (Original Mix) / The Visitor / Deep Soul Music

Norman – Moms (Original Mix) / Connected Volume 3 / Tretmühle

James Harcourt – Unpleasant Surprise (Original mix) / Unpleasant Surprise / Form

Aight, time for some minimal again! Today’s spotlighted tune is called Machma and was produced by Minisub a.k.a Minimal T., a very talented guy from Berlin!
The track has an extremely steady build-up and at some point you wonder whether something new will come in or not. Then suddenly it gets going and it really turns into, wat the Germans would call “eine saubere tanzflurnummer”, a superb tech housy “shake that booty” track! Absolutely love this one!

Minisub – Machma

Also check out the following April mixtape by Minisub, it has a couple of very interesting tracks in it!
Minisub – 2010 April Mix by minisub

Oh and yes, keep on voting on the poll (see previous post!)

Do you remember Motorlab? The Russian techno net-label releasing amazing stuff all for free. It’s truly insane what they’re doing. Couple days back I received a message from them on Facebook, telling me I should check out their live streaming. They were playing dubstep and it was really good. But I couldn’t resist to check out their website again … I was astonished by the quantity and quality of the new free releases.

In this post I want to feature their 12th and latest release Ecomotion by Hybridnetika. As I said before you can download all the releases for free on Motorlab.su. I suggest you bookmark that one. They deserve so much more attention.

[audio:/0410/03-hybridnetika_-_recuperatio_(regenerative).mp3]
Hybridnetika – Recuperation (Regenerative)

Download Ecomotion Ep

I suggest you head over to Motorlab to download the whole Ep if you like this track.

animated image by davidope.

Get ready for first class progressive techno from Spain. Unusual Sound Records has released Mumzoo‘s  Eleven Ep the 24th. It’s available on Junodownload and DjDownload so far. Tomorrow it’ll be available on iTunes, TrackItDown and a lot more online mp3 stores. I suggest you head over there and get this Ep right away. Unusual Sound, as some of you may remember, is a brand new label, obviously kicking of with some amazing releases. This is the second time I discover a new incredible artist on this label. Very nice Ep with wonderful remixes. Thumbs up for Remy-M, Isaak Lozano, Kassandra and LeFrenk for making this release a banger with their remixes. Enjoy this free 320 of his Nic Fanciulli remix if you’re still not convinced.

[audio:/0310/Lazio (Mumzoo Remix).mp3]
Nic Fanciulli – Lazio (Mumzoo Remix)

by motion graphics artist Umeric.

Dennis Price has been spinning house music over 25 years in Amsterdam. Dennis has the honour to be the star of Unusual Sound Records debut Ep Charming Ghost.

“They thrive on creating music that intensely engages the human mind, body and condition. Their drive focuses on fulfilling the demands of the most critical ears of fans and performers of Techno, House, Progressive, Tech House, Minimal, Electro House, Downtempo and Dubstep.”

Now enjoy this album’s preview and the free 320 Dennis Price remix of Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean.

Charming Ghost by Unusual Sound

Buy Charming Ghost on DJDownload, Juno or MySpace. It will be available soon on Beatport and iTunes.

[audio:/0310/MICHAEL JACKSON - BILLIE JEAN (Dennis Price Progressive Remix).mp3]
Michael Jackson – Billie Jean (Dennis Price Progressive Remix)

Stay tuned for more Unusual Sound Records news.

This is the 4th release in a on-going series of limited edition 12″s from the newly formed vinyl imprint of Watergate. You might recall the name of this infamous club located in Berlin that’s become internationally recognized for it’s exclusivity, and the high-profile people that frequent there. Watergate has hosted so many renowned artists and DJ’s that I’m not going to attempt to start listing them here; but this is really how it’s garnered it’s reputation as a international super club. This particular release seems to be out of stock on Juno, but there are still some German stockists carrying it. You can try music-head.de or decks.de

The first track on this release is a nice subtle reworking of a tune off Martyn’s breath taking debut album “Great Lengths”. The rhythm has been reworked and simplified down to a hypnotic pulse, resonating against the syncopation of the bass – all while the trace elements of the original swirl and dip overhead. I’m quite pleased with what Sebo has done with the track, although it’s rather more a remix than an edit.

Martyn – Elden St. (Sebo K Watergate Edit)
[audio:2010/0110/Elden St (Sebo K Watergate Edit).mp3]

On the flip we’ve got a very smooth original track from Dop. The title of this track is a little cheeky considering how warm and sexy the vocals are, but I guess it’s a sort of juxtaposition and wordplay. The vocals in this track are brilliant. “It’s a cold earth” is almost whispered, repeated, and so short and few you might not realize how little there is to it.

Dop – Cold World (Original Mix)
[audio:2010/0110/02 Cold World.mp3]

Some aspects of Watergate maybe seem a bit pretentious for me, like the “no picture policy”, but it ensures no one will be exposed and scrutinized in any candid photo’s of them getting down ‘n dirty the night before. I guess this wouldn’t matter for regular folks, and I’ll admit, I don’t like having a camera being shoved in my face either; but they’ve got to do something to protect the dignity of their clientele I suppose. Maybe in the future I’ll have a chance to experience Watergate but for now I’m happily enjoying these fine recordings in the comfort of my own home.