What's That?

Times are a changing

With my degree done and dusted and a bit more free time on my hands I’m throwing myself back What’s That I’ve decided the structure of the content on the site needs a rethink.

I’ve decided to split content as longer pieces of written content on the main site and a shorter ‘link log’ on the accompanying Facebook page. This means if you like the tunes and sets posted on here why not quickly pop over to the What’s That Facebook page and subscribe by giving the page a ‘like’. You will then still be updated regularly with quick links to external content, tunes and sets on a daily basis. On the main site I’m going to concentrate on reviews, previews, artist and label profiles and hopefully a few interviews.

I hope this segregation of the content will help structure the site in a more logical and accessible way and increase the user experience.

Oh and happy birthday What’s That - 1 year old and hopefully many more to come.

Radio Silence From Me, So Some Sets For You

What’s That is Still Alive!

As you may have noticed there have been few updates over the past few months. Don’t worry though – this does not mean the death of What’s That! I have been stupidly busy trying to finish off the third and final year of my Business Studies degree and that has been taking up most of my time. Couple of months left now so one big final push then I will be going full time on this, got big plans – watch this space.

If you want fresh tracks daily, like the What’s That page on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @ronanmathew. In the mean time enjoy a couple of sets I have been buzzing off recently.

Shaaabah. Here goes.

Jamie Jones drops the Flawless Sound on us. Tons of old and new(-ish) tracks, just the Resident Advisor golden boy showing us why he got it! Expect that Hot Natured sound - a little bit of everything; from deep house to techno and everything in between!

This is a new artist on me, Shir Khan but his “best of…” is worth a listen if you want a who’s who of all the most popular songs from last year, this is the one for you! Tracklisting reads like Beatports Top 100 Deep House tracks of last year. Worth a listen though to see if you missed anything!

Move D’s 3 and a half hour set from a recent visit to Panoramabar, Berlin. Some real fine techno - he’s even taken time to answer back to people who have commented on the tracklistings pointing them in the right direction to the records on Discogs. Fair play.

And finally here is the big guns. Cocorico is a club in Italy that looks like a glass pyramid. It high on my to do list of places to visit, maybe next year for Halloween (my birthday!). Solomun absolutely smashes it with this mix - definitely - my favourite mix of the moment. 1 hour 30 minutes of tunes. Get it on, loud!

Until next time! Remember fresh tunes go up on Facebook/Twitter daily if you need a fix links at the top of the page ^^.

i-D Online Top Tracks of 2011

I had a crack at my favourite mixes last post and then started on a list of favoruite tunes. A very long time later, I decided to give up. Why? Because there has just been far to much good music released this year. As a compromise here is i-D Online’s mix of the best of 2011. Hats off to those guys!

Check out their back catalogue here.

What’s That Essential Mixes of 2011

Here is a narrowed down version of what has been keeping me going this year - in no particular order.

First of all lets start with the mix that has been on constant repeat since I first heard it. Soul Clap’s Tribute to Nate Dogg mix. Pure genius - I’ve been waiting for a mix like this ever since I got into music. Who knew Nate Dogg had so many amazing tunes. Pass this mix around, I think it is something everyone’s got to hear!

Now onto possibly my favourite BBC Radio 1 essential mix of the year by Bristolian Eats Everything. Expect bass, and lots of it.

Seth Troxler has wowed me live but has failed to do so with some of his mixes - this recent one hits the sweet spot though. Expect house, disco, jazz dropping off into techno and deep house (all bases covered!).

Flight Facilities had slipped under my radar until the second half of this year - not any more! This mix spans a lofty mixture of genres, just whack it on in the background and it’s rather pleasant.

Stupidly good podcast from MANIK for Autobrennt. Expect deep house of the finest variety starting with a cheeky remix of Little Dragon’s Ritual Union.

Danny Daze first popped up on the radar around March time when his seminal hit Your Everything was picked up and smashed out but the Hot Natured/Crosstown crew at Miami’s Winter Music Conference. Expect a mixed bag of the finest house and electro.

Fatboy Slim, what can I say. This will blow your socks off. Huge tunes from the house/techno and electro master.

As with all of the rest of the Hot Natured crew Russ Yallop has had a very busy year, I think this podcast encapsulates some of the best parts of it! Expect house and disco.

That brings us onto the main man of the moment. Voted Resident Advisor’s no. 1 DJ - consistently played quality sets (all 7 of them that I’ve caught this year!), massive releases on his label and that “Hot Natured” sound taking over this summer. Expect a 1 hour 45 minute blend of just about everything!

Another one from Danny Daze! Expect a blend of house and disco - pretty chilled, perfectly mixed.

The best techno I have heard this year has been from this man. Richie Hawtin. Still at the top of his game after all these years - this set just cements that. Expect pure driving techno of the highest quality for just over 2 hours. Big beats from Japan!

And finally is Damien Lazarus with a weird and wonderful 2 and a half hour mix from the Robot Heart Bus @ Burning Man Festival, USA. 

There is probably a few I have missed so this list may get amended but there is 11 mixes to keep you going. Happy listening.

Update 12/01/2012: Just heard Fatboy Slim’s Christmas mix. Absolutely pounding. Don’t have a direct link but you can grab it here!

Possible New Location For The Warehouse Project, Manchester

As The Warehouse Project comes to an end at it’s current tenure at Store Street underneath Piccadilly Station the question remains, where next? What possible location could capture the essence of what has become the premier run of dance events in the north of England. Well here goes…

I’ve heard from a fairly credible source that the new location for The Warehouse Project Manchester is going to be none other than the legendary Bowlers at Trafford Park.

Seems to have all the credentials. The capacity, history and it’s already up and running holding large scale dance events. Watch this space for a confirmation! If you have any more information email me at whatsthatmail + @gmail.com or tweet me @ronanmathew

Location from Google Maps:

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