Secretsundaze Volume 2 – mixed by Giles Smith and James Priestley
September 18, 2008
Seven years old now and secretsundaze continues to be one of Europe’s leading torch bearers for underground House and Techno. The London based Sunday outdoor daytime party is still one of the most exciting, innovative and fun places to hear the worlds best DJs, with its amazing sound system, attention to detail and colourful, dedicated followers. Never resting on its laurels secretsundaze still have a habit of being one step ahead with their bookings bringing new talent to the UK shores each season.
Last year they launched their label secretsundaze music with their first release being the critically acclaimed ’secretsundaze Volume 1′ – a double CD mixed and compiled by the residents Giles Smith & James Priestley. This was in fact vinyl emporium Phonica’s (Soho, London) bigggest selling CD ever! And now we have part 2.
A great deal has happened since the first secretsundaze compilation was released just under a year ago. The label has developed with a new series “secretsundaze presents” being launched with none other than Cocoon regular Tobi Neumann mixing the first instalment. The parties this season have continued to be the talk of town with the first five events completely selling out in advance.
The duo have also made a big mark in Ibiza this year with secretsundaze hosting rooms for both highly respected German night Monza at Privilege twice and also replacing Groove Armada on two occasions in the Lovebox room at Pete Tong’s new Wonderland night at Eden. Secretsundaze parties have also taken place at some of the worlds best clubs including Panorama Bar, Weekend, Robert Johnson, Distillery in Germany, Club 11 in Amsterdam, The Rex in Paris, Basics in Leeds plus they threw another hugely successful party at 2008’s Sonar Festival at La Terrazza open air club. On top of all this, both Giles and James have matured into respected producers with releases and remixes appearing and forthcoming on Dessous, Four:Twenty, Buzzin Fly, Simple, Compost and Mood Music.
Giles decided to focus on really getting across the smoothness of his sets having communicated the breadth of his palette in Volume 1. His sets have never been about big moments, rather just a feeling. The groove is built subtley using tracks as building blocks gradually shifting thorugh gears with tracks mellting into each other.
Kicking off with some very deep, hazy tracks by Mike Huckaby and Claro Intelecto the mix moves into more tracky, bass heavy Mauritzio inspired grooves with Mr G, and the 13 year old “Montanna Freight Train” by Lawson, Finlow and Cappello. The woozy, trippy “Ezio” by Motorbass makes a surprise appearance before making way for the mixes exclusive track from Giles and Martin Dawson’s Two Armadillos project. “Hawthorne’s Theme” is a deep, driving, jazz inspired House track. Totally the sound of now this is bound to appeal to fans of Deep Vibes or Oslo records with its authentic sound.
Momentarily slipping back into some hypnotic numbers by Cassy and Scott Grooves the mix then begins to kick with more percussive tracks from Brothers Vibe, man of the moment Guillaume and The Cotu Dumonts and also another Two Armadillos track “Hamlin” (recently snapped up by Steve Bug for his latest Bugnology mix). Another highlight of the mix is the deep throbbing Azzurro by Rozzo one half of The Mountain People. Azzurro is a totally unreleased track exclusive to the mix that Rozzo passed Giles in moment of weakness! This is the only place to hear this gem. Finally Giles manages to squeeze in one of his favourite tracks of all time “The Morning Factory” by Ron Trent and Chez Damier. Totally captivating and timeless this is House music at its best and a perfect way to close the mix.
For his mix, James takes a similar approach to that of his on the first secretsundaze edition, continuing to take the opportunity to showcase and introduce some of the other sounds that make up his diverse pallet, whilst maintaining the emphasis on a coherent and building set with a defined House sensibility. With its strong melodic base and endearing vocal content, the mix sits equally at home on the clanked-out kitchen stereo as on the headphones.
The early flourishes of the mix nod to his love of more laidback and Balearic-tinged styles: we open with a smouldering cosmic house classic from 1990, Holy Ghost Inc’s ‘Walk On Air’, before heading into the dubby realms of Lindbaek & Lindstrom and Stones Throw boy wonder James Pants. From there, the tempo and the temperature mounts: witness the euphoric, soul-infused ‘Theme’ by Barltan Love Express, and some rolling, raw and genuinely tribal-inspired cuts from the likes of Afefe Iku and Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts. Playgroup’s gloriously strung-out acid house mix of ‘I Need Your Love’ by The Rapture, takes things into more subtly psychedelic territory as does Johnny D’s, intricately layered, undulating remix of Guy Gerber’s ‘Disorientation’. Rounding things up, The Mole’s unsettling loopy disco-infused ‘Acadian’ sets the scene for ‘Psychotic Photosynthesis’ – a contemporary classic from Detroit wizz-kid, Omar S, boasting one of the most memorable, spine-tingling synth lines ever, and as far as we know, exclusive to CD on this mix.
James himself is in the producer’s chair for the CD’s noir-ish, string-laden, elegantly feel-good conclusion – teaming up with studio partner Dan Berkson to remix Robert Owens’ ‘Happy’.
So one year on and a new compilation.. secretsundaze Volume 2 is an equally enthralling affair as the first and once again captures perfectly the state of underground House and Techno in 2008.
Giles Smith
1. Untitled 2 – Urban Force (Mike Huckaby remix) (Statik Entertainment) 2008
2. Patience – Claro Intellecto (Modern Love) 2005
3. Sometimes I Cry – Mr G (Radio Slave remix) (Proof) 2008
4. Montanna Freight Train – Finlow, Lawson, Capello (2020 Vision) 1995
5. Ezio – Motorbass (Motorbass) 1993
6. Hawthorne’s Theme – Two Armadillos (Unreleased)
7. Idle Blues – Cassy 02 (Cassy) 2008
8. Only 500 – Scott Grooves (Natural Midi) 2008
9. Step Into It – Brothers Vibe (Mixx ) 2008
10. The Flying Dutchman – Guillaume and The Cotu Dumonts (Karat) 2008
11. Hamlin – Two Armadillos (Dessous) 2008
]12. No Traffic In Nagano – Nagano Kitchen (Apotek) 2007
13. Azzuro – Rozzo (Unreleased Mountain People)
14. The Morning Factorty – Ron Trent and Chez Damier (Prescription) 1994
James Priestley
1. Holy Ghost Inc ‘Walk On Air’ (Holy Ghost Records) 1990
2. Lindbaek & Lindstrom ‘Alien in My Pocket’ (Lindbaek’s Extended Disco Version) (Modal) 2004
3. James Pants ‘We’re Through’ (Stonesthrow) 2008
4. Barltan Love Express ‘Theme’ (HTBD Records) 2003
5. Afefe Iku ‘Mirror Dance’(Yoruba) Recordings 2008
6. Sety ‘Mogane’ (Guillaume & The Coutu Dumonts Remix) (Circus Company) 2008 7. Afefe Iku ‘Bodydrummin’ (Yoruba) 2007
8. Ronnie Parker ‘Bongcong Combination’ (Earthrumental) 2007
9. The Rapture ‘I Need Your Love’ (Playgroup Dub) (Output) 2004
10. Guy Gerber ‘Disorientation’ (Johnny D Remix) (Supplemant Facts) 2008
11. The Mole ‘Acadian’( Wagon Repair) 2006
12. Robert Owens ‘Happy’ (James Priestley & Dan Berkson Remix) Compost Records 2008
13. Omar S ‘Psychotic Photosynthesis’ FXHE 2007
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