Pessimist – 12 Tracks

pessimist

The Bristol native producer and DJ lays down 12 tracks for almost every occasion.

1. The first track I ever bought

Fatboy Slim – You’ve Come A Long Way Baby (1998) –  This was the first ever tape I bought. Still to this day I love this album, it may have been a commercial success but that’s for a good reason. My favourite track off the album has to be Acid 8000. I also remember the first vinyl records me and my brother bought were The Harder They Come Pt 2 EP – Renegade Hardware & also Brain 29 – Brain Recordings, this is before me and my brother even knew what to do with our decks.

2. A track I’m feeling at the moment

December – In Advance Of The Broken Arm (2015) I’m really feeling this track, it’s a dancefloor thing with a nod to some synth age / post-punk era. Blackest Ever Black is a great label which I’m proud to say I’ll be releasing in the near future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2KDhWELtz4

3. A track that takes me back

LTJ Bukem – Listen (2002) – I never get bored of this track, I loved it from the first time I heard it. I’ve had some great times listening to this sober and not so sober, it also works well in my sets too.

https://pro.beatport.com/track/listen-original-12-mix/4101085

4. The track to open my next DJ set

Pessimist – The Empty House (2016) – I tend to test new material out in all my sets and as I’ve recently been writing some more subtle material this would be a great one to start with. Unfortunately, it’s nowhere to be found on the net and I can’t really shed too much info at the moment.

5. Something we might not expect

Norma Jean – Creating Something Out Of Nothing, Only To Destroy It (2002) – Heavy track from a good band, although this album is the only material I really like. It’s so raw, it sounds like it’s recorded in a garage. I recommend this album to anyone who is into hardcore & metal if you haven’t heard it already.

6. The track I’d play midnight on a Sunday

Nonie-Gv- Lo-Fi Style (produced by Eets) (2013) – Not a very suitable time to have my speakers on to be honest. But I’d go for some of the music I’ve been listening to through Soundcloud recently. There’s loads of great new artists making neo-soul, Dilla-esque & modern hip-hop tracks, which for me is always nice to relax to. I’d be picking at random really so here’s one, this has a slightly moodier Trip-Hop vibe to it, reminds me of Tricky actually.

 

https://soundcloud.com/raaasng/lo-fi-style-prod-eets-re

7. Favourite track of the 80s

The Smiths – How Soon Is Now (1985) – This is the first thing that popped to my head and after some thought, it still sticks out as my favourite from that decade. Great lyrics, guitar riffs and reverbs, synth lines and the actual structure and progression of the track is amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEq8DBxm0J4

8. The track to rescue a dance floor

Nico & Future Forces – The Chase (1998)- I need to stop doing it, but too often I resort to playing this track again and again during my sets, but no wonder, it’s a wicked track in my opinion. I think the reason it seems to work on the dancefloor is the real low thudding bass but also the staccato strings, I think they stand out to people because it’s not something that’s often used in Drum & bass. It’s a dark track, but the audience get that, it’s not as if I get booked for Love Saves The Day or something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maqSiRRA_qg

9. The track by my favourite new artist

Shifted – Burning Tyres (2013) – Not exactly a new artist or even a new track, but the track is new to me. This guy makes some wicked Techno I especially like this track for its lo-fi style.

10. An underrated track from Bristol

Rhythmic Theory – Lucid State (2015) – I picked this track, but there’s many others by Rhythmic Theory that are wicked, especially the other side of this release. I think it’s bit of a shame Bristol isn’t like Berlin and doesn’t showcase it’s local techno enough. Maybe it will switch around soon, producers like Rhythmic Theory are getting noticed and building respect in cities like Berlin, but it seems Bristol is a bit slow to book names like this. Things are geared too much towards fresher students and shallow hipster types within the city and that’s something that needs to change. Having said this, there is a proper underground movement going on in some of the smaller venues which is totally unique to the city.

11. A Cautious selection

Kendrick Lamar – These Walls (2015) – Maybe some would call it a guilty pleasure because of its commercial success but I genuinely think this track is so good. I like the people that Kendrick is choosing to work with here, the album this was taken off has some great music with some real cool collaborations.

12. The track I’d play at my funeral

Fresh & Vegas – Elm Street (2003) – At least everyone could have a good laugh. This track is so spooky too!

 

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