The recent state of emergency and lockdown we’ve all been living through had an unexpected upside – your tutors here at Digital DJ Tips got a chance to mix music again just for the fun of it, something we realised we hadn’t done enough of for years! We decided to start running weekly livestreams, Steve from his studio at home, and me from my home balcony.
We’ve actually done livestreams in several styles recently, but today I’ve handpicked six house mixes produced since the start of April. (It was actually very hard to choose, and I’ve left out some sets we really enjoyed, so do come over to our Mixcloud accounts – Phil Morse and Steve Canueto – if you’d like to catch up on the rest. Follow us while you’re there!)
Take a look below and find something that appeals to you – you can stream the audio (minus all the chat) from the embedded player, or click through to watch the YouTube recording of the full show.
Whatever you’re up to this weekend, I hope we can soundtrack some of it for you!
6 House Mixes
Phil Morse, Balcony Beats #1, 5 April 2020
https://youtu.be/7G70gyNiuCA?rel=0
Phil says: “This was the first Digital DJ Tips livestream DJ set of lockdown. The ‘Balcony Beats’ name came from DJing from my home balcony. I’m lucky in that the location delivered ready-made eye candy for my backdrop, as our balcony looks across the Mediterranean to Africa! My 7-year-old daughter immediately got into dancing for me, and has remained a feature of my streams ever since.
“Technically, I was cobbling together what I could find at home as regards camera and mic, and giving myself a crash course in all the technical side of livestreaming music, too, so it’s definitely rough ‘n’ ready. Musically, it is a blend of all my styles, from laid-back beats to screaming anthems, with a definite bias towards classics.”
Stream the audio:
[mixcloud https://www.mixcloud.com/philmorse/balcony-beats-1/ width=100% height=60 hide_cover=1 mini=1]
Steve Canueto, Ministry of Sound Classics, 11 April
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-R_e1mqs3w?rel=0
Steve says: “For my first ever livestream I took the opportunity to play a set of tunes that meant a lot to me during my early years both clubbing and working at London’s Ministry of Sound nightclub. The sound system was, and is, one of the best in the world, and I can remember the moment when I heard each and every one of these tracks for the first time thundering through those massive speakers!
“Technically, I threw myself went straight in at the deep end with multiple camera angles and onscreen comments, it was nerve wracking but I think it went well.”
Stream the audio:
[mixcloud https://www.mixcloud.com/SteveCanueto/house-classics-2020-live-stream-extended-audio/ width=100% height=60 hide_cover=1 mini=1]
Phil Morse, Balcony Beats #6, Bank Holiday 17 May 2020
https://youtu.be/SVDZF_J5rMg?rel=0
Phil says: “I remember my wife and I saying, ‘It’s a bank holiday weekend, but it’s just like every other weekend, or every other day come to that – how can we make it special under lockdown?’ Then I recalled that at the club I played at for 12 years, Tangled in Manchester, England, bank holidays were classics nights.
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“That gave me the theme for this special Monday set, where I dug out lots of tunes that had meant a lot to me over the years, with just a sprinkling of more up to date music where it felt right. This was a very popular set with the audience on broadcast, as well as lots of old friends who tuned in.”
Stream the audio:
[mixcloud https://www.mixcloud.com/philmorse/balcony-beats-6/ width=100% height=60 hide_cover=1 mini=1]
Steve Canueto, In My House #4, “Body Rock”, 24 May 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9mwrhNSm9w?rel=0
Steve says: “‘Come into my house. You’re invited into my house.’ So says Calvin Harris in his classic track ‘Merry Making At My Place’ – the track that was the starting point for this whole mix. This is the vibe I want to create with these livestreams as a whole, which is why we settled on the ‘In My House’ naming.
“Musically it’s a rollercoaster ride through many different vibes of house music, ending with Liberty City’s classic ‘Some Lovin’. I took it up a notch technically here, with the software waveforms on overlay and some new ‘picture in picture’ camera scene set-ups.”
Stream the audio:
[mixcloud https://www.mixcloud.com/SteveCanueto/in-my-house-live-stream-4-24-may-2020/ width=100% height=60 hide_cover=1 mini=1]
Phil Morse, Balcony Beats #8, 14 June 2020
https://youtu.be/AXPziLkStrU
Phil says: “This one was special to me because it was baking hot – it felt like summer had finally arrived. Looking back to the chilly early April outdoor sets this one seems like another world. But also as a family we were finally allowed to travel to our weekend home, something we’d really missed doing in lockdown. So this really should be called ‘Poolside Terrace Beats’! Oh, and I’d also managed to finally ditch the dodgy webcam and get something a bit higher quality..
“One of the lovely things to come out of lockdown, though, is that I’ve rekindled my interest in discovering new dance music, so in contrast to the other sets, here is a mix of predominantly fresh tunes, with just a couple of classics thrown in – something I am inclined to do in any DJ set. It also clearly show my skitty nature when it comes to musical styles, swinging between several genres of house music.
Stream the audio:
[mixcloud https://www.mixcloud.com/philmorse/balcony-beats-8-14-june-2020/ width=100% height=60 hide_cover=1 mini=1]
In My House #5, “Disco Vibes” – 7 June 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12yc4BV3ZMw?rel=0
Steve says: “I used the Traktor Kontrol S4 Mk3 for this for a bit of a change up, and musically this whole mix revolves around Vantage’s “50//50” track that I rediscovered from seeing people grooving to it on TikTok videos. It’s so reminiscent of the french disco house sound created by Daft Punk, Justice & Stardust etc so I pulled together a set of tracks inspired by, or sampling disco tracks, with a french feel.
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“As usual I like to end on a classic, but this time I went for two! Daft’s Punk’s remix of Scott Grooves’ ‘Mothership Reconnection’ is an underground club classic that still sounds fresh today, and CeCe Rogers’ ‘Someday’ felt like a fitting final track.”
Stream the audio:
[mixcloud https://www.mixcloud.com/SteveCanueto/imh-disco-7-june-2020/ width=100% height=60 hide_cover=1 mini=1]
Finally…
Did you know that between them, Steve and Phil have decades of experience playing house music, having DJed at venues as well known as Ministry of Sound in London and Privilege in Ibiza? The pair are currently locked into making a course teaching how to mix all flavours of house music, which will be available soon.
If you want to be taught by Phil and Steve to mix house, you can join the notification list to find out when this is launched and to take advantage of any special deal for first buyers.
Click here to add your name to the list now – no obligation.
Enjoy the mixes!
Staff Writer
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