Blaze DJ presents his fourth guest edition of Ministry of Breaks on Scientific Sound Asia. Scientific Sound Asia is an Asian electronic music radio station, DJ agency, promoter and music-news platform connecting audiences across Asia and internationally.
Blaze DJ is a British DJ and producer from Walthamstow in the East End of London, UK. His upbringing and career have been closely linked to underground music culture and DJing.
The concept of 10,000 hours suggests that around 10,000 hours of practice are needed to reach expertise in a field and master a craft, yet for Blaze DJ that figure represented only the beginning. The London-based DJ has devoted enough time to develop an almost intuitive connection with the turntables, the music he plays and his audience.
Raised in a household exposed to a diverse range of musical genres, Blaze DJ credits his parents and siblings as his earliest influences. Jazz, funk, disco, New Romantics and 1980s synth-pop shaped his preferences, while hearing the cassette House Sounds of Chicago Volume 1 at school in 1987 led him to identify his signature sound.
Music became a passion that shaped not only Blaze DJ's nightlife but also his career and lifestyle, and he began DJing at 15. He progressed from local pubs in Edmonton to residencies in Birmingham and Faliraki, often playing to crowds of up to 2,000 people, and has likely worked in every aspect of DJing.
As a representative of the Acid House era, Blaze DJ witnessed the development of the UK's electronic music scene from its inception onwards. Thirty years later, he brings the same excitement and energy to his sets that he brought to the parties of the early 1990s.
House music has always been Blaze DJ's focal point, and he draws on artists from different eras in forming his distinctive sound. Classic house, breaks, acid and techno provide a useful outline of his musical approach.
Blaze DJ's work also extended beyond the booth through DJ stores, where he became the first retailer in the UK to bring DJing and production equipment together under one roof. That approach changed retail for the electronic music community.
In 2005, Blaze DJ appeared to lose his enthusiasm for performing and moved into audio-visual design and consultancy within the music industry, concentrating on sound systems in clubs around the world. After a fifteen-year break, his interest in DJing returned and prompted a renewed commitment to live performance.
At the time of publication, he had secured monthly radio slots with Ibiza Club News, Underground Kollektiv and Scientific Sound Asia despite the challenges of the previous year. He also had unreleased music, plans for a label and a live date scheduled at Sonic Alchemy in London on 21 August.
Blaze DJ's Ministry of Breaks episode 4 opens with Brothers Of Funk's True & Original on ElectroBreakz, setting out a breaks foundation. DJ Fixx's $HAKE on Ravesta Records and Digital Base and Andy Vibes' Yo Retro on Elektroshok Records lead into The Darrow Chem Syndicate's Ero Submarine remix on Nipponeer Records and letthemusicplay and Kae Tempest's Our Town remix on Greco-Roman.
Ondamike's Murder on Ravesta Records precedes SL2's On a Ragga Tip, bringing a hard dance accent into the programme. Baymont Bross' Wise And Smart remix on Distorsion Records, Deibeat's You Make Me Feel remix on Toast & Jam Recordings, Perfect Kombo's Low on Funktasty Crew Records and Freestylers' Unreal on Mama's Pie return the focus to breaks.
Stanton Warriors' Blue on Punks is followed by DJ SKT's Take Me Away remix and The Darrow Chem Syndicate's La Sambaretta remix on Nipponeer Records. Colombo's Move Move on Distorsion Records, Blaze DJ's Gimmi Sum Bass and The Darrow Chem Syndicate and Kid Panel's Here And Now remix on Nipponeer Records keep the momentum moving forward.
Broken Boy's Sedition, Suga7's Hot Since Beginning on Wasted and Bubble Couple's Experimental on Guachinche Records continue the breaks-led run. Obscene Frequenzy's Funky Summer on Wasted and Digital Base and Andy Vibes' Bad Selection on Old Skool Records lead to Atlantis' Fiji remix on Black Hole Recordings, a main-floor trance change of direction.
Skream's Trees on IFEEL and Hybrid's Flashpoint remix on Distinctive Records bring the set back to breaks before Underworld's Born Slippy on UMC adds dance music. Jon Craig's Neon on Applique Music introduces Progressive House, while The Push and Lauren Meehan's Nightfall remix on Distorsion Records returns to breaks.
Raven Maize's The Real Life mix on Rulin Records develops the Progressive House thread, before Stakker's Humanoid remix and Epitome Of Hype's Ladies With An Attitude on Blapps! introduce Tech House. Sekret Chadow's Break Damn Guitar and Portal's Keep It Comin bring the programme to its final stretch.
Blaze DJ episode 4
Brothers Of Funk - True & Original (Original Mix)
Case 82 - Padua (Original Mix)
DJ Fixx - $HAKE (Original Mix)
Digital Base, Andy Vibes - Yo Retro (Original Mix)
The Darrow Chem Syndicate - Ero Submarine (KALOCOM & KLÄU Remix)
letthemusicplay, Kae Tempest - Our Town (Lennie De Ice Remix)
Ondamike - Murder (Original Mix)
SL2 - On a Ragga Tip
Baymont Bross - Wise And Smart (ACEDIA Remix)
Deibeat - You Make Me Feel (Under This Remix)
Perfect Kombo - Low (Original Mix)
Ben Rainey & Carl Hanaghan - Strings Of Life (Original Mix
Freestylers - Unreal (Original Mix)
Stanton Warriors - Blue (Original Mix)
DJ SKT - Take Me Away (Suga7 Remix)
Sub Focus - Turn Back (YANKEE Remix)
The Darrow Chem Syndicate - La Sambaretta (OnDaMiKe Remix)
Colombo - Move Move (Original Mix)
Blaze DJ - Gimmi Sum Bass (Extended Version)
The Darrow Chem Syndicate, Kid Panel - Here And Now (Kid Panel Remix)
Broken Boy - Sedition (Original Mix)
Suga7 - Hot Since Beginning (Original Mix)
Bubble Couple - Experimental Feat. Fyahz (Original Mix)
Obscene Frequenzy - Funky Summer (Original Mix)
Snap - The Power [Jump & Hide Remix] (DJ Schmolli 'Dibby Power Sound' Edit)
Digital Base, Andy Vibes - Bad Selection (Original Mix)
Atlantis - Fiji (Mesmer Remix)
Skream - Trees
Hybrid - Flashpoint (Hybrid Remix)
Jeff Alsford - Home ( Blaze DJ rework 130 BPM)
Underworld - Born Slippy
Jon Craig - Neon
The Push, Lauren Meehan - Nightfall (Adam Vyt Remix)
Raven Maize - The Real Life (Fat Boy Slim Mix)
Stakker - Humanoid (Plump DJ Remix)
Epitome Of Hype - Ladies With An Attitude (Underground Mix)
Sekret Chadow - Break Damn Guitar (Original Mix)
Portal - Keep It Comin
Listen on Mixcloud here.