The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 70

The August bank holiday weekend. Oh my word, let me compose myself.

What a weekend it has been. My Ibiza void has been filled, or at least partly filled, by two UK festivals this summer. Last month it was Global Gathering. This weekend it was leg two. SW4, just a few tube stops up the Northern Line, on Clapham Common.

The weather was horrific - a morning drizzly mist, followed by a 4pm downpour the like of which I've not seen since my Bristol days. But there were no dampened spirits. In fact, spirits were almost as high as the mud on our wellies and jeans. The weather actually made it more of an experience.

I had an amazing evening. It all seemed so short. And after pretty short spells with Sander Van Doorn and Eddie Halliwell, I only really got to see Aly & Fila, W&W, Paul Van Dyk and Armin Van Buuren. I'm not sure whose idea it was to actually put W&W on sandwiched between Aly & Fila and Paul Van Dyk and Armin Van Buuren was actually the weakest I've ever seen him play but, even so, I was in my element and loving every moment. We heard Apache twice. Nuff said!

As mentioned in last week’s blog, I've gone through a brief period where a lot of the slower tempoed releases in EDM and trance haven’t really floated my boat much. Add to that the fact that so many of my recent favourites were crammed into the extended version of Episode 67. Of late I've done a lot more in the mid to high tempo range and, in a way, this episode picks up some of the loose ends that I haven’t been able to put into recent offerings – usually because they didn't fit.

I did a bit of complaining on Twitter today that Armin Van Buuren’s set at SW4 was too trousey and soft. And it was. It was basically just a run through of Intense and an opportunity to roll out surprise guest Trevor Guthrie. It wasn't the Armin Van Buuren that I've loved as a DJ for the last 5 years or so.

But maybe it’s a bit rich of me to complain because the opening of this episode is definitely in that sort of new school EDM bracket, the bracket I don’t particularly want the world’s best DJ going anywhere near. But the fact that I'm playing stuff like this means I do very much have time for it as music. As always it’s about context and delivery.

Highlights for me this week are Starkillers’ track on Sander Van Doorn’s label, Ride, the new collab between W&W and Hardwell (which I'm sure we heard at SW4) and the noise-fest that is Bangover. The Cube by Ummet Ozcan brings back nice memories of Global Gathering.

 THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST EPISODE 70

1. Starkillers - Ride [Doorn Records]

2. Hardwell & W&W - Jumper [Revealed Recordings] <<<(Phil's Tune Of The Episode)>>>

3. Sick Individuals - Chase [X]

4. Don Diablo & Matt Nash - Starlight (Could You Be Mine) [Axtone]

5. Juventa - Beauty Catch [Enhanced Progressive]

6. Lange - A Different Shade Of Crazy [Lange Recordings]

7. Tomac - Ballista [Silent Shore Records]

8. Giuseppe Ottaviani - Feel The Music [Black Hole Recordings]

9. Mike Hawkins & Pablo Oliveros - Bangover [Tone Diary]

10. Ummet Ozcan - The Cube [Spinnin Records]

11. Jochen Miller - Red One [High Contrast Recordings]

12. Richard Durand ‎– Predator Vs Cha Cha [Terminal 4] <<<(The Phil-Harmonic Golden Oldie)>>>

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 69

After a one week absence, The Phil-Harmonic Podcast crash lands for Episode 69. A nice number, I think you'll all agree.

Renegade Transmission had some issues with their host server last week so, with no broadcast, I opted to take a week off to give myself some extra breathing space. But this weekend everything is back on track. The podcast is in fine fettle at the moment and there's plenty to look forward to as summer closes. Episodes 70 and 71 are already ready to go and 71 is right from my top shelf.

This weekend I have yet again proved that I'm a bad influence... on noone but myself. I basically lost an entire day yesterday. When you pop out for a few Friday drinks and then wake up at 6pm on Saturday evening, you know something has gone badly wrong.

But with the end of a hot (and quite unforgettable) summer honing into view, there is still so much to look forward to. For me, it's London dance music festival, SW4, next weekend, where I'll get to see the mighty Armin Van Buuren for the first time since our outing to Warehouse Project last October. Being from the North West, Creamfields has always been my festival of choice. Now, being a Londoner, a day on Clapham Common with dance music's finest is a no brainer.

There's also the prospect of moving flats, which will signal the end of era in the shape of our current London home. This place has been the scene of so much debauched activity in the last 5 years or so and, as we lead up to our final house party here, no doubt you'll see me pay tribute to our memories more than once in this blog. We are planning a big send off.

Podcast-wise, we are sticking with the more uplifting end of the spectrum, as quite frankly, I've just not unearthed that much great material from the more progressive/EDM side of late. I kick off this week with my own tribute to Infected Mushroom's incredible performance at Global Gathering, a collaboration they did with Astrix earlier this year called Astrix On Mushrooms.

Beyond that we have a handful of the usual suspects - the likes of Darren Porter. Jordan Suckley and Lee Haslam. 'Tune Of The Episode' is from C-Systems. A real full on ride and one for the purists here.

Enjoy it. Podcast will return Sunday/Monday next week for Episode 70. Have a great week and a big bank holiday weekend!

THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST EPISODE 68

1. Infected Mushroom & Astrix - Astrix On Mushrooms [Dim Mak Records]
2. Jordan Suckley - Do Or Die [Perfecto Fluoro]
3. The Noble Six - Discovering The Sphinx [Blue Soho Recordings]
4. Chris Cockerill - Blackjack (Daniel Skyver Remix) [Vibrate Sounds]
5. Lee Haslam - Crack On [In Trance We Trust]
6. Matt Bowdidge - Still By Your Side [Mental Asylum Records]
7. C-Systems feat. Hanna Finsen - Leading Destiny [Unearthed Records] <<<(Phil's Tune Of The Episode)>>>
8. Darren Porter & Manuel Le Saux - Stormchaser [Extrema Global Music]
9. Roger Shah, JES & Brian Laruso - Higher Than The Sun (Aly & Fila Remix) [Black Hole Recordings]
10. Re:Locate - Rogue [Galactive] <<<(The Phil-Harmonic Golden Oldie)>>>

The Phil-Harmonic Podcast Episode 68

The final action of yet another booze fuelled weekend is the upload of a new episode. In all honesty, I've drank far far too much this weekend and, in the words of Jeremy from Peep Show, "I feel low, like a piece of low". All self-induced of course. A familiar pattern for Sunday. Anyone even occasionally reading this blog understands what kind of first year I'm having in the capital.

Somehow, the podcast does keep on rolling and it's a very solid one this week. Back to our 1 hour format. This one has a very clear overall sound to it - driving, slightly moody and dark - yet with a good even balance between the trance tempo spectrum. We scale from 134 right up to 140.

I've finally managed to put the new Gaia, Humming The Lights, in a podcast - a typical Gaia record with an added electro drive to it. Our group are borderline obsessed with Fisherman & Hawkin's Apache - here we have the follow up, Rude Awakening. Orjan Nilsen's XIING was played 3 times by various DJs at Global Gathering. And there's also the follow up to Neptune's Siren, a track that has a sublime piano lead melody.

THE PHIL-HARMONIC PODCAST EPISODE 68

1. AYDA - Magic (Intro Mix) [Arisa Audio]
2. Orjan Nilsen - XIING [Armind]
3. Skytech - The Other Side [Soundpiercing]
4. Darren Porter & Ferry Tayle - Neptune's Return [Tytanium Recordings]
5. Armin Van Buuren presents Gaia - Humming The Lights [Armada Music] <<<(Phil's Tune Of The Episode)>>>
6. Fisherman & Hawkins - Rude Awakening [Soundpiercing]
7. Allen & Donaghy – Dark Matter (Lee Haslam's Beefed Up Remix) [Digital Remedy]
8. Paul Oakenfold - Turn It On [Perfecto Fluoro]
9. Calvin Logue - Helter Skelter [Mental Asylum Records]
10. Sinytal - Broken Bridge (Braincreator Mix) [Blue Trance Records] <<<(The Phil-Harmonic Golden Oldie)>>>