TuneLab
Amine Edge & DANCE Mixmag Cover mix May 2015
Amine Edge & DANCE's 2015 Mixmag cover mix is a perfect timestamp of an era when tech house and G-house were flexing their muscles, all swingeing basslines, hip-hop swagger, and the undeniable urge to shout 'DANCE!' at a crowd. Listening back, it's a nostalgia trip that still packs a punch, a reminder of when 'cool' was defined by a certain leather-jacketed, low-slung groove. The vibe is undeniably streetwise and sexy, the audio equivalent of a basement party where the furniture has been pushed to the walls and the smoke machine is on overtime. Technically, it's a masterclass in groove-centric tech house, holding a steady 121.1 BPM and using the foundational key of 12A to build a dark, funky narrative.
The energy is low-end dominant at 0.63, with mids at 0.31 providing the vocal and melodic hooks, and highs a mere 0.06, keeping everything warm and bass-heavy. The mixing is tight and percussive, with sharp cuts and long, rolling blends that emphasize rhythm over melody. The tracklist is a who's who of mid-2010s underground house. Marc Marzenit's 'Perron' remix is a sinister, driving opener that immediately establishes the tech-house credentials.
Fade's 'All I Got' in the Chris Fortier dub is a deep, atmospheric masterpiece, while Sirus Hood's 'What's Up' is a raw, percussive weapon. The inclusion of a stripped-back, toolish edit of Britney Spears' 'Gimme More' is a stroke of genius, and Andy Compton's 'That Acid Track' is the perfect, squelching, heads-down finale. London Grammar's 'Hell to the Liars' remix shows a keen ear for emotional depth amidst the funk. The set launches with the mechanical thrust of 'Perron,' hits a hip-shaking peak with the raw groove of 'What's Up,' and closes in the acid-soaked depths of 'That Acid Track.'.