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Alex Diwa

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I first heard this at 5am one New Year’s morning several years ago. It was spun by one of my favourites, Simon Caldwell, closing House of Mince. I took 20 videos of my feet that set - to save sounds I like or for IDs - which says a lot about how much I loved it. Clip 17 features this track, a 10-minute masterpiece remix by house legend David Morales.

Hearing this played loud at a rave really surprised me; it was so disarmingly sweet and full of emotion. At that time, before DJing even crossed my mind, most of what I’d heard out skewed clubby, hard and fast (I hadn't found the right scene yet tbh). This was my gateway to classic house.

Sometimes I remember this when I reflect on what I want on a dance floor. I love an athletic club banger, but the softer, tender moments are the most special to me.

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Harry Court

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This might be blasphemous as a DJ, but I don’t really think of any tracks as being tied to my identity, or as the origin of something I now do. But of course, I still love and cherish many! Instead I’ve picked one that’s a good representation of stuff I like at the moment.

Sooper Noodle is not that slow but certainly has a slow feeling. It has sparse notes, plus a funky bass line and drum pattern that's swung out the wazoo. There are silly sounds, but they're done seriously. And then there's the beautiful guitar melody that’s doing its own thing alongside it all. Everything you need for a special dance floor moment, if you can time it right.

I've tried to buy it on Discogs twice now, and both times something has gone wrong post-sale. Maybe its elusiveness is part of what makes it special to me.

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Milkpaste

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Love Is the Message is the first song that came to mind because it has historical context within queer communities, predominately Black and Trans communities. This song is played in Paris Is Burning countless times and I remember first watching the film and how everyone goes absolutely crazy when it plays. Not only does it invoke large shivers up the body when played, when the sax comes in I almost combust into little particles of joy (like the soot in Spirited Away when they eat the candy). It's a truly special song that holds a lot of context within dance music and queer culture. At the end of the day, Love is the Message.

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Unprotected Success

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Ring… ring… hello?? 2007 is calling!! Specifically, the best Ministry of Sound Annual is calling and they are wondering if you remember them?

Ministry of Sound compilations were my first exposure to electronic music, thanks to my brother's itunes library I inherited with my first ipod. I’ve recently come back to this era whilst digging and had a realisation of how heavily the annual 2007 shaped my music taste. This specific era of vocal electro house combines happier euphoric vocals with the dirty bass of electro tracks - one of my favourite pairings.