Things are starting to get a little bit more back to normal, but we still have a bit to before all restrictions are lifted and we can really drop the hammer and get back to business as usual. It’s been a long strange and challenging trip these past couple years, but I’m staying optimistic that next year will be much more prosperous. Word on the street is that all restrictions will be lifted by March – I guess we’ll see.
That being said, there are pockets around the city where you wouldn’t even know we are in the situation that we are. It really depends on where and who is running the show, but I can tell you this, the pent up demand is really starting to bubble to the surface. People are happy to be out, they want to be out, and most venues in our neck of the woods are reporting early lineups and business openings due to people’s longing for some real visceral experiences.
Over the past couple months I’ve jumped back into the DJ world after finishing some film projects and have been going through music at a frenetic pace. Some shows call for things on the house side and others a little more mainstream and open format, but all in all I’m starting to hear some really decent work come down the pipeline. So with that, here is a mixed crate of selections that are sure to get you moving. Starting off with a fantastic joint from a Chicago cat who is slowly becoming one of my new favourites.
Strut Cho Phunky Stuff by Mike Dunn
Play by N-You-Up, LATASHA
Here’s a retro jam that has been exploding the room when I drop it as of late. I found a cool rework that works better in more club situations but the original has been holding up just as fine. I can only assume this must have been in a movie or tv show and seeped it’s way back into people’s minds or from Madonna’s use of it in her mid 2000s hit ‘Hung Up’. And it’s also ABBA, so yeah.
This next one is a bit of a departure from what we’ve heard of from an artist who blew up out of nowhere and boasts the biggest single of all time with ‘Old Town Road’. I was never a huge fan of that track, but you cannot deny the power and longevity that track had back in 2019. Channelling some new wave vibes from the early 80s, a sound that is making a huge comeback right now, this is an infectious pop number with Lil Nas trading rapping for singing and taking a pop turn so often seen recently by mainstream hip hop artists who get big and want to get even bigger
THATS WHAT I WANT by LIl Nas X
JT James is a DJ, producer and writer based out of Vancouver, Canada. A veteran of the DJ and recording worlds. he has produced several projects in the genres of hip hop and electronic music under various aliases such as James Divine, Track Nicholson and Sandy Villanova. When he’s not on the decks, in the studio or staring into a blank word document you can catch him at the beach, hiking through the forest or telling people how much yoga can change their life. Look out for his latest project Wulvun and their debut single ‘Far Away’ streaming now on all major platforms.
To book JT James for your next event head on over to Essential DJs and make the link.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jtjamesmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrjtjames/
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Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/jt-james/
Company: https://essentialent.ca
Cover photo by: Dewang Gupta
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