Download Side B – 32:09, 73.6 MB

320kbps, 44.1kHz stereo

Preview

I taped this off the radio one night (CHIN 100.7FM Toronto) during the peak of exposure of electronic music, back when you were guaranteed some sort of reputable techno or cousin thereof on the airwaves at any time of day.  No fun story to share about this tape.  DJ Dominik was one of the members of the Canadian Hardcore Collective;  a group of Torontonian DJs who hosted hardcore techno radio shows.  I’d always figured Toronto Hardcore Collective would have had a more impactful acronym but what do I know.

Dominik is unquestionably a well-respected DJ due to his music, his abrupt juggles and cuts, and especially his musical tastes, specializing in Dutch-style hardcore and gabber.  His style has always been very well defined – very Dominik – and no one else in the city had the records this guy had. This mix is a perfect example of what one could expect from the man at a party or club. That is, if he showed up.

I swear, I went out of my way to score tickets to perhaps 6 parties Dominik was booked at, and he showed up for the gig maybe once.  I’ve also got a 4-tape continuous recording of a flustered DJ Frisky who was supposed to do a tag-team show with Dominik but he never showed up, leaving the poor chap with 6 hours of airtime and 3 hours of records.  Other times I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find him spinning to an empty room, unannounced, at some club or event, leaving plenty of space for me to hop around to his bouncy basslines.

Dominik has played for crowds all over the world so perhaps his fairweather reputation doesn’t leave the city, but it’s the second trait that comes to mind after his outstanding skills.  Regardless, don’t let my jaded, fuzzy recollection of trifling nightlife politics muddy your opinion of this mix.  His transitions and beatmatching are terrific, he plays many gems most hardcore heads have never heard, and what you hear here is consistent with what you can expect when you see the man live.  Dominik is one of Toronto’s most admired and accomplished DJs and one of the true founders of our rave scene.

Download Side B – 47:47, 89.6 MB

256kbps, 44.1kHz stereo

Preview

This is a special tape for many reasons. First and foremost, it was recorded by 2 awesome and versatile Toronto DJs. Second, it was recorded at The SpacE! (aka The E! Space) at 28 Gunns Road which was an institution of the Toronto underground rave scene in the late 90′s. Finally, this mix was recorded during the pre-party for the first Hullabaloo party which became a world famous happy hardcore series.

The track selection is fantastic and the mixing is sloppy. In my opinion this mix really captures the true spirit of Hullabaloo in that its collaboratively mixed arrangement makes for some lighthearted and fun exchanges between the selectors.

The original tape fades out for about a minute and back in again midway through side B which is a real shame since SOS is in the middle of spinning a great trance track. I think they must have changed the DAT or something there. There’s nothing I could do about the fade but I snipped the long pause in post production.

Considering the zillions of times I’ve played this tape I’m astounded at how clear the audio still is. This is a very rare bit of Hullabaloo memorabilia and I’m thrilled to share it with you as my first mixtape submission.

Are you enjoying this mix? Did you attend the E! Space or the Hullabaloo parties? Please leave a comment and share your thoughts!