RW023

Hey there,

Hey, how’s it going? By the time this newsletter is published, I’ll be live with the second episode of Recycling Wax Radio @ Mono Dortmund, from 6 to 8 PM this Thursday, to be precise. From now on, the Recycling Wax Radio Show will take place every first Thursday of the month. I’m super excited to share even more records with you. To watch, click here.

I also need to tell you something: I’ll probably be replacing the TOP 5 and Community Pick of the Week categories soon and only bring them back when there’s new content. Why? I have a lot of projects going on, and unfortunately, I can’t manage to reach out to DJs every week. It makes me somewhat dependent, and it demotivates me a bit. Plus, I’d rather give other people the chance to express themselves in the newsletter through these sections instead of presenting my own TOP 5 every time. What do you think? Would you miss these categories? I currently have 18 new ideas for sections, so I’d really like to experiment a little.

Nevertheless, we’ll start as usual with the following sections:

1. Recent Cuts - Fresh vinyl and digital releases worth checking out.

2. Essential Oldschool - Records from the 90s and early 2000s that still matter today.

3. Behind the Booth - Personal stories, lessons, and perspectives from life as a DJ.

4. What’s in my Bag? - A peek into recent gig selections, new digs, and timeless records.

5. Top 5 Primate Recordings - A handpicked selection, carefully curated each week by DJs.

6. Community Pick of the Week by Cwtch - One favorite from the community.

1. Recent Cuts - Fresh vinyl and digital releases worth checking out.

2. Essential Oldschool - Records from the 90s and early 2000s that still matter today.

3. Behind the Booth - Personal stories, lessons, and perspectives from life as a DJ.

I wanted to talk to you about a topic that has honestly never really concerned me before, but has been coming up more and more lately: soundchecks. I’ve never done a soundcheck and have always declined when asked. Why? For one, I always have a plan B with me, but I also don’t question the competence of the technicians on site.

If I want to play vinyl and something stops working during my set, I’ll just switch to CDJs. If the CDJs somehow don’t work either, then I just call a technician and let them know that I can’t play on that device. I expect a technician to check the equipment and to be present at every handover from DJ 1 to DJ 2 to do the changeover. That’s simply how I know it, and it’s what I rely on. Who am I to judge someone else’s job, especially a technician’s?

There have been issues in the past that required a technician to fix, but I’ve also built up my own expertise to solve certain problems myself. As a DJ, I feel a responsibility to know my equipment, know how to handle it, and be able to fix issues on the spot while playing. Sure, I’m not Miss Djax, who can just grab a screwdriver and modify a turntable on the fly, but you should still understand the basics of the technology you work with.

And that’s why I don’t do soundchecks: who am I to take the liberty of telling a trained technician, maybe even someone with a degree or years of experience who’s hired by the club, how to do their job? But of course, there are valid points in favour of doing one, for example, if you’re a taller person and notice the booth setup is too low. Although that’s something that can also be communicated in the rider.

I don’t know, I just don’t do them. I’m curious why you consider soundchecks essential, or what advantages you see in doing them.

4. What’s in my Bag? - A peek into recent gig selections, new digs, and timeless records.

Phew, last weekend I played a B2B with Kathi in the Fusion Keller. A legendary spot that’s been around since 1997, and we usually play a gabber set there every year. This time, though, we were booked for techno in the basement. Well… not entirely true, because we actually started with relaxed house. We were supposed to open and close on the same floor, and House just works perfectly for that, especially Armand Van Helden; he’s just a burner. And that’s exactly why I want to show you two tracks we played, more laid-back tunes for those first two hours.

5. Top 5 Primate Recordings - A handpicked selection, carefully curated each week.

I don’t think I know a single techno DJ who doesn’t recognise that label with the monkey on it. Founded in 1996, it somehow just disappeared from the face of the earth. I’m seeing now that the last Facebook post from Primate Recordings was made on September 20, 2021, an announcement for an online event by label boss John Warwick. In the comments, someone asks whether the label is dead again, and Primate replies: “It’s not dead, it’s resting.”
Since then, nothing has happened, at least not on Facebook. Which is a shame, because if I think about the fact that Primate was still active four years ago, the chances of a comeback seem theoretically possible.

What I don’t understand about the label and all its sublabels is why the EPs aren’t uploaded digitally on Bandcamp. Aside from the fact that John could earn a bit of extra money, it’s simply sad that the label will eventually age and the records won’t necessarily last forever.

Anyway, I want to show you five of my favourite Primate releases that have been with me for a long time, or have been on my wantlist for ages.

6. Community Pick of the Week by Cwtch - One favorite from the community.

DJ Shoxy - Ignition Sequence E.P.: It’s not the first time Cwtch has sent us a Community Pick of the Week. This time, he reached out by email with a 4-track EP from Nenad Petronijević aka DJ Shoxy, straight from Belgrade. He released this EP on Ignition Technician’s label back in 2005, full of funky and tribal elements. No filler, only killer, I have to say! I really like it, and I didn’t know it before. Cwtch wrote in his email, “Hope you like this one..”, and I think that question answers itself! :-)

Huge thanks for sending something in once again!

DISCOGS 

And here we are again at the end. It’s 10 PM on a Monday, sometimes I’m faster, sometimes slower. But it’s still fun, even though I sometimes really need a bit of support. That’s why I’m making another call: if we want to keep categories like the TOP 5 or Community Pick of the Week alive, feel free to send me content. Tomorrow I’ll reach out to a few people and ask them for a TOP 5. Promise!

And guys, there’s still a chance to take part in the giveaway. This time, the mystery box contains over $200 worth of records. I bought some at Black Plastic and also ordered more on Discogs. There are some real gems inside, proper treasures and amazing classics. What matters to me is this: I don’t want to throw any rubbish into the package. That wouldn’t match my standards, and I want the winner to be genuinely happy. Winner will be announced in the Newsletter RW025.

Please remember to invite people, and those people must confirm their email addresses, super important! The more people you get to actively subscribe to the newsletter, the higher your chances of winning.

And don’t forget: keep sending me your favorite track or record. Who knows? Maybe you’ll be the one curating the next pick in the Community section.

Simply reply to this email or comment here with a link to your favorite E.P.

Catch you next week! Be ready to drop the needle on my next picks.

Keep it spinning,
Robin Tasi @ Recycling Wax