Melodramatic Q&A
Need a soundtrack? We got you. This week we have Oxford / Bristol based DJ Melodramtic in the mix. UKG n Bassy flavours. Find out a bit more about the mix and Melodramtic himself below...
Tell us a bit about the track selection and what vibe you are going for with the mix?
This mix spans all aspects of UKG that I love. I wanted the track selection to have a definite sense of progression to it so we start on dark atmospheric tunes, move into upbeat boppers, and the final section highlights the bass-heavy style of garage that I am obsessed with.
How long have you been djing / what got you into it ?
I got my first set of decks last year a couple of weeks before we went into lockdown last year, so I had plenty of time to practice. Although, I would say I officially started last November. I upgraded my decks and thought that if I was to drop all this money on them, let's take this seriously and make something out of this. That's when I created my alias of Melodramatic, started up on socials, and have been releasing a minimum of a mix a month ever since.
I have always wanted to start DJing, I have been going to raves as soon as I was legally able to and have always absolutely idolised the DJs that you go to see. However, I never had sufficient funds as I was at uni scraping by on student finance. As soon as I got my first proper post-uni job and saved a bit, I knew it was the time to take the plunge, and my timing couldn't have been any better as lockdown provided me with SO much practice time.
Artists / tracks you are feeling at the moment ?
This is an extremely hard question, I have SO many favourites at the moment. I am really drawn to the bass-heavy, darker side of garage so pretty much ALL of the releases from labels such as Time is Now (Shall Not Fade's sister label), EC2A and Over and Out have been featuring in all of my sets this year.
If I had to pick a handful of people I am rinsing at the moment it would be: Ghoulish, Xander, Phasmid, Daffy, Oldboy, Papa Nugs, Longeez, Arfa, Panar, Van Wilkins, Bakey, Ferguson, Lvcky, Kobe JT, Fork and Knife etc. The list could go on and ON and I have probably missed a fair few heads but these guys are absolutely smashing at the moment. Big things pending.
Favourite clubs / parties you have been to ?
Motion! I am a Bristol boy so I spent pretty much five years of my life in the place haha. I can't describe the amount of love I have for this venue, really the place where my journey all started. I'm not sure if it open anymore but another club that is (or was) one of my absolute favourites was Factory down in Plymouth. Such an intimate venue that was no more than a house with decks, with the smoking area feeling like the front garden, but the vibes were just out of this world.
Not too much to promote just yet. I have super recently started producing and have three releases, one self released, one on Outhouse Sounds, and one on Siren so go and check those out. I am almost finished with my EP at the moment so keep your eyes peeled for that one.
Besides that I will continue my monthly mix series and have some gigs booked in for 2022 in and around Bristol so come and have a good boogy if anybody is about.
TRACKLIST:
1. Monir - Still Running
2. Bakey & Kasia - No Name Groove
3. Arfa - Pacing
4. Breaka & Bakey - Pro Perc
5. Daffy - Put Your Feet Up
6. Breaksmiths - Guard The Barrier
7. Sensa - Move On
8. Weagle - Everytime
9. Mattik - Busta Dub
10. Lazy Susan - Tell Me What You Like
11. Soul Mass Transit System - All Night
12. AJ Tracey - Wifey Riddim (Lvcky Refix)
13. Eyesight - Sacred
14. Orwell - Kill The Bill '94
15. Tee Vish - Can't Tek This
16. Champion - Take Off Your Clothes Ft. Miss Fire
17. Sammy Virji - Never Let You Go (Hamdi Edit)
18. Panar - Dripping
19. Ferguson - BMW
20. Ghoulish - Rosecrans Avenue
21. Bakey - Mashed
22. Breaka & Bakey - Club Dynamics
23. Theo BR - Darkest Light
24. Pantile - DTB
25. Ghoulish - 0161 Soundbwoy
26. Chimpizm - Sounds Of The Hyper