Last year we couldn't go to the club, but listened to more music online than ever before (because, you know). The electronic music scene got creative, and the amount of mixes released was impossible to keep up with. These were some of my favorites from last year, the only two criteria being that they couldn't be TANK's own mixes and timelessness: most of those I have played at least a dozen times.
Maruwa - Four heads mix
Described as an "intelligent take on rave music" by Four Heads, this astonishing mix by St. Petersburg resident Maruwa delivers an hour of breakbeats in a hazy atmosphere. The mix thumps away at a spectacularly high BPM, yet shifts beautifully in pace: there's plenty of float and plenty of bang.
Studio Barnhus - Essential Mix
The music of the Barnhus crew is unmistakably fun. In two hours they flip though 90's stuff, goofy electronics and spacey deep house, without ever losing a solid groove. There's also lots of their label material in there, including some unreleased gems. I've spent lots and lots of hours working with this mix in the background. Simply ace.
Caribou - Essential mix
When big figures like Caribou step up for an essential mix, it usually gets memorable. This mix is no exception, with Dan Snaith cutting through disco, house and electronica with admirable ease. And those unreleased Daphni tracks! Please, please release those unreleased Daphni tracks.
Zombies in Miami - Electric shapes mix
Zombies in Miami are dark disco stalwarts, and with this mix they prove their position at the top of the genre's mount Olympus. Their entry into the Electric shapes series (highly recommend to follow them) catches them in a tougher mood, swapping happier melodies for acid bangers, and the result is flawless. Perfect for running.
Roman Flügel - Rinse fm mix, 20-08-2020
This mix catches an eclectic dj at his best. From dark disco to dub techno to trance classics, Flügel does it all, and manages to find the gems in every single genre. I spent most time listening to this mix trying to id almost every single track.
Jamie XX - Essential mix
While the announced album by the XX's Jamie XX didn't drop in 2020, he more than made up for it with this gem of an Essential mix. The intro is a stand-out in the art of mixing, combining Jamie's piano work with Philip Glass and children's choirs. But no worries: after that it moves straight into the club.