Pete Tong’s evergreen Essential Mix continues to fire in 2011, and September has already served up three notable sessions. Following the broadcast from the muddy grounds of Creamfields, the last two weeks have been led by a pair of DJs who certainly don’t share the same box of tricks.

Kaskade

On Saturday 10 September it was Kaskade who stepped up for “two hours of melodic, euphoric, big-room house music”. The DJ is certainly in the midst of a booming year, experiencing something of a renaissance in the US with a decidedly festival-ready sound. Don’t expect the slinky vocal house that Kaskade formerly traded in: everything here is anthemic.

As expected, the producer’s own originals are worked in alongside mainstage fodder from Dirty South, Laidback Luke, Fedde le Grand and Michael Woods. Consider this a primer for Kaskade’s Stereosonic adventure this summer.

Tracklisting

1. Kaskade & Adam K feat. SunSun – Raining (Intro Edit) [Ultra]
2. Kaskade feat. Mindy Gledhill – Eyes [Ultra]
3. Kaskade – Angel On My Shoulder (EDX Remix) [Ultra] w/ Marco V – Reaver [TAO] w/ Tiësto & Hardwell – Zero 76 [Musical Freedom] (Kaskade Bootleg)
4. R3hab & Swanky Tunes feat. Max C – Sending My Love (Kaskade Remix) [Wall]
5. Kaskade feat. Haley – Dynasty (Dada Life Remix) [Ultra]
6. Tommy Trash – The End [Downright]
7. Nicky Romero – Solar [Spinnin] w/ Kaskade feat. Becky Jean Williams – Empty Streets (Acappella) [Ultra]
8. Dimitri Vegas & Like Mike vs. Dada Life feat. Tara McDonald – Tomorrow (Digital Lab & Pedro Henriques Dub Remix) [Smash The House] w/ Kaskade – Stars Align (Acappella) [Ultra]
9. Skylar Grey – Invisible (Kaskade Remix) [Interscope]
10. Kaskade & Deadmau5 – Move For Me [Ultra] w/ Michael Woods – First Aid [Diffused]
11. Kaskade feat. Rebecca & Fiona – Turn It Down [Ultra]
12. Boy Lost – Itza Trumpet Thing (Mind Electric Remix) [Scoundrel]
13. Fedde Le Grand – So Much Love [Toolroom]
14. Laidback Luke – Natural Disaster (Instrumental Mix) [Mixmash] w/ Kaskade feat. Mindy Gledhill – All That You Give (Acappella) [Ultra]
15. David Guetta & Avicii – Sunshine [Virgin]
16. Sebastian Ingrosso & Alesso – Calling (Instrumental Mix) [Refune]
17. Kaskade feat. Haley – Don’t Stop Dancing [Ultra] w/ Alex Gaudino – Kissed [Ultra]
18. Wolfgang Gartner – Undertaker [Ultra] w/ Kaskade – Steppin’ Out (Acappella) [OM]
19. James Blunt – Dangerous (Deniz Koyu & Johan Wedel Remix) [Atlantic]
20. Coldplay vs. Swedish House Mafia – Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall [EMI]
21. Dirty South & Thomas Gold feat. Kate Elsworth – Alive [Phazing]
22. DBN & Matty Menck – Redemption (Instrumental Mix) [Nero] w/ Kaskade – Step One Two (Acappella) [Ultra]
23. Kaskade feat. Joslyn – It’s You, It’s Me (Dance.Love Mix) [Ultra]
24. Calvin Harris – Feel So Close [Sony]
25. Switchfoot – Always (Max Vangeli & AN21 Remix) [Atlantic]
26. Joachim Garraud – The Computer (Kaskade Remix) [Dim Mak]
27. Late Night Alumni – Finally Found (Max Vangeli Remix) [Ultra]
28. David Guetta – Paris [EMI]
29. Nadia Ali, Alex Kenji & Starkillers – Pressure (Alesso Remix) [Spinnin]

James Blake

After all that confetti cannon action, the Essential Mix took an about-turn over the weekend with a different kind of mix from bass music golden boy James Blake. Blake’s EM takes a winding path through hip hop, dubstep, soul and more, a good portion of it from his own studio. Tune in below.

“With this mix I realised I did have some electronic music I wanted to put in there,” Blake says on the show. “And there’s also the purest form of the dubstep that I got into. And then there’s a lot of music for music’s sake. It’s pretty much everything I’ve listened to for the last year.”

Tracklisting

Erik Satie – Gnossienne No.5
James Blake – Olivia Kept
James Blake Versus Drake – Half Heat Full Versus Up All Night
James Blake – Pan
SALEM – Trapdoor
Snoop Dogg – Drop it like it’s Not (Harmonimix)
[unknown] – Unknown
Klaus – Tarry
D’Angelo – One mo’ Gin
[unknown] – Sicko Cell
Blawan – What You Do With What You Have [R&S Records]
James Blake – No More Than A Road (Dub)
James Blake – At Birth (Dub)
The Chain – Suffer For Your Art [R&S Records]
Peverelist – Roll With The Punches (Harmonimix)
[unknown] – Navigator
OutKast – Return of the G
Africa Hitech – Out In The Street
DJ Nate – 3 Peat
James Blake – Deeds
Gavin Bryars – Three Elegies for Nine Clarinets II
Gavin Bryars – Three Elegies for Nine Clarinets III
Odi et Amo – Johann Johannsson
Grouper – Vessel
James Blake – Untitled
James Blake – Untitled
[unknown] – What Was It
The Tallest Man on Earth – Love Is All
SALEM – Redlights
Rev. James Cleveland – Jesus Saves
Trim – Confidence Boost (Harmonimix)
James Blake – Evening Fell Hard For Us
James Blake – Placing Us
James Blake – Words We Both Know
Arthur Russell – Love Comes Back
Stevie Wonder – You and I