A Million Program Interruptions

A Million Program Interruptions (Coburn & Jean Claude Ades vs. Lil Wayne)

A Million Program Interruptions (Coburn & Jean Claude Ades vs. Lil Wayne) by DJ Dain

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I had been meaning to toy around with that Lil Wayne vocal for ages, but it wasn't until I re-listened to the Jean Claude Ades remix of Coburn's "We Interrupt This Program" that I felt like I had found a complementary track that I liked.

I admit that I had way too much fun extending the part about Orville Redenbacher.

"Redenbacher . . . Orville Redenbacher (bacher bacher)"

Hee hee hee.

Glory Lasts Forever

Digital Nightmare - Bass-y (DJ Dain's "Glory Lasts Forever" Remix)
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Bass-y (DJ Dain's "Glory Lasts Forever" Remix) by DJ Dain

My friend Tom from Digital Nightmare asked me to try my hand at remixing one of his tracks, and this is the final result. I really wanted to produce something along the lines of The Prodigy, Pendulum and The Crystal Method (I had been listening to a lot of their respective material at the time). I dug up the same synthesizer sound I had used on the Jefferson Airplane remix and tweaked it to produce a much darker, 303-like sound for the latter half of the track.

Throw My Genesis In The Ayer

Throw My Genesis In The Ayer (Justice vs. Flo-Rida Feat. Will.I.Am)

Throw My Genesis In The Ayer (Justice vs. Flo-Rida Feat. Will.I.Am) by DJ Dain

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Another great set-opening track from Justice taken a step further with a popular crowd-pleasing vocal. Need I say more?

Keep on Raving, Little Dreamer

DJ Dain - Guild Wars (Keep on Raving, Little Dreamer)
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Guild Wars Theme (DJ Dain's "Keep on raving, little dreamer" Mix) by DJ Dain

I admit that this isn't really a "rave" track, but more of a trance-like break-beat. My favorite part has to be the 8-bit break-down at about the 3:45 mark. The droning bass-line really helps flesh-out the sound for me, and add some contrasting colors while the pianos and synthesizers play brightly over everything else.

Last Day to Rave

DJ Dain - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (Last Day to Rave)
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Last Day (DJ Dain's "Last Day to Rave" Mix) by DJ Dain


What is easily one of the most somber tracks in the game, "Last Day" also provides a chord progression that was just made for trance. I might go back and work on the opening string section a little bit since they don't sound as "padded" as I want them to. However, I'm very pleased with the saw sound that takes over about half-way through. The chord progression and arrangement work amazingly well for the continuous build-up that good trance music is founded upon.

Low Flying Danger Seekers

Low Flying Danger Seekers (Kap10Kurt vs. Flo-Rida & T-Pain)

Low Flying Danger Seekers (Kap10Kurt vs. Flo-Rida & T-Pain) by DJ Dain

I highly recommend you all check out Kap10Kurt, their video for "Danger Seekers" is pretty bitchin'. I threw some extra flange on the track to space out the song progression against the vocal and I think it worked to some extent.

Ghetto-Glitch

Justice - New Jack (DJ Dain's "Ghetto-Glitch" Mix)
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New Jack (DJ Dain's "Ghetto-Glitch" Mix) by DJ Dain

Its amazing what a few simple tricks can do to transform a song. The majority of this remix is based around tweaking a few Ableton Live audio effect devices such as "Auto Pan" and "Beat Repeat" to get just the right kind of glitch sound. I also loved expanding the 'start-stop' feel which you can hear around the 4:10 mark.

Hollaback Girls On The Expressway

Hollaback Girls On The Expressway (Hyperion (Oz) & General Midi vs. Gwen Stefani)

Hollaback Girls On The Expressway (Hyperion (Oz) & General Midi vs. Gwen Stefani) by DJ Dain

I really enjoyed cutting up Gwen's Vocals to fit this track. I ended up having to break-down and actually buy a high-quality version of the General Midi remix of Hyperion's "On The Expressway". I'm still debating on re-editing the track to make it shorter (I pretty much put Gwen's song in twice). Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Lucky Night

DJ Dain - Pokemon Gold (Lucky Night)
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Lucky Channel (DJ Dain's "Lucky Night" Mix) by DJ Dain

I'm tempted to go back and try my hand at this remix one more time. There are only two things that still bother me about it:

1) The "crowd noise" extends too far into the song
2) The out-tro could be significantly better

Other than that I'm fairly pleased with the results. I think I sampled my GameBoy Advance using a cheap PC microphone, which worked wonders for "cheapening" the sound. It really helped build contrast between the original tune and the remix when it finally drops.

Union of Friendships

DJ Dain - Final Fantasy: Crystal Chronicles (Union of Friendships)
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Kaze No Ne (DJ Dain's "Union of Friendships" Mix) by DJ Dain

I started working on this track several years ago as a birthday gift for my friend Chris. To the best of my knowledge, the song went under about nine revisions. I'm not sure why a number of my remixes have a piano/flute solo combination, but it seems to work well. I really enjoyed exploring multiple genres within this track, and the water/rain effects really helped color the overall mix.

I have to admit, if I wanted to accurately convey playing this game with three other friends, the sound would be much angrier with lots of swearing about having to hold the goddamn bucket. Good times.

Let Me Revolutionize My 909

Let Me Revolutionize My 909 (Daft Punk vs. DJ Kool)

Let Me Revolutionize My 909 (Daft Punk vs. DJ Kool) by DJ Dain

In my mind, this mash-up provides more evidence that Daft Punk makes everything sound better. In fact, hip-hop/rap vocals generally sound better over EDM, particularly house music. But hey, that's just me.

Naughty Night

Armand Van Helden - Come Play With Me (DJ Dain's "Naughty Night" Mix)
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Come Play With Me (DJ Dain's "Naughty Night" Mix) by DJ Dain

Here's another old remix that's been sitting on my computer for ages. I had a lot of fun remixing this track as a Drum 'n' Bass tune. I really think the two-step beat complements the guitars and vocals. The addition of the warping baseline didn't come into play until much latter in the production process, but for me it really helped fill out the track.

Stressed Technology

Stressed Technology (Justice vs. Daft Punk & Peaches)

Stressed Technology (Justice vs. Daft Punk & Peaches) by DJ Dain

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The Auto remix of Justice's "Stress" is one of the most bad-ass opening songs I think you can drop when starting a DJ set, and I hoped to take that energy a step further with this mash-up. For anyone who's seen Daft Punk during their Alive 2007 Tour, you know that during a certain portion of the performance the crowd goes nuts (well to be honest the crowd was going nuts during the entire show). So, with the addition of Peaches' vocal cover of the same tune, I tried to replicate that vibe.

So yeah, you might want to to preview this track on headphones first before blasting it on speakers for everyone around you to hear.

How Lovely, How Lonely

DJ Dain - Katamari Damacy (How Lovely, How Lonely)
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Lovely Angel (DJ Dain's "How Lovely, How Lonely" Mix) by DJ Dain

This was my second officially released videogame remix. I had to restructure the song to fit a 4/4 time signature, but doing so allowed me to expand some ideas regarding the overall song progression (such as the flute and piano solos). The aim was to create something of a chill-out, ambient piece with a slightly somber overtone.

Never Die

DJ Dain - Cave Story (Never Die)
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Last Battle (DJ Dain's "Never Die" Mix) by DJ Dain

This track was my contribution to the Cave Story Remix Project. Its a remix of a track called "Last Battle" which takes place during the ultimate/secret ending of the game. Click on the banner below to learn more and get access to the full album.

If Kissing A Girl Is Wrong Then I Don't Want To Be Right

If Kissing A Girl Is Wrong Then I Don't Want To Be Right (Ramsey Lewis vs. Katy Perry vs. Diana Ross)

If Kissing A Girl Is Wrong Then I Don't Want To Be Right (Mash-up) by DJ Dain

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This is one of the few mash-ups where I feel the instrumental and vocal combination drastically change the attitude and even the meaning of the song. There's something about having Katy Perry placed against the sensual grooves of Ramsey Lewis that transforms her lyrics into a genuine confession of confusion and curiosity towards her sexual identity. This is further supported by Diana Ross's vocal which becomes a much more personal ballad, rather than a celebratory party-style "coming out" song that her original score supplied. One of my favorite parts of this mix is right at the end when Perry's vocal is time-stretched over the jazzy out-tro to create a more sensual swell of sound.

My friends in the LGBT community have really enjoyed this one when I previewed it to them. Please leave me some comments and let me know your thoughts too!

Predict The Broken Hearted

Predict The Broken Hearted (Mike Shinoda Feat. Aaron Lewis vs. Clint Mansell vs. Ladytron vs. M.I.A. vs. Alexia)


Predict The Broken Hearted (Mash-up) by DJ Dain

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This is probably one of my most ambitious mash-ups considering how many artists are sampled. At first I was a bit torn between using either Linkin Park's "Crawling" or "Numb" but I think the toss up between the two is pretty obvious. In the end (see what I did there? Hurf-durf) I used the remix featuring Aaron Lewis since the string section ended up being the meat of the mix. I was rather satisfied with the heartbeat sample I found for the intro. The addition of the Alexia vocal was something of a stumble upon for more complementary material. It's not perfect (I admit there are some minor key-clashes) but I enjoy the end result and I hope you do too.

HOLY MOLEY ANOTHER SHOW?!

Special thanks to everyone who came out to support us at Open Mic - we hope you enjoyed the show!

Tonight (Friday, November 7th) at the GCSU Backlot I'll be performing with MD and "That Mexican DJ". $2.00 cover and drink specials to boot. What more could you ask for?

No, seriously, if you don't go, I don't know what's wrong with you. Forget about Night Sounds already. Nobody even really likes that place anymore. Aren't you sick and tired of the same crap every week? Isn't it about time you danced to some music mixed by some real DJs? Or are you going to settle for the same start/stop styling of Mr. "DJ Top 40"?

Cheaper drinks, better music - WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT?

SERIOUSLY YOU GUYS.

21 and still kickin'

It's my birthday today, but this time I've go gifts for all of you!

First of all, a reminder that I'll be performing at the following venue tonight:

Thursday Night this Week

Open Mic @ The GCSU Backlot

With Special Guests,

DJ Raven, DJ Dain, MD, and "That Mexican DJ"

No Cover

Come out play some tunes and enjoy specials from 9-11pm

ID for 19 required

Lineup (may be subject to change):
9:30 PM - 11:00 PM (DJs)
11:00 PM - 11:45 PM (Open Mic)
11:45 PM - 12:00 AM (DJs)
12:00 AM - 12:45 AM (Open Mic)
12:45 PM - 1:00 AM (DJs)


Secondly, I present to you the much sought after Half-Life 2 remix!


DJ Dain - Half-Life 2 (That Long Train Ride)
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I've been contacted numerous times over the years about this track ever since VGmix v.2 was taken down, so it's about time I re-hosted it for everyone to enjoy. I've also got another treat for you:


DJ Dain - Half-Life 2 (An Alternate Perspecitve)
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Originally titled "Inside the Mind", this Half-Life 2 remix never really got to see the light of day (at most I think it was in the WIP process on VGmix v.2). I'm considering re-producing both remixes for a 2008/2009 re-release (I recently found an old folder sitting on one of my computers that may contain that sample data I originally used) but I won't make any promises about that.

Finally, I'll be posting regular updates until around late December in the following Two-week rotation format:

Monday - Mash-up
Thursday - Remix
Monday - Mash-up
Thursday - Videogame Remix
Satursday - Videogame Remix

Enjoy!

Shows this week!

Thursday Night this Week

Open Mic @ The GCSU Backlot

With Special Guests,

DJ Raven, DJ Dain, MD, and "That Mexican DJ"

No Cover

Come out play some tunes and enjoy specials from 9-11pm

ID for 19 required

Lineup (may be subject to change):
9:30 PM - 11:00 PM (DJs)
11:00 PM - 11:45 PM (Open Mic)
11:45 PM - 12:00 AM (DJs)
12:00 AM - 12:45 AM (Open Mic)
12:45 PM - 1:00 AM (DJs)

Werewolves Of Alabama All Summer Long

Werewolves Of Alabama All Summer Long (Kid Rock vs. Warren Zevon vs. Lynryd Skynrd vs. hoses)

Werewolves Of Alabama All Summer Long (Kid Rock vs. Warren Zevon vs. Lynryd Skynrd vs. hoses) by DJ Dain

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Every time I've heard Kid Rock's "All Summer Long" I've always jumped to the chorus of "Sweet Home Alabama" during the breakdown. I imagine most listeners in a club setting wouldn't mind a little classic sing-along. The sampled 8-bit version of "Sweet Home Alabama" was mixed by hoses for this wonderful little project.

A couple of quick updates

I'll be performing as a special guest at DJ Raven's show at the GCSU Backlot (1 University Drive, Corner Brook, NL, Canada) on Friday night. Not sure on the details, but its most likely a 19+ show (I swear, we're working on an all-ages show). The party kicks off at 10:00 PM. For more info contact the Backlot via this link.

I'm sitting on a whole bunch of material I need to master and tag before posting, so be patient! I have not abandoned thee! More mash-ups and remixes are on the way!

EMP Party in Corner Brook this Saturday!

Heads up! Myself (DJ Dain), MD (Mark Adams) and That Mexican DJ (Manuel Gutierrez) are performing this Saturday Night (09/27/08) at the GCSU Backlot located at 1 University Drive, Corner Brook, NL, Canada. Doors open at 10:00 PM and cover is only $2.00 (ID for 19 required)! Top that off with the best drink prices in town - you can't go wrong!

Check out the Facebook event page for more deatils: http://www.new.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=26981362877

Electro Night Air

Although this is an older set (almost a year-old in fact), I never publicly released it until now. Enjoy!

Dj Dain Presents: Electro Night Air by Dj Dain on Mixcloud

DJ Dain Presents: Electro Night Air from DJ Dain at Letsmix.com.

[Download via Megaupload]

"Electro Night Air"
Duration: 56:00
Production Software: Ableton Live
Production Year: 2008
Genre: Electro-House
Set list:
01. A Bit Sketchy - BSOD
02. Bad Girl At Night - Dave Spoon Feat. Lisa Mafia
03. Hustler - Simian Mobile Disco
04. À Cause des Garçons (Sta Remix) - Yelle
05. I Know What Girls Like - Space Cowboy
06. Party Animal - Mark Knight feat. Luciana from Portobella
07. Get Down - Groove Armada
08. NYC Beat - Armand Van Helden
09. Awake Since 78 (MSTRKRFT Remix) - Acid Jacks
10. Divine (With Elite Force feat. Roland Clark) - Meat Katie
11. D.A.N.C.E. (MSTRKRFT Remix) - Justice
12. Proper Education (Club Mix) - Eric Prydz vs. Floyd

Tea 'n' Trip-Hop Therapy Session #001: Honey Lemon

Back in early 2008, a couple of friends started asking me to put together a downtempo set. I had been meaning to work on something like it for a while, but it wasn't until I approached the project as a gift for a certain special someone that I was able to narrow down the set list and produce a meaningful journey of music.

Whether it's because your legs have started bleeding on the dance-floor, you've had a long day at the office, or you just want to set the mood for the evening, you can take some time to chill with my Tea 'n' Trip-Hop Therapy Sessions. To kick-off this series, I'm prescribing Honey Lemon Tea.

Dj Dain Presents: Tea 'N' Trip-Hop Therapy Session #001: Honey Lemon by Dj Dain on Mixcloud

DJ Dain Presents: Tea 'n' Trip-Hop Therapy Session #001: Honey Lemon from DJ Dain at Letsmix.com.

[Download via Megaupload]

"Tea 'n' Trip-Hop Therapy Session #001: Honey Lemon"
Duration: 56:38
Production Software: Ableton Live
Production Year: 2008
Genre: Chillout/Downtempo/Trip-Hop
Set list:
01. Destiny - Zero 7
02. Midnight In A Perfect World - DJ Shadow
03. Short Nigun - Matisyahu
04. Inertia Creeps - Massive Attack
05. Like A Magnet (Testrack Remix) - Amplifico
06. Gabriel - Lamb
07. Nothing At All - Rob Dougan
08. One Million Miles Away - J Ralph
09. Cry Baby (Royksoop's Melselves Memorabilia Mix) - Spiller
10. Dream Machine - Mark Farina Feat. Sean Hayes
11. One Evening - Feist
12. Glory Box - Portishead
13. The Looking Glass - DJ Fresh