Pearsall presents Stranger Beats
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Mixed in Berlin, July 2022
100% Vinyl
(76:18, 174 MB, 320 KBPS MP3)
Cover art created with Dall-E 2
Direct link to the mix:
http://sonicrampage.org/mixes/stranger/Pearsall-StrangerBeats.mp3
Tracklisting:
- Stranger – One Day [Self Reflektion]
- Tafkamp – Feel So Phree [Paling Trax]
- Tafkamp – Boy is Bangin [Paling Trax]
- Stranger – Warehouse Memoires (US Revival Mix) [Self Reflektion]
- Stranger – Energ-E-Body [Paling Trax]
- Tafkamp – Shake & Bounce [Paling Trax]
- Tafkamp – Binnenweg 2 [Revenge Techniques]
- Tafkamp – Can’t Stand It [Revenge Techniques]
- Stranger & Lenson – Paling Trax 001 (Side A2) [Paling Trax]
- Stranger – Thinner [Planet Rhythm]
- Stranger – Silent Frustration [Projekts]
- Jamie Haus – Broken Form (Stranger Remix) [Planet Rhythm]
- Tinfoil – Both Roads To Triogue (Stranger’s ‘Best Of Both Raves’ Mix) [Tinfoil]
- Tafkamp – Baldadig [TH Tar Hallow]
- Stranger – Granaatappel [Ressort Imprint]
- Stranger – Crossover [Perspektiv]
- Tafkamp – When Desires Turn Evil [Revenge Techniques]
- Stranger – Ommoord [Monnom Black]
- Remco Beekwilder & Stranger – No Limit [Clergy]
- Stranger – Threevided [Self Reflektion]
- Stranger – Nostalgica [Perspektiv]
- Remco Beekwilder & Stranger – Anybody Out There [Emerald]
- Stranger – Motief [Rave Or Die]
- Anetha – Interstellar (Stranger Remix) [Blocaus Series]
- Remco Beekwilder & Stranger – Another Life [Emerald]
- Program 1 – World’s Famous MF (Stranger Remix) [Planet Phuture]
- Stranger – Rok Da Place [Perspektiv]
Here’s an exciting project I’m happy to finally share with you: my tribute to Dutch dj/producer Stranger!
I’d been hoping to include an interview with him, but unfortunately he’s not been able to find the time to do it, which is a shame, but no worries. It’s not like this is a major blog, to be fair. 😉
Anyways, here are the questions I wanted to ask, if you’re curious.
So : who is Stranger?
He’s a Rotterdam-based dj and producer that styles himself as “your favorite dj’s favorite dj”; he has an encyclopedic knowledge of techno over the years and a particular appreciation of and taste for techno from the late 90’s/early 00’s (I’m also a fan of that era!).
I think my first exposure to him came probably close to ten years ago, initially through his mixes on Soundcloud; he put out consistently hard-hitting old skool techno mixes like -10years+10bpm that captured a vibe that had gone missing as techno had disappeared down the minimal rabbit hole: hard, percussive machine funk. In my opinion (and sure, I can’t prove this), I think the work he did then was a precursor to techno moving back into a harder, more energetic direction.
Similarly when he moved into production around six years ago he took all those classic influences – loopy Primate-style funky techno, Chicago jack trax, linear Detroit minimalism, pounding Rotterdam hardcore, chopped-up UK rave, 90’s German clanking, etc – and stewed it together to produce techno with a classic sound and an up-to-date sensibility.
Honestly, this is right up my alley – these tracks remind me of frenetic stomping at Edinburgh techno clubs like Pillbox, Apex, Pure, and Lost. Long nights lost in the machine rhythms, strobes flashing, fog everythere, mutant gymnastics on the dancefloor.
So I’m a big fan!
In fact, I’m such a fan that over the last few years I’ve made it a personal mission to pick up everything he’s committed to vinyl, both as Stranger as well as under his Tafkamp alter ego. His hit rate is impressively high, with hardly any dodgy releases, and this year I finally decided to throw it all together in a mix, covering pretty much every release he has had a hand in. It starts with his more Chicago-esque jacking tracks and then progresses into more pounding territory, covering not just his original tracks but also collaborations (particularly with fellow Dutchman Remco Beekwilder) and his remixes for artists such as Program 1 (aka Frankfurt hardcore legend Marc Acardipane), Anetha, Tinfoil, and Jamie Haus.
So … that’s it! I hope you enjoy the mix, and make sure to check him out if he’s djing near you any time soon, and also support him by buying his music directly from him on Bandcamp.
PS: I’ve just left my job and am going to take a break for the rest of the year, so expect a lot more mixes in the next few months!