It’s been awhile since the initials DJ carried any real iconic weight, impressed as they once did or even appeared at the top of our screens as a featured artist. The initials have scurried away as the decades have progressed, and now they are inconspicuous in their absence at the major festivals and conferences. The red-hot excitement is now geared toward disappointment. Lots of artists have dropped the DJ tag but still produce quality mixes – DJ Schwa is breaking the current trend by proudly waving the DJ flag and recording a mix that flies airborne at high altitudes and along aquamarine shores. He stems the tide and lives up to a DJ’s reputation by putting down a mix cooler than your refrigerator, taking the choice to personally mix Lay It Down himself – something that the early era superclubs such as Ministry of Sound, once at the forefront of compilation mixing, championed and then subsequently dropped.
They lost their talented rosters (along with their reputation and supremacy) when they introduced mixes hot off the electronic DJ’s hard drives, swapping turntables for terminals, in what was probably an early, early predecessor to the well-known software of today. The mix, sadly, lost any and all personality, touch, style and soul. All of the vital signs were down. Let’s face it, going out and listening to a laptop in a nightclub isn’t going to cut it…Lay It Down may have been recorded either way, but the presence of the DJ is there. The presence adds substance and infinite amounts of soul. Lay It Down has soul in abundance.
Lay It Down is a selection of Schwa’s favourite down-tempo, deep house and electronic cuts. Flowing from a gorgeous afternoon to an evening of pink skies, and then to a chilled-out, late night drive, the mix represents an evening of Californian drifting and daytime 40 degree temperatures that sizzle under the Northern California sunshine. Special mention goes to Jon Kennedy’s “Inner Resting”, as a tanned guitar solo glides down the coast, hot and sweet, with chilled pentatonics-on-ice played over the guitar’s fretboard. Down the sidewalk, girls on rollerblades pass by (just hot) and sun halos reflect off the summer sunshine. The only thing that’s missing is a blueberry Slush Puppy.
Appearing like the sun is that lovely crackle of vinyl. It’s possible to imagine yourself on an island of paradise, as the chilled, tropical flavours keep the beats well-hydrated. You’d probably hear the first half-hour on a beach instead of a nightclub, but the beats gradually darken as the sun sets. The light jazz over the piano indulges with some easygoing, mellow major seventh chords, and the light percussion sweats out the soulful beats.
Beats don’t press or push; they just glide, in such a way that you half expect them to unintentionally slow down and trip over into syncopation. No way are they careless – they’re just relaxed, enjoying the sunshine like everyone else. As Summer arrives, light vocals are painted over light, r’n’b styled moods as the temperature drops and the sunset oozes orange against the new night lights.
Later, DJ Schwa delves into deep house, but he always keeps the spirit of soul tied to the mast; Lay It Down flaunts with cohesive soul, under the cool peace of down-tempo house. The crossfader is champion this July. (James Catchpole)
Release Date – July 2
a closer listen 