2009 in tunes and I'm not talking about the cool stuff
Well, maybe some cool stuff
Whenever I’m interviewing a producer or DJ, I always ask them about their first introduction to dance music. It’s a generic but essential question to ask, in my humble opinion. Because I’ve interviewed people from all over the world, their answers are always different but like, cool. Such answers have included:
Seeing Tony De Vit at Trade.
Going to hip-hop parties in Athens.
Sneaking into fabric (underage) to see Fabio & Grooverider.
Listening to their mum’s jungle tapes in the kitchen.
Mixing their brother’s trance records in a boxroom in Belfast.
Performing in bands in dive bars in New York.
Basically, very { cool } early beginnings.
No one ever talks about their uncool beginnings. Do such beginnings exist in this world? I want to know the Cringe. I want to know the Shite. I want to know it all.
My own beginnings are extremely uncool, which I have listed below, followed by the music that I thought was cool at the time.
NB: 2009 was a particularly formative phase in my dance music journée, so I wanted to revisit that year and see if the tunes have aged well 15 years later and give them a 🥬/5 rating. Some of them are still good, others are…yeah.
Personal Uncool Beginnings
*Wezz [2008]
Woeful on so many levels, but I have a distinct memory of hearing ‘Firestarter’ in there between Kesha, P!nk and, I dunno, Scooter.
*South Dublin cesspit of hormones and Glen’s Vodka
The Prodigy’s Their Law - The Singles 1990 - 2005 [2009]
First bit of cool aged 16!!! Yay.
DJ Church at The Palace [2011]
Black Eyed Peas, David Guetta, Rihanna (although RiRi was and still is very cool); that kind of vibe from DJ Church. There were other selectas in The Palace besides Mr. Church, but he stands out in my memory, mostly because of his trilby hat and ~secondary~ occupation as a rugby player for Ireland (which he’s still booked and busy with today).
EDM Phase [2012]
Swedish House Mafia, Hardwell, Laidback Luke; all those guyz :(((
Deep House [2013]
Between those introductions, FM104 provided Freaks On Friday (still going strong with Al Gibbs > cool), NRG FM (where is she now?) supplied more crusty sounds, and Annie Mac had her gorgeous Friday night show on BBC Radio 1. Thankfully, these beatific DJs introduced me to lots of great music, from Marshall Jefferson to Miss Kittin to some duo called Bicep. #grateful
2009 Music: Has It Aged Well Though?
Calvin Harris - I'm Not Alone
Massaging my scalp the other day when this tune slid into my head, uninvited, and prompted this whole 2009 idea in general.
Calvin before the confetti cannons et al.
🥬🥬🥬🥬/5
Deadmau5 - Strobe
A rancid memory of this tune, forever in my mind. I attempted to see Deadmau5 in Oxegen 2011 for Strobe, and for Strobe alone.
Approaching the Main Stage with caution with my friend Emily (now a V talented photographer), Devil’s Bit seeping out of my pores, a permanent taste of stale gargle in my mouth, and my teeth all furry, we lasted about 30 seconds in a sea of topless lads before Aborting Mission.
Like Sam and Frodo entering Mordor, we were just out of our depth at the Main Stage. Two naive 16-year-olds, coming from the secluded world of 4th Year in an all-girls school — a world of Sun Shimmer, Koka Noodles and Skins Season 3 — spat into a lair of sweat, amphetamines and some bare-chested guy to my left, wearing a hard hat and hi-vis vest; it was equal parts thrilling and terrifying. No opportunity to see Deadmau5 has occurred since, maybe for the better.
I still love this tune.
🥬🥬🥬🥬🥬/5
The Prodigy — Omen
Definitely the most credible (and cool) entry here. A timeless rave-boyband. I fancied all three of them in their own demonic ways; Liam Howlett, the moody and mysterious brain behind the melodies. Maxim, the deranged vocalist, war-painted and ripped AF. Keith Flint, the screaming frontman, frenzied and fabulous, all pointy hair and perfect teeth.
A very masculine and jumped-up kind of trio but not in a “you can’t sit with us” kind of way? Love them forever. 🤍
🥬🥬🥬🥬🥬/5
Fake Blood - Mars
In preparation for interviewing a person I had never heard of, I went on a deep dive into their Soundcloud. I skimmed through their recent mixes and heard mostly indie house and electronica bits, and then…oh my Lanta, is that Fake Blood?
It had been over a decade since I heard this tune. ‘Mars’ actually came out in 2008, but look, we’ve no editors to answer to here at Not Music Journalism™.
The little gargoyle noise, the twinkly melody, the alien vocal. Whatever happened to Fake Blood?
Still a fun tune.
🥬🥬🥬🥬/5
Guru Josh Project - Infinity (Klaas Vocal Mix)
Here’s my key
philosophy
a freak like me
just needs
infinity
So dramatic but also iconic. This edit of the original version actually came out in 2008, not 2009, but again, we’re just free-flowing and can allow for some flexibility between the years 08 and 09.
I quite like this tune.
🥬🥬🥬🥬/5
The Bloody Beetroots - Warp 1.9
Not proud to have once listened to this on repeat. So much screaming. Trying to think of a redeemable quality here.
Nein.
N/A 🥬
Basement Jaxx - Raindrops
I used to love this song, but listening back, it’s all a bit much. There’s a lot going on. Not sure about those vocals. It reminds me of Urban Outfitters music but on steroids. The crazed synth segment is fun though.
🥬🥬🥬/5
Swedish House Mafia & Laidback Luke ft. Deborah Cox - Leave The World Behind
“Some Red Bull, some water, some nice fresh house music.”
So much happening in this video, I don’t know where to look. We’ve got private jets, palm trees, Pete Tong’s voice crackling on the radio, bikinis n’ bums, and Steve Angello, who “just wants to show the world that I’m a good producer.”
I’m too overwhelmed by the Superstar DJ bits in the video to listen to the tune properly. This is The Life, the stuff of dreams, the pinnacle of one’s DJá career.
Aspirations. x
🥬/5 (sole 🥬 dedicated to the Deborah Cox sample)