Hey Mr DJ

Dennis Da Silva

Tuesday, 8 July 2008

It’s not easy being an alternative DJ because I sometimes get labeled with the word ‘niche’. However a club promoter recently described my style as ‘hipster electro’, which sounds cool. More exciting DJ opportunities have presented themselves in the last 5 years as club promoters and owners have started to appreciate my eclectic style. Previously I was only allowed to play this stuff at fashion and art events which is the perfect environment for me and my record bag to flourish in. but now I can play from exotic electro lounge straight through to electro for the dancefloor. And, working with electronic music pioneer, John Foxx I have been allowed to indulge my bleaker pleasures of electro. My current ‘top ten’ play list is a dichotomy of stuff for the dancefloor and stuff for the artfloor, which to me is the same place

Dennis Da Silva Top 10

1. Justice ‘DVNO’ (LA Riot Remix) Justice
Firstly please pronounce Justice as joosteece). I started off learning to mix with French House and Daft Punk are still my favourite. Justice are the new Daft Punk. Punky filtered vocoder electro snatches of 70’s disco – perfect! www.myspace.com/etjusticepourtous

2. Dolby Anol ‘Puppies’
I saw these two Nu Rave sexy Glaswegian boys play at Nag Nag Nag. Acid House on ecstasy. They’ve remixed The Futureheads and rather unbelievably, Farley 'Jackmaster' Funk’s ‘Love Can't Turn Around’. www.myspace.com/dolbyanol

3. New Pony Club ‘Ice Cream’ (Herve goes bananas remix)
This band are probably the love children of the B52s. Catchy electro teen summer of love pop and this remix has some lovely cowbells thrown in as a funky antidote. www.myspace.com/newyoungponyclub

4. Hi-Tack ‘Let’s Dance’ (Dance Mix)
The best dance remix of the David Bowie classic that’s been given the electro treatment without going down too much of the well-trodden and obvious Ibiza house path. www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR0b6hAgUQ4

5. Talking Heads ‘Once In A Lifetime’ (12” Remix)
Timeless and probably in every note worthy DJs record bag and guaranteed to bring joy anytime. Same as it ever was.www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYbUCvz1LYE

6. Philip Glass / David Bowie ‘Heroes Symphony’
Glass put this belter through his signature classical granuliser making it spectacularly grand and angular but also beautifully bleak. www.philipglass.com/

7. BP ‘You Got The Love’ (Bootleg)
Bad Production have taken the baseline from ‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley and married it to a pitched down Candi Staton’s (feat The Source) ‘You Got The Love’. One of the best mash-ups ever and a perfect end of night song.

8. Late Of The Pier ‘The Bears Are Coming’
A new outfit from Nottingham with a hint of the Klaxons. Try this hybrid out, it’s completely unpredictable but skillfully executed. It’s the future of electronic music and they’re cute too! www.myspace.com/lateofthepier

9. The Dynamics ‘Music’
“Deeply rooted in Soul’, this French (mutant) reggae outfit specializes in reggae style covers of rock, pop and disco. They have taken this Madonna track and created a perfect stand alone. I still get asked if it’s the original when I play it. www.myspace.com/thedynamicsound

10. Osymso ‘Rabbit To Rabbit’
A mashed electro remix of Art Garfunkels’s Bright Eyes with snatches of Kate Bush and 80s TV Programme, Tis Was thrown in. Mark Nicholson is a genius and pioneer of mash-ups and once made a track that included 89 different samples! www.osymyso.com/

www.myspace.com/dennisdasilva