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on decks w/ Glenn Okada |
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Feb.2005 | Phocas.net
(see article)
by Brent Crampton
photo by George Meyer
With his set taking a progressive house feel, it starts out
deep and melodic while gradually taking the listener on a
climax of emotion and sophistication. Overall, the mix is
ideal for car listening and it has been getting rave reviews
all the way from London to Tokyo.
Ask those in the know, and you will be so advised:
Glenn Okada is one of the most technically sound DJ's
in the Midwest region. Superior mixing skills, creative
transitions, and top-flight track selection have placed him
among the Midwestern region's elite, and lent themselves to
the rise of area's progressive house movement. A transplant
from Orlando, Florida, Glenn's 1993 immersion into the dance
scene brought him to the filled floors of The Edge, and the
now legendary Club at Firestone, then ranked amongst the
world's best. There, Glenn fell in love with a music that
he himself now twists and presents along the front lines of
the genre. Glenn has been spotted performing alongside a
portion of the upper echelon of world talent, such as Carl
Craig, Keoki, Richard "Humpty" Vision, Christopher Lawrence,
Bad Boy Bill, DJ Dan, Andy Hughes, Ed Real, Lange, and Pulser.
Glenn took a minute to list his track selection below and
explain his philosophy behind the mix. Read on and take a
leap inside his criteria of track selection!
Distance – Desire [Blaq Velvet]
I decided to start the set off with this particular track for
obvious reasons. I believe a set should have an effective
introduction. "Desire" starts off with some beautifully
sexy sounds that really sets the mood. It’s a bit mysterious...
Osamu M. – Smokey Forest (Submerge Mix) [Womb]
"Smokey Forest" is produced by one of my favorite artists at
the moment, Osamu M. I wanted to find a track that not only
mixed well with the previous track, but also carried the same
mysterious vibe. I’m not one for erratic changes going from
one track to another. This track fit perfectly...
Hawaii – Improvize Your Rhythm [Unsigned]
This next track elevated the mood of the set just a touch
while adding a bit of seriousness to it. In my view, it’s a
bit more dance oriented but still more of a "listening"
track. I think the male spoken word vocals really added to
the track...
Darkama – Focal Point Blur (Chris Micali Mix) [Blueprint Recordings]
When I record a set, I believe that the flow is very
important. I enjoy mixing in key for two or three tracks,
then I’ll change it up. This really makes for seamless
mixing while progressing the set into new territory.
"Focal Point Blur" had a long introduction and I was able
to mix for about three and a half minutes or so. This
track also kept the same feeling as the previous one,
which is why I used it...
Subsky – First Day [Deep Focus]
"First Day" is still of the progressive genre, but it has some
trancey elements to it. I decided to use it since I feel that
it added a happier, more epic vibe to the set with a
gorgeous horn, not something normally heard in this type
of music...
Space Manouevers – Quadrant 4 (Dousk Remix) [Lost Language]
Space Manouevers is also known as John Graham & Quivver.
He made a great choice by having Dousk do the remix. At
present, Dousk is my favorite producer. He hails from Greece
and it seems that just about everything he does is absolutely
perfect. This track definitely stepped it up a bit. I wanted
to use a track that did just that. "Quadrant 4" features
some very spacey sounds that really redirected the set
into a different direction. I was lucky to score this track
before it was even released...
Tilt – 12 (Dousk Remix) [Lost Language]
I’ve been a huge Tilt fan since 1994. They’ve always been at
the forefront of the scene. I’ve been around long enough to
witness their evolution and I find it exciting. "12" was
long anticipated and I was once again able to obtain this
before its official release. Remixed by Dousk, this track
continued that spacey vibe that "Quadrant 4" had unleashed...
Dominic Plaza – Sounds Rushing (David West Mix) [Unknown]
I absolutely love this track. It blended perfectly with "12"
while adding some intensity to the set. The female vocals are
lush and pretty. It definitely has a trancey feel to it
without being over the top or cheesy. I liked the
"electronic xylophone" sound used in this track...
Madoka – Afterburner (Max Graham Remix) [Private Reality]
In my opinion, "Afterburner" is the track that really brought
the set to a climax with its tough bassline and piercing
synths. To me, it’s very introspective and futuristic. It has
a great combination of melody and energy...
Critical 7 – Lost (Descent Remix) [Lost Language]
It seems that Lost Language can’t go wrong. The third track
from this label on the set, "Lost" elevates the set one final
time, but does away with any melody. It’s a serious track that
doesn’t play around. I used it because I wanted the listener
to want more once the set was over. Also, it’s in stark
contrast to how the set actually started off. Where you end
up has nothing to do with where you began.
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