dj ShmeeJay‘s Ain’t No Big Thing radio show, live on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month from 8pm – 10pm (PST) / 11pm – 1am (EST) on BoxFrequency.fm.
This episode i host Swedish disco dons Drop Out Orchestra, and this show is just my favorite.
It’s hardly a secret that over the past decade Scandinavia has been the epicenter of the nu-disco scene, artists like Lindstrom and Prins Thomas turning out release after release that looked to the cosmos, sparkling like exploding nebula. For Sweden’s Drop Out Orchestra though escape velocity could be found not on the launchpad but in the equally transcendent sweat filled club scene of New York in the late 70s.
Taking their cues from original Disco pioneers such as MFSB as much as DFA, Drop Out Orchestra launched themselves onto the scene in 2008 with a seemingly endless supply of bootlegs, re-edits and covers that glittered like a frost covered mirror ball. Taking tracks by everyone from TLC and Daft Punk to Rick Astley and The Sex Pistols they transformed them into the kind of luxurious, gloriously sophisticated, and indeed soulful disco, that would have made Chic proud.
With their irresistibly taut and funky bass lines, satin sheet strings and never too much cowbell, The Drop Out Orchestra found themselves in demand as official remixes for both club scene peers such as Black Strobe and Flight Facilities and industry legends like Paul Weller. Meanwhile not content with just making other people’s music 100% more disco, original tracks, including collaborations with Ronika and LCD Soundsytem’s Nancy Whang, on labels like Eskimo Recordings and Gomma cementing their position as ones to watch.
Meanwhile whilst most their peers were transitioning to laptops and USB sticks, Drop Out Orchestra continue to bring live elements back into the dance music, not just in the studio but in the clubs too. Blurring the divide between live and DJ performances by incorporating live bass and electronics, a Drop Out Orchestra set is about as close to a guaranteed party starter as you’ll get in this business and seen them hand picked to play alongside everyone from Fatboy Slim to Gilles Peterson.
Drop Out Orchestra can also be found here: Facebook, Twitter, MixCloud, and Resident Advisor.
Drop Out Orchestra‘s set:
Sametinget – Saknadsdubben
Copycay – Unknown
Martin Brodin – Funky Gura [MB Disco]
Kris Menace – Metropolis [Compuphonic]
Tal M. Klein – Thingy Blah Blah 303 [Paper Recordings]
Drop Out Orchestra – Where Is My Man
The Penelopes – This Is Not America (Miguel Campbell Club Version)
James Curd – Disco Fool [Expolited]
Chris Massey feat. Courtnay Reddy – On The Run [Paper Recordings]
Moullinex – Open House (feat Tee Flowers) [Discotexas]
Sofa Talk – Ghanaian Bop [Paper Recordings]
Wuf Ticket – The Key (Cordycep Remix) [DOO Touch-up]
The XX – On Hold (Drop Out Orchestra Edit)
dj ShmeeJay‘s set:
Sandy Barber – I Think I’ll Do Some Stepping (On My Own) (Opolopo Rework) [BBE]
Nancy Wilson – Save Your Love (Seegweed Edit) [G.A.M.M.]
Admin – You’ve Got Me [Kolour LTD 10’s]
Substance Over Style (T&J Hookers Round We Go Chewy Dub)
Cody Currie – Beer Machine [Better Listen Records]
Vhyce – Love You More Each Day [Diggin’ Disco Deep]
David Bowie – Magic Dance (Ali Jamieson edit)
6th Borough Project – The Weight [Roar Groove]
Ronny Hammond & The Washington Groovers – Magic Funk Attack
Hotmood – In A Disco [Wonderful Times]
Minnie Riperton – Inside My Love (Buzz Compass Re-Work)
Rick Astley – Never Gonna Give You Up (Drop Out Orchestra Dub)
Timmy Thomas – Why Can’t We Live Together (VinylAddicted Rework)
If you like this mix, please take the time to go to my Facebook page and ‘like’ me there. I certainly will like that. And if you want a copy of just Drop Out Orchestra!’s mix feel free to grab it here.
Espania musica,
folO Olof
dj ShmeeJay 