For the 24th installment of our Keep Watch Mix series, we bring to you the tropical bass stylings of Portugal’s Buraka Som Sistema. Given the group’s somewhat reclusive nature over the last few years, this mix is a particularly prized addition to our already illustrious collection. Their sabbatical has not been in vain, and if anything, these dudes have developed an even stronger grasp on the scene during that time off.

For those of you who know nothing of this MC/DJ unit, I’m here to alleviate any preconceived notions. First off, the crew is made up of two MCs (Kalaf and Conductor) and two DJ/Producers (Riot and J-Wow) who have been responsible for the ongoing rise of tropical-influenced dance music. Most notably, the crew has been associated with the infusion of broken bass beats into classic Kuduro – the perfect recipe for ass-shaking.

Given the instant notoriety that has been garnered by Moombahton recently, Buraka Som Sistema’s return to the scene couldn’t come at a more perfect time. With their fingers on the pulse of both the past and present, this gang of bass-laden misfits are poised and ready to strike a dancefloor near you.

Those of you already well versed with the group and the tropical dance scene in general probably already know that this Keep Watch Mix is gonna get you dancing – but let me just tell you right now that you have no idea what you’re about to get yourself into… Vibes from every end of the world accented with the crew’s signature Kuduro flex with a touch of bass weight. With that said, I leave you with a brief list of instructions to fully utilize this offering: download, blast at max, sweat to it, and repeat until desired effects. Full tracklist after the jump.

Мишка Presents Keep Watch Vol. XXIV: Buraka Som Sistema by Мишка Bloglin

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New York City’s DJ Shiftee has translated his intuitive math geek mentality into far-reaching success on the turntables!  With a degree in Mathematics from Harvard and 2 unique DMC World Champion titles under his belt, this overachiever can do it all. On Sept. 12, 2009, DJ Shiftee, represented the USA in the 2009 DMC World DJ Finals.  He took the title, was automatically inducted into the DMC DJ Hall of Fame and brought the fabled gold Technics turntables back to NYC!  This new title places his name along side over 20+ legendary DMC World Champs including DJ Craze, A-Trak, DJ Cash Money, DJ Cheese, Rock Steady DJs (Apollo, Mix Master Mike & Q-Bert), Plus One of Jack Beats, the late Grand Master Roc Raida and many others.

In 2007, Shiftee also became the only American DJ to date to win the DMC Battle for World Supremacy title.  This victory served as the catalyst for widespread international recognition, allowing Shiftee to take his talent and creativity across Asia, Europe, and the US to some of the world’s biggest clubs and most prestigious venues.  Along the way, he has performed on show lineups including A-Trak, Craze, Dieselboy, Z-Trip, DJ Funk, The Roots, Talib Kweli, Q-Bert, Klever, Tittsworth, Triage, The Upbeats, El-B and more!

When he’s not teaching the art of DJing at New York University (as an adjunct professor) and Dubspot DJ & Production School in NYC, Shiftee spends his time figuring out new and innovative ways to decimate the dancefloor. He fuses an astute ear for cutting edge music, an incisive understanding of the latest technology, a world champion skill set, and a keen sense of the crowd, creating an experience that is always unique and exciting.

So what better way to start our Keep Watches for 2011 then with the new year with a gigantic mix Shiftee? After one listen you will definitely feel like the standards have been raised as you journey through an array of classic and modern grime as well as dubstep and overall bass heavy tunes. Alot of familiar names in the tracklist as it features new tunes from Rx, Udachi, Flinch’s remix of our recent Hussle Club release, gangster ravers Digital Boy + Shark and a brand new wobbling exclusive from the man himself called “Cowbell.” There will be twists, there will be turns, and of course, there will be scratching. Full tracklisting after the jump.

Keep Watch Vol. XXIII: Shiftee by Мишка Bloglin

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We’re back with what will be our last mix of the year (don’t worry, 2011 will start with a bang…) and it’s one of my favorite Keep Watches that we’ve done. This 42 minute voyage into the depths of the abyss is the first DJ mix courtesy of genre innovator Pictureplane (this mix was actually finished prior to the release of Happy Slow Core). For our 22nd edition of the Keep Watch series, Pictureplane delivers a really smooth blend of tracks from different walks of life that meet at the edge of the world and plunge into eternal darkness.

This pleasurable piece starts off with the deeper side of future Techno with 3024 label boss Martyn, traveling to Girl Unit’s “Every Time,” onto a slew of eclectic and lesser-known dance jams from this year before getting real with Drake’s rendition of TLC’s “I Get Lonely” and a Pictureplane edit of Zomby’s “Strange Fruit.” Lay back, get comfortable and switch your settings to loop; we promise you’re in for a never-ending journey into darkness and unknown pleasures.

Photo by Erez Avissar

Pictureplane AKA Travis Edgy is a conceptual artist based out of Denver, Colorado, interested in post modern chaos magic, cyber punks, individualist anarchism, the evolution and rapid transformation of consciousness and the reasons of sexual arousal within different human beings.

He is currently putting the finishing touches on his follow-up record to his critically lauded album, Dark Rift. The new record deals with sexuality, post humanism, physical sensation and sensory fetishism within technology and the human hand. Look for it in the spring of 2011 on Lovepump United. Check after the jump for the complete tracklist for Keep Watch Vol. XXII.

Keep Watch Vol. XXII: Pictureplane by Мишка Bloglin

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Download Keep Watch Vol. XXI: 12th Planet (Click Here)

Hide ya kids, hide ya wife – The 21st edition of Keep Watch finds 12th Planet taking the reigns. There is something particularly attractive about this one, with a tracklisting featuring the finest examples of the various directions of the ‘umbrella term’ that is Dubstep. Currently, the scene is in a mass overhaul – where the traditional ambiance of the genre has been set aside: traded in for powertools, funkier synths and wilder audiences. Leading this party scene is L.A.’s freshly crowned King of Dubstep, 12th Planet… and his first line of business is bringing out your bass face.

A rare studio mix from 12th Planet this monstrous mix delivers a set of 37 tracks in 1 hour that displays his diverse taste in low end frequencies and his superb skills on the decks. Keep Watch Vol. XXI features some of 12th Plaent’s latest remixes and exclusive content from Skream, Skrillex, Dub Police, and Flinch. This mix is not for the lighthearted. Turn it up loud and prepare yourself for world domination in 2011!

After touring the world as Drum & Bass maestro Infiltrata, and winning over icons such as Goldie, Photek, and DJ Craze, John Dadzie gave himself a new name, sound, and mission. It was 2005 and the gentile beatmaker was inspired by sounds he heard from the likes Technical Itch, Skream, and Benga. That sound was Dubstep, and it was his calling. Infiltrata re-dubbed himself 12th Planet and that is where rge story really begins.

Thanks to 12th Planet, Dubstep, what was largely a British movement has suddenly and dramatically taken hold of Los Angeles. Like the mythological twelfth planet (popularized by controversial author Zecharia Sitchin),  our bass heavy hero flies perpendicular to the system. His wicked beats are off axis and his subsonic frequencies will send you into orbit. America’s first heir to the Dubstep crown is ready for impact! Tracklist after the jump.

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Can you believe it? We’re at our twentieth Keep Watch Mix…. Wow! We’ve kept you guys entertained and in tune with a wide and wonderful world of electro/dance for the past two years now with what’s become not only our signature dance series, but something dance fans look forward to every 30 to 45 days. We’re incredibly proud of that.

So join us won’t you? Lets Take this hour-long journey through space on a b2b (back to back) live session recorded at the Rinse FM studios, courtesy of the London duo o the tips of everyone’s tongues, Night Slugs. Slip inside their world,  where you’ll be served and intoxicating cocktail made up of Tech-House, Tropical House, Grime and big bad bass lines sure to get your body moving.

This is a very special 20th edition made by the Slugs to celebrate the release of our Fall 2010 collection and features a selection of the duo’s latest tracks, remixes and of course choice cuts from their own Night Slugs record label. This is one mix you’ll have on repeat for days, trust me!

The Night Slugs (who are Bok Bok and L-Vis 1990)  first came into existence in early 2008 when, inspired by a variety of experimental club music from around the globe, the duo linked up to start a club night dedicated to a brand new hybrid sound. This new aesthetic fused international gutter house styles with London’s unique soundsystem heritage. The emphasis was on innovation, breaking new producers, debuting fresh tracks, uncompromising bass weight, and above all a functionalist dancefloor-friendly vibe.

The Night Slugs party quickly gained a reputation for being amongst the freshest in London. Two years down the line, Night Slugs is an unstoppable brand. Their club parties are a London staple, a cornerstone of the UK’s bass mutation scene. Bok Bok and L-Vis’ record label of the same name is several releases into a series of groundbreaking EPs, showcasing fresh new sounds from the collective that has crystalised around the duo.

The Slugs’ own productions – international club anthems like “United Groove”, “Ripe Banana”, “Compass” and “Citizens” – have appears on a variety of boutique labels such as Mad Decent, Numbers and Sound Pellegrino.

2010 sees the duo join London’s leading underground music station Rinse FM. With an unparalleled pirate radio vintage of 15 years, Rinse is a bastion of the UK scene’s unique tendency towards self-reinvention, an ethos that deeply resonates with Night Slugs’ own drive for innovation; catch the duo on Rinse every other monday, 1-3pm GMT showcasing the freshest riddims about.

Keep Watch Vol. XX: Nightslugs by Мишка Bloglin

Keep Watch vol. 18 features 36 tracks of the past, present and future of UK grime, funky, garage and dubstep curated by none other than DJ P.O.L. Style. If you are left wondering who we’re talking about then you must have been sleeping under a rock for the last ten years of the bubbling UK underground.

Amongst the plethora of tracks you can find many of Night Slugs’ recording artists like Girl Unit, Moska, Egyptrixx and of course L-Vis 1990. The mix continues with classic Dj Narrows track followed up with a handful of grime riddims that will blow your mind such as Rebound X’s “Rhythm ‘N’ Gash”. the grand finale is comprised of  NMBRS records exclusives from SRC and Kavsrave followed by dubstep innovators Joker, Benga and a current favorite of ours Dubbel Dutch’s edit of Youngsta’s “Bongo”.

After helping to form the Glasgow club event Numbers in  2003, DJ P.O.L.Style moved to Tokyo where he has been djing and producing for the past 6 years. In 2007 he started the Numbers off-shoot Numbers Tokyo where he has invited guests such as DJ Funk, Modeselektor, Dre Skull, DJ Sega, Kazey, DJ Ayres to name a few.

In 2009 P.O.L.Style released a number of tracks and remixes on labels like T&A (Tittsworth & Ayres), Kid 606′s Tiger Bass label and Jess Jubilee & Donna Summer’s Nightshifters label. His tracks have also been remixed by the likes of LOL Boys and Rob Threezy.

Currently he is working on a number of remixes, organizing Numbers Tokyo and helping out at our very own Мишка Tokyo store. He also runs a booking agency called Clear, that organizes tours for foreign artists in Japan and the rest of Asia.

Keep Watch Vol. XVIII: P.O.L. Style by Мишка Bloglin

This month’s Keep Watch Mix comes courtesy of our hometown bass warrior AC Slater of the infamous Trouble & Bass crew. These pounding 33 minutes drive you through his upcoming release peppered with a host of acapellas to intensify the experience, which starts out with the Drop The Lime remix of Slater’s upcoming single “Take You Higher”. It then progresses to a more bass-heavy and dubstep sound provided by the help of label mates Ninjasonik and 77Klash. Wrapping it up with a 3am “Eternal” vibe that comes courtesy of Luna C – the old school rave producer of 92 Eternal’s “The Feeling.”

AC Slater (Aaron Clevenger) has been gaining notoriety for cultivating a bass dominant sound becoming one of the most sought after producers of the past 2 years. Raised on 90′s hip-hop and nourished by old skool rave Slater has successfully combined these influences into his own unique style of music production. He was taken on by the Brooklyn label, Trouble & Bass, home to Math Head, Passions and Drop the Lime. Over the past few years Slater has had consistent radio play on BBC 1 and Kiss 100 in the UK, and has been seen as an integral part in the DJ sets of Moby, Tommie Sunshine, Crookers, The Freestylers, MSTRKRFT, Drop the Lime and Stanton Warriors. In the first half of 2010 Slater is set to release his next single ‘Take You’ on Trouble & Bass, followed by the eagerly anticipated Calm Down trilogy EP.

With the help of T&B, 10 years behind the decks and an arsenal of tracks Slater shows no signs of slowing down. Booking shows across Europe, the UK, Canada, Mexico, Asia and Australia he has been leaving a trail of adrenaline, shattered speakers and loyal fans behind him. He plans to do the same this spring throughout his world tour; all the while working on his debut album due in 2011.

Keep Watch Vol. XVII: AC Slater by Мишка Bloglin

Continuing our Keep Watch mix series is Craze. The mix starts with an easy vibe that flows in and out from dubby synths to intense bursts of energy that Craze is known for. The mix then takes it to the next gear cutting up and mashing together dance floor smashers to tropical and dubstep anthems. The mix features a variety of guest tracks such as Señor Stereo and Klever later to be released on his Slow Roast Records label. The legendary Craze delivers another classic mix that will leave you fiending for more.

Craze’s life is a legacy of rags to riches, geek to chic, no-name to world fame. He never had it easy nor did he have any coattails to ride; his is a story of an uphill battle that ends right at the top. While Craze is regarded internationally and unquestionably as one of the best scratch DJs in the world winning the DMC World Championships an unprecedented three times he is also regarded as a one of the hypest and most electric club DJ’s around.

The world has quickly recognized that Craze is a second to none club DJ touring the globe over, from Jamaica to Australia to Japan to Iceland to France to his native country of Nicaragua. Craze is also making a claim as a world-renowned producer, releasing successful drum’n'bass records with labels such as Cartel Recordings, Breakbeat Kaos, C.I.A., and numerous hip-hop inspired productions in conjunction with DMC Records, Ninja Tune Records, OM Records and K7 Records. It’s the respect from both DJ’s and audiences alike that paved Craze’s seamless move between hip-hop and turntablism to drum’n'bass.

Keep Watch Vol. XVI: Craze by Мишка Bloglin

What an amazing way to start the new decade: a fresh installment to the Keep Watch series with none other than the biggest DJ/Producers in the universe, The Crookers!!  The duo has been touring nonstop, smashing all the international fests and bustin’ out the best dance music out right now. Alongside other Italians such as Congorock, The Bloody Beetroots, Nic Sarno and His Majesty Andre Crookers have been strong-arming dance floors and waving the red, white and green bass flag high.

In this mix expect the unexpected going deep into some glitchy and dubby vibes.  The mix starts out with sounds from Hudson Mohawke, Joker and Untold and finishes off with some war riddims courtesy of Kingdom and Alter Ego.  Elaborating too much would be ruining this amazing mix.  Just listen to it.  This is the future of the Italian sound in one word and 43 minutes.

Crookers started in 2003 when two DJ’s, nick-named Phra and Bot, met over a shared love of hip hop, house and the emerging skewed, bass heavy sounds pioneered by Switch in the UK and Diplo in the States. “We decided to call ourselves Crookers to describe what we do. To make beats and tracks that are not straight up, that are twisted or crooked.” Though they both grew up listening to a lot of hip hop; Beastie Boys, Tribe Called Quest, Madlib and J Dilla. It’s from these combined influences that Crookers derive their hybrid sound. Being based in Milan, away from London where the bassline scene initially thrived, meant they could hone their own musical identity.

Their first release End 2 End, was released in 2006. But it was with “Love To Edit” in 2007 and Knobbers”, for their current label Southern Fried, when they really made an impact with peers and a burgeoning fan-base. Their rising status was confirmed with over two dozen remixes including club smashes for Dusty Kid (The Cat) and Kid Cudi (Day ‘N Night) and their services have also been called on artists like The Chemical Brothers, U2, Moby and Britney Spears.

After remixing such huge names in pop and rock Crookers have now directly hit up some of their favorite artists to work alongside on their debut album. Aptly titled “Tons Of Friends” the roll call of pals involved is jaw dropping. It includes, Kelis, Will I Am, Soulwax, Major Lazer, RadioClit, Spank Rock, Pitbull, Tim Burgess, Kardinal Offishall and Roisin Murphy. So watch out the Crookers retain their status as dons of the dancefloor, they already have Tons of Friends and they’ll have a whole load more!

And as if this monster of  mix wasn’t enough, we got together with Crookers to remix the cover of their upcoming album Tons of Friends with a distinct Мишка flair and turned it all into  a limited edition tee available in black and white. The shirts will also be available at our flagship in Brooklyn and will be sent with a CD version of Keep Watch Vol. XV.

Keep Watch Vol. XV: Crookers by Мишка Bloglin