DJ Carl Michaels Presents: 10 Tracks for Weird Winter Moods


Every month, Gayborhood DJ Carl Michaels puts together a mix especially for G Philly.

Winter has me in a strange mood, so I have been digging in to the crates (well, my hard drive) for a pretty wide variety of stuff. Some of it is twisted and haunting, some of it epic, some happy, and some just plain dirty. It’s not all new — that’s not how I decide what I am going to play. But it has to be well-produced and upfront, and not the same stuff you hear all over.

You can find the playlist on Spotify, or enjoy each track in the videos below.

“Holding On” by Classix I love house music, and these guys make some of the most feel-good tunes this side of Daft Punk. This track is the tip of the iceberg — check them out on Spotify for the full effect.

“3 Little Words” by Frankmusik This one is from 2009. It’s more danceable than anything Frankmusik (aka Vincent James Turner) has released recently, so I thought I would reach into the archives and resurrect some of the amazing music that has been overlooked so often by both mainstream and underground audiences.

“Take ‘Em Up by Shit Robot I was hoping I would like this guy when I saw his name, because it’s hilarious. Luckily, his music is sublime and floor-friendly. This one is a haunting ’80s-style slow jam that rocked the dancefloor when Shit Robot played Dolphin Tavern last month.

“Put Your Graffiti On Me” by Kat Graham This one is a club banger and it’s got peak hour written all over it. The graffiti double meaning (“Tag Me!”) keeps it cheeky and a little dirty at the same time.

“Into The Blue” by Kylie Minogue You’re an alien if you don’t like Kylie Minogue. And not a good kind of alien. This is classic Kylie, returning as she does with the title track from her new album, coming in March.

 “Same Talk” by Inland Knights Chances are you got sick of hearing Azealia Banks’ “212” about two years ago. Well, get ready to welcome it back, because deep house duo Inland Knights have transformed it into a sexy, deep underground house affair.

“Leviathan” by Freeform Five Feat. Róisín Murphy Former Moloko lead singer Róisín Murphy lends her flawless, sultry, haunting voice to this one-off produced by London-based Freeform Five, a brilliant artist in his own right.

“Back 2 The Wild” by Basement Jaxx Felix Buxton and Simon Ratcliffe have been turning out some of the most ear-challenging, fun, funky, soulful business since many of us were just young ravers. This one pushes the envelope as usual and devastates dancefloors.

“Feed Me Diamonds” (RAC Mix) by MNDR This girl has been making waves, and she’s got nowhere to go but up. I’ve been playing the RAC remix at just about every gig and can’t wait to hear what’s next. I’m a little late on this one, but had to be sure to share the brilliance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pr8V1xS7Lxg

“Jealous” by Drootrax Feat. Rena Philly folk here making waves with dope beats and the dripping wet vocals of the lovely Rena. Be sure to check out the video for your favorite Philly queens strutting their stuff on my favorite dancefloor.

Want more? DJ Carl Michaels can be found online at carlmichaels.com. He DJs weekly at Voyeur Nightclub and various other venues.