Mentat Mix

My latest live set... this one is a little different... Not a new direction, but just an experiment with playing some pre released tracks in live versions rather than completely improvising. I'm definitely not ditching the improvising - just trying something to see what I can learn. Having been doing lots of entirely improvised sets recently I started looking into recording some of my improvisations and developing them into tracks. This made me get out my Cirklon sequencer again, and I thought for this month's Factory Setting event I'd have a go at recreating live versions of some of my studio tracks that had been released. So this set consists of Indigo and Flight, which came out on my own label Cirrus Sounds, and Marble which came out on Traum Schallplatten and was the first Mentat track I ever released. These tracks were originally written in Ableton Live, so I brought across some of the samples and the sequences to the BitBox sampler and the Cirklon sequencer, and live jammed the arrangements on the sequencer and the modular system. This brings different challenges than improvising... having sounds in mind for each track and section I have to remember more. I have to remember what sequences are coming from where, how they should sound and how I need to set up the synth to make those sounds. When improvising I can be a bit more immediate and experiment, but here I have to get to something I have in mind, which is a different approach. I don't have to think as much about where I am going though, as I had the three track order planned and to a certain extent the types of arrangements I'd be creating, even though that was a bit improvised. All in all I was pleased with how it went. It goes a bit abstract going out of Indigo into Flight where the transition in synth sounds wasn't as smooth as I wanted it to be. But it's OK I think and something I'd quickly improve with some more practice. Something I learned was how I might approach varying structures a bit more even when improvising. I have tended to be very loop and groove focused, but my released tracks have more back and forth of differing sections. No reason why I couldn't do this with the improvising - it's just another thing to develop and practice. Next I'm going to explore constructing some track starting with improvisation on the Torso sequencer, but recording them into the Cirklon and refining them into more finished tracks. The Cirklon is much better for that kind of detailed work - although the Torso shines brighter to me for ideas and live jams. I might try some live sets with a mix of more prepared and improvised stuff - it's nice to play some more detailed melodic stuff and recognisable tunes. But I do prefer fully improvising in the moment in many ways, so I'll see where it takes me. Gear used: Sequentix Cirklon - All sequencing BitBox Micro Sampler - Drums, percussion loops, some synth parts Mutable Instruments Plaits - Melodies and effect Doepfer Wasp filter - Filter on the Plaits Noise Engineering Manis Iteritas - Melodies Dopefer A-111-6 - Bass Knobula Poly Cinematic - Chords and melodies Make Noise Mimeophon - Delay and effects Jakkplug Monsoon (Mutable Instruments Clouds Clone) - Granular effects Bastl Pizza Crust - Percussion and occasional synth Blue Lantern Stereo Sir Mix Alot - Mixing Happy Nerding FX-Aid x2 - Reverb on everything and multi effects on the Poly Cinematic Mod Dwarf effects pedal - End of chain compression and mastering and some stereo whole mix hipass filtering and delay If you're interested, my ModularGrid is here: https://modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/2884273

A few weeks back I did an hour long 'Midnight set' at The Night Cafe, a really cool alternative venue in Aldgate in London. This is an hour of mostly improvised modular techno and progressive house, performed from right outside the ball pit. Check out all the other Night Cafe Midnight sets over on their channel. It's a great selection of live electronic music, many of the set from friends of mine: / @nightcaferadio Gear used: Torso T1 Sequencer BitBox Micro Sampler Mutable Instruments Plaits Noise Engineering Manis Iteritas Dopefer A-111-6 Knobula Poly Cinematic Make Noise Mimeophon Jakkplug Monsoon (Mutable Instruments Clouds Clone) Blue Lantern Stereo Sir Mix Alot Timo Rozendal FMP WMD MSCL Compressor God's Box and Thonk Humpback filter Mod Dwarf Forge tme Vhikk X Happy Nerding FX-Aid x2 Roland S-1

Live at Dublin Castle this week. Some more improvised grooves and melodies.

Mentat Mix 13 Deep, melodic house and techno from UK DJ & Producer Mentat. This time including my two recent remixes for QuiQui on Amber Blue and Blame Your Genes on Traum Schallplatten. More mixes and original tracks at www.mentataudio.com . Subscribe at www.mentataudio.com/podcast . Tracklist: Kidnap - Start Again [Armada Music Bundles] Martin Roth - Wabi Sabi [Anjunadeep] QuiQui - Dukkha (Mentat Remix) [Amber Blue] Zoi (CA) - Hangover Blue [Architextures] Francesca Lombardo - Psycho [Poker Flat Recordings] Robert Babicz - I know [Dirtcuts] Manuel Mayer - Same [3000GRAD Records] Huminal - Ghost in Machine [Concious Monkey] Blame Your Genes - The Moment (Mentat Remix) [Traum Schallplatten] Eagles & Butterflies - Experiment A [Art Imitating Life]

Deep, melodic house and techno from UK DJ & Producer Mentat. More mixes and original tracks at www.mentataudio.com . Subscribe at www.mentataudio.com/podcast . Tracklist: Durante - Maia [OPENERS] Tibi Dabo - Nowhere Beach [Crosstown Rebels] Monolink - Frozen (Rodriguez Jr. Remix) [Embassy One] Made by Pete - Akido (Enamour Remix) [Yoshitoshi Records]] Pak Sota - Sweet Spots [Traum] Francesca Lombardo - Flumen [Poker Flat Records] Knives Out - Sugarcoat (Sasha Remix) [Bedrock Records] La Fleur - Waves [Watergate Records] Animal Trainer - Amaron (Einmusik Remix) [Selador] Woo York - Discovery [Afterlife Records] Erkka - Plastic Flamingos [White]

Deep, melodic house and techno from UK DJ & Producer Mentat. Guest mix for System Showcase on Proton Radio with Andy Green (@theandygreen) and Robin Thurston (@robinthurston). More shows @systemshowcase . *Out now - new track 'Entropy' on Traum Schallplatten* *Stream & download at www.mentataudio.com/entropy * More mixes and original tracks at www.mentataudio.com . Subscribe at www.mentataudio.com/podcast . Tracklist: Mentat - Entropy (Intro mix) [Traum Schallplatten] Nuage - H.A.L.O. [Anjunadeep] CRI - Initial [Anjunadeep] Max Kuffel - Botsuana Braindance [Traum Shallplatten] La Fleur - Tears [Kompakt Extra] Betoko & Kastis Torrau - Dosya [Einmusika Recordings] QuiQui - Gain Control [Traum Schallplatten] SLG - Nine Hours [Trapez] Rex The Dog - Vortex [Kompakt] Losless - Beast [Steoyoke] Deniro - Epirus [K7 Records] Tibi Dabo - It’s All Behind [Crosstown Rebels] Leftfield - El Cid [Hard Hands / Sony BMG]

Deep, melodic house and techno from UK DJ & Producer Mentat. More mixes and original tracks at www.mentataudio.com . Subscribe at www.mentataudio.com/podcast . Tracklist: Nuage - Haunting [Project Mooncircle] Moon Boots - Keramas [Anjunadeep] Modeplex & Soul Button - Ardor [Steyoyoke] Kenton Slash Demon - Arp8 [Watergate Records] Patrice Baumel - Grace [Kompak Extra] Dusky - Songs of Phase (Audiojack Remix) [Unreleased] Einmusik - Flare [Einmusika Recordings] Gabe and Rikfell - Waterfall (Doctor Dru Remix) [Sprout] N’To - Alter Ego [Hungry Music] Luis Junior - Otro Ayer (Microtrauma Remix) [Traum] Fabrizio Lapiana - Far Away [Figure Jams] Youandewann - 1988 [Lo:Rise] Scuba - Adrenalin [Hotflush Recordings]

Deep, melodic house and techno from UK DJ & Producer Mentat. More mixes and original tracks at www.mentataudio.com . Subscribe at www.mentataudio.com/podcast . Tracklist: RJLA - Radian (Neon Mix) Jan Blomqvist - The Space in Between (Ben Bohmer Extended Mix) [Armada Electronic Elements] Marc Holstege - Sonorous [Stil Vor Talent] Monkey Safari - Sturm [Hommage] Clarian - Close 2 U [Suara] Spada - State of Grace [Traum] Reset Robot - Manhattan Project [We Are The Brave] Dosem - Chosen [Anjunadeep] Pig&Dan - Bulgaria [fryhide] Franky Wah - Get Me High [iVAV Recordings] Real Lies & Tom Demac - White Flowers [Kompakt]

Deep, melodic house and techno from UK DJ & Producer Mentat. More mixes and original tracks at www.mentataudio.com . Subscribe at www.mentataudio.com/podcast . Tracklist: Adriatique - Nude Jonathan Kaspar - Khaya Lexer - Hideout Volen Sentir - Arrival Mentat - Marble My Friend - Solace Robag Whrume - Veddel Baaf dubspeeka - Garrison1 Marcus Meinhardt - DUKE (Township Rebellion Remix) Anna - Hidden Beauties Tiger Stripes - Baby Holden - A Break In The Clouds (Main Mix) Subscribe to Mentat Mix podcast at http://www.mentataudio.com/podcast . More mixes and tracks at http://www.mentataudio.com .

Deep, melodic house and techno from UK DJ & Producer Mentat. Tracklist: Pedram - Takio Taho - Woody Spada - Gloriosa Ben Bohmer - Mondfinsternis BAILE - Amae (sasha fabric2099 Mix) Florian Kruse, Hendrik Burkhard, Mi.li.an, TheGround, Vincenzo - Kingdom Of Crumbling Walls (Vincenzo Remix) Eli & Fur - Night Blooming Jasmine (Rodriguez Jr. Remix) Skober - Butterfly Effect Daniel Helmstedt - Arithmetic Circle Sky - The Light (Patrice Baumel Remix) The Dualz - Time Max Cooper - Rule 110 Subscribe to Mentat Mix podcast at http://www.mentataudio.com/podcast . More mixes and tracks at http://www.mentataudio.com .

Deep, melodic house and techno from UK DJ & Producer Mentat. Tracklist: Kidnap - Aurora KIKDRM - Little Helper 311-1 Cari Golden & Dance Spirit - Wash Me Clean (Dance Spirit's Hyperspace Dub) Kölsch - In Bottles Moon Boots - First Landing Yotto - Chemicals (Mentat's Way Out West Edit) AEONIX - A Star Is Born (Clint Stewart Remix) Guy J - Airborne Nick Warren & Tripswitch - Voight Kampff Max Cooper - Resynthesis Dino Lenny & Artbat - Sand In Your Shoes Arthr - Balloons (Mentat Mix) Alex Metric & Ten Ven - Otic Sonin feat. Swedish Red Elephant - All Of My Teenage Crimes Subscribe to Mentat Mix podcast at http://www.mentataudio.com/podcast . More mixes and tracks at http://www.mentataudio.com .