Podcast 96: Traxx - Entrance to the Alter
- Words: Shawn Reynaldo
Chicago is home to a lot of house music history, and veteran DJ/producer Traxx has long been in the middle of it all. As he prepares to unveil his debut full-length, Faith, the man born Melvin Oliphant was also kind enough to pass along Entrance to the Alter, an exclusive mix for XLR8R. A vinyl loyalist (as the mix's various crackles can attest), Traxx weaves through a variety of jackin' beats, including a number of unreleased tunes and a couple of sneak peeks from his forthcoming album. Next week the Nation Records founder will be staging a bash in his hometown, celebrating both his birthday and Fatih with a special label showcase at Chicago's Smart Bar. The event details are as follows:
Friday, July 31
Traxx Birthday Party and Special Vinyl LP Release Party
Nation Records Showcase II
Featuring:
Traxx (Live & DJ)
James T. Cotton (DJ)
Saturn V (Live)
Nancy Fortune (Live)
D'Marc (Live)
Josh Werner (DJ)
21+ / Doors: 10pm / Show: 10pm
Tickets: $10 before midnight / $12 after midnight
Those of you who won't be in the Chicago area next week will just have to satisfy themselves with Entrance to the Alter.
01 Traxx - "Train (intro)"
02 Romanthony - "House of the Hymn" - (Black Male)
03 Marcus Mixx - "Do U Love Me?" - (Missing Dog)
04 Theo Parrish - Unreleased
05 Orgue Electronique - "Rootbound" - (Crème Organization)
06 Saturn V - "Locomotion" - (Nation)
07 Traxx - Violet Epoch - (Nation)
08 Colonel Abrams - "Sweet Love" - (Smack)
09 X2 - "Modern" (Unreleased) - (Nation CDR)
10 New World Aquarium - Unreleased
11 Throbbing Gristle - "Hot on The Heels of Love (Ratcliff Remix)" - (Mute)
12 2 AM/FM - "Sensational Rythym" - (Spectral Sound)
13 Traxx - "Introspective" - (Nation)
Recent Features
- Sub Missions: Dubstep Pioneer Kode9 Probes the Noises of State Control and Underground Music Resistance
- Detroit State of Mind: Kyle Hall and Anthony "Shake" Shakir Keep Things Moving Forward
- Todd P Goes South: The NYC Party Promoter Attempts to Bridge the Socio-Political Gap Between American and Mexican Artists
- Oneohtrix Point Never: Making Contact With A Brooklyn-Based Sci-Fi Novelist-Turned-Ambient Astronaut
14 comments Traxx - Entrance to the Alter
passerby (not verified) Wrote
Fri, 07/24/2009 - 10:26
ahh this is fucking sweet! traxx is a master.
ghostsontape (not verified) Wrote
Fri, 07/24/2009 - 21:09
one of the best mixes i've heard in a while. traxx is the shit!
Booming B. (not verified) Wrote
Sat, 07/25/2009 - 09:37
I love this mix. Heard it twice today. Respect!
jakmaniak (not verified) Wrote
Tue, 07/28/2009 - 07:31
so can Traxx actually mix now? i know 5 years ago he was busted for playing a mix CD while feigning to mix with vinyl.
openconcept (not verified) Wrote
Tue, 07/28/2009 - 07:42
jakmaniak, get it straight! Playing from a mix CD?!? That's some BUUULLL Shit for sure!!
I've had the honour of watching this man spin several times -- more than once in or around the DJ booth -- and there's no WAY in the world that he's playing a mix CD!
Yes, he uses CD's with unreleased material and all kinds of stuff, but a mix CD?! N F-ing way!!
This man is among the best ever, IMHO.
Dylan J
www.openconcept.org
Mark Campbell aka DJMC2 (not verified) Wrote
Tue, 07/28/2009 - 14:06
Back in Chicago circa 92-93 Mel aka Traxx crashed on our couch for about 6 mos or so (give or take) and all he would do most of the day was mix, mix and mix. Justin Long was kinda his shadow back then and those two would tear it up in our dining room all the time. Mel and I had a bit of a tiff one day and we kinda drifted apart as friends, just in case you think I'm giving a shout out to a pal. He absolutely throws down and is all about the music, shit everybody has bad nights maybe that cd thing was one of them? Dont know, cuz I was not there. He is the real deal as far as I'm concerned and despite our differences from way back then, that mix took me waaaayyyy back....believe!
jo (not verified) Wrote
Wed, 07/29/2009 - 14:18
trax was the king of the loveparade gigolo sunday after party at the wmf club 2001 or so.
whatta blaaaaaast
Manuel@ (not verified) Wrote
Fri, 07/31/2009 - 10:35
Very good house music, from Italy
Dutch Resistance (not verified) Wrote
Fri, 08/07/2009 - 00:23
This man rules, damn hard!
Anonymous (not verified) Wrote
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 14:04
hey the guy may be a douchebag, i think everyone says that, ubt he is defintely NOT mixing using pre-mixed CDs
jimmy b (not verified) Wrote
Mon, 08/17/2009 - 12:37
feeling this.... deep in the vibe
Nation (not verified) Wrote
Mon, 09/07/2009 - 02:30
@anonymous....
If I'm a douchbag like people say I am then why are u talkin on my thread here?
(I totally dislike people like u who can't front on me directly) makes u look WEAK!
@jakmaniak...
I don't know what you're talkin about...
I'm a vinylist pure and simple.
I only use CDs when I want to play something that's not available on wax...back in the day it used to be a reel to reel or a 4 track device.
Now it's about cd but I will NEVER play just cds.
Words by the unpredictable artist of sound..
Traxx-
Gerald (not verified) Wrote
Wed, 10/07/2009 - 03:49
Hey I cant download the mp3 of this set, anyone have an alternative link? Cheers.
ufo! (not verified) Wrote
Thu, 10/15/2009 - 16:39
ill tell all yall this much..when i moved to INDIANA for a bit back in 96 i saw traxx play one night and i wasent the same dj after that!! pummpin EQs, samCKin red,Ripin rewinds, blowin out the sound system. YO!.that was it! i applied that to jungle muisc and boom the rest is history !!...traxx works hard and kills it all the time! NUFF said..Respect MEL!!..you inspired!..
UFO!