Mixtape Monday : Exclusive Brillstein x Deep House Premiere, Thievery Corporation, Cookin' Soul + More House Madness!

Put the turkey in the oven on a very slow simmer because Mixtape Monday is back in action with a special batch. We hereby demand your undivided dance floor attention.

It all began this summer with the drop of our very first Okaydeep exclusive house mixtape. Today that hard-hitting uptempo series continues with the world premiere of the Gimme Some mix from LA's Brillstein, which got us thinking--why not devote (almost) all of this week's mixtape roundup to house mixes? Why not give in to the power of that steadybeat bass pulse? We couldn't resist, and so this holiday week we're bringing you some of the best house mixes to hit the digital airwaves as of late--none of which have been heard on Okayplayer before now. You'll find a brilliant set from Thievery Corporation's Rob Garza, some explosive new Bacardi House from South Africa's DJ Spoko, and that's only the tip of the house-berg. But then again we've made sure to keep diversity in mind. This week also features new soul, jazz and hip-hop-flavored drops from the likes of Cookin' Soul and Kid Millions, whose looser tempos should be the perfect breathers between the five-alarm house fire that's blazing all week long. Time to give thanks, get warm, and get on your dancing shoes.

Listen to this one enough times and you're guaranteed to gain superpowers. We're very proud to continue our new Okaydeep mixtape series of unalloyed deep house with producer, DJ and LA club emperor Brillstein. Here making its world premiere is Gimme Some.

Known as Thee Mike B by many in his closest circles, Mike Brillstein has had a banner year, dropping his Back to BedLP online and garnering wide acclaim in the process. Lately he's been spun on BBC Radio1 and hit the main stage at LA's Hard Summer Festival.  Brillstein has always been a detail-minded innovator, and in his new mix he puts his creativity front and center. The set keeps on pulsing beat by beat and minute by minute, but Three Mike B knows just how to subvert it and when, tossing in fills, dense effects and intricate layering to create a house journey that's all at once sexy, forceful and a blast. Brillstein's own compositions stand out as highlights, especially "Makosa Nostra" and his breathy rework of Trinidad-Senolia's "Hair & Makeup." Surprises like synthesized slap bass and half-time tempo drops are rampant. We could go on about the details of what makes this mix so special, but all you really need to know is that the link is below. Press play.

Tracklist:

The Blind Boys Of Alabama - "Brother Moses (Jeremy Sole Remix)"

Brillstein - "Makosa Nostra"

Marquis Hawkes - "Tunnel"

I:Cube - "Vacuum Jackers"

Osunlade - "The Fifth Dimension (Beats)"

Alex Alterskye - "What You Got (Tom Demac Remix)"

Oliver $ and Brillstein - "Ain't I'm Clean (B’s VIP)"

Blue Boy - "Sandman"

Trinidad-Senolia ft Girl 3 - "Hair & Makeup (Brillstein Remix)"

Kill frenzy - "XXX ft Astrid"

Brillstein - "It Is Sew (Squim Remix)"

Christian Nielsen - "Do You Mind"

DJ Sneak - "Back (Beats)"

Persnickety - "Jungle DJ (DJ Bang Lost Edit)"

Jesse Rose and Oliver $ - "When We Heard Giles Peterson"

The sharpest house-lovers might already be familiar with this one. Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation dropped a monumental piece of work last month, so strong that we can't omit it from this week's house compendium. The Out of Body Workshop pulses to a shifting international beat thanks to Garza's wide-open ears and globetrotting experience. Expect shades of jazz, bossa nova, reggae and funk to all drift across this hour-long dark house blowout.

Tracklist:

Rhoma, Mademoiselle Eva, Malikk - "Secret Lovers (Ania Iwinska Remix)"

Edu Imbernon, Sutja Gutierrez - "Your Rules Feat. Sutja Gutierrez (Dub Mix)"

Jonathan Rosa - "Shut It Down (Da Fresh Remix)"

Nathan Barato - "Under Dirt (Original Mix)"

TUR, Manuel - "Ara Anam"

Okain, Cuartero - "Cameleon (Hot Since 82 Remix)"

Rob Garza - "Re Mana (feat. Vasuda Sharma)"

Wagon Cookin - "Mallorca"

Beartrax - "Minus (Original Mix)"

Saschienne - "Grand Cru (Pachanga Boys Glam Drive)"

Cookin' Soul, that Spanish DJ duo of Big Size and Zock are taking their dynamite collection of selections to Japan this week, and to whet appetites they've dropped a mixtape that samples some of their favorite Japanese recordings. Titled simply Japan Diggin, the short and sweet set is loaded with tender piano, '80s glam-funk outros and plenty of funky all-live jazz interludes. Astute listeners (and/or savvy Google searchers) should be able to pick out a few track titles and artists from the chopped-up bites--we at least caught Tatsuro Yamashita's "Windy Lady" in the midst. If you're lucky enough to find yourself in Japan over the next two weeks make a point to catch CS at one of their DJ dates--they've become one of the most tasteful and original mix-makers in all the land.

Get set for some house with some dazzling African flourishes in DJ Spoko's new Africa In Your Earbuds mix. Spoko offers up many of his own cuts in this 40 minute scorcher, but also deploys Fantasma and fellow South African Aero Manyelo. The bacardi house (a blend of deep house, SA kwaito hip-hop and electro) is as strong as ever in this one. Spoko got in touch with Okayafrica as he dropped the mix, saying "The tape demonstrates the works of King Spoko, that he can blend in with different kinds of musical styles, as most of the tracks I worked with different musicians from around the globe. #Salute the WAR GOD aka DJ Spoko.” King Spoko indeed--all hail bacardi house.

Tracklist:

Bizz Atv – "Negative People(DJ Spoko Remix)"

Fantasma – "Sefty Belt ft. JOSIAHWISE IS THE SERPENTWITHFEET"

DJ Spoko – "I Remember ft. G Dog"

DJ Spoko – "Chitahuri Dance"

DJ Mujava – "Township Funk"

Tribal Warriors – "Lerato ft. Noeli"

Tribal Warriors – "In The Heart Of The Nite"

DJ Spoko X Lafawndah – "I Lost My Fear"

DJ Spoko X Massacooramaan – "Feathers of the Phoenix"

Dubbel Dutch x DJ Spoko – "Sweat of the Dragon"

Aero Manyelo x DJ Spoko – "Rapoka"

Making his Mixtape Monday debut from the blustery streets of Stockholm comes Baba Stiltz, a young producer+DJ who already is showing a preternatural skill at blending and chopping house. Stiltz stepped up to the decks for Red Bull Music Academy this month and delivered a pulsing set that's high on variety, swerving from minimalist to massive and back again many times. Sweden may be dark at this time of year, but the future look mighty bright (and loud) for this one. Stiltz is standing tall.

Huxley, that British underground house phenom that's no longer underground, rolled through the BBC to drop an Essential Mix that's about to raise the bar in this house roundup to an otherworldly level. Loaded with his own fantastic bass-heavy cuts, plus choice singles from Shenoda, Heartthrob, Nightmares on Wax and more, Huxley sticks to the high standard of past Essential Mixes. This one deserves to be played loud all the way through.

Tracklist:

Huxley - "Box Clever (Piano Reprise Version)"

Pol_On & Chmara Winter - "Bonk (Pol_On Remix)"

Cinnaman & Breach - "Avocado"

Lovebirds - "My Man (KiNK Remix)"

Shenoda - "Nonamenoname V.4"

Hammer & Bicep - "Untitled"

Archie Hamilton - "Two Time"

Heartthrob - "Whoever Whatever"

Metodi Hristov - "Burn Around You"

Ed Davenport - "More Red Lights (Dub)"

Nightmares on Wax - "Aftermath (Acid Mondays Remix)"

Phil Moffa & Seth Troxler - "Blue Rawls"

Argy & Martinez Brothers - "Debbie's A Downer (Huxley 'Let It Go' Edit)"

Midland & Bicep - "D Mil"

DJ Spen - "Stranger"

Bambounou & French Fries - "What’s Up Evan"

J. Phlip & Huxley - "Salvia"

Eats Everything - "Q-Tip"

Deetron - "Photon"

Danny J. Lewis - "Spend The Night (H-Man Dub)"

Huxley - "Cakewalk"

Timid Boy - "Extasy (ONNO Remix)"

Hundred Waters - "Down From The Rafters (Huxley Remix)"

J. Phlip - "Roofies"

DJ Exacta - "Home"

Ejeca - "Bump"

Romanthony - "Testify (Jimmy Edgar Remix)"

Maan - "Jackin' Pt 2"

Will Azada - "Cliché (For Me)"

Moss - "Incognito"

DJ Haus - "Acid Bleep"

Bwana - "Flute Dreams"

Spencer Parker - "Rights For Men"

Youandewan - "93"

Take a throwback break from the house madness of this week's roundup and sample some of the best that Chicago has ever had to offer. These two recently-recovered tapes from Dope Folks Records are filled with nothing but Chi-city underground hip-hop. They're dusty, gritty and hungry tracks are rare gems from the center of the continent, and showcase the Midwest's beginnings as a counterpoint to the coastal scenes. The first mix nails 1988-1998, while the second spans '88-'96. In the mixes you'll hear EC Illa, Black AG, Main Frame and Nacrobats amongst many others--proof that Chicago can hang with any city, anytime. Those vinyl crackles do pair awfully nicely with the midwest winter wind.

Mix 1 Tracklist:

EC Illa - "Chicago Hip Hop"

Deep Freeze - "City Runnin Shit"

Fully G - "There She Goes Again"

Infinito - "Shadow Hours"

Definite Vacation 4 Suckas - "Blowing up the spot"

Main Frame - "Her,Her & You"

M.C. Juice - "Pressue"

Sundance - "A Better Day"

B.A.T. - "Unspeakable Truth"

SuperStar Da Kleva - "A.D.I.D.A.S."

The Ra- I - "Rigley Feel"

Black AG - "Honey Hamma ( Released at dopefolksrecords.com)"

Blade - "Get A Load Of Me"

Pure & Natural - "Startin Funky"

ME & I - "The Wrath"

Mix 2 Tracklist:

Awesome L – "Hellafied Talk"

E.C. – "Smooth, But It Ain’t No Radio Jam"

East Of The Rock – "Egyptian Musk"

Nacrobats – "Rush Hour"

Rec Center – "Mind Body & Soul? (I have a White label test press)"

The Knomadz – "Gifted"

Pro Skee, M.C. Swan & Pumpin Pete – "Don’t Bumrush The Sound"

Smuv Radicals – "No Justice, No Peace"

H Squared ft. The Shady Crew – "Another Mission"

Matlock – "Moon Shine (2006 Gravel Hip Hop)"

RAB – "Outro Accapella"

Rubberoom – "Body Snachin’"

Primeridian – "Body Snactchin’"

Earatik Statik – "Lox It Down"

Black Pirate Militia – "Insane Asylum"

Meaty – "Blanket Of Ash 45"

E.C. Feat. Vakill , Percee P & Rhymefest – "NY-CHI Network"

Already becoming one of our favorite electronic mix-makers, Complexion landed himself back in the weekly roundup with his latest drop, simply titled Sunshower. Inspired by the sublime feeling of driving into the flare of sunset, the mix offers plenty of softer, contemplative house and is the perfect come-down pairing with some of the heavier mixes on hand at present. The entire set seems to build to the perfect coast of ESTA's "After Party", and from there settles back into a green tea kind of calm.

Tracklist:

Promnite – "I’m Sprung"

Tinashe – "Vulnerable (Pomo Remix)"

Perseus – "Seychelles"

Figgy – "Climax C ? ? (Beatgrid Slow Edit)"

Janet Jackson – "If (Kaytranada Remix)"

Figgy – "Take You Away"

Haan808 – "TellinYouSumthin"

Reva DeVito – "Friday Night"

Teedra Moses – "Be Your Girl"

Esta – "Afterparty"

Stwo – "Aura McClenney Version"

The Code – "Natural Telescope Thieves Remix"

If there's a rule against two Essential Mixes in one roundup, we don't want to follow it. Another deep dose of electronic brilliance hit the BBC this weekend thanks to ambient-electro-house superstar Jon Hopkins. True to the style of his own work, Hopkins's set is dark and mainly instrumental, cutting a line that's more killing floor than dance floor--and we like it. Hopkins gradually builds his two hour set before blowing the roof off the place with the Pangaea remix of his own searing cut "Collider."

bvdub & loscil - "Moirai"

Rapoon - "Alchiva"

Sam Barker & Andreas Baumecker - "Spur (Clark Remix)"

Jon Hopkins - "Interlude"

Seefeel - "Industrious"

Jon Hopkins - "Abandon Window (Moderat Remix)"

Recondite - "The Fade"

Dan Deacon - "Surprise Stefani (Luke Abbott Remix)"

Untold - "Just For You"

Skudge - "Mobius"

Agoria & Francesco Tristano - "Kick The Peace (Part 1)"

Fairmont - "3 Cities"

Daniel Avery - "Naive Response"

I Break Horses - "Faith (The Field Remix)"

Gary Beck - "Algoreal"

James Holden - "The Illuminations (12" Version)"

Wesley Matsell - "Bismuth"

Jon Hopkins - "Collider (Pangaea Remix)"

Clark - "Growls Garden (Nathan Fake Remix)"

Mux Mool - "Crackers"

Boddika & Joy Orbison - "In Here"

Mogg & Naudascher - "Moon Unit Pt. 2"

Panda Bear - "Drone"