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Epic House Trilogy (Includes New Mix)

Presenting, the greatest story ever told*:


*Actual greatness may vary

I had never planned this to be a series, but after two iterations of epic house mixes, a combination of praise and requests for follow-ups on TA, the fun I had making them and the fun I had listening to them persuaded me to finish the trilogy. Rather than have three seperate threads to keep track of, I decided to bring the whole project together into one thread to make life easier.

These three mixes are a showcase of the sub-genre of progressive house prominent around 1995-1996 originally dubbed "epic house" by Mixmag. The title is due to the music's length, elaborate production and sweeping composition. Many acts who would go on to be well-known in progressive circles and beyond passed through this genre or made their names in it. Even Danny Howells started out life on the Jackpot label, mixing and producing epic house. This was the sub-genre that bridged the gap between the progressive house of the early 90s and the progressive trance of the late 90s, and is both housey and trancey in equal measures.

The three sets give a good over-view of the entire style. Spirit of '95 is a good mixture of vocal and instrumental tracks and has most of the biggest hits on it. The Epic Mix focuses on the vocal side while Epic 3 explores the instrumental aspect.

NOTE: To everyone who has already downloaded one or both of the existing sets in earlier threads, these versions have been "remastered" and re-uploaded specially for this thread. I have ironed out minor mixing flaws and sound levels that had bugged me slightly. I also changed one transition completely in The Epic Mix after comments that the flow was a little jarring in the mid-section. The Epic Mix is now 3 minutes shorter and clocks in at exactly 100 minutes. I think the result is superior and recommend you give it a listen. This is the last time these mixes will be touched- no George Lucas-esque hyper-fiddling for me.
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Spirit of '95:
Length: 1:21:51
Size: 112mb

1. Way Out West - Domination (Mururoa Mix)
2. Blue Amazon - The Runner
3. Tenth Chapter - Wired
4. Up Yer Ronson - Lost In Love (Sasha Remix)
5. Tilt - I Dream (Casa De Angeles Remix)
6. Grace - Not Over Yet (BT's Spirit of Grace Remix)
7. Billie Ray Martin - Your Loving Arms (Brothers In Rhythm Remix)
8. BT & Vincent Covello - Loving You More (BT's Garden Of Ima Dub)
9. Blue Amazon - And Then The Rain Falls (Blue Amazon Original Mix)
10. BT - Divinity

Download Link: http://www.jack-moss.com/spirit_of_95.mp3 (Right Click, Save As)
[[ LINK REMOVED ]]


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The Epic Mix:
Length: 1:40:00
Size: 137mb

1. Sasha & Marie - Be As One
2. Seal - I'm Alive (BT & Sasha's Atraxion Future Mix)
3. Judy Cheeks - Reach (Quivver Vocal Remix)
4. Blue Amazon - Four Seasons
5. Big C - Daylight (Infallible Clank Mix)
6. Wild Colour - Dreams (BT's Circadian Dream Mix)
7. Bubble - The Bubble (Temple Of Doom Mix)
8. Mozaic - Sing It (The Hallelujah Song) (Quivver's Dirty Dub)
9. Bedrock - Set In Stone
10. Chakra - I Am (Digweed & Muir's Bedrock Mix)
11. Minds of Men - Brand New Day (Dekkard & Dane Meltdown Dub)
12. BT & Tori Amos - Blue Skies (BT's Liquid Oxygen Dub)
13. BT & Tori Amos - Blue Skies (BT's Delphinium Days Mix)

Download Link: http://www.jack-moss.com/the_epic_mix.mp3 (Right Click, Save As)
[[ LINK REMOVED ]]


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Epic 3: The Final Chapter
Length: 1:16:06
Size: 104mb

1. Fluke - Bullet (Album Version)
2. Fluke - Bullet (Atlas' Space Odyssey)
3. Evolution - Look Up To The Light (130 Watt Dub)
4. Evolution - Look Up To The Light (Quivver's To The Vocal Mix)
5. Blue Amazon - Searching
6. BT - Embracing The Sunshine (Sasha's Deeper Future Dub)
7. Shango - Bodyrock (Native Mix)
8. BT - Quark
9. Amethyst - Futura
10. Coyote - Spirits Dancing (Mix 1)
11. Blue Amazon - Star of David

Download Link: http://www.jack-moss.com/epic_3_%5Bepic_house%5D.mp3 (Right Click, Save As)
[[ LINK REMOVED ]]

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All mixes are in 192kps MP3. Comments, criticisms and discussion on the mixes or the music more than encouraged.

Loved the other mixes. Will download.

cool. i was listening to your spirit of 95 mix the other day at work and was wondering if/when you'd be back with another mix. grabbing them now

Hooray - new tunes for the drive home today

Wouldn't wanna miss this!

Re: Epic House Trilogy (Includes New Mix)

I have obviously given you my opinion of your classics sets in the past, so commenting on the mixing itself, or the track selection, just seems a bit redundant at this point. You know I think you're very, very talented at these kinds of projecst, and how much I appreciate being able to go back to these kinds of sounds and realize just how much of an influence a lot of these tracks/producers have had on me even though the music I play these days isn't really all that similar.

That being said, this:

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J 5. Blue Amazon - Searching 6. BT - Embracing The Sunshine (Sasha's Deeper Future Dub) 7. Shango - Bodyrock (Native Mix) 8. BT - Quark 9. Amethyst - Futura 10. Coyote - Spirits Dancing (Mix 1) 11. Blue Amazon - Star of David

...is the best thing you have done. Period. I would actually feel bad if I didn't mention it - I liked it that much. Don't get me wrong, I still think the kind of Leftfield mix you did is my overall favorite - but I don't know whether it was how this one hit me at a specific time and place, or whatever else it could be, all I know is that from the moment "Searching" came in I was fucking hooked, dancing in my chair.

In any event, not so much a review at all, and really not even any useful criticism - just really felt compelled to let you know how much I enjoyed this. All three will remain on my hard drive until it dies.

Oh fuck I am in. I still listen to your other mixes often, I am very excited.

Re: Re: Epic House Trilogy (Includes New Mix)

quote:

Originally posted by RJT In any event, not so much a review at all, and really not even any useful criticism - just really felt compelled to let you know how much I enjoyed this. All three will remain on my hard drive until it dies.

Thanks a lot. I'm not really interested in people judging me as a DJ, I'm interested in people saying they enjoyed the music and have the music in their minds. If people said "I didn't enjoy this" I wouldn't feel I'd let myself down, I'd feel I'd let the music down and let you guys down. So I'm really glad you enjoyed it.

And the same goes to you guys as well. The fact you still listen to the other mixes really pleases me. I like the idea that there are people out there other than me playing epic house and enjoying it. Dance music is far too disposable- things go out of print and get forgotten and glossed over far too much. People try and rewrite history for their own ends. I want to keep this piece of history alive.

Re: Re: Re: Epic House Trilogy (Includes New Mix)

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J Thanks a lot. I'm not really interested in people judging me as a DJ, I'm interested in people saying they enjoyed the music and have the music in their minds. If people said "I didn't enjoy this" I wouldn't feel I'd let myself down, I'd feel I'd let the music down and let you guys down. So I'm really glad you enjoyed it. And the same goes to you guys as well. The fact you still listen to the other mixes really pleases me. I like the idea that there are people out there other than me playing epic house and enjoying it. Dance music is far too disposable- things go out of print and get forgotten and glossed over far too much. People try and rewrite history for their own ends. I want to keep this piece of history alive.

So refreshing . Always good to be able to asses the feelings of the DJ and where he /she is coming from, as it enhances the joy of listening to such classy sets.

Not been as much interest in this one as in my previous mixes, for whatever reason.

Fine wines require time to age before they can truly be appreciated.

Good grief was that ever excessively fanboyish.

I listened to a lot of it not long ago, but I was distracted at the time and didn't give it enough attention for a full review.

I'm listening to it more attentively as I type this and will reply back later.

You know, thinking back on this a bit now, I do have to say that I find myself a bit surprised to be realizing I'm enjoying "nostalgic" sets this much. Traditionally I would say that when I look at something that has a theme to it like "____ House" or "Anthems of ______" or whatever the devil else could be imagined, I instantly toss them off as replaceable, cookie cutter compilation style sets. And this is regarding both the compilations labels like MOS etc. put out as well as amateur tributes to specific sounds.

When you first put up "Spirit of '95", I really didn't think that at all - which I imagine is due to the past few years of interacting with you on TA, and just seeing how genuinely thoughtful you are regarding music. But that's the thing - these are those kinds of sets. They have a very clear direction, and as you say yourself, they aim to capture a part of EDM history that is in no way, shape, or form disposable. It's this last part that I'm fairly sure sets your attempts at tribute or nostalgia sets apart - because when your focus is on tracks that stand the test of time regardless of their commercial success, you come up with these kinds of awesome theme sets that are still as fresh and interesting sounding as when the music was new.

Inevitably it seems with other tribute or nostalgia sets, I like them superficially - they have no staying power at all in the long run. These don't, and I think that's pretty neat.

Sorry for the tangent in your thread, J - just came to me and figured of the majority of TA's, those posting in this thread might be the kinds of folks up to this kind of discussion.

Relistening to the previous epic mixes recently helped restore my faith in dance music in a big way. That's saying a lot, because I was really getting sick of beaty stuffy for a while.

Loving this mix so far, too.

Mix was absolutely awesome. Makes me wish that I was around to hear this stuff in clubs when it first came out. Like Rob I was dancing in my chair.



This will definitely be going on a CD for my car.

quote:

Originally posted by RJT Inevitably it seems with other tribute or nostalgia sets, I like them superficially - they have no staying power at all in the long run. These don't, and I think that's pretty neat.

I think the main difference between these sets and most others is that they're not about the nostalgia so much as the tribute. Most people tend to make this kind of mix primarily to elicit a nostalgia response, especially with commercially released mixes. I think there's a huge, huge difference in the listening experience when it comes to hearing a track you've heard before and hearing a track you've never heard before. This is true with all music, but I've tried to give a new perspective: the music is old, but the listening experience is new. I don't think too many people try to do that with nostalgia/tribute sets: more often they're tributes to tracks rather than to styles.

If I'd make a late 90s prog trance tribute then it'd mainly just be reminding people of a style they're already versed in, at least on TA. Epic house is different because not too many of today's clubbers experienced it at the time, and it's since been dropped from the history books or referred to in biogs as a kind of naive, early-career time for the people responsible. So you approach a lot of it with genuinely fresh ears. And I do too. I'm 20. I was 7 years old in 1995 and I thought 2 Unlimited were shit hot. I've got the same fresh ears making the mix as people do listening to it. I'm not playing a track thinking "This was a fucking bomb back then", I'm thinking "This sounds great now, on its own merit".

So to sum up that rambling in a way that I hope makes sense: I'm not making these mixes as though it's old music. I'm treating it as though it's new music, because it's new to me.

quote:

Originally posted by MrJiveBoJingles Mix was absolutely awesome. Makes me wish that I was around to hear this stuff in clubs when it first came out. Like Rob I was dancing in my chair.

That's what I think too. It makes me wish I was there. I'm really glad to hear that this stuff restored your faith a bit. I wouldn't want you fucking off from TA and leaving a big void in the good discussion stakes.

So I've listened to this at least 6 times since I picked it up and just never remembered to post my thoughts.

In one word: epic. The sets and the tracks truly live up to their monikers. The final installment in the series didn't fail to deliver either. I'm going to completely agree with Rob and say that Blue Amazon - Searching was when I just started chairraving like mad and didn't stop until the end. I think that in and of itself is awesome because each set in the trilogy has a section that I usually just rock out to with reckless abandon.

Overall, I really can't thank you enough for these mixes. They've shown me an era of edm that I was completely unaware of. I must also agree, I would absolutely kill to hear even just a night of this stuff in a club. As cliche as it is these days, I'd be stretching my hands in the air as high as I could while absolutely raving my face off to this stuff.

Thank you again for all your work, I can't wait to see what you've got coming up next.

Re: Epic House Trilogy (Includes New Mix)

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J 7. Shango - Bodyrock (Native Mix)

Holy smokes, hidden gem!

I still like the Epic Mix best, though I haven't listened this newly tweaked version.

I haven't listened to edm for almost 2 years and this mix is exactly what i was looking for. ahh those were the days.

I love it. give us more.

edit: I am talking about the Epic Mix.

quote:

Originally posted by enydo Thank you again for all your work, I can't wait to see what you've got coming up next.

And thank you for the good words- really glad to have shown you a new part of EDM. It might be a while before I post another mix though.

quote:

Originally posted by Cobalt Holy smokes, hidden gem!

Yeah, I went digging into Jackpot and found that one.

quote:

Originally posted by Cloud I love it. give us more. edit: I am talking about the Epic Mix.

Heh. I'm giving away three mixes for absolutely free and you want more?

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J I'm giving away three mixes for absolutely free and you want more?

Yes!!! more! Your mixes are always on frequent rotation on my mp3 player at work.

Since it seems you're taking a break from making some mixes, can you recommend some of your favorite epic house album mixes? I'm not as familiar as I'd like to be with this sort of music, but I'm always constantly listening to:
Dave Seaman & Ian Ossia - Renaissance The Mix Collection Part 4 (CD1 is probably one of my all-time favorites. CD2 is also good but atrocious songs like Horse - Careful tend to kill the vibe)
Sasha & Digweed - Renaissance The Mix Collection
Sasha & Digweed - Northern Exposure (though not really epic house but truly awesome)

Even though it's not an album, I believe you also recommended Digweed's 95 Essential Mix in a previous thread months ago... love it

Have you got the Renaissance Mix Collection Part 2? I reckon Digweed did a bit of a sloppy job on the mixing but there's loads of great tracks on there.

There's also the Jackpot mixed compilations: The Winning Ticket (Again mixed by Digweed)

Danny Howells Presents: Jackpot

If you're after Essential Mixes, any of Sasha or Digweed's from 1995, Blue Amazon's EM with Diggers in 1996, and the two by Dave Seaman and Brothers In Rhythm in 1996 should sort you out.

Of course.I would like some more mixes like this man. Send me the links or post them here.

Sweet, thanks for the recommendations. I was able to order a used copy of Danny Howells - Jackpot for about 3 bucks. I'll try and check out the others.

Will download, looking forward to listening to the 3rd mix later.

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