SAMMY SENIOR’S MIXTAPE DIG #43

Hey Funk Famalam.. who’s up for their weekly injection of bass-driven funk? All of you? Brilliant!

I’m currently drooling over the new scour records release, I have almost drowned out the sound of the neighbours thumping on the wall.. just had to crank it up a notch!

This week’s mix comes from a guy who is repping the funky beats out in California, he’s a demon on the decks and an absolute legend!

Do you know DJ Sol Rising? Of course you do! Want to know him better? You can hang out in his garden and read his mail then go through his garbage.. or just check out this sweet interview I lined up.

SAMMY: First off, why dont yoy tell us a bit about yourself, what you do, what you are about.

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SOL RISING: I started out as a relatively well known turntablist (used to go by DJ Skwint). Won some major battles such as Scribble Jam and placed in the Top 4 at the DMC USA Finals twice. I didn’t start producing until about 5 years ago. I grew up practicing meditation which has had a huge impact on my style of production. I like to mix genres and sounds that you wouldn’t think would work. For example, I may take my Ghetto Funk influence and mix it with world music or sacred chants from India. I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a Ghetto Funk producer although I do produce Ghetto Funk tracks. I’m kind of all over the place.

SAMMY: That’s impressive! I love that you have your own original take on music. You live in California, I’m really curious to know..what’s the scene like out there? Are there many people listening to mid-tempo breaks?

SOL RISING: I’ve been more involved in the transformational festival scene out here. Hard to describe but there is a wide variety of electronic music with a lot of yoga and global influence. Honestly I haven’t seen much of a mid-tempo breaks scene but I know it exists LOL. I do remember A.Skillz ripping it at Lightening in a Bottle in So Cal so I know there is a demand for it. I’ve mostly kept up through Ghetto Funk’s Blog.

SAMMY: Do you think this kind of music is getting more well-known in America?

SOL RISING: I think it is a slow process but I do see it being successful here. Every time I play Ghetto Funk at my gigs people go crazy so it just needs more exposure.

SAMMY: Nothing wrong with slow.. good things take time! Who are your influences? In this scene now and when you were growing up?

SOL RISING:My influences growing up were turntablists because I didn’t start out as a producer. People like Q-Bert, A-Trak, Vajra (Chris Karns), Kico etc. We used to always scratch to old school breaks so I did have a lot of breakbeat/hip-hop influence back in the day. Nowadays I would say everything that comes out on Ghetto Funk. There are so many awesome artists so I’d rather not try to list them all LOL. I also try to take influences from the burning man/transformational festival scene to create a unique fusion of the two worlds. People like the Polish Ambassador, David Starfire, Opiuo. Also some of the more funk hip-hop type artists such as Gramatik and Griz…

SAMMY: Wicked! I love how a lot of those guys are really doing their own thing, and getting big and getting back what they put in. I once had a woman request shenia twain “man I feel like a woman” in the middle of a drum n bass set.. What’s the most ridiculous request you have ever had?

SOL RISING: Haha thats rough! I can’t stand requests… I think that is a universal thing among DJ’s. I would say an Enrique Iglesias song which of course I didn’t have. The girl kept bugging me about it and I had to keep telling her I don’t even have it in my library!

SAMMY:When will they learn! What have you got set for the future? Tours/gigs/releases?

SOL RISING:I’m doing the final mixes on my second album “Mystical Awakening” which has a lot of global bass, hip-hop and some Ghetto Funk influences. I also have remixes coming out for David Starfire and Delhi 2 Dublin in the next few months. I’ll be playing an Ecstatic Dance Retreat in Hawaii in December http://www.ecstaticretreat.com/

Sounds amazing dude, I’m really looking forward to hearing your new album! 

Here are a few links so you can keep in the loop with everything DJ Sol Rising..

facebook.com/djsolrising

soundcloud.com/djsolrising

djsolrising.com 

And now the mix!

Funk Soul Brother Vol. II FINAL by Sol Rising

Aaaaand since It’s such a shame to put up volume 2 without it’s predecessor .. let’s have that one too!

DJ Sol Rising – Funk Sol Brother DJ Mix (Free Download) by Sol Rising

BIG THANKS to DJ Sol Rising, make sure you check out his soundcloud for plenty more great mixes and tunes.. and please PLEASE leave him a thank-you as I know he will really appreciate it.

I’m going back to enraging my neighbours.. peace out!

Sammy Senior