WEEKEND MIX 3.18.11: WMC RECAP + 4 MIXES!

The 26th annual Winter Music Conference is a wrap, DJs have flown back home to their various parts of the world, or to their next party, leaving behind exhausted revelers who already have next year on their minds.

As for this year we have more than just ringing ears and sore feet, we have the memories of connections made, deals struck in backstage VIP areas at the crack of dawn, new friends, and of course the music; there are plenty of new sounds and genres to explore, and of course DJs to check out.

This year, with the Winter Music Conference standing on its own and no longer running in conjunction with the Ultra Music Festival, there seemed to be a feeling of rebirth in the air. The parties were plenty, and though I heard and witnessed venues pumping out good music with little to no bodies on the dance floor, the parties that were packed were much more concentrated with important people; the movers and shakers that the WMC is intended for anyway. All but gone are the hordes of fans, kids mostly, in town simply to go to the massive open air 3 day festival that is UMF. Left were the industry veterans, and the up and comers looking for their big break, co-mingling in a beautiful aural bath of pounding beats from some of the best DJs in the world. Veterans such as Louie Vega, Todd Terry, Paul Van Dyke, Victor Calderone, Chus+Ceballos, Boris and the new breed of noise makers such as Oscar P, Tommy Bones, Pablo Stellr, Davidson Ospina, and countless others kept the parties pumping ’till dawn and all the feet moving!

With this vibe of rebirth in the air, its hard to say who the stand out DJ was this year. I’m sure everyone has their own idea, all valid, but that stand out name that everyone up and down South Beach, in all those cars, planes, trains, and automobiles heading back home can agree on had a breakout year, I haven’t heard. Doesn’t mean there isn’t one. I can’t even recall how many times I wished out loud that I could clone myself when I found myself having to decide what event to attend. So, it’s quite possible I missed that party, that moment, that set that lit all of Miami on fire. Last year, days before the conference had wrapped up the name of Black Coffee was on the lips of so many revelers you couldn’t go to one event without hearing about the new sensation from South Africa, that doesn’t seem to have been the case this year. That being said, there were plenty of names making the rounds, causing a stir, and in this special edition of Weekend Mix, we present three DJs whose names were left ringing in our ears like the beats from so many parties up and down Miami’s South Beach, these are just four of them. Enjoy!

DJ Magda

I must’ve heard DJ Magda’s name at least half a dozen times, at various parties, and I just had to research her and find out what she was all about. Well, the Polish born DJ whose specialty is minimal House and Techno did not dissapoint. Based out of Berlin, expect to hear more of this rising star.

Mixwell House

Female DJs simply don’t get enough shine, but maybe this female duo will change all that. Coming out of Chicago, these two ladies bring it with a hype mix of bumping House, Techno, and on the fly productions that will get you moving. Keep your ears open for these two, they are making waves.

John Hawley

I had the pleasure of catching Milwaukee native John Hawley on my last nite in Miami, and I must say I thoroughly enjoyed his set. His set of expertly mixed pumping non-stop House grooves was just what I needed to cap my WMC week adventures. Put your ear to the street and listen to this underground noise maker now!

Cristian Varela

Lastly, we have Cristian Varela from Spain. Varela is one of those overnight sensations in the making for many years. Varela is really a veteran DJ, remixer, and producer with over 17 years in the game and a recipient of more than a few notable awards such as Best Techno DJ (8 years in a row) at the International Award Ibiza and and elsewhere. He travels the globe slaying crowds with his Techno infused sets and brings the energy wherever he goes. Expect to see Varela as a DJ of the Week sooner than later.