Last week I acquired more vinyl records with bikini clad women on the cover than I ever knew existed! It was a legit DJ dream come true. So here’s the story: I got a message on Facebook from an extremely generous fellow DJ & longtime reader of this blog. All respect due to the man himself – Don Bustamante. He told me he was relocating, not DJ-ing so much these days, and as a form of repayment for all the music he’s gotten from me over the years on this website (and Captain’s Crate), he wanted to donate 5 boxes of vinyl from his collection, mainly from Colombia!!! As you can imagine, I didn’t hesitate and I proceeded to be a little over-eager in trying to make the whole thing happen. One week later, I’m just beginning to sift through the stacks. There is cumbia galore over here, and it seems very appropriately timed with the current heat wave here in Southern California. Today I share with you the first selections, recorded from vinyl. Some of these were artists or tracks that I was already familiar with (some were already in my iTunes even) but there’s also a seemingly endless amount of good material that is brand new to me. Even this Carlos Vives track, which I now realize was a mega-hit in the 90’s, is something I never really listened to before. So hopefully some of out there will you find yourself in a Latin mood as well, if so, all thanks go to Señor Bustamante! For the rest of you, enjoy the hilarious album covers, and of course, if any of you out there reading feel similarly inclined to donate some vinyl- feel free to reach out! hahahaha.

Here is it folks! Mystery Trip Vol. II, a 45-minute funky psychedelic global journey, including 9 new remixes blended with audio samples and field recordings from my travels. As I mentioned a couple posts back, this project is all about going back to my roots, remixing the old records that I first went nuts over in my early days of DJ-ing. For those of you in LA, come through to Melody on Virgil this evening 6-10pm for a little release celebration. Sunset on a patio, with fine wine, bomb cuisine, accompanied by top notch records spun by yours truly.

And of course, please support if you dig the sounds! The project is available on digital, cassette tape and limited edition 12″ on Bandcamp courtesy of Bastard Jazz Records

After a weekend spent protesting in the streets with my friends and family against the mindbogglingly inhumane family separations that the Trump administration’s policies have created, on the eve of this country’s birthday, and just a week before the release of my next “Mystery Trip” mixtape– I thought it appropriate to go back to the roots of what I love about digging for music and sharing it here online. Some of you readers out there have been with me since the Captain’s Crate days (beginning 13 years back)- biggup you know who you are! Back then, broke as a young struggling DJ, I foolishly spent probably 50% of my meager income digging for cool old vinyl, which at the time was often not available on iTunes or YouTube (Spotify & Pandora didn’t exist). I’d rip it and share it with the hope of spreading and celebrating all this great, often overlooked musical artwork and culture from around the world. Well, I know the typical playlist here on Mixtape Riot is quite different from those oldies, and the updates are certainly less frequent, but the spirit is still very much the same.

I think one reason I also began to steer away from those oldies, is because so many new labels started popping up who were doing killer work digging, researching, and properly re-issuing these same hidden gems. Today I am astounded at the amount of rare cuts that I can even find on Spotify, BUT they certainly don’t have everything. And there’s still something about the quality of the MP3 when you can hear the vinyl crackle. So today’s playlist includes some joints ripped from my prized stash, as well as some things that I would never have heard of or gotten my hands on if it weren’t for amazing labels like Soundway, Finders Keepers, BBE, Ostinato, Vampi Soul and so many others…

So today, press play and take a vintage dusty trip through Nigeria, Brazil, India, Iran, Mali, Cape Verde, Colombia, Peru, Turkey, Somalia and Jamaica. Hopefully the sounds help remind us all how great this world is because of our diversity. And especially if you’re American like me, be thankful for this place we call home that has always (and should always) pride itself on welcoming immigrants with open arms, not handcuffs.

Got another single for you all today from my upcoming “Mystery Trip Vol.II” mixtape which drops July 10th on Bastard Jazz Records. This one is a dedication to the power of mothers, including the mother of us all- Mama Earth! With vocals in Haitian Creole, accompanied by 808 bass and traditional vaccine horns, this one is a future roots dancefloor sureshot. Pre-order of the vinyl or cassette tape will get you a download of all 9 tracks, or this tune is also available as a free download from the soundcloud page or right here. For desired effect, press play and turn up loudly.

Woohoo!!! Been waiting to share this one for waaaay too long. Mixing traditional Nigerian Fuji music with deep sub bass, “Oluko” gives you the first taste of my upcoming Mystery Trip Vol.II mixtape – dropping July 10th on Bastard Jazz Records. This project is all about going back to my roots: pulling out obscure vinyls from my global collection, then lovingly chopping, remixing and editing them into new tracks with a contemporary edge and classic Captain Planet touch. All 9 edits have been blended, along with other audio samples and field recordings, into a 45min mix, which will be printed to cassette tapes like my earliest mixes from the late 90’s. Similar to Mystery Trip Vol.I, which was listed in Sasha Frere-Jones “Best Music Of 2012” (thank you very much), Vol.II leads you on a psychedelic journey to destinations around the world, where you are drawn out of your sonic comfort zone via a soundtrack that bridges styles of music from Asia and Africa to South America, The Caribbean and beyond.

Press play and begin the trip… Also for those who dig it, please support by pre-ordering the cassette tape or the 12″ vinyl and receive a download link. Then share the sounds and spread them widely!

Took a very serious and much needed breather this past month- winding my way through Paris and Southern France, and then transitioning back into California through Napa Valley to help soften the blow. Much wine was drunk, many insanely good meals were had, saw friends, jumped into the Mediterranean, visited museums and cathedrals and mountains, and overall reminded myself how big and beautiful this world is and just how important it is to travel around it. With that in mind, I’ve got some more chill selections today. Some sounds for a BBQ or hanging at the beach, or maybe just keeping your sanity in traffic. Take a few deep breaths, enjoy the vibes, and give some props for the fact that I was able to include 2 musical artists with “Flamingo” in their name. Artwork today comes courtesy of Costas Spathis.