A long time in the works, I’ve been anticipating the vinyl release for P.H.O.R.K.’s new masterpiece Disappear In Raveland for what has seemed like forever—equally excited to play out the album in DJ mixes, as I was to release it out into the world. In step with his wild, tightly-wound previous work (on great labels like NNA Tapes, Opal Tapes, Orange Milk, Noumenal Loom), many of P.H.O.R.K.’s minimalist signifiers are present as ever further developing his unique strain of patiently unfolding trance music. While those previous releases subtly drew from and reconfigured elements of club music, Disappear In Raveland is directly an ode to the language of dance music. The record subverts and reshapes footwork, house, techno, UK bass, Jersey club, and everything in-between and on the fringes, giving equal reverence to Mark Fell, Mike Q, and Terry Riley.
I made this mix the other night in one-take at home on two sketchy Stanton turntables (complete with wrecked needles that have needed changing for over a year) and an Allen & Heath Xone 22 mixer. All on vinyl because I’m too dumb to know how to use CDJs or Serato or anything. Other than knowing I wanted to play as much of the P.H.O.R.K. record as I could, I winged it picking out a bunch of records that I thought could work with Disappear In Raveland.
While this new P.H.O.R.K. record will likely appeal to experimental/electronic/Boomkat-nerd enthusiasts, the purpose of this mixtape is to demonstrate how Disappear In Raveland is sneakily geared towards DJs. The album’s constantly shifting off-kilter rhythms hover between 120-130 bpm, nicely complimenting the four-four structures of techno, house, breaks, disco, electro, EBM, etc etc. It’s a great record to break up any danger of rhythmic monotony in a DJ set, while still honoring dance music’s history of exploring repetition and endless groove.
This is not a mix of chill house tunes nor a static mix of banging-ass 130 bpm techno. The result is a diverse 47+ minutes of twitchy dance mutations that all ride on some level of anxiety… listening to it now again, I was clearly stressed the fuck out that night!
P.H.O.R.K.’s Disappear In Raveland is out November 6 on Time No Place.
“‘Disappear In Raveland’ Demonstration: Advert For DJs” tracklisting:
01 PHORK, “Don’t Talk Turnt” / Time No Place
02 Lee Gamble, “Motor System (Extension)” / PAN
03 PLO Man, “Rare Plastic” / Acting Press
04 S. Olbricht, “Fi” / Lobster Theremin
05 Magic Mountain High, “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina (No Compromise mix)” / Off Minor
06 PHORK, “Boring Pool Bouncer” / Time No Place
07 Omar S, “It Can Be Done, But Only I Can Do It” / FXHE
08 Bookworms, “Exotic Auto Boutique” / L.I.E.S.
09 PHORK, “We All Make Out (A Living)” / Time No Place
10 Joey Anderson, “Keep The Design” / Dekmantel
11 Sandman & Riverside feat. Jeremy Ellis, “Into Your Story (Kai Alce Distinctive mix)” / FFWD
12 Operation Midnight Climax, “Chattering Bluebird” / Peak Oil
13 PHORK, “Holy Ghosting” / Time No Place
14 Lee Gamble, “Coma Skank (BinocConverge Mix)”
