I'm A House Gangster presents The Gangstercast

A mainstay of the Portland and Seattle scenes since the late 90's, Pacific Northwest native Trevor Vichas has entertained audiences with his mesmerising blend of house, garage, and techno meets jazz, disco, and hip hop; warm rolling basslines, hypnotic chord progressions, and soulful vocals that speak with a message of love. It’s a sound showcased here on his Gangstercast as Trevor explains, “This mix represents me as an artist in how I move though various house sounds creating a forward moving mix that keeps you shaking that ass and guessing what I am going to play next. The mix is on the deeper soulful of house that I play.”

“The process for choosing the tracks to make my Gangstercast took a few days. When I selected the tracks for this mix, the thought in mind was to play timeless music. I started with a pile of some of my new favorite tracks from the last couple of years, some classic tunes that I love to play, and some of my selected production work that I am personally in love with. After that it took a couple of long sessions to weed out some tracks and add some others in. I had about 80 tracks laid out to play and what got mixed in the first two hours was my final mix.”

Since completing his first tracks in 2008, Trevor’s productions have appeared in the playlists of heavy-hitters such as Mark Farina, DJ Sneak, Derrick Carter, Iz & Diz, Phil Weeks, Hector Morales and DJ Heather. Labels including Robsoul, Flatpack, Phobic and countless others have all commissioned Trevor for original music and remixes.

The names above will leave you in no doubt that Trevor Vishas is a bonafide House Gangster! He comments, “The house gangster movement to me is about being down for house 110% all day everyday. I have seen a lot of people coming in and out of house music, and then play whatever is a trending to get a gig. It really boils down to being dedicated to house music for life, not giving up and being true to house music! House music is very much a spiritual thing to me. Whether I am listening, playing or working in the studio on beats, there is a feeling that emanates from me when house is involved. It has become a way of life to me and I am able to express my inner most feeling though the music I play and produce.”

“Damn it feels good to be a gangster.”

Hailing from the Russian city of Chelyabinsk (known as The Meteorite City), Bebadim has bust out of the place he describes as "a ghetto without any house scene" to bring his rock solid beats to the Gangstercast. Having appeared earlier in 2013 with ’Best Of This Love’ on Sneak’s Magnetic Recordings, he has also worked with the IAHG crew remixing Tripmastaz' track 'Back On His B.S.' for Magnetic in 2010, and having had Sneak remix his own track 'Back To The Old School' on in 2012.

Bebadim’s approach to the Gangstercast is as straight as they come, “each track in this mix - it's what I really like. All of them I can play in a club. All this music represents me. Most of the tracks in this mix is my edits and my unreleased tracks.”

Talking about House music and the House Gangster movement, the Russian DJ/producer adds, “House music is what I love since my teenage years and what I do almost my whole adult life. I can't see myself doing anything else. For me I’m A House Gangster is very important. This movement unites excellent DJs, producers, and people who like real house music.”

With releases on Greenskeepers Music, Drop Music, Blotter, Maracuja and Homecoming, JDub has certainly worked with some of the top labels in underground House music.

House has had a huge impact on him, “opening doors for me that I never even knew existed, and enabling me to meet the love of my life, my best friends, people from all over the world because of this music. House Music has been my shelter, my food, my refuge, my savior.” House has also seen JDub tour the world playing in London, Paris, Instanbul, Belgium, New York, LA, Toronto, Montreal, and countless other cities.

In preparing his 90 minute mix for the Gangstercast, JDub says, “these are the tracks that I’m loving right now that best represent my personality and the message I’m trying to bring across. It’s very personal all the way through from the Eric B and Rakim vocal to the DJ Sneak remix of Master of Time, a Frames track featuring yours truly on vocals. I’ve been very focused on live performance and vocals for the last few years. Whether it was with the Greenskeepers or being featured on multiple projects, I took a big step back from DJing to develop another side of my talent and interest. The tracks featured on this mix make me really excited to DJ again, to wake up and just go hard for hours on end creating this set. Derrick Carter has been a huge influence on me throughout my career so of course he’s also got a track on this mix. I’ve got my San Francisco producers, DJ Dan and DJ Mes here, Carlo Lio representing Toronto, Asad Rizvi from London, some classics including Brand New Heavies and few others. I don’t want to give it all away. I like for people to listen and discover for themselves like I do. That’s how you mine the gems out the dirt.

“The mix has all the elements of music that inspire me everyday: Heavy Beats, driving percussion, lethal baselines, clever samples, soulful vocals, a sense of humor, a few surprising twists and turns especially the Hip Hop themes that run through the mix. Hip Hop has always been a huge part of my approach to being a House DJ. Putting a strong message in the music is so important and Hip Hop does that like no other art form. It was really important for this mix that I reinforce my Hip Hop roots and weave together all my main obsessions: House, Hip Hop, Tech-House, and that relentless essence of the mix that I’m all about.”

Focusing on the House Gangster movement, JDub adds that for him it is about, “loving your House music and House DJs through all the trends and fades that come along and recognizing how incredible this music is every day. You live it through the music, the fashion, the attitude, the parties you go to, what you spend your cash on, and standing up for your musical principles. When I was coming up in Chicago, people dressed House, they spoke a House language, there was a graphic Art style that was House, it was a culture that permeated everything and you pledged your allegiance to it in spite of the fact that the mainstream treating it at best as a passing fade and at worst as a threat to traditional values. Being a House Gangster reminds me of that time.

“People should be proud to represent what they love with no holds barred, no shame, and in a wider global culture that supports the artists, the music, the venues, and the labels that create this movement. It also means have the time of your life, having experiences you’ll always take with you, dancing your face off, and leaving the club in a state of ecstacy and exhaustion.

“I feel like I’m returning to my roots with this one because of Sneak and Melissa Sosa creating this whole House Gangster media blitz. I’ve been involved in projects with those guys for years including Blu Funk, All World, and now this. This is all about family and what this family stands for.”

"When DJ Sneak asks you to do a mix, you go 100% or don't go at all." That approach is exactly why there's a real treat in store from Chicago's Kid Enigma who has served up a mouth-watering taste of the jacking sound cultivated in the Windy City.

The South Sider's journey with house music started at the age of 19: "I left 3 residencies to discover the deep and dirty. Top 40, reggae, dancehall, hip hop. That was cute. It made me a lot of money. It didn't satisfy my want for more. I didn't know what more was. I heard Shades of Dank at Zentra. I had to learn how to make new records that made me feel the way I felt when I heard that. It was a bootleg, but it was a great bootleg. I remember dancing to that and feeling like the track was 7 hours long because it was so amazing to me. Money Can't Buy That Feeling." Kid Enigma has gone on to release music for Blue Town Records, So Sound, Plant 74, 1200 Traxx and several more fine labels.

On his Gangstercast, KE says: "I'm from Chicago, and I chose to sound as close to home as possible with each record. With records from up and coming artists from Chicago like Ed Nine and Garrett David, as well as other random artists that have sent me promos which I am ultimately grateful for, I have chosen to bang my favorite percussion, stabs and chants at the moment and put them together for this mix. I like to integrate live blending with the garnishment of delays, echoes and reverb effects to paint an audible dream of how I'm feeling at the moment, which is the most important part. The Moment."

And he has a great viewpoint on the overall House Gangster sound which he describes: "The percussion behind the mix bangs the side of your head like a bat on a trash can, similar to the call out from one gang to another. The wave of sounds should take you up and down, like coastal winds and storms do to their boats and ships. Our chants are for the forward movement of creativity and individuality, dating back to the roots of tribal evocation."

With his three track ‘Hustler Stomp’ release currently blazing hot on the I’m A House Gangster label, Sidney Charles drops by with an equally hot mix for the Gangstercast. The mix features 80 minutes of Sidney’s trademark jacking, stomping and booty shaking house, just the way we love it at HG HQ.

Born as Sidney Charles Hurricane Vieljans in Hamburg, Germany, Sidney’s introduction to music was through the magic of two 1210s spinning Hip Hop, Soul, Funk, Breakbeat and Turntablism, before transitioning to the faster BPMs of House and Techno and the culture which accompanied dance music. Sidney is clear to state that he is not a musician, nor a percussionist, but a collector. A collector of culture and experiences.

Speaking of the I’m A House Gangster sound, Sidney comments, “It’s pumping, raw house, mainly influenced by funk and hip hop orientated samples. The sound represents a certain state of authenticity and realness. As the House Gangster style points out, House Music is not only music, its a way of thinking, acting and living. The attitude towards house music is the most important thing, that stands behind the whole House Gangster sound.”

Atlanta DJ Elio Stereo is in control for episode 22 of the Gangstercast, with a mix that blends old with new, and is underpinned by his hip hop roots. Elio tells us that the I’m A House Gangster has helped this merging of musical cultures, “I think of it as the bridge many were afraid to cross, it has allowed the crossfade between house and hip-hop culture. As insignificant as it may sound, wearing fitted's wasn't "the" look for a house deejay up until Sneak, Loco and so many other world figures began rocking them. I transitioned from hip-hop to house MANY years ago and though I still listen to it from time to time, I've never looked back. As opposed to many in my generation, I didn't grow up listening to House music, I've been part of many cultures before I chose this one. It wasn't an accident or the natural thing to do, I just simply connected with the sound and the people that listens to it as I never did before.

He talks at length about the special mix he has put together:“GANGSTERCAST is by far one of my most listened podcasts, when you think about composing a recording that will be heard by the most original of all house gangsters DJ SNEAK you've got to sit back and think about the shit. I mean, this was probably the most fun but time consuming part of creating this mix - it needed to be timeless. I also felt there was a message to be told, but I'll explain this later. Among my priorities when selecting the tracks was to pay respect to the gangsters before me: Armand Van Helden, Derrick Carter, Cajmere to name a few.

“I’m a ninety's boy, this mix represents an era of liberty, color, and industrialization where house music embodied as anthem of the concrete jungles of the world. I'm a strong believer that if the creation of new music was stopped, we'd have years ahead of us to look back and appreciate what's been done before. I wonder how many of you find the time to go back with so much being thrown at us, always battling to stay current. In this mix you'll hear the new and the old work seamlessly as one, that's much of who I am.

“There's definitely some subliminal messages sent out through this mix. I've learned from Sneak to have the courage to express my opinion, even when it results in controversy. So far in my career I've had to swim through the pool of cheese that surrounds me, commerciality used to mean common appreciation for one given thing but we all know how the music industry is run. That's not news to anyone, at first we all complained about it until eventually you learn how to navigate these waters, what really bothers me today are the snobs that keep new followers of our sound from entering our scene. It's always some bullshit like: "this is REAL music, you don't know enough, or look like us". I'm tired of hearing foreigns of our sound say: "well, I would've come out if I didn't feel like everyone's too cool for me."

“To bomb that state of mind, I featured Afrojack on this mix. Just so after a house music snob hears it and thinks it's the shit, they read this and think to themselves: "oh hell, I was listening to Afrojack? But he's not underground" hahaa. To me underground isn't what no one knows, it’s what’ it sounds like and "Looking Out For Love (Afrojack Mix)" sounds DAMN underground to me.

“House music is the reason I'm happy with myself and who I've become.”

Born in 1983 in South of France, Amine Edge is known as one of the symbolic figures of the "G House" movement. Basically called "Gangsta House", the name of this movement comes from the special atmosphere this music just kicks away: here comes another vision of the House music, a stunning combination between Funk’s deep basses and inspired by the latest 80s Hip House movement. Together with production partner DANCE they are amongst the most prolific artists right now and have released music for Love Not Money, Neim, LouLou and 2DIY4 amongst countless others.

Amine Edge & DANCE live and breathe the House Gangster movement: "It's an attitude and a respect to our roots, real MEN who play real sh*t, not playing bad music to buy a ferrari and destroy the ears and the culture of the kids. It's not a fu**ing logo on a t-shirt, it's a state of mind, you are a House Gangster or you're not, there is no school for this, it's in your heart and your balls, we all know those DJs who have no balls and no heat or soul.

On their Gangstercast, the due say: "[The mix is an] opportunity for us to play some classics and house sh*t from our roots. Also an oportunity to our fans to see another face of our game tricks. We usually play our own still called G-House, for this mix we had to keep the House Gangster vibe, nothing more easy than this, we just had to listen some of our secret weapons and choose a 2h selection, loopy stuff, 90's mostly, and boom here he is.!

"House is our life, our reason to breathe, House or Death, there is no other solution. Lock your door, put your headphones loud, push play and touch yourself."

With releases on Shaboom, Magnetic, Robsoul, DJ Sneak Classics, and his own Cross Section Records amongst several others, London DJ / producer Chris Simmonds, aka Kidsmart, House Proud People, Smooth & Simmonds, Retro Emotion, Private Funk and Bakers Dozen is one of the long-standing veterans of underground house music and a true House Gangster. Earning his stripes in the 1980's working for Time Radio in London and running Wax Factory Records, meeting and engineering for the likes of Carl Cox, Colin Dale and Rocky (X-Press 2). It was a release on Richie Hawtin's Definitive Records that really kick started things however, and led to the birth of Cross Section Records.

Chris says his mix for the Gangstercast represents him as an artist because, "I like to take risks, keeps things varied and keep the music tight. I think all those boxes are ticked on this mix." Talking about his approach for the mix he adds, "Usually before I do a mix I play for a about 15mins and see how I feel. If I feel right I simply press record and play and every track is the mood I'm in at that moment. By the time I've checked myself again I've playing for nearly 2hrs, job done and something different on the end to close. The moment was captured and delivered to you by one of the best djs you've never heard!"

"House music is a very big part of my life. I wouldn't have seen so much of the world, experienced different cultures and had some of the best times of my life without House music. No matter where my production career takes me I will never stop making and supporting House. The House Gangster sound is underground, not watered down or commercialised in any way."

http://www.imahousegangster.comhttp://www.crosssectionmusic.com http://www.thewhiteroomentertainment.com

Jade Cox' signature house, jacking, and acid sounds make their way to the Gangstercast, and she takes the title of being our first female guest. Jade's inspiration comes from the likes of inspiration from the likes of stellar house labels/brands Robsoul, We The Brand and I'm a House Gangster. She is well established as a performer all around the UK, including countless gigs in London, Manchester, Birmingham and Antrim. She can also be found spinning weekly on Chicago House FM, and having recently released her debut EP for Robsoul Recordings, thing are coming together very nicely for this talented young lady.

The Gangstercast gives a glimpse into Jade's record box and inspirations, and featured some of her own unreleased material. She says, "the mix represents some of the styles from the past that influence my sound now, all sides of house music that inspire me. I went through my vinyl collection and dug out some of my favourite tracks that I thought would sit nicely together with a few current tracks. I wanted to create a timeless feel for this mix, something a bit different."

Often photographed in her 'I'm A House Gangster' t-shirt, Jade is clearly a dedicated player in the cause: "The House Gangster sound to me is real, underground house music. Solid drums and raw, jackin vibes. The whole HG movement means a lot to me as it brings people together from across the world who have a genuine passion for real underground house music. As DJ's, we don't follow a trend, we play from the heart. It's about keeping that true house sound alive. House music is an everyday thing for me, I work on my music every day, and it's something I've wanted to make my career for a long time. It means so much to me."

David Glass is our guest for episode 18 of the Gangstercast - a UK based artist with an impressive discography taking in releases on Circus, Robsoul, Magnetic, Crossworld and NiteGrooves among many others. Hailing from Liverpool, David says that "the clubbing scene is a big thing there and helped me get into House. Going to nights such as Circus inspired me to DJ and make music. There's nothing better than seeing everyone happy on a dance floor listening to house music and i've been lucky to meet most of friends through House music!"

David's style reflects what the House Gangster sound means to him "Old school, underground, funky, jackin house music!" and he adds that, "The House Gangster movement means a lot to me because it keeps the people who love house music together and shows the newer generation such as myself what real house music is. The DJ's and artists involved have always stuck to their roots and not followed any trends, which I respect a lot."

"The tracks in the mix represent me as an artist because I love the old school sound of house music. How it should be played! In my sets I stick to playing underground house music with a groove, as you can hear in this mix. The tracks on this mix are tracks i've been playing a lot, some older than others. some of these tracks are from labels and artists who have inspired me over the years to play this sort of music and produce it. The special thing about this mix is being asked to be involved in the House Gangster movement. I really appreciate it!"