GoRice DJ Mix Session - All Original Songs by Skender Makota Www.balkanimal.com

1/ Dreams In Tears V2 - 0:00-7:59

2/ Des - 8:00 - 13:19

3/ Blue Era - 13:20 -18:52

4/ Techno Murder - 18:53-22:00

5/ So Released - 22:01-26:27

6/ Love Comes Calling - 26:28-31:39

TRANSMISSION IN LIMBO

somewhere in between 808 and 303 universe...

original by Skender Makota and my college roomie from Berklee, Henry Ellis.

We did a lot of great stuff together and while I usually try to stay cool when I see a great player, composer or musician in general, Henry left me speechless with the talent he possessed, but while struggling with personal demons which only made him immerse more in music creation.

We lost touch, but I will look him up hopefully and reconnect, upload more tracks from those days of Reason 1, Rebirth and Protools replacing our SSL board (hated and loved the change, still... miss those faders..)

The world was unknown and internet just taking hold yet we were happy... it seems kids nowadays don't get to experience such historical shifts (from analog to digital for ex), but hey: I am yet again surrounded by MOOGS so there ya go!

Dreams In Tears

V1 2021

by Skender Makota

United We Stood

original track by Skender Makota

v.2015

My brother Ellery Cowles (CHicago DJ of all time with 365 smile and positive attitude) was tellin me all about life in Brazil, so II had to get me one of those, and boy, was it worth it - second to best thing I ever had (moog synhts), and thank God for BRAZIL AND ALL THAT!

\Original by Skender Makota

Made this track long time ago for a good friend of mine, Roy Davis Jr, then forgot about it :).. gonna hit him up, see whats going down and what about dis track here haha...

Dolphins In Love V4

LIVE PA Originals Chimix 4

Song#3

by Balkanimal (Skender Makota)

Live PA Mix#4 (out of 5) from the Originals Chimix Sessions Series of Live to 2 (straight to tape) versions of my early live act performances.

Don't be surprised at occasional "mistake", even if I wanted I could not "fix it in the mix" lol, since it was all played live and straight to tape sorta speak.. but that was the beauty of it all and I like hearing it all in its natural human soundshape :)

Recorded at Skeyelab Bradley Place studio Chicago

Winter 2016 with ERIC DAHL

Three Angles of a Round Square

original song by skender makota

2014 Mix Chicago with just unpacked Minitaur leading the way!- skender makota

DIME RULES

original track by Skender Makota BALKANIMAL

First (Original) Mix 2015

I remember when I played this to some of my cunty euro friends (most are anyway) they immediately said it reminded them of Jaguar!

I was not sure how to respond, other than I really, swear on me Mom's :) did NOT model Jaguar to write this, nor would I ever model my songs after someone else's', primarily because I like to play and make music so much, that I would not even have time to listen to other music, let alone analyze it or do some elaborate mirroring of productions etc. Just too much work, easier to simply start a new track and get lost in the process!

That being said, and since I know I did not even think of Jaguar, I am 100% certain that I was INFLUENCED by it!

BUT, it was not just ME. Better question is who WASN'T influenced by Jaguar??

It was an entire GENERATION of party people, especially in Europe and summer festivals of mayham in their early days when cops did not know what to do when facing 20,000 drugged out of their minds maniacs and sexy dancing queens of all colors, who all were laughing, dancing and loving each other - cops could not believe that there would be no fights even!

Usually 200 people and they get mass brawls at concerts, but at these parties.... well, they eventually realized whats up and adjusted, govnt wants piece of cake, but my point is is that Everyone danced at least a few times to Jaguar - all fucked up and has great memories of those times!

Jaguar being so overplayed, actually became in my opinion a sort of anthem of those sweet times, years after cheesy euro dance and trance that would make you dissolve in minor keys while 16'th note hats and snares built up the climax...

well Jaguar made people feel good about getting older among other things, many of those people are now professionals with grown kids even, but I am certain, play them Jaguar, and watch the smile on their faces take them back in time...

SO, YES, my euro cunty friends, I did not copy, but I was INFLUENCED BIG TIME, along with another 1.4 Billion people from Tokyo to Paris to NYC to LA to Sydney and down to south pole - they all were influenced by Jaguar - and so were my friends - hence the comments, haha!

anyway, enjoy, this personal throwback at Jaguar Era if you will ;)

Slavin' Slav

original song (and testimonial in frequencies).

Not to lessen anyone's suffering, nor to try to hide the fact that Balkan sourced more slaves over the centuries for whoever ruled over them, it is a fact that I'm not sure anyone should be really proud of!

At the crossroads of Christianity, Orthodox Christianity, Islam or East-West, somehow Balkan people always got shafted and used as labor for the occupiers. Be it Romans, Venetians, Ottomans, Ze Germanz back in 1940's and Ze Germans now, same shit... slavin. Again.

So this song is for all the brothers and sisters today, slaving to get by, not just Balkan, but all of the underprivileged, ignored, tortured and prejudiced against.

While I grew up in the US, I was born in the Balkans and had a very colorful childhood filled with love and hate, violence and peace, sense and nonsense, war games turned into real war, confusion and laughter, getting beat and beating down - maybe tragic, yet musically motivational for sure. Balkan people sure are emotional and know how to convey that wounded, scared, but tough as nail spirit.

Just like jazz and blues was a conduit of expression for the slaves and African-Americans, under privilege comes with a perk - a true and solid artistic expression.

That being said, I don't blame the world or any of the Empires which came and went, life is life, let's move on and try to dance our pains away...