The Feel Sessions by Robert Oleysyck

1996, The progressive house movement was exploding, evolving into something even bigger, inspiring dance floors and listeners around the world.  
These were styles I fully embraced.

That February, Utopia started on the Las Vegas Strip.  A month later, I became the full time main room resident DJ, starting an incredible 5 year journey through legendary music and a lifetime of unforgettable memories.

Not long before, Joe Cancino, aka, DJ Grover, told me about a new record pool called Balance.  Soon after his endorsement, I was added to this select roster of only 40 hand picked DJs in North America.  

We received exclusive promos and test pressings from underground dance and electronic labels throughout the UK, Europe, America, and Australia.
Balance was everything…

Hooj Choons, Perfecto, Bedrock, Baroque, Distinctive, Hope, Hook, Renaissance, Vapor, Glow, XVX, and countless other labels pushing boundaries and showcasing sonic artistry.

At the same time, I was reporting a weekly chart to Billboard Magazine, one of only 100 DJs in North America, whose charts were compiled into the weekly Dance Club Songs chart.

With those two prestigious positions, and memberships in a few other great record pools, vinyl records were delivered to my doorstep every single day - for years!  On top of that, I was buying and collecting music like mad - a faithful vinyl junkie.   

This gave me incredible access to the freshest new music, before it even hit shelves, and the means to share it, not only with the Las Vegas scene, but around the globe with my mix tapes and radio shows, both online and terrestrial.

Then came a mix tape that changed everything - Seoul Searching.
A nod to the city of my birth, and a play on words that captured my inner journey as much as the sound.

Although I had been producing mix tapes by the hundreds… 
giving them away, and mailing them to record stores nationwide, 
this one was pivotal, as it led to my very first out of state booking.  

The promoter, Ryan Rushing, flew me out to headline a modest underground party at The Root in Boulder Colorado.  
Along with my growing notoriety with Utopia, that gig grew my career by leaps and bounds, 
and I began playing in Colorado several times a year, and soon, I was getting booked all over the US and Canada.

As I remastered this mix, I was transported to a place and time where the music was fresh and exhilarating, beautiful and intense, epic yet pensive.

Reflecting on my life’s journey through the lens of a DJ, it’s filled with amazing moments, and just as many challenges, losses, and lessons along the way.  
Moments that can’t be conveyed in words or images… you just have to listen to these sonic vignettes… and feel them.  
This was my form of expression, communicating joy, and sharing love.

After all, music is one of the strongest uniting forces in the universe.  
It transcends borders, cultures, and language…
It dissolves boundaries, inspires connection, and has the power to heal.
Music speaks directly to the soul.

Opening with “Are You Out There” by Crescendo on Full Frequency Range Recordings, this is Seoul Searching.

•••••
So, as I say farewell to my record collection this weekend, I just wanted to thank everyone for all the years of love and support.  I hope you enjoyed this journey through space and time, and found some joy and inspiration… now pass it on.

Think back to some of your most cherished and fondest memories. 
Take a moment.

Where were you?  Who was there?  What were the sights, sounds, and smells?

We all have them… special memories that shaped who we were, and who we were to become, especially in our twenties, probably the most formative of years.  
For so many, including myself, some of the most treasured memories are those of Utopia.

In the spring of 1996, a unique conjunction took place… 
An alignment of time, space, and people, that would create a movement that broke the mold.  
A movement based on love, spirituality, and equality… grounded in music, and imbued with endless positivity that would eventually transcend space and time.

Without question, these were the times of our lives…
A spiritual awakening for many, and a coming of age.

However, after an amazing four year run, it didn’t really have an ending… there was never a concrete conclusion or resolution, a final scene if you will.  It just faded away… dissolved… 
and many of us simply drifted apart to follow our own paths.
Sure, it evolved and transformed gradually over those years, transitioning from Utopia to Club Utopia, but regardless of how much of a contrast there was from the start to the finish, the spirit was always there, an essence that continues to live on as a flame of inspiration in all of us.  

There’s so much to be said about this topic, but if you know, you know, and if you were there, you were a part of something truly magical that brought so many people together.

A few weeks ago, another alignment took place that sparked a reunion with the founders and some of the central figures involved in Utopia, some of which hadn’t seen each other in over 20 years.  The catalyst for this was to celebrate Guylene’s 50th birthday, one of the original flower girls, and a core member of the family.  Gino and Yvonne, Vickie & Miguel, Mike, Matthew, David, Kimberley, Leslie, Michelle, Dana,Dario, Doug, and myself, as well as many of the extended family of club goers were in attendance, and yes, emotions ran high and there were tears of joy.

It’s hard to find the words to fully describe all the love I felt from seeing you all again, with so many fond memories and positive emotions coursing through my being of all the beautiful souls that I’ve been blessed to have had such special times with… experiences old and new that I will always cherish as the best of times. 
Tears roll as I feel so much joy as well as regret for not keeping you all in my life for so long, but I know that’s about to change. 
It’s amazing to reflect upon the fact that something we were a part of so long ago eternally cements us together in a bond that transcends space and time. 
I love you all so very much, and I’m endlessly grateful for such a wonderful week. 

So, this is the set I played, featuring mostly classics and remixes from that era, especially breaks, cause we all know that Guylene loves breaks… but so do I.

On deck, 
BT, Azzido da Bass, Electroliners, Basement Jaxx, Three Drives on a Vinyl, DJ Jean, Brainbug, Plastikman, Dario G, Green Velvet, Uberzone, and Sarah McLachlan.  

What you’ll hear in the beginning is the original recording from a video of Guylene portraying “Spirit Utopia” that played during one of those epic nights.  It’s a fascinating window that reveals what it was like back then, and what the creative visionary forces were all about.

Thanks for tuning in, and I hope you all find some joy and inspiration.  

I was recently asked to play a small invite only desert party, and as you know, there’s nothing like the drive of necessity to spark inspiration, so I dove in, and prepared.  

This is the set I played at that party, and it’s mostly breaks.  Yes, I said it, breaks!
There’s a bunch of hot new remixes of 90’s classics, including 808 State, Massive Attack, Pete Lazonby, Chakra, and the Xpansions.  
 
For me, one of the highlights of this mix is Warsaw, a track from Sultan + Sheperd's new album called “Something, Everything” and it’s a  killer return away from cheesy EDM, and back to tasteful electronic dance music, which is why I fell in love with them in the first place. 
You’ll find that right at the 68 minute mark.

Then I turn towards some recurrent progressive and tech.  It’s almost 3 hours long, so prepare yourselves!

Up first, it’s a unique oldie from Orbital, Kein Trink Wasser.  I don’t know what that means, but the persistent piano line sure is fun.

As always, thanks for tuning in, and I hope you find some joy and inspiration.  Take care.

I recorded this mix earlier this year, and as some of you know, it premiered on DJ Sense’s YouTube Channel, Casa Del Soul / VidMixxTV as a full length video. It took me over 50 hours to shop, gather, organize, produce, and edit the video to this mix, so if you haven’t checked it out, you an find it on my YouTube channel, Robert Oleysyck Creations - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez-vQ9oam04. I promise you won’t be disappointed. It’s a journey through space and time, so that’s why I call it “Voyager.”

Part of the reason that I haven’t been keeping up with this podcast is because I’ve really been working on re-inventing myself, as I think many people are doing in these uncertain times. What’s my new re-incarnation gonna be, you might ask? 

I’m currently in a re-branding phase, pivoting to a creative agency that handles photography, filming, video production and editing, audio engineering and voice over… an all-in creative solution so to speak. So I’ve been gearing up, training and practicing, especially with video. I’ve already started some personal passion projects in this regard, so stay tuned to my social media for new content, including brand videos, travel videos, and especially, time lapses.

Instagram is where I’m most active, so if you’d like to keep up with my creative effrots, follow me at https://www.instagram.com/robertoleysyckcreations

Remember, The Feel Sessions is available wherever you get your podcasts, so please subscribe, tell your friends and share the vibes. 
If you enjoy the show, please consider rating or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, or your podcast app, as it really helps!
Thanks. https://tinyurl.com/ybn7778x

And, I’d love to hear from you! If you have any suggestions for topics you’d like me to discuss, favorite tracks, or just to say hi, get in touch at [email protected]. 

As always, I hope you find some joy and inspiration, and especially now, a sonic escape.
Enjoy.

Tiempo de Maldad - Danser Sans Fumer (Inclan Remix), 
Andreas Balicki - Circles (Sascha Cawa Remix), 
Rufus Du Sol - Underwater (Adam Port Remix), 
The Checkup & Deeleegenz - My Kingdom (Original Mix), 
Menshen - Mynta (Original Mix), 
Gavin Froome f. Golden Ears - Don’t Come Home (The Revenge Mix), 
Bedouin - Wastelands (Original Mix), 
Navar - You Find (Extended Mix), 
Navar - You Find (Dmitry Molosh Remix), 
Yotto - Chemicals (Original Mix), 
Baile - Amae (Sasha Fabric2099 Mix), 
Maceo Plex f. Paradigm Shift - Mutant Pulse, 
Remake - Blade Runner (Maceo Plex Renaissance Remix), 
Township Rebellion - Monocloque (Original Mix), 
Henry Saiz & Cora Novoa - Golden Dawn (Brynjolfur Dream Mix), 
Tilt f. Paul van Dyk - Rendezvous (Orkidea Remix), 
Libra presents Taylor - Anomaly: Calling Your Name (Ferry Corsten Remix)

In the previous episode, I talked about how progressive house had turned to a darker, somewhat ominous sound in the early 2000’s. Throughout my DJ career, I’ve seen the ebbs and flows of underground music shift through various phases of vibrations, often reacting with an opposite pull to what’s happening in the more mainstream music environments of the time. 

For this partciular period from around 2001 through 2006… let’s call it the “Delta Heavy” phase, named after Sasha & Digweed’s Delta Heavy Tour. Characterized by moody vibes, dark textures, atonal sounds, trippy effects, narrative style vocals, tribal tones, and driving, heavily percussive rhythms, I honestly loved this period of underground progressive house. You can hear many of these influences in today’s Techno, Progressive House, and Tech House productions.

This mix was meant to compliment and contrast the more mainstream appraoch of Carbon 001, which, if you refer back to Episode 79, was intended to be a crossover mix in an attempt to bridge the gap between the mainstream and the underground.

One of the tracks that never left my crate during this era, was Pablo Gargano’s “Gangsta” on EVE recordings UK, because it used an infamous sample from the movie, “Goodfellas.”

The Feel Sessions is available wherever you get your podcasts, so please subscribe, tell your friends and share the vibes. 
If you enjoy the show, please consider rating or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, or your podcast app, as it really helps!
Thanks. https://tinyurl.com/ybn7778x

And, I’d love to hear from you! If you have any suggestions for topics you’d like me to discuss, favorite tracks, or just to say hi, get in touch at [email protected]. 

So, remastered, and slowed down a few notches, here’s Carbon 002. 

As always, I hope you find some joy and inspiration, and especially now, a sonic escape.

Enjoy.

Rigby & Oliver - Human, 
Piece Process - Adrenalin, 
John Debo - Rising, 
Mike G - Bellslut, 
Fatal - Turn of Time, 
Lexicon Avenue - Why R U Here, 
Pablo Gargano - Gangsta, 
Solar Stone - Seven Cities, 
DKMA - The Rocket, 
Red Moon - Lucky, 
Paper Nation - Watersnake, 
Samaya Painters - Wasteland

The year was 2002, and by this time, the HipHop takeover was in full swing. The hey days of the rave scene and the global house music movement had seemed to peak, at least in terms of its’ mainstream appeal. But, there were still many of us trying to keep it viable in a crossover nightclub environment. 

Back then, the glory days of Utopia were gone, with venues like The Drink, and the brand new Rain at the Palms taking over. The struggling C2K nightclub in the Venetian was primed for a takeover, and that’s exactly what we set out to do. My Aussie friend Adam Ward and I laid out plans to transform the space into a haven for those of us still craving to have house music properly represented in a large Vegas venue, and we named the night “Carbon.” Yeah, we were trying to get fancy and philosophical, because Carbon is the common element found in all known life forms, so we thought it would be a good name that had layers of meaning behind it.

By this time, progressive house was beginning to take a darker and more minimal stance, and you could say that this movement was ultimately represented by Sasha & Digweed’s “Delta Heavy” tour, which, for those of you who were around back then, had a stop in Vegas, at the very same venue… C2K.

Personally, I loved this sound, but as underground dance music often does, it had evolved into a backlash against what was happening in the mainstream music environment at the time, and proved to be too much of a stretch, and unpalatable for the casual underground dance music fan.

So, we tried to come up with a blend of mainstreamy and underground dance music that would appeal to a wide audience, playing crossover house music, discohouse, and remixes, while going deeper into progressive as the night went on. We even incorporated live performance acts, like a guy doing Tai-Chi on stage! But, alas, timing is everything. The landscape and conditions just weren’t right. The musical zeitgeist had moved on, at least in terms of hosting a dance music only night in a large space.

The Feel Sessions is available wherever you get your podcasts, so please subscribe, tell your friends and share the vibes. 
If you enjoy the show, please consider rating or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, or your podcast app, as it really helps!
Thanks. https://tinyurl.com/ybn7778x

And, I’d love to hear from you! If you have any suggestions for topics you’d like me to discuss, new favorite tracks, or just to say hi, get in touch at [email protected]. 

So, here we go with my flashback mix, Carbon Crossover 001, recorded from vinyl on May 15th, 2002, featuring Full Intention, Modjo, Deep Swing, remixes of No Dobut and Garbage, plus an awesome Lighthouse cover from the 80’s that I had forgotten about, “Hey Little Girl”
Up first, it’s AB Boulevard’s “Point of View” followed by Moony’s “Dove”, right here, on the feel sessions.

As always, I hope you find some joy and inspiration, and especially now, a sonic escape.

Enjoy.

AB Boulevard - Point of View
Moony - Dove
Full Intention - I’ll Be Waiting
Solaris - Sunshine
Usher - You Don’t Have To Call
Modjo - Lady
C-Mos - Calling All Cars
Gerardo - Americana
Deep Swing - In The Music
Greenhouse - Caravan
Mathias Ware - Hey Little Girl
No Doubt - Hella Good
Garbage - Cherry Lips

In this episode, I talk about what I've been up to this past summer, including my experience as the Music Director for Spiegelworld's Atomic Saloon Show, photography in Scotland, and my video production pursuits.

Tonight's mix is from my recent show at the Fetish and Fantasy Halloween Ball, in The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas.

My goal for this set was to enhance the Halloween vibe, and create a haunting, moody and driving soundstage, a perfect setup for some menacing Tech House, Techno, and Progressive, on a big, proper sound system, with some recent bangers, and dashes of classic remakes, including Underworld, the Blade Runner theme, Nightmare from Brainbug, and a couple of unforgettable sample layers.

So, I’d love to hear from you! If you have any suggestions for topics you’d like me to discuss, new favorite tracks, or just to say hi, get in touch at [email protected]. 

The Feel Sessions is available wherever you get your podcasts, so please subscribe, tell your friends and share the vibes. If you enjoy the show, please consider rating or leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, iTunes, or your podcast app, as it really helps!
Thanks. https://tinyurl.com/ybn7778x

On deck, I’ve got Hot Since 82 f. Jem Cooke, the classic Timo Maas Remix of “Dooms Night” by Azzido Da Bass, some D-Nox & Beckers, Tube & Berger, Olivier Giacomotto, and Noir.

Up first, it’s the killer “Dinamo” track by Birdee.

As always, I hope you find some joy and inspiration.

Birdee - Dinamo (Robert Oleysyck IntroEdit Remaster), 
Azzido Da Bass - Dooms Night (Timo Maas Remix), 
Trancesetters - Roaches (Peace Division Remix) (Sample Layer), 
Giom - Love/Hate (Lonely Boy Black & White Mix), 
Hot Since 82 f. Jem Cooke - Buggin’, 
Justin Massei - Nothing Can Hide (Dave Seaman Remix), 
Township Rebellion - Monocloque, 
Pete Lazonby - Sacred Cycles (Adam Beyers/Bart Skills/Layton Giordani Renaissance Remix), 
Underground Sound of Lisbon - So Get Up (Acapella), 
Remake - Blade Runner (Maceo Plex Renaissance Remix), 
Underworld - Born Slippy (Andrew Meller Reincarnation Remix), 
Cassim - Dances with Wolves (Chus & Ceballos Remix), 
Olivier Giacomotto & Noir - Reste (Raxon Remix), 
Brainbug - Nightmare (Pleasurekraft Remix), 
Tube & Berger - International Corporate Motherfuckers (Original Mix), 
Xiaha Troden - Mira Negra (D-Nox & Beckers Remix), 
Disclosure f. Aluna George - White Noise (Sample Layer), 
Adrian Hour - Love Something, 
Golden Girls - Kinetic (Prok & Fitch Golden Shower Remix)

I’ve got something a bit different today, a live interview and guest DJ mix with my friend and fellow house music soldier, Chris Sterio, a DJ, Producer, and Record Label owner from the Isle of Man in the UK.

Chris is the one man wrecking crew behind the label Soundscapes Digital, who released my latest EP, Le Buone Vibrazione, which is out now on iTunes, Beatport, Traxsource, and Spotify.

https://www.beatport.com/release/le-buone-vibrazioni/2533419

So, Chris was here in Las Vegas during one of his recent tour stops, and I had a chance to sit down and chat with him during this live interview, and stick around for his special guest set. Enjoy.

Robert Oleysyck - Indigo, 
Evotone - Lapis Lazuli, 
Evotone - Unsta, 
Evotone - Butterflies, 
Downgrooves & Chris Sterio - One World (Ostinato remix), 
Sean McClellan & Chris Sterio - Alternate Avenues (Harmon Ikka remix), 
GuyRo - Camping in Kashmir (Matter remix), 
TasZ - Where's That Cue Ball Going, 
TasZ - Still Here, 
Slighter & Chris Sterio - An End To The Beginning (Visitor Seven remix)

All tracks on Soundscapes Digital
https://www.beatport.com/label/soundscapes-digital/35282