One of the things I most enjoyed about putting together our “Best of 2009” was talking to our top listeners/community members to get their single favourite Cloudcast of 2009. The responses were diverse, sometimes surprising, often inspiring and most of all full of passion.
Check out the Mixcloud Top Listeners and their recommendations here.
Over the next few weeks we plan to catch up with some of the winners to learn more about the people who make up the Mixcloud community. Starting with Top Listener and passionate music fan from Singapore, fourwallsofsound.
Who are you and what do you do?
Just a fella who grew up on music that I was exposed to in the 80s and heard it evolve through the 90s. The first time I heard the electronic sound at a club was at a John Kelley guest night at Zouk, Singapore circa 1996 and I was hooked. Many educational club nights later, I bought my Technics MK2s, a Pioneer DJM 500 (on hire purchase naturally), pulled out my dad’s knackered old Koss’ and figured out how to mix records in a way that would connect with a crowd in the same way that each track was connecting with me; along the way I’ve played some small gigs and parties as fourwallsofsound, but remain a bedroom DJ at heart.
How did you discover Mixcloud?
A good friend of mine (he’s Kazitoshi on Mixcloud) sent me the invite for the beta site. I had a look, liked what I saw, signed up and of course once I started ‘tuning in’ to the Cloudcasts it was easy to get hooked – there’s just so much talent and quality here.
What is it about DJ mixes and radio shows that appeals to you more than listening to playlists on Spotify?
A DJ mix is a fluid, emotional and sometimes ethereal ride, definitely not just tracks in a playlist but a creation whose sum is greater than its parts. As for radio shows (like Melodica, Jules Hallam‘s and Graeme Park‘s shows for example) they’re enjoyable, engaging and relevant. It’s also great to hear these DJs’ take on the new tracks, and there’s lots of info to be picked up and little known references to classics that you get every now and then. A proper radio show, like a DJ mix, is usually so much more than just a list of tracks played sequentially.
How have you been using Mixcloud to discover content you love? What are your tips and tricks on getting the most out of the site.
The ‘popular‘, ‘new‘ and ‘featured‘ listings make it easy. With the recently introduced ‘activity stream’ on the profiles, it’s just one look to know what other cloudcasters are tuning in to. Mixcloud being as interactive and easy to get around as it is, you wouldn’t really need any special tips to work it out. Overall the site is brilliant, easy to navigate and focuses on what it’s all about – bringing the music to the user and vice versa.
[note from editor: cheers fourwalls – we’ll sort you that fiver later yeah?!]
Finally, what’s your favourite Cloudcast of 2009 and why?
“Sublime track selection and put together to create a sound that is familiar but yet new and horizon shifting all at once. It’s a stunner.”
After all the dedication listening in to everyone else’s creations, fourwallsofsound put up his own sublime indie electro Cloudcast just yesterday. Let’s show him some love!