Sam Zornow was just an ordinary mathematics wizard until his Bar Mitzvah money was put to good use and got himself his first set of turntables. Flash forward to 2010, and the 23 year-old is a two time DMC World Champion and a Harvard graduate. With a strong focus on scratching and blending indie and hip-hop into his electronic sets, DJ Shiftee is more than a blogosphere obsession. Few young DJs attain a top ranking, and the DMC honors place Shiftee in the same league as A-Trak and Craze, both of whom he considers amongst his influences. Between gigs, endorsements with Traktor Scratch, and teaching classes at dubspot DJ and Production School in New York, Shiftee whipped up this surreal mix for URB.
Interview beneath the tracklist
Tracklist:
Boys Noize – Starter
Jack Beats ft. Dynamite MC – What
Boys Noize – My Head (Para One Remix)
Last Japan – L.F.O.
Diplo & Laidback Luke – Hey (Foamo Remix)
SonicC – Stickin’
SonicC – Stickin’ (Oliver Twizt Remix)
A1 Bassline – 8oh8
Toadally Krossed Out! – Toad’s Theme
Tom Stephan – Turn That Shit Up (Diplo Remix)
Major Lazer – Pon De Floor (Afrojack Remix)
Fake Blood – I Think I Like It
AC Slater – Play The Record Again
Erol Alkan & Boys Noize – Waves (Chilly Gonzales Piano remake)
Zeds Dead – Dark Side Dub
Ollie! – You Stupid Cunt (Bare Noize Remix)
Attacca Pesante & Shea Soul – Make It Funky For Me (Rusko Remix)
Joker – Holly Brook Park
Mode – Play
BioViolence – Milk
The Shoes – People Movin’ (Siriusmo Remix)
Hot Chip – Out At The Pictures
La Roux – I’m Not Your Toy (Jack Beats Remix)
Classixx – I’ll Get You (Final Remix)
Lykke Li – I’m Good, I’m Gone
The Rapture – Sister Savior (DFA Dub)
Holy Ghost! – I Will Come Back
Amadou & Mariam – Sabali (Dakunt/Candongueiro Kuduro Refix)
INTERVIEW WITH SHIFTEE
URB: What first got you into turntablism? Were you inspired by champions from the past?
DJ SHIFTEE: When I bought my first set of 12s, I also purchased the first DMC Champions VHS. Once I saw what those guys were doing–Rocksteady DJs, DJ David, Cutmaster Swift, Alladin, etc.– I was hooked. I still try to pull Cutmaster Swift’s dance moves.
URB: How have the tools and tricks changed over the years?
SHIFTEE: The tricks have kind of taken a back seat to esoteric scratches, intricate beat juggle patterns, and considerations about innovation in sound. As far as tools go, most DJs at the world level now press their own dubplates, where as it used to be all about flipping original vinyl. All in all, everything is a bit more confusing.
URB: You’re a Harvard grad, what did you study?
SHIFTEE: Mathematics. Brrrrrrraaaaaap!
URB: What do you think is the best way to see turntablism grow?
SHIFTEE: The best way for tablism to grow is to adapt with the times in terms of technological advances and the evolving landscape of the internet. Battling is still pretty much two turntables, a mixer, and vinyl. Most new DJs are using digital programs, controllers, etc., so we are missing a lot of the next generation of DJs. The videos Rafik just dropped for Traktor using controllers are excellent examples of how turntablism can expand its definition and reach. Nevertheless, I don’t think the turntablism world has quite yet figured out the best way to move beyond the DVD/VHS era of the past to today’s YouTube era. For instance, after this Q & A, I’m going to watch a video of a cat playing the piano.
URB: What technological evolutions in DJing do you expect to see next?
SHIFTEE: Everything right now seems to be about MIDI controllers, being able to do more with less, and, of consequence, taking as much mechanical technique out of the picture as possible. I wouldn’t be surprised to see voice recognition DJing or even a DJ system that reads your mind. The only warning with mind reading DJing is that many DJs will then have mixes consisting entirely of scantily clad women.
URB: Many past DMC champions—A-Trak, Craze—go on to become more club oriented DJs. How do you see your future as a DJ?
SHIFTEE: I’ll always maintain my roots, but right now I’m definitely leaning in a more club and dance music oriented direction. If my path can be anything like A-Trak’s or Craze’s, I’ll be a very happy man! Really though, this is all just an excuse to get my rap career started.
Artwork by Hannah Zornow
Iphone pas cher…
Respect to post author, some good entropy….
“URB: Many past DMC champions—A-Trak, Craze—go on to become more club oriented DJs. How do you see your future as a DJ?
SHIFTEE: I’ll always maintain my roots, but right now I’m definitely leaning in a more club and dance music oriented direction. If my path can be anything like A-Trak’s or Craze’s, I’ll be a very happy man! Really though, this is all just an excuse to get my rap career started.”
Is he serious about the rap thing? He must be joking – he is funny. LOL
“The only warning with mind reading DJing is that many DJs will then have mixes consisting entirely of scantily clad women.” – That was hillarious
[...] ad campaigns, toured Asia, Europe, and the US. He has done mixes for BBC 1Xtra (Fairtilizer link), Urb.com, and Boundless Radio. Shiftee has NYU professorship, and he has been instrumental in developing the [...]
[...] A full tracklist is below. Grab the mix now off URB’s website. [...]
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