Night of the Living Mix Tape

The mix tape is a phenomenon. Since the introduction of tape decks with record buttons back in the 80’s, people have been obsessed with the power to create a mix of their own favorite songs. Perfect for everything from car rides to winning the attention of that special someone, the mix tape has turned into a staple among music lovers looking for new ways to draw connections within their vast music collections (see High Fidelity). DJ’s especially have always recognized the power of the mix for setting the mood at a party or club. Perhaps that’s why DMC, an underground dance music label, started their Back To Mine series, a chance for artists to release their own mixes of influential and relatively unknown tracks.Death In Vegas offers the newest addition to the Back To Mine series, and it lives up to its claim as “a personal collection for after hours grooving.” The mix kicks off with the instrumental reggae jam “Cloak and Dagger” by Lee “Scratch” Perry and the Upsetters. From there the listener glides through obscure tracks of 80’s new wave and pop, r & b, country and more. A stirring cover of George Harrison’s “Sweet Lord” by Nina Simone keeps the momentum going strong early on. Fans of DIV’s atmospheric ballads will notice a not-so-obvious influence from tracks like country singers Dillard and Clark’s “Polly” and Sam Gopal’s psychedelic “The Sky is Burning.” The mix wraps up with the one-two punch of Joy Division’s “Decades” and the obscure electronica track “Donna” by Mmm, a 17-year-old unknown DIV has been trying to license for years. This mix makes for a solid listen.