Short Review: The Party's Break Out Mix

(By a new contributor called That One Guy...)

With two monthlies, a weekly, and several semi-regulars under their collective belt, you probably know what you're getting in to with a mix from Dallas / Austin DJ juggernaut, The Party, particularly if you ever venture out of the house to anywhere that fitted New Eras and skinny jeans get together to “dance.”

DJs Nature, Select, Sober, and Prince Klassen have linked up Voltron-style just in time for warm weather for the seventh volume of their ongoing mixtape series, “Break Out.” This time more reminiscent of their warm-up sets and DJ Nature’s dancehall weekly, Taxi Fare rather than the all out club bangers of their last mix, “Hands Up,” “Break Out” is a bit of an introduction to the more mellow side of The Party for those who can’t seem to make it to the club before midnight. There’s a little Denton electro sleaze courtesy of Faux Fox and Ghosthustler, a dash of Switch-twisted, Diplo-approved Baltimore club from Blaqstarr, some new style backpack rap from A-Trak and Nick Catchdub’s Fool’s Gold label in the form of Kid Cudi’s excellent “Day ‘N’ Nite,” a triple shot of “this year’s M.I.A.,” Santogold, a touch of world groove from recent Fader “Africa Issue” cover stars Esau Mwamwaya and BLK JKS, and a healthy dose of dancehall to remind you that there’s more to dance music than leather jacket-wearing mustachioed Frenchmen twiddling knobs in front of banks of strobe lights. Easily skirting Hype Machine-mixtape blog boredom with more surprises in the track listing than hipster standbys, the mix has a really fresh, forward-looking feel to it, and after the quick swerve in to the ditch that is that horrible Missy Elliott lead off track, it rarely puts a foot wrong. The Party ushering you in to the sunny seasons. Please keep your shirt on.


The mix can be downloaded for free right here