mnml ssgs mx50: peter van hoesen

number 50... wow. hard to believe. this series started in april 2008 with bvdub and while we had plans to do something special, never did we expect it to blow up the way it has. one of the major reasons the series has been so strong is because we were lucky to have some fantastic mixes early on that set the bar high and helped to define what we were trying to do. there are a couple of pivotal mixes we've had, and for me one of them has to be peter van hoesen's first mix. what made it so important is that peter did not just make a quality mix, he made a quality mix for us - he really understood what we were trying to do and he tailored his mix accordingly. peter's was not the first killer mix in the series, but it was one of the first ssg mixes (if that makes sense). so, when it came time for mx50, peter was someone who fitted just perfectly - an excellent way to celebrate the series as a whole, and also peter's impressive rise and rise in the techno world.

i've listened to this mix a lot already, and i've been thinking carefully about what to say here. i could talk about the way peter has moved from strength to strength over the last 2 years, or his killer livepas and deftly weighted dj sets, or his new album which is going to be a highlight of 2010. but if you read ssgs, you probably know all this. and if not, check RA or something. for me it is hard to separate this mix from peter, the person. and that's what i'd like to write about. i first met peter at labyrinth 2008 and since then i've been lucky enough to forge a strong friendship with him. and i'm really proud to have him as a friend. peter just gets it. he is reflective, thoughtful and cares deeply about what he does. there are many parts of his character that impress me and i greatly respect, but perhaps above all what i appreciate is the amount of thought that lies behind his actions. and this trait defines the mix he has put together for us. that's all i'll say about it. quite simply, peter may be a quality musician, but above that he is a quality individual. much respect.

peter put together a few words about the mix:

"In September 2009 I played two dj sets, different to what I usually put on. The first set was at Panorama bar, as a part of the Lan Muzic label night. The vibe was already more than ok before I had to come on, thanks to sublime sets by Philip Sherburne and Jacopo Carreras. I continued, playing a three-hour set, starting out really slow, gradually working my way up into faster territory, but never going as full-on as I would when playing techno. That P-bar set was one of my personal highlights of last year. Along with, you guessed it, Labyrinth, which took place a few weeks later. My dj set at Labyrinth started at six in the morning. Because of this I felt like a giant alarm clock, responsible for slowly waking people up to bring them in the mood for the last day of bliss. Here also I started very slowly, without beats, trying to get people to move out of their tents, into what was going to be a very special day. There were a few difficult moments in the set, most of all related to the fact that it was hard to increase the pace at such an early hour. So I kept the tempo within limits, going near 128bpm only at the last part of the set.

I have fond memories of both dj sets, not only because of the context (the people, the space, the vibe, the love and the intensity) but also because they allowed me to do something else than usual. This was my inspiration for this mix."


mnml ssgs mx50: peter van hoesen

peter has an excellent new album, 'entropic city', which is due to drop on 22 march. definitely worth checking. for more info on PvH, check the site for his label, time to express. he's playing out quite a bit with the new album, and if anyone is near berlin on 17 april i would strongly, strongly recommend catching him at berghain. my guess is he is going to do something very special. huge thanks to peter for the mix and his ongoing support, and to all the artists and our readers that have helped us reached 50. thanks!