Hey DJTT,
I've been spending a lot of time on the road lately and so I get to listen to a lot of music (and NPR). I was listening to In Search of Sunrise 4: Los Angeles and noticed that in one of the transitions, from "Tiesto ft. Matt Hales - UR (Junkie XL Air Guitar Remix)" to "Odyssee - Evolution", the narrative goes from emotional and even melancholic to more of an aggressive club vibe.
This contrast really stood out to me. The change of gears gives the latter track a lot more punch, and in a live environment it really changes the energy in a positive way. To me, it's an artistic way of saying, "Alright, I've struck some emotional strings, but now it's time to roll up the sleeves and get serious." This technique is something I'm trying to incorporate more of into my sets, particularly this one:
From 33:25 until about 42:30 I wanted to keep things fun and summery, and then at 42:38 I decided to take a darker route. For me, this strategy gets the most purchase when the change happens suddenly and not in a matter of degree. Of course, there's nothing wrong if the change in energy happens gradually, but it is more noticeable and therefore has a higher chance of impact on the crowd when the contrast is really highlighted, and for this to happen such tracks must be played back-to-back.
Do you guys purposefully incorporate this strategy into your sets? If so, what have you noticed from the perspective of the crowd? Did they notice it and, if so, how did they react? As the cliche goes, a great DJ tells a story, and I think this is a useful device to make your tale stand out.
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