Mix #1 in the “New Decade” Series. Chilled. Funky. Sexy. Just plain indulgent.
Before I left FNQ for that fateful trip to Sydney in August 2020 (effectively preventing me from returning home to Queensland for an indefinite period), I recorded this mix on the shores of Oak Beach, several days after we ran the intimate beach dance party [refer to WPS Mix #8] : “The Final Hour of World Peace”.
Indeed it was!
I had some days after that event to reflect, and imagine another angle of my approach as a DJ - bearing in mind I was micro-focusing to millionaire audiences during the WPS mixes. Of course, I didn’t advertise those parties to the mainstream (if I did that, it would have wrecked the exclusivity of those events), but you can still listen to the soundtracks - they are available from WPS 1 through to 8.
This mix was NOT recorded live at a dance party. It was just me and my decks on location at Oak Beach on a really balmy tropical afternoon, a few days after we packed up after WPS #8. It doesn’t diminish the ambience nor the impact. I recorded this mix with my heart wide open. The signature photo on the track is the late luncheon I gobbled down while mixing this recording - 4pm AEST to be exact. August 8, 2020.
The location of this recording was only 100m up the beach from where WPS #8 was run a few days prior. Just a few days before, some 30 yachts were at anchor and three generators were barely enough to run WPS #8. (Logistical mayhem. A success, nonetheless.) Now, on this empty coastline, there were no flash crowds, no pop-up lighting rigs, no supercharged sound system; it was just me. With the ocean before me, and a good pair of headphones, I recorded this.
A big thank-you to Thala Beach Lodge for the impeccable beachside service. It was 28 degrees Celsius in the shade under those coconut palms. A gentle on-shore breeze wrapped in from the Great Barrier Reef and nearby islands. Just a few days after the glorious full moon in the tropics.
I kept this mix on ice for a long while - I wasn’t going to release it publicly because it wasn’t recorded at a live event. But on pressure from close friends, I release it now as the FIRST mix of a new decade.
Listen and share with your friends. A lot of love was put into this mix; a lot of my emotion went into this one, and I hope this brings you some joy!
Peace and love,
Simon
