John Talabot Gets His DJ-Kicks

After releasing one of last year’s most lush albums, “fIN“, and grinding through a pretty exhausting tour schedule, John Talabot has released a gorgeously woozy mixtape which sits firmly, shoulder to shoulder with some of the best artist curated comps out there.

The DJ Kicks series of mixes (like Late Night Tales, Back to Mine and Fabric) have always been a revealing communication between artists and their fans. Balancing inspirational reflection and current obsessions, these artist mixes can be even more naked an expression than even the artist’s own carefully crafted work.

Talabot’s mix (no doubt inspired by long hours on the road) is a remarkably heady trip that would be a bit alienating if it weren’t such a clearly passionate and sincere journey.

Starting with North Lake’s space-faced single for Caribou‘s Resista label “Journey to the Center of the Sun” and Andy Stott‘s remix of Maps’ “I Heard Them Say“, Talabot drifts pretty far out into the ether before grounding the mix in a steady House kick…at which point the mixes shifts into high gear and breezes through new original work by Talabot, Axel Boman, Motor City Drum Ensemble eventually ending on a highly sought after white label 12″ by Pional.

By the time we reach the epic finale, Locked Groove’s rework of “It’s All Over“, although the mix comes to an end, we have achieved a propulsive state of emotional inertia that defies closure.

Talabot creates a feeling something like the last scene in Blade Runner (SPOILER ALERT!) where Deckard and Rachel frantically leave Los Angeles in hopes of some peaceful repose together and are last seen flying at top speed over the pines.

Talabot has crafted something so extraordinarily emotive, so simultaneously desolate and desperately romantic.

So full of feels, it gives me the chills just thinking about it.

Tempel Rytmik – Anagrama (Dj Kicks exclusive) by John Talabot