Photo by Krijn Van NoordwijkLike most people, DJs and producers have specific songs tied to events throughout their lives. In Crate Expectations, we extract a playlist from their memories to tell their story. This week's subject: Joris Voorn.THUMP: What's the first song you ever loved?
Joris Voorn: When I was twelve years old, I didn't know what dance music was, but Lil Louis' "French Kiss" made quite an impression. I'm still wondering if it had something to do with the vocals in the track.What are the first two songs you ever mixed together?
Maybe not the very first two songs I've mixed together because I simply wouldn't know. But in my eclectic early days I found out how to mix Alan Braxe's "Vertigo (Thomas Bangalter Virgo Mix)" at the right moment into Run-DMC vs. Jason Nevins' "It's Like That" to make the perfect mash-up mix. It was way before the days of Traktor and its awesome sync button, so it took some skill keeping the two tracks playing together for a couple of minutes, but the payoff was an explosion on the dance floor.What is your worst guilty pleasure song?
Kim Wilde's "Cambodia," I always loved this song when I was young. There's something very mysterious about it. The super melancholic melody and plastic synthesizers are extremely catchy and the singing is so fragile. It must be about something very sad. I never listened to the lyrics though, so I don't know what she's singing about, which makes it even more mysterious.What song have you had on repeat in the last month?
"Eastern Highlands" by Rina Mushonga. She is an incredibly talented singer from Amsterdam who has a very eclectic background. She's hard to pin down musically, but I've loved it since the moment I first heard it. I approached her and asked if I could remix it, which I've been doing over the last few weeks.Which track of your own do you like the most?
I think "Ringo" must be one of my favorites. It's sometimes unreal to hear the crowd response when I play it in my sets. I always take down the music a little and let the melody come in quietly. There's a huge buzz that starts spreading through the room when people start recognizing it. I've had some more successful records, but "Ringo" is something special.What track of your own do you dislike the most?
I had to think about this one for a while, but I've always had mixed feelings about "Chase The Mouse." I wasn't even really sure about releasing it because I just made the track as a gimmick, but it got to the Beatport number one spot and became one of my best selling tracks. I definitely don't play it at every set, and it doesn't even feel like one of my own classics.What's the last song you want to hear before the lights go on?
There are always a few, but the one I've been playing most over the last two years is my own edit of Saint Germain's "Rose Rouge." The original song is irresistible, but I gave it just that little extra something to let it be the perfect ending of any great night.
Joris Voorn: When I was twelve years old, I didn't know what dance music was, but Lil Louis' "French Kiss" made quite an impression. I'm still wondering if it had something to do with the vocals in the track.
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Maybe not the very first two songs I've mixed together because I simply wouldn't know. But in my eclectic early days I found out how to mix Alan Braxe's "Vertigo (Thomas Bangalter Virgo Mix)" at the right moment into Run-DMC vs. Jason Nevins' "It's Like That" to make the perfect mash-up mix. It was way before the days of Traktor and its awesome sync button, so it took some skill keeping the two tracks playing together for a couple of minutes, but the payoff was an explosion on the dance floor.What is your worst guilty pleasure song?
Kim Wilde's "Cambodia," I always loved this song when I was young. There's something very mysterious about it. The super melancholic melody and plastic synthesizers are extremely catchy and the singing is so fragile. It must be about something very sad. I never listened to the lyrics though, so I don't know what she's singing about, which makes it even more mysterious.What song have you had on repeat in the last month?
"Eastern Highlands" by Rina Mushonga. She is an incredibly talented singer from Amsterdam who has a very eclectic background. She's hard to pin down musically, but I've loved it since the moment I first heard it. I approached her and asked if I could remix it, which I've been doing over the last few weeks.Which track of your own do you like the most?
I think "Ringo" must be one of my favorites. It's sometimes unreal to hear the crowd response when I play it in my sets. I always take down the music a little and let the melody come in quietly. There's a huge buzz that starts spreading through the room when people start recognizing it. I've had some more successful records, but "Ringo" is something special.
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I had to think about this one for a while, but I've always had mixed feelings about "Chase The Mouse." I wasn't even really sure about releasing it because I just made the track as a gimmick, but it got to the Beatport number one spot and became one of my best selling tracks. I definitely don't play it at every set, and it doesn't even feel like one of my own classics.What's the last song you want to hear before the lights go on?
There are always a few, but the one I've been playing most over the last two years is my own edit of Saint Germain's "Rose Rouge." The original song is irresistible, but I gave it just that little extra something to let it be the perfect ending of any great night.
Catch Joris Voorn at the Ovum + Black Butter Showcase and Ants at SLS South Beach this week in Miami.