In The Mix

I'm really glad I taught myself to DJ. I had a pop at plenty of instruments back in the day, but the idea of getting creative between my favourite records hit me as rather a good one.

Coupled with a love of clubs and live music (I stopped counting the gigs I've seen at about 592...) I combined my love of mixing records with writing about the scene, which forged a 13 year stint from work experience guy that wouldn't fuck off to Clubs and Live Music editor of the world's greatest dance music magazine, and have fulfilled ambitions to play music to smiling people at such incredible places as Creamfields, Zouk Singapore, Glastonbury Festival, Bluedot Festival, Village Underground, XOYO, The Heavenly Social and more clubs, house parties and bestie's weddings than I can remember.

I have supported and played alongside artists including Bonobo, Boys Noize, Kölsch, Mike Skinner, Todd Terje, The Scratch Perverts, Unkle, Chase & Status, Chuckie, DJ Yoda, Glowinthedark, Steve Aoki, Stanton Warriors, DOD, Sven Väth, was a member of the Mixmag Allstars DJ team and regularly play at corporate events.

I am also the founder and promoter for Cake Club London, a brand of parties running since 2010 at venues across London such as the Tamesis Dock, Ministry Of Sound, XOYO, The London Film Festival and The Social, and in places such as Bristol and Farr Festival. Find us on Facebook and Twitter.

I'm still learning. But here's some of the music from along the way... 

Welcome to Niceolation

Summer 2020. A global Pandemic. No live music. No festivals. My beloved Mixmag has folded, after being involved for 13 years. Everything’s upside down. But people are clapping in the street. The NHS is being hailed for the heroism it’s always deserved. And there was no better time to make a mixtape.

Welcome to Niceolation

A genre-blending, two-hour journey through the politics, emotions, and soundscapes of a London lockdown. Featuring wise words from Nye Bevan, hope from Queen Lizzy, bluster from Boris, and shouts from Chabuddy G, Elliot Levey, and Alistair McGowan.

A mixtape project I recorded and enjoyed over 50 strange days, which ended up keeping me a little more sane, and ended up charting across four of Mixcloud’s global genre charts. It also inspired an artwork and photography project, with superb Graphic Design from my friend Gemma Dowler, and animation of her logos by the man known as Rodrigo Rodrigues.

Deep Space Disco - Playing Bluedot Festival 2019

It’s 19th July. 9pm. Friday night. Looking out over the main arena with Hot Chip headlining in the distance under the phenomenal sight of the Lovell Space Telescope at Jodrell Bank. And it goes a little something like this…

Warming up for Bonobo 

It might not ever get better than this. And that's fine by me. This was by far the best DJ set I ever played, warming up directly before one of my favourite artists of all time. Rolling from cinematic hip hop to jazz house and soulful, bass rumbling electronica, this was the perfect pitch of tunes to time and place. The fact that Si Bonobo blended his mix into mine over an ambient outro I recorded of a train leaving Osterley Park Piccadilly Line station was a real moment for me - and the perfect way to end a mix in a club that has a tube train carriage as an office on the roof. Have a listen... 

Tracklist 

1. This Life (Original GTA Soundtrack) - Slumpussy (C Conner & Robert DeNegro)

2. Work - Gang Starr

3. Sword Removed - DJ Bootsie

4. Oh You Want More - TY

5. L'Estasi Dell'Oro (Bandini Remix) - Ennio Morricone

6. No Answer from Petrograd - Yonderboi

7. Primitive People - Mano Le Tough

8. Synera - Bastian Bux

9. Diferente - Gotan Project

10. Rose Rouge - St. Germain

11. Hyper Martino (Red Axes Remix) - Red Axes, Michele Mininni

12. Branches Break - GoGo Penguin

13. Creative - Coldcut

14. Soak (Axel Boman Dubb) - James Hadfield feat Danny Linton

15. Tube doors at Osterley Piccadilly line station and footsteps fade out - Phil:D

Train Tracks: Full Circle

A diesel-powered DJ journey through bells, whistles, techno and electronica. 

This is a mixtape project I've been working on all themed on train journeys... All very much inspired by Thylacine's amazing 'Transsiberian' album released in May 2016, a host of great beats that have found my ears of recent, lots of atmospheric field recordings and some of my favourite dance tracks and remixes of all time, ever, ever, ever.

One for the headphone commute, watching the scenery flash by your train window or just staring at the stars... And one of the best mixes I've laid down for ages. :)

You can stream it via Mixcloud below or download it here: 320 MP3 bundle / WAV bundle

Bodywarmer presents RADIO RAMBO

A cheeky mix of 90's jams and party classics put together for my mate's 40th. He used to wear a bodywarmer. Still does...

Phil D's Soul Sonic Bass Bin Mix

A bin-busting blend of upbeat oldskool hip hop, soul-solid house and bumpin' techno... All topped off with a delicious dusting of Dinah Washington and some Chemicals. 

Tracklist

1. Looking For The Perfect Beat (Vocal) - Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force

2. Mango Meat - Mandrill

3. Up - Perc & Fractal

4. Church! (Original Mix) - Dubble D presents Moodymanc

5. Maria - Closer Music

6. The Narcotic Suite - 3 Kilos - The Prodigy

7. Confess (Original Mix) - Floorplan

8. When I Burn - Ultramagnetic M.C's

9. Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby (Rae & Christian Remix) - Dinah Washington

10. Running (Original Mix) - Luke Solomon

11. Let Forever Be - The Chemical Brother

Zouk Singapore, Mixmag Allstars Main Room Set, Saturday Night, September 2015

I was crapping myself for this one. Mainly because I had to play a 12.30-2am set to a packed main room at Zouk Singapore, one of the greatest clubs in the world, with a whole bunch of 'EDM' tunes I'd first heard 12 hours before. Oh and to warm up for GLOWINTHEDARK, the Dutch duo who make tracks and perform with the likes of David Guetta and Nicki Minaj. *gulp*

But who needs a comfort zone when you have bassdrops that can kill a man at fifty paces and it's your "muthafuckin burt-day". 33rd to be precise. And this one is gonna take some beating. So mad thanks to Zouk (particularly Lindy, Byden and Wayne), Mixmag and all the ravers who turned out and lost their sh*t when the ice cannons went off! It beat blowing out candles for sure! ;) pd

Glastonbury 2014

Bit of a 'pinch yourself' moment for me this... Playing at the legendary Stonebridge Bar for '15 Years Of The Social', 5-6pm on the Thursday of Glastonbury - my favourite place in the world. A better crowd, vibe and bunch of people you could not meet I assure you. I was nevertheless sh*tting myself for this one - but what a feeling in the end! Couple of clangers, but it's about the journey, yada yada yada. And I was rather merry.

Tracklist

1. Sock It 2 Me (Kaytranada Remix) - Missy Elliott

2. A-Punk (Chamber Re-Edit) - Vampire Weekend

3. Helicopter [Whitey Remix] - Bloc Party

4. Where Is My Mind (Bassnectar Remix) - Pixies

5. Doin' It Right - Daft Punk

6. 5.57 - Movement

7. Ghostwriter - RJD2

8. Don't Move - Phantogram

9. Genius Bonus Beat - Controller 7

10. 1976 - RJD2

11. Now Is the Time - Nightmares on Wax

12. Sexual Healing [Re-Edit] - Hot 8 Brass Band

13. Protect Ya Neck (The Jump Off) - Wu-Tang Clan

14. So You Wanna Be a Boxer - Paul Williams

15. Diesel Power - The Prodigy

16. Jungle Boogie (The Reflex Edit) - Jungle Brothers

17. She Drives Me Crazy (David Z 12' Version) - Fine Young Cannibals

18. A Fifth Of Beethoven (Flight Facilities Edit) - Walter Murphy

19. Grease (Flight Facilities Edit) - Frankie Valli

20. Lady Madonna - The Beatles

21. Eye Know - De La Soul

22. Mary Jane (Jean Tonique Edit) - Rick James