Daniel Paul Cortez, aka Ghetto, is a Minneapolis staple. His deep crates and dynamic sets have earned him the reputation of one of the city's most versatile and visionary DJs. He is an important referent in techno and deep house scenes but frequently plays even deeper, delving into stacks of old soul, jazz, and disco when the gig allows for it.
He is also one of my very favorite DJs, which explains why I've been asking him to do a mix for the site for about two years now. Typically very busy with gigs and shy around recording devices, his sets have remained--for the most part--a Twin-cities secret, for local enjoyment only. But after much nagging, I finally got Daniel Paul to agree to put one down for ODDIOFILE.NET.
The results do not disappoint. This Guestmix is a rare glimpse into Ghetto's world, a mellow and melodic journey through the deep end of his record box. This set is, for me, so evocative and sensorial it brings to mind lush and vivid experiences. The elegant chords bring take me back to the hush and solitude of cold winters, the hollow soul of drum machines conjure the musty smell of basement clubs and warm dancefloors. I find myself remembering 4pm sunsets, warehouse parties, walks home in the snow--so many things absent from my life now. I also find myself remembering house, the really good kind. The kind that made us love the music in the nineties. The kind so few seem capable of making these days. |
