Dj Skimask: The 'Shine A Light On' Mix

Music

There's a lot to be said for those who work behind the counter, those who sell records and carry an encyclopedic knowledge of music without necessarily shouting about it to all far flung corners of the world. Often they are the most sincere, most knowledgeable and most dependable of all having offered countless recommendations to customers and buyers for little reward but for their sheer love of music.

Dj Skimask is an alias of Patrick Henderson, a London based collector and occasional disc jockey who works behind the counter at one of the most loved second hand record stores in the UK. Reckless Records still proudly waves a flag as one of the most reputable record dealers in the country and has been built upon the dependability, curation and assistance of friends and staff.

As a collector and a DJ, Patrick's own taste is impeccable, spanning a breadth of wild electronics, experimental soundscapes and beyond. We asked him to record a mix which represents a portion of his collection and he delivers in fine style.

Listen below:

Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you and what are you?

I’m Patrick, a sometimes DJ from London who works behind the counter at Reckless Records (although I haven’t been doing that too much recently).

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

As a cop-out, I think the music I play is rooted in eclecticism – I don’t really have a unifying concept in terms of my taste or what I play from mix to mix. I’ve been listening to a lot of fast / minimal techno after losing interest in ‘dance’ music for a period. I guess this mix reflects that.

Where was the mix recorded?

In my spare bedroom.

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

A dark basement club with low ceilings in the early hours of the morning – that seems a long way off at the moment though.

What should we be wearing?

Balmain jeans and the latest from 9 Star Clothing.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

Any club with a large group of friends – I’m not too much of an audiophile, so as long as the system is loud enough I don’t mind.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Encephaloïd Disturbance – Fractal Syndrome

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

I don’t really tend to return to mixes over and over again – a few I have been enjoying recently are:

Laurent Ho – Hardcore III
DJ Hype – Ruf Stuff Vol. 3
Carl Crack – Lion MC
DJ Crud & Mother – Concrete Cabin Mix 1
King Addies Vs. Killamanjaro – Portmore, Jamaica, 1995

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

Danny Bushes, F17, or Kenny White.

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

There’s not too much difference between the two. I lucked out on and got a really cheap pair of 1210 Mk5s when I was 18 or so from a guy who was emigrating from the UK, along with a tank of a Behringer mixer. I used these with crappy computer speakers. Nowadays the turntables are still going strong but I’m using a Numark X5 mixer and Yamaha HS7 monitors.

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

Both are equally important.

What were the first and last records you bought?

I don’t recall exactly. Apparently my first Discogs purchase was for OBX – It’s All We Know (Trippin’ On Air), I think for the Positive Science Mix. I haven’t been buying too much in lockdown, but I picked up Loefah – Natural Charge / Crack Bong Remix a few weeks back.