Dj Tlr: The Ransom Note ‘Jungle Screw’ Mix

 
Music

This mix was originally sent to us titled 'Hello Darkness'. It runs a course along such a theme. Dj TLR is a bit of an enigma behind the scenes as far as the world of Creme Organization goes. In recent months we have had the pleasure of chatting to Jeroen who offered us an insight into the early days the hague and beyond which you can read HERE. In all honesty we were thrilled when he offered to deliver us a mix, the result is pretty special too as he delves through depths of early jungle and hardcore, with a twist. Listen and read the interview below: 


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

Bustin out the existential guns I see. On the surface, my name is Jeroen, I am currently somewhere on the south end of Central Europe, and like you I am a fairly standard issue male Homo Sapiens.

When were you first introduced to jungle music? 

Mid 1990’s, when it was peaking, or maybe slightly on the tail-end of 1995 through some tapes a friend brought from London. It all sounded very alien to me but I instantly connected with it and started digging it out. It was kindof a dry time for me musically in the early nineties.. All the stuff I was into had run it’s course or I couldn’t really relate to it. Looking back I was more than ready for something new. It sounded like a combination of the rawness of late 80’s hip hop, early electronic Ragga and Reggae and the speed and intensity of Hardcore Punk. And ow yeah, it was polyrhythmic.. wtf.. I was like a pig in shit especially since it was happening right now and I could jump right into it.

Who would you say you look up to from a musical perspective?

So many people, there’s so much great music that has been absolutely life changing and so many lifelines.. it doesn’t seem fair to name a few, music has always been essential in my life and I look up to everyone that can dedicate his or her life to it. But ok, enough prancing around the hot sauce, some of the people that have been really important are Guy from Bunker, Serge from Clone, Danny Legowelt, I-F and Intergalactic FM.. Crass, Black Flag….No way I’d be doing what I am doing today without their help, influence, (mis)guidance and groundwork. These days I am kinda in awe of Ron from Lies, Will from TTT, Willie Burns… there are countless others. But they’re all people that inspire me and make me wanna push myself.

Where did the name Creme Organization come from?

From an executive meeting in the Bunker basement way back when. I only remember a Swastika made of Cheese embedded in a Salami Sausage that Guy was parading around his bedroom at the time.. A crafty present from a German (duh) friend that he kept in his freezer. Legowelt was there as well and seeing who good he is with names he probably coined it, or at least part of it. And it stuck. The Organization (yes with an exotic Z) was added for extra weight. 

What are your future plans for the label?

They’re alway the same. Keep it alive for as long as I can, release some shit I can get behind and try not to alienate too many people along the way on account of my chaotic way of doing things.

Where was the mix recorded?

At home, in one take.

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

Mine or yours? 

What should we be wearing?

Something different every night

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

I like it to be in the dark, at night, alone and slightly fucked up, but not too much. The witching hour is when Hugginn and Mugginn whisper the loudest and on an even more pretentious note, darkness and music are what connects us to infinity, a concept we will never fully grasp or explain or calculate but intuitively we understand. Everything is connected and all is movement. The darkness just helps to filter out the distractions but the music is to my mind the closest approximation to how things really work; as a (sometimes) harmonic resonance that has the power to call matter into being. I’ll never be able to prove it ofcourse, but I think it’s the closest we can ever come to being truly free from and truly one with everything at the same time. It’s the sound of the cosmic dust we’re made of. Our mind is a room with no walls, separation is an illusion, you just have to.. let… go….. In typical fashion this was recorded in the early morning with the sun coming in and the neighbors fighting, so there you go, Harold and Kumar have spoken.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

The one with the breakbeats.

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

Holy shit that’s a really tough one.. the ones I played the most were some Ellis Dee & DJ Hype mix back in the day and a few Farley Jackmaster Funk ones and some other old Chi stuff. There’s a fast Eddie that I played the hell out of, early Armando.. 

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

I’d be too intimidated to go back with some of those guys like ye olde tyme Farley, and it’s not really my thing in general all this back to back stuff.. I’d be happy enough to be in the audience and watch them play.

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

I had two knock off Technics clones with belt drive and a mixer that said “professional” on it, shabby but it forced me to pay attention.. when I could afford I got one technics, later another. I still have both, and now added are two more Technics (just for show, but if you can grab a cheap pair never hesitate) and 2 CDJs that I donated a kidney for. I still use a Rane TTM mixer that I bought over 10 years ago on a US tour. And oh yeah I also have a Serato somewhere.

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

Probably the first one, the rest kinda dictates itself, including the ending which is usually when I can’t think of a follow up or get bored and wanna do something else

What were the first and last records you bought?

The first one was Queen – Jazz when I was about 7 and the last one was probably a Legendary Pinkdots record that I got because I really like that song Casting The Runes. Such a great title too, I wish I thought of it..

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

Fresh figs on a summer’s day

If it were an animal what would it be?

Something with wings, but not a dragon for fucks sake.. something fuzzy with wings, a big fat bumblebee drunk on the scent of lemonade.

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

Nothing is impossible except sitting on your own lap. Maybe it was Confucius that said that, but could’ve been my grandma. I think every record is easy to mix, just depends on the other record eh đŸ™‚

Upcoming in the world of… 

Politics, fashion and professional sports… same shit, different day.


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