The Occasional Feel-Good – The ‘Monday Is Ok’ Ransom Note Mix

 
Music

We all want to feel good but we have to accept that there wouldn't be a whole lot of fun in feeling good all the time. That's where the folks behind The Occasional Feel-Good come in as they're happy to provide you with all the enjoyment you need in your life in nice, healthy doses. So what exactly do they do? Well, here's an explanation in their very own words;

"The Occasional Feel-Good is a party in a Herne Hill railway arch. We play cosmic selections all night long to the nicest crowd around. The venue is a real gem, decked out with trippy visuals, hippy candles and glowing orbs. Details are sent to a private mailing list so there’s no Facebook spamming or other such noise. It’s a properly chill vibration."

Go on then, delve into the mix and read on as we chat to Will and Dan, the pair behind it all, about what they do and how they made these delightful sounds;

Who or what is The Occasional Feel-Good?

Will: The Occasional Feel-Good is a party in a Herne Hill railway arch. We play cosmic selections all night long to the nicest crowd around. The venue – Island Arts Studio – is a real gem, decked out with trippy visuals, hippy candles and glowing orbs. Details are sent to a private mailing list, so there’s no Facebook spamming or other such noise. Drop me an email to get added – leisureware at gmail dot com.

What should we be doing when listening to your music?

Daniel: Sitting somewhere on the Mediterranean, eating barbecued fish and drinking a very dry Provençal rosé.

If you made a cocktail based on your music, what would be in it?

Will: Feel-Good Punch already exists! It’s mixed in secret by the ladies of Island Arts Studio. Rum most definitely plays a part…

You’re from South London, how has that influenced your music?

Daniel: Travelling back south late at night can be such a faff that we’ve developed great patience and sagacity to navigate home, which is of course reflected in our DJing.

What are you listening to at the moment?

Will: I’m really digging the stuff on Analogue Attic, this Aussie label that puts out lovely, atmospheric techno. Rings Around Saturn did their second release and it’s totally nuts.

If your music was a theme park ride, what would you call it?

Daniel: M.A.D. – Mutually Assured Destruction.

Is there a favourite place in the world you like DJing?

Will: Island Arts Studio hands down. I fantasised about my perfect venue for ages, then found it nestled around the corner from my house! It’s the ideal hideout, with a cheap bar and a curvy ceiling.

What do you and your group of friends do of an evening?

Daniel: Sit in Barney's car eating packets of mustard.

Is there a specific artist you’d like to collaborate with?

Will: Ever since Tapes tweeted his ‘shameless self promotion poster’ I’ve been wanting to get him down to play. He makes excellent fucked up digital reggae music. One of his tracks is in the mix.

 

 

Onto the mix…

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

Will: Carnival pre-drinks, a suburban BBQ, or an ocean liner gradually sinking into the azure waters of the Caribbean.

And what should we be wearing?

Daniel: Your birthday suits.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix in?

Will: Beside a Modernist infinity pool in the sunshine, but I’m not going in the pool because I don’t like getting wet.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Daniel: The second track in, the one that sounds like it’s being played on a melting tape player that is underwater and all the little sea creatures are crowded round having a bean feast. I don't know what it is, it's Will's track.

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

Will: That would probably be Sarcastic Study Masters Vol. 2, DJ Harvey’s magnum opus. You hear something new and strange with every listen. I snapped up the reissue back in 2013, but the first copy I got was just a blank CDR!

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

Daniel: DJ Alfredo. None of my selections could match his, so I would just let him do all the work while I took advantage of the rider.

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

Will: The latter, mainly because it’s usually the only one I can remember. We’ve had some real ceiling slappers bring it home at The Occasional Feel-Good, mainly cheesy bits like the Talking Heads or Pavarotti.

What were the first and last records you bought?

Daniel: First single I bought was Still D.R.E. I also bought my first can of deodorant that day and so thought I was a total baller, I would have been around 10. Last thing I bought was a CD with lots of Islamic prayer recordings, I have no idea what they are saying but I like listening to it.

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

Will: The melted bit at the bottom of a Calippo.

If it was an animal what would it be?

Daniel: An octopus.

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

Will: Funky Like A Train by The Equals starts with this weird synthesised steam engine noise. I love it, but it makes everyone dancing feel really awkward.

What’s coming up for The Occasional Feel-Good?

Daniel: A rapid and aggressive round of takeovers, followed by new product launches and a public offering in the new year. Expect some honestly named Viagra (‘Occasional Feel-Wood’) and a self-help book for nightclub gropers (‘Occasional Feel? Bad!’). Oh, and of course our next party on Friday 28th August!


The next outing for The Occasional Feel-Good is on Friday 28th August at Island Arts Studio, email Will and he’ll add you to the mailing list – leisureware at gmail dot com.