Episode 84: The Feel Sessions 084: Seoul Searching (1996 Flashback Remastered)

1996, The progressive house movement was exploding, evolving into something even bigger, inspiring dance floors and listeners around the world.  These were styles I fully embraced.That February, Utopia started on the Las Vegas Strip.  A month later, I became the full time main room resident DJ, starting an incredible 5 year journey through legendary music and a lifetime of unforgettable memories.Not long before, Joe Cancino, aka, DJ Grover, told me about a new record pool called Balance.  Soon after his endorsement, I was added to this select roster of only 40 hand picked DJs in North America.  We received exclusive promos and test pressings from underground dance and electronic labels throughout the UK, Europe, America, and Australia.Balance was everything…Hooj Choons, Perfecto, Bedrock, Baroque, Distinctive, Hope, Hook, Renaissance, Vapor, Glow, XVX, and countless other labels pushing boundaries and showcasing sonic artistry.At the same time, I was reporting a weekly chart to Billboard Magazine, one of only 100 DJs in North America, whose charts were compiled into the weekly Dance Club Songs chart.With those two prestigious positions, and memberships in a few other great record pools, vinyl records were delivered to my doorstep every single day - for years!  On top of that, I was buying and collecting music like mad - a faithful vinyl junkie.   This gave me incredible access to the freshest new music, before it even hit shelves, and the means to share it, not only with the Las Vegas scene, but around the globe with my mix tapes and radio shows, both online and terrestrial.Then came a mix tape that changed everything - Seoul Searching.A nod to the city of my birth, and a play on words that captured my inner journey as much as the sound.Although I had been producing mix tapes by the hundreds… giving them away, and mailing them to record stores nationwide, this one was pivotal, as it led to my very first out of state booking.  The promoter, Ryan Rushing, flew me out to headline a modest underground party at The Root in Boulder Colorado.  Along with my growing notoriety with Utopia, that gig grew my career by leaps and bounds, and I began playing in Colorado several times a year, and soon, I was getting booked all over the US and Canada.As I remastered this mix, I was transported to a place and time where the music was fresh and exhilarating, beautiful and intense, epic yet pensive.Reflecting on my life’s journey through the lens of a DJ, it’s filled with amazing moments, and just as many challenges, losses, and lessons along the way.  Moments that can’t be conveyed in words or images… you just have to listen to these sonic vignettes… and feel them.  This was my form of expression, communicating joy, and sharing love.After all, music is one of the strongest uniting forces in the universe.  It transcends borders, cultures, and language…It dissolves boundaries, inspires connection, and has the power to heal.Music speaks directly to the soul.Opening with “Are You Out There” by Crescendo on Full Frequency Range Recordings, this is Seoul Searching.•••••So, as I say farewell to my record collection this weekend, I just wanted to thank everyone for all the years of love and support.  I hope you enjoyed this journey through space and time, and found some joy and inspiration… now pass it on.