MDC.309 Baby Leo

A much loved figure within the American underground scene, California's Baby Leo has been consciously connecting body and mind from coast to coast, finding space for the unpredictable and the awe inspiring, hypnotising dancefloors with wildly eclectic DJ sets filled with energising twists and turns. An innovator and sonic boundary pusher at his core, the Dripping festival Leo runs alongside Relaxer is a deep underground oasis in the woods of Sparta, New Jersey, and returns for it's third mind excursion this June, with Leo and DJ Plead combining this year for a hotly anticipated back to back. @djbabyleo Q. The mix is truly a wild ride! What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this, and what listening environments could you imagine it being enjoyed in? A. This is the deepcast right? For this one, we’re going deeper than what I might usually do in a club. Some of these tracks came to me while laying blindfolded on the floor during guided high-dose mushroom journeys. Because this is a space of complete emotional surrender, many of these tracks became permanently embedded in my heart. Awe, fear, reverence, gratitude are all part of the recipe. The ideal listening environment is similar to how you might want to watch a movie - cozy, undistracted, and fully immersed in sound. Perhaps by yourself and hopefully something to return to and discover something new. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. I think Untitled (How Does it Feel) by D’Angelo is my favorite song of all time. It feels amazing every time. The way energy builds and boils over is unmatched. I played it backwards. Q. Your festival Dripping returns to the majestic woods of Sparta, NJ for its third year running in June, and I see you’ve got a special extended b2b set with DJ Plead planned which should be quite the mind-bend! How have you been preparing for that one, and what things might you guys be doing differently this year that you’re excited about? A. Preparation hasn’t really begun in any serious way, but we are both anticipating and very excited to play together. Especially at Dripping, I’m typically trying to push the energy forward for a fully explosive impact. I will usually do a lot of preparation for a set like this and plan certain sequences. In contrast, I’ve seen Plead play sets with incredible restraint, patiently working a crowd into complete hypnosis. I guess the thing about a back to back set is that it will take on a life of its own and just go where it needs to go. There will be less planning for this and more intuition, but mind-bending and heart-opening is certainly the goal and we haven’t discussed anything other than that. Tracklist: Avartuva nake - Esa Kotilainen La Symphonie - Cute Heels Marka - Carmen Villain Portamento - Stine Janvin Flusso I - Donato Dozzy Winded - 7038634357 O Berimbao - Nana Vasconcelos Polar Sun - Feral Temples - Anunaku Doubles - Untold Drop it On The One - Untold Wormhole Chant - Vector Trancer Through The Cobalt Desert - Marco Shuttle A Touch Of - Piezo Andnowawordfromoursponsors - Kabeaushe Shimming - Yor Kultura Untitled (How Does it Feel) - D’Angelo Hamburger Lady (Carter Tutti remix) - Throbbing Gristle Guboo - Lights in a Fat City