Mixed Feelings | Wes

A special guest-mix series where DJs are invited to create a soundtrack for tomorrow's days. Next up: Rotterdam-based DJ, archivist and promoter Wes.

Wes is passionate about sharing the music that moves and comforts him. The warmth and curiosity that exude from his personality are evident in his selections. Though his tastes and interests traverse many genres and styles – from disco and percussive house to Cape Verdean funaná and Brazilian samba –, soulful is the common denominator in all of his sets.

Every Mixed Feelings podcast is accompanied by a few questions that provide a little insight into the DJ and the mix they've prepared for us and for you.

Which feelings do we find bottled in this mix?

This mix is how Christmas feels to me. There's feelings of serenity, warmth, hope, a little bit of nostalgia and some melancholy in there as well.

What message does the music you play convey?

The time around Christmas always brings me a certain feeling, a mix of the feelings described above, and I've always found it interesting to find music that embodies that feeling. And I often find it's not even actual Christmas music.

I hope the music in this mix can bring you rest and warmth these days, some room for introspection and reflection, and some hope for future days to come.

How is the mix reflecting your current music taste?

In wintertime I always drift towards jazz, ambient, folk, and sometimes more orchestral sounds, as you can hear in this mix. Introspective music. At the same time, I tend to dive deeper into raw club sounds during colder days too. Detroit techno, house and acid. Introspective music on a different level and not something you'll hear in this mix.

Who should release a new album/EP already?

He has left us this year unfortunately, but I heard there's a posthumous D'Angelo album coming. 

What's magical about music?

So many things. And too many things to name here, but the first things that come to mind are:

- How it conveys feelings and emotions, even without using words. Like Sun Ra said, it's a universal language.

- The timelessness of it. Music that was recorded 60 years ago, still sounds the same today, and will sound the same 60 years later. It's like little time capsules made by musicians. Lately I've come to see music more and more like messages from the past to future generations. Messages from the past that still resonate today.

What is your main source for finding new music?

Record stores, friends, and online platforms like bandcamp and discogs.

If the mix would be a soundtrack, what (kind of) movie/video/audio-visual content would support it best?

I'd say it could be a nice soundtrack for your Christmas days, whether during dinner with your family, a nice winter stroll in nature, or for a moment alone on a candlelit evening. Hope you'll enjoy. 

Music is the comforter. Love to the world. May next year bring you growth. 

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