Few Word Do Trick - Seamless Transition DJ Mix

Many of you know of Kevin Malone, an optimistic, blunt and clumsy character in the wildly acclaimed TV show The Office. While he is known for his inadequate conversation abilities, he turns out to be one of the most relatable characters in the show.

This DJ Mix is partly based on the episode in which Kevin says, “Me think: why waste time, say lot word, when few word do trick.” The tracks played in this mix are not lyrically based. Most of the focus in the songwriters approach was the percussion, harmonies and melody. But there is another element to this mix: seamless transitions.

In my personal opinion, some of the most incredible DJs are those that can transition between songs while no one in the audience can notice at which time one track ended and the next began. It’s not easy to accomplish a seamless transition, but it is possible. Caribou has performed live DJ sets with seamless transitions many times. At a certain time during a set he performed at U Street Music Hall many years ago, the audience started cheering and applauding his skills on the DJ board. His mix of tracks was positive and uplifting, and the craziest part about it was that no one could tell when he was transitioning between tracks.

DJing is an interesting craft because it requires knowledge of a scientific and an artistic approach to transitioning between two songs/tracks. Song selection and reading the audience are paramount to becoming a successful DJ. There is a bit of psychology in the art of DJing too, because you have to create a shared mood in a room. All in all, this is why I love spinning and learning the art of transitioning seamlessly between tracks.

In a way, this set is a kind of experimentation. Developing the techniques you need to transition seamlessly between two tracks is like learning any other skill. It takes practice and repetition, trying new things, bringing down the bass on one track slowly or quickly at the right time, fading in or out or immediately starting the next track. A lot of factors are at play, and here is my first attempt at seamless transitions. This mix is 45 minutes long and uses tracks produced by Leon Vynehall, Kobana, Detroit Swindle, CLASSIXX and more.

This DJ Mix is also posted on Mixcloud. Here's the link: https://www.mixcloud.com/seamusmckenna/few-word-do-trick/