SASHA: A mix legend shows his skills
When it comes to recording mixes, Sasha has some of the best credentials in dance music. In 2013 he released Invol<3r, a two-CD missive made up entirely of his own remixes, and the latest chapter in a story that dates back to 1994. That was the year Sasha and John Digweed, his long-time sparring partner, recorded The Renaissance Mix Collection, one of the first-ever fully mixed compilations. This wasn’t merely a format advancement, though: the mix is considered one of the greatest there is—although it had a rival in Northern Exposure, the double mix the pair delivered in 1996. During the ‘90s, through his mix CDs and club sets (both of which took on a mythical status) Sasha helped create the blueprint for progressive house, a style that favoured emotive synthesis, driving basslines and long, seamless mixing. He had an almost samurai-like approach to DJing, with an emphasis on technique and a studied attention to detail.
The core of Sasha’s MO is still in place. His productions and remixes are released at a considered pace, and his label, Last Night On Earth, is meticulously curated. We no longer refer to what Sasha plays and produces as progressive house, but he’s still fascinated with melody and the art of narration through music, something that’s clear on his RA podcast. It would be inaccurate to describe this as a home-listening session (there are plenty of robust beats here, after all) but he’s chosen tracks that feel song-like, with strong melodic lines and vocals drifting in and out of focus… the mix also features the sort of innovative little tricks that have kept Sasha at the top of his game for more than 20 years.
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