Essential Zo: How Mat Zo Got It All Right

In the small amount of years that I have been following around Mat Zo, I've already been surprised more than I could possible imagine. Where made a huge impact on me during my enlightened year of 2011, and actually became my number one although I have only heard from him for a year, his 2012 felt somewhat off. I don't know the exact reason, but although his superb Bipolar EP release, something felt amiss. When his album got announced, I surprisingly found myself indifferent to it all. I believe the fact that his recent direction have been a little of a no for me. Where "The Sky" is still a track I can't wrap my head around, "Easy" is simply a track I don't think fits in the image of Zo that I have been having. Where "The Sky" again did something unique, "Easy" just felt like a wrong attempt at a major hit. After hearing the original version instead of the Porter Robinson collab, I can sort of see how that happened. But still. My thrill was gone.

Was, because his Essential Mix effort changed it all for me. A year ago, I wrote about the misuse and misconception I believe can be found in the nowadays mixscene. All too often, even a gloririous oppertunity like a feature in the famous Essential Mix from BBC is wasted by likes of..well way too many. When word got out Mat was going to get in the spotlights, I was already fearing the worst. Judging from his latest sets, I was expecting nothing more than some cheeky house mashups. But from the very first tone, I was proven wrong. It was unbelievable, and an example to all the other essential mixers to come. He took a wopping 70 track setlist and made it work brilliantly. The genres are all over the place, yet the tempo and mixing is inch perfect. He actually seemed to know that this essential mix is a showcase of everything you are as a dj. Mat shows to be as versatile as his music suggest, featuring with tracks from the past and from the now (and even a few Anjuna ID's from the future!). I very much like that, as most artist seem to be completely unaware of what's happening outside their range of production. With this, mat again shows how far away he stands from the gazillion of producers out there.

After listening to it again at full force yesterday night, I'm happy to conclude that Mat Zo has completely revamped my interest in him and that I'm really stoked for the album, as his ID's sounded great as well!

Bottomline: I once took the comparison of the Daft boys with Mat, and this mix shows me I can still stand behind that statement with proud feet. Very, and I mean very interested to his 2013 moves!