SoundCloud Society #1

We’ve all been guilty of choosing our music on autopilot, but instead of the same tired playlist for the 10th time in a row, the right mix can work wonders whatever you’re up to. The Tab presents the ultimate mixes for all that Cambridge can throw at you.

Working

Inevitably, this is the activity for which we all need a bit of musical stimulation. The best mixes can get you into that fabled ‘zone’ of maximum productivity that always seems to be elusive to most of us. If you’ve got Engineering Tripos questions to crunch, or a particularly fat problem sheet, some high-energy garage and bassline from DJ Q is ideal – beats to get your neurones firing for days.

For wishy-washy humanities students, a different approach might be needed – something more meandering and spacey, to aid poem decoding and argument shaping. Jon Hopkins’ 2-hour mix runs from electronica to jazz and back via pretty much everything but is always unobtrusive enough to aid that essay grind.

Pre-ing

Those Cindies VKs and Life J-bombs aren’t cheap – a good pre is often the difference between a fantastic night and an expensive tragedy. A bit of sunny dancehall and bashment is guaranteed to get you pumped whatever horrors the Lent weather holds, so have a listen to this hour of non-stop dutty goodness from London-based sound system The Heatwave.

Partying

If you’re too lazy/broke to go out, a house party is the usual alternative. But rather than finding a half-arsed Top 40 playlist on Spotify, reach for this stellar mix from house legend and all-round don Frankie Knuckles. Guaranteed to have the room popping ’til the porters come knocking.

Trying to be cool

If you’ve made it to Cambridge, chances are you already stand out from the crowd. Though, unfortunately, it always seems as if there’s someone better dressed or more in-the-know than you just a smoking area away. Blast out this experimental electronica from cutting edge producer Mumdance however and no-one will be able to touch you. Legend has it if you make it through all two hours, the gods of Turf, Junction and Arcsoc will materialise before you, and pay homage to their new edgy overlord.

Long moody walks

Cambridge is a small city, especially if everywhere you have to go is clustered around the town centre. But occasionally you might be faced with a long walk – back from your mate at Girton who was desperate for contact from the outside world, or even just when the bubble becomes a bit too much. For those times, old-school dubstep will sort you out – not the wub-wubs of Skrillex and friends, but the mournful, rumbling rhythms of a scene icon like Youngsta, which add much-needed mystery to a cold, dark walk across town.

Fire up your headphones and speakers and enjoy – hold tight for the next instalment, where we give the life of a Cantab even more note-perfect musical backing.