Damian Lazurus‘ Crosstown Rebels welcomes in the new decade with the third installment of the label’s much-loved Spirits compilation.
Set for worldwide release on January 24, Spirits III is an all-star 12-track compendium of exclusives forged by dance floor titans such as Martin Buttrich, Denney & James Dexter, Harry Romero and Eli & Fur. Their offerings have been in heavy rotation in Mr. Lazurus’ sets for the better part of the past year.
Prolific Barcelona-based DJ/producer Piem appears prominently, contributing the fiery “Freak Out” – a kinetic, tribal-infused tech-house soaker – to the Spirits III collection.
Ahead of the comp’s release, we connected with the Spanish sensation, who has released on labels such as Relief, Mother Recordings and Superfett, and asked him to share his five tracks of the moment.
1. Rogue D & Memoryman (AKA Uovo) – Late Night
I’ve followed Rogue D for a couple of years now, and he still surprises me. This is the kind of track that’s versatile enough for you to play during your set to mix it up, give the crowd a minute or make a transition. It’s a cool one.
2. Dennis Cruz, Yamil – Beautiful Trip (Piem Remix)
I’ve loved working on this one. The track is by my good friends Dennis and Yamil, and it was a pleasure to remix. It’s one of the remixes I’ve made this year for the legendary NYC record label, King Street. It’s great for my warm-ups with its tech-house and tribal vibe.
3. Melé – Scouse Afrika
If there’s a track I’m confident with putting in every one of my sets, it’s this one. The sound and energy is great throughout the track, and it’s one of those bests that put everyone in good spirits.
4. Demuir – Werq. Feel. Gruv. Vogue.
Demuir has been releasing some pure gems this past year. This was released a few days ago and honestly, I can’t wait to play it in my next few gigs.
5. Groove Armada – JB and the Drive
I like to surprise people and put in something different when I play. This is a good example of a track that’s good for this. The clever break keeps people going, and the drop then turns it up a notch making them go crazy. I’ve been playing this one since it was released, and it will be staying on my playlist for time to come.