Best of ccMixter 2020: Spin's Picks

 

2020 is behind us.  As I listened to the uploads that came in this year I was blown away by the depth and intensity of music and how it directly correlated with the eye widening drama of our humanity in crisis.  These songs, cc remixes, are collaborations that come from across the globe and that resonate with Climate Change, COVID-19, Racism, and Political Corruption.  They speak personally of love and hope and loss.  They are a slice of what we lived through and will never forget.

I've tried to order these 100+ tracks in a way that flows as a listening experience, grouping the songs in genres or in ways that thematically made sense.  I hope these songs serve as a way to dig deeper into the ccMixter archive, or to introduce you to artists whose catalogs are deep with other mixes to discover.

Always free to listen, to download, and to share non-commercially under Creative Commons license with proper attribution, these tracks are a curated slice of ccMixter has to offer.  I encourage you to "dig" in and create your own.

Yes! 2020 is over, but the issues raised are still with us as we move into the future.  Let's make 2021 a year of healing, awareness and renewal.  Let's hold on the humanity we rediscovered and let go of what we no longer need.  Let's stay connected. 

If Jaco Pastorius was right, and Music is the only thing keeping the world together, than ccMixter is playing an integral role in creating that sonic glue.  Keep the remixes flowing y'all!

Happy New Year!

-Jason aka Spinningmerkaba

Listen to the Playlist Here 

Come Together Secret Mixter

 

“People who make music together cannot be enemies, at least while the music lasts.” 

Paul Hindemith

Coming together during 2020 has taken on new meaning.  Virtual gatherings, social distancing, elbow bumps and Drive-In Concerts have become the cornerstones of connecting.  Here at ccMixter, we've been connecting through music online for over a decade, coming together to share stems, pells, and remixes in cyberspace.  

Our world has changed forever and revealed what is at the core of our humanity.  We are all in this together, and together we will find a new way to remain connected.

Scomber, one of our most active artists, had this to say about the event:  

"I was really pleased to see this Secret Mixter’s theme of “Come Together” because this is what ccMixter is really all about and I’m sure we all really need this now.  No matter where you are in the world, ccMixter allows us to share something intimate with a person you have never met thousands of miles away and get a great insight into another artist’s inner creative world."

We all have a singular gift to give that resonates with the whole.  That is what is at the heart of this Secret Mixter.  Thirty six participants coming together to create a collection of music that is unique and speaks to the time.  

We hope you enjoy these remixes as much as we do.  The spark of creation is alive an well.  It's what keeps us coming back together again and again.  

Explore, Listen, and Share "Come Together"  Here

Santa In A Snow Globe: ccMixter Playlist

 

It's the time of the year, and this year Santa is in a Snow Globe.  Enjoy these ccMixter seasonal classics from the safety of sheltering at home, knowing all the while that the mixter elves are hard at work creating new music under the Starry Night.

From all of us at Ccmixter, we send health, hope and holiday cheer!

Best Wishes,

CcMixter

CC Global Summit Launches Rebirth of the FMA

I attended the Creative Commons Global Summit this year in my PJ's from the comfort of my Southern California living room and enjoyed every minute. Granted, I had to wake up at 6 in the morning since the Summit was held half way across the globe, but I'm not complaining. With a warm cup of coffee, I took the opportunity to check the pulse #ccmusic, which was especially interesting since the Tribe of Noise relaunched parts of the new Free Music Archive during the summit.  

Yes, the Free Music Archive is back and it's being funded in part by a grant from Grant for the Web, an organization that is interested in funding projects working in the open web space. Quick reminder here, the FMA was acquired by Tribe of Noise last year and they basically put it on ice while they worked on a plan to keep it alive. Until now, we've all been sort of holding our breath to see what would happen to one of #ccmusic's strongest outposts. So, I poured myself another cup of strong coffee, sat back, and watched Hessel Von Gorshot, Meghan Lacle, and Christopher Lawrence guide us into the future of the FMA, the future of music, and how it's tied to fluid data/cash flow.

I'm not going to go too deep into the details here, because you can find out more on the FMA's twitter page. I will say, however, that I was excited by the news and what it might mean for Creative Commons music in the near future. Most of us in this space are familiar with The Long Tail by Chris Anderson and what his work predicted. Well, it seems like we're are fast approaching "music like water" where transactions are fluid and ubiquitous.

In a glass is half full world, this means we'll able to keep the data servers running, offering free music in the #ccmusic cultural domain without ads, without gatekeepers, and without selling out.  

Imaging a world where this is possible is exciting and I loved every minute of it. ccMixter is the place where we not only imagine it, we remix it!    

Thanks CC and everyone who made the summit possible. I think I can speak for all on our team and say, we look forward to participating in the rebirth of the FMA.

Stay Inspired and Keep Creating!

Jason Brock

aka Spinningmerkaba

@jlbrock44

Time of Terror Remix Event

 

“I am all in a sea of wonders. I doubt; I fear; I think strange things, which I dare not confess to my own soul.”

― Bram Stoker, Dracula

The Time of Terror Remix Event is here, a haunted place where we create terrifying music to share the dark side of our collaborations.  We're drawn to the music that pulls at our curiosity for what hides in the shadows, and lurking in this playlist will be songs that chill you to the bone.

To find out more, knock three times on the castle door.

Or, now that the Time of Terror remix event has ended, you can listen explore all 57 submissions here.   

Looking for more terrifying music to use in your haunting productions?  Start by searching "halloween" at dig.ccmixter.org 

Letterz: Michael Burnz Single Uplifts with J Ross Parrelli and Mila Akilah

 

We’re proud to release Michael Burnz’s latest single “Letterz,” a hip-hop mix that is about the power of words and the messages they convey. Featuring J Ross Parrelli, Mila Akilah and beats from ccMixter producer The Concept Of Energy, this worldwide collaboration carries the message of love and empowerment. Though the track is not an upload to ccMixter, it carries the spirit of community, one that is at the core of Michael’s career.

Michael’s contributions to ccMixter show his love for music and collaboration, and “Letterz” is no exception. His consistent push to make music that connects artists and listeners across all platforms is inspiring. When we asked him about his new release this is what he shared with us.

“At its core “Letterz” is about the words we speak & their power to build or destroy. Words are made up of letters hence the title “Letterz.” Michael continued, “When we allow love and light to penetrate our innermost...then our souls, our cells and our words will be full of light down the very letters of those words.”

Born out of a sample pack Michael received from The Concept of Energy, “Letterz” quickly became a collaborative effort. Burnz connected with J Ross Parrelli, who has an extensive career of combining her music with uplifting community projects, and her contribution became the chorus line. After working on demos for the track, the two felt like it needed a shot of reggae, so they contacted Mila Akilah, a independent artist from Kingston Jamaica. She recorded her parts from her home in Jamaica and the track was complete. “Letterz” is truly a worldwide effort.

The message is one for the world as well. Love yourself and free yourself. We can all use as much of that as we can get these days.  

Letterz Links

Website .. www.MichaelBurnz.com

Youtube … Youtube.com/GetAtMic

Apple Music / Spotify/ Others Searchable by “ Michael Burnz”  

https://ccmixter.bandcamp.com/track/letterz-feat-j-ross-parrelli-mila-akilah

Instagram Links

Michael Burnz  https://www.instagram.com/faithmassive/

J Ross Parrelli https://www.instagram.com/jrossparrelli/

Mila Akilah https://www.instagram.com/mila.akilah/

Firefly Secret Mixter Lights Up ccMixter

 

With 35 mixes and 12 Editorial Picks uploaded, the Firefly Secret Mixter lit up our remix community with the sparkle and warmth of creativity and connection.  It continues to light up our social media with activity as more and more listeners discover the beauty of new music.

Like fireflies dancing in the sky, each upload flickered and glowed across the globe through the internet and into our speakers and headphones, sending signals that creative commons music is a magical experience for all.  Whatever the true nature of our connection, however diverse, it’s truly amazing to witness music that is alive lighting up the dark.

Listen to the mixes and find out for yourself.  Discover the wonder that we know as the Secret Mixter.

Playlist Here