The fifth instalment of the mix series known at the 64 bar challenge comes out in March, and it’s set to be the biggest of the lot with over 30 tracks likely to be spread over a double album.
It’s testament to the popularity of the idea that has grown from a 15 track, 38 minute mix to this beast, with twice as many producers now on board.
With the submission deadline on Jan 31st looming, the exact amount of tracks is still TBC.
“Most people leave it until the last minute, so I’ll get a flood of tracks in the final days, says Kovas, the man who has been guilty of pulling this project together.
“After putting together the last mix, I thought I might knock it on the head.
“Why? Well it was just becoming all a bit too much like work. I was having to do the production, arrange the art, sort out the promotion etc etc, and it wasn’t really why I set it up.
“But people wanted to do it, and it was one of those things where if I wasn’t doing it, I guess I’d be wondering what to do with myself.
Last time around, the mix came in at 128bpm, and had over 500 plays in the first week, something Kovas described as a “triumph”. . It was featured on a bunch of blogs and for the first time, the project was exposed the wider world with a few radio stations taking note.
“Yes, that was satisfying in fairness,” said Kovas. “DJ Twit and myself spent a couple of weeks batting bits back and fourth until we were both happy with the flow of the mix, you’d think it would be easy.. what with all the tracks coming in at the same tempo. But oh no, its actually really tricky to get one coherent flow out of some many bump n grinds, so that’s what made it so pleasing when we pulled it off.
This time around and the tempo has dipped down to 98bpm, perfect for beat juggling monster DJ Killer Tomato, who will collaborate with Kovas on the mix.
“Yep, KT’s a good mate of mine down here in Cardiff so it was an easy sell.”
And with Killer Tomato now able to cite being a multiple UK DMC finalist and Red Bull finalist on his CV, he’s not necessarily the easiest man to get on to a project
Tom said: “Sure I was real keen to get on board with this as the concept is great and I was really impressed with the standard of the tunes on the previous mixes, plus it sounds like a giggle.”
So, after that love in from the DJ’s this latest one had better be good.
Here’s a preview track from 64 bar newbie Andy Digitonal so you can sample the niceness:
64barmusic 