BBC Radio 1 DJ and chief global EDM tastemaker Pete Tong's All Gone: Miami compilation series has become a definite staple of WMC and Miami Music Week. The double-disc mix album, with a disc each mixed by Tong and a guest artist, serves as a yearly snapshot of the international EDM Zeitgeist.
The series tends to focus on house and techno, though, which is why there were a few raised eyebrows when Tong bestowed co-mixing duties for All Gone: Miami 2013 on U.K. dubstep pioneer Skream, AKA Oliver Jones.
If you've been following Skream's career over the past year, however, you might find that he's actually a pretty fitting candidate for the job. After all, he hasn't actually produced dubstep in a while, having gone back to his house and techno roots instead.
"It's a case of being uninspired by a music I've been making for the last ten years," Jones tells Crossfade about his stylistic departure from dubstep. "I realized I'd had writer's block for about 18 months, which isn't a good sign. People who know me well know I've been into house for years, and it's only been over the last couple I feel I've been able to play it out."
Maybe all it took for Skream to feel confident about playing house music in full force again was a certain Mr. Pete Tong coaxing it out of him.
"Pete approached me to remix Infinity Ink's 'Infinity,' and I delivered three versions," says Jones. "And then the following message I got was 'How would you feel about mixing a house compilation?' My reply was, 'I'd love to!"
You can take the producer out of bass music, but you can't take bass music out of the producer, apparently, which is why Skream's style is still very heavy on the low end.
And that is precisely the sound of the international EDM Zeitgeist in 2013: post-dubstep house and techno infused with heavy bass. The sound of hotly tipped artists like Justin Martin, Dusky, Midland, and Duke Dumont, all of whom have tracks featured on Skream's mix for All Gone: Miami 2013.
"The mix is a snapshot of where I'm at, at the moment," he explains. "Bass-heavy tracks filled with energy and a hint of disco groove!"
Pick up your copy of All Gone: Miami 2013 on Defected Records, out this week. And don't miss Skream's Miami appearances this week at All Gone Pete Tong Miami, Hard Miami, and Get Lost Miami.
