Apple B: The ‘Shine A Light On’ Mix

Music

Lisbon’s Apple B brings a touch of magic to his musical pursuits.

The DJ, label boss and self-proclaimed wizard set up camp in the Portuguese capital a few years ago and has since made major moves with his Magic Carpet imprint.

Run with his old friend Hazr, the label has become a space for cosmic electronic sounds from artists like Ramu, Planar Traits and Baby Rollen, and more recently they’ve set up a mix series alongside it which boasts mixes from Patrisha, Mother Earth and Giulia Pezzulo.

Alongside his fellow Magic Carpet crew he’s also masterminded a new intimate festival called Beginnings on Portuguese soil. The first two events took place in Evora over the summer with a third in the pipeline next year. A small crowd, great sound system and a ton of dancing. What more could you want?

He’s at the controls for this week’s Shine A Light On mix, navigating everything from pumping house and acid to electro and breaks over a two hour trip. Don your wizard hat and get your magic carpet at the ready…

Ransom Note · Apple B: The ‘Shine A Light On’ Mix

Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you and what are you?

Yoooooo I’m Sam, aspiring wizard and planet earth resident. I grew up in the UK but I’m firmly settled in sunny Lisbon now after a few years moving around. Gotta get that Vitamin D! I copilot the label Magic Carpet with my old friend Hazr, and a mini festival in Portugal called Beginnings.

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

Where was the mix recorded?

In the jungle of my living room, between the vines and the giant ferns.

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

Half a gary when you press play, then saddle up the nearest albatross.

What should we be wearing?

Take it off, take it all off… Apart from the socks. You should keep those on.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

At home! Recording a studio mix is always a bit of a journey – especially if you’re just playing records. Sometimes you nail it in one take (happened to me once!) but comfort is key I think.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

I absolutely rinsed OTTAHEKO2 over the summer. Squelchy bangers!!!

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

I’m a massive Djrum fanboy. His mixes are an education.

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

God. Or maybe Mike Millrain. Basically the same thing. I’d definitely embarrass myself though because I’m a very mediocre garage DJ.

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

I started out DJing savage jump-up dnb as a teenager, mixing the same six records over and over on these plastic, belt-driven Numark turntables, using a guitar amp for a speaker 🙈 Shout out to my family who suffered for years!!

These days it’s still pretty simple, 1210s plus a 2-channel Allen & Heath with Yamaha HS8s to monitor. And a pair of floorstanding B&W DM604 S3s with a Linn amp for the latin and jazz collections.

For a while I was using a 3600W soundsystem that we shipped over from the UK as a bed… but that lives on the Beginnings festival site now 😂

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

What were the first and last records you bought?

First: Timewarp by Sub Focus (wow… 😬). Last: Nathaniel Cross – The Description Is Not The Described.

And Christmas came early today because a big old stack of new/forthcoming bits arrived from our distributor Subwax, for a mix on their series.

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

This mix is for external use only.

If it was an animal what would it be?

A bumblebee on acid having a wonderful, wonderful time.

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

Nothing is impossible! It’s just tough finding the right combinations sometimes. I’ve got a bunch of old ~140/150bpm hardcore jungle/breaks that are waiting for their time to shine though. Oh yeah, and Carmen – ‘Time To Move’. Can’t mix it.

Upcoming in the world of Apple B

There’s another four records in the Magic Carpet pipeline, including a 90s repress which we’re pretty excited about. When this mix airs we’ll have just done our first label night at Lux too – on my birthday of all days – so that will be fun!