It’s time for year end wrap ups so from now to new years I’ll be posting my best of year thoughts.

Jokers Of The Scene, probably my single favorite act of 2009, are two dudes from Ottowa Canada. They showed up strong in 2007 and throughout Y28 they kept it coming solidly. I first gave their NLLR Dj mix a listen when it came out in the spring, and I have to admit that at first I didn’t really get it. Their style seemed a bit to housey, a bit too normal even. But don’t be deceived! JOTS are artists. They are pushing the boundaries and toying with what sounds represent. Their tracks keep getting longer, more structural, their sounds more nuanced. Traces of Baile Funk, Bmore, Dubstep and old-school Rave keep showing up in unexpected places. Probably the best example of all this is the mammoth “Baggy Bottom Boys”. Fighting for the top track of the year in my mind, it’s got easily the biggest buildup of the year complete with fake-crowd noise and a piano stab that fills even the most gruff raver with a sense of hope. Here it is, one of my favorite tracks of the year!

Jokers Of The Scene – Baggy Bottom Boys.mp3 (direct link)

And here’s another one of their mixes that’s super freakin awesome:

Jokers of the Scene mix for MISHKA – Keep Watch Vol.1.mp3