Django Django: My Mixtape

The London-based quartet have evolved their sound since their eponymous 2012 debut album, and arrive at our Royal Festival Hall having shapeshifted once again with their fifth album Off Planet. Bringing together notes of bluesy pop, Afro acid and piano rave the album represents the biggest, boldest and most varied statement the band have made to date.

Off Planet, which is out on Because Music on 16 June, was conceptualised by the band’s co-founder, drummer and producer David Maclean. And to help give us an insight into where the album came from, its influences and inspirations, Maclean has put together this special ten-track mixtape for us, which he himself breaks down below.

‘Shari Vari, A Number Of Names

We wanted to make a track that sounded like a post punk meets proto acid house record, that could have been played at the Music Box or the Loft back in the day and this track was in the forefront of my mind while making ‘Dumdrum’.

‘It’s A Cold World’, Frankie Knuckles

Tommy had this bouncing tom-drum track he made on a linn drum that sounded very like an old Trax record and when it came to adding the vocal, this was the track that lead the vibe on ‘A New Way Through’.

‘Pumpkin’, Tricky

We wanted to make a track with Portuguese singer Bernardo, and when Vinny and her sang together on ‘Who You Know’ I was reminded of Tricky’s seminal Maxinquaye album and this song in particular.

‘Revenge of the Black Regent’, Add N to (X)

I’d made the instrumental for the track ‘Fluxus’ in lockdown and I was trying to channel a bit of Add N to (X) in the energy. I saw them live a few times and this album, Avant Hard was a favourite at art college.

‘Can’t Stay With You Baby’, Jimi Tenor

My artist and musician pal Craig Coulthard had this album in sixth year at High School in Fife, and it was a firm favourite on the common room ghetto blaster that year. I returned to it, and this track in particular, for the inspiration behind ‘Wishbone’.

‘The Step’, Wax Doctor

Wax Doctor was always one of my favourite jungle producers and this track was a firm favourite when it came out. I was DJing regularly in a club called Beat Quest (Big up Mark, Andy and Egor) in Dundee and I played this track a lot there. The track ‘Osaka’ is a wee homage to all the crisp breakbeat tracks of this era.

‘Hold On, Be Strong’, Outkast

If I could work with any rapper on the planet it would be André 3000, and when we were making ‘Squid Inc.’ I felt Outkast in the room for some reason. I still imagine him rapping on ‘Squid Inc.’ when I listen to it. Here’s a little interlude track I used to love starting mix tapes with, off one of the most legendary hip hop LPs.

‘Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya’, Dr. John

We made the track ‘Black Cadillac’ as a kind of little love letter to New Orleans and our brief time spent there, that had a lasting impact on us. The good Dr, and this track in particular, were looming large in the room.

‘The Rip’, Portishead

I remember when this came out I heard it in a car driving through Dundee late one night and was immediately in love. When I heard Isabelle Woodhouse sing on the then instrumental track ‘Lunar Vibrations’ it gave me the same feeling as when I heard this for the first time.

‘Smokebelch II – (Beatless mix’), The Sabres of Paradise

An influence for ‘The Oh Zone’. I saw Andy Weatherall DJ in Dundee shortly before he died and the set he played from start to finish was as mesmerising and exciting as the first time I saw him DJ in East London 25 years ago at the Beta Band’s then recording studio. I felt like Off Planet was kind of weirdly guided by Andrew’s spirit in some way. And that of my late cousin Jenny who was a huge fan of his, and played this track to me late one night in her bedroom on the Isle of Skye when we were in our early teens.