Music You've Probably Never Heard -- DJ Redlight

Hey y'all! It's time for another posting of music you've never probably never heard before. This week it's DJ Redlight, otherwise known as Ashley Carr, and I can almost guarantee that you've never heard of him before. That's because he's an unknown, mostly.  He's new to the scene, but he has the skill to become known some day.

The difference between last week and this is that DJ Redlight's work is not as rave as LA Style or as hardcore as the James Brown is Dead remixes. Redlight tends to stick to house, funk, and downbeat, with a bit of trance from time to time. He doesn't use a lot of lyrics. The song "Computer People" has a few computer generated lyrics describing the plight of little people that make your electronics work, and there is an emo parody song up, but other than that he works without words.

That is something I've always admired in an artist. Words tie down a song to a set meaning, and lyricless tunes take form and shape in the heads of those that listen, and it communicates ideas from the artist that cannot be expressed in any language. Some of the songs seem to even take on words themselves, particularly Dream of You. It sings a song in a most delightful voice without even expressing it in words. Inhibition is also the same way, a passionate song with a life of its own.  Real music is not about words, but the soul, and anyone who says it's less is wrong.

Most of his stuff is not pop sounding, and Ashley prefers to do emotive works rather than things that are good on the surface. So he's automatically better than all the pop artists that all sound the same and prefer to rap or sing about themselves or the high life. Songs are best when they are not focused on oneself, but when they are focused on others or common feeling and desires. Carr understands this better than "artists" of today, who make everything sound alike as they croon in generic and flat tones.

Carr seems to like the time period from 1970 to the nineties, and since he mostly does house music, it's completely understandible. Those were the golden years for house music, with disco, synthpop, and nineties electropop. Funkilicious, Retrospect, and Electrohouse are the three most reminiscent, and Electrohouse in particular is my favorite as the optimistic and adventurous kind of tune I remember from my childhood. Yours Sincerely is a marvelous tune, as is Shades of Grey. They are both soothing tones that sound like the end of a story, with everything ending not entirely happily, but contentedly. Or you can put your own meaning to them. They have such calm and peace that I can't help but love them. Most of his stuff is original, but he has done remixes on Doom, Dr. Who, and Dr. Mario.

My favorite tracks include:
- Stupid Melody. This track has a title that makes you underestimate it, but it's actually a lovely piece that fights its own first impression. I love the irony of it.
- Still Waiting (Waiting for Romero to Play Remix). This song is crazy and powerful, with perfect storytelling drama.
- Girl from Mars. This track is weird, urban, and very picturesque of a street theme.
- Hotwire. I love this song. It makes a strong impact, and it's a very hyperactive piece.

Don't just listen to me. Go to www.djredlight.com and download it for yourself. What tracks do you like? It's all free and legal because the author does it himself.