DJ Mes - Gangstercast 59

Bay-Area bred DJ Mes (a.k.a. Jason Sutton) rarely slows his groove. Since the 2004 inception of his Oakland-based label, Guesthouse Music, Mes has produced a prolific catalogue of tracks that continue to scorch dance floors from east coast to west coast and across the world. As a DJ, his sets have inspired; as a producer, his tracks have shot up the charts. His mix of disco beats with bass-heavy rhythms keep him at the forefront of the underground house sound.

Mes’ career dates back to the mid-1990s, when the future producer took early influence from the likes of DJ Dan (Funky Techno Tribe) and Tony Hewitt (Tango Recordings).

Some two decades later, DJ Dan would even join the talent ranks of Guesthouse Music.
Guesthouse has become a personal and creative labour of love for Mes, inspired by the underground house community he came from. While Mes continued releasing tracks on acclaimed labels such as Black Cherry, Magnetic and Flapjack, it was Guesthouse that set the pace. Celebrating it's 10th year last year, Guesthouse Music has put out over 300 releases since it's start, and to celebrate, Mes and crew threw ‘10 Years of Guesthouse parties’ all year long including special shows at SXSW and WMC.

Mes’ ear for talent led to the unveiling of some of the most successful names in underground house, including breakout artists of 2011, J Paul Getto, who scaled the charts of Traxsource with “Need More Music” and “3000” Boundary-bending producers, such as Gramphonedzie, and classic acts, such as Cosy Creatures, DJ Sneak and The Sound Republic, exploded onto the scene under Mes’ own A&R moxie. Even while he introduced new DJs and producers to audiences, he continued creating and building his massive repertoire of banging funk-filled tracks!

Traxsource honoured Mes with the top spot on a list of 100 best house tracks of 2011 following the release of the bumpy Chicago-sound behind “Fools Gold” (Cajual Recordings).
In that same year, Mes followed up his seminal “Fools Gold” release (Cajual Recordings) with a second EP, “Town Business.” “Love Affair,” a rework of First Choice’s classic “Love Thang,” climbed the underground charts alongside a remix of Two Ton’s of Fun classic, “I Got the Feeling.”
He continuously hit the Top 100 on both Traxsource and Beatport with other releases like "Boom Chika Boom" as well as with collaborations like "No Jet Lag" and "Wanna Do" with Sonny Fodera, "How We Do" and "Do the Freak" with Rescue, "The Bump" with DJ Dan and "Nu Grooves" with Giom.

Even while maintaining a regular touring schedule throughout the U.S. and Europe, Mes continues partnering with the some of the scene’s most lauded producers, such as DJ Sneak and his own greatest influence, DJ Dan.

Adds Mes: “I’m always working to sign new or undiscovered music and talent to the label, and maybe even throw a curve ball to startle people with a new, unexpected style or sound. That’s what it’s all about.”

Bass. Beats. Funk. That's what Mes is all about!

We, at I'm A House Gangster, took some time to talk to him briefly in regards to his special Gangstercast mix for us....

We asked Mes to explain to us how this mix represented him as an artist. He told us, “This mix showcases my diverse range and love for House Music from funky to deep to tech and jackin all together in one mix.”

The House Gangster movement to Mes is “all about the music and family.”

He describes the House Gangster sound as “No frills, no fuss and definitely no derp! Just funky music to get you moving on the dance floor.”

House music appears to mean everything to Mes, when we asked him what it meant, to which he replied, “House Music is life. Life is music.”

Asking Mes how he chose the tracks in compiling this mix, he answered, “I wanted to show broad range and not just do one sound. I tried to blend everything from funky to deep to tech and jackin.”

“Thanks for Listening, I hope you dig it” adds Mes