Make or Break DJ Mix by DJ Cira

Make or Break

Make or Break is a concept mix about two lovers who have separated in order to work things out. They’re gonna take some time for themselves, be on their own for a while, and eventually decide if they are going to get back together or not. It’s from the perspective of just one of the lovers, which one? I’ll leave it up to the listener to decide.

I’ve provided my own interpretation of the mix (for a bit of a giggle) just after the track list below, but if you don’t like spoilers, you might want to read after you’ve had a good listen. =) Enjoy.

BPM ~122

1 I’m Doing Fine - Moodymann [Peacefrog Records, 2004]
2 New For U - Andrés [La Vida, 2012]
3 All I Do - Roy Davis Jr. [Peacefrog Records, 1999]
4 Lovecrazy (Dub) - Ossie [2020 Midnight Visions, 2012]
5 Make or Break - Maxxi Soundsystem [Needwant Recordings, 2011]
6 I'm In L♥ve Today - Chris Carrier [Silver Network, 2009]
7 I Wanna Love You - Gene Farris [Soma Quality Recordings, 2000]
8 Scribble Me This - Dara [Kleine Reise Records, 2012]
9 Dog Day - The Zohar [Tenderpark, 2012]
10 Keep On! - Trevor Deep Jr. [Delsin, 2012]
11 Southern House - East Coast Boogiemen [After School Recordings, 2004]
12 In My Mind - Marc Romboy vs. Robert Owens [Systematic, 2006]
13 Jazz Dialect - Tom Taylor [Dessous Recordings, 2012]
14 Furniture Crew - Treasures [Clean and Dirty Recordings, 2012]
15 Feel The Funk - Kevin Kind [Coyote Cuts, 2012]
16 I'm Alone Until You Show Me - Paul Johnson [Dust Traxx, 2000]
17 It’s The Groove - Ed Nine [Dustpan Recordings, 2012]
18 Unconditional - Joey Youngman [Franchise Player, 2007]


Moodymann sets the tone, with the soulful lyrics, “I’m doing fine by myself” as the lover tries to convince everyone, themselves most of all, that they’re OK. There’s a lot of hope in the beginning, hope for a future life and new experiences like “don’t worry ‘bout me, I’m gonna find someone else”. But “New For U” turns that hopeful feeling into more of lament with it’s emotional and somewhat desperate strings which is only heightened by the pleading and begging of Stevie Wonder in Roy Davis Jr’s rework of “All I Do”. The lover realizes, “all I do, is think about you”.

Strings dominate these sections and “Lovecrazy” takes the string frenzy to the next level and into Maxxi Soundsystem’s “Make or Break” which is clearly the title track and one of significance. As the lyrics echo “breaking’ up, I want to be the one making up”, the lover is now certain that they should get back together. This realization and clarity of mind is exuberating and so the lover shouts “I’m in love today” in Chris Carrier’s banging disco edit of Cela’s “I’m In Love” from 1979. This is further echoed in the next track “I Wanna Love You” (heavy samples of Giorgio Moroder’s “I Wanna Rock You”). As the track progresses, the initial excitement has worn off and the lover is starting to once again lament. The lover realizes crap, I’ve gotta get this relationship back together, I’ve got to do something special and so serenades their sweetheart with “Scribble Me This” as if to say, come back to me, look at how good we are together and damn, I love you.

Now that the lover has poured their heart out all they can do is wait for the response. But waiting is difficult and time is moving so slowly hence, “Dog Day” by The Zohar. After a while there is still no response and so the lover recites “keep on, keep on” as the impatient feelings start to build. Finally the restlessness works up into a sort of gospel-mania as the lover pleads, “What would you do without my loving? Where would you be without my love? I don’t know!”

As the mix rounds the halfway point, it’s make or break time, it’s either all good or all bad from here! The lovers decide to meet. In come the horns from ECB’s “Southern House” which lifts the mood and gets the juices flowing with a funky bassline. The other lover (in the stunning voice of Robert Owens, lol) professes their love saying about the serenade, “it wasn’t something that you said, just the way you stared at me, I felt the look in your eyes, one moment changed my life.”

From that moment on, the lovers rejoice and it’s pretty much party time. “Jazz Dialect” by Tom Taylor is a masterpiece of funk and strings which nicely sets the pace for remainder of the mix. The tempo is increased as love fills the air and the vocals of “Treasures” ring out, “be the love!” The atmosphere is one of happiness and as a reminder of what has transpired, the party goes into full jack mode as Paul Johnson’s “I’m Alone Until You Show Me” (an epic usage of George Benson's "Turn Your Love Around”) is dropped on the proverbial dancefloor of love. The set is rounded out by Ed Nine’s “It’s The Groove” which does its’ job by literally keeping the groove going with some hot piano house and stab vocals. This leads into the final track, the all-around feel-good vibe of Joey Youngman’s “Unconditional” which of course proudly states, “your love is unconditional” and does nothing but make you smile. Our lovers are back together and better than ever. The End.