Copyright liberation Christmas

>> Finding the choicest DJ mixed tapes this holiday season

by MIREILLE SILCOTT

Every label in dance and hip hop now puts together expensive things that are supposed to sound like mixed tapes: Funkmaster Flex even had the inane idea of calling his latest CD compilation series The Mixed Tape. Which is just plain dumbo, but telling anyway.

The fact is, mixed tapes are the very street-pulp of DJ culture. Even if they are big business now, often studio mixed, with DJs copying hundreds a pop, something about them is 10 times more personal and exciting than anything encoded onto silver disc. In Montreal, there are tons of places to get mixies, and most will run you between $15-20. Here are some of the best places to find them. And remember, you can tape 'em before you wrap 'em and no one will know the better.

Stoopid (2075 St-Laurent, 845-1129; 4321 St-Denis, 849-6048) >> This clothing store always has an extensive stock of out-of-town DJ tapes and lots of scratch and hip hop. Pick up Mixmaster Mike's The Essential, Q-Bert & J. Swing's Whatever Man, Brooklyn DJ Tony Touch's Tape #54 and his upcoming #55 (these sell out really fast), and lotsa jungle and local house/techno.

Tabou (1435 Bleury, 288-5609) >> An emporium for the discerning mixed tape buyer! New picks from big-time international jocks like DJ Sneak, Derrick Carter, Eric Davenport. Plus lots of hip hop, and an entire range of A-Trak cassettes (check A-Trak and Q-Bert's, Buck Tooth Wizards), and local house from DJs like XL and Fred Everything.

DNA Records (28 des Pins E., 284-7434) >> DNA always has a decent counter for mixed tapes, from house and drum & bass to some hip hop. Ones you should check now include local D&B head Adam Lipper's latest effort, and Gnat and Sase One's Don't Fake the Break, one of the more fun tapes of the past year. Old hardcore lovers should take advantage of the few LTJ and Peshay tapes left over from '93.

In Beat (3443 St-Laurent, 499-2063) >> A smallish selection of house tapes--from every DJ at Sona and big local house names. Check MG's It's Music for downtempo 4/4 bliss, featuring that fab-u-lous MAW remix of "Dancing in Outer Space."

In Sides (2011 St-Denis, 844-8519) >> Mostly local techno and trance DJ tapes are available here, and there are some hidden diamonds in the rough. They'll let you listen before you buy. In-store at the moment: a large amount of cassettes from DJs like In Sides' owner Yaz, Mistress Barbara, GD, Kevin Kast and Nivok.