So a couple of years ago, my buddy DP made this killer dance mix which went by the appropriate title “DP’s Sex Mix” — yeah, it was that smooth. Although that mix would guarantee to get the party hoppin’, you had to unleash it at just the right time for maximum effect (too early and you run out of material when the party hits full stride, too late and people are worn out before the mix finishes). To solve the problem of premature play, my first mix (no doubt in a series), tackles the pre-party environment — you know, when guests are starting to arrive and you want music geared towards conversation rather than rump-shaking.

You can download the mix, fully entitled “Chillaxxx Mixxx²: da Houf Pre-Sexxx Mixxx” (multiple xxx for emphasis) right here. No doubt there are some weak transitions and I need to crop/fade some endings to songs, but I think every track works as good background music for a get-together of any size. Who knows, the music itself might start up some conversations of its own. Here’s the tracklisting:

1: Warm Heart of Africa // The Very Best (ft. Ezra Koenig)
2: Ecstasy // jj
3: Get ‘Em High // Kanye West (ft. Common) [A-Trak Remix]
4: POP // M.I.A. & Diplo
5: Little Dreamer // Future Islands (ft. Victoria Legrand) [Jones Remix]
6: Norway // Beach House
7: Animals Collecting Money // Animal Collective x Paper Route Gangstaz [Hood Internet Remix]
8: Idioteque // Calico Horse (Radiohead Cover)
9: Tower Grove Joint // Phaseone
10: A New Chance // The Tough Alliance (Tanlines Remix)
11: Imitosis // Andrew Bird (Four Tet Remix)
12: The xx Chicago Girls // Jams Dean
13: Never Content // Air France (Friends Tropic Thunder Edit)
14: One // Yeasayer
15: El Reloj // Jóvenes y Sexys
16: Dangers Not a Stranger // Gucci Mane (Diplo Remix)
17: Freeway // Kurt Vile
18: YGTL // Florence + The Machine (The xx Remix)