*** The mix maker: For the past few years now, producer, DJ, gymnast, madcat, UK transplant Conrank has been filling out crowds and baseball hats from his home base in Shanghai and out into premier festivals and clubs all over China. He's been tracing a background in '90s hip-hop, drum n bass, and heavy bass lines out into newer territories of trap, dubstep, and revisionist drum 'n' bass, with work released on Saturate, Die High, and his own Rankadank. A frequent guest in Beijing, Conrank's a staple at this city's main drum 'n' bass night The Syndicate, which is the capital's premier destination for British guys with Tintin hair to slobber in your face with their gin and tonic breath. (Just kidding, it's good clean fun.) Conrank is back in Beijing on Saturday for the Beijing stop of his 'Conrank Made Him Do it Tour', just ahead of his latest record Ma Fan [Saturate], which finds him collaborating with probably the only DJ my mum knows, DJ Shadow. Also featured on that is Stylust Beats, DJ Go, Messy MC and Mad Zach, as well as remixes from Starkey, BoeBoe, Soulspeak, Bleep Bloop and Johnathon Thomas. Pretty stacked. Track the release on that by following these links and check the man out on Saturday night at Dada for Trap Don. The links: Main | Facebook | Soundcloud *** Conrank Says: I decided to pick five tracks from people who have been part of my music journey over the last mumble-mumble-mumble years -- five tracks that not only do I love, but if it weren’t for the people behind them, I wouldn’t be where I am now, doing what I do. However hard you work, you can’t do it alone, and it’s the people around you, giving you a kick and showing you support that really add that extra push. So... anywaaaaay.

Killa Kela - "Jawbreaker"

First up, one of my best friends, and my future best man at my wedding next year, KILLA KELA. The guy is a monster. His bio reads like a fucking epic adventure novel, and he introduced me to the UK hip-hop scene when I was around 15-years-old. He is the reason I became a beatboxer and the reason I got my first residency as a DJ at Herbal in London. Kela taught me the importance of persistence and hard work. I live and breathe my career. I work every hour god gives and Kela definitely had a part to play in that. From his groundbreaking release on Jazz Fudge (DJ Vadim's label) to his current project “Them & Us”, the dude is the hardest working guy I know and this is one of his anthems. Enjoy. ***

Basher (feat. Xtrah) - "Xerox"

Next up, Ram Records very own BASHER. This guy is so technically skilled, it’s insane, and although he is busy with his successful career as a heavy DnB producer, when I was starting out, he always took time out to jump on Skype and talk me through a production issue or to download a track of mine and tell me where I was going wrong. His input to my career has been priceless. This track is definitely one of my favorites of his. ***

DJ MK & DJ GO (feat. Super Dertie & Phaze What) - "Are You Ready"

One of the people Kela introduced me too was DJ Go. He's played Shanghai a couple of times and his DJ skills are unbelievable. One half of the world renowned battle crew “The Mixologists”, Go is not only someone I look up to as a DJ mentor, but also his production skills are sick. When I was a beatboxer, novice DJ, and newby producer, this guy was always there pushing me forward and supporting everything I did. If I ever had a lapse in confidence or motivation he would pick me up and give me a slap. The amazing thing is, over a decade later, we are still making music together and still close friends. This is one of his recent tracks alongside DJ MK. It’s insanely dope. ***

Doshy - "Plastic"

Okay, number 4! My German hombre -- the man who wakes up and drinks beer for breakfast, likes to piss me off on road trips, and sleeps rough in my studio: Doshy. I met Doshy in Shanghai, through the local Canadian (alright, he’s from San Francisco, but he loves it when I call him Canadian) promoter Michael Michael. Doshy's a huge character, and at the time we met, I was stuck in this shit rut of making music that I didn’t really care about and was formulaic. It sounds weird but I was literally stuck. Doshy and I jumped in the studio and started making music together. The whole experience totally made me look at what i was making and how I was making it and I went away a new man (hahaha -- well production wise). He signed my following EP to Robox Neotech and things really took off from there. I have a huge amount to thank Doshy for, but anyway, here is one of his classics. ***

Does It Offend You, Yeah - "Dawn of the Dead"

Finally, my friend and one of the most talented producers in the world, without question, James Rushent, son of legendary Human League producer Martin Rushent. He’s an absolute lunatic, simply said, but an amazingly nice and skilled one. When we met he was Kela’s sound engineer, and when he decided to migrate to London he moved into my house. He set up his studio in a little spare room I had (which my cats always used to love to spray in) and started writing his new album. Day and night he literally was in there, calling me in every once in a while asking my opinion. Watching him create was a real lesson, and it was around then that I really started getting itchy fingers, wanting to learn and make music myself. The album he produced in this time is still in my iTunes and I still go back to it and just listen in awe at the production and writing. What came out was just spectacular, one of my favorite albums of all time, literally, was amazing. That album and that experience where a big influence on me and still are. Right now James is producing for some of the biggest names in the world like The Prodigy and Biffy Clyro, but within all that is still really humble and will always take time to check out a track or give me some advice. Okay, here is my favorite track from that album. It really is a masterpiece! *** The 'Conrank Made Me Do It' Tour hits Dada Bar this Saturday, presented by local headz, Trap Don. Cover is 50rmb. Starts 10pm. Support: Bloodz Boi, Shackup, Puzzy Stack, and Jason Hou.