glenn okada on decks

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forward by brent crampton ~ photo by george meyer ~ With his set taking a progressive house feel, it starts out deep and melodic while gradually taking the listener on a climax of emotion and sophistication. Overall, the mix is ideal for car listening and it has been getting rave reviews all the way from London to Tokyo.

Ask those in the know, and you will be so advised: Glenn Okada is one of the most technically sound DJ's in the Midwest region. Superior mixing skills, creative transitions, and top-flight track selection have placed him among the Midwestern region's elite, and lent themselves to the rise of area's progressive house movement. A transplant from Orlando, Florida, Glenn's 1993 immersion into the dance scene brought him to the filled floors of The Edge, and the now legendary Club at Firestone, then ranked amongst the world's best. There, Glenn fell in love with a music that he himself now twists and presents along the front lines of the genre. Glenn has been spotted performing alongside a portion of the upper echelon of world talent, such as Carl Craig, Keoki, Richard "Humpty" Vision, Christopher Lawrence, Bad Boy Bill, DJ Dan, Andy Hughes, Ed Real, Lange, and Pulser.

Glenn took a minute to list his track selection below and explain his philosophy behind the mix. Read on and take a leap inside his criteria of track selection!




Distance – Desire [Blaq Velvet]

I decided to start the set off with this particular track for obvious reasons. I believe a set should have an effective introduction. “Desire” starts off with some beautifully sexy sounds that really sets the mood. It’s a bit mysterious….

Osamu M. – Smokey Forest (Submerge Mix) [Womb]

“Smokey Forest” is produced by one of my favorite artists at the moment, Osamu M. I wanted to find a track that not only mixed well with the previous track, but also carried the same mysterious vibe. I’m not one for erratic changes going from one track to another. This track fit perfectly….

Hawaii – Improvize Your Rhythm [Unsigned]

This next track elevated the mood of the set just a touch while adding a bit of seriousness to it. In my view, it’s a bit more dance oriented but still more of a “listening” track. I think the male spoken word vocals really added to the track…

Darkama – Focal Point Blur (Chris Micali Mix) [Blueprint Recordings]

When I record a set, I believe that the flow is very important. I enjoy mixing in key for two or three tracks, then I’ll change it up. This really makes for seamless mixing while progressing the set into new territory. “Focal Point Blur” had a long introduction and I was able to mix for about three and a half minutes or so. This track also kept the same feeling as the previous one, which is why I used it…

Subsky – First Day [Deep Focus]

“First Day” is still of the progressive genre, but it has some trancey elements to it. I decided to use it since I feel that it added a happier, more epic vibe to the set with a gorgeous horn, not something normally heard in this type of music…

Space Manouevers – Quadrant 4 (Dousk Remix) [Lost Language]

Space Manouevers is also known as John Graham & Quivver. He made a great choice by having Dousk do the remix. At present, Dousk is my favorite producer. He hails from Greece and it seems that just about everything he does is absolutely perfect. This track definitely stepped it up a bit. I wanted to use a track that did just that. “Quadrant 4” features some very spacey sounds that really redirected the set into a different direction. I was lucky to score this track before it was even released…

Tilt – 12 (Dousk Remix) [Lost Language]

I’ve been a huge Tilt fan since 1994. They’ve always been at the forefront of the scene. I’ve been around long enough to witness their evolution and I find it exciting. “12” was long anticipated and I was once again able to obtain this before its official release. Remixed by Dousk, this track continued that spacey vibe that “Quadrant 4” had unleashed…

Dominic Plaza – Sounds Rushing (David West Mix) [Unknown]

I absolutely love this track. It blended perfectly with “12” while adding some intensity to the set. The female vocals are lush and pretty. It definitely has a trancey feel to it without being over the top or cheesy. I liked the “electronic xylophone” sound used in this track…

Madoka – Afterburner (Max Graham Remix) [Private Reality]

In my opinion, “Afterburner” is the track that really brought the set to a climax with its tough bassline and piercing synths. To me, it’s very introspective and futuristic. It has a great combination of melody and energy…

Critical 7 – Lost (Descent Remix) [Lost Language]

It seems that Lost Language can’t go wrong. The third track from this label on the set, “Lost” elevates the set one final time, but does away with any melody. It’s a serious track that doesn’t play around. I used it because I wanted the listener to want more once the set was over. Also, it’s in stark contrast to how the set actually started off. Where you end up has nothing to do with where you began.

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