I wasn't going to do a songs-of-the-decade list, but I had some free time and...

My process was the following: I sat here at my computer and made a list of about 125 records from memory, using discogs to verify their release dates.  Though I would’ve liked to, I didn't go through my wax or listen to any sound samples online, mainly as a way of not spending too long on the project. Then I cut the list back to 100, and tinkered a bit, swapping things and making a small number of “political choices” in an attempt to include, in some way or another, all of the artists whose music I've most enjoyed; for example, “well, all three of these Quantic records are great, but I’ve got to have something from Atjazz.” Finally, I organized them alphabetically by year, rather than attempting to rank them. This, too, was a time-saving measure.

The year 2000 caught me just three years into record collecting and deejaying, so these records—in addition to following in some way the larger trends in sounds and styles—also represent a significant evolution in my own tastes.  I've tried to remain faithful to what I listened to and played over the years—but naturally the list also conveys my current interests and inclinations. 

• The Decade in 100 Records •

Atjazz – Harmony – Mantis (2000)

Butti 49 – Chattanooga Nugget – Guidance (2000)

Common – The Light – MCA (2000)

Deltron 3030 – 3030 – 75 Ark (2000)

Femi Kuti – Scatterhand (Zenzile Dub Mix) – Nuphonic (2000)

Herbert – Suddenly – Studio K7 (2000)

Metro Area – Machine Vibes – Environ (2000)

Muro – Patch Up the Pieces – Toy’s Factory (2000)

Scott Grooves – Organ Nights – Spiritual Life (2000)

St. Germain – Rose Rouge – Blue Note (2000)

Suba – Felicidade (Buscemi Remix) – Six Degrees (2000)

Tosca – Orozco – Studio K7 (2000)

Herbert – The Audience vs. Jamie Lidell And The Mysterious Szizlas (Music No Last) – Studio K7 (2001)

Koop – Summer Sun – JCR (2001)

Masters at Work feat. Roy Ayers – Our Time is Coming – MAW (2001)

Mondo Grosso – Life (Vida Soalheira) – SMEJ (2001)

Sean Escoffrey – Days Like This (Spinna Vocal) – Oyster  (2001)

4 Hero feat. Lady Alma – Hold it Down (Bugz In The Attic's Co-Operative Mix) – Talkin’ Loud (2002)

Common – I Am Music – MCA (2002)

Crue-L Grand Orchestra – (You Are) More Than Paradise (Freaks Switching Channels 12inch Mix) – Crue-L (2002)

Gerardo Frisina – Cubana – Schema (2002)

Jazztronik – Rita – Especial (2002)

Nicola Conte – Arabesque (Micatone Vocal Version) – Schema (2002)

Sunaga T Experience - No Reason No Rhyme (Nicola Conte Plays A Mode For Tatsuo) – Readymade (2002)

Tom & Joyce – Queixume (MAW Mix) – Yellow (2002)

Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra  – Che Che Colé – Daptone (2003)

Butti 49 – Alan Accelerates (Fenomenon's Snowjogg 87 Remix) –Hi Fi Terapi (2003)

Drumagick – Malta – Schema (2003)

El Michels Affair – Detroit Twice – Misty (2003)

Jazztronik – Future Talk – Flower (2003)

Joe Claussell – Je Ka Jo – BBE (2003)

Moodymann – People – Peacefrog (2003)

Vuca – Bossafrica – Schema (2003)

Beatfanatic – Music – Raw Fusion (2004)

David Borsu – Syncopassion – Almagama (2004)

Ethnic Heritage Ensemble – Running In The Streets (Charles Webster Remix #1) – Deeper Soul (2004)

Gecko Turner – 45.000$ (Guapa Pasea) – Lovemonk (2004)

Kerri Chandler – Back to the Raw – Deeply Rooted (2004)

Kerrier District – Yesco – Rephlex (2004)

Manzel – Space Funk (Dopebrother 7 Inch Remix) – Dopebrother (2004)

Mo’ Horizons – Ay Mi Morena (Chocolate Restyle) – Stereo Deluxe (2004)

Patricia Marx – Menino – Trama (2004)

Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings –  I Just Dropped In To See What Condition My Condition Is In – Daptone (2004)

Bugz in the Attic – Once Twice – V2 (2005)

Danger Doom – El Chupa Nibre – Epitaph (2005)

DJ Day – Gone Bad – Melting Pot (2005)

Dusty – Revolver Theme – Jazz & Milk (2005)

Fertile Ground – Another Day (Povo Jazz Rework) – P-Vine (2005)

Hird – I Love You My Hope (Do Right Mix) – DNM (2005)

J-nova – Hey Baby (Jazzanova's Hey Baby Remix) – Sonar Kollektiv (2005)

Jorge Graf – Dis-Ka-Ndombe (Gerardo Frisina Re-Work) – Soundway (2005)

Kerri Chandler – Return 2 Acid – Large (2005)

Louie Vega – Cerca de Mi (Wagon Cookin’ Contigo Mix) – Lovemonk (2005)

Mark E – Scared – Jiscomusic (2005)

Nirobi & Barakas –  Bungee Jump Against Racism (Diesler Mix) – Tru Thoughts (2005)

Pascal Roiux – Don’t Stay Outstay Outside (Patchworks Mix) – Rotax (2005)

Recloose feat. Joe Dukie – Dust – Peacefrog (2005)

Robert Strauss – Spinning Inside Your Love (DJ Spinna Mix) – Freerange (2005)

Sabrina Malheiros – Passa (Album Version) – Far Out (2005)

Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – How Long Do I Have To Wait For You? – Daptone (2005)

Slope feat. Capitol A – Komputa Groove (12" Version) – Sonar Kollektiv (2005)

Slow Supreme – African Time – Jazid Collective (2005)

Steve Spacek – Dollar – Sound In Color (2005)

Theo Parrish – Falling Up (Carl Craig Remix) – Third Ear (2005)

Trio Eléctrico – Echo Parcours (V8) – Stereo Deluxe (2005)

Alice Russell – Fly in the Hand – Tru Thoughts (2006)

Antonio Adolfo, Brazil & Brazuka – Luizao – Far Out (2006)

Bulljun & El Barrio – El Barrio Blues – P-Vine (2006)

Cut Chemist – What’s the Altitude – A Stable Sound (2006)

Erik Sumo – The Real Moustache (Uko Barter Transcription Remix) – Pulver (2006)

El Michels Affair – C.R.E.A.M. – Truth & Soul (2006)

Escort – Starlite – Escort (2006)

J Rawls Presents the Liquid Crystal Project – A Tribute To Troy (Turntable Jazz 7 Inch Edit) – Turntable Jazz (2006)

Makossa & Megablast – Like a Rocket – G Stone (2006)

Pevin Everett – Stuck (Groove Assassin's Pow-Er Re-Rub) – Soul Heaven (2006)

Quantic feat. Alice Russell – The Sound of Everything (Watch TV & Senorlobo Reprise) – Lovemonk (2006)

The Beatconductor – Somethin’ Betta – G.A.M.M. (2006)

The Rebirth – Evil Vibrations – White (2006)

Simbad feat. Steelo – Soul Fever – Raw Fusion (2006)

Arthur Verocai – Bis – Far Out (2007)

Azymuth – Wait For My Turn (Spiritual South remix) – Far Out (2007)

Bloodfire – The Bottle – Bloodfire (2007)

The Budos Band – Chicago Falcon – Daptone (2007)

Mike Huckaby – Fantasy – S Y N T H (2007)

Katalyst feat. Steve Spacek – How Bout Us – Invada (2007)

Root Soul Feat. Vanessa Freeman & Mike Patto – Spirit Of Love (Phil Asher's Restless Soul Boogie Mix) – Especial (2007)

Rhythm & Sound feat. Tikiman – Ruff Way (Afefe Iku Remix) – White (2007)

The Quantic Soul Orchestra – Lead Us to the End – Tru Thoughts (2007)

Tony Allen – Ole (A Remix By Moritz von Oswald) – Honest Jon’s (2007)

Audioasis – Sigh Of The Zephyr – Alice B. Toklas (2008)

J.A.M. feat. José James – Jazzy Joint – Face The Music (2008)

Kings Go Forth – One Day – Mr. C’s (2008)

Moody – Freeki Mutha F cker – KDJ (2008)

Rocco – Someday – Real Tone (2008)

Ruben Blades – Plastico (Nauts Ricanstruction) – Vega (2008)

Q-Tip – Gettin’ Up – Universal Motown (2008)

DJ Sprinkles – Brenda’s $20 Dilemma – Mule Musiq (2009)

Bill Withers – Who Is He (Henrik Schwarz Remix) – White (2009)

Mayer Hawthorne – Maybe So, Maybe No – Stones Throw (2009)

Pepe Bradock – Path of Most Resistance – Atavisme (2009)

Now that everyone's on Soundcloud, it's time--in classic friendster-is-so-last-month-let's-all-move-to-myspace fashion--to find a new domain to colonize.  I propose mixcloud.  It's a nice-looking and smooth-running site, with some interesting features--for instance, all tracklistings are hyperlinked, so other mixes featuring songs bya given artist are just a click away.  Just cross your fingers for a future mp3 download button, or we may have to move again next month. 

If you're already on Mixcloud: congratulations to you, you savvy stud.  Add me as a friend.  If you haven't signed up yet, hurry up while it's still in Beta mode; two weeks from now you'll be able to say: "Oh, Mixcloud?  I've been on that site forever.  It was good for a while, but lately DJcloud is where it's at."