Derrick May — Derrick May @ BBC 6 Mix :: FREE DOWNLOAD ::
Classics · 1h 58m · analysed 18 Aug 2026 · source: soundcloud.com
Public mix analysis — no affiliation or endorsement. This report measures a publicly available recording hosted on soundcloud.com. The scores are produced by SOONOS and do not imply any partnership with, or approval by, Derrick May.
In short
Derrick May @ BBC 6 Mix :: FREE DOWNLOAD :: by Derrick May scores 87/100 in the SOONOS analysis (festival ready). The strongest dimension is IDENTITY (96/100) and the weakest is TECHNIQUE (84/100).
This mix proves that a DJ's voice—both literal and musical—is their most powerful tool for building a lasting connection with the audience.
Key takeaways
What weakened the set
- Recurring mid-frequency clash (2×) — Mid-range buildup muddies the soundstage and washes out vocals/synths during transitions. Detected 2× (7:22, 14:15).
- Long static loops (6×) — Sections sitting on the same loop without layering, EQ moves or tension shifts (4:00, 8:00, 18:00, 31:00, 39:20, 47:00). Long loops kill dancefloor momentum.
What to try next
- Experiment with brief, high-impact percussive cuts to contrast the long blends.
- Utilize more extreme filter sweeps to heighten tension during vocal breakdowns.
- Introduce a raw, industrial element to further emphasize the Detroit roots.
- Maintain the long, evolving blends as they are a key strength.
Timestamped insights
Each moment below is tagged with how it was produced: “measured” comes from the DSP pass on the audio, “listening” comes from the multi-agent listening pass.
Perfectly transparent transition that maintains the energy flow.
Smooth introduction of the vocal track, though slightly busy in the mids.
A bold genre jump that relies on rhythmic alignment rather than EQ blending.
A masterfully executed blend where the new rhythmic elements emerge organically.
About this classics set
Derrick May @ BBC 6 Mix :: FREE DOWNLOAD :: is a classics DJ set by Derrick May, running 1h 58m. It was measured by the SOONOS multi-agent engine and scores 87/100 overall — festival ready.
The engine files this performance as “Promising”.
This mix proves that a DJ's voice—both literal and musical—is their most powerful tool for building a lasting connection with the audience.
How the score breaks down
SOONOS scores this set across 5 weighted categories. The strongest is IDENTITY at 96/100; the weakest is TECHNIQUE at 84/100.
Analysis coverage for this file is 100% — the share of the set the engine could measure with full confidence.
Energy and structure
The energy curve was sampled at 49 points, moving between 20 and 95 on the SOONOS energy scale — a wide dynamic range across the set.
4 transitions were detected and scored individually.
Beat-grid measurement (DSP) reports 928.3 grid breaks per hour, with a median beat offset of 25 ms.
How this score is built
Measured layer (DSP): the audio file is analysed directly — beat grid, tempo stability, loudness and energy. These values are measurements, not opinions.
Listening layer: a multi-agent pass reads musical intent — programming, storytelling, coherence and crowd effect. This layer interprets, it does not measure.
Fusion and ceilings: the two layers are merged, and the measured layer always wins on execution. When the DSP hears an execution problem, it caps the final score even if the listening layer is positive.
Measured coverage for this file is 100% of the set.
Full SOONOS analysis
This mix proves that a DJ's voice—both literal and musical—is their most powerful tool for building a lasting connection with the audience.
The 8 dimensions
Not available — the 8-dimension profile was not measured for this set.
Score breakdown
TECHNIQUE
How well did you execute?
25%84
TECHNIQUE
How well did you execute?
STORYTELLING
Did the mix go somewhere?
25%92
STORYTELLING
Did the mix go somewhere?
ENERGY
Did you control the room?
20%89
ENERGY
Did you control the room?
SURPRISE
Did you remain unpredictable?
15%88
SURPRISE
Did you remain unpredictable?
IDENTITY
Did the mix sound like you?
15%96
IDENTITY
Did the mix sound like you?
Energy arc
Transitions analysed (4)
Long EQ blend with low-end swap
Perfectly transparent transition that maintains the energy flow.
Layered vocal introduction
Smooth introduction of the vocal track, though slightly busy in the mids.
Hard cut with vocal overlap
A bold genre jump that relies on rhythmic alignment rather than EQ blending.
Long EQ blend with rhythmic layering
A masterfully executed blend where the new rhythmic elements emerge organically.
Technical subscores
85
EQ balance
87
Beat alignment
88
Energy control
89
Tempo stability
85
Loudness control
91
Musical coherence
84
Harmonic compatibility
84
Transition cleanliness
Measured (DSP)
25 ms
Beat-grid drift (median)
Typical gap between the two tracks' beats while they play together. Lower is tighter.
218 ms
Drift p95
Worst-case drift: 95% of the set stays tighter than this value.
7,055
Boundaries detected
Points where the audio changes track or section.
36
Hard cuts / h
Abrupt track changes per hour, with no blend between the two records.
0
Clipping events
Moments where the recording hits the ceiling and distorts.
594
Level jumps
Sudden volume steps between tracks.
Measurement confidence 100% · analysed on the full audio.
Recurring patterns
Recurring mid-frequency clash
Mid-range buildup muddies the soundstage and washes out vocals/synths during transitions. Detected 2× (7:22, 14:15).
Long static loops (6×)
Sections sitting on the same loop without layering, EQ moves or tension shifts (4:00, 8:00, 18:00, 31:00, 39:20, 47:00). Long loops kill dancefloor momentum.
Timeline
- 0:05The Voice of Detroit
- 6:18Vocal Hook Entry
- 11:15Synth Pad Swell
- 14:25Genre Fusion Peak
- 21:10Vocal Saturation
- 14:15Risky pressure or vibe dip
- 26:30Groove Lock
Coaching notes
- Experiment with brief, high-impact percussive cuts to contrast the long blends.
- Utilize more extreme filter sweeps to heighten tension during vocal breakdowns.
- Introduce a raw, industrial element to further emphasize the Detroit roots.
- Maintain the long, evolving blends as they are a key strength.
- Continue to prioritize tracks with strong melodic signatures.
- Experiment with even more dramatic EQ manipulation to enhance tension.
- Continue using personal anecdotes to frame track selections.
- Experiment with subtle FX (reverb/delay) on the vocal mic for atmospheric effect.
- Ensure the transition back to full-energy tracks is always phrase-aligned to maintain the 'hypnotic' state.
Curious how your own set scores?
Methodology and limitations
This report is produced automatically from the published recording. It measures what is present in the audio file: a bad source encoding, a partial upload or a heavily processed broadcast version can change the measured values. Nothing here reflects the room, the crowd or the night itself.
Read the full SOONOS methodology →Questions about this analysis
- What score does Derrick May's Derrick May @ BBC 6 Mix :: FREE DOWNLOAD :: get?
- Derrick May @ BBC 6 Mix :: FREE DOWNLOAD :: scores 87/100 in the SOONOS Mix Database (festival ready), based on audio measurement plus multi-agent listening.
- How long is Derrick May @ BBC 6 Mix :: FREE DOWNLOAD ::?
- The analysed recording runs 1h 58m.
- Which part of the mix scores best?
- IDENTITY is the strongest category at 96/100, while TECHNIQUE is the lowest at 84/100.
- How is this score calculated?
- SOONOS measures the audio with a DSP pass (beat grid, loudness, tempo, energy) and runs a multi-agent listening pass on top. Measured axes always override the listening layer, so an execution issue heard in the file caps the final score.
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