It seems like an age since the last Secret Mixter.  Secret Mixters spur a creative energy difficult to describe - like a vibrant, roaring fire, midst the dark of winter. And then, devouring the results provides sonic substance to last.  Listen for yourself -- here are the tracks from October's Secret Mixer.

Marking the transition in day length and season, the March Madness Secret Mixter is in sign-up mode until March 6....notifications go out March 7.  You must have uploaded 2 samples or 1 a capella (read FAQ here) to participate - and commit to remixing whoever you draw in the mixup.  You've got two weeks once the assignments are out!

A Winter Secret by Gate-To-Nowhere

SIGNUP for the 'March Madness' SECRET MIXTER

The artists at ccMixter and ArtisTech Media are finishing up the 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Remix' ('R4') project.  Over 81 musical creations will be shared with the biodiesel community at next week's National Biodiesel Conference in Dallas, TX.

These sustainability-themed remixes, samples and pellas will be presented at next Wednesday's General Session by Snowflake (Emily Richards) and spinningmerkaba (Jason Brock), who will also be speaking and performing songs from the 'R4' project at the conference.

18 'pellas', 19 sample packs and more than 44 remixes were contributed by the artists at ccMixter to the 'Reduce, Reuse, Reycle, Remix' Project. '4R' received its nickname by Mc Jack in the Box in a recent 'Cool Music Show' ccMixter podcast (subscribe in iTunes or MediaFly).

In addition to the playlist being contributed to the National Biodiesel Conference, a set of three digital-LPs will also be released on TuneTrack.net, the first slated for Tuesday, February 9.

The single 'Biodiesel Family' is a remix by Snowflake featuring spinningmerkaba, SackJo22, Anchor Mejans and Panu Moon, and names many of the key leaders in the biodiesel movement like Joe Jobe, Daryl Hannah and Josh Tickell.