Midweek Mixes (12/05/21)
A run-down of some of the mixes and radio shows that have been soundtracking my existence – from the box-fresh to the tried-and-tested – all guaranteed to brighten up your week.
Nick Kagame – Steam MCR Radio
Nick is a DJ who tells stories with his mixes and radio shows. For example, beginning this monthly episode of his Steam Radio show with John Coltrane’s ‘Psalm’ is a bit of foregrounding for Outkast’s version of ‘My Favourite Things’ later on. The organic percussion and wistful mood of recent tracks by Leif, Contours and The Zenmenn act as a contemporary mirror for forays into vintage Japanese new wave and, uh, lounge jazz, which are then echoed in dancefloor tracks from the likes of Mark Pritchard (of Global Communication) and Joe (of Hessle).
Connecting the dots between Japanese lounge jazz and grime: what more could you want from a radio show? Nick throws in expert pacing, key matching, dynamic speed shifts and a welcome dose of bravado – check the brilliant transitions into and out of Outkast from Driss Bennis’ new one on Casa Voyager – all presented with his usual charming radio style.
Stick the next one in your calendar: 18h GMT, 23 May, Steam Radio.
Ikonika – FOLD x Night Slugs
It feels a bit funny writing about this mix given how ignorant I am of the music Ikonika is playing. A comment on youtube informed me that it's Amapiano, which I then found out via DJ Mag is a South African scene that has been around for a decade or more but just recently has been exploding across the world. Ikonika has been playing these records on her Balamii radio show for a while now, but this Fold set is the first time I’ve heard them.
What I really enjoy about it is the clear lines to be drawn between this sound and Ikonika’s own – big percussion, wide basslines, lots of space. When someone who produces music tells you something about their influences through their DJing it can be a really satisfying thing. This is a key theme in this interview I did with Lerosa, published last week.
To add a final, more trivial observation: in my end-of-2020 charts I included a track by Ikonika in my ‘Top Three Things With Door Sounds In Them’, and there are plenty of tunes in this mix (like this one) that would qualify for this year’s leaderboard. An underrated genre for sure.
Luzi Gehrisch - EOS Radio
EOS Radio is a community project affiliated with Robert Johnson in Offenbach, Frankfurt am Main. They kicked off in February 2021 with a full weekend programme, repeated this format in April, and from last week began broadcasting every Friday evening. I’ve contributed a Mark Seven-inspired mix for Friday 28 May.
During previous broadcasts my attitude has been one of dipping in and out of the stream, sometimes intentionally to catch a particular DJ – ISAbella, Carlos Souffront, rRoxymore, RJ’s own Oliver Hafenbauer – and sometimes just to see what’s playing. It was the latter mode that brought me to this contribution from Luzi Gehrisch, a local DJ whose esoteric mix of sounds and textures acted as a perfect afternoon warm-up.
Check the EOS Archive for all the previous shows and if you’re at home this Friday evening don’t miss Reptant and Sedef Adasi, among others.