For Sofia Kourtesis, joy is a living practice. It's evident in her effervescent stage presence and bombastic sets, which confidently traverse through house, electro-pop and melodic techno. The Peruvian DJ and producer has forged a vibrant and illustrious career that has taken her to all corners of the globe.

Kourtesis's debut DJ-Kicks mix is a potent blend of the beautiful, complex emotional soup that has made her connect so deeply with her fans. But during the compiling process, Kourtesis grappled with one of the most difficult emotions she's ever had to endure: unbearable grief. "Losing my mother, my idol, knocked the wind out of me. But as the seasons shifted, I found myself back in Peru. Being there made me feel close to her again, like she was in the air. Slowly, music started to come back to me, not as noise, but as strength. It felt like reconnecting with her spirit, honouring everything she gave me. This chapter of my life has forever changed how I hear music. It's more fragile now, and in a strange way, it feels like a gift she left me; a reminder that even in loss, there's still beauty and connection."

The mix is a chameleonic voyage through the moods, sounds and emotions that made up her interior world during the compilation process. She flits through the electronic spectrum with ease, not only indulging the needs of the dance floor but the quiet moments of introspection, too. "DJ-Kicks is a series that shaped how I think about DJing and listening. I played the DJ Koze mix an unhealthy number of times, to the point where it basically lives in my DNA now," she smiles. "Those mixes taught me that the best ones aren't about showing off; they're about taking people on a journey. They move, twist and surprise you. They give you goosebumps when you least expect it."

If Kourtesis mother's memory is a gift that has the power to comfort and heal, then this DJ-Kicks entry is Kourtesis sharing it and paying it forward; a heartfelt offering of love, movement and eternal gratitude. "This mix was about bringing together all the different sounds and emotions I carry with me. The highs, the lows, the warmth, the weird little left turns. That's basically how my brain works when I'm behind the decks. This is my way of letting those worlds collide, overlap and dance with each other," she says. "That's exactly what I wanted to do here. I wanted emotion, tension, release. I wanted this mix to feel alive."

TRACK LISTING

LP Tracklisting:
1. Jon Hopkins - Home Station (DJ-Kicks Version)
2. Sofia Kourtesis, Novalima - Los Poemas No Siempre Riman
3. Laurence Guy - Make Me Feel Better 
4. Sedef Adasi - Mermaids On Acid
5.. △▃△▓ - ؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌
6. Sofia Kourtesis - A Brief Look In Your Eyes 
7. Dave DK - Lagoon 69 
8. Aphex Twin - Flim
9. Sofia Kourtesis - Texas Changing 
10. DJ GTi - Santa Teresa 
11. Myd - You’re A Star 
12. Axel Boman - Rock Top 
13. Sofia Kourtesis - It's You 
14. JOY (Anonymous) - JOY (Look Up Now) 

CD Tracklisting
1. Jon Hopkins - Home Station (DJ-Kicks Version) 
2. Aphex Twin - Flim
3. Sofia Kourtesis - It’s You 
4. Cos-Ber-Zam - Ne Noya (Daphni Mix)
5. Laurence Guy - Make Me Feel Better 
6. Myd - You’re A Star 
7. Axel Boman - Rock Top 
8. Sofia Kourtesis - Texas Changing 
9. Joy Anonymus - JOY (Look Up Now) 
10. Avalon Emerson - One More Fluorescent Rush
11. Logic1000 - Her
12. Sofia Kourtesis - A Brief Look In Your Eyes 
13. Sedef Adasi - Mermaids On Acid
14. Nick León Feat. DJ Babatr - Xtasis
15. Ahadadream - Piano Skank
16. Chloé Caillet, Luke Alessi - The One Ft Jocelyn Brown
17. Octo Octa - Find Your Way Home
18. DJ GTi - Santa Teresa 
19. Sofia Kourtesis, Novalima - Los Poemas No Siempre Riman 
20. Dave DK - Lagoon 69 
21. △▃△▓ - ؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌

In 2016, a year after the 50th entry in the long-running series, none other but the iconic Detroit artist, DJ and producer Moodymann stepped up to helm the next landmark edition of DJ-Kicks, his first ever multi-artist DJ mix compilation. Following !K7's 40 th anniversary, this classic DJ-Kicks mix is now being repressed on coke bottle clear vinyl.

Born Kenny Dixon Jr., Moodymann is a one-of-a-kind electronic music icon, hailing from, and wholly synonymous with the Motor City. He is an outspoken, impossibly charismatic artist who has been putting a distinctive and soulful stamp on house and techno since the early 90s. Melting together jazz, funk, soul, blues and rock in captivating ways, he is responsible for some of electronic music’s most definitive tracks, EPs and LPs on labels like Planet E, Peacefrog and his own KDJ and Mahogani Music imprints. As able to serve up the sweetest and most sensual sounds as he is the darkest and most depraved grooves, his own unique voice and stream of conscious musings infuse expertly sought-out samples for music that is decisively alive and authentic.

Across 75 minutes and 30 tracks, Moodymann does not disappoint: despite being a notorious vinyl fetishist, Dixon’s aim is to present music of quality, not to one-up fellow collectors. Rather than serving up ridiculously rare or hard- to-find records, he instead focuses on creating a libidinous, blues-drenched mood that takes in heart-breaking soul, gorgeous hip-hop and love-fuelled house.

In addition to cuts from his own creative circle, the mix features 11 exclusive Moodymann edits. Like everything Kenny Dixon Jr. touches, his DJ-Kicks showcases the taste, skill, and soul of a dance music original.

TRACK LISTING

1. Yaw - Where Will You Be
2. Flying Lotus Feat. Andreya Triana - Tea Leaf Dancers**
3. Les Sins - Grind**
4. Noir & Haze - Around (Solomun Vox)**
5. Julien Dyne Feat. Mara TK - Stained Glass Fresh Frozen
6. Jitwam - Keepyourbusinesstoyourself
7. Dopehead - Guttah Guttah
8. Talc - Robot's Return (Modern Sleepover Part 2)**
9. Peter Digital Orchestra - Jeux De Langues**
10. Jai Paul - BTSTU**
11. Beady Belle - When My Anger Starts To Cry**
12. Daniel Bortz - Cuz You're The One**
13. Joeski Feat. Jesánte - How Do I Go On**
14. Nightmares On Wax - Les Nuits
15. SLF & Merkin - Tag Team Triangle**
16. Lady Alma - It’s House Music
17. Tirogo - Disco Maniac
18. Kings Of Tomorrow Feat. April - Fall For You (Sandy Rivera's Classic Mix)**
19. Soulful Session, Lynn Lockamy - Hostile Takeover
**Moodymann Edit

The next instalment in the classic DJ-Kicks series is a selection of rapturous house, blissed-out breaks, and transcendent rave from the high priestess of the motherbeat herself, Chicago’s Eris Drew.

DJ, producer, musician, long-time resident at Chicago’s Smartbar, and co-creator of the T4T LUV NRG party and label, Eris Drew has been DJing since the early 90s, and has since taken her ecstatic house and high-energy, uncompromising mixing style to clubs, raves, and festivals worldwide.

Eris’ DJ-Kicks mix is 79 minutes of, as she puts it “the funky, emotional, ecstatic house-and-breaks backbone that defines my sound”, and includes tracks, remixes, and exclusives by Moby, Calisto, DJ Garth, Onionz, DJ Who, Kair, Hoof, and Toka Project, as well as from Eris herself and partner Octo Octa.

The result of countless hours of digging, her selection delves into the rattling breaks, rave stabs, and haunting strings of classic and lost ‘90s hybrid house-and-breaks jams, and matches them with more recent digs, the mix moving back and forth between emotive, bittersweet, and evocative, to raw, tough, and twisted with consummate ease.

Put together on two turntables and a mixer in her New Hampshire cabin studio, this is more than just a collection of hype tunes: “I recorded it in my cabin with the violent world rolling around me. Being in my refuge in the forest was important; the mix needed to carry the feeling of that place and the inspiration I draw from it. ”This is a mix that nails the Eris Drew sound and approach, where her perfectly pitched selections, seamless transitions, and high-energy cuts, scratches, and spinbacks are all employed in the service of a single aim: “I wanted the mix to feel like climbing a mountain - to produce an ecstatic sensation of overcoming.”

Eris first began mixing records together when she was 18 and hasn’t really stopped since, honing the skills that went into this mix for over three decades. As she says: “I’m an all-vinyl DJ with 30-plus years of mixing behind me, and I feel the mix reflects that.” Many of these records have been with Eris for years and have travelled the world with her. Some of them, you can hear their age, because she specifically asked the mastering engineer to preserve this in the reproduction. Raw and real: this is the sound of Eris Drew.

TRACK LISTING

LP Tracklisting:
1 Zen Experience - People Won't You Come Along
2 Motion Blue - Scream
3 Direct 2 Disc - Excuse Me (Stab Mix)
4 Darwin Chamber & DJ Utopia - Tribute (DJ Utopia’s Mix)
5 Octo Octa - Cabin Dance
6 Eris Drew - Hope In A Smoke Filled Room
7 Toka Project - Toka Love Project
8 Eskimos & Egypt - Fall From Grace (Moby Mix - Distressed Version)
9 Eris Drew - Momentary Phase Transition

CD Tracklisting:
1. LFU - Oh Echt (Main Mix)
2. KAIR - Fonk!
3. Zen Experience - People Won't You Come Along
4. Fingers - Dead End Alley (Bring On The New Mix)
5. Darwin Chamber & DJ Utopia - Tribute (DJ Utopia’s Mix)
6. Eskimos & Egypt - Fall From Grace (Moby Mix - Distressed Version)
7. The New Dance Republic - Take It To The Top (Epstein’s Massive Bongo Ix)
8. Hoof - Detroit
9. DJ Garth & E.T.I. - Twenty Minutes Of Disco Glory (The Acid Rock Mix)
10. Direct 2 Disc - Excuse Me (Stab Mix)
11. Calisto - Get House
12. Eris Drew - Momentary Phase Transition
13. DJ Sensé - Digital Spirituality
14. Toka Project - Toka Love Project
15. Dark Globe - Mondo Scuro (Original Mix)
16. The Soundlords - Off The Wall (The Soft Mix)
17. Octo Octa - Cabin Dance
18. Onionz & DJ Who - Unlock Your Heart
19. Eris Drew - Hope In A Smoke Filled Room
20. Motion Blue - Scream

'Lepidoptera'—the scientific name for butterflies, meaning “scale-winged”—is also the title of the seventh studio album by renowned music producer, bestselling author, ecologist, and knowledge mediator Dominik Eulberg. More than just an album, Lepidoptera is an artistic manifesto: a celebration of butterfly diversity and a profound ecological statement.

Released via !K7 Records, 'Lepidoptera' blends his signature sound with an urgent ecological message. It marks the pinnacle of a music career spanning over three decades.

Eulberg’s fascination with butterflies began in early childhood and has since become a lifelong passion. Drawing from years of experience as a producer and DJ, Eulberg presents his most technically ambitious work yet.

At the heart of 'Lepidoptera' are twelve native butterfly species, handpicked by Eulberg from the 3,700 known species in his homeland. Each track is inspired by one species, shaping the album's structure and grounding its creative focus.

The result is a richly textured and immersive journey that moves fluidly between pulsating, danceable rhythms, ambient soundscapes, and orchestral flourishes.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Yet another stunning set of nature-themed IDM tidbits and roaring, dancefloor breakdowns from Dominik Eulberg. Eulberg's work has always been imbued with a sort of ethereal otherworldliness that I think probably comes from the influence of trance and braindance that clearly runs through his work. Another impeccable epic from one of my favourite producers around.

TRACK LISTING

1. Kleines Nachtpfauenauge
2. Großer Schillerfalter
3. Brauner Bär
4. Roter Apollo
5. Grünes Blatt
6. Schwalbenschwanz
7. Stachelbeerspanner
8. Trauermantel
9. Mittlerer Weinschwärmer
10. Wundklee-Bläuling
11. Totenkopfschwärmer
12. Tagpfauenauge

The downtempo legacy of Tosca continues. Originally released in 2005, 'J.A.C.' is the fourth studio album by the Austrian duo - an album dedicated to their then newly born sons, 'Joshua, Arthur, Conrad'. For its 20th anniversary, which also marks !K7's 40th anniversary, it has been fully remastered and compiled into a beautiful gatefold 2LP.

Between the release of their classic 'Dehli 9' and 'J.A.C.', the two entered fatherhood. As all Toscaalbums relate to biographic events in the life of Huber and Dorfmeister, the birth of their sons naturally called for an album dedication. 'J.A.C.' is perhaps the most consistent formulation of both, the carefree and melancholic sound of Tosca.

The melodies quicken, the grooves are funky and laidback and the variety of musical styles are marked by a wide choice. Additionally, from 2003 onwards, Tosca became a full band, with live debuts by the side of the likes of Earl Zinger, MC Farda P (Rockers Hi-Fi) and Graf Hadik.

It's this new found live experience and the increased interest in the digitally untouched sound of real instruments that marks the character of this landmark Tosca album the most, besides the characteristic Tosca mood.

TRACK LISTING

1. Rondo Acapricio
2 Heidi Brühl
3 Superrob
4. John Lee Huber
5. Pyjama
6. The Big Sleep
7. Damentag
8. Naschkatze
9. Züri
10. Sala
11. Forte
12. No More Olives

Modeselektor – aka Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary – are one of the most original acts to emerge from Berlin's techno underground. After more than three decades of astonishing work – spanning cult labels, critically acclaimed albums and EPs, and era-defining releases as part of Moderat – they remain at the top of their game, as hungry as ever for the freshest electronic music from around the world. In 2025, the same year DJ-Kicks and !K7 Records celebrate their 30th and 40th anniversaries respectively, the duo are finally set to deliver their edition for the vaunted mix series. Modeselektor's passion and drive are writ large across DJKicks.

Contributing to the long-running series has always been on their bucket list. Then, finally, this year, the stars aligned, and they set to work on their edition of the compilation. Taking the non-linear approach has always been the Modeselektor way. No two tracks on DJ-Kicks sound alike, meaning the magic often happens in the liminal spaces between tunes. The rhythmically compelling release came together over a matter of days.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: Berlin megaproducers Modeselektor bring us a cosmic mix of genres, seamlessly brought together into a whole that's more than the sum of it's parts. A bold, stylistically broad audio adventure available again once more.

TRACK LISTING

LP Tracklist:
1. Modeselektor - MEGA MEGA MEGA
2. Kitschselektor - Permit Riddim (feat. Pobdon)
3. Julien Bracht - Melancholia
4. Modeselektor - Kupfer
5. Siriusmo - Koko
6. Beirut - Spillhaugen
7. GAISTER - Source
8. Modeselektor - Movement (feat. Paul St. Hilaire)
9. Little Simz - Mood Swings
10. Untold - Discipline
11. Ben Klock & Fadi Mohem - The Machine
12. Modeselektor - USA USA USA
13. SZARY - PREY
14. Maxime Denuc - Ouverture

CD Tracklist:
1. SZARY - PREY
2. Kitschselektor - Permit Riddim (feat. Pobdon)
3. Modeselektor - MEGA MEGA MEGA
4. Slikback - Sea
5. GAISTER - Source
6. Modeselektor - Kupfer
7. Aho Ssan - Hero Once Been (feat. 9T Antiope)
8. DJ Narciso - 10 Minutos
9. Little Simz - Mood Swings
10. Chlär - Populism Is Money
11. Maxime Denuc - Ouverture
12. Modeselektor - Movement (feat. Paul St. Hilaire)
13. Ben Klock & Fadi Mohem - The Machine
14. Beirut - Spillhaugen
15. Kaan Pirecioglu - Spellbound
16. Yraki - Percolate
17. PLUS ONE - Bonk
18. Modeselektor - USA USA USA
19. Untold - Discipline
20. Erik Jabari - Stone Rinse
21. Julien Bracht - Melancholia
22. Siriusmo - Koko

In celebration of !K7's 40th anniversary year, Jayda G’s seminal DJ-Kicks is re-issued on a beautiful gold 2LP with a brand new Jayda G DJ-Kicks playing card.

Jayda G's mix takes you on a journey that moves through loved classics and new bubblers. This includes original productions from HAAi, DJ BORING, LNS and Australia-based friend Jennifer Loveless – whose track ‘in 10000 places (then what)’ swells with trance euphoria – as well as appearances from ‘Both of Us/Are You Down’ collaborator Fred Again, DJ Koze and FIT Siegel.

Each selection, Guy explains, is attached to a memory – whether it’s starting her career in Vancouver’s nascent electronic scene, her time DJing in Berlin or reconnecting with friends from home. “I really wanted to involve friends who I've had shared experiences with. The people included are people I've shared trips with, had late night DJ sessions with or made music with. They’ve been really formative in my artistry.”

As a result, her DJ-Kicks album is an exercise in connection; a look to the past and the future, the good times and bad. “This mix is full of nostalgia; music is nostalgia for me. It’s happy and sad at the same time,” she says. “A friend and I were looking at old pictures from when we used to throw underground parties in Vancouver and you have that feeling of like, ‘Wow, it's changed. And there's a sadness to that, but an awesomeness to it as well. At least we get to look back at these times and feel like yes, we lived.”

Ultimately, that’s what draws you into the mix. It’s a much-needed shot of enthusiasm, yet acknowledges the converging feeling of melancholy of our troubled times. Listening to the mix evokes a feeling of familiarity, like revisiting memories on dancefloors past or texts of encouragement from an old friend. A testament to positivity, a work that chooses joy. The message is simple: “I’m an optimist. I want people to think, ‘We're listening to good music and brighter times are ahead.’”

TRACK LISTING

1. Jayda G - All I Need
2. Fred Again.. - Diana (You Don’t Even Know)
3. LNS - Bitumen
4. Jennifer Loveless - In 10,000 Places
5. HAAi - Good Ol'Fashioned Rugs
6. DJ BORING - Gardenia
7. House Of Jazz - Hold Your Head Up
8. Glass Beams - Taurus
9. Royale - I Want Your Body
10. Benny Sings - Summerlude

DJ Koze – with his friendly and sometimes slightly melancholic take on the world – is one of the greatest auteurs of club music today, and one of the few internationally active DJs who dares to make music that has relevance beyond the dance floor. In celebration of !K7's 40th anniversary year, Koze’s seminal DJ-Kicks is re- issued on a beautiful orange 2LP with a brand new DJ Koze DJ-Kicks playing card. 

TRACK LISTING

A1 DJ Koze – I Haven’t Been Everywhere But It’s On My List (DJ-Kicks )
A2 Dimlite– Can’t Get Used To Those ?
A3 CLOUDDEAD– Dead Dogs Two (Remix – Boards Of Canada)
A4 Strong Arm Steady – Best Of Times
A5 Homeboy Sandman – Holiday
A6 Freddie Gibbs & Madlib – Shame
B1 Mndsgn – Camelblues
B2 Broadcast – Tears In The Typing Pool
B3 Daniel Lanois – Carla
B4 Hi-Tek & The 2 Bears – Modern Hi Tek Family Bears (Kosi Mashup)
B5 William Shatner – It Hasn’t Happened Yet
C1 Marker Starling – In Stride
C2 Session Victim – Hyuwee
C3 Frank & Tony Feat. Gry – Bring The Sun
D1 Marcel Fengler – Jaz
D2 Portable Feat. Lcio – Surrender
D3 The Gentle People – Superstar 

For Peggy Gou, recording an instalment of !K7’s DJ-Kicks series was one of the items on her list of career goals. “It’s the premier class of DJ mixes,” she says. “Some of my favourite selectors have contributed to it.” In 2019, Peggy Gou was able to tick that off her list as she proudly presented the 69th edition of the mix series.

To kickstart 2025, which is !K7's 40th anniversary year, the release is re-issued on a tigerfur-coloured 2LP. Peggy started working on the mix in 2018. It was a busy time for the then 28-year-old: she’d just scored her first Mixmag cover and her single ‘It Makes You Forget (Itgehane)’ was receiving awards and critical acclaim. Each month she would DJ in 20 nightclubs all over the world. And yet, the goal for her mix was ambitious: instead of trying to capture the energy of her DJ sets, she aimed to create a portrayal of her own musical journey.

TRACK LISTING

1. Peggy Gou - Hungboo (DJ-Kicks)
2. The System - Vampirella
3. Pegasus - Perseguido Por El Rayo
4. I:Cube - Cassette Jam 1993
5. Sly And Lovechild - The World According To Sly & Lovechild (Andrew Weatherall Soul Of Europe Mix)
6. Deniro - Epirus
7. Psyche - Crackdown
8. Hiver - Pert
9. Aphex Twin - Vordhosbn

Occasionally an album comes along that seems to capture the mood of the time. ‘The K&D Sessions’ was one. In the late 1990s no afterparty, smoking session or languid Sunday afternoon was complete without Kruder & Dorfmeister blasting from the Bang & Olufsen. Now approaching it’s 25th anniversary the lore around this iconic release, steeped in a silvery cloud of smoke, retains a star quality which only shines brighter as time hurtles on. With the original having sold well over a million copies by this point in time, it’s hard to imagine a mix or remix compilation being able to inform a movement like ‘The K&D Sessions’ has.

To celebrate this monumental milestone, we’ve created a limited boxset in 6LP and 3CD of ‘The K&D Sessions’, mastered and cut by LA luminary Bernie Grundman for a luxurious listening experience, with newly designed inner sleeves using unseen photos from the original photo shoot. Inserted in the box is a forty-page booklet containing multitudes more never before seen photos from the same shoot and notes which recount humorous tales surrounding the duo and the people who spent time with them in this epoch. Included on the 6th LP is their legendary 11 minute shimmering remix of Madonna’s “Nothing Really Matters”. The 6th LP also contains Peter Kruder’s Powercut Mix of Roni Size’s “Heroes” and K&D’s remix of U.F.O, “L.O.V.E.”. In addition there are two cerebral alternate remixes of Lewis Taylor, one being completely dubbed and the other the using the vocal line for this beautiful gem, “Lucky” and a special remix of “Speechless” by Count Basic. These have been staples in K&D’s sets and now take their rightful place collected in the canon of ‘The Sessions’.

STAFF COMMENTS

Darryl says: Back in 1988 this groundbreaking compilation cemented Kruder & Dorfmeister’s reputation as geniuses of their craft - a blissful blunted smoke-filled journey that appealed as much to late night sessions as it did for the lazy-hazy sunday morning recovery. This flawless compilation has now been expanded to 6LP and 3CD box set editions for its 25 year anniversary.

TRACK LISTING

3CD Tracklisting:

CD1 (Mixed):
1. Roni Size, Reprazent - Heroes (Kruder's Long Loose Bossa)
2. Alex Reece - Jazz Master (K&D Session TM)
3. Count Basic - Speechless (Drum 'n' Bass)
4. Rockers Hi-Fi - Going Under (K&D Session TM)
5. Bomb The Bass - Bug Powder Dust (K&D Session TM)
6. Aphrodelics - Rollin' On Chrome (Wild Motherfucker Dub)
7. Depeche Mode - Useless (K&D Session TM)
8. Count Basic - Gotta Jazz (Richard Dorfmeister Remix)
9. Rainer Trüby Trio - Donaueschingen (Peter Kruder's Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapi-tänskajütenremix)
10. Lamb - Trans Fatty Acid (K&D Session TM)

CD2 (Mixed):
1. David Holmes - Gone Ft. Sarah Cracknell (K&D Session TM)
2. Sofa Surfers - Sofa Rockers (Richard Dorfmeister Remix)
3. Mama Oliver - Eastwest (Stoned Together)
4. Bomb The Bass - Bug Powder Dust (Dub)
5. Kruder & Dorfmeister - Boogie Woogie
6. Sin - Where Shall I Turn (K&D Session TM Vol. 2)
7. Bone Thugs-N-Harmony - 1st Of Tha Month (K&D Session TM)
8. Kruder & Dorfmeister - Lexicon
9. Knowtoryus - Bomberclad Joint (K&D Session TM)
10. Rockers Hi-Fi - Going Under (Evil Love & Insanity Dub)
11. Strange Cargo - Million Town (K&D Session TM)

CD3 (Unmixed):
1. Count Basic - Speechless (Peter Kruder Vocal Mix)
2. Lewis Taylor - Lucky (Kruder & Dorfmeister Suicide Mix)
3. Knowtoryus - The Revenge Of The Bomberclad Joint (K&D Session TM)
4. Roni Size - Heroes (Peter Kruder Powercut Mix)
5. Madonna - Nothing Really Matters (Kruder & Dorfmeister Remix)
6. UFO - L.O.V.E. (K&D Session TM)
7. Lewis Taylor - Lucky (Kruder & Dorfmeister Reprise Mix)

LP Tracklisting:
A1. Roni Size, Reprazent - Heroes (Kruder's Long Loose Bossa)
A2. Alex Reece - Jazzmaster (K&D Session TM)
B1. Bomb The Bass - Bug Powder Dust (K&D Session TM)
B2. Lamb - Trans Fatty Acid (K&D Session TM)
C1. Count Basic - Speechless (Drum 'n' Bass)
C2. Rockers Hi-Fi - Going Under (K&D Session TM)
D1. Depeche Mode - Useless (K&D Session TM)
D2. Count Basic - Gotta Jazz (Richard Dorfmeister Remix)
E1. Aphrodelics - Rollin' On Chrome (Wild Motherfucker Dub)
E2. Knowtoryus – The Revenge Of The Bomberclad Joint (K&D Session)
F1. Truby Trio - Donaueschingen (Peter Kruder's Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitänskajütenremix)
G1. David Holmes - Gone Ft. Sarah Cracknell (K&D Session TM)
G2. Sofa Surfers - Sofa Rockers (Richard Dorfmeister Remix)
H1. Mama Oliver - Eastwest (Stoned Together)
H2. Bomb The Bass - Bug Powder Dust (Dub)
H3. Kruder & Dorfmeister - Boogie Woogie
I1. Sin - Where Shall I Turn (K&D Session TM)
I2. Bone Thugs-n-Harmony - 1st Of Tha Month (K&D Session TM)
I3. Kruder & Dorfmeister - Lexicon
J1. Knowtoryus - Bomberclad Joint (K&D Session TM)
J2. Rockers Hi-Fi - Going Under (Evil Love & Insanity Dub)
J3. Strange Cargo - Million Town (K&D Session TM)
K1. Count Basic - Speechless (Peter Kruder Vocal Mix)
K2. Lewis Taylor - Lucky (Kruder & Dorfmeister Suicide Mix)
K3. Roni Size - Heroes (Peter Kruder Powercut Mix)
L1. Madonna - Nothing Really Matters (Kruder & Dorfmeister Remix)
L2. UFO - L.O.V.E. (K&D Session TM)
L3. Lewis Taylor - Lucky (Kruder & Dorfmeister Reprise Mix)

Fashion icon, catwalker, curator, historian, commentator, activist, Grammy winner and – damn right – DJ, there ain’t much these days that Ms. Honey Dijon doesn’t do with aplomb. Most of her achievements thus far came via her passion for clubbing and the art of DJing, from those early Chicago parties to her role as a de facto ambassador for world dancefloors. Chatting to Honey for a few minutes, you swiftly realise when it comes to records, labels, releases, she’s a house music nerd, having been schooled by some of the Windy City’s masters and is as adept at bringing the past into the future as anyone else in the business. This compilation is a testament to someone whose knowledge of the underground labels of yore is encyclopaedic and Ms. Dijon has dredged the recesses of her clubbing memories. ’I’m a huge fan of research. So putting this compilation together was basically going into my dancefloor experience and finding gems I wanted to present to people that they may not have been familiar with or that they didn’t even know existed.’ Thus we have Psychedelic Research Lab’s anthemic NY banger ‘Keep On Climbing’, which came out on producer Scott Richmond’s own store label, Satellite, or Sir Lord Comixx’s London vibes on the aptly-named ‘Soul House’ which, says Honey, ‘I heard Danny play it at 7am in Twilo and it was so fuckin’ weird’. Kingsley O, the London boy marooned in Connecticut, contributes the Jersey vibes on Maydie Myles’ brilliant debut single, ‘Keep On Luvin’, reinforced by Blaze associate Cassio The Cassmaster’s ‘Getting Hot’.

This compilation is a pan-global, multi-era waltz through house music’s storied past. Repping Chicago, there’s Dance Mania’s Dance Kings, Blackjoy and Art Of Tones carrying the flag for Paris and even Shaboom’s Blackpool gets a nod. Some of these are forgotten classics, some are dollar bin finds, and there’s also a brand new Dijon track, sprinkled with her usual mustard-hot flourishes and lightly seasoned with some more recent efforts by Waajeed and Kiko Navarro. This can be consumed on a dancefloor, in the back of a cab or relaxing at home with a glass of something cold (or, if you must, hot).

TRACK LISTING

CD Tracklist:
1. Honey Dijon - Intro
2. Chestnut - Pot Of Gold
3. Charly Brown - Freaked Out
4. Stereo MC's - Good Feeling (Mr G’s Turn On Dub)
5. Johnny Dangerous - Dear Father In Heaven (Mr. Marvin House Of Dreams Mix)
6. Psychedelic Research Lab - Keep On Climbin’ (Mix 2)
7. Blow Out Express - You’re Mine (Sound Factory Bar Mix)
8. The Dance Kings - Climb The Walls
9. Buika X Kiko Navarro - Mama Calling (Tedd Patterson Remix)
10. Cassio The Cassmaster - Getting Hot (Broad Market Street Mix)
11. Maydie Myles - Keep On Luvin (West Tribe Beats)
12. Michi Lange - Brothers And Sisters (Radio Mix)
13. Shaboom - Bessie
14. D:Ream - U R The Best Thing (Def Club Mix)
15. Sir Lord Comixx - Soul House
16. Honey Dijon - Finding My Way (DJ-Kicks) Ft. Ben Westbeech
17. Art Of Tones - Praise
18. Waajeed - Right Now
19. Black Joy - Untitled (Solid Groove Remix)

LP Tracklist:
1. Honey Dijon - Finding My Way (DJ-Kicks) Ft. Ben Westbeech
2. Buika X Kiko Navarro - Mama Calling (Tedd Patterson Remix)
3. Shaboom - Bessie
4. D:Ream - U R The Best Thing (Def Club Mix)
5. Stereo MC’s - Good Feeling (Mr G’s Turn On Dub)
6. Black Joy - Untitled (Solid Groove Remix)
7. Scott Richmond & John Selway Present Psychedelic Research Lab - Keep On Climbin’ (Mix 2)
8. Charly Brown - Freaked Out
9. Maydie Myles - Keep On Luvin’ (West Tribe Beats)
10. Johnny Dangerous - Dear Father In Heaven (Mr. Marvin’s House Of Dreams Mix)

Smoke it! Feel It!

The slo-beat pioneers Kruder & Dorfmeister of Vienna are among the hottest producers in the dance universe. Even though they only produced two unreleased maxis, big names like Count Basie, Bomb The Bass, Alex Reece or United Future Organization had some of their tracks remixed by these exceptional producers. Their productions on compilations of Ninja Tune, SSR and Wall Of Sound are considered milestones regarding the trip-hop genre and many major companies are trying to release their debut album.

Since 1993 the two smart Austrians Peter Kruder & Richard Dorfmeister have been working together as a team and when being asked about their musical roots they name musicians like Miles Davis, Sly Stone, Brian Eno, Serge Gainsbourg or Bill Laswell. Besides this they are great admirers of the Gilles Peterson and Coldcut Radioshow of London's cult-station Kiss FM, which had a lot of influence on their musical open mindness. Their label G-Stone was able to gain outstanding reputation with its four releases and earned fantastic media reaction in international publications.

Besides their outstanding fame as producers both were able to blast even the hippest clubs on this planet with their extravagant DJ-sets. Their breathtaking mixture of trip-hop, dub, ambient and drum'n'bass is supposed to be way-leading thus supporting their cult-status. Smokin' tracks of Herbalizer, Statik Sound System, Hardfloor, Aquasky, Shantel and others are combined on their DJ-Kicks set, gathering the hottest labels from Ninja to Cheap, from Moving Shadow to Creative Wax. A dub producer helped to remix the entire material making it a thrilling club soundtrack for the 90s. By the way, during the work for DJ-Kicks and their debut album they refused remixes for U2, Grace Jones, Elvis Costello and the Fantastic Four.

TRACK LISTING

A1. Small World – Livin' Free (Soundtrack Mix)
A2. Aquasky – Kauna
B1. Hardfloor – Dadamnpheaknoizphunk? (Dubdope)
C1. JMJ & Flytronix – In Too Deep
C2. Shantel – Bass And Several Cars
D1. Tango – Spellbound
D2. Thievery Corporation – Shoalin Satellite

As a self-described sponge for club music, London-based Bristol transplant Ian DPM has cut a singular figure in both the West Country and the capital in just a handful of years. Already situated as the tastemaker behind music curation platform Definite Party Material, co-owner of Scuffed Recordings, and Noods Radio and Rinse FM resident, Ian DPM’s emergence as a producer has marked him as an expansively curious, bass-forward figure at the bleeding edge of genre boundaries.

After retreating to his hometown of Portsmouth during lockdown to absorb the blueprints of ‘90s techno, Ian emerged with a new phase of experimentation: techno-inspired and indebted, yet eschewing loops and grids for a loose-limbed, open minded engagement of the form.

Taking inspiration from the iconic carnival rides that are inseparable from their high-octane happy hardcore soundtrack, “One For The Waltzers” begins with a distant rumble of muffled breakbeats that inch ever closer. But rather than dizzying lights and in-the-red maximalism, “One For The Waltzers” gradually reveals its knowingly deep shimmy and groove. It is a drum-heavy and rhythmic production, masterfully using negative space to showcase every contour of its slowed-down rave horns and acid house synth lines.

“KE01” inhabits the flipside of the same sonic world. Here, feverish percussive energy contrasts against pensive melodic synth chords. It’s a heady warehouse affair, familiar and complex, referential yet contemporary, and only adds to the momentum that Ian DPM is gathering.

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Big n wobbly fairground tackle for rushing sonic nostalgia and dizzying, amyl-huffing greatness. Mega.

TRACK LISTING

A. One For The Waltzers
B. KE01

Growing up in Chicago, later Detroit-based music producer, Theo Parrish is internationally well known for his own inimitable downtempo house music style. The approach Parrish took to compiling DJ-Kicks was very ambitious, inviting his Detroit peers to produce a collection of brand new material, and in turn creating the first ever all exclusive entry to the esteemed series.

"Detroit creates. But rarely imitates. Why? We hear and see many from other places do that with what we originate. No need to follow. Get it straight. In the Great Lakes there are always more under the surface than those that appear to penetrate the top layer of attention and recognition. What about them that defy tradition? Those that side step the inaccurate definitions often given from outside positions? This is that evidence. Enjoy."

• First official compilation by Theo Parrish
• All exclusive unreleased material
• Includes new music from Theo Parrish
• 19 tracks mixed across a two volume CD set
• Triple LP sampler containing 15 full length tracks

STAFF COMMENTS

Matt says: Never afraid to veer away from the norm. The Detroit innovator instantly breaks convention by commissioning all-exclusive content from his Motor City broths and sisters. Not only does this add to the collectability of the compilations, it gives his community a platform and shines the spotlight on artist I haven't even heard of. A truly celebration of community spirit and also one of the most geo-centric DJ Kicks releases to date. A briliant, inventive and thoughtful concept incredibly well executed. And given Theo's dedicated craft at mixing records, the mixed CD version is just as essential as the vinyl compilation!

TRACK LISTING

CD1:
1. De'Sean Jones & Ideeyah - Pressure
2. Donald Lee Roland II - Simba's Theme
3. Meftah - When The Sun Falls
4. Theo Parrish & Duminie DePorres - The Real Deal
5. Specter - The Upper Room
6. Deon Jamar - North End Funk
7. Ian Fink - Moonlight (Duality/Detroit Live Version)
CD2:
1. John C & Meftah - Full
2. MBtheLight - AGAIN (T’s Edit)
3. De'Sean Jones - Psalm 23
4. Raybone Jones - Green Funk
5. Jon Dixon - Wind Drifts (Instrumental)
6. Whodat & Sophiyah.e - Don’t Know
7. KESSWA - Chasing Delerium Feat. Nova Zai
8. Raj Mahal - Hudsons
9. De'Sean Jones - Flash Spain
10. Jason Hogans - Surrounded By Trees
11. Howard Thomas - Experiment 10
12. Sterling Toles - Janis

3LP:
A1. De'Sean Jones & Ideeyah - Pressure
A2. Donald Lee Roland II - Simba's Theme
A3. Jason Hogans - Surrounded By Trees
B1. John C & Meftah - Full
B2. Meftah - When The Sun Falls
B3. De'Sean Jones - Psalm 23
C1. Ian Fink - Moonlight (Duality/Detroit Live Version)
C2. KESSWA - Chasing Delerium Feat. Nova Zai
D1. Specter - The Upper Room
D2. Raj Mahal - Hudsons
E1. Raybone Jones - Green Funk
E2. Whodat & Sophiyah.e - Don’t Know
F1. Howard Thomas - Experiment 10
F2. MBtheLight - AGAIN (T’s Edit)
F3. Sterling Toles - Janis