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Review: It would be fair to say that Studio K7 has pulled off something of a coup in getting Kenny Dixon Jr. to agree to compile and mix the latest installment in the long-running DJ Kicks series. It is, somewhat remarkably, the legendary Detroiter's first commercially available mix set. This triple-vinyl edition features a whopping 19 cuts - all in unmixed form - from the 30 track mix. Musically, it's a blazed, jazzy, soulful and groovy as you'd expect, and contains a mixture of downtempo beats, nu-jazz and hazy house cuts from the likes of Flying Lotus, Dopehead, Peter Digital Orchestra, Nightmares On Wax, Soulful Session and Lady Alma.

Review: Like the best instalments in the long-running DJ Kicks series, this mix from Motor City Drum Ensemble man Danilo Plessow gives a far better insight into his musical inspirations than his own productions ever could. While there are, naturally, great deep house moments included (Tevo Howard, Mr Fingers, Latecomer etc), these largely take a back seat to Plessow's other musical passions. So, we get soft-focus electric jazz (Sun Ra), dub wise explorations (Tony Allen, Basic Channel), sweet soul (Peven Everett), dusty afro-funk (Geraldo Pino), urgent leftfield disco (Loose Joints, Walter Gibbons) and even a dash of instrumental jazz-funk (James Mason). That it all makes sense musically, flows brilliantly and is effortlessly entertaining is testament to Plessow's skill as a DJ.

Review: South Korean star Peggy Gou continues her seemingly unstoppable rise by serving up her first ever DJ mix CD. It's a contribution to one of the longest running series in the business, DJ Kicks, and she's used the opportunity to showcase the depth and variety of the music in her crates. Beginning with the classic early '90s ambient of Spacetime Continuum, Gou flits between humid, mid-tempo Balearic house (her own "Hungboo"), acid-fired downtempo electronica (Pearson Sound), throbbing 1990 peak-time anthems (Weatherall's ace but largely forgotten remix of Sly & Lovechild), hypnotic techno minimalism (Dorisburg), main room throb-jobs (Hiver), pulsating electro (DMX Krew), classic breakbeat hardcore (Shades of Rhythm), post-dubstep (Kode 9), dark tribal drum jams (Black Merlin) and sunrise ready Motor City brilliance (Deniro).

Review: Those who checked John Talabot's excellent debut album, Fin, will know that his approach to house music is a little left-of-centre. Clearly inspired by the genre's quirkier fringes, he appears to enjoy creating tracks that veer from woozy and intoxicating, to tropical and pagan. Here, he makes his approach even clearer with a triumphant 27-track mix-up for the long-running DJ Kicks series. Variously deep, melancholic, unusual, inspired and atmospheric, the mix contains impressive contributions from the likes of Young Marco, Pional, Andy Stott, Jus' Ed, Joe Clausell and Talabot himself, as well as a rare outing for the rare (and rather fabulous) "Innermind" by Paradise's Deep Groove

Review: Although he's one of the most revered DJs in the UK with a wide following of like-minded eclectic music heads, Mr Scruff very rarely releases mix albums or compilations. It's for this reason that his edition of the "DJ Kicks" series is such a big deal. That mix itself - available on CD and digital download - is naturally superb, but his selections, which are showcased here in unmixed, DJ-friendly form, are also top-notch. Starting with the drowsy hip-hop soul of Max Graef's jazzy rework of Andreya Triana's "Gold", the Manchester veteran offers up a hot-to-trot mixture of downtempo soul (Sudan Archives), off-kilter Afro-tech (Tiger), ragga (Ding Dong), Floating Points style house (his own hook-up with CyberPunkJazz), drum workouts (Andy Ash), synth-powered proto-house (Alexander Robotnik), Latin beats and much more besides. Ace.

Review: Let the sermon begin - Detroit techno legend and innovator Robert Hood steps up to deliver the latest installment of !k7's legendary DJ Kicks series and it's an edition well worthy of attention. The ordained minister leaves the minimal techno sound that he helped pioneer, for powerful, big room techno on this highly anticipated mix. Despite his famously linear approach, here he builds tension between tracks with suspenseful breakdowns throughout. Highlights include the direct impact of his own "Focus" and its factory floor stomp, his hypnotic rework of Landside's "Signs Of Change", the seething tension of Slam's "Remain" and the return of Space DJz' Ben Long who teams up with Belgian veteran Tom Hades on the sci-fi epic "The Knight Rider".

Review: Apparat's respected position amongst the electronic music cognoscenti has been secured mostly via his overseeing the Shitkatapult Empire and the canon of music released alongside Ellen Alien and the more recent brushed metallic tones of techno drama explored as Moderat with Modeselektor. He isn't, however, known for his DJing abilities, which makes his inclusion in the DJ Kicks series a puzzling one at first. This sensation dissipates however once your ears consume the 70 minutes and 22 tracks on offer here. Ring stated an intention to dispel the notion he plies a distinctly bittersweet sound, and that's always going to be achieved when there's the likes of Ramadanman, Martyn and Carl Craig (in his 69 guise) amidst the tracks. Whislt this isn't, as you'd expect, a technically sensational mix, a definite glitchy mood is retained throughout with some dazzling moments. The harmonious ascent of Four Tet's remix of Born Ruffian's from the industrial mist of Autechre's remix of Scorn in particular stands out. Four Tet's collaboration with Burial marks the onset of another highlight with the swift saunter through Vincent Markowski and Ramadanman that arrives at Radiohead twitcher Thom Yorke's "Harrodown Hill". An engaging selection best heard on headphones at high volume that highlights new aspects with every listen.

Review: In recent interviews, Paul Woolford AKA Special Request has made it clear that he's long dreamed of being asked to contribute to K7's long-running DJ Kicks mix series. It should come as no surprise, then, that his volume in the series is little less than stunning. Constructed as a slowly unfurling, constantly evolving musical journey interspersed with ambient interludes and specially created Special Request cuts, the set sees Woolford work his way through synth-soul, 21st century boogie, electro and IDM before moving on to classic house, techno, acid house, hardcore, jungle and, in its closing moments, a stunning, spacey synth-scape he wrote in cahoots with fellow Yorkshireman 96 Back. Throughout, Woolford's focus remains on mood, melody and tone. A simply stunning mix made by a master craftsman.

Review: Let's just pause for one second; now, think about all that music that has so enriched your life down the years. All of it, without fault, and regardless of any strict genre definitions, is soul music. If it flicks a switch deep inside you, speaks to you, comforts you and makes you feel good about yourself, then that, my friend, is soul music. German DJ and producer Henrik Schwarz understands this musical truth more than most. A long-time aficionado of those musical forms that are commonly rooted in some appreciation of this sonic legacy - funk, house, disco, jazz, techno, and yes, the dictionary definition of soul (James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Motown etc, etc) - his adventures into hi-fi are testament to such a fact. And nowhere is this more readily apparent than on Schwarz's latest venture: a much-deserved foray into that Holy Grail of DJ mix albums, !K7's acclaimed DJ Kicks series. Across 23 tracks, Schwarz enthusiastically takes us on a musical journey that without wanting to get too chin-strokery about it, manages to entertain, enthral and educate all at once. And that he achieves this without losing sight of the style and sophistication that are the hallmarks of his unique DJ sets and his much praised productions and remixes is only added grist to his musical mill. Schwarz's background is jazz: free-flowing, improvisational and inspirational jazz, the likes of which set the pre-rock'n'roll years alight. And it's this mindset that initially informs his well-chosen mix. Rather than go for the latest bunch of tunes that are burning a hole on dancefloors across the globe, Henrik has paid homage to the music that he has loved down the years. Consequently, Moondog's jazz classic 'Bird's Lament' sets the scene for the journey we are about to undertake. When this segues into Double's blissful slice of Balearica, 'Woman Of The World', it's clear that we are in the hands of a rare talent. For Henrik Schwarz is a DJ who utilises all the tools of the modern sound sculptor - his usual sets are comprised of him jamming live via his trusty laptop - with a reverence for what has gone before. It's no wonder that Gilles Peterson is such a fan of his productions 'Supravision', 'Chicago', 'Jon' (which is featured here) and 'Leave My Head Alone Brain', nor that his music is lapped up by Manchester's hugely influential Electric Chair coterie. Henrik himself admits that he didn't want to think too much about his mix, rather he let the music dictate what direction he went in. "I just selected the tracks and then played them," he admits. "It was more about the feeling of the mix, creating those emotions and combining extremes." Such a case comes when he mixes the minimal techno of Robert Hood's 'The Core' with an African field recording. It's about creating layers and textures and in doing so it gives his mix a depth that is truly awe-inspiring. But this isn't all about intellectual grandstanding. Good times are audible at every turn: James Brown encourages us to get on the good foot with his dancefloor shimmy, 'Since You've Been Gone', and the psychedelic free jazz of Schwarz's own 'Jon' is both vibrant and hypnotic. Elsewhere, the stirring strut of Jae Mason's 'Let It Out' and the irresistible Afro-beat of Cymande's 'Anthracite' both compel you to fish out those dancing trousers. Undoubtedly though, the blue touchpaper is well and truly lit by Schwarz's 'Imagination Limitation', a track written especially for this mix. Placed next to Detroit legends Drexciya's 'Black Sea' - all crisp and muscular Motor City futurism - it ticks Schwarz's techno fetish with aplomb. Other dancefloor delights come courtesy of avant-garde nut job Arthur Russell's trippy cosmic disco 'Get Around To It'. Being a mix of untold seams, the funk flavours at the business end speak of Schwarz's cerebral qualities. Womack & Womack's 'Conscious Of My Conscience', Rhythm & Sound and Sugar Minott's 'Let Jah Love Come', Doug Hammond's 'Wake Up Brothers' and the incomparable Marvin Gaye's 'You're The Man' are all moving and literate pleas for a better world. And that in a nutshell is the mix you presently have in your hand. It's a CD that tells a story. It contains tracks that ooze class, that reek of history, that are imbued with style. It is a mix that speaks of life's rich tapestry. In short, Henrik Schwarz has delivered a mix with something for your mind, your body, and, most importantly, your soul.

Review: There's going to be plenty of heat surrounding this mix-up from hot US DJ crews Wolf + Lamb and Soul Clap, and it's easy to see why. As commercially released DJ mixes go, it's exceptional. Packed with fresh material and refreshingly eclectic, it sprints between tracksboth upbeat and downtempo at a breathless pace. From sparse nocturnal house and Arp-heavy noughties boogie to dubbed-out grooves, space-age electro and sweeping cinematic instrumentals, this installment of "DJ Kicks" has it all. Hell, there's even a spot of pedal steel skank from Slow Hands. With a cultured, considered feel and all manner of unreleased audio delights from the Wolf + Lamb family, it's an outstanding hour of entertainment.

Review: It would be fair to say that Deetron has taken the opportunity provided by a DJ Kicks mix to show off a little. We'll forgive him, though, because he's delivered an astonishingly good mix. Cramming an astonishing 38 tracks on to one CD might look like overkill, but the selection, programming and mixing (presumably in the studio, given the number of overdubs and sneaky track blends involved) is so good that you barely notice. Musically, he delivers a brilliant blend of electronic music old and new, moving from deep house and jazzy electronica to ambient via slamming rave jams and almost every techno sub-genre you can think of. We'd usually spend time banging on about highlights, but they're so plentiful that there simply isn't space. Just buy it: you won't be disappointed.

Review: Over the years, there have been numerous approaches taken towards the DJ Kicks series, from spooky nerd-outs and downtempo voyages to funk-laden journeys and inspired, willy-waving eclecticism. On this latest instalment, Hotflush boss Scuba has decided to go for an all-out dancefloor assault. Yet this is no ordinary club-friendly mix. It touches on all strains of bass music with moments that take in juke, techno, dubstep, wonky, future garage, acid, broken beat and more. The rate that Scuba charges through tracks can only be described as furious, shifting between ragged floor fillers, emotion-rich groovers and atmosphere-heavy mood pieces at a rate of knots. That it never seems forced or breathless is testament to his skills. As bass music mixes go, you'll find few better.

Review: Given her current popularity, it's no surprise to see all-conquering house hero Maya Jane Coles mixing the latest instalment of !K7's long-running DJ Kicks series. The diminutive DJ/producer is in fine form, too, mixing up typically atmospheric house cuts and clandestine deepness with saucer-eyed late night faves and forgotten B-sides (see Bozzwell's surprisingly emotional "In My Cocoon"). As a mix it's as deep, melodic and groovy as you'd expect, with a strong vocal theme running throughout. As it progresses, it tiptoes further into bleary-eyed darkroom territory, via stand-out cuts from Marcel Dettmann, Caribou (his thrilling remix of Virgo Four), Gerry Read and T Williams.

Review: As a producer, Daniel Avery has rightfully earned a reputation as someone with a distinct stylistic vision. While he regularly flits between styles and tempos, his music retains a dark, horror-influenced edge that's rarely less than beguiling. During club sets, he rarely strays away from a dense techno template, selecting tracks that fit his distinctively foreboding style. It's this side to his musical personality that shines through on DJ Kicks. It begins and ends with two maudlin chunks of otherworldly ambience; in between, you'll find an array of booming, late night techno jams from the likes of Shlomo, Planetary Assault Systems, Slam and Artefakt. Naturally, it's slickly mixed, resulting in a paranoid journey through 21st century body music.

Review: It's been four years since globetrotting Glaswegian Jackmaster's last mix CD. This time round, he's opted to pay tribute to the sounds of the cities that have most inspired him, namely Glasgow, Detroit and Chicago. In essence, that means a fast-paced, thrill a minute ride through his house and techno influences that builds impressively over 80 action-packed minutes. Highlights come thick and fast, from the woozy synths and loose breakbeats of Denis Sulta's "MSNJ", and Mike Dunn's throbbing jack-track "A Groove", to the bombastic dancefloor funk of Lory D, the hazy hypnotism of Mr G, and the wonky techno hustle of Ricardo Villalobos.

Review: Although she's offered up plenty of high-grade DJ mixes in the past, this volume in the "DJ Kicks" series marks Laurel Halo's first commercially available mix-up. The sometime Hyperdub producer has dutifully delivered something rather special, somehow joining the dots between 29 diverse and disparate cuts in the manner of a true turntable maestro. Beginning with the melodious experimentalism of her own "Public Art", Halo giddily charges between mutant industrial funk (Stallone The Reducer, Final Cut), thrusting electronic disco (Red Axes), deep techno (Parris), mind-altering acid-style intensity (Rrose), stomping, sweat-soaked peak-time techno (Machinewoman, FIT Siegel), polyrhythmic bass music (Facta, one of her Livity Sound collabs with Hodge) and an impressive array of cuts that defy easy categorization. The resultant all-action mix is nothing less than stunning.

Review: On his edition of the long running DJ Mix series, Kerri Chandler has eschewed the dancefloor in favour of a set that showcases his "influences and inspirations". For the most part, that means a slick selection of soul, jazz-funk, disco and boogie gems from the '70s and '80s, with occasional deviations into electro (Fantasy Three's "It's Your Rock (Instrumental)"), Afro-dub (Chandler's own previously unheard "Stop Wasting My Time") and inspirational '90s fare (Innerzone Orchestra's sublime acoustic soul cover of "People Make The World Go Round"). Throw in a wealth of specially made interludes and you have a brilliantly programmed and mixed journey through Chandler's musical youth.

Review: Given his longevity - not to mention the high esteem in which he's held as a selector - it's rather surprising that this is only DJ Koze's second mix CD. Having indulged his dancefloor side with 2004's All People Is My Friends on Kompakt, here he digs deep into his post-club crates for a DJ Kicks selection that relies heavily on well-swung electronica and left-of-centre instrumental hip-hop beats. It's a fine mix, all told, shot through with a quietly soulful vibes, his usual eccentricity and some killer selections (Broadcast, Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, his own quirky remix of Session Victim). There are a few curious, homemade downtempo mash-ups, too, plus - bizarrely - a surprisingly impressive track from William Shatner. Yes, that William Shatner.

Review: Studio K7’s long running mix series, DJ-Kicks, continues with an instalment from NYC disco head Juan Maclean (former hosts include the likes of Hot Chip, Booka Shade and Henrik Schwarz). Sculpted with a combination of classic tracks and more recent cuts, the mix displays a diverse collection of songs that are more focused on the club than past mixes.




Although Maclean is mostly known for his productions and live performances, he is also a DJ of some repute and his inclusion in the series is no surprise. What is somewhat intriguing, however, is his decision to make a straight up house mix. Over the running time of seventy-two minutes, Maclean keeps the energy levels high as his unleashes his collection of records meant for the club. Selecting from a rich tradition of house music with a disco twist, he includes a combination of classic tracks like Rick Wilhite’s "Get On Up" (remixed by fellow house don Theo Parrish) and recent disco cuts from the likes of Shit Robot, Still Going and 6th Borough Project.




The mix has a free flowing feel throughout due to Maclean’s raw method of producing: the whole compilation was mixed live using only two turntables, a couple of filters and a tape delay, placing the emphasis squarely on the sprit and excitement of the mix as opposed to its sound.

Review: On his contribution to the long-running "DJ Kicks" series, Leon Vynehall has decided to take a widescreen approach, offering up a blend that showcases the depth and variety of his music collection rather than his club-rocking skills. The first half of the mix ebbs and flows with the laidback drowsiness of his selections, which flit between post trip-hop beats, ambient, IDM, electronica and crunchy post-punk pop. Midway through he begins to crank things up a notch or two via RAC's UK garage-influenced 1997 cut "Fushigi", the chunky peak-time warmth of Crinan's "Kilimanjaro" and the bass-heavy pump of Ploy's "Pressure", before unleashing some seriously intense experimental dancefloor workouts from the likes of Etch, Aphex Twin and Peach. It makes for a hugely enjoyable and at times breathtakingly brilliant musical journey.

Review: Given his length of service, it's rather surprising that Michael Mayer hasn't previously been asked to deliver a DJ Kicks mix. His contribution to the long running series is predictably impressive, moving from the warm and woozy downtempo vibes of Peter Zumo, to the loose-but-driving bliss of Modarat's remix of John Hopkins's "Abandon Windon". Along the way, Mayer doffs a cap to some of his early inspirations (Chris and Cosey, Throbbing Gristle), highlights the work of some of his favourite contemporary producers (I:Cube, Justus Kohncke, Alter Ego, Prins Thomas) and showcases a string of his greatest remixes. The vibe is woozy, melancholic and occasionally dark, with Mayer successfully blurring the boundaries between techno, new wave, krautrock, synth-pop and off-kilter ambient.

Review: Given their position as high-ranking, chart-bothering dancefloor party-starters, you'd expect Disclosure's contribution to the long-running DJ Kicks mix series to be energetic, enthusiastic and saucer-eyed. It is of course, with the Lawrence Brothers taking us a whirlwind, thrill-a-minute 55-minute trip through the kind of peak-time club cuts that get their creative juices flowing. After a surprisingly sanguine start (Pepe's shimmering ambient), the siblings gleefully skip between synth-laden lo-fi house positivity (Harry Wolfman), excitable nu-disco (Cleanfield) and melodious deep house (Simon Hinter), before opting for spacey synths, beefier beats, sleazier grooves and heavier basslines courtesy of the likes of &On&On, Slum Science and East End Dubs. Chuck in a couple of their own cuts and a dash of D&B at the end and you have a hugely entertaining, ear-pleasing mix-up.

Review: For her volume in K7's legendary DJ Kicks series, Cinthie Christl has delivered a righteous, life-affirming, no-holds-barred club mix that spends much of its time (though by no means all) showcasing old school and contemporary (if self-consciously retro-futurist) garage-house and deep house jams. That means groovy basslines, bumpin' beats, infectious organ motifs, diva vocal samples and surging piano riffs aplenty. Of course, there are diversions -see the crunchy breakbeat dreaminess of Ben Hauke, the squelchy Chicago deep house of 'Emergency Tech' by Boo Williams, the micro-house of BMW and the acid-fired shimmer of Anna Wall - but it's the loved-up brilliance of the classic-sounding house cuts from the likes of Terrence Parker, Adriyano, Ruff Stuff, Amir Alexander and Niles Cooper that linger longest in the memory.y.

Review: Whether operating under his own name or the equally familiar Henry Wu alias, Kamaal Williams' next-level musical fusions are always rooted in soul and jazz. Both inspirations come to the fore on his superb contribution to the long running "DJ-Kicks" series, a smooth, atmospheric and ear-catching set that crams 29 scintillating cuts in 80 action-packed minutes. Sprinting between 21st century R&B, jazz-funk, deep house, dancefloor jazz, broken beat, kwaito, dub, drum and bass and off-kilter, impossible to pigeonhole cuts, the musician, producer and DJ manages to both educate and entertain in equal measure. Along the way you'll find plenty of exclusives, including a number of his own previously unreleased productions.

Review: Some DJs use the opportunity of a DJ Kicks mix to showcase the eclectic nature of their record collections, while others see it as a chance to give an airing to the dancefloor records that have inspired them over the years. Seth Troxler's mix sits somewhere in between. On the one hand, there are impeccable jazz and downtempo moments from the likes of Sun Ra, Herbert (as remixed by Phil Parnell) and DJ Koze, whose "Bodenweich" is an undeniably atmospheric, off-kilter delight. On the other hand, Troxler has picked out some genuinely brilliant, mostly US-centric house selections; deep, soulful and bumpin' fare from the likes of Butch, Kerri Chandler, Jasper Street Company, Mood II Swing and Derrick Carter. On paper, it's an odd combination, but somehow Troxler has made it work.

Review: While now revered just as much for his kaleidoscopic, all-action club tracks as his similarly colourful downtempo explorations, it should never be forgotten that Lone began life as a maker of skewed, head-in-the-clouds beats. For this fine contribution to the DJ Mix series, the DJ/producer has decided to take us on a whirlwind tour of his influences and inspirations, brilliantly joining the dots between sunrise-friendly ambient, melodious electronic, blazed hip-hop, dazzling experimental beat-scapes, loved-up house and futurist techno. It's a thrillingly eclectic set, but one that holds together brilliant. While this is in part due to the use of a number of his own productions, it's also testament to his immense skill as a DJ.