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Review: K7's DJ Kicks compilation series is given a new makeover with their latest juggernaut from London-based electronic deviant, Actress, who gives one of his rare appearances out of the live format and onto the decks. As expected, the techno shape-shifter puts through a diverse mix, 29 tracks spanning from old-school Chicago house to more contemporary experimental techno and ambient-filtered dance music. The LP is limited to nine tracks in total, including vintage Detroit techno from Reel By Real, distorted outsider disco from the Shit & Shine crew, Gherkin Jerk's "Red Planet" and a new cut from the man himself, "Bird Matrix". The CD is naturally vaster and more comprehensive of the current state of affairs in the techno world with twenty cuts ranging from the distorted house of Breaker 1 2 aka Greg Beato, golden era electronica from Autechre, TTT's Zennor, Germany's STL and even PPU affiliate Moon B! An essential collection of music from 2015.

Review: Whether or not you've checked the mixed version of Avalon Emerson's contribution to the DJ Kicks series - and if you haven't, you should - we'd heartily recommend this unmixed vinyl version. There's so much high quality DJ-friendly material on show, from the bouncy, polyrhythmic Afro-techno melodiousness of Oceanic's 'Yellow Cone (Unison)' and the Detroit techno futurism-meets-acid-house brilliance of Lady B's 'Cruising Around The Motor City', to the breakbeat-driven brilliance of Waveform's 1998 gem 'Breakers In Space (D.A.T Remix), and the low slung disco-punk brilliance of Dirtcombs (a killer cover of 'Sharevari') and !!! (as remixed by Rub 'N' Tug). The collection also includes three tasy, previously unreleased tracks from Emerson, with dark Italo throb job 'Poodle Power' and weirdo acid electro number 'Wastelands & Oases' standing out.

Review: The long running DJ Kicks serious has always been fascinating, offering as it does the chance for DJs and producers known for a particular style to spread their wings musically. Jazz-minded German techno combo Brandt Bauer Frick grab that chance with both hands on their instalment, showcasing an atmospheric blend heavily influenced by nu-jazz and smoky, jazz-flecked deep house. This vinyl edition features ten unmixed cuts from the mix for the selectors out there along with a CD version. On the latter there are numerous pleasing diversions, from the head-nodding analogue boogie of Inkswel and Moog-laden African rhythms of William Onyeabor, to the dense drum workout of their own "Brommel" and the winding synths and ultra-deep production of Fantastic Man's "Late At Night". They also make room for a bit of tech-jazz (Galaxy 2 Galaxy), and the booming late night moves of Cosmin TRG.

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: Berlin techno legend Marcel Dettmann is up next for !k7, compiling their latest edition of the esteemed DJ Kicks series. The Berghain resident merges new takes on classics; such as Cybersonik's "Technarchy" (Marcel Dettmann Third mix) and his remix of Infiniti's (aka Juan Atkins) "Skyway" alongside Mystic Bill's classic "U Won't C Me". Elsewhere, he dabbles in classic electro territory from Das Kombinat on "Waschmaschine", industrial proto-techno on Psychick Warriors Ov Gaia's "War Chant" (Marcel Dettmann edit) and some new exclusives from MDR HQ in the form of some interesting collaborations. There's some stripped and textured dub techno featuring Levon Vincent on "Can You See" and a jagged industrial experiment with fellow label mate Wincent Kunth on "Possible Step". While the mix is definitely reminiscent of one of his renowned 12 - 4 warm up sets, the vinyl edition (which comes as a bonus with this double vinyl release in gatefold cover) is a fine collection timeless techno and future classics.

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, throbbing 1990 peak-time anthems (Weatherall's ace but largely forgotten remix of Sly & Lovechild), hypnotic techno minimalism, main room throb-jobs (Hiver), pulsating electro, classic breakbeat hardcore, post-dubstep, dark tribal drum jams and sunrise ready Motor City brilliance (Deniro).

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: As with previous editions of DJ Kicks, this double vinyl accompaniment to Nina Kraviz's debut on the long running mix series does not feature all 29 tracks from the fully mixed CD edition. Instead some eight highlights have been chosen to complement those that featured on The Deviant Octopus, a double pack that opened proceedings on the Siberian artist's new label endeavour ????. There is a healthy amount of fine electronic music to enjoy on these two vinyl platters, opening with "Mystery" from Miss Kraviz herself and taking in contributions from Plaid, Armando, DJ Bone, and Polygon Window. The dons at K7! have even thrown in a copy of the mix on CD too. Kraviz completists will be all over this.

Review: RECOMMENDED
The DJ Kicks series has managed to outlast the vast majority of other DJ mixes we can think of - the good, the bad, the populist, and the plain cash cow. Even the mighty fabric compilations have rebranded and rethought, bringing the original legacy, FABRICLIVE included, to a respectful end at 200 outings. Strange, then, to think, that !K7's mighty offering to the world of "What should we listen to at the afters?" has arguably managed to become more relevant as the years have flown by.

There was a time when the series existed at the lighter end of club fare, with some examples barely even matching that description. These days, though, there's often a dance floor heaviness central to the selections, with Jessy Lanza's broken, bass-driven set a case in point. Pointless attempts to describe the music, and lazy track list namedropping aside, this is energy-packed, heads down, futurist stuff packed with infectious percussion.

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: The last few years have really seen Paul Woolford reach the top of his game in many different ways. Be it bowel emptying rave as Special Request, festival baiting piano house tunes or chart topping pop dance crossovers under his own name, the man is proving himself to have a real golden touch. He sure does crank out all these tunes at a prolific rate, too, but you still feel he does everything with meticulous precision. This DJ Kicks is a case in point. It touches on all the many different facets of his sound from glossy and feel good house to early Chicago classics, post-rave dreamscapes to brutal jungle breaks. What a legend.

Review: John Talabot joins the likes of Scuba, James Holden and Motor City Drum Ensemble to contribute to the long running DJ-Kicks mix series that's deftly proved there's still mileage in the commercially released Mix CD despite this podcast heavy age we live. The usual double LP edition culls ten cuts from the weighty 27 track mix which the Hivern Disc lad has described as "not an easy mix. It's quite strange". If you've seen Talabot DJ you know the Barcelona based artist digs deep and that's represented well on these ten cuts, with Andy Stott's lurching take on Maps and the similarly minded Tempel Rytmik ( the new project from Talabot and Alexander 'Genius of Time' Berg) contrasting nicely with the more effervescent house from Axel Boman, MCDE and Paradise's Deep Groove. Kudos too for the inclusion of Samo DJ's "Tai Po Kau"!