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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: Having found a renewed vigour with his Breach alias, Ben Westbeech has been ripping it up with his run of singles over the past few years, and now !K7 have snapped him up for the latest installment in the still-trucking DJ Kicks series that shows just how deeply rooted in house music the long-serving producer is. With the double-pack vinyl edition packing in full versions of many of the standout tracks from the mix, you can get treated to the anthemic vocal tones of Pedestrian, the heartfelt garage tones of Cassio Kohl, the fist shaking grooves of Detroit Swindle and in something of a curveball move, the ethereal electro of Dopplereffekt. For the most part it's direct and soulful house music as you would expect from a man of Ben's pedigree.

Review: Berlin based Cinthie is a firm favourite here at Juno HQ, as well as all around the European house scene. She runs various labels, her own record shop, and all with a great sense of personality. We couldn't be happier that she is next up in the legendary DJ-kicks mix series and of course, she doesn't disappoint. Her selections take in plenty of the raw, stripped back house you would expect. She includes one of her own tunes, the vital 'Organ' as well as fresh material from Ruff Stuff, Anil Aras and Felipe Gordon and puts it all together in an unfussy but hypnotic style. This doubt vinyl album offers you some of the standout cuts.

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, and here eight of her selections are presented across two slabs of vinyl The tracks are as deep, melodic and groovy as you'd expect, with a strong vocal theme running throughout. Stand-out cuts here come from T Willliams ("Analog Tour") and Caribou (his thrilling remix of Virgo Four). A neat vinyl-shaped accompaniment to the mix itself.

Review: Eccentric Swedish sitcom enthusiast turned producer DJ Seinfeld is hot property right now, so it's hardly a surprise to see him mixing the latest instalment in the DJ Kicks series. It's rather good, all told, offering a good run through of his influences and inspirations whilst also packing plenty of dancefloor punch. Taken in isolation, the Swede's on-point selections (think breakbeat-driven lo-fi house, dreamy deep house, skewed techno and bubbly post-IDM jams) are often deep, melodious, atmospheric and left-of-centre; brought together, the result is a wonderfully fluid and entertaining mix. Highlights include the downtempo bliss of the producer's own "I See U", the bass-heavy breaks/deep house fusion of Rudolf C's "Deep Sea Survivor", the rushing dancefloor mania of FaltyDL and the loved-up goodness of Project Pablo.

Review: Cardiff-born DJ and producer Elkka packs a lot in to her entry in the hallowed DJ-kicks mix series including two exclusive new tunes of her own such as 'Hands' and 'Body' with Jeigo. There are also new bits form the legendary Herbert as well as Villager and all in all they add up to a spellbinding mix which reflects her eclectic but always coherent approach to DJing. Here the standout tunes are pressed up to vinyl as rumours of an album on Ninja Tune to come at the end of the year grow ever louder.

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: Up next on DJ Kicks' acclaimed mix series is Numbers doyen and Glaswegian iconJackmaster. In his own words, the 24-track mix sees the charismatic Scot 'delivering an honest journey, unearthing a serious passion for the obscure boundaries of house and techno.' This double LP lifts out eight of the tracks most other DJs will want to get their mitts on, and joins the dots between his hometown of Glasgow with Denis Sulta's festival destroying bass driven epic "MSNJ", then NYC; with Eli Escobar's gutsy EBM-flavoured 'Tension (vinyl mix)". Berlin's status as a dance music mecca is referenced with Dutch transplant Anno Stamm's dark house stomper "A Night Out With Therese" and the legend himself Ricardo Villalobos, with his minimal techno classic from 1996 "Logohitz". DJ Kicks throw in a CD of the mix too!

Review: Jayda G is one of house music's most breakout and cross-over sensations in the last five years. She plays with an obvious passion for what she does, and that is mirrored by the tunes she makes and the selections she digs for. A DJ-kicks from her was always going to be a good time listen and so it proves - her own 'All I Need' takes some beating in the feel-good house realm, but the likes of HAAi's lo-fi shuffler 'Good Ol'Fashioned Rugs', disco stepper 'I Want Your Body' from Royale and House Of Jazz's super soulful 'Hold Your Head Up' come real close.

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: 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: 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: Given his multiple production aliases, love of collaboration and two acclaimed labels - the effervescent Aus and Simple Music - its surprising Will Saul has time to think, let alone lay down a DJ Kicks mix. That the resultant mix is a woozy, atmospheric, multi-textured voyage through many shades of deep house, techno and bass-flecked electronic music is less surprising. Tightly packed with exclusives - see Bicep's rave-flavoured "Nova", for starters - and with cuts from pals October, George Fitzgerald, Cottam and Axel Boman, amongst others, there's plenty for fans of Saul's ever-evolving sound to cheer. This vinyl edition packs 12 of the 24 cuts from the mix across two slabs of vinyl and you get also get a CD of the mix with Saul building a distinctly warm and wide-eyed vibe over 80 mesmerizing minutes.

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: 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"!