It’s almost impossible to keep on top of everything that SoundCloud, Mixcloud and online radio has to offer. In our monthly column, FACT guides you through the must-hear mixes of the last 30 days, whether you want a club session to warm you up for the weekend, ambient soothers or a set of vinyl-only obscurities.
Yet again, we’ve not seen fit to include a single sesh that could be described as “techno” in the month’s best mixes – and it’s not just us feeling this way, is it? As John Twells pointed out in his write-up of Berlin’s CTM festival – always a good place to gauge the cutting-edge – dance music has never been in better shape. You just have to look beyond the usual locations.
This month’s selection features acid from Kazakhstan, kuduro from Lisbon and gabber from Paris. Shit, we even found a DJ from Seattle. But don’t be alarmed: there’s at least one Berghain regular in here and a historical selection of ’80s electro from mad genius Milo Smee.
If you’re missing something a little more trad – or that won’t get shunted off the house party playlist within 20 minutes – then we must to flag up this excellent all-originals mix from Lobster Theremin founder Asquith, featuring an epic hour and a half of unreleased house, techno and acid belters.
Príncipe on Rinse FM
Celebrating seven years with an all-new future-kuduro mix
When the books are written on dance music of the 2010s, Príncipe will be rightly celebrated as one of the most forward-thinking and consistent labels of the era. Guesting on the Hessle Audio show this month, the Lisbon crew celebrate their sétimo aniversário with an hour of brand new future-kuduro, wonky-tarraxo, batida-bangers and that kind of thing, all set for release in 2019 from artists including DJ Nigga Fox, DJ Firmeza, P. Adrix and Nídia. (Listen from 49:39)
JASSS for Dekmantel
Unpredictable future-techno from a Berghain regular
Fluid, unpredictable and not afraid to chance a few risky blends, this Dekmantel podcast from Berghain regular JASSS proves that the Spanish DJ is one of the most exciting breakthrough artists of the year. Bossy breaks, rave stabs, vicious snares and mind-bending synth squiggles abound – we’ve no idea what half of it is, but the amount of “TRACK ID” pleas on SoundCloud suggests that we’re not alone in our ignorance. Perfect!
Nazira for Radio Cómeme
Jellyfish on acid from Kazakhstan
If you’re not familiar with Nazira yet, get ready to bow down. Almost single-handedly responsible for establishing rave culture in Kazakhstan, the scene figurehead has an RA podcast in the bag, a Room 4 Resistance residency and a regular slot on Radio Cómeme. Each of her Theory of Nothing radio shows is different, but this month she gets really stuck in with a session of wiggly, wriggly, not-your-typical acid mix inspired by documentaries about jellyfish.
Tristan Arp & Simisea for Mitamine Lab
Organic energy from NYC’s Human Pitch label
New York City’s Human Pitch produced one of the finest dance 12”s of 2018 in the shape of label co-founder Tristan Arp’s broken beat stunner Plexi. For the Mitamine Lab series, he joins forces with the other half of Human Pitch, Simisea, for a superb mix of house, breaks and environmental textures that share an energizing, organic quality – fans of Powder and Laurel Halo will enjoy.
Bintus for Crack Magazine
Batshit rave belters and ’80s electro
As the head of cult electronic label Power Vacuum, Milo Smee is an authority on oddball dance material. His Crack mix is a two-pronged pleasure: to start, a stack of thumping ’80s electro and hip-hop, the chief influences on Smee’s production alias Kruton. And after a palate-cleansing interlude of Gregorian chants, 20 minutes of batshit rave belters from the Power Vacuum catalogue. Solid.
Livwutang for Maneater
Agile bass and breaks from Seattle’s one-to-watch
Seattle selector livwutang wins this month’s prize for most ridic DJ alias, but don’t be fooled – her mix for Maneater Detroit introduce an ice-cold talent. From gloopy electro to ragged breakbeat and a burst of Laurel Halo, it’s an agile session of bass and breaks from a not-so-obvious rave city.
Teki Latex for Boiler Room
The King of Blends raises the roof in Paris
It’s not the first time that Teki Latex has made an appearance in this column (and it won’t be the last) but that’s because he is one of the greatest DJs on planet Earth. From ’90s euphoria to minimalist smackers to grubby grime to – LOL – The Prodigy, this rabid hour at Boiler Room’s Paris showdown finds The King of Blends at his most straight-up banging.
Chal Ravens is a freelance journalist. Find her on Twitter.
Olivea Kelly is an independent artist and designer. Find her on Instagram or at opk.design.
Read next: 7 must-hear mixes from January 2019: Surreal avant-club, boggy techno, destabilized bass