Melbourne Deepcast

For this episode we welcome the extraordinary talents of Aaron J, Brooklyn's Sure Thing record label and podcast founder, known for hosting an immense list of explorative modern techno artists from around the globe. Altering our consciousness for the first time in 2023 with a particularly awe inspiring set at Sustain-Release, Aaron's deeply considered and intricate approach is something of sheer beauty, and coupled with masterful technical ability, his inspiring DJ sets allow for fully immersive dancefloor experiences. Here Aaron explores the softer edges of his expansive sound palette, meditative soundscapes and tranquil IDM converging in total harmony for what he describes as a 'recalibration of the senses'. @arn_j @sure_thing Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in? A. Of all the mixes I've put together over the years, this one definitely feels the most vulnerable. The months I spent thinking about and working on this mix accompanied an intensely busy time in my life, and the process helped me stay in touch with the simple joy of listening as a way of stepping back and letting things go. There is a direct connection here between the music within and the emotions that live inside me. At the same time, I've tried my best to mix this as transparently as possible, so that the act of DJing takes a back seat and allows the music to take center stage. The inspiration behind the tracks I chose and the story of the mix is one of finding balance, so I hope listening to it feels like a casting off of the present day and a recalibration of the senses. I'd love for people to listen to the mix in a setting where they feel most protected from the changes and stressors of the outside world, whether that be sitting outside in nature or laying on a couch surrounded by the comforts of home. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. There is a track in the mix by Autumn of Communion called “Goodbye PK” dedicated to the late Peter Kuhlmann, who many of your listeners will know as the legendary Pete Namlook of FAX +49-69/450464. It's an immensely moving track that manages to convey both the tragedy of his loss and the depth of the beauty he left with the world, and I feel we're so fortunate to have music and influences like this in our recent history. I included it early to set the tone of the rest of the mix, which is quite different than any I've done before, and to pay my respects to those who've inspired our scene from the very beginning. Q. I was lucky enough to witness your set at Sustain-Release in 2023 and was in awe of your ability to practice restraint while steadily building up tension and energy in the set with such clinical and seamless execution. Is this part of the DJ craft something you spend a lot of time planning and refining? A. That was such a life-changing moment for me, so I'm really glad you were there! You really nailed what I hoped to accomplish with that set, and I definitely spend a lot of time thinking about where my sets will begin, where I would like them to end up, and what sort of path I might take to get there. Understanding the minutiae of how a transition will affect someone's state of mind and how to propel someone forward without jarring them back to reality is something I'm always working to improve on. That said, the upward trajectory is not always the most interesting one, and there are so many other ways of charting a course through a set that I hope to be able to explore. For the mix I've made for you, it's not so much a set that builds energy as it is one that expands and contracts, hopefully in a gentle and purposeful way.

The Tartan Records boss and equally boss DJ Wallace signs off on his recent stint down under with a mix packed with deep sea dubs and bumping 00s techy rollers. Based in England, and having previously run a string of club nights in Edinburgh, Wallace is a proud tartan enthusiast with a full tank of punchy dubwise grooves in his sporran, with plenty of nods to his UK roots here over a glorious hour and a bit full of chunky d-floor burners. Let's have it! @wallacejimmygs Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in? A. It's been a pretty bruising winter back here in the UK but we'd just had our first smattering of sunshine when I came to putting this mix together. I think that shift—the changing seasons and the first signs of trees beginning to bloom in my hometown (as pictured)—definitely influenced the first part of the mix. The middle section leans more into the kind of stuff I'd play out, but I wanted to bring things to a softer landing toward the end. There's certainly an outdoor feel to the selections so maybe a listening environment to match but equally I love music's ability to transport us from our current states so bang it on indoors and see what happens. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. There's a Steve O'Sullivan Dub early on which I recently found & it's just a gloriously mixed and executed piece of dub techno. Towards the end another recent find by Argentinian producer Federico Molinari which to my ears sounds like a lost 80's gem but was produced just last year. It's rare to hear a modern producer capture that classic vibe so authentically, without tipping into pastiche. Q. You were just out here in Australia over the past weekend and from all reports the shows were on point! What kind of directions did you take people in during those sets, and how might the energy of your club sets differ from your mixes? A. Yes, so glad to have finally made it out here. Was a real joy to meet some lovely people in your scene and to get the chance to do my thing. Always revel in the challenge of playing in a new country as you've got to be on your toes to adapt but stay true to what you're all about. I truly felt the warm Aussie welcome, so let's call this mix a little parting gift to tide things over until next time x

A much loved figure within the American underground scene, California's Baby Leo has been consciously connecting body and mind from coast to coast, finding space for the unpredictable and the awe inspiring, hypnotising dancefloors with wildly eclectic DJ sets filled with energising twists and turns. An innovator and sonic boundary pusher at his core, the Dripping festival Leo runs alongside Relaxer is a deep underground oasis in the woods of Sparta, New Jersey, and returns for it's third mind excursion this June, with Leo and DJ Plead combining this year for a hotly anticipated back to back. @djbabyleo Q. The mix is truly a wild ride! What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this, and what listening environments could you imagine it being enjoyed in? A. This is the deepcast right? For this one, we're going deeper than what I might usually do in a club. Some of these tracks came to me while laying blindfolded on the floor during guided high-dose mushroom journeys. Because this is a space of complete emotional surrender, many of these tracks became permanently embedded in my heart. Awe, fear, reverence, gratitude are all part of the recipe. The ideal listening environment is similar to how you might want to watch a movie - cozy, undistracted, and fully immersed in sound. Perhaps by yourself and hopefully something to return to and discover something new. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. I think Untitled (How Does it Feel) by D'Angelo is my favorite song of all time. It feels amazing every time. The way energy builds and boils over is unmatched. I played it backwards. Q. Your festival Dripping returns to the majestic woods of Sparta, NJ for its third year running in June, and I see you've got a special extended b2b set with DJ Plead planned which should be quite the mind-bend! How have you been preparing for that one, and what things might you guys be doing differently this year that you're excited about? A. Preparation hasn't really begun in any serious way, but we are both anticipating and very excited to play together. Especially at Dripping, I'm typically trying to push the energy forward for a fully explosive impact. I will usually do a lot of preparation for a set like this and plan certain sequences. In contrast, I've seen Plead play sets with incredible restraint, patiently working a crowd into complete hypnosis. I guess the thing about a back to back set is that it will take on a life of its own and just go where it needs to go. There will be less planning for this and more intuition, but mind-bending and heart-opening is certainly the goal and we haven't discussed anything other than that. Tracklist: Avartuva nake - Esa Kotilainen La Symphonie - Cute Heels Marka - Carmen Villain Portamento - Stine Janvin Flusso I - Donato Dozzy Winded - 7038634357 O Berimbao - Nana Vasconcelos Polar Sun - Feral Temples - Anunaku Doubles - Untold Drop it On The One - Untold Wormhole Chant - Vector Trancer Through The Cobalt Desert - Marco Shuttle A Touch Of - Piezo Andnowawordfromoursponsors - Kabeaushe Shimming - Yor Kultura Untitled (How Does it Feel) - D'Angelo Hamburger Lady (Carter Tutti remix) - Throbbing Gristle Guboo - Lights in a Fat City

An episode that feels well overdue yet thoroughly worth the wait! A titan of the Naarm underground music scene, Pjenné has been a kindred spirit and longtime pal since the early days of MDC, and it's no surprise that her contribution is packed full of gloriously deep and immersive feels, bassy and driving in parts and light as a feather in others, speaking to a palette that has been meticulously explored and continues to evolve along with her incredible weekly radio show on PBS, Passing Notes. @pjenne Q. What sounds of feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in? A. For this mix, I wanted to channel the energy and sounds that I associate with Melbourne Deepcast rather than drawing on the darker side of my sound palette that has been at the fore of my radio and club sets of late. MDC means so many things to me, but there's definitely an energetic, grooviness that comes to mind and this is what inspired the mix. Although the mix does showcase parts of me (heavily atmospheric, emotive and a few downtempo tracks for good measure), I'd say this is more of a mix for you. :) I imagine this mix being listened to outside, on a sunny day, but when you might also need a little extra pep in your step. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. The first that came to mind is a track by Sean Cusick and Medway (Jesse Skeens) - It is an incredibly beautiful and emotive breakbeat track from 2002 on Saw recordings, there's just something about how the vocals and the pads wash over you - although its upbeat there's also a sombreness to it and I just think its the whole package. Towards the end of the mix there's also a very very classic ambient trance number, Lazer Worshippers by Damon Wild & Tim Taylor from 1993 - Not the most deeply dug track but it's a classic for a reason. Q. You have been lovingly broadcasting your weekly radio show Passing Notes on PBS for six years running, which is a serious achievement! Tell us what you did for your sixth anniversary on International Women's Day, and what keeps you inspired to broadcast the show week in week out? A. It's been a wild ride that's for sure! I really appreciate that International Women's Day marks each yearly anniversary of Passing Notes - it reminds me to stop and reflect on each year as an achievement that I would probably otherwise forget in the chaos of life. This year I enlisted the help of Syrian DJ and Harmony Rec affiliate Zeynep, who provided an excellent, playful and sassy celebratory guest mix. As for my inspiration to keep going, I'd say that I draw from the collective power of electronic artists locally as well as internationally. There's just so much good music to share, and Passing Notes enables me to provide a crucial connection between ‘underground' electronic music and the wider music community. I'm also inspired by live radio as a format - it provides a sanctuary for me from the highly curated nature of music today and allows me to be more playful in the way that I explore different sounds. To me it is a place free of judgement.

Settled back in the UK after a long stint in Berlin, London chill-out devotee Lucy Cook treats us to one of her notoriously nostalgic blends, with meditative vocal swept soundscapes and smoky jazz lounge space dub fused with trip-hop cuts resurrected from obscure CDs from the 90s and 00s. Deeep mood exploration at its finest! @lucyscook Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when planning this mix, and what type of listening environment could you imagine it being enjoyed in? A. I put the mix together after a bright and productive start to the year. It's somewhat reflective of my mood I guess, maybe not through the vibe of the tracks, but in the space around them. I've explored some deeper sounds in this one.. so maybe one for some introspective listening. I recently visited Japan too and was super inspired by how intentional everything is, with a focus on simplicity and quality. Stripping things back and consistency are new-ish themes in my personal life too, which feels really good. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. I really can't choose, but there's a couple of edits and things I made which feel special. I had fun layering some interesting vocal samples and weird sounds I've been collecting over the years, and created some bits with these which are peppered throughout. Quite a few of the tracks are CD rips from the 90's and 2000's, which is a method of digging I love. For me without it, so much amazing music wouldn't be shared. There's also one or two from friends' labels Truffle101 and Sonido Chido which are really cool ones. It's important to me to support those around me and get good music heard :) Q. I know you recently made the move back to London after some years living in Berlin, how's the transition been and what are a couple of your favourite UK parties or festivals that you're looking forward to reconnecting with this summer? A. It took a little while to “arrive” here actually. I'm a pretty calm person and the energy is very different, but I'm feeling happy and at home here now. Electronic music wise, I went to Houghton for the first time last year and was blown away by the quality of the music, so I'm looking forward to being there again. Otherwise, I'm enjoying seeing more live musicians. There's always a lot of great psychedelia, jazz, soul, and hip hop to see here, especially outdoors in the summer. Oh and number 1, Glastonbury!

London's friendliest DJ duo Merchant summon their deepest club crates for two hours of summery prog and rhythm heavy house heaters! Oozing their signature feel good sensibilities, this one's a bumping ride with classy 90s groovers and contemporary UK dance music mixed up with love as the main ingredient.. @merchantrecordslondon Q. What inspiration did you guys draw upon when planning out and making this mix together, and what kind of listening environments might you see it being easily enjoyed in? A. We've always loved a variety of different music and it feels really nice to be able to put out a dance mix that shows that side of our sound. We often spin dance music with our mates at home before a night out, so this could be quite good for the pre-game or as you're gearing up for the dance in the festival campsite. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. Two of the three tunes we'll be releasing in our first EP this summer are in the mix so look out for tracks Viva and Twenty46. We worked with our very talented producer friend Strath on those and we are excited for playing them more this summer. Another standout is Rockin The Boat by Reflex Blue. It's got the perfect amount of groove to it with that sax coming over that acid line and it's a great track for moving sets in different directions. We are also really fond of the last two tracks. Life Formation by Epsylon 9 is a 90s trance track that has got a lot of positive energy. We paired that with the closing track Please Come To My Show by Kolter which carries that atmosphere but with a more contemporary sound. Q. Harry I know you're heading back to the UK to reunite with Al after spending the summer down here in Aus. What are you guys looking forward to upon your return, any new projects or parties in the works? A. Mainly excited to give each other a big hug, crack a bottle of wine and chuck a few records on. DJing never feels the same when we aren't together so we are really looking forward to some nice European gigs soon. Obviously the EP is also exciting. We are also starting a run of parties later this year so keep an eye out for that on our insta if you're listening from London.

A longtime conductor of contagious positive vibrations, Danny Bodega is a much loved name among balearic dance music enjoyers round the globe! Co-founding Gazebo Records last year, his killer ear for breezy coastal cruisers and deep crossover club jams make Bodega's effervescent energies the perfect tone setter for those long 'n' balmy summer nights. Step back in time for 3 hours of extended hangs and zesty hedonistic pleasures with Danny Bodega as your good time guarantor! @beaton-4 Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when planning this mix, and what kind of listening environments might you see it being easily enjoyed in? A. Last year I went to my neighbour Lenny's night at a tiny basement club in Hackney with Dan Beaumont and Wes Baggaley playing records together. Had not felt that feeling in the club since the early days going out in Naarm with locals playing records all night at Lounge, Liberty Social and Roxanne Parlour. This mix is a nod to that vibe and best suited to before, or after the club hangs…or triathlon training. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are particularly close to your heart? A. There are quite a few records in here that I've had for more than 10 years and have only ever played to myself at personal kick-ons, so it's a delight to share them more widely. The Usual Suspects remix of Mr. C and Robert Owens' ‘A Thing Called Love' is one. While I've never been a fan of Robert Owens' vocal stylings, this remix is an overlooked $2 Layo & Bushwacka! banger. Will put it up on the Gazebo YouTube channel soon. Q. You and Nick managed to gather a tonne of support for your inaugural Gazebo Records release last year, releasing Fuemana's 1994 cult classic New Urban Polynesian on vinyl for the first time. What was your favourite part about that whole process? A. The response to the Fuemana family's story and musical talents from a whole new generation of fans really blew us away. Having Tony and Mamma Fuemana fly over from Auckland for the launch party was the perfect culmination of family, friends and community spirit around the release that was also the perfect send off for me moving to London the following day. News on Gazebo 002 incoming shortly… Q. Where can people catch you spinning next? A. All night at Frequence in Paris this Friday, Feb 21 at Bodega Nights, April 12 with Daisy Records and Evie at the Jago. Nick and I are putting on a Gazebo party over here on May 3 with some special guests that we are excited about!

Tech friendly coastal groovers and bouncy breakbeats from the sun kissed shores of Lisbon with @magic_carpet co-pilot Hazr in the hot seat! @haz_r Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when planning this mix, and what type of listening environment could you imagine it being easily enjoyed in? A. I recorded this poddy on the Wild Lady, my girlfriend's canal boat. I find a lot of inspiration digging & plotting here - I'm surrounded by nature and the slow pace of the canal unplugs me from distractions. I guess it depends what side of the world you're listening

The 2024 Review has landed with MDC's @myles-mac blending up some the tastiest treats from the year that was. Tracklist: C.K - We Share The Skies // PRS AV Moves & Alex Ho - Perennials // Public Possession naemi - Couch Angel w/ Arad Acid & Huerco S. // 3XL Pleasure Planet - Alien (Alex Kassian's Sphinx Gate Mix) // SELF:TIMER DJ Relax - Anti Free Flowing Anxiety // Speed Dial Mosam Howieson - Ether // Semantica OP BOOMBOX - Mystery Bay // Serenity Now Alex Kassian - A Reference To E2-E4 By Manuel Göttsching // Test Pressing Picasso - Sub Rosa [l.o.v.e] // Tackle Audio Jamma-Dee - On & On // Public Possession Patrick Holland - S Mobile // Verdicchio Music Publishing BùLù - Senegalese-Sharpshooter (Original Mix) // Nummer Music Mayurashka - 12:00 P.M. // Serenity Now Cousin - ~O.V.O~ // Self Released Huerta - Cool Frijoles ft. CJ // Leizure DJ SWISHA - WEIRDO BEHAVIOR // Self Released Julie Marghilano - All I Need // RAWAX DJ Pipe - Deeper Strainz // Global North Shinichi Atobe - Dub 6(six) // DDS Picture - Sea // Help Recordings Retza - Solum Silvus // Looking For Life Fantastic Man - Warm Waters // Axis of People DOC 'N' P1LL - Fastforward // Serenity Now Opal Sunn - Elastic - Phase I // Test Pressing Avalon Emerson - A Dam Will Always Divide (Lew E Asks the Dust Remix) // Another Dove

The supremely talented DJ Plead launches us into a mind warping world of percussive pleasures and dexterous genre bending, with his trademark agile club rhythms and pacy low end palpitations on full display in episode 303! @1djplead Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when planning this mix, and what type of listening environment could you imagine it being easily enjoyed in? A. I actually looked through my rekordbox history from a recent Animalia night I played in Naarm and drew some inspiration from that. When listening back to the mix I can imagine it being played for a semi-casual game of Futsal or something like that. I feel like there are some light-footed tracks in there that would be useful to some nimble futsal players. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these cuts that resonate with you so much? A. Mata by Nidia & Valentina It's taken off a truly sublime Album that I draw lots of inspiration from. It's simultaneously organic and loose and club-playable, which is a tough one to get right. It's something I'm constantly trying to achieve but they seem to have done it effortlessly. Dotted by Cliques I actually tried to google to see if I've ever put this tune in another guest mix before. I probably have, so I'll apologise for that now. Cliques has always had a big influence on me since I started producing music. They've since stopped producing themselves which is a shame but I always play their old tunes out if I can. RIP Cliques.. Q. One of the things I've been fascinated with in your DJ sets (the Sustain-Release set for example) is your mixing of polyrhythms to seamlessly bridge tempos throughout a set. How did you first get inspired to experiment with this style and what are some of otherwise conflicting genres/sounds that have blended nicely? A. My DJing style is at times an extension of my music production. I think this might be a good example of that. The sustain release transition from 150 to 100 is using a tune that I produced years ago in a 3/4 time signature. I've produced a few tunes over the past few years that are able to do that. It just allows me at times to bounce around to different worlds and stops me from feeling stuck in a tempo-range. I haven't done it so much recently but I'd like to get back into doing it. It can create a really strange feeling for the audience. At Sustain-Release, a lot of the audience were on hallucinogens so it felt appropriate to get trippy in that way. It's harder to pull off in a nightclub environment. I'm no longer sure what the original inspiration for experimenting with this style was. Playing a lot of tunes that have a polyrhythm in them can often make you feel like you have the option to dance at two different tempos.

Command D summons the gods of the deep to have us completely submerged in a world of interdimensional dub techno, traversing us through an hour and a half of infinitely looped reflections and subaquatic soundscapes. @commandd Q. This certainly feels like one of your most immersive mixes to date, deeply contemplative and full of dreamy dub techno atmospherics. What inspiration did you draw upon, and what type of setting or situation could you imagine it being enjoyed in? A. I started to get into this sound when I was putting together my mix for the Moonshoe mix series. I didn't know what to call it at the time but I found all of those tunes and tied them together with a certain feeling that was really inspiring me then, it was very organic and that is still one of my favourite mixes. You can hear dub elements scattered throughout that whole mix. As I started incorporating more dub elements into my productions I discovered artists like Stephen Hitchell and Rhythm & Sound that had created a kind of music that was really extremely satisfying for me to listen to, especially considering my developing love for hi-fi and larger sound systems. I incorporated those artists into my FHUO mix which was a much more considered exploration of the style. Looking back on the process of making the mixes and how much I enjoyed them really assures me that the deep and contemplative sound is a big part of who I am. For this mix I've taken inspiration from the MDC series itself which I've been listening to for years. I wanted to add little hints of deep house sounds as a nod to the mixes of the past. I personally think mixes like this are the best to listen to when you're travelling and looking out a window, otherwise maybe sitting at a desk on a rainy day doing some work. I'd like people to listen to this in a time where they won't be distracted by something else or feel the need to skip forward, I'd want people to just throw it on and let it play, drifting in and out of the tracks and their own thoughts. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. My favourite tracks in the mix are Saftig Komposition by Rasmus Hedlund and Sedlec Ossuary by Persuasion. At a base level I love these tracks because they take a more modern approach to a dub techno track with tight production. Going deeper, the thing that really resonates with me is hard to put into words and best left unsaid. I think this kind of music (along with many other kinds) allows the listener to feel emotions that aren't able to be put into words, part of why I love it so much. I find that dub techno specifically can feel sad and happy at the same time like lots of jazz ballads. That to me is a really beautiful sound that kind of encapsulates life in general. Q. Tell us about the development of your live set, and where things are currently at with it? Do you feel like you're able to explore different shades of your sound when playing in a live setting? A. Putting together my first live set was an awesome experience. I got to play it all around Australia from clubs to rainforests. I've put the current live set to bed for now and am starting to work on a new one with a slightly different setup. Although it was a challenging experience, I loved making a live set because often when I would dig for tunes to play out I'd think ‘I wish I had a song like this' and writing a live set meant that I could bring those ideas to life and curate a set exactly how I wanted. I think I'm really starting to settle into ‘my sound' in production and DJing, but there are creative limitations in both like finding new music or learning new skills. Overcoming technical barriers in production allows me to get closer to my most true form of expression when it comes to what's coming out the speakers so I've been really working on that recently. Hoping the next live set will be bigger and better : )

Dubwise dreams and groovy percussive house with the low end dwelling Moonshoe producer @angusmills Q. What can you tell us about the mix? A. Thanks so much for having me on the series, I've been a big fan for over a decade now

300 mixes! What a journey. Big respect to those still listening since it all began back in the late 2000s, and a warm welcome to those who might just be tuning in for the first of hopefully a few more to come. Thought it must be about time for another episode from Deepcast HQ, with Myles Mac & DJ Possum back in the mix for a relaxing journey guided by the eternal balearic breeze of the 90s. Two and a half hours of smooth summertime groovers with plenty of vocoders, utopian dream states and moments of total rave nostalgia. Dancefloor chillers for the deeply inclined and/or reclined. Here's to 300 more :~) @myles-mac & @djpossums

London's Customs duo are connoisseurs of finely crafted garage music, two life long devotees to the sound's deeply swung rhythms and unifying dancefloor vibrations. Finessing their take on all things garage (not garage) through their regular spots on Kiosk Radio and at London's Giant Steps, the guys join us with a swinging smorgasbord of 90s and early 00s records from the UK, dabbling in top notch garage and some of the sounds that anticipated broken beat and early grime productions. @customs_ldn Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when combining for this mix, and what kind of setting might you imagine it being enjoyed in the most? Guy: Firstly, thank you Myles so much for sharing this mix. Longtime fans of MDC! Both of us answered “driving” as the best setting, which is funny since neither of us drives. So maybe “riding” rather than driving. Lots of thoughts percolated for me on night drives to inner city Manchester a few months back. Definitely inspired by the All Bad Boy & All Good Girl archive work of Death Is Not The End, resurfacing the sound of Moss Side blues parties like Soul Control. Reading Ed Gillett's new-ish book Party Lines also gave a push further into alternate UK dance histories, specifically Black club scenes and music that ‘swings'. Tom: I've been bingeing on a bunch of old club recordings from the ‘speed garage' era lately - sets from places like Club Koo and The Colosseum - and I think some of the energy from that early blend of UK and US sounds has definitely bubbled over into this mix. Q. With the mix showcasing your shared appreciation for deep garage music and its many adjacent styles and offshoots, could you give us a brief insight into your journeys with the sound, and what years, artists or labels have you found to be responsible for the most timeless cuts in your record bags? Guy: It was a nocturnal radio sound for me as a young teenager I guess, largely mysterious, coming largely from London when I was growing up in the north west. But the sampling of R&B vocals from stuff I knew made it immediately accessible. In more recent years, digging in London, I've tended to get most excited by either one-off/ white label riddles that are sometimes garage-not-garage, and also alias stuff from bigger name producers across bigger labels in the genre - G-Spot Records, Nice ‘N' Ripe, Unda-Vybe etc. Tom: I actually started out as a bedroom garage DJ, so it's a bit of a full-circle moment for me. I had a mate at school who wanted to be an MC, and on Saturdays we used to hit up Music & Video Exchange to pick up whatever white labels we could find before heading back to his flat in Ladbroke Grove to practice a set that nobody would ever hear. Shout out to Nick The Greek, wherever you are! Twenty-something years later, I'm still finding exciting stuff from the same producers we loved back then - guys like Jeremy Sylvester and Mike Millrain who have these unfathomably deep back-catalogues. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your hearts, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? Guy: I'd call out 2. Artist Formerly Known as PP - When I'm Down, from 1998. Bit of a private press oddity from a producer who's prolific but mysterious (the PP = ‘Persian Prince'). It's a kind of rolling, morphing megamix type cut that samples Brandy - Best Friend but also features raw toasting style MC bits the likes of which you hear from the live party recordings in All Bad Boy & All Good Girl. The other is Colour 3 - La Femme, a beautiful, melodic white label that's been so versatile for me since I picked it up from Crazy Beat in Upminster. Has worked a treat on sound systems like Giant Steps and after parties alike. Tom: The penultimate track, Drivers Anthem, is a special one for me. Super deep and melodic production, but with that trademark UK bump on the bottom end.

Raised in Shibuya, Tokyo and now calling Naarm/Melbourne home for the past year, Kamome cut his teeth playing adventurous extended sets as part of the Tokyo based Vinyl Youth DJ collective, with close mentorship from local legends KEITA SANO and Yamarchy from the notorious Shibuya small club, Mitsuki.
 Kamome brings his unique and playful musical stylings to the table for the latest episode with a mix as deep and immersive as it is quirky and acid-groovy, primed for late night smoky dancefloor indulgence! 

 @kamome-8787 Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when putting this mix together? Is there a sound, feeling, time or place that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. The inspiration for this mix comes from my upcoming one year of being in Australia, and I created it with the hope that the local people will get to know me. As a Japanese person, this mix is largely composed with sounds from the Japanese community and those of my seniors and friends. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. All the tracks in this mix by Chida, Keigo Okazaki, Daichi, Yamarchy, ifax!, Dj Himitsu, and KEITA SANO are important to me, but the one that stands out the most is the debut track "Got to be real" by DAICHI & Yamarchy, which will be released at the end of August. This edit seems to be a re-edit of a past track from the label Clue-L, run by Kenji Takimi. Q. I know you've featured some incredible unreleased Japanese records in this mix! What Japanese artists/labels are responsible for some of your favourite sounds of late, and who should we be watching out for? A. An artist I'm keeping an eye on is DAICHI, a member of my collective "Vinyl Youth." His recent release from MM Disco, based in Berlin and Barcelona, is still fresh in my memory, and I can't wait for what's next ! An artist to watch is KEITA SANO, and although not Japanese, Lunatic Music, based here in Melbourne, is also noteworthy. Keita is like an older brother to me :) and he releases works in a unique style at an incredible pace. (He has released five works this year alone.) Bart and Jack, who run Lunatic Music, have been invaluable friends since I came to Melbourne. Their label features Japanese artists, and all their releases are excellent. Be sure to check them out!

We're beyond thrilled to welcome French house music pioneers Alan Braxe & DJ Falcon who share with us with their recent set from Golden Plains Festival! Fasten your seatbelts for a high-octane genre bending encounter, packed with plenty of cult French house classics mixed with the duo's signature blend of indie pop, disco and techno with some special edits they made just for the set. @braxe1 + @djfalconofficial Q. What inspiration did you both draw upon when planning for this set at Golden Plains? How would you describe the feeling in the crowd, and what kind of a story were you hoping to tell with the music that night? Alan Braxe: Weeks before playing at Golden Plains many people and friends told us this one is going to be special, you'll love it! So we were very excited. When we arrived on the site we immediately felt very good energy with a big crowd focusing on the music. All these lights everywhere made it quite unreal, a bit like in a fairy tale. When we played we tried to be quite eclectic covering a wide range of the music we like. We even prepared some special edits backstage before the set when we realized how good the atmosphere was. DJ Falcon: As Alain said we were already excited to play there as we had tonnes of great feedback from our Australian mates weeks before the show. We knew this festival was going to suit us well as we're constantly flirting with pop, rock and electronic music. Honestly we simply play the music we love and tell a little bit of our story, some of our French classics combined with a selection of tracks we like from the moment. Q. What were some of your favourite moments from this particular set, and how do you guys find the right balance between the nostalgic classics and the newer French house sounds when preparing for your sets together? AB: As said above we love to play eclectic with a bit of techno, house, French house, indie pop, we don't really prepare the set, it's more an improvisation based on our respective selections. It doesn't really matter to us if the music is new or made 20 years ago, it's more about playing tracks we love 100%. My fave moment was probably when I played the 1st track “I Saw” by Young Fathers that I edited a few minutes before the set. On stage, when I saw this very enthusiastic crowd, I felt like wow we have full freedom to play whatever we want. DJF: Favorite moment, for me, is when you arrive at the place and you instantly know that you're gonna have a good time. Also after 10/15 mins of our set we were able to know that the audience is super receptive, that's a good satisfaction for us. Talking about the right balance between classics and newer tracks is mainly dictated by the energy of the audience. I feel like we're simply going with the flow, we're somehow just some kind of energy sensor… Q. Now having completed this long awaited Australia tour, how did you find the experience of returning to the country after so many years, this time as a duo, and where are you hoping to take the Braxe + Falcon project next? AB: It's been a very pleasant tour, we did other festivals with also a very positive reaction from the people, touring as a duo is also very exciting as there is this common excitement backstage before playing, and also my son is now living in Sydney so I had the chance to spend a lot of time with him. Next for us is studio time to release more music, our next single is set to be released on July 10th on Smugglers Way / Domino, and there will be more to come later in 2024.

A radiant beacon of light and energy, Naarm's longtime curator, tastemaker and worldly dance music selector Adriana steps away from the d-floor to serve us a delightful blend of soulful hip hop, r'n'b and neo soul, moving between vintage and contemporary cuts with complete ease and steeze! Opa! @goodlucktoyourdad Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when putting this mix together? Is there a sound, feeling, or time/place in dance music history that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. This mix has been inspired by what I've been listening to as of late which has been heaps of rnb, neo-soul, hip-hop and afrobeat. Thrown in the mix are some real classics from the 90's as well as some contemporary jams that have really impressed me. I think it's too easy to get caught up in having to play only what is considered to be “underground” when in actual fact there are some fire mainstream releases as of late. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are especially close to your heart, or old favourites that you've been keeping up your sleeve for the right moment? A. The last jam ‘Come Dance with Me' by Sleepy Brown definitely takes me back to my childhood and ignites a fire in my heart!! I wasn't too sure if bringing up the mix by another 10bpm to finish was a wise move but I'm so glad I did! Q. A massive winter edition of your ever evolving Spasta party is happening this June with an mega lineup just announced (Jex Opolis, Ruf Dug & Adi Toohey to name a few), how long has this one been in the making, and what kind of vibes might we be able to expect over the two stages? A. This Spasta is our biggest one yet and the enthusiasm behind it has been mind blowing!! People are so keen for a day festival in the Winter - especially when the lineup and location are undeniably amazing! As always, Spasta will emphasise my Greek culture - this time with a Florinian band to welcome guests upon arrival, Greek statues projected across the convent walls and ouzo to be catered at the bar. We also really pride ourselves on the artists that we book - this time mixing it up between fan favourites and underground figures who deserve a spotlight on them because they're so damn incredible! Spasta prides itself on not being pretentious which is why it feels so welcoming. I am proud of the community that I have created alongside Finding Figaro, and am grateful that people are so trusting and receptive to our vision and values! We simply cannot wait to do it all over again with them this June! :D

With a remarkable fourteenth season of their Mister Sunday open air parties just around the corner, @mistersaturdaynight's @misterjustincarter shares with us a special excerpt from his NYD sunrise set at Nowadays back in January, pulling out some definitive house and disco classics with heartfelt nods to NYC's deep-rooted dance music history. Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when recording this mix at Nowadays? How would you describe the feeling in the room that day, and is there a sound, or time/place in dance music history that connects all the different moments in one way or another? A. I know Nowadays' indoor dance floor intimately, and this slot in particular, starting around 5am on New Year's Day, is one I've played for the past four or five years, so I came in with a very specific idea of what to do. I knew that the party would be in full-tilt New Year's Eve energy and that I'd want to hold the pace but move into a more liminal space, so I played records that are propulsive but dreamy. Once I established that headspace, the sun started to rise, so there was a natural energy shift, and I leaned into that. I stopped mixing and played Loft-style for about thirty minutes. Letting records play from beginning to end, playing music with vocals and live instrumentation, it's grounding, makes it feel like a house party, reminds us that we're connected with each other. That felt important to me, knowing that the dance floor had been in a more driving mode for eight hours. After that interlude, I built it back up, because there was still like twenty hours to go! In general, I'm piecing together a few elements in my sets these days: deep, soulful elements that first drew me in when I arrived in NYC in the late 90s; psychedelic, minimal music that was coming from Europe in the 00s, when I first started to DJ; and then that Loft thing I referenced above. Q. Are there any records in the set that are especially close to your heart, or old favourites that you had been keeping up your sleeve for the right moment? A. I hadn't played my 45 of “Be There In the Morning” by Renee Geyer in years. (It's a record I found on my first Australian tour in Melbourne, at Licorice Pie, back in 2015, actually!) Good sunrise record, obviously. “Will you be there in the morning?” Yes! Here I am! Q. With the winter months in NYC now behind you, how are preparations coming along for the return of your legendary outdoor Mister Sunday parties? Will you and Eamon be planning to do anything different for your fourteenth year? And after doing it for so long now, how do you guys continue to keep yourselves inspired? A. We purposefully try to keep Mister Sunday consistent. Of course we're always digging for music, and we always invite a couple guests who've never played, so there's something that feels fresh for every season. But the consistency that comes from having a weekly party that's been happening for such a long time, it's something we consciously try to maintain – it's one of the main ingredients for the community that has developed around the party. No one has to wonder where the party will be this week, whether it's happening this Sunday or not, etc. That said, we're going to be throwing our 500th(!) party this season, and we'll do something special to commemorate that.

Dipping into warmer waters with the Life Classics mood masters tapped into a soul defining well of exquisite late 90s and early 00s house music. Dreamy, techy, jazzy, groovy, this one has it all. Deep house at its absolute finest. @sanctuary3 Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when putting this mix together? Is there a sound, feeling, or time/place in dance music history that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. We've always had our heads locked into the deeper shades of house from the late 90's to early 00's, in particular those nostalgic tracks that tap into that spacey special place. The mix is shaped around a bunch of records that resonate that feeling for us, a nod to those dance floor dreamers found late into the night with stars in their eyes. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are especially close to your hearts, or old favourites that you've been keeping up your sleeves for the right moment? A. The opening track is from Ronin's Night Grooves EP. A firm favourite of ours that we've kept on rotation over the years. And also the last track from Aurora Borealis on FNAC, this one has been on the shelf for long minute, but don't often play it out so it felt right letting it run here. Q. What's the latest with your Life Classics parties in Berlin? Do you have some fun nights planned at OHM once again this year, and who have been some of the guests that have blown your minds in recent years, and why? A. We just had a banging start to another year's residency a couple of weeks back with Telephones. Next month we've got Antal coming through again, he has been a staple of our nights since the A.S.E days and it's always a wild one. Red Greg was definitely a recent highlight, treated us all to a master class deep into the wee hours.

We return to NYC where the wonderful @lycheefrut has us fully submerged in a wobbly world of ambient techno moods and grooves. Restorative mind state hypnosis for the early morning acid dreamers with moments of total serenity! Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when putting this mix together? Is there a sound, feeling, or time/place in dance music history that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. There are a few recent moments that I drew from: I had pulled a lot of dreamy tracks to close out the intimate Sunday evening queer party I throw with my friends called Antidote, and for a b2b with my friend threehz at their party dream/self. I usually spend a lot of time planning a tracklist for studio mixes, but this time, I was struggling to sequence or choose between the tracks I had pulled. On New Year's Eve, a few friends came over to my studio to pass some time before going to a rave where I was working the door at 8am, and they all ended up dozing off while I was DJing. I was trying to play music that was both energetic enough to keep me awake, but not too intense for people who were sleeping. A few days later, I ended up recording this mix in one take with no strict playlist, drawing from that moment; it was a fun experiment in trusting myself to find a more organic flow. Q. As someone who's actively involved in a number of interconnected projects and events within NYC's underground dance scene, tell us about the idea behind your Spontaneous Affinity outlet for zines, mixes and long form interviews that regularly feature important insights from DJs, producers and organisers alike. A. The series has been on a bit of a pause / slow paced moment lately as I focus on getting some other aspects of my life together :) but the idea was to use the interviews to draw connections between different nodes of people working to build scenes in different places. Everyone gets the same set of questions to choose from; it's always fun compiling it all into a zine and seeing what kinds of commonalities emerge. I hope to find time to work on another zine before the end of this year! Q. And finally, I really enjoyed your set opening up The Grove at last year's Sustain-Release! Tell us about how you found that whole experience, and how did you approach a set like that where you could seemingly take things anywhere over the three and half hours.. A. This set was a heavy one for me – I've been to every Sustain, and it was a formative part of my journey deeper into DJing and music. This summer also came with a lot of big losses and transitions. I spent as much time journaling and meditating as I did organizing music, and wanted to make space for others to process difficult things before diving into party mode in a psychedelic environment. As far as the musical approach, I thought of the set in 7 or 8 "chapters" that could expand or contract depending on the energy and vibe. I've played a lot of opening sets over the years and lately have wanted to push myself within that; here, instead of the standard ambient → techno type opening set, I wanted to play with a structure where the set built into a mild frenzy and then settled back down before the live acts that played after me.

Extending a warm welcome to our good friend P.Bud! A wicked producer of swirling deep cuts and the solo brains trust behind the NYC based @aroniarecords, Philip's leanings span the intersecting vibe-sphere of groovy, dubby 90s house, early 00s tech house and prog with subtle deep hypnotic trance nods for the early morning inclined. Get set for two-hours of classy digs and exquisite blends from one of the realest out there! @p_bud Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when putting this mix together? Is there a sound, feeling, or time/place in dance music history that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. I moved to New York from Berlin a couple years ago and I've been so impressed and inspired by the North American scene since coming here. It's so welcoming, inclusive, and community oriented, and is pushing really interesting music forward. This past festival season in particular was amazing. I attended Sustain Release for the first time and it totally blew my mind. Best Out Of Town, a festival organized by some friends in Canada that I played at, was also just next level. I definitely drew on those musical experiences when putting together this mix. I also love digging, so a lot of the records in this mix are ones I picked up in NY record shops–shout out to A1, Human Head, Boom Service, and Academy. I've been really into 90s / early 00s tech-house and progressive lately so that's definitely the throughline in this mix. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are especially close to your heart, or old favourites that you've been keeping up your sleeve for the right moment? A. In terms of records close to my heart, I've been obsessed with The Age Of Love Suite (Neverending Voice Mix) by Unity 3 for a while now, such a beautiful vocal trance track. I also just adore Groove Control by Variable Frequency Technician–when the pads come in it gets me every time. Those are both tracks I've had on repeat while cruising through the city on my bike and I'm glad I found places for them in this mix. I love making edits of tracks that are almost perfect but just need little tweaks to get them there. For example, Only When I'm Dancing Do I Feel This Disco by The Mighty Dub Cats is cheesy in the best possible way, but the breakdown is just too much so I took it out. Storyteller by Urban Clockers has an amazing groove but the arrangement was lacking so I worked on that. Groove Society - Push Upon It has been stuck in my head nonstop since I found it, but the pitch was drifting too much so I smoothed that out. Q. What's the latest with your label Aronia Records? We've been treated to a couple of seriously deep, hypnotic and at times experimental dance records from yourself and the Toronto based producer Emissive in the past couple of years, is this the kind of direction you'll be looking to explore even further with the label and your own production going forward? A. Thanks for the kind words! I'll definitely try to keep things ‘seriously deep' haha :) I want to focus on dancefloor material–it's so rewarding seeing people move to Aronia tracks–but I'd also love for Aronia releases to work in different contexts too. I've been very lucky to collaborate with Evan (Emissive) in that regard, whose music ticks both those boxes. Resounding Yes for example is an amazing, hypnotic track that works both on headphones as on the floor. I'm lining up some releases for 2024, mainly my own productions so far. I'm always keen to put out other people's music though, so please send stuff my way if you like our sound! I'd also love to get Aronia more involved in the NY scene, so I'm looking for ways to do that. I'm partial to vinyl as a format, but it's so costly and time consuming, and I'd really love to put out more music. So on top of vinyl, maybe there will be some digital only Aronia releases too. Maybe some Bandcamp or Nina Protocol exclusives? We'll see.

@myles-mac's annual MDC Review is in, blending some of his favourite mind massagers from 2023. Tracklist: Eivind Vullum & Telephones - Changgu-Satturnu (Telephones' Mind Meld) // Vibrasjon Radart - Soli Test // Companion A.S.O. - Falling Under (Cousin's Dive Dub) // Low Lying Records Anthony Naples - Scars // ANS Rings Around Saturn - Lansky's Vision // Best Effort Beta Librae - Bodhicitta // Incienso Frank & Tony - Agitate // Pacific Rhythm Pilgrims Of The Mind - My Baby Likes Rum // Heels & Souls DJ Popup - MLK // NES Adam Pits - Spreadable // Kalahari Oyster Cult p1LL - Touch My Soul // Serenity Now Recordings Fantastic Man - West Coast // Superconscious Patrick Holland - Fog Wall // Verdicchio Music Publishing Sean La'Brooy - 140 to the Pin (ft. Greg Carleton) // Analogue Attic Jex Opolis - Catalytic // Bad Timin' DJ Central - Person // NES Retza - Division (Too Sexy Mix) // Retza Angus Mills - Wet // Moonshoe Lew E - Teardrop // Basic Spirit Thurlow Joyce - Lemon Citrus // NAFF Sleep D - Planet Waves // Butter Sessions Caldera - Dolphin Skii // Nummer Music ANF - Technique // DustWORLD

Rounding out the year with two and a half hours of perfectly weighted dream grooves, tech savvy-transcendence and heavenly vintage house music from a beacon of the deep dancefloor, Hannah D! @hld @thespacebetweenus Q. Hey Hannah, what inspiration did you draw upon when putting this mix together? Is there a sound, feeling, or time/place in dance music history that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. Hey Myles! Thank you so much for having me on, I'm over the moon to be a part of the series. This mix is a bit of an ode to my favourite time and place to DJ — sunset at a festival or doof in the bush. When the day turns to night is such a special time, especially in these settings, and I really wanted to try and emulate that feeling — starting out soft and building into something a bit euphoric. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are especially close to your heart, or new or old favourites that you've been keeping up your sleeve for the right moment? A. Yes actually! One that comes to mind is Dario - Sweet Love (Evolution Mix). I found it a few years ago and was obsessed with it but the record was so expensive on Discogs (currently $200!) and I couldn't find it anywhere else so I kinda gave up on it. When you asked me to do this mix I decided to have another look for it and ended up being able to trade someone for a rip of the vinyl. So happy to finally play it!! Another special one is Kalle-M - This Place. My partner David actually found this and sent it to me a while ago and I love it so much, so shout out to Dave for that one :) and a final special mention for Blue Noise - Coldflow which is close to the end. It gives me goosebumps every time, so intensely emotional and I would be crying if I heard this on a dancefloor! Q. I know you've had quite the busy year on the events front, hosting a number of different parties with great local and international DJs as part of the Luna Blessings and Send/Return collectives. What were some of your favourite moments from the year that was, and what projects are you looking forward to working on in 2024? A. Thank you! It's been a crazy year looking back and I'm so grateful to be a part of so many special parties. A moment that stands out was the Waxo Paradiso x Hope Street Radio party the other week, the vibes were so perfect all day. This year I've actually played quite a lot of b2b sets which has been so fun, and I've had the chance to play interstate a couple of times and in Europe which was amazing :) We've got a super stacked year ahead with both Luna Blessings and Send/Return which I can't wait for! We're hosting one of my favourite artists ever for Luna in January which we'll announce very soon. I'm looking forward to more of all of the above in 2024!

Safe to say this one has been worth the wait! Relentless Sydney digger @daniel-lupica uncovers some seriously next level 90s kwaito and mid-tempo house from South Africa for a summer time spread full of pure under the radar heat! Q. Hey Daniel, what inspiration did you draw upon when putting this mix together? Is there a sound, feeling, or time/place in dance music history that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. Kind of, but it wasn't super intentional; obviously I'm into 90's sounds (in particular South African Kwaito and House) so I wanted to share some of my favourite finds of this year and string them together in a cohesive mix, keeping a steady mid-tempo vibe, where everything sounds both similar and different the whole way through. Nothing groundbreaking, just trying to keep an emphasis on quality and not play too many jams I've heard before in other DJ's mixes. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are especially close to your heart, or new or old favourites that you've been keeping up your sleeve for the right moment? A. There are a few! As a lot of the SA stuff is not easy to come by, it feels like it's by chance (right place, right time) that I ended up with a couple, so pretty grateful to have some of my grails in hand, such as the “Shima - S'Phete Vibe” LP, the song “Dlayani” is in the mix but it's packed full of heat. Another is the “Andile - Want Me (Viagra Mix)” (recently added to my YT) that is red hot fave at the moment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laSet9roaPA Q. With so many great under-the-radar South African records in the mix, can we expect to hear a few of these popping up on your youtube channel in the months ahead? And what other rabbit holes have you been exploring for the channel of late? A. Yes for sure! There's 3 or 4 in there that I plan to throw onto my channel. But hopefully I don't sit on them too long and miss the boat. The other rabbit holes that I'm always exploring include 90's Latin/Spanish/Brazillian Hip Hop and Hip-House, as well as Reggae and Dancehall covers of 90s RnB and pop songs. Always nice to throw something familiar yet different into the mix when playing in a bar or club.

A masterclass in aerial hypno grooves from Vancouver's @thurlowjoyce, fresh off the back of a mind melting split EP for NAFF alongside Priori and Regularfantasy packed with euphoric peak time delights. Q. Hey Cole, what inspiration did you draw upon when putting this mix together? Is there a sound, feeling, or time/place in dance music history that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. Hey Myles. Thanks for having me. I've been Deepcasting since day one. It's a blessing to be able to contribute. I'm in between a few worlds here. I'm originally from Vancouver, Canada, and have been lucky to soak up Canadian sounds since my early days at the Mood Hut parties of free sparkling water. Mood Hut, NAFF, Plush, ISLA, Planet Euphorique, 1080p, they're cozy CanCon scenes and there's a strong connection between Vancouver & Montreal. In parallel I've been stuck on the free form ambiance of 3 X L, Motion Ward, West Mineral Ltd., Kwia adjacent sounds. I'm currently spending a few months in Berlin and just played my first show at Kwia thanks to Nat Marcus (she's the best), and it's an incredibly unique space, the effect of the experience has been lasting. This mix feels like a connection between these experiences. I often feel like my taste is a bit too heavy, emotional, euphoric, or dark, and decided to lean into that. There's some softer sounds I've been lingering on mixed with a lot of functional high energy strict business. I hope there's something the listeners can enjoy as well. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are especially close to your heart, or new or old favourites that you've been keeping up your sleeve for the right moment? A. Naturally there's a healthy amount of CanCon in here. There's so much amazing stuff coming out of NAFF right now. I've been hung up on releases from URA, Purelink and Cousin, as well as one from Cousin's (lovely) label, Moonshoe. Some real bliss from Special Guest DJ as well as with Pontiac Streator as crimeboys. A few favourites from friends (Sverre!), and I've contextualized some of my own. Q. I really enjoyed your recent split EP alongside Priori and Regularfantasy for the wonderful NAFF label. Tell us a bit more about those songs you recorded and how it all came together for the label as your debut EP? A. Thank you! That means a lot. Lemon Citrus and Varial are 100% pandemic tracks. I've always struggled to push my own stuff and haven't released much of it or done a good job of putting myself out there. I was writing a lot in isolation during this period and remember trying to be more comfortable with the idea of sharing music, and doing so with my friend Jamie (Big Zen). The NAFF connect came about pretty organically. Francis and Adam have been amazing to work with. Jamie's a G. It was, and still is a trip. NAFF has always been a favourite label of mine. It was a dream realized to be able to contribute. Thanks again for having me.

Chief of the undercover cross over jam, the humble downtempo don and Rhapsodise head honcho @daniel_pisano adds his own slice of paradise to the series, with a dance focussed blend of beachside 90s breezers dusted off and smuggled from their mysterious cyber caves. Cruise control >> on! Q. Hey Daniel, what inspiration did you draw upon when putting this mix together? Is there a sound, feeling, or time/place in dance music history that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. The mix is inspired by my love of 90s dance music. As with most of my mixes, the records used are exclusively from this era, or at least draw inspirations from it. The sounds I like from this era tend to have a similar feel to them - breakbeaty, progressive and always with a touch of balearic energy. I haven't recorded a dance-floor mix for a couple of years so it was fun putting this together with some of my favourite records and CDs I've collected since then. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are especially close to your heart, or new or old favourites that you've been keeping up your sleeve for the right moment? A. The first track I used in the mix is from a remix CD by Australian electronic music project ‘Kiva'. I went blind on their self-titled album last year and soon realised how good all of their other CDs were. I think I had naturally been drawn to look for music from the UK, Europe and the US and around this time I started researching a lot more into local artists. My appreciation for home grown electronic music definitely started to shift, which you could see in mixes and uploads to my YT channel. Q. We're big fans of your Rhapsodise YT channel over here, with some extraordinary finds being uploaded frequently over there by your good self! Tell us a bit more about that project and how you go about curating it, and what characteristics might you be looking for when deciding what tunes to share? A. Thanks so much for the kind words :) The project was inspired by the other channels in the community that upload amazing finds. Internationally I was always blown away by No Frills, Customs, oddSample, Modern Art and local friends such as Mike Who, Daniel Lupica and Mirren. In terms of curation, I really just upload things that I enjoy that haven't yet hit YouTube. Most of these uploads form part of mixes that I put together so the uploads I find are generally similar in style to the mix I'm preparing at the time. I've recently moved to London, so hopefully there's some new uploads in the coming months!

Oslo house boss and mad selector @fredfades turns up the volume for the latest edition with a mix of serious summer heat! Big tempos and big nineties prog energies mixed with deep burners from the golden years of Euro house. Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when putting this mix together? Is there a sound, feeling, or time in dance music history that you channelled when putting this one together? A. I kind of wanted to make a bit "summery" mix that contains a lot of the stuff I am playing these days. Loads of European house records from the mid nineties. Then also some US stuff of course, but definitely a lot of British, Italian and German things. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are especially close to your heart, or old favourites that you've been keeping up your sleeve for the right moment? A. I mean there's one of my own songs in there, which I never did in a mix before, which makes it a bit special for me. It's the 'Summer of Love' cut from my new album 'Caviar'! Otherwise there's a few other things here that was discovered through other Norwegian deejays which always makes it a bit more precious to me than just finding it in a store or on the internet. Boomerang, PHD, Digitalis & Poligonheads was all bought out of the collection of a norwegian DJ named Alex Jangle. Q. What's the latest with your own music and your Mutual Intentions label? The Caviar LP looked like it would have been a fun project to work on with so many great guests collaborating on that! A. Caviar has been going surprisingly well on physical format, which is great to see! It's been a super fun process with a lot of good friends (and new friends!) joining in. I'm really happy how it all turned out. There's a bunch of new stuff coming soon as well! Both from me and a bunch of other artists!

Dishing up an extended all-spice-mix from local hot saucier @lava-brain. Prepare for some genuine mind realignment with 3.5 hours of mesmerisingly deep heat! Q. Hey Eric, what inspiration did you draw upon when putting this mix together? Is there a sound, feeling, or time in dance music history that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. Thanks for having me! I don't know if there was a conscious thought so much, but lots of music to either get you in a meditative mood or moving depending on how you're feeling. I guess there are definitely a lot of elements from the 90s Bristol scene threaded through the mix in one way or another. That trip hop/down tempo sound was really a big gateway into a lot of electronic music for me and it's what I was listening to a lot of when I first started DJing. ‘Bass is Maternal' by Smith & Mighty was a really big record for me; bringing together a lot of trip hop, dub, bass, breakbeat and jungle sounds, which feature in a lot of tracks in the mix. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are especially close to your heart? Definitely! There's a mix of some older favs like 'Transient' by Mr G, 'Tokyo Dawn' by Doc Scott & a Smith & Mighty tune. 'The Edgelands' by Rings Around Saturn has definitely had its fair share of listens over the years for me too. There's also a bunch of newer tracks, lots of local favourites & just music that inspires me. One tune which I hold especially close would have to be Delano Smith's ‘The Rock'. I remember hearing it for the first time and I still find it hard not to get hypnotised by it. The vocal sample about universal unity is also pretty groovy :) Q. Tell us what's the latest with the visual aspect of your Lava Brain project? How would you describe your approach? A. It's been really great to get more opportunities to work on the live visuals & projection mapping part of my practice recently and to focus on it 100% at a party. In terms of my approach to integrating the two, with every event there are so many different elements that need to work together to make it a success. I think it's really about creating an awesome experience, working together with the music and space to compliment each other and help curate a mood. Working with different collectives or venues is always interesting, as all the elements change including the physical space and I enjoy the design process; usually starting with the logical side of the ‘how' will this technically work and then the ‘what' in terms of creative content. I guess I try to tap into my own feelings when designing an install or content and ask myself something like ‘How would this make me feel in the context of the party, music and space and what's the intention we as a collective are trying to curate?' I'm also starting to expand my setup, experimenting with mapping a small wireless midi controller to be able to still be able to control the visuals while being away from the laptop and part of the party, letting me further tap into those intuitive feelings. Currently I'm working on a visual instalment for Ferdydurke's 11th birthday on August 12th and have been working with some new projection materials, experimenting with sheer fabrics to project a succession of images above the dancefloor to give a sort of floating holographic tunnel effect. For the event I'm also working on building a motorised lighting sculpture for the entrance to the venue, which is something new for me. In parallel, I'm working on some grant applications and starting to look for sponsorships for a multi-day projection art and music series I'm working on, in collaboration with the Section 8 crew. With all going to plan, that should be happening mid-next year. Other than that, continuing to learn, play and experiment, currently I'm starting to teach myself Touch Designer to expand that side of my creative practice and just always staying open to new projects and collaborations :)

The lovely legends behind @onorecordsperth join forces under their Ernest & Young alter egos to shower us in killer house grooves. Q. Hey mates, tell us what's the latest with your label / mix series / party service ONO Records? A. Sup! We've been working away for the last couple of months on putting out some records after the summer party period here out west. We should have at least two records coming out this year, one is finished, it's just going through the production process currently. Pretty proud of that one and keen to see it come out, we think it's quite different to what people may expect from the label considering our previous output. Other than putting out records, planning a couple larger scale parties towards the later stages of the year which we're also quite excited about. Some solo parties and some collaborations with some great homies! Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when putting the mix together? Is there a sound, feeling, or time in dance music history that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. We wanted to create a mix that has the ‘live' feeling, a representation of what we might play in a party setting. We don't spend much collaborative time planning sets or mixes meticulously, we prefer to show each other a couple of records we think would be good for the setting and bounce off each other after that. We did that with this mix, pulled out some new records and some old favourites and had fun with it. That might speak to our influences though, we always seem to gravitate towards sets or DJs that have a more rough and raw approach or feeling. Musically we seem to enjoy that sweet spot with dance music where records are not specifically one thing, it's not quite house and it's not quite techno and maybe there's some dubby elements to it. So maybe there's a musical feeling there that connects it all but we've never really been able to describe what that is. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are especially close to your hearts, or old favourites that you've been keeping up your sleeve for the right moment? A. (Warwick): Quite a few favourites in there for me, one that sticks out is probably the Mood II Swing record. When we launched the label a couple of years ago we did a warehouse party collaborating with some great friends of ours, the System: crew. It was a really special night for us, being the launch party of the label, but also to be able to do it with them. They've always been such big supporters of us, have taught us a lot and are irreplaceable assets to the community here, big love 2 u Kyle, Cheye, Ben and Alex! But at that party another good friend who we have drawn a lot of inspiration from over the years played the tune, which was one of those spesh party moments for me. It has now become one of those records that reminds me of great times and great friends. A. (James): The mix is basically a big collection of my favourites, both at the moment and all time! But if I had to choose one it would probably be The Kings of Tomorrow record played around 30 minutes into the mix (Fade II Black the Roger S Blackout Mix being the track in question). I picked it up at a great Record Fair that happens here at Bowls Clubs around the city every month or two and it's a favourite to play out ever since. It's dubby, soulful, tense, psychedelic and it's got a killer groove. The track has this great tension that creates a really special dancefloor moment every time I play it out and about, so it felt fitting to include it in our mix here and try to capture that feeling! We're super grateful to be able to contribute to one of our favourite mix series, the institution that is MDC! And I just wanted to add a shout out to everyone in the community here in Boorloo, we're so proud and privileged to be a part of this community whose love and support is an endless source of inspiration and motivation.

NYC's Andrew Devlin takes a break from his usual dance floor facilitation to offer us a poolside soundtrack inspired by a recent stay at The Standard hotel in Miami Beach. Q. Where do things currently sit on @thelevelparty front, and what other projects have you been busily chipping away at? A. What's that line? “We've been coming to the same party for 12 years now, and in no way is that depressing.” I think we're nearing 10 now. In any case, the party feels like it's in a really good place. After doing it more or less solo for a minute, I brought 5 residents on board who I love dearly–Alien D, KFeelz, Nigelthreetimes, No Sir, and Yibing. Everyone has so much range and energy, it's been special getting the group together. I'm really excited for our Glen Falls House weekender upstate in July (14-16). We get to take over this little hotel in the woods for a weekend and stretch out. It's a dream. Big shoutout Josh Houtkin at Good Room for all his work making that a reality. Past that, we've got some shows at our usual spots, Le Bain and Good Room, as well as a couple of day parties at Public Records' new Nursery and a July 4 BBQ at Mansions. Would really like to bring the group of us to some other cities soon. I dream about heading back to New Orleans, doing Level Miami, Level Mexico City, Ibiza, etc…Anyone reading this wants to get in touch, let's build ;) Personally, I run a small sound company here in NYC, so I'm trying to grow that business and maintain my sanity. I'd like to get back into making music soon, even just a few cheeky edits. Start a podcast (I know, I know). And eventually open up a venue. A pub of sorts with good food and music. Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when putting the mix together? There is, in fact, a pretty specific one. This mix is dedicated to the pool at the Standard in Miami. I went in January for the first time and recorded this when I got home. The vibe there is so strong. You're sitting outside, eating the best caprese salad of your life, there's a 2' iguana crawling on a palm tree, you've got a green juice or a margarita in one hand. Everyone is having a good time and partying in this really respectful way. They're just sipping on a cocktail or walking to the hot tub or making out in the pool. I thought a lot of that had to do with the soundsystem and the music programming–there are speakers everywhere (including underwater) playing at like 6/10 volume. The music is on a sort of soulful r&b/ balearic tip. I was on Shazam all weekend. So this mix is a dedication to that–if someone gave me 80 minutes to DJ the Standard Miami pool, this is what I would play. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are particularly close to your heart, or old favourites that you've been keeping up your sleeve for the right moment? A. Definitely. To run through a couple… ”Wall Street” I discovered reading Dub by Michael Veal. Great book for anyone interested in DJ'ing, soundsystems, production, etc. I got really into Jackie Mittoo reading that, and have been playing that track since. The Lauryn Hill track, “Sweetest Thing” I heard in a coffee shop in Amsterdam in 2009, forgot about completely, then recently re-discovered. “Don't Break my Heart” is a big song for my wife and me. We both stumbled on it when we started dating at the beginning of 2020. We almost chose it as our first dance at the wedding, but thought the lyrics were a little dark. Anyway, big tune at the house. And the last track, the Mike Huckaby remix, is close to my heart. I was lucky enough to meet Mike a few years ago and gave him a ride to his hotel after a gig. He had just played for 3 hours and all he wanted to talk about was my Volkswagen Jetta. He was really such a sweet, warm guy, and this track always makes me think of him. R.I.P. Thanks so much for having me on this! Been a huge fan of MDC for a long time, and the radio shows and mix specials got me through lockdown over here. Means a lot to be a part of it. Much love.

Booyakasha! Handing the keys to the '94 Ford Capri over to one of the most dedicated 12" sleuths on the the internet right now! Mirren is perhaps best known for resurrecting a trove of tantalising 90s/00s cross over jams through his own youtube channel, and for wowing local listening bar enthusiasts lucky enough to catch him in full flight. Sit back, relax and enjoy the smoothness personified. Safe to say he's left no stone or obscure white label unturned for this one! @mirrens Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAcdX0mF2T8lgQHiWivSH-Q Q. I get the sense you are a guy who finds real enjoyment in digging deep for long neglected jams and resurrecting them for fresh ears, with frequent uploads to your YouTube channel regularly blowing minds on the internet (speaking from personal experience here!). While there's a wide range of styles uploaded to the channel, has there been a general theme developing or certain characteristics that you look for when deciding what to share? A. Glad you've dug the channel! I mean I've been massively influenced by others (e.g. Archive Digital, Modern Art, Mike Who) who were casually dropping heat across their channel/mixes years ago that I never would have come across otherwise. So trying to find and share songs in a similar way has always been the motivation. But you're at the mercy of what you stumble across, which is why I'm not uploading exclusively mid tempo hip house bangers like I really want haha. I think the variety keeps things interesting though, or at least is hopefully providing a broader appreciation for what's out there - especially for us Aussie folk. Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when putting the mix together? Is there a sound, feeling or time period in dance music history that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. Truthfully this mix is a collection of fun music I've found first-and-foremost, so it might say more about my searching patterns than it being an intentional narrative.. catchy 90/00s hip hop cut-throughs seem to be in no short supply! I think the wealth of music available in the genre does say something about how versatile (and enjoyable) it is and how it can be used as a vehicle for different cultures, ideas or influences. So maybe the mix is me highlighting this :`) Q. Are there any records in the mix that are particularly close to your heart, or old favourites that you've been keeping up your sleeve for the right moment? If so, what's the story behind those and how might you have stumbled across them? A chunk of the mix is from lucky discogs pickups or random spotify dives so they're not the most romantic stories, but finding a song in that deep internet corner definitely adds a fondness. There's also a few dope tunes from some great channels/crews scattered throughout. But 'Njen Grad' and 'Wuck U Right' feel particularly sentimental due to how many hours I've clocked listening, so I'm excited to share them!

Love is the message in the latest episode from local legend @djluvyou! Playing like a personal ode to the dancefloor, the mix is overflowing with heavenly deep house classics and hints of early 90s prog and trance to get you feeling all the feels and ready to sweat! Some words on the mix with DJ Luv You: Q. I noticed that you included a bunch of songs with lyrics about love throughout the mix which I'm guessing was no accident! Tell us a bit more about the theme you had in mind here, and what kind of feelings you were hoping to evoke? A. I've always been attracted to the more joyful side of dance music and I think it just kinda happened in digging for records, as one does looking for a certain aesthetic of a label sticker or a particular artist. For me, the word ‘love' just always seems catch my attention. I wanted to focus on that energy for this mix, something quite emotional and nostalgic while still maintaining that movement and euphoria about it that you just can't help but move to!" Q. What other inspiration did you draw upon when putting the mix together? Is there a particular sound, time period in dance music history or a memory of yours that connects all the different elements in one way or another? A. I wanted to create a bit of an origin story for myself. This 90s era of sound has really become an obsession and identity, it feels like the perfect link for me between the two other worlds of dance music that I love; The rare groove housey side and the new wave proggy electronic and trance influenced sound. You'll find hints of both here in this mix. I also just wanted to put as many of my favourite records into this mix for my own listening pleasure. When you're doing something for yourself first and foremost there's a pureness to the way things flow together. This recording was just one of those improvised moments using a really lovely Condesa mixer and enjoying myself fully. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are particularly close to your heart, and if so what's the story behind them? I feel like I rarely play a set without this record making an appearance haha, "When You Love Someone" by Daphne. Its versatility seems to fit any mood or space for me. Allowing me to move from disco into something more contemporary or as an emotive breath towards the end of a hot and heavy electronicy set. Q. And finally, I see you're on your way over to Europe at the end of the month. What do you have coming up over there that you'd like to tell us about? A. Yes, super excited to be heading over till October for my first international tour, opening up with Kala Festival in Albania. Then a run of club shows and more summer festivals across France, Germany, Netherlands, UK and Bulgaria. Looking forward to skipping winter and enjoying the sun with what feels like every other naarm dj ;)

The Parisian DJ dons @lorem-ipsum-yo grace the cast with their undeniably fresh styles, blending up nearly 4 hours of insane jams dabbling in private soul, r'n'b, gangsta hip hop, cloudrap, ghetto house and jungle from cassettes, CDs & vinyl digs meticulously unearthed from the deepest corners of the web! Some words on the mix + Lorem Ipsum happenings with co-founder Pierre: Q. Thanks for contributing with such a killer mix! I know you collect a lot of private issue cassettes, CDs and hard to find vinyl. What kinds of special treats might we be in for over the four hour journey here? "You can expect some homemade soul rnb, gangsta hiphop, cloudrap, ghetto house, rave, jungle and other kinds of stuff I collected during the past year." Q. What kind of inspiration did you draw upon when putting the mix together? Is there a particular sound, period in time or general feeling that connects all the different elements in one way or another? "I tried to do something different from what we are used to listening to in mixes and trying to put my favourite music of the moment together, it's why the mix is a bit long! I like to put all the new music I've collected since the last mix into a new one. It's like a big playlist for myself that I can listen to on my phone without having to change music each time." Q. It seems as though you have been heavily involved in building a great little community of deep digging music lovers in Paris over the past few years. Who are some of the other like minded DJs or crews that inspire you at the moment, and what are some of your favourite spots to dig, play records and hang out around the city? "I admit that I don't really listen to new releases and new mixes but I'm always curious about those of Mike Who and Bill Spencer. I dig almost exclusively on the internet, shame on me, but there are so many good leads on youtube and discogs. I don't have a specific spot in Paris but each year during summer we organize a festival called “Divagations” with the Maybe Tonight guys in the middle of France near a lake. This is an amazing spot for playing music and hang out!"

Straight outta Deepcast HQ we present the third chapter in the extended mix collab between Naarm's very own @myles-mac and @djpossums. Heavy as ever on those smooth 'n sexy mid-90s r'n'b & hip hop flavas, this time the pair of chillout aficionados throw in a special spice mix of 90s dub & ragga styles, west coast g-funk, Kwaito hip hop, UK street soul, UK Garage and Italo house to keep your toes well and truly tappin' over the 2+ hour ride..

One of the minds behind the inimitable NYC record label @inciensorecs, DJ'J aka @jennyslattery is a curator at heart, carefully sculpting the look, feel and sound of the label she began with Anthony Naples back in 2017 while establishing her own blueprint as a top-tier selector of deep dance rhythms from around the globe. She's also one of the three DJs behind the wonderful @down-2-earth mix series, a local music hub with a heavy focus on emerging talent from New York City and beyond. Immerse yourself in hour of chunky grooves and mysterious moods with plenty of freshly sliced cuts from the Incienso inner sanctum alongside some bonafide UKG and rave nostalgia!

The '22 review is in with a heavy seasoning of space friendly Australian sounds primed for exploring the world's outer limits. Deeply dished downtempo and dubcentric house moods to set your mind free for the next rotation! Mixed by @myles-mac Tracklist > > > 3.11 - Dissolve In Patience // PRS 1too - In Your Dream // Planet Trip Records Purelink - Butterfly Jam (xphresh Good Girl No Infringement Dub) // UwU dust bath a.s.o. - Go On // Low Lying Records M & Dust - A Day In June // Temple Midnight Tenderness - Catamaran // Wax'o Paradiso Recordings D. Tiffany & Roza Terenzi - Spiritual Delusion // Delicate Records Dentistry - coral reefer // Good Company Records Cousin - Nemo's Dream // Nummer Music Terekke - 2 The World // Plant Age Digital Sound Benoit B - Behind The Sun // Natural Selections Norachi - Sunshine // Vessel DJOKO - Final Checkpoint // Berg Audio Youandewan & Mculo - Travel Miles (Paradise Lost Mix) // Pure Shores DJ Pipe - Puttanesca (Ft. Hartman & Fonte) // Global North Neil E - No Fred // Neil E Guiding Principles - Holding On Tornado Wallace - Sea Translation // Basic Spirit Central - Motta // Help Recordings DJOKO - My Crib // Heavy House Society Jex Opolis - The Best Ever // Bad Timin' Fantastic Man - Trojan Force // Kalahari Oyster Cult Retza - Earthchanges // Retza Billus - Under The Canopy // Animalia

Cruise through the multiverse with Lisbon's Apple B from the fantastic Magic Carpet label guiding us on bleepy cosmic exploration through squelchy outer space tech moods and groovy atmospheric acid! Click here for our chat with Apple B: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/apple-b @djappleb @magiccarpetrecords

This week we find ourselves deep in the tropics with an appetite for ripe fruits and some pure perspiration vibrations! Sweat it out with the Burger man throwing down classic reggae and highlife, disco house madness, crunchy drum traxx and afro-cuban jazz delights in ultimate Fett Burger wild style. 100% good times guaranteed!! Click here for our chat with @djfettburger: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/dj-fett-burger

Time now for an irresistible blend of long-neglected nuggets thanks to local legend Jimmy Pham aka Walter Majik! A relentless digger and one of the three friendly musketeers behind our favourite listening room @waxflowerbar, Jimmy dons his trusty cape for two hours of deep crate thrombosis, cheekily uncovering hidden jams from their hiding places near and far, giving us a glimpse into his incredible musical treasure trove and soft-spot for tenderised 90s grooves from every corner of the planet. Click here for our chat with Jimmy: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/walter-majik

Ahoy! We're thrilled to share with you the latest dreamy transmission from our friend from the West, Montana! An all out relaxation degustation full of sun-kissed grooves and beachside nostalgia, the host of the lovingly curated @inourpersonalspace series offers us the ultimate afternoon accompaniment, awash with heavenly atmospheres and sensual vocal cuts from the hedonistic days of yore. Paradise awaits, just don't forget to hydrate! Jump over here to hear a bit more about the mix: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/montana @montana-bourke

Entering our minds through the rumbling of bass bins planted firmly on the ocean floor, Cousin's deep earth rhythms span wide, from massage chair dubs on 7" to peak time dust burners echoing live under the stars. Summoning sounds from well below the surface and far beyond the ozone layer, we're treated here to a blissed out blend of atmospheric groovers inspired by the natural surrounds of the Moonshoe boss' daily commute. Click here for our chat with Cousin: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/cousin/ @secondcousins

What a serious pleasure it is to welcome Aurora Halal and DJ G! Without doubt two of the classiest operators in the NYC dance scene, Aurora and Gareth are some of the people behind parties like Mutual Dreaming, Sustain-Release and Nowadays, and are two of our favourite DJs in the biz. Joining us for their first mix together since the height of the 2020 lockdowns, where their combined palates seemed to gel effortlessly across the downtempo and d'n'b spectrum for the wonderful Juanita's series, their follow up offering remains cosmic at its core, but with dance floors back in full swing we're hit with a high octane amalgamation of souped-up alien techno, mysterious atmospheres and wonky futuristic breaks, ever progressing with blends of the surgical variety. Strap yourself in, this one's a mind trip! Click here for our chat with Aurora and G: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/aurora-halal-&-dj-g/ @itsallhalal @dj-ggggg

Keeping things closer to home as we often do, we're psyched to welcome Lane Split with two-hours of delectable deep cuts and dubby atmospheres. Also known as one half of the Naarm/Melbourne based duo Handle Soundsystem, David is someone who appreciates great sound, and has been working on a variety of sound systems for local parties and large scale music festivals, all the while refining his own exquisite taste for classic deep cuts and dreamy psychedelic excursions. We really can't speak highly enough of this mix, a deep subliminal odyssey packed full of uplifting 90s tech house and mind massaging dub grooves. Now sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Click here for our chat with Lane Split: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/lane-split @lanesplit @handlesoundsystem

Up next we have the multi-talented NYC recording artist Relaxer, formerly known as Ital, with a jaw to the floor mind melt that will keep you guessing till the very end! We fired some questions over about his latest full length offering Concealer for UK heavyweight Planet Mu, his most recent live performance at Sustain-Release, and even uncovered some rather handy USB playlist tips along the way. Click here for the chat: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/relaxer @relaxerelaxer

Handing it over to the mind behind London's Unbound Events, a fantastic underground community celebrating a diverse range of UK club sounds, regularly seen hosting legendary cutting edge figures the likes of Skee Mask, SHYBOI, Peverelist and Afrodeustche alongside an array of talented emerging heads operating in and around local UK electronic music scenes. DJ Winggold aka Charles Olisanekwu's forward thinking mindset is perpetually on display throughout his multitude of creative pursuits, and as a DJ it's his dynamic three deck mixing style fusing Afrofuturist techno and Drexciyan electro that persistently builds to dizzying effect, deftly guiding us deep below the murky surface and into a subterranean sci-fi thriller with a heavy UK twist! Interview with DJ Winggold: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/dj-winggold

The Swedish house doctor prescribes his special remedy for maximum enjoyment! After touching down in Australia for a run of shows along the east coast this month, Stockholm's most relentless crate crawler Doc Jay blesses us with a blend of his infamously breezy bangers ready to transport you directly to a dance party on a beach somewhere in the summer of '92. Not only is he behind the notorious Doc Jay's Audio Inn, a mix series which has quickly become one of the freshest on the cloud and was the lockdown hero across living rooms round the globe, he's also a crazily talented painter and visual artist, and has collaborated on a graffiti art mag with a friend since high school that has gone on to become the biggest of its kind in the world. We caught up with the cheeky Swede behind the Doc Jay moniker to ask about his art, his label Sunken Rock and the inspiration behind the Audio Inn series.. Interview here: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/doc-jay @docjay_unlimited

The Redfern based live duo take us on a wild ride through classic and forthcoming psychedelics that cut deep! Barney In The Tunnel aka @barnee-kato and @tunnelsigns are pure legends of the Sydney dance music scene and together create shroom friendly, sci-fi inspired club 12"s with a heavy arsenal of vintage synths and drum machines. We catch them deep in DJ mode here with a journey full of tripped out moods with plenty of flashbacks to hedonistic eras bygone! @barneyinthetunnel Interview here: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/barney-in-the-tunnel/

Legend of the Aussie underground scene, Magda Bytnerowicz is a longtime friend and quite simply one of the best DJs you could hope to find in a loud room behind a well oiled set of turntables. With her uncanny technical ability and seamless control over an all vinyl mix, Magda returns to the deepcast calling upon a couple of decades worth of knowledge in the house and techno orbit to share with us a timeless long haul journey that's been over two years in the making! With absolute love and care poured into every transition, buckle up for three-and-a-half hours of deep space tech, euphoric mood shifts and precision blends in true Magda style! @magdabytnerowicz Interview here: https://www.melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/magda-bytnerowicz-2/

Better late than never, eh! Enjoy our wrap of the best bits from '21. Mixed by @myles-mac Tracklist: picnic - dewey (Nadia Khan version) // Daisart Moonilena - Arasole Rain // Belters PLO Man & C3D-E - Public Static V. Pt. III // Acting Press Thodén - Poor Binarized Ghost // Electroménager C.K - Freesia // PRS Guy Contact - Spirit Level // Butter Sessions Pascale Project - Welcome (Dust-e-1 Remix) // La Rama Records C.K - SPTL DNMCS // PRS PLO Man & C3D-E - Public Static V. Pt. VIII // Acting Press Purelink - Maintain The Bliss // Self Released Priori - Liminal // NAFF Other Joe - On 4.0 Hill // Best Effort Mosam Howieson - Aphelion // Mysteries of the Deep Fantastic Man - Cloud Manager // LIXTP Jex Opolis - Grab The Camcorder // Good Timin' DJ Python - Angel // Incienso Adam Pits - A Recurring Nature // On Rotation Sansibar - Aurora Eclipse // Kalahari Oyster Cult Remotif - Telepathic Heights // Coymix Sugar Free - Hazme Soñar // Limousine Dream Paramida - Dream Ritual // Love On The Rocks Peyote Dreams - State Of Mind (Slack Mix) (Alex Kassian's Dream State) // Love On The Rocks Flørist, Nathan Melja - Wonderland (Nathan Melja Version) // PARODIA Youandewan - Slow Down feat. Art Feynman // Butter Side Up Retza - Waiting To Go // Satya Fader Cap - Keys For Raldo // s2i Recordings Lattice - Botanica (C.K & Central Remix) // air miles Guy Contact - 90 Mile Straight (Nullarbor Mix) // Butter Sessions Priori - Winged // NAFF YUF-O - Rebuild, Recharge // Superconscious Nutcase & Papachubba - Floating Inside // Best Effort Mosam Howieson - Cerebro // Mysteries of the Deep Thodén - Signal On Baikal // Electroménager Skee Mask - CZ3000 Dub // Ilian Tape

A true OG in every sense of the word, the lifelong record digger and die-hard music aficionado Estimulo has been pushing the needle in Berlin's deep underground since the late 80s! His regular collaborations with like minded music obsessed guests to present marathon live streams of the notorious EstimuloShow are the stuff of legend, the most recent of which have been streamed live from his basement in Berlin with guests like Huerta, C.K, Flørist and Adi Toohey stopping by for some cake and an extended b2b. Wowing even the most astute of house heads without even breaking a sweat, Esti's selections simply are one of a kind, drawing upon the deepest of deep cuts from his 30+ year record collection to share with the world an incredible ear for rare and forgotten dance music. A dubbed out "listening mind journey" as he describes it, Estimulo mixes up some pure gold here as per usual, and gives us some great insight into the history and inner workings of the EstimuloShow, and the thought process that goes into making his own killer edits! Interview with Estimulo: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/estimulo @estimulo http://mixomat.org/estimulo https://cashmereradio.com/shows/estimuloshow

DJ Possum and Myles Mac return with a three hour trip full of saxy summer time slow jams, deep balearic burners, soulful UK garage and loungin' 90s house & hip hop. Mellow to its core, this one invites you to hit recline and see where the vibe might take you. One for the boom bappers and the chill steppers!    Tracklist and full info: melbournedeepcast.net/portfolio/myles-mac-dj-possum A little bit about the mix.. @djpossums: Collaborating with Myles is fun because it's where we find a point of intersection with our djing styles and music tastes. I'm an unpinned DJ in terms of genre but together we find cohesiveness to tell a story that is reminiscent of our upbringings and nostalgic memories; UK Underground street soul, 90s Hip Hop, funny South African Kwaito tunes that we sing along to even though we don't know the language, soulful electronic love songs, early house classics and many more.. Some pretty banging songs that are precious to me from the message in the lyrics, the feeling they create, the fun vibes or just their awesome production are: Can't Stop (One World 12'' Mix) by After 7, U.N.I.T.Y. by Queen Latifah, Scratched by Etienne de Crecy and the Brazilian balearic classic Tudo Faz Sentido by Taciana to name a few. @myles-mac: One of the few upsides of extended periods at home this year thanks to all the lockdowns has been the time to trawl through old Ibiza chill CDs, youtube channel wormholes and bandcamp compilations to discover classic or relatively unknown 90s downtempo gems that have managed to last the test of time. With this mix, Maria and I put our heads together to tell a story of the past that somehow still sounds fresh to our ears today, trying to squeeze in a bunch of styles from both of our collections while making it all flow and sound somewhat cohesive over three hours and a variety of tempos. Inspirations for the mix come from all over the map, but there's a definite focus on the link between the UK and Ibiza in the early-mid 90s, with old Dj Alfredo live recordings, José Padilla's Café del Mar compilations, psychedelic mixes from the late great Andrew Weatherall, the absolutely insane discography of UK Street Soul pioneer Toyin Agbetu (the producer behind 2 Tuff, Deluxe, Shades Of Black, Robyn, Mary Pearce and many more), the crisp jazzy productions of downtempo master Paul Hardcastle from Kiss The Sky (a ton of which he's uploaded to bandcamp) and the don of deep & soulful UK Garage Mike Millrain (aka D Base, DJ South Central, Vibes Alive, Stone Cold Steppaz). A few special mentions go to our friend Dust-e-1 in Montreal for his chillout monster of a remix for Pascale Project, the late Richard H. Kirk aka Sandoz who recently passed but left us with an infinite resource of beautiful electronic dance music, and Alaska's Kwaito classic "Accuse" that will always put a smile on our faces no matter the occasion.