With his 31-track DJ Kicks mix out on 27 March, the acclaimed producer and DJ rifles through his collection and picks 10 choice cuts…
Matthew Halsall – Into Forever
“Probably my favourite Matthew Halsall album. My highlights are the tracks featuring Josephine Oniyama. I love her voice, and here she reaches another level. Spiritual, elemental, soulful and stunning.”
Ebo Taylor – Ebo Taylor
“Beautiful funky highlife with astounding horn parts, which remind me a lot of Fred Wesley’s Parliament arrangements, nimble, fruity, tricky and unmistakably his own. The pure joy that radiates out from this wonderful album is truly infectious.”
Drymbago – Tonnau
“High-energy tropical throwdown from the Equatorial region of North Wales. A proper knees-up session if Sofrito, Soundway or Pigbag are up your street. I play at least a couple of tunes off this album at every gig and mayhem always ensues.”
Dobie – We Will Not Harm You
“Tough, forward-thinking album from original B-Boy Dobie Campbell. I love the way that his hip-hop roots show through on every track, even though the album is so varied. Somewhere Over There is an unexpected beauty.”
Errorsmith – Superlative Fatigue
“Impish, playful dance floor workouts, pulling Afro-Caribbean rhythms, pinging, fizzing and bouncing in all directions, while managing to be both ruthlessly efficient and full of joy and humour. A wild ride.”
Preetambala & Charanjit Chan – Babe Da Tal Kharkani Aan
“Top-notch Panjabi folk music. The vocal chemistry between these two on this album is infectious, and the music, written by the legendary K.S. Narula, has a really propulsive, almost skanking rhythm in parts, especially on Churey Wali Naar Da.”
Theo Parrish – Sound Sculptures Volume 1
“Probably my favourite TP album, with some absolute killers on here. The jazzy, heads-down Second Chances, disembodied Soul Control and the abstract pointy beast Synthetic Flemm are all anthems to me.”
Equimnoxx – Bird Sound Power
“Tough, minimal abstract dancehall with a sense of humour. A Rabbit Spoke To Me When I Woke Up tickles in double time percussion for a woozy footwork flavour. Full of modern influences but out on its own. File alongside Errorsmith.”
Orlando Julius & His Afro Sounders – Orlando’s Afro Ideas
“Great round-up of funky highlife/afrobeat from the Nigerian Saxophonist. Heavy bass, highlife drums, up-front percussion and fiery horns make for a mix every bit as essential as the Ebo Taylor LP. He even flips the Apala rhythm a popcorn flavour!”
Kraftwerk – Computer World
“40 years on since the dawn of the 1980s and this still sounds as fresh as ever. This had such an influence on the young producers who were just getting their hands on newly affordable drum machines and synths. Numbers is the absolute peak of ripply electronic asteroid funk.”