Anywhere & Everywhere: 10 tracks that informed Hamdi's love of electronic music

With a blazing bag of UKG, dubstep, house, and rowdy floor-fillers, Hamdi has already set off countless gun fingers in 2026. Whether he's enlivening the neon-drenched masses at EDC Las Vegas, jumping in alongside Fred again.. and Oppidan at Alexandra Palace, or getting hands well and truly up in the air at Circus Tokyo, the Oxford-born DJ and producer is quickly becoming the go-to for unmissable, reference-heavy dancefloor moments.

Part of the burgeoning crop of artists spreading the UK electronic message across the globe, Hamdi's sets typically manoeuvre head-approved club sounds and well-worn classics, unafraid to dish out tracks from Mala and Joy Orbison in the same breath as Daft Punk, Skrillex and Calvin Harris, while his productions consist of a practically-endless roster of his own edits and releases on Deep Medi, UKF and Skrillex's OWSLA imprint.

Read this next: The Best Dance Tracks Of The 21st Century So Far

Having already proven himself a connoisseur of electronic music's wide-ranging spectrum via his Open to Close for Mixmag, we were eager to find out where it all started. Ahead of his appearance at South London's GALA Festival on Friday (May 22), Hamdi has compiled 10 of the tracks, differing in genre from "Anywhere & Everywhere", that have informed his love of electronic music, including a classic deep house banger from Codec, a bassline anthem from DJ Q and a definitive footwork cut from the late, great DJ Rashad. Check them out below, and for more information on GALA 2026, click here.

"The first ever dubstep track I heard and it still gives me goosebumps to this today. I still remember the feeling that I had when I listened to this track when I was like 12 or 13."

"Those that know me well, know that my first true love genre wise was grime. The first artist who really got me into the genre was Chipmunk and his mixtape ‘League of My Own’, it's still one of my favourite projects ever. I think I’ve still got the CD somewhere back at my mum’s house! Recently got to have a studio session with him too, which was such a full circle moment and a dream come true."

"Without a doubt one of the best drum 'n' bass songs of all time and a track I had on repeat when I first got into electronic music in the early 2010s." 

"Such a smooth track, and J Paul Getto is one of the most underrated disco house producers around. All of his tracks have such a smoothness and groove to them, this track was a mainstay in my GCSE revision playlist."

"I went through a big deep house phase back when I was like 15, and this track just gives me such nostalgia when I listen to it. Absolute banger."

"If you’ve followed me from the very beginning, you’ll know that, for the first few years, I was pretty much exclusively putting out bassline. I love the genre and it has such a special place in my heart. This track encapsulates what’s so sick about the genre and is an absolute classic."

"I remember the first time I heard footwork probably about ten years ago, I couldn’t believe how unique and fresh it was. I got instantly hooked and have loved the genre ever since."

"One of the best electronic music tracks of all time and a bass house classic. Still goes off to this day."

"Another track that really opened my eyes to how unique and experimental electronic music could be, such a sick tune. Dillon Francis was actually the first-ever DJ I saw live too. It was at a 14+ night at my local O2 Academy, and he was supporting Flux Pavilion that night! I remember being so excited and playing this tune on repeat before the show."

"One of my first introductions to electronic music of any kind, and what a track this is. Definitely still got the CD of this album somewhere at my childhood home too — unreal record."

Hamdi will appear at Peckham Rye Park for GALA 2026 on Friday (May 22). Get your tickets here

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, you can get in touch with her here