Kode9, DJ Storm, Actress and more select their favourite DJ-Kicks mix

For three decades, !K7's DJ-Kicks mix series has been an undeniable driving force behind dance music culture. Launched at a time when few could catch a DJ set outside of a club (or rave), it helped connect the dots between the underground electronic scene and listeners at home — turning beloved selectors into household names. "Since its inception in 1995 with 'DJ-Kicks: C.J. Bolland' and right up to our latest edition with Eris Drew, DJ-Kicks has always had a simple and comprehensive concept in mind," !K7 tell Mixmag. "To release head-turning mixes which situate the DJ as an artist, blending original music alongside pieces pulled from inspirations and contemporaries." 

30 years and 87 mixes later - with contributions from Theo Parrish, Nightmares on Wax, Honey Dijon, Kerri Chandler, Peggy Gou, and many more - DJ-Kicks remains a milestone for artists to hit, as well as an archive for the history of DJing. Its approach to treating each instalment less like a traditional DJ mix and more like a studio album - with artwork, a photoshoot, and a full-scale campaign behind it - was the brainchild of !K7 Records and DJ-Kicks founder Horst Weidenmüller, who sadly passed away in February. "Horst always wanted to elevate the art of DJing and the culture around it, unaware at the time that the series’ history would eventually serve as an archive of DJ culture spanning more than three decades," say !K7.

"One thing we hear often is that the beauty of DJ-Kicks lies in its ability to transform listeners’ everyday moments into their most memorable musical ones," !K7 continues. "For the CD generation, this meant rushing home to play each new edition, discovering new musical possibilities they couldn’t have imagined. So often a gateway for both new and seasoned electronic music fans, DJ-Kicks enables a unique kind of musical discovery. Listeners tell us they can often recall a specific time in their life that was soundtracked by one edition or another."

DJ-Kicks will celebrate its own big milestone tomorrow (December 5), with a party featuring DJ-Kicks alumni and !K7 friends and family at London's DRUMSHEDS, celebrating the legacy of the series' collaboration with The Hydra. Ahead of that, we asked Kode9, Actress, Kruder & Dorfmeister, Ehua, DJ Storm, Steven Julien, Suchi, and rRoxymore to select the DJ-Kicks that changed everything for them. Check them out below.

You can buy tickets for The Hydra: DJ-Kicks 30th Anniversary here.

"Kemi [Kemistry] and I were in Miami outside our hotel, chatting with Dego from 4hero, when he told us that a German label called !K7 was trying to reach us about doing a mix. They’d been having trouble getting hold of us, and as he was explaining this, he mentioned he’d told Stefan Strüver from !K7 where we were staying — and at that exact moment, Stefan appeared right in front of us. It felt completely meant to be. We exchanged details and were so excited. Not only were we going to choose the tracks, but the artists would also get paid, which meant a great deal to us. It felt like a chance to give something back to all our amazing drum 'n' bass friends whose music we’d been supporting throughout our career.

We gathered all the tracks and were lucky enough to receive a couple of exclusive mixes from Lemon D and Goldie. Then it was time to put it all together. It was probably the most unique mix we’d done at that point. Normally, Kemi and I would split our set times and our mixes, but this one flowed differently. I started, and when I couldn’t take the selection any further, Kemi stepped in. For the mix to feel perfect with the tracks we’d chosen, it was the only way it could work. We worked hard to get the arrangement and the flow just right, jumping in and out until it felt seamless. Then we headed to a proper studio and recorded it live, of course.

!K7 were happy with it, and the mix was released after a photoshoot in Berlin, which we absolutely loved. Their professionalism with the DJ-Kicks series was on another level for us. We then went on an incredible European tour to promote it. Our first stop was MOJO Club in Hamburg. As we drove down the Reeperbahn, we saw life-size cutouts of ourselves on the lamp posts — it completely blew our minds. After that came the US tour, which was fantastic. But sadly, just a couple of days after returning to the UK, we did a gig in Southampton, and Kemi passed away on the drive home.

Although she never got to experience the impact of the release, I’m so grateful we made that mix. Kemi’s legacy and memory live on through it, making it even more special and unique. On my solo journey, I’ve been presented with CD and vinyl copies of the mix all over the world for signing. Last year, when I played at Fascinoma in Mexico, I was walking around the complex with David, the head of Fascinoma, when a young woman spotted me and ran over with the album in hand. When I signed it, she burst into tears. It was so touching — all these years later, people are still enjoying the mix. Thank you to all the !K7 crew, past and present, for inviting us to be part of the incredible DJ-Kicks series. It was, and continues to be, a privilege."

"This early drum 'n' bass selection brings me back to my very first clubbing experiences in the UK, and it celebrates two trailblazing artists that, in my view, helped pave the way for women like myself in the underground music scene."

You can buy 'DJ-Kicks: Kemistry & Storm' here.

"My favourite is mine. Just because it’s the first and only mix I’ve done where I’ve had the privilege to uniquely select my favourite tunes by my favourite artists."

You can buy 'DJ-Kicks: Actress' here.

"It was an honour to do a DJ-Kicks mix in 2010 as I’d particularly been a fan of the Kemistry & Storm one from the late '90s. My session was all over the place, trying to join dubstep, grime, UK funky, South African house and R&B together in a manic 63 mins."

'DJ-Kicks: Kode9' isn't currently available for sale, however you can buy Kode9's 'You Don't Wash (Dub)', which featured on the mix, here.

"Because it's done with love!"

You can buy 'DJ-Kicks: DJ Koze' here. And listen to DJ-Kicks: Kruder & Dorfmeister here.

"Because it got soul!"

“My favourite and most listened to DJ-Kicks is Moodymann's. It’s so fun to have on in my home, it’s great in the background while you’re doing your thing — but I wouldn’t say it’s a background mix. So many songs jump out at you while you’re listening, and I just feel so inspired when it’s on.” 

You can buy 'DJ-Kicks: Moodymann' here. And you can listen to Logic-1000's DJ-Kicks here.

"This mix came out in 2011 when I was properly being introduced to London’s club scene. I was really into house and jazz at that time, and the track selection from Sun Ra to Robert Hood perfectly captured where I was musically at that moment in my life. The way Danilo Plessow (FKA Motor City Drum Ensemble) blends everything together just flows perfectly."

You can buy 'DJ-Kicks: Motor City Drum Ensemble' here.

Nicolette’s DJ-Kicks is one of my favourite in the series because it pushes the whole concept into its most adventurous territory. She collides jungle, drum 'n' bass, and oddball electronics in a way that still feels bold and unpredictable today, perfectly capturing the wild, raw, shape-shifting energy of early-'90s UK rave culture.

'DJ-Kicks: Nicolette' is currently unavailable to buy, but you can listen via Apple Music here.

"Carl Craig’s DJ-Kicks is a classic exploration of Detroit’s electronic music lineage. It’s one of the best introductions to the essence of techno, showcasing the genre at its finest. The mix unfolds like a journey, capturing the depth, innovation, and soul that define Detroit techno."

You can buy 'DJ-Kicks: Carl Craig' here, and listen to 'DJ-Kicks: Steven' Julien here.

The Hydra: DJ-Kicks 30th Anniversary will take over London's Drumsheds on December 5, you can buy tickets here.

Megan Townsend is Mixmag's Deputy Editor, follow her on Twitter