The best DJ mixes of the year 2021 so far - August - Music - Mixmag

Welcome to the August section of our best DJ mixes of the year 2021 rundown — read the full list here

Yung Singh presents Daytimers, Boiler Room

For a seriously special Boiler Room takeover, Yung Singh brought a line-up of fellow Daytimers — along with a formidable crowd of friends and family — to Colour Factory. Across the evening, viewers were introduced to the sounds of Saachi, Rohan Rakhit, Chandé, Gracie T, SUCHI and Yung Singh himself, featuring traditional South Asian tunes, genre-bending, club-ready bangers and plenty of wheels. Full of energy and love, this one feels like real history in the making.

Rohan Rakhit b2b Saachi is a real banger of a set. Even though, in typical London summer fashion, rain is pouring hard enough to spill through the canopy roof (and even momentarily break the decks), the packed out crowd dances with undeterred enthusiasm as the duo move through an array of energetic house, funky and South Asian-influenced sounds. Throwing cheeky reloads and the DJ’s own limb-flailing dance moves into the mix, it’s a total vibe.

Yu Su on NTS

Opening with some warm, trickling percussion and wandering into dub, lo-fi textures and house, Yu Su’s August show for NTS is an endearing hour for early morning or afternoon listening.

Victory Lap on Balamii

Hermz4k, Omari Lyesight, Jetsuo and Malik Polo lock in on Balamii for an August show spotlighting some of the UK’s best talents and playing a mix of trap, hip hop and more.

Chloe Robinson ‘Mixmag In Session’

On her debut DJ mix since dropping her Barely Legal alias, Chloé Robinson unleashes a slew of pulsating UK techno-adjacent sounds. It also features a number of her debut productions — the mix and tracks in tandem indicate a very bright start to a new era for the DJ and producer.

Homeshake on NTS

Before the release of his new album ‘Under The Weather’ coming September 10, Homeshake takes over on NTS, playing Skee Mask and Photek alongside Sade and Léa Sen.

TSHA ‘Mixmag Cover Mix’

TSHA is emerging as a breakout star of this shrunk 2021 festival season and her Cover Mix is a shining example as to why so many people can’t get enough of her dancefloor-focused sets. Blending classic and contemporary sounds in the field of house, rave, R&B and Whitney Houston-sampling UKG edits, it will transport you to the middle of a thriving crowd.

Major League DJz ‘Amapiano set in The Lab LDN’

This one was an honour: all the way from South Africa, amapiano stars Major League DJz worked our system to breaking point with heavy log-drums sending the subs into overload and uplfting vocals having the same effect on the joyous mood in the room.

KG 'Dekmantel Podcast 345'

KG has a reputation for being able to flit seamlessly between African polyrhythms, up-tempo drums and UK bass and garage — landing her the moniker: “Goddess of Rhythm.” For her Dekmantel podcast, it feels like we are truly witnessing a flex — a journey of hard drums, big basslines, screeching high synths and seductive vocal samples. There is zero trepidation in the juxtaposing slam of Omagoqa’s ‘Gqom 808’ being mixed into the sleek, soulful deep house of ‘Kentphonik feat. Khensy 'Hiya Kaya' (Rocco Deep Mix), nor through the application of DJ Lag’s ‘Drumming’ slowly falling away into the electrifying synths of Vida-Soul’s ‘Fractal Tail’.

Charlie Bones 'Last ever DO!!YOU!! Breakfast Show on NTS 20.08.2021'

“Heya i’m quitting, i’m moving on,” Charlie Bones declared as he began his last DO!! YOU!!! on NTS. Though Charlie has held the breakfast spot at the station for a decade, his three-hour slot on weekday mornings became a source of comfort and inspiration to many of us throughout 16 months of Lockdown measures, soundtracking our working from home set-ups, our morning commutes, our first coffees with a peaceful tone and cheery selection to match. His last show was no different, an eclectic, soothing mix that reminisced over the past 10 years of broadcasting: Mr Fingers ‘Can You Feel It’, Jeru The Damaja ‘Me, Not The Paper’, Gap Band ‘Yearning For Your Love’ which Charlie crooned over, insisting it’s what he sings to himself, Roy Davis Junior ‘Gabrielle’, Bobby McFerrin ‘Don’t Worry, Be Happy’. At the end Charlie spoke directly to listeners promising “I’ll be back on radio, just as soon as I get some love and support from you. It’s a family affair,” before his emotional final track Harry Case ‘Carry Me Home.’

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