The best DJ mixes of the year 2023 so far - April - Music - Mixmag

Neffa-T ‘6 Deck Technical Mix’

Generally we’re on the side of the people who want DJs out of sight in a dark club when they lose themselves on the dancefloor, but this Neffa-T mix is the best argument in favour of the ‘DJs as spectacle’ era of dance music you’re likely to encounter. It still absolutely bangs as a background listen — but you have to watch to get the full experience of his demonic skills on deck(s). Playing across six CDJs and one mixer, the Bristol-based wizard chops, cuts, loops and blends a masterclass of propulsive rhythms and bassweight — all while body jerking and pulling half pirouettes. It’s an incredible technical feat that will leave you amazed and just a little bit dizzy.

Ahadadream ‘Essential Mix’

“DJ AHADADREAM!” has become a producer tag synonymous with club-wrecking sets, and for his Essential Mix debut, the artist brings his A-game. There’s a bunch of exclusives - including multiple Skrillex collabs - as he crafts an irresistible ride through the dark and light sounds of global club music, with some forays into R&B and pop to boot.

Listen here

Dusk + Blackdown ‘Keysound Groovetech Ar-chive Special on Rinse FM’

Blackdown opted for a specialist focus on music that formed the roots of dubstep and grime for this show on Rinse FM, and the two hour set makes an undeniable case for that music being timeless. 20 year old tracks sound totally fresh and he blends between airy UKG wobby riddims, pacey MC bars and more classic UK sounds.

Special Request ‘RDC 063’

You don’t stay at the top of the game for as long as Paul Woolford has without putting your all into your music, And on this recent mix for Rainbow Disco Club under his Special Request alias, he goes in. There’s jungle rinse outs typical of the project, but also sped-up house anthems, slippery basslines and jubilant pop moments as he builds to the climax.

Metrist B2B Mumdance ‘Radio Mumdance / S3-E06’

Mumdance is back, and with his return comes Radio Mumdance Series 3 launched back in March after a five-year hiatus. In this latest episode, Mumdance teams up with London’s Metrist on a hasty two-hour mix experimenting with bass, club, techno, and heavyweight cuts with some playful interjections between.

Miss Kittin ‘HÖR London Takeover’

A name that needs no introduction. Miss Kittin has smashed a tasty new HÖR mix that is filled with a rampage of techno as well as a fire of energy behind the decks. You’ll be making notes and asking for track IDs throughout this mix.

Prospa ‘Live at Electric Brixton’

Last month, Prospa performed their long-awaited live show at Electric Brixton to a sold-out crowd. Using a myriad of equipment including live keys, drums, and electric guitars, the pair showcased a thorough round-up of their sound ranging across the board from hyperpop-flecked cuts to industrial rave and hazy house tracks.

CCL ‘Dekmantel Podcast 427’

Coming in at just over 100 minutes, CCL’s Dekmantel mix is a whimsical testament to their sound throughout the years. It’s the US-raised, Berlin-based artist’s first at-home mix in over a year, and in a playful attempt to take the listener through the “psychic wormholes” they’ve recently delved into, this trippy mix journeys from much slower cuts to a 180 BPM finale. In their own words, this one is “sexy and holy, familiar and alien,” with an unusual style that melds household sounds with off-kilter beats.

Manuka Honey x La Favi ‘HÖR London Maiden Voyage Festival takeover’

We’ve been positively enthralled by all the sets coming out of HÖR’s London pop-up this month, but SUZIO founder Manuka Honey’s B2B with Latin GRAMMY Award-winning singer-songwriter La Favi really caught our attention. Featuring only the very best in Latin club, trance, pop vocals and “Bay Area bangers,” the mix jumps effortlessly between BPMs — making room for raucous, speedy percussion as well as affecting vocal spells. Live vocals from La Favi are the cherry on top, demonstrating her ability to lend her pipes to everything from dancefloor anthems to electro kicks.

FAFF ‘Examining The Godhead’ mix

Big Dyke Energy residents and self-proclaimed “cheeky duo” FAFF get in touch with the divine for their ‘Examining The Godhead’ mix for GODDEZZ. Created with the intention to “elevate, resonate & perforate into paradise…” this hour-long journey into the heavens features mounting electro, euphoric rave crescendos and some downright ambrosian pop vocals — transforming from stripped back percussion at the start to sweeping breaks at its conclusion. We’ve seen the face of god with this one.

Physical Therapy ‘Fidget House Special’ on NTS

Warning: Listening to Physical Therapy’s Fidget House Special on NTS may result in an intense case of mid-noughties nostalgia. A true aficionado of the themed-mix, the Allergy Season boss held no prisoners when it came to his Fidget House-dedicated hour — sitting alongside classics such as Renaissance Man ‘Spraycan’, Surkin’s ‘Radio Fireworks’ and The Crookers’ ‘Bonde de Role’ rework are a spattering of tongue-in-cheek reworks — including a mash up of Beach Boys ‘Good Vibrations’ and Loletta Holloway’s vocals on the 1991 track of the same name from Marky Mark and Funky Bunch. We can’t keep still.

DJ Storm ‘HÖR London Takeover’

You are never disappointed with a set from the almighty DJ Storm. Her selection of tracks in this mix are particularly mind-blowing. Shredding up the London HÖR takeover with a non-stop supply of basslines, she flicks through her CDs to get your ears tingling. Not only are we mesmerised by the tunes but also the natural skills on the decks.

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