In September, we linked up with BBC Radio 1 Dance on a five-part mix series throughout the month to celebrate Mixmag’s 40th birthday. An all-female roster from across the globe stepped up to the job, providing a steady stream of heat all month long. We locked in an experimental bass mix from Ukraine’s human margareeta, a high-energy club mix from Argentina’s TAYHANA, a luscious 60-minute takeover from India’s Zequenx, deep, leftfield sonics from South Korea’s Salamanda, and an hour-long mix from South Africa’s queen of amapiano, DBN Gogo. Listen back below.

Listen to human margareeta
Listen to Tayhana
Listen to Zequenx
Listen to Salamanda
Listen to DBN Gogo

Dedicated to her late mother, this mix by Mexican DJ Paurro is a breathtaking soundtrack to the endless depths of emotions that life, family and love bring. Including many “pieces of her life”, it ranges from melancholic ambient to grand classical to the devastating beauty of Massive Attack’s ‘Teardrop’. We’re not ashamed to admit we shed our own tears while listening.

If you need some positivity injected into your day this mix from Warsaw DJ anymati will have you beaming inside the opening seconds. Opening with a glossy Kim Petras edit before taking twists and turns through breakneck techno, a Jersey Club rework of Gwen Stefani, haywire experimental club spin on Ice Spice, happy hardcore from Danny L Harle, and much more. It’s the type of chaos that can brighten up even the drabbest day.

The endlessly impressive Anz serves up almost 80 minutes of fresh productions, all made within the 15 days of feverish work (with the pent-up ideas brewing over a longer timeframe). Starting out with some sultry jams, including a bootleg Frank Ocean vocal melded into atmospheric amapiano, it then ups the ante with surging piano house, raucous acid, bassloaded mutant dancehall, and more.

A Helena Hauff mix is one of those ‘stop everything and listen on sight’ moments in dance music. Stepping up this month for an instalment in fabric’s esteemed series. She’s rightly earned respect as of the best in the world for blending only the most raucous electro and techno. This mix is another exemplary showcase of what does best.

Buy it here

Warsaw’s club scene is in a golden era right now, with Ukrainain DJ Anna Borsuk one figure helping to establish it as one of the best clubbing destinations in Europe. This mix showcases the bassloaded sounds which are currently disrupting the grip hard and fast techno had on Polish capital, weaving together addictive breaks, seismic wobs and uplifting pads and vocals for moments of transcendence.

We wish this mix had been released during lockdown because it’s rare that a mix gives that feeling of being submerged in the murky depths of a dancefloor so tangibly. The title alone of the throbbing Skin Teeth ‘darkness remix’ of Lucas’ ‘Darkness & Movement’ among the tracklist is a pretty good indication of the sounds you can expect here, with more pulsating cuts coming from the likes of TSVI’s atmospheric percussive workout, Entrañas’ blend of Latin rhythms and UK pressure, and a rousing war dub from Dominus and Magugu.

Back in March, Physical Therapy admitted in his In Session interview that his favourite place to listen to music is in his car - so It makes perfect sense that his Car Culture mix series, which consists of slower drive time jams, has become such a mainstay. Volume four is no different, with glistening indie gems and some delicately employed ‘80s synths that are destined to have you crying behind the wheel — polishing things off with a good old fashioned sing-a-long-courtesy of Sheryl Crow’s ‘Leaving Las Vegas’. It’s the kind of mix which will make you want to get behind the wheel of a chevvy and do an emotional drive across the US of A.

We challenge you to get more than five minutes into NTS’ Kylie Minogue tribute before this exact thought crosses your mind: “God, she has so many bangers doesn’t she?” Perhaps the ultimate choice for an In Focus, this mix spans everything from ‘Better The Devil You Know’ to ‘Love At First Sight’ – with even the 7th District remix of ‘Spinning Around’. We’re sure we don’t need to go through the entire tracklist, but do us a favour: Get yourself home, set the lights low and treat yourself to a power hour of classics from the UK’s “most beloved Australian.”

With a keen eye for everything that falls under the groove, deep house and bass umbrella, Leon Vynehall’s hour-long mix for Crack is as smooth and engrossing as can be expected. Starting off with some building atmosphere by way of Nico Lahs and Aleqs Notal, things increase in tempo by the mid-point, as the London-based DJ/producer works through bristling bass courtesy of Makcim & Levi, and adds a sprinkle of slam from Vorm in Geluid’s ‘001’. Made up of “tried-and-tested Bandcamp favourites”, this mix demonstrates both Vynehall’s ability to drive narrative within his sets, but also his keen eye for undiscovered gems.

Just ahead of his next self-released two-tracker, 1-800 GIRLS steps into the NR Sound booth with an hour of bass-weighted sounds spanning UK techno, garage, and 140. He selects recently released tracks from the likes of Destrata, Will Silver, and Tom Jarmey, as well as a few forthcoming releases including Hugo Massien’s trembling ‘Shimmer’ and 1-800 GIRLS’ own storming breaks cut, ‘Because Of You’.

From Los Angeles to Canada’s West Coast, Bianca Oblivion headed onto the Bass Coast stage armed with booty bass bangers, grime edits and energy galore - a combination that had crowds bouncing within minutes. Throwing in a handful of her own productions, which included ‘Eski Rave’ and ‘Soundbwoy Rudebwoy’, Bianca upped the pace to a whirlwind 160 by the finale, ending on a jungle edit of Olive’s ‘You’re Not Alone’.

The Nervous Horizon boss returns to Rinse FM for the label’s residency show, armed with dubs from Fold, Siu Mata and more. Wallwork also plays a bag of ‘90s records the Amaarae, Blanco, Kwengface and Shygirl engineer has specially remastered for the show. Future Nervous Horizon projects are teased to the listener alongside a showcase of ‘Abnormal’ their latest release courtesy of DJ JM. The mix crescendos in the last 30 minutes with the Italian-born, London-based DJ & producer pelting it with 150 BPM techno. This one’s not for the faint-hearted.

Lauren Bush christens the re:lax mixtape series with a two-part tape recorded in Tincleton, Dorset last year. In just under an an-hour-and-a-half the Ilian Tape producer glides through acid, baile funk, footwork, hip hop, reggaeton, drill and trap plus a healthy dosage of the warped, weird and wicked techno that re:ni and Laksa have made a signature sound of their NTS show and, now, record label. In traditional re:ni style there are chops galore and, bar Bluetoof’s ‘Diggin a hole’, virtually no tracks that can be ID’d: all yours DJ Bigos.

Buy it here

Oblig and Spooky go to war for an hour of grime, dubstep, drill and more with the latter’s iconic productions a feature throughout. The back-to-back is hosted by the Upsetters, AKA Joe Fire, 28 Luchi and Rival, who have been making waves with their regular Mode London show. These are proper heavyweight MCs, with smart lyrics, relentless bars and back-and-forths ensuing a captivating affair. Add that to big blends, rewinds and chops and this show has it all.

This is an explosive mix from Shinobi, with the underground US DJ throwing out plenty of dancefloor heaters. Liquid d’n’b, breakbeats and much much more come flying at you in this raucous mix recorded in Miami.

salute’s Defected Croatia mix has finally been released for those who couldn’t witness it in the flesh and it's that final taste of summer we all crave. It stars a feel-good selection of bangers, including many of their own such as classic ‘Joy’.

It comes as no surprise that Interplanetary Criminal has pulled off yet another fiery mix. This time for the TRANSCENDENTAL takeover on New York’s The Lot Radio, he rustles up a bootleg medley with the likes of ‘Like a G6’ and Headie One’s ‘Try Me’, all while puffing on that good ol’ apple berry blast.