New York’s DJ Python takes the reins on the next BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix with a two-hour journey across genres, traversing Latin club, jazz, and IDM. Packed full of unreleased tracks from “myself and friends” and plenty of edits and unusual numbers (including an original Beethoven song), the ‘deep reggaeton’ producer goes deep into leftfield with this one.

Physical Therapy locks in New York collective Palestine Forever to take over his January NTS slot. His shows are described as “genre-free and highly emotional”, and this takeover lives up to that billing, with an hour-long mix paying homage to the Middle East with a span of tracks from artists across Palestine, Egypt, Jordan and beyond, jumping from ambient to trap, traditional to jungle.

Influenced by “after parties, lock-picking, and silliness with strangers”, DIET CLINIC’s mixes are obscure by nature. Her recent hour-long mix for Daisychain aims to bring awareness around sex work, amongst other things, and runs through a bonkers selection of acid, chug, and tripped-out minimal - a real rhythmic workout.

Quickly becoming the go-to for all your racy, rowdy and rapid club needs, this hour-long mix for RA’s podcast series follows the SUZIO founder’s penchant for creating crowd-pleasing sets that will teach you a thing or two. Showcasing her knack for pairing up undersung genres from the Latin diaspora with a plethora of global sounds, this mix steams through tracks from the likes of ADAME, Farsight, Kelman Duran, Keygurr, Manni Dee as well as plenty of Manuka Honey unreleased goodness. Insert smoking headphones meme here.

livwutang’s hour-long Basic Paradise show for Refuge Worldwide comfortably sits in the middle of full throttle dance music and soul-affirming, atmospheric, low-tempo percussion. Carefully flowing through scattered piano keys and bubbling drums, the NYC-based DJ dishes out tracks from Pugilist, Polygonia and more to create a mix that feels smooth and delicate, while the careful dispensing of electro and low-end bass provides a pulsating, erratic rhythmic quality — eliciting a feeling of intense relief comparable to easing yourself into a hot bath or a sweaty nightclub crowd.

T4T LUV NRG affiliate CCL turns to label head Eris Drew for inspiration for this two-sided cassette mixtape, in particular her way of pulling apart dance music deep cuts to their bare elements and knitting them back together — whether that is by isolating drums and vocals or pitching down the rhythm to beyond recognition, ‘A Night In The Skull Discoteque’ carries that same quality of simultaneous familiarity and freshness. Made up of tracks from the ‘70s until the early ‘00s, CCL explores a sometimes-contrasting sonic timeline of references, carving the mixtape into two parts: ‘Side A: Bass Is Eternal’ and ‘Side B: Mutual Dream’. The former explores the dark, dubby recesses of proto-dubstep scene that they encountered while living in Bristol in the late ’00s, while the latter kicks up the tempo with an effervescent combination of billowing bass wobble and decadent house.

In a ferocious b2b recorded last year at Unsound Festival in Kraków, VTSS teams up with SHERELLE on a mix that is so fast and ruthless, you won’t know what’s hit you. Sprinkles of pop keep things fruity as we hear edits from ‘We Like To Party’ match up with ‘Rhythm & Gash’. With wobblers coming in from every angle and the squeaks of industrial techno twisting in at any given moment, this isn't a mix for the faint-hearted.

Breaka and Mixtress go back-to-back in a fiery session of gritty bassline and punchy breaks. This high-intensity mix will take you on the ride of your life as it layers the relentless tones of kick drums and hi-hats with a few wheel-ups along the way. There’s no holding these two back when they hit their stride.

Oldboy joins Arthi on her Rinse FM residency with a mix that will make you let loose. Featuring some hectic edits of classics such as the ‘Incredible’ by M-Beat feat. General Levy, as well as, a quick turn to Britney Spear’s ‘Toxic’. This wild mix will tease you with some calmer moments and some singalong UKG classics and then turn it right up with a naughty bassline.

Texan DJ and producer Kal Banx takes over The Lot Radio for an hour and a half of Afro house, R&B and rap, keeping it cool with the vocals and the beats. Banx invites you to tune in with the sweet sounds of Sade over a minimal Afro house beat, which is a combination hard to resist. After warming up with Soul and R&B, Banx graduates to rap, slowing it down with ‘Mo Jams’ by Concrete Boys before ramping up once more and finishing in the realm of garage. A connoisseur of cool, calm and collected, Banx’s set is smooth like butter from start to finish.

Chicago’s Sadar Bahar treats us to his treasure trove of rare records, spinning pure vinyl for an hour straight. Expect hearty, thumping tracks, screaming trumpets, thrilling vocals and disco tunes you could only dream of discovering in your local record store. Bumping Latin funk, soul, samba and disco, Bahar’s mix is a hot and heavy pleasure party for your eardrums.

salute and Barry Can’t Swim go b2b Live at Lost Sundays in a set that can best be described as a great time. Kicking off with Barry Can’t Swim’s emotive feel-good house track to whoops of delight from the crowd, the three-hour set sees the two DJs bring their infectious energy to the decks. Over the three hours, expect tracks from the likes of Joy Anonymous, Mark Knight, Skeptic and, of course, original releases by both Barry Can’t Swim and salute.

Paragon has been treating residents and visitors to Brookyln to some of the best parties in New York City since opening in 2022, and as of late 2023 it’s been extending its musical offerings further afield with the launch of an online resident mix series. This latest instalment from New York native and leading light in the ballroom scene Byrell The Great draws you into the sweat-soaked, dynamic atmosphere of a ballroom party. His technical skills are on full display as he chops from contemporary club cuts into playful edits of classics, moving between DJ Swisha and a sped-up version of Vybz Kartel and Spice’s ‘Ramping Shop’ with chopped percussion, to give just one example. There’s plenty of attitude and a lil bit of chaos brimming in the blends and selections. No posers allowed.

Kilimanjiro’s first time in India surely won’t be his last, given the reaction from the local club crowd to his irresistible selections. The set is instantly atmospheric, building through robust percussion and dark, brooding tones, before taking things up a notch around the 20 minute mark. His shirt comes off and so does the handbrake, with thumping drums, chunky basslines and screwface melodies leading the way. A wheel-up between two of the undisputed best tracks of recent years - ‘Set The Roof’ and ‘Burn Dem Bridges’ - epitomises the levels hit.

Actress steps up to the Essential Mix throne with a set that shows off his range. He’s known as one of the most inventive artists in electronic music, making music that rewires your brain with its angular explorations. But here there’s plenty of accessible sounds, from M1’s serotonin-soaked house anthem ‘Feel The Drums’ to punchy hip house bars and uplifting piano chords. As the mix progresses, he gets into the more experimental corners of his bags, including plenty of his own tracks.

Listen via BBC here