Melbourne Deepcast

With a new album freshly minted on @mistersaturdaynight earlier this month, Mister Sunday and Nowadays co-founder Eamon Harkin draws on his storied 25-year journey as a DJ and NYC dancefloor specialist to soundtrack the end of a particularly chilly New York winter. Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed? A. The mix was made as we were starting to emerge from one of the coldest and hardest winters in memory here in New York. I wanted to channel that vulnerable feeling of early spring as the evenings stretch a little and there’s the occasional hint of warmth emerging from the cold. Q. Are there any records in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these songs that resonate with you so much? A. I’ve featured a lot of artists that have been with me most of my musical life. Producers who I’ve always looked to for inspiration like John Tejada, Donato Dozzy, Mike Huckaby and Bobby Konders. Overall it’s really about collecting a range of songs to fit a certain musical idea and feeling that I’m trying to convey in the mix. Q. Your new album, The Place Where We Live, is described as feeling both physical and introspective and exploring themes such as belonging and transition, tell us more about the themes that inspired the music and how you found the right balance between club ready tension and quieter reflective moments. A. I think for many of us electronic and dance music fans we enjoy the back and forth between club ready music and more introspective home listening. That spectrum of sounds is very much who I am musically and so it was a natural act to reflect this range in the album. At the same time as a long time immigrant in the US who has grappled with certain feelings of alienation from his origins since covid there were those emotions and feelings I wanted to bring to the record. I’ll let the listener determine if the right balance was struck!

Naarm's own Babycino steps up next mixing dubwise rollers and summery house digs. A budding DJ, producer and open-air dance specialist, his Reasons To Be Cheerful parties and Skylab shows blend classy jams with playful flair, meaning 100% good times for the groove inclined! @babycinoofficial Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed? I wanted to try to keep it nice and hypnotic in parts, mostly through the first hour or so. So there’s some dub tinged house, deeper house cuts and then into some kind of psychedelic, percussive funk jams. All roads lead back to House music though, in some form or another. If I can lock in, lose my train of thought and kind of forget where I am for a little bit while listening to a mix or music. That’s the best. Almost like entering another realm. That being said, I do like flourishes of chaos being injected as well, so hopefully there are some well placed disruptions and switch ups. For the listening environment. Perhaps a long car journey, or a long walk/ jog through a changing landscape Q. Are there any records in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these songs that resonate with you so much? A. There are a few favourites in the mix but I have to say that the closing track, the Janeret remix of Flash And The Pan’s Walking in the Rain, is on heavy rotation at the moment. I absolutely love the original, it’s so moody and ethereal while also being raw and kinda edgy. This particular remix reworks it for a dancefloor, while keeping that vibe sooooo well. Q. Your Reasons To Be Cheerful parties have become a much-loved part of the annual party calendar, featuring a smorgasbord of house and disco legends the likes of Jex Opolis, DJ Lloyd and Chee Shimizu to name a few! Tell us about your plans for the party going forward, and what you’ve most enjoyed about the experience thus far? A. Aw, bless! Thank you so much! Going forward, I just want to work on maintaining a consistent quality with the curation and to ensure it’s a free and open space, musically and spiritually. Quite simply, I really want to focus on improving with each event, adding more visual art elements/installations, not to reinvent the wheel but just to add my own personal weirdness to the space. Things I’ve enjoyed so far.. I’d say meeting people and inviting artists who I really respect, whether it’s an OG like Chee or connecting with some of the local peeps that I deeply admire. A specific top experience so far is going b2b with Chee Shimizu at Angel. He really is one of the best! Chee and Weatherall are the guiding stars for me, so it was such an honour to go beat for beat with a master!

Carving out a special place within Taipei's harder-edged sonic landscape, the Mango Season party founder and infinitely groovy DJ Pocari Sweaty has been at the forefront of Taipei's house scene for the past few years, offering Mango Seasoners extended dubs, deep euphoric house and obscure disco journeys from guests like Telephones, Benedek and Mayurashka to name a few. Currently in Australia for the first time, we're lucky enough to have him in the mix with a wonderfully spaced out selection of floated techy groovers and deep house music in its finest form. @pocari_sweaty Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed A. To be honest I didn’t put too much thought into this mix, and didn’t go into it with any plans to release a mix. I just hooked up a recorder and started playing from a loose selection of deep and techy records I’d recently bought, and I liked how it turned out! Thank you guys for digging it too, and for putting it out! Q. Are there any records in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these songs that resonate with you so much? A. I would say I’m especially stoked to share this Terry Francis track Rock Hopper. I bought this record from a discogs seller in Taipei called bigbadjimmy. It turns out he was a DJ in Taipei in the late 90s / early 00s and even opened for Terry Francis in Seoul on his first Asia tour back then. I think it’s really special to have a direct lineage to this record’s original context! Q. Your Mango Season parties have become a regular fixture of the Taipei underground scene over the last few years with a host of deep digging guests covering all kinds of house and disco leaning sounds, tell us about your idea behind the night and what have been some of your favourite memories thus far? A. Taipei is definitely a city that likes heavy music, so I started Mango Season to create the kind of warm and sweet party that I really want to go to. Damn there are really too many good memories, all of the guests have been amazing. Dea’s closing track last August, 多情沒有問題 by 馬玉芬 was really fun, the entirety of Telephones’ set last October was incredible, and last month MLiR and I played b2b all night for the second anniversary of the party. We didn’t plan a thing and played one track each for the whole night. Perfectly in sync, it was awesome.

MDC's @myles-mac back once again with a trip friendly scuba dive through the best bits of 2025. Tracklist: T.E.C. - Hi Set & Low Set // Serenity Now
Puli - C.S.B. // Open Space Milou Moon - Circles (Guy Contact Remix) // ORiGiN Recordings Guy Contact & Solar Suite - Perfect Harmony ft. Sa+ga // Wax’o Paradiso Musicentrydelete - Sub AM // Mood Hut Alex Kassian X Spooky - Orange Coloured Liquid (Part II) // Test Pressing Greville - Electric Push CPU Mix // Mad Habitat Recordings Anthony Naples - Scanners // ANS Recordings
 Retza & DJ Activities Man - Play (Round 1) // All Kinds of Music Pancratio - A Never Ending Story // Love On The Rocks RAMZi - flufi // FATi Records Pool Sharks - Orange Crickets // Pepper Recs Aldonna - Pink Beluga // Semi Delicious Pancratio - Groove Throtter # 2 // Faith Beat DAWS - Feel So (3am Mix) // Correspondant Deetron presents Soulmate - The Visitor // Ilian Tape 
 T.E.C. - 7001 On Plastic // Serenity Now Tornado Wallace - Bitter Suite // Test Pressing Command D - Fever // Self Released
 Other Joe Feat. CTP - Ice in my Veins // Best Effort

Cut from various projects and produced between Berlin and Melbourne over the last fifteen years, LAN label head and hardware specialist Willis Anne digs through his archives to deliver mix made up of 100% unreleased and forthcoming material. @willis-anne Q. Being a mix comprised solely of your own music – a housier than usual deep dive into the unreleased archives of your wide ranging back catalogue, how did you come up with the concept for the mix, and how would you say your sound has evolved over the years? A. My first love is hip-hop and house music, that’s how I started making music. Over time I moved into more abstract and experimental territories, before eventually bringing all those elements together into something more hybrid. I still make house music, but today I’m mostly known for hybrid music, and playing wide-ranging, dynamic sets across genres, which is also what I explore with my alias FOREIGNER. I’ve known Melbourne Deepcast for a long time, even before moving to Australia, so I was honoured to be invited! There are so many strong mixes on the platform, and I wanted to do something special. I thought - why not record a mix made entirely of my own productions! I properly dig into my archives, and as a result it includes unreleased material from different periods, as well as a few upcoming tracks. In that sense, the housier focus makes this mix a bit of a rare snapshot. Q. Looking back, where were you looking to gather inspiration when producing these tracks? I know you were living in Berlin for quite a few years, who or what was inspiring your creative process back then? A. Beyond Berlin’s DJ culture, I was especially inspired by artists performing live in clubs. That period aligned with my hardware-only approach, and I went deeper into that way of working. I was strongly influenced by the left-field hardware house scene at the time, particularly artists from L.I.E.S. Records like Steve Summers and Bookworms. Spending time with them, jamming, and being close to that environment had a big impact on my process. Many labels and artists working in that space emerged and flourished during the 2010s, and that era shaped a good part of the music in this mix. Q. I know you’ve been a driving force behind hardware based electronic music production here in Melbourne over the past couple of years with JAM, your open invitation electronic jam sessions.. Tell us about your idea for these community jam sessions, and what has been the most rewarding part of the whole process? A. JAM takes effort to run, but it’s a very special project. People are genuinely grateful for the space, and it’s rewarding to see how much they enjoy connecting and making music together. The idea is to make access easy and remove intimidation, and that approach really works. What I find most rewarding is seeing beginners gain confidence and have fun. People who don’t know each other come together, start jamming, and create something on the spot. That sense of openness and shared experience is what makes JAM meaningful for me.

Operating on a global frequency with a knack for genre-blurred grooviness, Berlin-based Zeynep delivers a transportive blend of rolling rhythms and cross-pollinated mind-lockers that hit all the right spots. For those that like their grooves deep, percussive, techy and mysterious you've come to the right place. @zeynep Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in? A. First off, I want to thank you for letting me be part of this incredible mix series :‘) what an honor! As a big fan of MDC I wanted to tap into a deeper, more mysterious side of myself while still holding onto the sound that feels like “me”. I tried to let the mix slowly build into that, so you can hear different influences coming through before it settles where it needs to be. As for the ideal listening environment... I like thinking about how it can live in different contexts. That’s why I love when people surprise me with where they play my mixes. Someone once told me they put one on at an orgy which might be the highest compliment I’ve ever received. So yeah, whatever place you’re in (physical or emotional) if it fits, it fits. Q. Are there any records in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these songs that resonate with you so much? A. The opening track export city by project runaway from 2020 really captures the kind of rhythm I’m into right now. It’s built around infectious percussion and a sleek, pulsing groove. It kinda mirrors internal restlessness and the desire to move which is what draws me in I guess. The closing track No Reason by Vertical Blank from 1993 has these darkwave vocals that feel sad and euphoric at the same time. It’s got this “the end is near but you’re not sure if that’s good or bad“ energy which sounds strange but that ambiguity is exactly why it resonates with me.. if that makes sense? Q. I know you’re a big advocate of community focussed DIY parties, what are some events you’ve played over the last year that you’ve felt best embody community spirit, and what do you feel are some of the most important elements required to achieve it? A. Two of my favorite gigs this year were Earth Dog in NYC and noclubs in Amsterdam. Both were proper DIY raves in secret locations, built entirely from scratch with great sound and music by great people who genuinely care. What made each of them so special was how much they embodied real community spirit: everyone contributing, looking out for each other and creating a space that truly feels owned by the people in it. You feel it in how accessible and transparent everything is, in the shared ownership and in the effort to keep things affordable while inviting diverse voices into both the lineup and the organization. Being part of experiences like these makes people feel safe and part of something they get to shape, rather than just attend. And I think that’s a key element. Big up to both crews and anyone out there for keeping that culture alive and staying real and true to themselves!

A seminal, pioneering figure in the 90s and 00s UK tech house scene, a mix from Pure Science is as bucket list as they come. With his first Australia tour over New Years approaching fast, the mysterious tech house luminary reappears from his subterranean science den with a whopping five(!!) hour live set, full of moody unreleased gems and carefully reimagined classics from his genre shaping 30+ year discography. @purescience Q. What an incredible journey this mix is! What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for the mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in? A. Thank you for your kind words, Myles. I was initially asked to do a couple of hours, but thought, I would do at least four, and start with a good hour of unreleased ambient / downtempo tracks that I have made, that I wouldn’t necessarily play out to a dance floor, and build up the tempo. So to answer your question, I guess I was pulling out tracks that were made at a close tempo, and gradually build up to a Deep House / Techno range. There are loads of unreleased bits, which I will be featuring on upcoming albums. I guess the vibe was to keep it deep, and not to bang it out or play too obvious, and to add a couple of surprises in there, as it is for the Melbourne Deepcast after all. Q. Are there any records in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these songs that resonate with you so much? A. I am not playing any records, CDJ’s or harmonicas on this mix.. Lol, Only Ableton Live, Korg ER1 drum machine, Roland System 100 modular (clone), Novation Nova & Evolution uc-33 midi controller. There is one track that I have only played out once when I was in my teens, and it was written in 1989, when I was 15/16 years old. It’s called Circle, and is on the mix at around 3:43:43 mark (The hypnotic track with the organ). Q. I know you’ve made special edits of some of your classic Pure Science records for this mix, tell us about how you like to reimagine your music from 20+ years ago, and how your sound has evolved since creating your most iconic records in the late 90s.. A. I’ve been re-recording, mixing, and mastering some of my classic releases, and preparing them for live, i.e. stripping down the parts to the basic form e.g. Kick, Snare, Hats, Claps, Toms, Congas, Percussion, Bass, Keys, Vox, etc, so I can re-arrange the tracks on the fly or break down to my drum machines / synths / recorded modular jams if I feel I want to improvise to the crowd a bit, or I can just concentrate on the blend of tracks, and the selection like a DJ would, and have complete control of the journey.. Q. We’re all very excited to see you play in Melbourne on NYD! Tell us about your hybrid live / DJ setup, is that something you’ve been refining for a while now? A. I am very excited too, as I have been going through, my old floppy disks going back to 1987, from my old Ensoniq SQ80, as it has just come back from a service, and has had its 10-year internal battery replacement. I have been rediscovering tracks that I had totally forgotten about. Specifically a couple of tracks that I love, one is called Moon from 1992, and the other called Tibet from that same era. Both were made a little faster than what I would play out now, and were over 135BPM, but if you slow them down a bit, they just sound chunkier, and PHATer. x p.s. It’s only hybrid if I DJ too, and I probably won’t have time for that. Live only on this trip. Thank you all for your time, and I hope to see you on the dance floor..

Three hours of deep underground house music from a couple of Naarm's extended blend bosses. @jackhnelson & @billusmoon Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in? A. Sam: would be amiss not to say deepness – hard to really say what that means, though. Music played deep into the party, everyone on molly, the sound system is the one from Labyrinth, and it’s in Yarra Bend. A. Jack: Yeah much the same as Sam, we share a mutual love for deepness albeit in a slightly different way. I hope it will be a bit of an all hours mix for cooking, eating, driving or for the hours after etc. Q. Are there any records in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these songs that resonate with you so much? A. Sam: Many resonate, but the Baby Ford track toward the beginning sums up the whole deepness-being-difficult-to-describe thing, for me at least. David Alvarado does that to me as well – he features a fair bit here. A. Jack: there have been many tunes I would've loved to include - but without much defined planning we got to this mix one afternoon. Bit of a mish mash of different deepish tunes from over the years, moving around home base which is good old house music. Nothing too serious. Q. You’ve both been involved in facilitating a myriad of great underground parties in Melbourne over the last decade from outdoor raves to basement club nights, Jack, tell us about your latest endeavour Reasons and how that fits into the music community focussed party ethos? A. Jack: Reasons came about as a bit of an evolution from just running parties, toward something that connects and platforms the people around me and incorporates music, food and art.. After spending time overseas, I felt a strong pull to bridge those worlds, and to bring some of those ideas we encountered abroad back home. Q. I know you’ve both been working hard on various studio projects both solo and collaboratively, tell us about the latest endeavours, and what sounds are you enjoying exploring whilst working together? A. Sam: Making music together has always come naturally, finishing tracks less so. Plans mostly go out the window once we start, but I feel like we’ve always converged on a distinct feeling without having to explicitly voice. I like exploring all sounds with Neil, but I guess we’ve always tended to steer toward some kind of 90s nostalgia. The final track in the mix is a useful example. A. Jack: We’re both always making music in some form, sometimes with more focus than others, at least for me. We’ve always got a few bits in the works I guess (including the last track in the mix), but as Sam said, finishing things together doesn't always happen... Lately, I’ve been trying to be a bit more deliberate with what I am making. Definitely a few releases to come in the next 6 months, as well as a new non-dance music project.

Welcoming one of our personal favourite's from the big apple! A positive conductor of all things deep and dreamy, NYC's @yibingg is a longtime resident on The Lot Radio with an impeccable ear for contemplative sonics, ever thoughtfully sliced and diced with a big signature smile :) Time to hit recline and let Yibing tranquilify your mind. Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in? A. I’ve always been drawn to uplifting sounds, but I also love deep, percussive music and melancholic minor key melodies, which I think there’s a lot of in this mix. Hopefully a nice journey to drift into and daydream with :) I really wanted this mix to be a sort of homage to the sound of MDC and the AU music community (as I hear it), which I connect with deeply. I find it so playful, psychedelic and beautiful. It definitely took me a while to untangle this, especially knowing it was for one of the most goated series out there… One that’s inspired me time and time again. Personally, my favorite place to test mixes is on my bike. Maybe not the safest spot to zone out, but it’s become part of my post recording ritual. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. Atone's "Lost & Found"! I became obsessed with Tonal Ocean's Atone Special after it aired on NTS last year. Atone is, of course, an Australian project from the mind of Andrew Fitzgerald. I've listened to that mix countless times. "Atonement" is really just such a perfect record to me. I played "Lost & Found" last year at a festival that Doc Tom and CZ Wang curated called In The Open. It's still one of my favorite sets I've ever played and a memory I will cherish forever... I felt people really locking in during it and I was surrounded by some of my closest friends too… Music & friendship - truly nothing better than it. Q. Tell us about the evolution of Tranquilamente Radio on The Lot Radio, you play such a wide variety of beautiful music on the show, do you approach each show with a theme of sorts or just let things flow naturally? A. It's wild to think that I've been involved with radio in one shape or another for over a decade at this point... Through so many changes, radio in its different iterations has remained the only constant. When I started the show on The Lot Radio almost five years ago, it was deep during the pandemic and I wanted to foster a space for more laidback, at-home listening music. The inspiration for the title of the show was the Pacific Ocean - thinking about oceans as connectors of all these beautiful ~music waves~ around the world. I have done some themed shows over the years - I do an indie rock special every year, as a nod to my roots and to what I was playing back at KCSB, a college radio station in California where everything started. I also did a Canto-pop special a while back with some music I grew up listening to. More recently, I did a Music From Memory special that I really enjoyed, using the opportunity to really dive deep into everything that's come out from that label. I definitely want to keep doing more of that. I find it exciting that even though the show is pretty eclectic, it’s developed a sound of its own. I definitely have a predilection for weirdo, left-field music and I love that the show can be a platform where me and my guests are encouraged to explore different sounds beyond the club. I think doing the show has also taught me and motivated me over the years to bring that sound into my sets too.

@myles-mac and @djpossums live at @nowadaysnyc Nonstop 3-6am ヽ(^o^)丿

Introspective mind realignment from the deepest depths, Mike Buhl engages the senses with poise and purpose, lifting the spirit while carefully dialling up the pressure over two-plus hours of tension filled hypnotic techno and soaring interplanetary rhythms. @mike-buhl Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in? A. My inspiration was driven by the urge to showcase lots of artists who have been on heavy rotation over the years. Somewhat cliche, but it was really important to blend genres and energies that represented every aspect of what I listen to, am inspired by alongside how and when they were experienced. Tracks I’ve loved listening to on my own, while entertaining friends, during lock in record nights and those tracks designed to be shared in public spaces and events. Finding a cohesive path through those different styles, genres and energies was the adventure in this mix. Distilling a sonic mountain of records into something that flowed seamlessly and translated well when listening back in all of those moments felt most authentic. A mix best consumed while moving, sharpening that assignment, at the tail end of a dinner party as the vibe shifts to next gear or while embracing the magic of a lock in with the crew. This has translated into snapshots, across a timeline stitched together from records new and old, capturing a weekend drive, early floors through to closed doors, spilling onto the street, the afterhours and beyond. Almost two and a half hours of ambient ear candy, arm chair burners, peak melters and thought provokers that attempt to relive moments and feelings from our past years listening, curating and creating electronic music. Q. I know you’ve developed a close kinship with some modern pillars of the dub techno scene, mastering and editing .VRIL’s 2025 Edit of his classic tune ‘UV’ and being tasked with closing out his recent Melbourne show. Tell us how that connection came about, and what other studio projects have you got bubbling away that you’re excited to share? A. I first reached out to .Vril ahead of a past tour to Australia. His music resonated with me so much that I wanted to meet him for a coffee. Since then, we’ve hung out a few times, shared music, and bounced some tracks off each other. It was an absolute highlight, when he asked to be a part of reshaping ‘UV’ and he's kindly returned serve with a remix for my follow up EP, 'Modern Explorer II' on local imprint Denude. We’ve had some very early conversations around a collaboration next time he’s out here and I would really like to continue pushing creativity here. In the background, I've been spending a good amount of time in my studio. Focusing on creating for myself and helping others. Improving my abilities as a mix engineer has been a big focus and I’ve been fortunate enough to work on a number projects with artists locally and abroad. Whether that be mixing, providing creative direction, arrangement work or mastering. I really love working with others and often find it more enjoyable than working alone. In saying that, I’m building a volume of new music that needs an outlet and will focus on that over the next few months.

Thrilled to be welcoming NAP aka Daniel Rincón to series, the CDMX based DJ and producer with a unique gift for capturing the wonky, hedonistic feels of the after-hours in his signature extended mix styles. Packed with sleazy twists and turns, there's never a dull moment with NAP at the wheel! Electro-fied highway rollers masterfully sliced and diced for that maximum long haul recharge! @napmusick Q. What sounds/feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in? A. I wanted to make a driving mix that featured a lot of vocals but in mutated and affected ways. Either as a centerpiece of the tune or via chops and sampling, the vocals carry a lot of the tension and thread of the mix which I wanted to balance across a mix of sleazy and dubby sounds. Perfect for a night drive or an afters with some bffs. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. Blacklight Sleaze (Dyed Soundorom Remix) by Peace Division’. I put it earlier in the mix as it's a bit of a fire starter in getting the mix boiling. This track is also an example of the use of the human voice in a classic but psychedelic/ experimental approach; many voices swirling around atop a sexy driving groove. Loose Control by Dino Lenny. Been playing this one a lot and I’d like to make mention to it because it hits a lot of the things that I like when playing a peacetime burner; driving arpeggiated Italo style baselines without being too garish, some dramatic silence drops that make you think the track stopped and then the use of the human voice as a melodic element displaced from language. Heart Misses - Heart Misses. This one is definitely in the pocket of sassy/ minimal sleaze tune which encompasses the vibe of many of the other tracks in the mix as per the concept I had. Perhaps this one is also an evolution of my digging from having been really into electroclash growing up and playing a lot of that stuff across my DJ experience. This hits the reference points of that sound I grew up up with but perhaps actualized? More reduced, minimal but still sexy, driving, irreverent and trippy. Q. Tell us about the projects you’ve been most immersed in since moving to Mexico City, I know there’s a few! A. Oh man, lots of collabs since I've been here! All a by product of new friendships and amazing connections I’ve made while being here. Stuff is still percolating and getting finished but Im very excited to put out new collab projects with Primordial Oh, Reedbriefcase and Tristan Arp; whenever the time is right. On the other hand I’ve also put the finishing touches on a collab project with my friend Pablo Arangoiz who I started jams with when he visited Mexico 4 years ago. Since then we’ve been working on a thesis on a specific type of experimental cumbia forward pieces which we’ve spent a lot of time and care on. As far as ACA, Phran and I have a lot of things on the pipeline which will hopefully get some releases this year. It's tough to get a lot of the projects we want to do out when we live in different places but we’re damn excited about all of them and aligning on getting a digi release out from Venezuelan Miniteca legend ‘El Mago. We also got some homie comps cooking up and some sassy merch coming up. On the Ambien Baby tip, Soph and I have been jamming a lot every time we have the chance to but again, not living in the same place makes it a bit hard to wrap stuff up. Still the past year has yielded a lot of sick fire starter jams that hopefully we can zinch up before the end of the year. We also have a collaborative sound piece we made with our friend Florence Scott-Anderton some years ago for a show she had at the ICA some years ago. This one is a very dear collab for all 3 of us and I hope we can get it out before the end of year as well. Lots of stuff coming up and cooking up!

For this episode we welcome the extraordinary talents of Aaron J, Brooklyn's Sure Thing record label and podcast founder, known for hosting an immense list of explorative modern techno artists from around the globe. Altering our consciousness for the first time in 2023 with a particularly awe inspiring set at Sustain-Release, Aaron's deeply considered and intricate approach is something of sheer beauty, and coupled with masterful technical ability, his inspiring DJ sets allow for fully immersive dancefloor experiences. Here Aaron explores the softer edges of his expansive sound palette, meditative soundscapes and tranquil IDM converging in total harmony for what he describes as a 'recalibration of the senses'. @arn_j @sure_thing Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in? A. Of all the mixes I’ve put together over the years, this one definitely feels the most vulnerable. The months I spent thinking about and working on this mix accompanied an intensely busy time in my life, and the process helped me stay in touch with the simple joy of listening as a way of stepping back and letting things go. There is a direct connection here between the music within and the emotions that live inside me. At the same time, I’ve tried my best to mix this as transparently as possible, so that the act of DJing takes a back seat and allows the music to take center stage. The inspiration behind the tracks I chose and the story of the mix is one of finding balance, so I hope listening to it feels like a casting off of the present day and a recalibration of the senses. I’d love for people to listen to the mix in a setting where they feel most protected from the changes and stressors of the outside world, whether that be sitting outside in nature or laying on a couch surrounded by the comforts of home. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. There is a track in the mix by Autumn of Communion called “Goodbye PK” dedicated to the late Peter Kuhlmann, who many of your listeners will know as the legendary Pete Namlook of FAX +49-69/450464. It’s an immensely moving track that manages to convey both the tragedy of his loss and the depth of the beauty he left with the world, and I feel we’re so fortunate to have music and influences like this in our recent history. I included it early to set the tone of the rest of the mix, which is quite different than any I’ve done before, and to pay my respects to those who’ve inspired our scene from the very beginning. Q. I was lucky enough to witness your set at Sustain-Release in 2023 and was in awe of your ability to practice restraint while steadily building up tension and energy in the set with such clinical and seamless execution. Is this part of the DJ craft something you spend a lot of time planning and refining? A. That was such a life-changing moment for me, so I’m really glad you were there! You really nailed what I hoped to accomplish with that set, and I definitely spend a lot of time thinking about where my sets will begin, where I would like them to end up, and what sort of path I might take to get there. Understanding the minutiae of how a transition will affect someone’s state of mind and how to propel someone forward without jarring them back to reality is something I’m always working to improve on. That said, the upward trajectory is not always the most interesting one, and there are so many other ways of charting a course through a set that I hope to be able to explore. For the mix I’ve made for you, it’s not so much a set that builds energy as it is one that expands and contracts, hopefully in a gentle and purposeful way.

The Tartan Records boss and equally boss DJ Wallace signs off on his recent stint down under with a mix packed with deep sea dubs and bumping 00s techy rollers. Based in England, and having previously run a string of club nights in Edinburgh, Wallace is a proud tartan enthusiast with a full tank of punchy dubwise grooves in his sporran, with plenty of nods to his UK roots here over a glorious hour and a bit full of chunky d-floor burners. Let's have it! @wallacejimmygs Q. What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in? A. It’s been a pretty bruising winter back here in the UK but we’d just had our first smattering of sunshine when I came to putting this mix together. I think that shift—the changing seasons and the first signs of trees beginning to bloom in my hometown (as pictured)—definitely influenced the first part of the mix. The middle section leans more into the kind of stuff I’d play out, but I wanted to bring things to a softer landing toward the end. There’s certainly an outdoor feel to the selections so maybe a listening environment to match but equally I love music’s ability to transport us from our current states so bang it on indoors and see what happens. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that you were especially excited to share, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. There’s a Steve O'Sullivan Dub early on which I recently found & it’s just a gloriously mixed and executed piece of dub techno. Towards the end another recent find by Argentinian producer Federico Molinari which to my ears sounds like a lost 80’s gem but was produced just last year. It's rare to hear a modern producer capture that classic vibe so authentically, without tipping into pastiche. Q. You were just out here in Australia over the past weekend and from all reports the shows were on point! What kind of directions did you take people in during those sets, and how might the energy of your club sets differ from your mixes? A. Yes, so glad to have finally made it out here. Was a real joy to meet some lovely people in your scene and to get the chance to do my thing. Always revel in the challenge of playing in a new country as you’ve got to be on your toes to adapt but stay true to what you’re all about. I truly felt the warm Aussie welcome, so let’s call this mix a little parting gift to tide things over until next time x

A much loved figure within the American underground scene, California's Baby Leo has been consciously connecting body and mind from coast to coast, finding space for the unpredictable and the awe inspiring, hypnotising dancefloors with wildly eclectic DJ sets filled with energising twists and turns. An innovator and sonic boundary pusher at his core, the Dripping festival Leo runs alongside Relaxer is a deep underground oasis in the woods of Sparta, New Jersey, and returns for it's third mind excursion this June, with Leo and DJ Plead combining this year for a hotly anticipated back to back. @djbabyleo Q. The mix is truly a wild ride! What sounds or feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this, and what listening environments could you imagine it being enjoyed in? A. This is the deepcast right? For this one, we’re going deeper than what I might usually do in a club. Some of these tracks came to me while laying blindfolded on the floor during guided high-dose mushroom journeys. Because this is a space of complete emotional surrender, many of these tracks became permanently embedded in my heart. Awe, fear, reverence, gratitude are all part of the recipe. The ideal listening environment is similar to how you might want to watch a movie - cozy, undistracted, and fully immersed in sound. Perhaps by yourself and hopefully something to return to and discover something new. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. I think Untitled (How Does it Feel) by D’Angelo is my favorite song of all time. It feels amazing every time. The way energy builds and boils over is unmatched. I played it backwards. Q. Your festival Dripping returns to the majestic woods of Sparta, NJ for its third year running in June, and I see you’ve got a special extended b2b set with DJ Plead planned which should be quite the mind-bend! How have you been preparing for that one, and what things might you guys be doing differently this year that you’re excited about? A. Preparation hasn’t really begun in any serious way, but we are both anticipating and very excited to play together. Especially at Dripping, I’m typically trying to push the energy forward for a fully explosive impact. I will usually do a lot of preparation for a set like this and plan certain sequences. In contrast, I’ve seen Plead play sets with incredible restraint, patiently working a crowd into complete hypnosis. I guess the thing about a back to back set is that it will take on a life of its own and just go where it needs to go. There will be less planning for this and more intuition, but mind-bending and heart-opening is certainly the goal and we haven’t discussed anything other than that. Tracklist: Avartuva nake - Esa Kotilainen La Symphonie - Cute Heels Marka - Carmen Villain Portamento - Stine Janvin Flusso I - Donato Dozzy Winded - 7038634357 O Berimbao - Nana Vasconcelos Polar Sun - Feral Temples - Anunaku Doubles - Untold Drop it On The One - Untold Wormhole Chant - Vector Trancer Through The Cobalt Desert - Marco Shuttle A Touch Of - Piezo Andnowawordfromoursponsors - Kabeaushe Shimming - Yor Kultura Untitled (How Does it Feel) - D’Angelo Hamburger Lady (Carter Tutti remix) - Throbbing Gristle Guboo - Lights in a Fat City

An episode that feels well overdue yet thoroughly worth the wait! A titan of the Naarm underground music scene, Pjenné has been a kindred spirit and longtime pal since the early days of MDC, and it's no surprise that her contribution is packed full of gloriously deep and immersive feels, bassy and driving in parts and light as a feather in others, speaking to a palette that has been meticulously explored and continues to evolve along with her incredible weekly radio show on PBS, Passing Notes. @pjenne Q. What sounds of feelings did you draw upon when gathering inspiration for this mix, and what listening environments could you imagine it being best enjoyed in? A. For this mix, I wanted to channel the energy and sounds that I associate with Melbourne Deepcast rather than drawing on the darker side of my sound palette that has been at the fore of my radio and club sets of late. MDC means so many things to me, but there’s definitely an energetic, grooviness that comes to mind and this is what inspired the mix. Although the mix does showcase parts of me (heavily atmospheric, emotive and a few downtempo tracks for good measure), I’d say this is more of a mix for you. :) I imagine this mix being listened to outside, on a sunny day, but when you might also need a little extra pep in your step. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. The first that came to mind is a track by Sean Cusick and Medway (Jesse Skeens) - It is an incredibly beautiful and emotive breakbeat track from 2002 on Saw recordings, there’s just something about how the vocals and the pads wash over you - although its upbeat there's also a sombreness to it and I just think its the whole package. Towards the end of the mix there’s also a very very classic ambient trance number, Lazer Worshippers by Damon Wild & Tim Taylor from 1993 - Not the most deeply dug track but it's a classic for a reason. Q. You have been lovingly broadcasting your weekly radio show Passing Notes on PBS for six years running, which is a serious achievement! Tell us what you did for your sixth anniversary on International Women's Day, and what keeps you inspired to broadcast the show week in week out? A. It’s been a wild ride that’s for sure! I really appreciate that International Women’s Day marks each yearly anniversary of Passing Notes - it reminds me to stop and reflect on each year as an achievement that I would probably otherwise forget in the chaos of life. This year I enlisted the help of Syrian DJ and Harmony Rec affiliate Zeynep, who provided an excellent, playful and sassy celebratory guest mix. As for my inspiration to keep going, I’d say that I draw from the collective power of electronic artists locally as well as internationally. There’s just so much good music to share, and Passing Notes enables me to provide a crucial connection between ‘underground’ electronic music and the wider music community. I'm also inspired by live radio as a format - it provides a sanctuary for me from the highly curated nature of music today and allows me to be more playful in the way that I explore different sounds. To me it is a place free of judgement.

Settled back in the UK after a long stint in Berlin, London chill-out devotee Lucy Cook treats us to one of her notoriously nostalgic blends, with meditative vocal swept soundscapes and smoky jazz lounge space dub fused with trip-hop cuts resurrected from obscure CDs from the 90s and 00s. Deeep mood exploration at its finest! @lucyscook Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when planning this mix, and what type of listening environment could you imagine it being enjoyed in? A. I put the mix together after a bright and productive start to the year. It’s somewhat reflective of my mood I guess, maybe not through the vibe of the tracks, but in the space around them. I’ve explored some deeper sounds in this one.. so maybe one for some introspective listening. I recently visited Japan too and was super inspired by how intentional everything is, with a focus on simplicity and quality. Stripping things back and consistency are new-ish themes in my personal life too, which feels really good. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. I really can’t choose, but there’s a couple of edits and things I made which feel special. I had fun layering some interesting vocal samples and weird sounds I’ve been collecting over the years, and created some bits with these which are peppered throughout. Quite a few of the tracks are CD rips from the 90’s and 2000’s, which is a method of digging I love. For me without it, so much amazing music wouldn’t be shared. There’s also one or two from friends’ labels Truffle101 and Sonido Chido which are really cool ones. It’s important to me to support those around me and get good music heard :) Q. I know you recently made the move back to London after some years living in Berlin, how's the transition been and what are a couple of your favourite UK parties or festivals that you're looking forward to reconnecting with this summer? A. It took a little while to “arrive” here actually. I’m a pretty calm person and the energy is very different, but I’m feeling happy and at home here now. Electronic music wise, I went to Houghton for the first time last year and was blown away by the quality of the music, so I’m looking forward to being there again. Otherwise, I’m enjoying seeing more live musicians. There’s always a lot of great psychedelia, jazz, soul, and hip hop to see here, especially outdoors in the summer. Oh and number 1, Glastonbury!

London’s friendliest DJ duo Merchant summon their deepest club crates for two hours of summery prog and rhythm heavy house heaters! Oozing their signature feel good sensibilities, this one’s a bumping ride with classy 90s groovers and contemporary UK dance music mixed up with love as the main ingredient.. @merchantrecordslondon Q. What inspiration did you guys draw upon when planning out and making this mix together, and what kind of listening environments might you see it being easily enjoyed in? A. We’ve always loved a variety of different music and it feels really nice to be able to put out a dance mix that shows that side of our sound. We often spin dance music with our mates at home before a night out, so this could be quite good for the pre-game or as you’re gearing up for the dance in the festival campsite. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. Two of the three tunes we’ll be releasing in our first EP this summer are in the mix so look out for tracks Viva and Twenty46. We worked with our very talented producer friend Strath on those and we are excited for playing them more this summer. Another standout is Rockin The Boat by Reflex Blue. It’s got the perfect amount of groove to it with that sax coming over that acid line and it’s a great track for moving sets in different directions. We are also really fond of the last two tracks. Life Formation by Epsylon 9 is a 90s trance track that has got a lot of positive energy. We paired that with the closing track Please Come To My Show by Kolter which carries that atmosphere but with a more contemporary sound. Q. Harry I know you’re heading back to the UK to reunite with Al after spending the summer down here in Aus. What are you guys looking forward to upon your return, any new projects or parties in the works? A. Mainly excited to give each other a big hug, crack a bottle of wine and chuck a few records on. DJing never feels the same when we aren’t together so we are really looking forward to some nice European gigs soon. Obviously the EP is also exciting. We are also starting a run of parties later this year so keep an eye out for that on our insta if you’re listening from London.

A longtime conductor of contagious positive vibrations, Danny Bodega is a much loved name among balearic dance music enjoyers round the globe! Co-founding Gazebo Records last year, his killer ear for breezy coastal cruisers and deep crossover club jams make Bodega's effervescent energies the perfect tone setter for those long 'n' balmy summer nights. Step back in time for 3 hours of extended hangs and zesty hedonistic pleasures with Danny Bodega as your good time guarantor! @beaton-4 Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when planning this mix, and what kind of listening environments might you see it being easily enjoyed in? A. Last year I went to my neighbour Lenny’s night at a tiny basement club in Hackney with Dan Beaumont and Wes Baggaley playing records together. Had not felt that feeling in the club since the early days going out in Naarm with locals playing records all night at Lounge, Liberty Social and Roxanne Parlour. This mix is a nod to that vibe and best suited to before, or after the club hangs…or triathlon training. Q. Are there any records in the mix that are particularly close to your heart? A. There are quite a few records in here that I’ve had for more than 10 years and have only ever played to myself at personal kick-ons, so it’s a delight to share them more widely. The Usual Suspects remix of Mr. C and Robert Owens’ ‘A Thing Called Love’ is one. While I’ve never been a fan of Robert Owens’ vocal stylings, this remix is an overlooked $2 Layo & Bushwacka! banger. Will put it up on the Gazebo YouTube channel soon. Q. You and Nick managed to gather a tonne of support for your inaugural Gazebo Records release last year, releasing Fuemana’s 1994 cult classic New Urban Polynesian on vinyl for the first time. What was your favourite part about that whole process? A. The response to the Fuemana family’s story and musical talents from a whole new generation of fans really blew us away. Having Tony and Mamma Fuemana fly over from Auckland for the launch party was the perfect culmination of family, friends and community spirit around the release that was also the perfect send off for me moving to London the following day. News on Gazebo 002 incoming shortly… Q. Where can people catch you spinning next? A. All night at Frequence in Paris this Friday, Feb 21 at Bodega Nights, April 12 with Daisy Records and Evie at the Jago. Nick and I are putting on a Gazebo party over here on May 3 with some special guests that we are excited about!

Tech friendly coastal groovers and bouncy breakbeats from the sun kissed shores of Lisbon with @magic_carpet co-pilot Hazr in the hot seat! @haz_r Q. What inspiration did you draw upon when planning this mix, and what type of listening environment could you imagine it being easily enjoyed in? A. I recorded this poddy on the Wild Lady, my girlfriend’s canal boat. I find a lot of inspiration digging & plotting here - I’m surrounded by nature and the slow pace of the canal unplugs me from distractions. I guess it depends what side of the world you’re listening 🙃 There’s quite a bit of sunkissed house in here, so down under it could keep ya sizzlin’ nicely at a bbq or with a warm brew and biccy for us in cooler climates. Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much? A. The closing track ‘Does It Really Matter’ by Jeff Dam is a real beauty, there’s something about blissful & groovy breaks which always connects with me. Also shout out to Pistaccio, there’s one from his EP on Magic Carpet last year. Q. What’s the latest with the Magic Carpet label you run alongside @djappleb? Any upcoming releases you’re particularly jazzed about? A. We’re celebrating 5-years riding the carpet this year, with some lovely treats to share. The 1st instalment is a EP from b0n with some slammin’ breaks, check the clips up on our SC ⚡️ Q. I know you guys do a regular label night at the legendary Lisbon club Lux Fragil, how would you describe the energy of those nights, and what’s next in the pipeline? A. Deeply active, big love to our crew who bring the nrg! On the 7th of Feb we’ve got Malika bringing her aromatic grooves and our homie Velvet Velour on closing business, should be a sweet one.