In early October a mix of mine was broadcast in Kyiv on terrestrial and online radio via Gasoline Radio’s Rejoiced series. It was a great privilege to share music with Ukrainians at such a critical moment in their history and one I thought I’d write a little about. Some brief thoughts are above the paywall. It’s Real Nerd Hours below the paywall, where I provide a tracklist and play-by-play of the tunes and what makes each so special to me.
I’m not DJ’ing any venue besides my third floor studio at the moment, so releasing promo mixes currently occupies a space somewhere three feet below the bottom of my to-do list. However, it isn’t every day that one gets the chance to play music over terrestrial radio – a medium which can reach the most unlikely listener with a tweak of the tuner – inside a country fighting a war for its very existence. So when Potrox, who curates Rejoiced on Kiev’s Gasoline Radio, asked me for a mix I happily obliged. Things naturally clicked as I had recorded several off-the-cuff home sessions in the preceding weeks and was able to quickly and painlessly provide the goods.
It’s incredibly exciting to know this recording could have reached any number of Ukrainians in and around Kiev at such a pivotal moment in their lives and their country’s history. The chosen recording somehow fits the moment better than anything I could have consciously planned. It’s a selection of capital-d Dub-rooted house records from the early 90’s. Many have a strong (if not-explicit) anti-colonial / anti-Apartheid bend. Others are pure utopian creations, putting forth a sonic version of the better world just around the corner. I’d like for this mix to instill the same spirit of resistance and hope in the listener that the producers of these records channeled with their music.
Here’s the mix. A full tracklist and lotsa words about the music sit beneath the paywall. If this is up your alley, please consider becoming a paid subscriber to treat your peepers to this juicy, extra content.