listen to summery on: Apple Music | Spotify | Qobuz | YouTube | YT Music

Before I get into it, wanted to shout out a couple happeningz:

• Karachi Community Radio: 9 Years, 8/28 @ Elsewhere (NYC) - I’ll be in NYC for the third month in a row (and 5th time this year?) celebrating 9 years of KCR (and my 35th bday)! This will be our biggest show to date, taking over all 3 rooms at Elsewhere with an incredible lineup of 15 DJs from around the world. I’m on midnight-1am in The Loft.

  

• DEEP FRIED is BACK, 9/4 @ The Airliner (LA) - After a year hiatus, my party series is returning to LA with the trailblazing Oakland DJ and producer Bored Lord headlining and support from LA’s Linda Lo, who will also be guesting on my next dublab show. I’m super hyped on the new branding (s/o Claire for her incredible work on it). I’ll be opening up with my bud Hristo from 8-10. A late bday celebration for my LA peeps!

summery

what I’ve been listening to this summer across genres. ideal for shuffling!

Apple Music | Spotify | Qobuz | YouTube | YT Music

For my most recent radio show, I gave myself a simple prompt: What have I been listening to this summer? This triggered a much needed reflection on my last few months and a reminder of the deep ties between music & memory. It’s been an eventful summer but it’s also felt like when one thing ends, another starts. None of it has soaked in. Putting together this playlist allowed me the space to revisit the not-so-distant past. I hope it can soundtrack some of your memories.

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[Best New Artist] Portraits of Tracy - “Caught In A Jam”

It’s not so rare to discover an artist via a viral hit. Usually when you dig in, you’ll either find an under-developed sound or a catalog of music that’s not quite as compelling. Every so often, though, that dig rewards you with a self-actualized genius. Portraits of Tracy lands in that rarified air.

Her latest EP, Q: From Where Do Our Primal Instincts Originate? A: MTV!, is a dream of a project for eclectic music fans moving seamlessly between rock/punk, hip-hop and pop. Make sure to also peep her beautiful collaboration with The Avalanches, which dropped shortly after I finished making this playlist.

Fun fact: her name presumably originates from Jacob Pastorious’s song “Portraits of Tracy,” which was notably sampled in SWV’s “Rain.”

[Love Saves the Day] Miroslav Vitous - “New York City” & Ozo - “Anambra” (feat. George Lee)

I finally finished Tim Lawrence’s Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture a couple weeks ago. It’s been an inspiration on my DJ journey. Lawrence spared no detail not only providing the cultural context that birthed dance music but also insight on the art of DJing through its emergence and rapid evolution. Before there was “disco” or “dance music” or beat-matching, DJs selected records across genres that optimized for continuous dancing.

The book also included tracklists from various DJs of the era. You’ll notice a few disco classics in the playlist but, unsurprisingly, David Mancuso, pioneer of The Loft, had some of the most esoteric selections. The almost 10-minute “New York City” beautifully captures the city I’ve spent so much time in this year and Ozo’s “Anambra” is trip-hop before there was trip-hop.

[Album of the Summer] Genesis Owusu - “Life Keeps Going” & “RUNNIN OUTTA TIME”

Speaking of genre blur, Ghanian-Australian rapper Genesis Owusu has been one of the best artists out since his 2021 debut album. On his latest, and IMO best, album, his social commentary cuts deep without sacrificing an ounce of fun. It’s a record that hits on first listen for its catchy hooks and clever songwriting but gets better as its message comes into focus.

[Most Played in the Car] Hagan - “Textures” & “Mfantsefo Dance”

British producer Hagan, also of Ghanian descent, creates music that warms. His sound flawlessly blends Afrobeats, Highlife, Amapiano and Gqom with UK strains of dance music. It’s the type of music that can land with any audience regardless of their knowledge of its influences. When Ally was visiting, this was our primary car listening. We both ended up playing one of his tracks in our (very rare) episode. Big shout out to Miles for putting me on to Hagan.

[Career Highlight/Album of the Year] Kelela - “point blank” & “crystalize”

I rarely bring up my job in this newsletter and, to be honest, take for granted how cool it can be. There’s a part of me that is conflicted about working in big tech but I try to think of my job as a way to funnel resources to artists I love.

Early this year, my friends at Warp reached out about Kelela’s forthcoming album and some of her video ambitions. I got to hear the incredible new avatar months before its release. It truly is a wonder of an album, bridging Kelela’s multiple eras into something entirely new. She is the voice of a generation.

We were able to provide Kelela a grant through Foundry, the artist program I run. Then, through a series of coincidences and coups, an opportunity came to throw her album release party.

She’s a singular artist, one who has a clear vision for anything she does. It made me nervous! I couldn’t let Kelela down! We worked through countless details and pulled something together that did justice to the once-in-a-lifetime artist she is.

I tend not to talk my shit but to be able to deliver something meaningful for an artist of her caliber is exactly what drives me.

Tracklist

After a couple months out of the studio, it was great to be back broadcasting live on Dublab this month. For the first hour of this episode, I decided to round up music I’ve been listening to during a very eventful summer whether that be in transit, with friends or at shows. Per usual, I was overflowing with music so I’ll be putting together a “Summery” (get it?) playlist in the next week or so to share with you.

Perhaps the greatest joy of (very rare) is connecting on a deeper level with creatives and curators I admire. Kevin Wyatt, aka büsbus, has been a colleague of mine for more than 5 years. He’s not only a legend in the work setting, but he’s also a life-long record collector and DJ, who plays regularly around the country. We’ve talked about DJing in passing, and occasionally shared music, but the show gave me a chance to see him in action and hear stories from decades of gigs. I also learned that his dad was a wedding DJ - a pretty dope origin story imo.

Kevin’s mix spans reggae, alternative, funk, disco and a touch of house. It was the perfect companion to one of the hottest days of summer and a treasure trove of music discovery. You can follow his weekly newsletter by emailing vinyl@superbus-llc.com. Enjoy!

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büsbus’s picks (and words)

I want to thank Ash for inviting me to guest on “(very rare)”, and for getting dublab back into my regular listening rotation. Ash, you’ve got a great thing going, and I am grateful to have had an opportunity to contribute.

My dublab hour featured records that I have played out at least once this year. To highlight two of the more recent additions:

Fania All-Stars - “Que Pasa”

This is a great example of “you never know where you might unearth a gem”. I was helping a close friend with the estate sale for her grandfather. He packed a lot of living into his 102 years, as evidenced by the extraordinary collection of items on offer: furniture, lighting fixtures, books…but, surprisingly, only a handful of records. I thumbed through the meager pile: a klezmer band, a Streisand, a Mario Lanza, another Streisand…wait, what’s this? Never seen this Fania All-Stars record (1978’s Spanish Fever)...

I’m not a huge All-Stars fan - too many string-saturated disco cuts - but it was at least worth a shot. I brought it home, dropped needle on a few tracks, and was introduced to this brassy gem. At 78 BPM, it’s a plodder - so I have been pitching it up to 82 BPM when I play it out. It’s one of those records that prompts listeners to approach the booth, photograph the cover and inquire. My favorite kind.

Brian Jackson - “Moonshine (MAW Live Mix)” feat. Carol Cornwell

Brian Jackson’s historic nine-album run as Gil Scott-Heron collaborator gets a timely refresh on More Now Than Ever, released in May via BBE. Jackson conceived this ambitious project, recruiting a formidable cast that includes Masters At Work, Black Thought and Moodymann to deliver a 19-song collection that rearranges, reinvents, reframes and extends the legacy of a songbook whose scathing social commentary feels especially relevant in this American moment.

There are several standout tracks but for me, “Moonshine” is the one. The original was a 1995 house track from Masters At Work’s Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez & Louie Vega under the alias “Kenlou”. It heavily sampled the live version of Gil’s iconic “Home Is Where the Hatred Is” from 1976’s It’s Your World. This 2026 reimagining is the “MAW Live Mix” and I wish I knew more about its production; I think it’s a newly recorded live cover of the tune that MAW then subsequently remixed? However it came to be, it’s a flat-out banger. Superb production. This was the final song in my dublab set and I had to fade out early; seeking this out and giving it a full listen is highly recommended.

(For completists, “EP One” (Oct-2025) and “EP Two” (Mar-2026) features some of the tracks on “Ever”, plus a few exclusive mixes.)

Thanks for listening, and reading. If you enjoyed these tidbits, I pen a succinct weekly column called “Musings You Can Usings”. Each edition contains four recommendations - new releases, crate digs, YouTube ephemera and the like - and aims to be a 1-minute read. If you are so inclined, email vinyl@superbus-llc.com and I’ll add you to the list. Email for now, Substack soon…

ash.’s picks (and words)

Salami Rose Joe Louis - “Motorway, with trio” (ft. Flanafi & Luke Titus)

I was first introduced to Salami Rose Joe Louis via my friend Sven (aka Still Woozy) on my BFF.fm radio show in 2016 via the beautiful “cyanatope of blue.” On the same episode, Still Woozy premiered his first ever single, “Vacation” - the rest is history I suppose!

Salami has gone on to quite the career herself releasing her last two albums on Flying Lotus’s Brainfeeder imprint. Her music falls between jazz, abstract hip-hop production, experimental electronic and pop. Her songs often feel like sketches but open up to whole worlds in the broader context of her albums, which play out like sparkling graphic novels.

I hadn’t engaged with her music in a while but I caught a performance at Rare Candy’s monthly in June and was pretty blown away. This song in particular, which was performed with bassist Flanafi, hit beautifully right as the sun was setting.

The set from drummer (and Rare Candy co-founder) Bobbyy, who has an album on the way, was also incredible. Particularly this song…

Ed O’Brien - “Obrigado”

Radiohead guitarist Ed O’Brien’s debut under his full name arrived without a ton of fanfare but is one of my albums of the year so far. Blue Morpho has been a great comfort on planes, trains and automobiles the last few months. It resonates on a spiritual level thanks to deeply meditative moments that are balanced with occasional Radiohead grooves and euphoric highs.

The album’s final track “Obrigado” is one of those highs and, presumably, a nod to his time living in Brazil. On the show. I actually skipped the whole second half of the song, which evolves into a beautiful interpolation of Funkadelic’s “Maggot Brain,” one of the greatest songs of all time. Eddie Hazel’s gut-wrenching guitar solo is untouchable source material but Ed has earned the right to pay homage nonetheless.

Ego Ella May - “Footwork”

In a recent interview around her excellent new album (serious AOTY frontrunner!), Kelela calls R&B “probably the most expansive genre in the world.” She notes that, even though there are traditional conventions of R&B production, the genre is more about vocal styling than those rigid boundaries. It’s a very valid point, particularly in how R&B vocals find themselves across the spectrum of dance and,of course, pop music.

On the surface, Ego Ella May, who leans more jazz and soul, occupies a very different corner of R&B than Kelela. But “Footwork” is such a perfect example of Kelela’s characterization. Quite literally calling out Footwork and Detroit Techno music as its inspiration, the song never leaves the territory of soul/R&B but the rapid-fire percussion serves as a perfectly executed nod to dance music. I’d love to hear a proper footwork remix of this one.

If you follow my newsletter, you may notice my musical intrigue with certain cities — Detroit, Chicago and Oakland to name a few. Although I’ve never been, Montreal has long been on this list. Names like Jacques Greene and Tiga sparked the initial curiosity in the 2010s but, in the last 5+ years, it has been the output of artists like Helena Deland, Ouri, D. Tiffany, Patrick Holland and Priori that have re-ignited that interest.

In my ‘cool songs’ writeup of Jump Source’s track “Endlessly,” I promised a therabeats dedicated to Montreal artists and I’ve been slowly building this update since. Although more than half of the featured artists have ties to Montreal, I ultimately ended up expanding the playlist to include Canadian artists at-large.

In the process of putting this together, I found regional through lines, ranging in sonic temperature. In Montreal, there is the cold, minimal and dub feel pulling from the legacy of artists like Akufen. In Ontario, the music is warmer, hopeful and more organice. In Vancouver, there is an undeniable west-coast feel with artists like Gavin Froome delivering classic House fit for a cookout. This playlist has been ordered carefully and is best suited for either deep focus or zoning out…

Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

label recs

Rather than focus on album recs this time, I’ll highlight some of my favorite Canadian labels who’s music makes up a good chunk of the playlist.

• naff Recordings (Montreal) - hands down my favorite current indie label run by Francis Latreille (aka Priori) and Adam Feingold (aka Ex-Terrestrial). Their latest release from Italian producer Piezo features this epic dream of a track…

• Pacific Rhythm (Vancouver) - the perfect embodiment of the west coast energy I mentioned in the intro. Outside of highlighting local artists featured in the playlist like Emissive and HANK, they’ve worked with Space Ghost, one of my favorite Bay Area DJ / producers. This was a tad too clubby for the playlist but another cosmic beaut from HANK…

• Plush Management Inc (Berlin by-way-of Montreal) - this club-oriented label run by D. Tiffany and Regularfantasy features liquid-y progressive/tech-house. Some excellent cheeky tunes like this one…

• Doo (Montreal) - perhaps the label best carrying on the legacy of minimal house in Montreal. Their Bandcamp is an absolute treasure trove of understated, yet club-ready, grooves. Their music doesn’t seem to exist on streaming but here’s a taste…

bonus bits & discovery paths

Tinkertoy / Polmo Polpo / Sandro Perri

I discovered this 2002 Montreal classic (and title of the update) in Jump Source’s FADER Mix…

The A-Side of this record on Discogs is by an artist named Polmo Polpo and, although I couldn’t find the remix from the record, the original version is dub techno at its best, washing over the listener as its name suggests…

Polmo Polpo is the moniker of Toronto musician Sandro Perri who makes music under his own name in the realm of folk, post-rock and experimental/ambient. This gorgeous 24-minute folktronic meditation is somehow not long enough…

Akufen - My Way (Album)

Another 2002 release, Montreal artist Akufen’s My Way isn’t on streaming but is a masterclass of micro-sampling, a technique originally pioneered by Todd Edwards (perhaps most famously used on his collaboration with Daft Punk).

Akufen utilized thousands of samples from FM Radio (likely why it isn’t on streaming services) to create this album and the “microhouse” subgenre in the process. Here’s one of my favorite tracks (let it build!) but you can listen to the full album at the link above.

Ciel - Groovedeep & The Lot Radio Mix

X’ian-born, Toronto-based Ciel has been one of my favorite DJ/producers for about 5 years now and her output has been particularly excellent as of late.

Last year, she teamed up with James Bangura (of Black Rave Culture) and DC Techno producer JR2k to form Groovedeep. The trio debuted on Turbo Recordings, perhaps Montreal’s most well-established label, with the driving “Funk Solo.”

This year, they’ve followed up with a stacked remix EP. Hard to choose a favorite from the bunch, but I enjoyed Shed’s take juxtaposing fluttering percussion with atmospheric flourishes…

If you’ve made it this far, and you dug the playlist, Ciel’s latest The Lot Radio mix is a perfect continuation…

Tracklist

In the summer of 2018, I spent 5 weeks in Berlin participating in an electronic music hackathon that brought together ~20 young people from around the world. The program itself, although full of reality-tv-worthy drama, was fairly inconsequential but the trip’s impact on my creative journey has been immense. Club culture in Berlin blew my mind and sent me down a music discovery path that has yet to end. More importantly, though, I developed international friendships that have carried through to today.

Jahanzeb has become one of my most consistent creative collaborator through KCR, which had just started when we first met. Vix, who hosted last month’s (very rare), became a local friend in both SF and LA, where we’ve danced, DJd and thrown countless parties. I visited the multi-talented Sarah, aka DJ Me Time, in Toronto a couple years ago and had the absolute best time. Natalie, founder of IDA Radio and now a big time politician, brought me to Estonia for a music conference and an IDA guest spot (an hour of Bay Area slaps!) in 2019. And Ally Fresh, who was my roommate in Berlin, has visited from Kenya almost yearly both in SF and LA. Every time he’s in town we’ve found ways to DJ, whether that be radio episodes, a legendary Bay-to-Breakers set or one-off beach recordings.

Since we first met, Ally has become one of the most sought after DJs in Kenya. His 2025 debut album Swakacha, which combines traditional East African Chakacha music with elements of contemporary Afro-House, has been making global waves. I’m always left inspired by his visits, with new genres and artists to dig in to. This might be our best collaboration yet.

Ally’s mix is a celebration of music from across Africa, an education on sub-genres from Kenya to Ghana to Cape Verde to South Africa and a preview of his forthcoming deluxe album. In the second half, I drop in with some Gqom before closing out with some deep, classic and euphoric house.

A perfect summer episode, in my humble opinion, and even more fitting for a World Cup with the most African teams ever. Go Egypt!

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Ally’s Picks (and words)

Ally Fresh, Braines & DJ IV - “Kadenge” [Spotify | Apple Music]

The reason I love this track is that it’s my latest single from my upcoming Swakacha Deluxe project and, in many ways, it captures the spirit of the Swakacha sound. Working with DJ IV made it even more special because we grew up in the same estate and some of the melodies and chants on the record are the very ones we used to sing as kids. Maybe that’s why the song carries such a strong sense of nostalgia for me. Braines’ contribution brings in that unmistakable coastal flavour, tying everything together and reminding me of those good old days growing up in Mombasa.

DopeNation - “Kakalika” [Spotify | Apple Music]

I first discovered this track through my cousin and her roommate, and it’s been stuck in my head ever since. Ghana has consistently pushed African music forward, and “Kakalika” is another great example of that innovation. The Ghanapiano production feels fresh, playful, and effortlessly creative. The visuals are just as entertaining as the song itself, with the dancers adding another layer of energy and helping explain why the track became such a viral hit. DopeNation glide over the beat with their cheeky, call-and-response lyricism, making it impossible not to move.

General C’mamane - “Money Tree (GQOM)” [Spotify | Apple Music]

This GQOM flip of Kendrick Lamar’s Money Trees is a reminder of why South African producers continue to shape global dance music. General C’Mamane absolutely cooked on this one, transforming a hip-hop classic into a timeless club anthem. It’s one of those tracks that instantly takes me back to my time in LA this past fall. The fusion of hip-hop and electronic dance music feels seamless, making it a song I keep coming back to.

ash.’s picks (and words)

Mxshi Mo - “Orphans” [Spotify | Apple Music]

The South African Gqom genre, which Ally first introduced me to back in Berlin, remains the most useful for my sets. Its typical BPM sits in the realm of classic Techno/House and the stripped-back, yet hard-hitting, sound makes for some pretty cool blends. I remember when Ally was wrapping his head around Berlin Techno, he referenced this as its closest cousin within African music. I stumbled across South African producer Mxshi Mo as a Bandcamp recommendation under a release from legendary UK DJ/producer Scratchclart. The whole project is pretty cool and reaches well beyond Gqom.

Presence – “Work On Me”

Presence is the deep house alias of British producer Charles Webster. His 1999 album, All Systems Gone, which came out on the eve of Y2K, was in heavy rotation as Ally and I were driving around LA. I initially planned on incorporating the beautiful “Better Day” in my set but “Work On Me,” from the recently reissued 2002 Spectrum EP, ultimately prevailed with its timeless sound.

Acid Arab – “Habaytak (feat. Ghizlane Melih) (DJ Gregory Africanism Remix)” [Spotify | Apple Music]

I discovered this track a few years ago during a Nicole Moudaber set at Club Space in Miami and, as of late, it has been a centerpiece in my sets. Although the Africanism project, a collaboration between 4 mega-successful white European DJs dating back to 2001, may be suspect from an appropriation standpoint, it has produced some pretty undeniably sick music. French legend DJ Gregory, my personal favorite from the collective, delivers an incredibly infections and accessible Arabic-language club anthem with this Acid Arab remix.

the song: aja monet - “every media minute” [Spotify | Apple Music]

The deeper my appreciation for music becomes, the less I listen for lyrics. Don’t get me wrong, I love words and reading but I’m seeking a feeling. Lyrics are, of course, a vital part of the whole but they don’t need to sink in consciously on first listen. It’s usually when a song demands repeat listens that I’m able to untangle the impact of its words.

I’ve been moving a mile-a-minute for the last few weeks. I came back from a relaxing vacation to a week of 10-hour work days before spending the last 10 days in NYC where I DJd, danced and/or worked pretty much non-stop. Regardless of happenings in my personal life, the steady stream of bad news, fascist leaders, genocidal death cults, natural disasters and our own non-consenting complicity in it all remains constant. In the social media age it’s akin to a white-noise machine — simultaneously omnipresent and ephemeral.

On Monday, I found myself heading to Times Square to see the fruits of my recent labor (in the form of a billboard) just hours before Game 3 of the NBA Finals at MSG. A game that would be attended by New York’s least favorite “New Yorker,” creating additional unease (and security).

For my subway journey, I decided to try out the color of rain, the latest album from acclaimed poet, writer and musician aja monet. I got stuck on the penultimate song, “every media minute.” The noir-esque instrumental drew me in but these lyrics in the final minute resonated immediately…

i want a god no american can worship
i want a god who doesn’t want to be worshiped

who isn’t insecure or condescending

i want a god who doesn’t put borders around heaven

i want a god who smuggles souls pass patrol officers
sins seated in the trunk
of his four-door chest thundering down walls

i want a god don’t you?

we need something
something greater than ourselves there’s a whole lot of religion
and not enough god

There was that feeling — not just the lyrics, aja’s delivery or the musical atmosphere but all of them working in unison. Perhaps it hit harder given my own complex relationship with religion growing up Muslim in post-9/11 America. Or due to the ongoing genocide in Gaza on the basis of religious manifest destiny.

While aja calls out religion specifically, the passage isn’t really about that. Religion can be a source of good, a place for solace and a driver of community. It’s about rigid ideology. Ideologies that lead people to discard humanity, to “scroll over bodies,” to believe their feed over their own eyes. To do the exact opposite of what their own religions teach.

america’s hysterical hands drip blood a pointing finger uninward

the people scroll over bodies wet dreams of war

we want to believe we aren’t dying too.

As I walked through Times Square, a monument to the American Empire, I replayed the song over and over. Times Square is a surreal cacophony of it all — the people watching, the overstimulating bright lights, the unabashed consumerism, the Spiderman hanging from a traffic light. Out of the aforementioned white noise, came a sense of clarity and empathy. aja’s words cut through.

they have trained us to become what we loathe

to desire what disguises us

to be the executed and the executioner.

In “every media minute” there is a level of condemnation and an acknowledgement of our collective fatigue but there’s also aspiration — a call back to the humanity that has been suppressed by systems of our own making. People can be good. God can be good.

Although sharing music is undoubtedly my purpose, my journey with DJing has been emotionally fraught and confusing. The performance aspect has never felt comfortable. I’m not a DJ who dances much, not particularly fashionable, and I don’t post viral clips.

The Boiler Room, Fred again-ification of it all doesn’t help. My feed is full of DJs surrounded on all sides by on-lookers flailing desperately for a chance to land a spot in tomorrow’s viral clip. To be clear, I respect the technical abilities of many of these DJs and even envy their seemingly effortless photogenic awareness. But it begs the question - what’s the point? Is it for the people in the room or the clips?

When I returned to DJing in 2022 after a year off, I had a plan. To control for my performance anxiety, I’d map my sets out precisely through hours of practice and planning. I created an event concept in Deep Fried that honored my long held belief that DJs are meant to be heard and not seen. If I’m doing my job, people are dancing with each other, not watching me or on their phones. I vowed to keep it off social media. It worked great at first; my sets felt easier and people were dancing.

But as I continued DJing and throwing events, I found new traps. My overly-planned sets created a new kind of performance anxiety. If something went the tiniest bit off-script I’d start spiraling and, even if I got good feedback, would feel disappointed both during and after the set. I was fully out of the moment.

Once the first couple of parties were a success, ambition kicked in. It needed to grow, which inevitably brought me back to social media. I started stressing more about turnout and capturing content to help promote the next one. Despite my intent of staying low-key and pure, deep down I was stacking myself up against the many amazing promoters in LA. All of a sudden, I felt like a failure. It didn’t help that I had a party shut down (although I swear I’m over it!).

The opportunity of curating and DJing Karachi Community Radio events has been an absolute dream. But, with each of my sets being filmed, it amplified my insecurities and the flaws of my new approach. Playing closing sets with a thinned-out crowd, I was compelled to optimize for the recording rather than the audience. I’m still really proud of those sets and they’ve played a major role in my growth as a DJ.

The first half of this year I’ve finally been reconnecting with my purpose as a DJ. And it all started with this KCR set from the first week of January. The DJs before me absolutely crushed (Petal Supply’s set was INSANE) and were flying at 160+ BPM. On the plus side, the room was more full than it typically is at 3AM. But I had to throw my plan out the window.

I didn’t have a choice but to return to the moment. By the time I stepped off at 4AM, I was met with incredible feedback from those who stuck around until the end.

That journey of re-discovery crystallized further with the Berkeley and LA release parties. I went into both events with a looser plan, not being quite sure of the vibe. I returned to my House roots and felt fully in sync with the dancers. When a song was working, I’d let it play longer. If people responded to a certain sound, I doubled down. When it felt time to switch up the vibe, I was confident that people would follow. And they did.

People hooted and hollered, formed dance circles and literally yelled, “this is amazing!” During the LA show, Lish’s drummer (and our good friend) Arjun hopped on stage and played with me, fully improvised, for 20 minutes. Shout out Lish for cultivating such an open-minded, diverse community.

In a time when the DJ is the show, I’ve been reminded that DJing, at least the version I’m most interested in, is a communal experience — a real-time collaboration between the DJ and the dancers. And that actually removes a lot of the pressure. It’s a group project.

“The DJ played in relation to the crowd, leading and following in roughly equal measure. In order to lead, the DJ would buy records, rehearse certain mixes and make live selections, the combination of which suggested a dominant position in relationship to the crowd. But the role of following, in which the DJ would improvise in order to take account of the energy and desires of the dance floor, was equally important given that no amount of preparation could fully anticipate the mood of the dance floor. With improvisation came discovery (rather than familiarity), freedom (as opposed to control), and chaos (instead of order). As a result the relationship between the DJ and the crowd resembled a dynamic conversation between separate agents that, when combined had a greater total effect than the sum of their individual parts.”- Tim Lawrence (Love Saves The Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture 1970-1979)

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Retromigration - “Half Fried”

Dutch producer Retromigration has elevated to purchase-on-site status on Bandcamp. His sound is clearly rooted in classic House but is always propulsive enough to hold its own next to sonically heavier tracks. A perfect starting point for a 3AM set.

Umberto Carmignani - “Ride Attack V2”

This remastered EP, originally released in 2004, feels fresher than ever today. With its pulsing bass line, delayed synth plucks and expert arrangement, “Ride Attack V2” is Techno perfection. I could listen to it forever.

Paloma Colombe - “Crash Test”

Paloma Colombe is a DJ and curator originally from SF but now based in Paris. Her debut compilation, clearly influenced by her North African heritage, is an impressively cohesive celebration of percussive club music. Although the comp features some of my favorite Egyptian producers like 3Phaz and Hassan Abou Alam, her contribution stands out. It’s a perfect DJ tool especially when mixed in with the other similarly syncopated rhythms from Latin to Afro to Arabic.

Manuka Honey & ABADIR - “Faramanch”

Berlin-based, Cairo-born producer, DJ, writer and curator ABADIR is a central figure in the scene mentioned above with a somewhat academic approach to club music. Although his productions are incredibly cool and detailed, sometimes they feel a bit too heavy, or heady, to fit into my sets. I wasn’t planning on playing his Manuka Honey-collaboration, ”Faramanch” but I’m glad I did!

tracklist

Tracklist

I’ve been on the go most of this month so I tapped my good bud Vix to take over (very rare) for May. Vicky and I first met in Berlin 2018 but quickly realized we had mutual friends in common back in California. We’ve stayed in touch as friends and DJ / dancefloor buds since and I’ve always appreciated her eclectic but cohesive taste that centers “vaporous” vibe, which has certainly rubbed off on me. From groovy dream-pop to synthwave to prog to cheeky electro to techno, this episode is a great distillation of Vix! Vicky provided some insight into the episode and a few of her favorite tracks. Take it away Vix…

This is Vicky aka Vix Vapor Rub - guesting this week on Ash’s new show (very rare) on DubLab!

Ash and I were kinda destined to be friends and collaborators - had tons of mutual friends from the Bay area and LA but oddly met outside CA and the country in Berlin in 2018 on an electronic music hackathon sponsored by Telekom Electronic Beats. What a time. We’ve since bonded over our appreciation for a well curated dancefloor - soundsystem, crowd, and of course, music.

This mix’s non-dance segment is mainly 90s downtempo, lo-fi and vaporwave inspired.You’ll find 2 versions of the 80’s hit “Touch Me,” one of which a young Ryan Gosling can be found dancing to in 1992 in corners of the internet, and the other that I happened upon whilst digging for the set, which coincidentally ended up being a gorgeous electro synthwave cover of that OG track by Waterworld (aka Seb Wildblood) from 2024.

We’ll then get into my signature medium-high octane Vapor-coded dance tracks—blends of hip house, prog, acid, electro and techno. Hope you enjoy and huge thanks to Ash for having me on :)

selectz

One Dove - “White Love”

90s downtempo bliss!

Cathy Dennis - “Touch Me (All Night Long)”

An 80s synthpop banger and Ryan Gosling’s claim to dance fame!

Waterworld, Seb Wildblood - “Touch Me”

Said gorgeous electro synthwave cover of the above track.

Stacie Fields - Mi Scusi

Electro hip house dancefloor JAM.

Strath - Chora

Acid proggy house track - a little moody.

the song: Jump Source - “Endlessly” ft. BEA1991 [Spotify | Apple Music]

Following a series of singles dating back to 2019, Montreal production duo Jump Source released their debut album at the end of April. While their prior output consisted of beautifully detailed dance music spanning tech, minimal, dub and prog house, Fold [Spotify | Apple Music] casts a wider and more ambitious net presumably informed by their recent production for other artists.

“Endlessly” is perhaps the most impressive realization of the album’s strengths, fusing the distinctive club-ready sound of their previous work with expertly crafted pop sensibilities. At times it hits like a sing-a-long before dropping directly into deep dance floor bliss, full of signature Jump Source flourishes.

Dutch-British artist BEA1991’s contribution to the success of this track can’t be understated. She delivers absolutely stunning melodies, particularly when she jumps an octave. Her solo work is well worth a listen…

how I found it: Patrick Holland, Priori & naff Recordings

Jump Source consists of Patrick Holland and Priori, both of whom I've been following for close to a decade. But in the last two years or so, the two DJ/producers, who share a studio in Montreal, have been producing on some of my favorite trip-hop / dream pop albums from James k, Maara and Car Culture. The latter two projects (and the Jump Source album) were released by Priori's naff recordings, my favorite current label.

The Jump Source album serves as a celebration of Montreal’s current flourishing scene as well as its rich electronic music history. My next therabeats playlist will be dedicated to Canadian electronic music so stay tuned for more. In the meantime, Jump Source’s Fader Mix, which features some all-time Montreal electronic classics, is a perfect companion to their album.

It’s been a whirlwind week involving 6 flights and 3 states. Last weekend, we had a lovely release party in Berkeley for debut album - an excellent performance and some of the most fun I’ve had DJing in a while. I’ll share a bit more about that experience soon.

Before I get into today’s update, we’re bringing the Lish Grooves release party to LA on May 9th - RSVP here. Miles and I will both be DJing after the live show so consider this post a preview…

Tracklist

Finding and maintaining my creative community has always been an uphill battle. I’ve been a part of countless collectives that have fizzled out. People grow older, move, take on new life responsibilities, have differing levels of commitment or just don’t see eye to eye. These days, I often find myself surrounded by people on more “traditional” paths and feel almost childish in my creative pursuits. “You’re still doin the music thing?” energy. As a result, I cherish my creative friendships. It’s important to not feel alone.

For the past 5 years, Miles Otway has been my steadiest DJ bud and also one of my closest friends. Miles is a true renaissance man — a stand up comic, emcee/host, and actor. But most importantly, for today, Miles is an excellent DJ. Miles brings both his UK and Caribbean roots to his selections. In this mix alone you’ll find soulful Afro and UK Funky House, UKG, Dubstep, Soca and Buoyon.

Most months Miles and I book a DJ studio and spend 2 hours messing around either preparing for upcoming gigs or testing out new music. We usually start with House and end up climbing BPMs all the way up to Jungle tempos. I’ve found Miles’s charisma & charm to be a perfect counterpoint to my general skepticism, which somehow translates seamlessly to our back-to-back DJ sessions. It was a blast to bring that energy to (very rare).

selectz

[Ash’s Pick] Jimpster - “Crispy Pancakes”

Legendary UK Deep House legend Jimpster really can’t miss and his latest Basic Rollers EP [Spotify | Apple Music] is no exception. “Crispy Pancakes” swells into something dreamy, psychedelic and almost overwhelming before dropping back into its expertly crafted groove. A masterclass of tension and release.

[Miles’ Pick] S.O.S Band – “No One’s Gonna Love You (Mr. Eclectic Proper Funk House Edit)"

I love funk! I love house! I love funk house edits! I often wonder what it was like living in the 80’s with all the fantastic music that came out of that decade. I just know I’d have a big ol’ Afro, open silk shirts, flairs and goldfish in my platform shoes. The SOS band are one of my favourite (yes there’s a “u” in favourite) artists from that era (their track Even When You Sleep may be one of the best 80’s tracks ever! Fight me!) While on my merry hunt for new music, I stumbled upon Mr Eclectic. He makes toe-tapping remixes of RnB from various decades. So how could I not love this track! Reloading this banger got me through a few rough LA traffic jams. - Miles

[Ash] Mattias El Mansouri – “Struktur”

I’ve actually been meaning to write about Mattias El Mansouri (one of many discoveries via ) for a couple months now. His dub-informed take on House hits hard enough, especially with its bass flourishes, to fit in a club context but contains the emotional resonance and dynamic arrangement to standalone for headphone listening. The title track from his Disintegration EP [Spotify | Apple Music] is a hauntingly beautiful masterpiece that was a perfect companion for late night walks in NYC…

[Miles] Bruce Jeffers – “Said & Done”

I discovered this song through an incredible South African Soulful House selector called Lochive, who you should be checking out on YouTube immediately after you finish reading this sentence…then come back, because I’m not finished. This song makes me feel like I’m ascending to a higher plane. This song makes me feel like I’m being summoned by my ancestors. This song makes me feel like, at over 9 minutes in length, It’s not long enough! - Miles

[Ash] Human Movement, Run. Prowler - “Baladna (Our Country)”

Lebanese-Australian DJ/producer Human Movement has been making hard hitting House, UKG & Bass music going back to my early blog days. Over the last few years, he’s been leaning into his Arab heritage culminating in his debut album, 50/50. “Baladna (Our Country)” captures that duality functioning as a striking, anti-imperialist protest song, with vocals from Run. Prowler, and a straight UK Garage banger.

[Miles] Frank Ocean – “Sweet (Masaki Morii Nu One Remix)”

One Sunday, I found myself listening to Rinse FM while gardening (I’m not 70 I swear). During a particularly intense battle with a bougainvillea, this song hit my eardrums like an RKO out of nowhere! What unfolded over the next few minutes was essentially an SNL sketch of me frantically trying to take my gloves off with my chin while holding vines, just to whip my phone out to rewind the podcast to the exact spot. Now every time I hear it, I think about being out in the fresh air tending to my garden, creating something beautiful while listening to something incredible. A remix of Frank Ocean’s “Sweet Life,” this Japanese producer has really concocted something special. Plus I know it’s good when Ash asks me if he can add it to his own fire playlists! - Miles

[Ash] Bonus shoutout to my introduction to Buoyon, a high energy (and tempo) genre originating from the Caribbean that is gaining steam globally. Shortly after Miles closed out the show with a Buoyon remix, put me on to the French wave of Buoyon through this artist. Would love to experiment with mixing this in with other strains of high BPM dance music…

LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMS + upcoming album release shows in Berkeley & LA.

My freshman year of college was frankly rough. I had a diverse group of eccentric, creative friends in high school and suddenly I was surrounded by bland, pre-finance bros. Plus, I planned to play football and quickly stepped away from the team due to injury (and a distaste for my teammates) leaving a hole in my life. Despite having grown up as the only Egyptian (and one of few Muslim families) in town, it was the first time I truly felt I didn’t belong socially.

The one silver lining to that environment was the relief of finding my fellow outliers. For this reason, my college bonds (my wife included!) are some of the strongest I’ve formed. I’m grateful to my friends from that time, even the ones I don’t talk to as much these days.

I met Alex () during my sophomore (his freshman) year in comically debaucherous college fashion. We quickly bonded over a shared love of music, basketball, nature and [redacted]. Although I poked fun at him, I admired how Alex stubbornly did things his own way, seemingly immune to peer pressure.

It was no different when he started playing guitar. He noodled obsessively for hours on end developing a singular style. That eventually grew into making “ambient grooves” combining his playing with field recordings from nature. He built a following in that space so ambient music became the focus of his output.

In 2023, Alex sent me a demo called “Rabbit Holes.” A song about friends gone astray it featured a funky bassline and a restrained vocal delivery, which I later learned was him whispering to avoid complaints from housemates. I was intrigued when he told me he had 20+ more vocal songs he’d made over the last few years.

At some point during my wedding, in which he played guitar during the ceremony, I asked him if he’d be open to me “executive producing” his vocal album — something I have no technical qualifications to do. In the midst of wedding craziness, I forgot we had the conversation so when it came up a couple weeks later, I thought he read my mind.

In February of 2024, we rented a converted 1920s schoolhouse in Valley Ford and hunkered down during four days of rain to start work on the album. I saw my primary role as helping Alex distill his essence through the music. Having known him for over a decade, I at least felt qualified on that front.

We widdled down the demos into a cohesive tracklist before turning our sites on finishing the songs. We changed arrangements, added or removed elements and kept notes of where we’d want to bring in features. It was a seamless collaboration largely because, after years of friendly shit-talking, I was comfortable telling Alex exactly what I thought was needed (or not). Through this process, I realized I actually did have something to offer.

We finished off that weekend with a tentative tracklist and a long list of to-dos. Although I continued offering feedback, Alex deserves all the credit for the incredible amount of work to complete the project. From spending countless hours in a professional studio with a mixing engineer (shout out Cole!) to finding a session drummer to bring the percussion to life to pulling from his community of musicians to contribute, this is Alex’s labor of love.

And true to Alex, it doesn’t adhere to categorizations nor is it trying to be of the cultural zeitgeist, despite feeling very relevant in these times.

On the second night of our retreat, we decided to take a break from fine-tuning to write a new song together. We were both pretty worn out from the day (I’m a morning person!) but, with some encouragement from Alex, we made “Let it Go” based around an old poem of his. It was the only song the two of us made together from scratch and an appropriate sentiment to leave you with now that the album is out in the world.

Before I get into it, wanted to shout out a few upcoming happeningz/events:

• debut vocal album, exec produced by yours truly, is arriving on April 24th! To celebrate, we’re throwing release shows in Berkeley on April 25th and LA on May 9th. Alex has assembled a dope band to perform a medley of songs from the album and I’ll be DJing after for both shows.

• My next dublab show is THIS WEDNESDAY FROM 2-4PM PST. I’ll be welcoming my good friend Miles for some fun b2bing - expect house, techno and bass music.

Lately I’ve felt pulled in a million directions between work, radio, gigs, travel and general life. All the while the world around us continues to deliver blow after blow of heartbreak.

The increased screen time involved in these activities induces a cacophany of swirling thoughts. In this moment, I’m both writing to you and loading tracks to my USB for the next radio show. Trying to get off my phone and take things one day, one task, one thought at a time.

Anyways, I am overflowing with music to share. This newsletter only contains a sliver of what’s been stacking up so hope to have a few more of these in the coming months.

pause…

I initially opened the upcoming edition of the soft gaze playlist with a multi-song instrumental intro, which I ended up trimming. But this music is well worth your ears. These will pair nicely with perusing this blog, reading or zoning out under some trees.

Susumu Yokota - “Shinsen”

I first came across the late Japanese producer Susumu Yokota via this excellent Bandcamp article around the 25th anniversary remaster of his beautiful album Sakura [Spotify | Apple Music]. An incredibly prolific artist, he made equally gorgeous dance music under a variety of aliases.

Green-House - “Hinterland III”

LA-based duo Green-House’s latest album Hinterlands [Spotify | Apple Music], their first on Ghostly International, is pure cosmic bliss. It’s also a welcome evolution of their sound extending slightly beyond pure ambience into subtle grooves.

Anthony Naples - “Dustos”

I see Anthony Naples, I click. On In Studio Magic [Spotify | Apple Music] I was pleasantly surprised to hear him trade in his usual heady club music in favor of stunning downtempo full of engaging synth & guitar melodies.

the soft gaze (updated) + album recs

Listen on: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube

This playlist has been evolving over the course of 4 or 5 months but I ultimately decided to trim it down to 20 songs. Keeping it concise! Highly recommend listening in order and with the crossfade function on if available.

If you dig, listen to… deary - Birding (Spotify / Apple Music)

I got really into reading about birds and all these historical stories and poetry about them. You find these beautiful images of birds that represent hope, but they're also animals. Some of them, like vultures and crows, are a sign of death to some people. They represent all these different elements, which I think sum up a lot of the album. - Dottie Cockram, deary singer/guitarist

Apparently I’m a sucker for nature inspired shoegaze. For fans of Slowdive and Coteau Twins, UK trio deary deliver some expertly executed shoegaze and dream pop on their debut album. True to that quote it’s hopeful and heartwarming without shying away from the darkness.

If you dig, listen to… Obskuros - La Puerta (Spotify / Apple Music)

The universe of “gazey” music touches many genres and post-punk / darkwave is one that I’m not as well-versed in. LA band Obskuros’ latest album pairs programmed beats with driving guitars and ethereal Spanglish vocals. Here’s another favorite on the dreamier side…

extras

If you’ve somehow made it through all the music in this newsletter and want to keep the same energy, I’ll leave you with 2 more tracks and a mix…

Not For Radio - “Puddles (Zero 7 Remix)”

A very cool generational link up between Not For Radio (solo project of María Zardoya of The Marías) and the iconic UK trip-hop duo Zero 7.

TAKAAT - “Ijit N’elwan 4”

TAKAAT is a band comprised of the rhythm section of psychedelic Tuareg rock group Mdou Moctar. TAKAAT, which translates to “noise,” strip back their sound, typically layered with Mdou’s virtuosic guitar, into something darker, louder and more hypnotic.

ESPRIT 空想/George Clanton for Elevator Music

Vaporwave pioneer George Clanton delivers one of the coolest non-dance music sets I’ve seen in a long time. An absolute dream of a mix and cool to see someone DJing with SP404 — something Lish and I messed around a bit with earlier this year.

Tracklist

Back when I had my first radio endeavor on BFF.fm in SF, Yaeji and Channel Tres were two of my most revelatory discoveries. Both singular voices at the intersection of dance music, left-field pop and hip-hop. Both shot out of a canon with breakout singles “raingurl” and “Controller” that, at least in my circle of friends, defined their respective years. And both released on Godmode, a boutique indie label / management company.

Since then, I’ve crossed paths with the label and both artists professionally (here’s a fun video series I worked on with Channel a couple years ago). This served as my introduction to the producer, songwriter and label-boss Nick Sylvester, founder of Godmode.

Although Godmode was sunset a couple years ago, Nick continues producing for artists like Channel Tres, Empress Of, MØ, Avalon Emerson and PawPawRod. Earlier this year he started a new venture called smartdumb, an experimental-leaning label focused on “music that starts with a question mark and ends with an exclamation point.”

With (very rare) I want to encompass the entirety of my music taste. Nick felt like the perfect guest as I build out that collage. It’s also my inaugural interview on the show, and I’m proud of how it turned out. On top of the usual track selects, I’m highlighting a few of my favorite quotes from our chat.

pull quotes

Nick has some amazing history and insight to share, from learning to produce from James Murphy (yes, of LCD Soundsystem) to his artist development philosophy to existential questions about what music can be.

“[James Murphy] taught me to use the past and look for hidden histories and trajectories in old music and kind of retake them in new directions.”

This makes sense given that Murphy has a track-record of paying homage to (or ripping off?) songs from the past. This sound familiar?

(The LCD version in case you’ve been living under a rock)

I’d actually argue these “homages” are what make Murphy such an accomplished producer. We’ve seen this with the great hip-hop producers’ ability to re-contextualize samples. So much of a producers job is having the taste and discernment to borrow the right things and put them in the right places. Context!

“I tend to value the mistakes and the things that people think are wrong way more, because to me that’s where the juice is. Leading with the thing you’re most weak on is something that’s the most interesting to me.”

This is a sentiment worth keeping in your mind in any creative practice, especially for those of us (Virgos) with a penchant for perfectionism. Often times our perceived weaknesses are what set us apart. Nick cited Channel as an example of an artist who leaned into his singing voice, something he’d shied away previously. Thankful he did for slaps like this…

“I was looking to make music that helps tell an artist’s story. The song needed to reflect what it felt like to be with this person, their most intriguing qualities. And it needed to make you care about that person. You couldn’t just like the song, you had to be intrigued about who was singing the song…’a perfect distillation of who an artist is.’”

I’m most inspired by music that represents a truly unique, individual expression. This distillation isn’t explicit or tangible but, rather, something you feel. It’s not necessarily an artist going into details about their personal life or latest breakup (sorry Swifties!). It’s an essence that can come through even in instrumental or abstract music. This gets to the core of what I’ve gravitated to in Nick’s work as a producer.

smartdumb is really a mantra reminding me the kind of music that I’ve always liked and wanted to make, which is stuff that’s like “what the hell is this?” at first and that’s the question mark and then “oh, wow, that’s amazing.” Stuff that has a certain degree of intrigue, like “this isn’t music? “ and then it’s like “wow.”

Big tech’s obsessive, systematic removal of friction leaves little room for more challenging music. Nick’s smartdumb label, and gallery, feels like a direct response to that—taking the music out of the algorithmic feed context and into a physical space. Nick’s set plays with this, pairing his more slick, catchy productions with more challenging, mind-bending experiments like this one from his solo album…

selectz

Yeong Die - “Like Your Flaw”

Seoul-based produced Yeong Die delivered one of my favorite EPs of the year with Uncapturable [Spotify / Apple Music]. Beautiful and intricate downtempo electronic music, full of emotion and wonder. Here’s another favorite…

deer park - “Regime”

Interestingly, I first came across NYC artist deer park via the below collaboration with UK rapper jawnino. His solo album Terra Infirma (“unstable ground”) [Spotify / Apple Music] is true to its name maintaining a sort of unsettling quality. On the surface it’s a dreamy indie rock album but just below are gothic undertones and elements of emo & hip-hip influence.

ISOLA - “Too Soon”

ISOLA is one of my favorite more under-the-rader Nick Sylvester production projects. Definitely dig into her EP [Spotify / Apple Music] & LP [Spotify / Apple Music]. Here’s another fav…

Tanukichan x Space Ghost - Circles (Space Ghost Remix)

This remix [Spotify / Apple Music] is the Bay Area link-up we never knew we needed. And perhaps an example of the kinds of cross-genre collaboration more frequent in “smaller” music scenes. It was honestly hard to pick between this one and the B-side…

Nondi_ - “Broken Future 175”

Pennsylvania-based experimental producer Nondi_ followed up her excellent debut, with Nondi… [Spotify / Apple Music] a project that pushes her sound from ambient into the outer realms of dance music. Perfectly fit to soundtrack a 2000s cyber-punk film. The opening track is also a beaut…

Fun fact: Nondi_ is the sister of major label rapper Eem Triplin who has made a few of my playlists over the years…

Tracklist

Although I’m ultimately pleased with how it came together, the first episode of (very rare) was a slog to put together. The idea of introducing the entirety of my taste in 2 hours was daunting and I felt a bit directionless. Episode 2 came together much more naturally, to the point that my crate was overflowing.

It started with catching a set from Jersey-based DJ TAH, who’s mixtape 30 Lessons was one of my favorite projects of 2024. Although Jersey Club has inspired some massive mainstream hits, it still feels rare to hear a Jersey Club DJ set on the west coast. TAH’s set rattled in my head for a few days and I DM’d him to see if he’d be up to be (very rare)’s first guest. Shout out to TAH for delivering a killer hour of music, which you can listen to on its own below. Perfect for a workout!

For my opening hour, I started building a complimentary set of non-House/Techno dance beats. But two excellent compilations by Heads Know (NYC) and No Bias (Oakland),both highlighting US underground dance music in their own way, changed my course.

I’ll take any opportunity to celebrate the dance music’s roots as a Black, Queer American art form. In a time when the mainstream associates “EDM” with frat bros and Techno with the European scene, it’s important to remind people of the rich underground that remains in the US. Despite a fascist regime, and in defiance of it, the underground continues to flourish, as vital as ever.

I don’t often DJ Jersey Club music so it was fun to weave that in alongside some House, Techno and left-of-center beats from across the States. The only bummer was that I didn’t get to all of my music so, in addition to my usual selects, I’ve included a few bonus tracks.

selectz

Tammy Lakkis - “Hello??” [Detroit]

I was put on to Tammy Lakkis via an interview with fellow Detroit native Shigeto. She doesn’t have much original music out but her 2021 Notice EP is bouncy, whimsical and strange (much like the above video). Plus, why not start a set with a track called “Hello??"

Cahl Sel - “Blue” [SF]

Cahl Sel’s Blue EP was a find from last year that I never got around to featuring anywhere. Across 4 tracks, he delivers an immaculate atmosphere fit for deep focus or late night drives.

Archangel - “FUSION HA” [NYC]

Archangel’s Critical Hit, which also dropped in 2024, is a perfect complement to TAH’s 30 Lessons — a singular, cohesive dance music mixtape.

Kelela - “Frontline (Loqum’s VIP Edit)” [Chicago]

Kelela’s silky vocals have been unbiquitous on dance floors since her 2017 debut. So, it makes sense that my mix wound up with 3 of Kelela remixes. Loqum is a new(ish) discovery who also has a cool track on the Heads Know compilation…

Finishher - “HOUSE KILLA” [Oakland]

I’m a sucker for a “Fashion Killa” sample! Oakland producer Finishher flips the iconic cloud rap anthem (produced by Bay Area duo Friendzone) into an evolving slap.

bonus beatz

Kade Young - “Heatseeker” [Baltimore]

“Heatseeker” is a visceral Jersey Club / Techno hybrid built for DJs. I had a really nice blend planned for this one - will have to save it for a future mix!

AGROPOL - “Smile” [SF]

Love this this groovy, high-BPM Chaka Khan house flip from AGROPOL, who I discovered via the below track on the No Bias compilation…

f1 shifty - “With Personality” [Denver]

Denver producer f1 shifty actually appears on both No Bias and Heads Know compilations but I first discovered him via his Funk-Fi EP. His beats are full of idiosyncrasies that lay clear serious sound design skills and attention to detail.

the song: abentis - “2++” [Apple Music | Spotify]

One of my favorite parts of Dan Charnas’ Dilla Time was its exploration of how the rise and fall of the auto-industry shaped Detroit’s music scene. Motown emulated an assembly line approach to pumping out hits, J Dilla brought samplers and drum machines to life and the Underground Resistance transformed urban decay and the thump of heavy machinery into a vision of the future.

Despite having been to Japan twice (along with everyone else you know), I must admit I hadn’t been to, or heard of, Nagoya before coming across abentis. Nagoya is one of the largest cities in Japan and the hometown of Toyota. Apparently some have gone as far to call it the “Detroit of Japan.”

“2++,” also the name of abentis’ label, feels like a factory floor of the future — chugging along before dropping into dreamy, layered breaks. For me, it brings back the peak of the SoundCloud era where little beat experiments (like this, this or this) were ubiquitous. But that’s topic for a future post.

Nagoya and Detroit fall outside of the presumed, cultural epicenters of their respective countries. But this can be an advantage for a creative community — less competitive and more collaborative. There’s less urgency, bordering on desperation, to “make it” and more focus on just making cool stuff. It’s exactly what I’ve found when visiting cities like Detroit, Pittsburgh or even Oakland. Here’s what abentis says about his hometown:

In Nagoya, there’s a strong culture of supporting artists. Even if you pursue music in your own way, as long as it’s good, you’re encouraged to keep doing what you want. Within that environment, my generation has been able to freely bring in elements we like from all kinds of genres, combine them in our own way, and express ourselves individually. If you go to Tokyo or Osaka, that kind of freedom isn’t something you can take for granted.

how i found it: Wisdom Teeth [Label]

Wisdom Teeth is a UK label run by the acclaimed duo of K-LONE & Facta. Their latest compilation, nagoyaka na kaze / 和やかな風 (quiet wind) compilation, stemmed from a 2024 collaborative event between Wisdom Teeth and abentis. The project spans an impressively broad spectrum of sounds but the abentis track stuck out, which let me to more of his releases. This dubbed-out, Amapiano-inspired banger was another favorite…

I’m overdue for an update of my pet playlist, the soft gaze. To be fair, my curation time has been put towards various other activities. My genre interests have a natural way of rotating anyways.

During the last week of January, I realized I hadn’t discovered any new shoegaze in a while. And right on time, I came across this gorgeous KEXP performance from the Minneapolis band she’s green…

I queued up their first two projects for a beach bike ride and it couldn’t have been a better companion. I hopped off my bike at Redondo Beach only to realize I had a flat tire. Thankfully there was a shop not too far away. Rather than go straight there, I decided to hop off and walk on the water’s edge for a bit.

I hit play, re-starting their debut EP Wisteria [Spotify | Apple Music] and got stuck on the opener, “Lakes.” It’s everything I love about the genre — a full immersion that pairs beautifully with the vastness of the ocean. It’s particularly impressive as the first song on their debut project.

During the interview portion of the KEXP performance, the band sites nature as their main source of inspiration and half-jokingly coined their genre as “moss music.” So, it tracks that their music is best played outside.

Their sound has continued to evolve, refine and expand but remains grounded in shoegaze, dream-pop and nature. Here’s the latest video from their 2025 EP Chrysalis [Spotify | Apple Music]…

Sunday scaries hit different when you’ve been off for a month. Instead of mourn my return to corporate America and doomscroll, I’m trying with all my might to celebrate a successful sabbatical. To that end, today I’m presenting my Fault Radio set from a couple weeks ago — a time when the 49ers were still in the playoffs and I had a few weeks of freedom ahead of me.

I used some of my free time to organize my DJ library including my “Hazy House” crate. It felt like the perfect vibe for a 3PM set to a room of people drinking coffee and typing away on their laptops…

selectz

Space Ghost - “East of the Lake”

I wanted to highlight some Bay Area artists for this set and Space Ghost has been one of my favorite local producers dating back to my time living in SF. Just some really smooth, authentic house music.

Cody Currie - “Better (Deeper Mix)”

This had just dropped a few days before this set and was a perfect fit for the coffee shop vibe. I also first discovered British producer Cody Currie many years ago via SF promoter/collective Make it Funky. One of the founders of Make it Funky, who I also happened to go to elementary through high school with, now runs Fault Radio.

Phantom Power - “Travelogue (Return Mix)”

I’ve been wanting to play this track in a set for years at this point and glad it finally found a home. I also played this groover from Phantom Power’s latest releases on my dublab show last week…

Babatunde Olatunji - Jin-Go-Lo-Ba (Joaquin Joe Claussell Remix)

Mainly including this as a reminder to listen to Drums of Passion, the 1960 hit album from legendary Nigerian percussionist Babtunde Olatunji. Coincidentally, the day after my set I saw this record at an Oakland record store and bought it for my brother. What an amazing listen all the way through.

The remix/re-arrangement I played in the set is from NYC house legend Joaquin Joe Claussell. I got it on a CD from Discogs eight or nine years ago — it doesn’t seem to be in circulation any more. So it is, in fact, very rare! This remix also features on that same CD and was a staple in my DJ sets circa 2017…

Bored Lord - "Oakland City”

Since I was quite literally going straight from my set to my brother’s in Oakland, this felt like the perfect closer. Plus Bored Lord is easily one of the most exciting DJ/producers out of the Bay.

tracklist

Main Attrakionz - Do It For The Bay

Black Loops - Pleasure Ride (feat. Harvey Sutherland)

Space Ghost - East of the Lake

Frits Wentink - BODOX003

Silverlining - The Lumberjack’s Calling

Michael de Hey - Silodenup

Joshua Idehan - Stretch for the Stars (K-Lone Remix)

gum.mp3 - Freak Out

Cody Currie - Better (Deeper Mix)

Session Victim - Too Soft To Be Loud w/ Viken Arman (Ian Pooley Remix)

John Tejada - Timebomb (VIP Remix)

Cherushii - Starlight Express

Phantom Power - Travelogue (Return Mix)

Leod - Untitled 06

Babatunde Olatunji - Jin-Go-Lo-Ba (Joaquin Joe Claussell Remix)

Deetron presentes Soulmate - Bourg

Avi Loud - Cool Out

fleet.dreems - Semioptila

Shanti Celese & Hodge - Whispers (Deep Mix)

Shabjdeed & Al Nather - Red Saree3 (feat. Riyadiyat)

Bored Lord - Oakland City

Tracklist

My month-long sabbatical is coming to a close and, as expected, it flew by. Although I’ve long known this to be true, it was nice to validate that I really don’t need a job to fill up my time. I DJ’d in NY & SF, helped throw a couple events, listened to tons of music, spent 5 full days making music, read, did some record shopping and started my new monthly residence on dublab (the primary topic of today’s update).

After a string of guest spots on various stations, I’m hyped to share the inaugural episode of (very rare), my new monthly show on dublab, which airs live third Wednesdays of every month from 2-4PM PST.

(very rare) throws it back to my first, Lil B-referencing, Tumblr music blog from 2009, which was called (very legendary, very rare). The show is a culmination of all my music ventures to-date and it only felt right to come full circle.

The debut episode is a sampler of stuff I either discovered while putting together my end of year playlists or during the first few weeks of the year. The first hour kicks off with some new age and jazz building into vibey trip-hop, R&B & hip-hop. You’ll even hear a sneak peak of next single. The second hour gets into hazy house, groovy techno and heavy percussive dance music with a FCK ICE chant for good measure.

Tune in to the next episode live on February 18th from 2-4PM PST!

selectz

Pullman - “Kabul”

The SML show from the end of 2025, led me down a rabbit hole on the hunt similar bands. One of the first to pop up was Tortoise, a renowned genre-defying & defining “post-rock” band also from Chicago. I was drawn in immediately via this live performance which also laid clear their influence on SML’s set up.

Pullman is a super group featuring two members from Tortoise and their third album, III [Spotify / Apple Music], dropped right at the start of the year. It’s patient, full of space and grows on you with every listen. With its layered strings (pedal steel perhaps?), intermittent percussion and soft horns, the closing track “Kabul” is a perfect snapshot.

Car Culture - “Rest Here”

I’ve been thoroughly enjoying the recent trend of dance music producers putting out dream-pop and trip-hop side projects. Rest Here [Spotify / Apple Music], NY DJ/producer Physical Therapy’s debut album as Car Culture, is a psychedelic collage that warrants repeat listens. Yet another excellent release from Montreal-based label Naff Recordings.

Deki Alem - “Lucky Wheel”

Deki Alem’s debut album Forget in Mass [Spotify / Apple Music] was one of my “Best of 2025” list finds. The Swedish twin-brother duo are carrying the torch for the darker, hip-hop, punk & dance adjacent branches of 90s trip-hop. Their impressive vocal versatility ties everything together.

Lord Apex - “What’s The World Mean To You Pt. 2”

With a slew of consistently solid releases, UK rapper Lord Apex is joining the rarified air of high volume, high quality emcee (think Curren$y, Boldy James etc.). The fourth installment of his Smoke Sessions series [Spotify / Apple Music] has the looseness of a mixtape without losing quality in bars or production. Some real smooth, stony slaps.

Fantasna - “Un Veranjo Naranja”

I was first introduced to Chilean producer Fantasna via his excellent 2024 album Estar Contigo, which featured hazy, acid-tinged house. His latest album Desde El Más Allá [Spotify / Apple Music] builds upon that foundation and expands his sound into realms of chillwave, downtempo and trip-hop. Its combined range and cohesion make it a satisfying listen for pretty much any occasion or time of day.

Baalti & Lapgan - “Lime Tikka”

If you’ve followed this newsletter for a while you likely already know Baalti. The NY-based duo have created a distinct sound that tastefully fuses South Asian samples and rhythms with various strains of US/UK dance music. “Lime Tikka” sees them teaming up with Chicago beatsmith-extraordinaire Lapgan for an absolutely stunning track (and accompanying short film). If you dig, make sure to check out Lapgan’s fully remixed take on Mos Def’s The Ecstatic…

Crespi Drum Syndicate - “Boubow”

One of my favorite parts of building a set is finding the last song (usually the day of) that ties everything together. Plus, there’s a distinct excitement in playing music you just discovered.

“Boubow” is simultaneously an infectiously bouncy club banger and alien pop song. It blended perfectly with “Lime Tikka,” and feels from the same galaxy.

Jawnino - “Lost My Brain”

I initially came across Jawnino’s name thanks to his 2025 collaborative album with the NYC collective Surf Gang. While that project brings the UK rapper into their realm of cloud rap, his debut mixtape 40 [Spotify / Apple Music] leans more into UK strains of grime & dance music. “Lost My Brain” is a flawless Rap-Jungle fusion.

2026 is off to the races. I started my month-long sabbatical and have already been to NYC and back. The KCR show was a big success and my set went well, I think.

Through the flights & taxis, I’ve been jamming to my end of year playlists (check out parts one & two), reading Kafka on the Shore and binged my way through the anime Lazarus, which features an incredible jazz/electronic score from Kamasi Washington, Floating Points & Bonobo.

As I’m building my yearly playlists, I usually take some time to skim other lists for anything I may have missed. As someone who spends so much time listening to & discovering music, it’s a humbling experience that reminds me of music’s vastness. This year I relied primarily on Substack for list-digging and one of the more intriguing ones came from .

My favorite find from his list was UK Jazz ensemble Ancient Infinity Orchestra’s It’s Always About Love [Spotify | Apple Music] ,which he describes as “one of the most gorgeous and lush spiritual jazz records of the decade so far.” The whole project is well worth a listen but “The Seeker” stands out as a hopefully defiant epic.

I don’t watch much anime but I always appreciate the unabashed, over-the-top expression of the characters on their righteous adventures. “The Seeker” would fit right into the world of Lazarus, as it teeters on the edge of apocalypse.

I released a record number of DJ mixes in 2025 so, before I get into the playlists, I wanted to put them all in one place. Perhaps one of these could accompany your celebrations tonight…

• DJ Sets

  • [February] shraf’s dopamine hits pt. 2 - just some fun & funky house tunes.

  • [June] Live at Silo, NYC for Karachi Community Radio - techno & left-field bass slaps.

  • [August] Air Fried 2.0 - an eclectic, day-time party mix that jumps from funky to euphoric to tribal and back around.

  • [September] Live at Silo, NYC for Karachi Community Radio’s GULI (also on Apple Music) - some more heavy techno and bass, late night mood.

• Radio Episodes

  • [September] Second Wind on The Lot Radio w/ Nazuk (peep our joint writeup) - sunset vibe music, multi-genre.

  • [November] Elevation through Sound on dublab - hazy rainy-day tunes.

  • [November] BFF.fm Music Ninja Radio Redux - alt hip-hop, indie rock and a touch of dance-pop.

  • [December] Transmisions (recorded for dublab) - built around the theme of “transmissions,” trippy tunes inspired by outer space, deep ocean, open plains or vast deserts.

SOTY-sideB

Side B continues the upward energy trajectory leaning into party-ready tunes including pop/hyper-pop, hip-hop, dance-y alternative, punchy house and bass bangers. Ideal for shuffling during a workout or pre-party situation.

Listen on Apple Music, Spotify or YouTube.

ALIVE

ALIVE is a collection of my favorite club tunes of the year or, at least, the ones available on streaming. This playlist leans more into stranger, heavier and longer songs. Could work well for a workout but also ideal DJing material.

Listen on Apple Music, Spotify or YouTube.

the frequenC

This playlist encompasses soft, soothing and strange frequencies of 2025. Including singer/songwriter, quiet alternative, cosmic jazz, soft pop / r&b and left-field electronics. Ideal for shuffling in relaxation…

Listen on Apple Music, Spotify or YouTube.

SOTY-sideA

Side A takes the energy up from the frequenC with more traditional song structures. Encompassing the more laid back side of alternative, pop, hip-hop, R&B and electronic music. Ideal for shuffling and fit for a dinner party, park day or an afternoon walk…

Listen on Apple Music, Spotify or YouTube.