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Review: Although he's one of the most revered DJs in the UK with a wide following of like-minded eclectic music heads, Mr Scruff very rarely releases mix albums or compilations. It's for this reason that his edition of the "DJ Kicks" series is such a big deal. That mix itself - available on CD and digital download - is naturally superb, but his selections, which are showcased here in unmixed, DJ-friendly form, are also top-notch. Starting with the drowsy hip-hop soul of Max Graef's jazzy rework of Andreya Triana's "Gold", the Manchester veteran offers up a hot-to-trot mixture of downtempo soul (Sudan Archives), off-kilter Afro-tech (Tiger), ragga (Ding Dong), Floating Points style house (his own hook-up with CyberPunkJazz), drum workouts (Andy Ash), synth-powered proto-house (Alexander Robotnik), Latin beats and much more besides. Ace.

Review: Although he's one of the most revered DJs in the UK with a wide following of like-minded eclectic music heads, Mr Scruff very rarely releases mix albums or compilations. It's for this reason that his edition of the "DJ Kicks" series is such a big deal. That mix itself - available on CD and digital download - is naturally superb, but his selections, which are showcased here in unmixed, DJ-friendly form, are also top-notch. Starting with the drowsy hip-hop soul of Max Graef's jazzy rework of Andreya Triana's "Gold", the Manchester veteran offers up a hot-to-trot mixture of downtempo soul (Sudan Archives), off-kilter Afro-tech (Tiger), ragga (Ding Dong), Floating Points style house (his own hook-up with CyberPunkJazz), drum workouts (Andy Ash), synth-powered proto-house (Alexander Robotnik), Latin beats and much more besides. Ace.

Review: Originally released in 2000.

Review: Originally released in 2000.

Review: South Korean star Peggy Gou continues her seemingly unstoppable rise by serving up her first ever DJ mix CD. It's a contribution to one of the longest running series in the business, DJ Kicks, and she's used the opportunity to showcase the depth and variety of the music in her crates. Beginning with the classic early '90s ambient of Spacetime Continuum, Gou flits between humid, mid-tempo Balearic house (her own "Hungboo"), acid-fired downtempo electronica (Pearson Sound), throbbing 1990 peak-time anthems (Weatherall's ace but largely forgotten remix of Sly & Lovechild), hypnotic techno minimalism (Dorisburg), main room throb-jobs (Hiver), pulsating electro (DMX Krew), classic breakbeat hardcore (Shades of Rhythm), post-dubstep (Kode 9), dark tribal drum jams (Black Merlin) and sunrise ready Motor City brilliance (Deniro).

Review: While nowhere nearly as high profile - or, for that matter, prolific - as he once was, "intelligent" D&B veteran Rupert "Photek" Parkes has recently enjoyed something of a renaissance after embracing the strains of dubstep, future garage and contemporary bass music currently so popular. Here, he delivers his first commercially available mix CD for DJ Kicks, and it's a bit of a doozy. Dripping in his famous melodies and cinematic atmospherics, it thrillingly moves through a variety of sounds, styles and tempos over a thrill-a-minute hour. There's slow 4/4 fare, Detroit techno-influenced analogue groovery (a brilliant collaboration with Bristolian bass head Pinch), next-level IDM, wonky oddness (Sepalcure), shiny tech-house, future garage and post-dubstep goodness. Oh, and zero D&B.

Review: New York disco man Juan Maclean compiles the latest DJ-Kicks compilation, following the likes of Hot Chip, Booka Shade and Henrik Schwarz. Selecting from a rich tradition of house music, Maclean includes a combination of classic tracks like Rick Wilhite's "Get On Up" (remixed by fellow house don Theo Parrish) and recent disco cuts from DFA buddies Shit Robot and Still Going. There's some European tech house from Florian Meindl, Alex Niggemann and Andre Crom & Luca Doobie, and an exclusive new track from Juan Maclean to top things off.

Review: Given his multiple production aliases, love of collaboration and two acclaimed labels - the effervescent Aus and Simple Music - its surprising Will Saul has time to think, let alone lay down a DJ Kicks mix. That the resultant mix is a woozy, atmospheric, multi-textured voyage through many shades of deep house, techno and bass-flecked electronic music is less surprising. Tightly packed with exclusives - see Bicep's rave-flavoured "Nova", for starters - and with cuts from pals October, George Fitzgerald, Cottam and Axel Boman, amongst others, there's plenty for fans of Saul's ever-evolving sound to cheer. This vinyl edition packs 12 of the 24 cuts from the mix across two slabs of vinyl and you get also get a CD of the mix with Saul building a distinctly warm and wide-eyed vibe over 80 mesmerizing minutes.

Review: Given his multiple production aliases, love of collaboration and two acclaimed labels - the effervescent Aus and Simple Music - its surprising Will Saul has time to think, let alone lay down a DJ Kicks mix. That the resultant mix is a woozy, atmospheric, multi-textured voyage through many shades of deep house, techno and bass-flecked electronic music is less surprising. Tightly packed with exclusives - see Bicep's rave-flavoured "Nova", for starters - and with cuts from pals October, George Fitzgerald, Cottam and Axel Boman, amongst others, there's plenty for fans of Saul's ever-evolving sound to cheer. The mix is smooth and undulating, too, with Saul building a distinctly warm and wide-eyed vibe over 80 mesmerizing minutes.

Review: Let's just pause for one second; now, think about all that music that has so enriched your life down the years. All of it, without fault, and regardless of any strict genre definitions, is soul music. If it flicks a switch deep inside you, speaks to you, comforts you and makes you feel good about yourself, then that, my friend, is soul music. German DJ and producer Henrik Schwarz understands this musical truth more than most. A long-time aficionado of those musical forms that are commonly rooted in some appreciation of this sonic legacy - funk, house, disco, jazz, techno, and yes, the dictionary definition of soul (James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Motown etc, etc) - his adventures into hi-fi are testament to such a fact. And nowhere is this more readily apparent than on Schwarz's latest venture: a much-deserved foray into that Holy Grail of DJ mix albums, !K7's acclaimed DJ Kicks series. Across 23 tracks, Schwarz enthusiastically takes us on a musical journey that without wanting to get too chin-strokery about it, manages to entertain, enthral and educate all at once. And that he achieves this without losing sight of the style and sophistication that are the hallmarks of his unique DJ sets and his much praised productions and remixes is only added grist to his musical mill. Schwarz's background is jazz: free-flowing, improvisational and inspirational jazz, the likes of which set the pre-rock'n'roll years alight. And it's this mindset that initially informs his well-chosen mix. Rather than go for the latest bunch of tunes that are burning a hole on dancefloors across the globe, Henrik has paid homage to the music that he has loved down the years. Consequently, Moondog's jazz classic 'Bird's Lament' sets the scene for the journey we are about to undertake. When this segues into Double's blissful slice of Balearica, 'Woman Of The World', it's clear that we are in the hands of a rare talent. For Henrik Schwarz is a DJ who utilises all the tools of the modern sound sculptor - his usual sets are comprised of him jamming live via his trusty laptop - with a reverence for what has gone before. It's no wonder that Gilles Peterson is such a fan of his productions 'Supravision', 'Chicago', 'Jon' (which is featured here) and 'Leave My Head Alone Brain', nor that his music is lapped up by Manchester's hugely influential Electric Chair coterie. Henrik himself admits that he didn't want to think too much about his mix, rather he let the music dictate what direction he went in. "I just selected the tracks and then played them," he admits. "It was more about the feeling of the mix, creating those emotions and combining extremes." Such a case comes when he mixes the minimal techno of Robert Hood's 'The Core' with an African field recording. It's about creating layers and textures and in doing so it gives his mix a depth that is truly awe-inspiring. But this isn't all about intellectual grandstanding. Good times are audible at every turn: James Brown encourages us to get on the good foot with his dancefloor shimmy, 'Since You've Been Gone', and the psychedelic free jazz of Schwarz's own 'Jon' is both vibrant and hypnotic. Elsewhere, the stirring strut of Jae Mason's 'Let It Out' and the irresistible Afro-beat of Cymande's 'Anthracite' both compel you to fish out those dancing trousers. Undoubtedly though, the blue touchpaper is well and truly lit by Schwarz's 'Imagination Limitation', a track written especially for this mix. Placed next to Detroit legends Drexciya's 'Black Sea' - all crisp and muscular Motor City futurism - it ticks Schwarz's techno fetish with aplomb. Other dancefloor delights come courtesy of avant-garde nut job Arthur Russell's trippy cosmic disco 'Get Around To It'. Being a mix of untold seams, the funk flavours at the business end speak of Schwarz's cerebral qualities. Womack & Womack's 'Conscious Of My Conscience', Rhythm & Sound and Sugar Minott's 'Let Jah Love Come', Doug Hammond's 'Wake Up Brothers' and the incomparable Marvin Gaye's 'You're The Man' are all moving and literate pleas for a better world. And that in a nutshell is the mix you presently have in your hand. It's a CD that tells a story. It contains tracks that ooze class, that reek of history, that are imbued with style. It is a mix that speaks of life's rich tapestry. In short, Henrik Schwarz has delivered a mix with something for your mind, your body, and, most importantly, your soul.

Review: Let's just pause for one second; now, think about all that music that has so enriched your life down the years. All of it, without fault, and regardless of any strict genre definitions, is soul music. If it flicks a switch deep inside you, speaks to you, comforts you and makes you feel good about yourself, then that, my friend, is soul music. German DJ and producer Henrik Schwarz understands this musical truth more than most. A long-time aficionado of those musical forms that are commonly rooted in some appreciation of this sonic legacy - funk, house, disco, jazz, techno, and yes, the dictionary definition of soul (James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Motown etc, etc) - his adventures into hi-fi are testament to such a fact. And nowhere is this more readily apparent than on Schwarz's latest venture: a much-deserved foray into that Holy Grail of DJ mix albums, !K7's acclaimed DJ Kicks series. Across 23 tracks, Schwarz enthusiastically takes us on a musical journey that without wanting to get too chin-strokery about it, manages to entertain, enthral and educate all at once. And that he achieves this without losing sight of the style and sophistication that are the hallmarks of his unique DJ sets and his much praised productions and remixes is only added grist to his musical mill. Schwarz's background is jazz: free-flowing, improvisational and inspirational jazz, the likes of which set the pre-rock'n'roll years alight. And it's this mindset that initially informs his well-chosen mix. Rather than go for the latest bunch of tunes that are burning a hole on dancefloors across the globe, Henrik has paid homage to the music that he has loved down the years. Consequently, Moondog's jazz classic 'Bird's Lament' sets the scene for the journey we are about to undertake. When this segues into Double's blissful slice of Balearica, 'Woman Of The World', it's clear that we are in the hands of a rare talent. For Henrik Schwarz is a DJ who utilises all the tools of the modern sound sculptor - his usual sets are comprised of him jamming live via his trusty laptop - with a reverence for what has gone before. It's no wonder that Gilles Peterson is such a fan of his productions 'Supravision', 'Chicago', 'Jon' (which is featured here) and 'Leave My Head Alone Brain', nor that his music is lapped up by Manchester's hugely influential Electric Chair coterie. Henrik himself admits that he didn't want to think too much about his mix, rather he let the music dictate what direction he went in. "I just selected the tracks and then played them," he admits. "It was more about the feeling of the mix, creating those emotions and combining extremes." Such a case comes when he mixes the minimal techno of Robert Hood's 'The Core' with an African field recording. It's about creating layers and textures and in doing so it gives his mix a depth that is truly awe-inspiring. But this isn't all about intellectual grandstanding. Good times are audible at every turn: James Brown encourages us to get on the good foot with his dancefloor shimmy, 'Since You've Been Gone', and the psychedelic free jazz of Schwarz's own 'Jon' is both vibrant and hypnotic. Elsewhere, the stirring strut of Jae Mason's 'Let It Out' and the irresistible Afro-beat of Cymande's 'Anthracite' both compel you to fish out those dancing trousers. Undoubtedly though, the blue touchpaper is well and truly lit by Schwarz's 'Imagination Limitation', a track written especially for this mix. Placed next to Detroit legends Drexciya's 'Black Sea' - all crisp and muscular Motor City futurism - it ticks Schwarz's techno fetish with aplomb. Other dancefloor delights come courtesy of avant-garde nut job Arthur Russell's trippy cosmic disco 'Get Around To It'. Being a mix of untold seams, the funk flavours at the business end speak of Schwarz's cerebral qualities. Womack & Womack's 'Conscious Of My Conscience', Rhythm & Sound and Sugar Minott's 'Let Jah Love Come', Doug Hammond's 'Wake Up Brothers' and the incomparable Marvin Gaye's 'You're The Man' are all moving and literate pleas for a better world. And that in a nutshell is the mix you presently have in your hand. It's a CD that tells a story. It contains tracks that ooze class, that reek of history, that are imbued with style. It is a mix that speaks of life's rich tapestry. In short, Henrik Schwarz has delivered a mix with something for your mind, your body, and, most importantly, your soul.

Review: Over the years, there have been numerous approaches taken towards the DJ Kicks series, from spooky nerd-outs and downtempo voyages to funk-laden journeys and inspired, willy-waving eclecticism. On this latest instalment, Hotflush boss Scuba has decided to go for an all-out dancefloor assault. Yet this is no ordinary club-friendly mix. It touches on all strains of bass music with moments that take in juke, techno, dubstep, wonky, future garage, acid, broken beat and more. The rate that Scuba charges through tracks can only be described as furious, shifting between ragged floor fillers, emotion-rich groovers and atmosphere-heavy mood pieces at a rate of knots. That it never seems forced or breathless is testament to his skills. As bass music mixes go, you'll find few better.

Review: Over the years, there have been numerous approaches taken towards the DJ Kicks series, from spooky nerd-outs and downtempo voyages to funk-laden journeys and inspired, willy-waving eclecticism. On this latest instalment, Hotflush boss Scuba has decided to go for an all-out dancefloor assault, and this unmixed vinyl version features seven of the mix's finest tracks spread luxuriantly across two slabs of wax, with Scuba's own DJ-Kicks exclusive "M.A.R.S" accompanied by efforts from Boddika, Jon Convex, Addison Groove, DBridge, Beaumont and Sigha. It also comes with a free copy of the mix on CD, so there's no excuse not to indulge!

Review: In recent interviews, Paul Woolford AKA Special Request has made it clear that he's long dreamed of being asked to contribute to K7's long-running DJ Kicks mix series. It should come as no surprise, then, that his volume in the series is little less than stunning. Constructed as a slowly unfurling, constantly evolving musical journey interspersed with ambient interludes and specially created Special Request cuts, the set sees Woolford work his way through synth-soul, 21st century boogie, electro and IDM before moving on to classic house, techno, acid house, hardcore, jungle and, in its closing moments, a stunning, spacey synth-scape he wrote in cahoots with fellow Yorkshireman 96 Back. Throughout, Woolford's focus remains on mood, melody and tone. A simply stunning mix made by a master craftsman.

Review: The last few years have really seen Paul Woolford reach the top of his game in many different ways. Be it bowel emptying rave as Special Request, festival baiting piano house tunes or chart topping pop dance crossovers under his own name, the man is proving himself to have a real golden touch. He sure does crank out all these tunes at a prolific rate, too, but you still feel he does everything with meticulous precision. This DJ Kicks is a case in point. It touches on all the many different facets of his sound from glossy and feel good house to early Chicago classics, post-rave dreamscapes to brutal jungle breaks. What a legend.

Review: John Talabot joins the likes of Scuba, James Holden and Motor City Drum Ensemble to contribute to the long running DJ-Kicks mix series that's deftly proved there's still mileage in the commercially released Mix CD despite this podcast heavy age we live. The usual double LP edition culls ten cuts from the weighty 27 track mix which the Hivern Disc lad has described as "not an easy mix. It's quite strange". If you've seen Talabot DJ you know the Barcelona based artist digs deep and that's represented well on these ten cuts, with Andy Stott's lurching take on Maps and the similarly minded Tempel Rytmik ( the new project from Talabot and Alexander 'Genius of Time' Berg) contrasting nicely with the more effervescent house from Axel Boman, MCDE and Paradise's Deep Groove. Kudos too for the inclusion of Samo DJ's "Tai Po Kau"!

Review: Those who checked John Talabot's excellent debut album, Fin, will know that his approach to house music is a little left-of-centre. Clearly inspired by the genre's quirkier fringes, he appears to enjoy creating tracks that veer from woozy and intoxicating, to tropical and pagan. Here, he makes his approach even clearer with a triumphant 27-track mix-up for the long-running DJ Kicks series. Variously deep, melancholic, unusual, inspired and atmospheric, the mix contains impressive contributions from the likes of Young Marco, Pional, Andy Stott, Jus' Ed, Joe Clausell and Talabot himself, as well as a rare outing for the rare (and rather fabulous) "Innermind" by Paradise's Deep Groove

Review: The DJ Kicks mix series has been rocking our speakers for years now with a hot selection of artists from all over the dance sphere. It was only a matter of time that US DJ extraordinaire Seth Troxler landed on their catalogue, and he's performed precisely to our high expectations. This vinyl edition is a delicious mix of all forms of house and techno; from the soulful house vibes of Vannessa McMillian's "Stay With Me", to the more vintage, crunchy sounds of Mood II Swing and master K Alex Shelby, and even an appearance from tech house king Butch, this has all the ingredients to rock out your Saturday night, or simply carry you along the day with some much needed dancing vibes.

Review: Some DJs use the opportunity of a DJ Kicks mix to showcase the eclectic nature of their record collections, while others see it as a chance to give an airing to the dancefloor records that have inspired them over the years. Seth Troxler's mix sits somewhere in between. On the one hand, there are impeccable jazz and downtempo moments from the likes of Sun Ra, Herbert (as remixed by Phil Parnell) and DJ Koze, whose "Bodenweich" is an undeniably atmospheric, off-kilter delight. On the other hand, Troxler has picked out some genuinely brilliant, mostly US-centric house selections; deep, soulful and bumpin' fare from the likes of Butch, Kerri Chandler, Jasper Street Company, Mood II Swing and Derrick Carter. On paper, it's an odd combination, but somehow Troxler has made it work.

Review: On his contribution to the long-running "DJ Kicks" series, Leon Vynehall has decided to take a widescreen approach, offering up a blend that showcases the depth and variety of his music collection rather than his club-rocking skills. The first half of the mix ebbs and flows with the laidback drowsiness of his selections, which flit between post trip-hop beats, ambient, IDM, electronica and crunchy post-punk pop. Midway through he begins to crank things up a notch or two via RAC's UK garage-influenced 1997 cut "Fushigi", the chunky peak-time warmth of Crinan's "Kilimanjaro" and the bass-heavy pump of Ploy's "Pressure", before unleashing some seriously intense experimental dancefloor workouts from the likes of Etch, Aphex Twin and Peach. It makes for a hugely enjoyable and at times breathtakingly brilliant musical journey.

Review: On his contribution to the long-running "DJ Kicks" series, Leon Vynehall has decided to take a widescreen approach, offering up a blend that showcases the depth and variety of his music collection rather than his club-rocking skills. The first half of the mix ebbs and flows with the laidback drowsiness of his selections, which flit between post trip-hop beats, ambient, IDM, electronica and crunchy post-punk pop. Midway through he begins to crank things up a notch or two via RAC's UK garage-influenced 1997 cut "Fushigi", the chunky peak-time warmth of Crinan's "Kilimanjaro" and the bass-heavy pump of Ploy's "Pressure", before unleashing some seriously intense experimental dancefloor workouts from the likes of Etch, Aphex Twin and Peach. It makes for a hugely enjoyable and at times breathtakingly brilliant musical journey.