Berlin musical duo Many Hands present their fourth Basement Soul show on Scientific Sound Asia. Scientific Sound Asia is an electronic music radio station, DJ agency, promoter and music-news platform connecting audiences across Asia and internationally.
Many Hands is the collaborative project of DJs Jona Jefferies and Kava, whose shared enthusiasm for music takes in a broad range of sounds and genres. Together, they set out to create considered listening and dancefloor experiences for their audience.
Jona Jefferies was born in Barcelona and grew up between Spain and the UK, beginning his DJ career in the DIY free-party and rave scene of south-west England during the 1990s. He later moved to Ibiza, where the Balearic sound and hedonistic lifestyle made a lasting impression, and he became a frequent visitor.
After Ibiza, Jona settled in Bristol for several years, drawn to its bass culture, urban outlook and enthusiasm for sound system culture. At the time of publication, he was based in Berlin and played at venues across the city's international music scene.
One of Jona's notable releases is Nocturnal, made with his longtime friend Lewis Hopkin of Stardelta Mastering. They released the project as Sapience on Tom Middleton's Sound Of The Cosmos label, and it received recognition and airplay from Gilles Peterson, Mala and Laurent Garnier.
Although Jona had principally performed in Europe, he had also broadened his activity through appearances at multiple venues in Asia. Kava, who is originally from New Zealand, had been living in Berlin for ten years at the time of publication.
Kava developed his DJ skills in Wellington's music scene, where he encountered Soul, Bashment, Hip Hop, Disco, House, Techno and Drum and Bass. While in New Zealand, he distributed vinyl across the country and hosted several programmes on local radio stations.
His activity has seen him perform as a DJ worldwide, from small local events and underground venues to major national festivals, RBMA in Sao Paulo and venues across the Asia-Pacific region. His musical knowledge, mixing style and eclectic selections have led to appearances supporting Fat Freddy's Drop, Dave Clarke and DJ Marky.
After moving to Berlin, Kava worked with Rodi Kirk, known for Scratch 22, on the monthly radio programme Float Some and Jet Some for several years. The show was broadcast by the now-defunct Berlin Community Radio, while Kava also played at venues around the city.
Jona and Kava met through a mutual friend near OYE Records in Berlin, discovered a shared musical outlook and soon began collaborating. That partnership became Many Hands, a basement event in central Berlin combining dance, defragmentation and soothing sounds, from which the name Basement Soul emerged.
Jona J and Kava draw on varied rhythmic and harmonic cultural influences, bringing together Disco, Soul, Latin and Afrobeat with MPCs, drum machines, Jamaicans in New York, West African synthesiser sounds and funky Euro-freaks. Their selections can be eccentric or energetic, but are made with the dancefloor in mind, and this edition includes Funk, Disco, House, Electronic music, Psychedelic Rock, MPB and Samba Rock.
Many Hands Basement Soul show 04 opens with DWART's Mate on Strangelove Music, introducing a measured Electronica tone. Seu Jorge's The Model, issued through Now Again Records, follows with a contrasting World selection before Mushroom Band's Do the Mushdance.
Wildest Dreams' Pleasure Swell on Smalltown Supersound brings in House Music, while Unlimited Touch's Searching To Find The One on Prelude Records changes the feel towards Nu-Disco. A Band Called Flash's Phantom on Z Records keeps that direction in place before Mystic Jungle's Night Of Cheetah on Periodica Records returns to electronica.
Okinawa Delays' Phil Mison Balearic House remix of Lotta Love, released on Music For Dreams, eases the pace into Downtempo. Lars Behrenroth's Infection on Plastik People Collections then establishes Deep House before Tony Allen's Carl Craig remix of Kilode on Honest Jon's Records.
Neue Grafik's Why You on Rhythm Section International and Gonzi's Bawss on CoOp Presents move between deep house and house-focused rhythms. Andres' D-Town Connection, released by NDATL Muzik, follows as the set holds its deep house thread.
Lord Echo's Julien Dyne remix of The Sweetest Meditation, featuring Mara TK and released on Soundway Records, leads into Jill Scott's Gotta Get Up (Another Day) featuring 4 Hero on Hidden Beach Records, bringing R&B into the sequence. Hazards of Prophecy's Percussion Concussion on Tiff's Joints then returns to house music with a percussion-led cut.
Cottam's Horns on Ruff Draft adds the label's distinctive Ruff Draft designation before The Belle All Stars' Iko Iko on Edsel introduces Indie Dance. These Eyes' Soca Hustle on Invisible City Editions, Flora Purim's Ashley Beedle Heavy Disco edit of Angels, and Don Blackman's Just Can't Stay Away on !K7 Records bring the closing selections back towards Nu-Disco, before Hotline's Fella's Doing It In Lagos on Soundway Records finishes with African Music.
Many Hands Basement Soul Show 04
DWART - Mate
Seu Jorge - The Model
Mushroom Band - Do the Mushdance
Wildest Dreams - Pleasure Swell
Nebraska - Usin' Me (DJ Nature Refix)
Unlimited Touch - Searching To Find The One
A Band Called Flash - Phantom
Mystic Jungle - Night Of Cheetah
Gangs Of Rome - Sol Invictus
Okinawa Delays - Lotta Love (Phil Mison's Balearic House Remix)
Lars Behrenroth - Infection
Tony Allen - Kilode (A Remix By Carl Craig)
Neue Grafik - Why You
Gonzi - Bawss
Andres - D-Town Connection
Lord Echo - The Sweetest Meditation Feat. Mara TK (Julien Dyne Remix)
Jill Scott - Gotta Get Up (Another Day) Feat. 4 Hero
Hazards Of Prophecy - Percussion Concussion
Sergio Mendes - Viramundo (Mr K Edit)
Cottam - Horns
The Belle All Stars - Iko Iko
These Eyes - Soca Hustle
Flora Purim - Angels (Ashley Beedle's Heavy Disco Edit)
Don Blackman - Just Can't Stay Away
Hotline - Fella's Doing It In Lagos
Listen on Mixcloud here.