Disc jockey duo Many Hands present their Basement Soul 27 programme on Scientific Sound Asia. Scientific Sound Asia is an Asian electronic music radio station, promoter and music-news platform connecting audiences across Asia and internationally.
Many Hands is the project of musically wide-ranging DJs Jona J and Kava. Jona, whose real name is Jonathan Jefferies, was born in Barcelona and raised in Spain and the United Kingdom, where he began DJing in the free-party and rave scene of south-west England during the early 1990s.
After relocating to Ibiza, Jona was drawn to the island's Balearic sound and hedonistic style, and he has returned there as both a raver and DJ. Following his time in Ibiza, he moved to Bristol, known as Bass city, where its inner-city outlook and sound-system culture helped him develop his craft over several years.
A free spirit, Jona was welcomed into Berlin's international music community and performed at venues across the city before returning to the United Kingdom earlier in 2020. His release Nocturnal, made with Stardelta Mastering's Lewis Hopkin as Sapience for Tom Middleton's Sound Of The Cosmos label, received radio support from Gilles Peterson, Mala and Laurent Garnier.
Originally raised in New Zealand, Kava had lived in Berlin for more than ten years by the time of this programme. His musical education began in Wellington's melodic music scene, shaped by Soul, Bashment, Hip Hop, Disco, House, Techno and Drum and Bass, before he sold vinyl records and hosted shows on several New Zealand radio stations.
After moving to Berlin, Kava became a resident of Float Some and Jet Some, a monthly radio show with Rodi Kirk of Scratch 22 on the former Berlin Community Radio. He also performed at numerous venues across the German capital.
Jona and Kava met through a mutual acquaintance near OYE Records in Berlin and quickly recognised a productive musical partnership. That meeting led to Many Hands, an eclectic, dance-focused and restorative basement session in the centre of Berlin, hence the name Basement Soul.
Jona J and Kava work across a rhythmic and harmonic cultural spectrum. Disco, Soul, Latin and Afrobeat sit alongside MPCs and drum machines, Jamaicans in New York, West African synthesiser traditions and funky Euro-freak sounds, with sets that can be quirky or bashy but are always made for dancers.
Many Hands' Basement Soul 27 episode opens with James A Moorer's Deep Note and Natureboy Flacko's Silver Forest Spirits. JSOUL featuring Sy Smith's Motherland Star brings Electro from JSOUL, before Yvonne Archer's Ain't Nobody (Jura Soundsystem Dub) draws on Lovers Rock through Isle Of Jura.
EDMX's Viscount keeps the Electro thread in place on Queen Nanny Records, while Space Garage's Eclipse Version turns towards Disco on Periodica Records. Mildlife's The Magnificent Moon supplies Indie Dance via Heavenly Recordings and Co-op, followed by Sjunne Ferger's Night Rituale, featuring Exit, with Balearic Synth on Strangelove Music.
William Onyeabor's Better Change Your Mind brings House Music through Strut, before Dele Sosimi and Medlar's Gúdi Gúdi Kan (Daz-I-Kue Remix) adds another rhythmic turn. A.C. Band's Good Feelings returns to Disco on Periodica Records, while Max Essa's Black Market Laundrette supplies Balearic Beats from Jansen Jardin.
Bogdan Dražić's Trip This Joint brings Breaks through The Trilogy Tapes, followed by Volcano's Vanonyana Lava, which introduces African Music from WFN Distribution. Daniele Baldelli and DJ Rocca's Skydump leads into NY*AK's Flint, a Deep House selection on Karakul.
Duke Hugh's Burning Up returns to House Music through Music Of Color, then Jack J's Thirstin' (Dum Dub) shifts into Nu-Disco on C'est Life Music. Mameen3's Afrocordeon brings Boogie via Planet Trip Records, before DJ Gregory's Don't Panic (Gregory & Karizma Dub) closes this stretch with House Music on Faya Combo.
LAPS' Who Me? introduces Electronica from MIC, while Ikonika's Your Body returns to Breaks through Don't Be Afraid Records. Yarbrough and Peoples' instrumental Wrapped Around Your Finger supplies R&B on Cavalcade Records Ltd, and Loud-E's Yeah Clavilove finishes the programme in Disco on Discos Capablanca.
Many Hands Basement Soul Episode 27 2nd of October 2020
James A Moorer - Deep Note
Natureboy Flacko - Silver Forest Spirits
JSOUL ft. Sy Smith - Motherland Star
Yvonne Archer - Ain’t Nobody (Jura Soundsystem Dub)
EDMX - Viscount
Space Garage - Eclipse Version
Mildlife - The Magnificent Moon
Sjunne Ferger - Night Rituale
William Onyeabor - Better Change Your Mind
Dele Sosimi x Medlar - Gúdi Gúdi Kan (Daz-I-Kue Remix)
A.C Band - Good Feelings
Max Essa - Black Market Laundrette
Bogdan Draźić - Trip This Joint
Volcano - Vanonyana Lava
Daniele Baldelli & DJ Rocca - Skydump
NY*AK - Flint
Duke Hugh - Burning Up
Jack J - Thirstin’ (Dum Dub)
Mameen3 - Afrocordeon
DJ Gregory - Don’t Panic (Gregory & Karizma Dub)
LAPS - Who Me?
Ikonika - Your Body
Yahbrough & Peoples - Wrapped Around Your Finger (Inst.)
Loud-E - Yeah Clavilove
Listen on Mixcloud here.