Many Hands, the disc jockey duo, present their first-birthday Basement Soul show 28 on Scientific Sound Asia. Scientific Sound Asia is an English-language electronic music radio station, DJ agency, promoter and music-news platform connecting audiences across Asia and internationally.
Many Hands is the intellectual property of Jona J and Kava, two musically absorbed DJs with wide-ranging tastes. Jona, whose real name is Jona Jefferies, was born in Barcelona and raised in Spain and the United Kingdom.
Jona began DJing in the free-party and rave scene of south-west England during the early 1990s. After moving to Ibiza, he became drawn to its Balearic sound and hedonistic culture, returning to the island as both a raver and DJ.
Following Ibiza, Jona moved to Bristol, where its inner-city outlook and sound-system culture shaped several years spent honing his craft. After being well received within Berlin's international music community and playing venues across the city, he returned to the United Kingdom earlier in 2020.
Jona's release Nocturnal was a collective effort with his old friend Lewis Hopkin of Stardelta Mastering, issued as Sapience for Tom Middleton's Sound Of The Cosmos label. The record received radio plays from DJs including Gilles Peterson, Mala and Laurent Garnier.
Originally raised in New Zealand, Kava had lived in Berlin for more than a decade at the time of publication. His musical education came through Wellington's melodic music scene, with Soul, Bashment, Hip Hop, Disco, House, Techno and Drum and Bass among its influences.
In New Zealand, Kava sold vinyl records and hosted shows on several radio stations. After moving to Berlin, he became a resident from the outset of a monthly radio show with Rodi Kirk of Scratch 22.
The programme, Float Some and Jet Some, ran for a considerable period on the now-defunct Berlin Community Radio. It brought him recognition alongside appearances at venues throughout the German capital.
Jona and Kava met through a close ally near OYE Records in Berlin and quickly recognised their musical connection. That meeting led to Many Hands, an eclectic dance, defrag and alleviating music session held in a Berlin basement, hence Basement Soul.
Jona J and Kava work across the rhythmic and harmonic cultural spectrum. Disco, Soul, Latin and Afrobeat sit alongside MPCs, drum machines, Jamaicans in New York, West Africans with synthesisers and funky Euro-freaks, with an approach that is sometimes quirky, sometimes bashy and always for dancers.
The 28th Many Hands Basement Soul 28 birthday special opens with Bhundu Boys' Happy Birthday on Rhino, bringing a folk rock edge to the anniversary theme. The Mauskovic Dance Band's Down In The Basement on Soundway Records brings in Electronica, before Sault's I Just Want To Dance on Forever Living Originals adds an alternative tone.
Clément Djimogne's Sofrito Disco Dub of Money Make Man Mad on Sofrito Super Singles introduces Afrobeat, followed by Blair French's Celebration Ritual 12-inch mix on Rocksteady Disco and its Afro House feel. John Beltran's As The Sun on MotorCity Wine Recordings then settles into House Music, while Nu Era's Beta Waves on Omniverse Records and Paperclip People's Throw on Planet E Communications bring Peak Time Techno and Tech House into the sequence.
F.P.I. Project's Rich In Paradise on JE | Just Entertainment, Fingers Inc's Music Take Me Up on Alleviated Records and GE-ology's Re-Fingered With Love on Dekmantel sustain the house section. Paul Hardcastle's Rainforest on Hardcastle Music returns to electronica before Byron the Aquarius's Let Go (Sunshine) on Apron Records and Omar's Henrik Schwarz remix of Feeling You on Papa Records bring in Deep House.
Margareth Menezes's extended remix of Tenda Do Amor (Magia) on Universal Music Ltda. introduces Brazilian music before Zasha's Arrow Dub from The Gallo Record Company Vault adds an African music reference. Azymuth's Harmonic 313 re-edit of Melô Dos Dois Bicudos on Far Out Recordings returns the set to House Music, then Waajeed's Tron on Deviation changes the emphasis to Rap/Hip Hop.
Sun Palace's Moodymann remix of Rude Movements on Alim supplies a Nu-Disco turn, with Lord Echo's I Love Music on Soundway Records bringing back an alternative character. DJ Nature's No Gimmicks on Golf Channel Recordings restores House Music, while will.i.am's Lay Me Down on BBE Music and Terry Crawford's Chocolate Candy on RCA Victor place Rap/Hip Hop beside rock.
Earl Sixteen and The Inn House Crew's Born To Be Free on Room In The Sky gives the later stretch a Reggae foundation before CJ Fly and Joey Bada$$'s RUDEBWOY on Pro Era returns to Rap/Hip Hop. Thundercat's Them Changes on Brainfeeder brings in Trap, while Devon Russell's Give Me Your Love on 333 introduces Dubstep.
Prince's I Would Die 4 U on Warner Records closes the final run with rock, before NxWorries' Dntstop (Interlude) on Stones Throw Records brings the programme back to Rap/Hip Hop. The ending keeps the anniversary selection open to contrasting styles rather than settling on a single dancefloor register.
Basement Soul 28 1st Birthday Edition Part 1 23rd of October 2020
Bhundu Boys - Happy Birthday
The Mauskovic Dance Band - Down In The Basement
Sault - I Just Want To Dance
Clement Djimogne - Money Make Man Mad (Sofrito Disco Dub)
Blair French - Celebration Ritual (12" Mix)
John Beltran - As The Sun
LCSM - For the People
Nu Era - Beta Waves
Paperclip People - Throw
F.P.I. Project - Rich In Paradise
Fingers Inc - Music Take Me Up
GE-ology - Re-Fingered With Love
Paul Hardcastle - Rainforest
Byron The Aquarius - Let Go (Sunshine)
Margareth Menezes - Tenda Do Amor (Magia) (12" Extended Remix)
Quiroga - Martinica Feelings (Whodamanny Reinterpretation)
The 3 Pieces - Iwishcan Willam (Nad Tyler Dub Strip Version)
Zasha - Arrow Dub
Omar - Feeling You (Henrick Schwarz Remix)
Azymuth - Melô Dos Dois Bicudos (Harmonic 313 Re-Edit)
Waajeed - Tron
Edan - Emcees Smoke Crack (Remix)
SOS Band - Just Be Good To Me
Sun Palace - Rude Movements (Moodymann Remix)
Lord Echo - I Love Music
DJ Nature - No Gimmicks
Will.I.Am - Lay Me Down
Terry Crawford - Chocolate Candy
Earl Sixteen & The Inn House Crew - Born To Be Free
CJ Fly - RUDEBWOY Feat. Joey Bada$$
Thundercat - Them Changes
Devon Russell - Give Me Your Love
Die & Break - Peace & Dub Feat. MC Fats
Prince - I Would Die 4 U
NxWorries - Dntstop (Interlude)
Listen on Mixcloud here.