The Berlin/UK disc jockey duo Many Hands share the track list for Basement Soul show 30 on Scientific Sound Asia. Scientific Sound Asia is an English-language electronic music radio station, promoter, DJ agency and music-news platform connecting audiences across Asia and internationally.
Many Hands is the project of wide-ranging, music-focused DJs Jona J and Kava. Jona J, 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 relocating to Ibiza, he was drawn to its Balearic sound and hedonistic style, and has returned to the island as both a raver and DJ.
Following his time in Ibiza, Jona moved to Bass City, Bristol, where its inner-city outlook and sound-system culture informed several years spent honing his craft. After establishing himself within Berlin's international music community and playing at 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, recorded as Sapience for Tom Middleton's Sound Of The Cosmos label. The release received radio plays from Gilles Peterson, Mala and Laurent Garnier.
Raised in New Zealand, Kava had lived in Berlin for more than ten years by 2020. His musical education began in Wellington's melodic music scene, with regular exposure to Soul, Bashment, Hip Hop, Disco, House, Techno and Drum n Bass.
In New Zealand, Kava sold vinyl records and presented radio shows on several stations. After moving to Berlin, he became a resident on a monthly radio programme 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 Kava recognition alongside appearances at numerous venues across the German capital.
Jona and Kava met near OYE Records in Berlin through a close ally and quickly recognised their musical connection. Their meeting led to Many Hands, an eclectic dance, defrag and alleviating music session held in a Berlin basement, hence the name Basement Soul.
Jona J and Kava work across a rhythmic and harmonic cultural spectrum. Disco, Soul, Latin music and Afrobeat meet MPCs and drum machines, Jamaicans in New York, West Africans with synthesizers and funky Euro-freaks, with sets that can be quirky or bashy but are always aimed at dancers.
Many Hands Basement Soul show 30 opens with Pellegrino & Zodyaco's Napoliterranea, Mickey's Don't Break the Shadow of My Love and Quiet Force's Listen To The Music. Quiet Force's instrumental synthesizer music selection on Numero Group leads into the Jazz of Placebo's Balek, released through WM Benelux BV.
Saidou Richard's Taaba gives way to Young Gun Silver Fox's Mojo Rising, a House Music track on P-VINE RECORDS. Eddie Hazel's California Dreamin', issued by Rhino/Warner Records, then brings a Rock reference into the programme.
Key Elements' Elemental (Marian Tone Original Cut), Sade's Loveisstrongerthanpride (Kaytraedit) and Maarteen's จังหวะ เจ็ด occupy the next stretch. Dodô Da Bahia & As Virgens De Porto Seguro's Africamerica adds Axé via Soundway before Pellegrino & Zodyaco return with Via Da Qua.
Leonard Chin's What More Can I Say P2 (Dance Mix '83) precedes Jstar's Man Eater (Re-Dub) and Soft Boi's Wrong. Jona J's A Change Will Come follows, before Glen Davis's Special on F*CLR Records brings in Dance Music.
Art Forest's Flow 96 edit moves into Domu's Magic Dub, released on Sonar's Ghost and grounded in Drum n Bass. Massive Attack's Unfinished Sympathy (Denham Audio Remix) then appears ahead of Sapience's Remote Viewing.
The final passage pairs LTJ Bukem's Music (Peshay Rework) on Good Looking Records with J Majik's Arabian Nights VIP on Infrared Records, moving through drum n bass and Drum and Bass. Sault's Fearless, released by Forever Living Originals, closes the programme with an Alternative finish.
Many Hands Basement Soul Episode 30 27th of November 2020
Pellegrino & Zodyaco - Napoliterranea
Mickey - Don't Break the Shadow of My Love
Quiet Force - Listen To The Music
Placebo - Balek
Saidou Richard - Taaba
Young Gun Silver Fox - Mojo Rising
Eddie Hazel - California Dreamin'
Key Elements - Elemental (Marian Tone Original Cut)
Sade - Loveisstrongerthanpride (Kaytraedit)
Maarteen - จังหวะ เจ็ด
Dodô Da Bahia & As Virgens De Porto Seguro - Africamerica
Pellegrino & Zodyaco - Via Da Qua
Leonard Chin - What More Can I Say P2 (Dance Mix '83)
Jstar - Man Eater (Re-Dub)
Soft Boi - Wrong
Jona J - A Change Will Come
Glen Davis - Special
Art Forest - Flow 96 edit
Domu - Magic Dub
Massive Attack - Unfinished Sympathy (Denham Audio Remix)
Sapience - Remote Viewing
LTJ Bukem - Music (Peshay Rework)
J Majik - Arabian Nights VIP
Sault - Fearless
Listen on Mixcloud here.