Many Hands present episode 42 of their Basement Soul 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 collaboration between DJs Jona J and Kava, whose backgrounds bring together long experience and distinct musical perspectives. Jona Jefferies was born in Barcelona and raised between Spain and the UK, first stepping behind the decks in the free-party and rave scenes of south-west England during the early 1990s.
His travels later took him to Ibiza, where the island’s Balearic sound and nightlife made a lasting impression. He returned regularly as both a raver and DJ before relocating to Bristol, where he immersed himself in the city’s sound-system culture and played at a range of venues.
In 2020, Jona returned to the UK and developed his sound further. Alongside Lewis Hopkin of Stardelta Mastering, he formed Sapience and released Nocturnal on Tom Middleton’s Sound of the Cosmos label, receiving support from Gilles Peterson, Mala and Laurent Garnier.
His career has involved a lifelong engagement with underground movements across rave, Balearic and club culture. Kava, originally from New Zealand, has been based in Berlin for more than a decade.
Kava’s musical roots lie in Wellington, where his early years were shaped by Soul, Bashment, Hip Hop, Disco, House, Techno and Drum and Bass. He worked in vinyl distribution, hosted radio shows and played an active part in the city’s music community.
After moving to Berlin, he co-hosted Float Some and Jet Some with Rodi Kirk, also known as Scratch 22, on Berlin Community Radio. The programme brought him wider recognition in the capital, where he is a regular club DJ known for broad selections.
Jona and Kava met through mutual friends near OYE Records in Berlin and quickly recognised a shared vision. Their partnership led to Many Hands and the Basement Soul party series, noted for its inclusive atmosphere and eclectic, rhythm-led playlists.
Their sets move between Disco, Soul, Latin music, Afrobeat, MPC beats, drum machines and synth-led grooves, drawing on Jamaican sounds from New York and West African rhythms. Through Basement Soul, Many Hands bring deep-rooted musical traditions into a global approach to the dancefloor.
Many Hands Basement Soul episode 42 opens with Andre Tanker’s River Come Down on Soundway Records and Muchos Plus’ Nassau’s Discos on U - Solo Records, pairing calypso-rooted rhythms with Nu-Disco. STR4TA’s Rhythm In Your Mind on Brownswood Recordings extends the Brit Funk groove before Common Saints’ Idol Eyes on Starsonics introduces Deep House.
Sault’s 9 on Bandcamp brings psychedelic Soul, while Eddie Chacon’s Wicked World on Day End Records adds R&B and soul depth. Windsurfer’s Ü Hell on Phantom Island turns towards leftfield electro before Abstract Incognito’s Me Gusta Dancing on Jansen Jardin brings a Balearic chillout feel back to the floor.
Quakers’ A Quick Fix featuring YC and Super Vic on Stones Throw Records moves into instrumental hip hop, followed by Arif Cooper’s Good Vybe on Fresh Ear and Dhaima’s Reggae On Sunset on RQP. The latter gives the sequence a reggae-informed world music turn before Dazzle’s Dazzle You on Jam Today reconnects with Nu-Disco through garage house and UK street soul.
Jarren’s Whittier Blvd. on Apron Records brings Organic House into the selection, then Hanna’s Psalms on Shall Not Fade lowers the pace with deep house textures. Language’s Tranquillity Bass on Leng Records leads to Trujillo’s Brothers Groove on Apersonal Music, whose deep house groove keeps the tempo measured.
Lord & Dego’s Beee Side on 2000Black introduces broken beat, and Fred Everything’s I-Cube Parisian Selaze Mix of Barbarella on Lazy Days Music returns to deep house. Red Rack’em’s Train Of Thought on Bergerac adds breakbeat drive before Dillinja’s Another Dimension on Deep Jungle and Overlook’s Lone Pine on DROOGS push into Drum and Bass.
Digital Mystikz’s Anti-War Dub on DMZ brings heavyweight Dubstep, balanced by Dubkasm’s roots-led Kings Music on Dubkasm Records and its Reggae foundation. Cacao’s Lambada on Hell Yeah Recordings closes through Electronica, before Condry Ziqubu’s Gorilla Man on Totem Records supplies a funky African boogie finish with world music character.
Many Hands Basement Soul episode 42
Andre Tanker - River Come Down [Soundway Records]
Muchos Plus - Nassau's Discos [U - Solo Records]
STR4TA - Rhythm In Your Mind [Brownswood Recordings]
Common Saints - Idol Eyes [Starsonics]
Sault - 9 [Bandcamp]
Eddie Chacon - Wicked World [Day End Records]
Windsurfer - Ü Hell [Phantom Island]
Abstract Incognito - Me Gusta Dancing [Jansen Jardin]
Quakers - A Quick Fix feat. YC & Super Vic [Stones Throw Records]
Arif Cooper - Good Vybe [Fresh Ear]
Dhaima - Reggae On Sunset [RQP]
Dazzle - Dazzle You [Jam Today]
Jarren - Whittier Blvd. [Apron Records]
Hanna - Psalms [Shall Not Fade]
Language - Tranquillity Bass [Leng Records]
Trujillo - Brothers Groove [Apersonal Music]
Lord & Dego - Beee Side [2000Black]
Fred Everything - Barbarella (I-Cube Parisian Selaze Mix) [Lazy Days Music]
Red Rack'em - Train Of Thought [Bergerac]
Dillinja - Another Dimension [Deep Jungle]
Overlook - Lone Pine [DROOGS]
Digital Mystikz - Anti War Dub [DMZ]
Dubkasm - Kings Music [Dubkasm Records]
Cacao - Lambada [Hell Yeah Recordings]
Condry Ziqubu - Gorilla Man [Totem Records]
Listen on Mixcloud here.