Many Hands, the Berlin and UK-based DJ duo, present Basement Soul episode 44 on Scientific Sound Asia. Scientific Sound Asia is an Asian electronic music radio station, promoter, DJ agency and music-news platform connecting audiences across the region and internationally.
Many Hands is the project of wide-ranging DJs Jona J and Kava, whose shared interests span deep, rhythm-led music and record collecting. Jona, whose real name is Jona Jefferies, was born in Barcelona and raised between Spain and the UK.
Jona began DJing in the early 1990s through south-west England’s free-party and rave movement. A later move to Ibiza introduced him to the island’s Balearic sound and hedonistic culture, both of which shaped his musical direction.
After Ibiza, Jona moved to Bristol and spent several years in the city’s sound-system culture and urban bass scene. He later joined Berlin’s international underground community, playing at venues across the city before returning to the UK in 2020 while staying active on the European circuit.
Jona’s Nocturnal, made as Sapience with his longtime friend Lewis Hopkin of Stardelta Mastering, was signed to Tom Middleton’s Sound of the Cosmos label. The track received critical attention and airplay from selectors including Gilles Peterson, Mala and Laurent Garnier.
Kava is originally from New Zealand and has lived in Berlin for more than a decade. His musical grounding came from Wellington’s vibrant scene, where he absorbed soul, bashment, hip hop, disco, house, techno and drum and bass.
Before moving to Germany, Kava worked in vinyl retail and hosted numerous radio shows across New Zealand, becoming a key figure in his local community. In Berlin, he became a resident DJ and co-hosted the monthly Float Some and Jet Some radio show with Rodi Kirk of Scratch 22 on the former Berlin Community Radio.
His performances have taken him to many of Berlin’s best-loved venues, where he shares an eclectic and soulful sound. Jona and Kava met through a mutual friend near OYE Records in Berlin and recognised an immediate common interest in deep, rhythm-driven music.
That meeting led to Many Hands, a project centred on dance, diversity and discovery. Their regular Basement Soul sessions grew from an intimate Berlin basement party and celebrate music that moves body and spirit.
Musically, Many Hands move across a rhythmic and cultural spectrum, bringing disco, soul, Latin music and Afrobeat into contact with MPC-led edits, dub-inflected beats and machine funk. Their selections draw on Jamaicans in New York, West Africans using synths and European groove pioneers, balancing exploration with a connection to the dancefloor.
Jona J and Kava are record collectors and sound investigators shaped by nocturnal discovery in dark basements and on heavy sound systems. Basement Soul draws on that lifelong education as an invitation to move, listen and share the global language of rhythm.
Many Hands’ Basement Soul episode 44 begins with Alex Kassian’s Leave Your Life (Lonely Hearts Mix) on Pinchy & Friends, bringing Dub into the opening. Reuben Vaun Smith’s Eternal Return on Soundway follows with Indie Dance momentum.
Little Simz and Obongjayar’s Point and Kill on Revolt Motion Records brings Amapiano into the selection before John Beltran’s Entardecer on MotorCity Wine Recordings turns towards Organic House. Al-Dos Band’s Doing Our Thing With Pride on Kalita then introduces Nu-Disco before Christine Lewin’s In the Mood on Hot Vinyl changes the texture.
Christine Lewin’s In the Mood and J.C. Lodge’s Dub It on Sanctuary Records Group Ltd. give the next passage a Reggae foundation, while Allmos’s The Sunday Morning March featuring Paul Grant appears on Fresh Selects. Simbad’s Soulful Jam on Freerange Records brings Deep House into focus, followed by Amp Fiddler’s Energy on Ampliphonic and its dance music feel.
Captain Mosez’s Fly Cherry Fly on Afrosynth Records adds an afrosynth character, with Helen’s Zanzibar on Discomagic Records following in the sequence. Toure Kunda’s Salary Muhamed on Celluloid brings African music context before JD Twitch’s Maya on Autonomous Africa returns to Deep House, and Nonna Fab’s Fab’s Space Dance on Apricot Ballroom supplies Italo Disco.
Masalo’s New Dance on Rush Hour establishes House Music, then Ruf Dug and Lovescene’s Make This Right (Club Mix) on Wolf Music Recordings keeps the electronic emphasis intact. Mike Clark’s In My Arms on Upstairs Asylum Recordings leads to WheelUP’s We Shape the Future on Future Bounce, where Funky House meets the set’s deeper groove.
Kameelah Waheed’s America the Beautiful (Bruise Vocal Remix) on F*CLR Records, Social Lovers’ Higher on Lovers Lane Music Co. and K15’s Feel More on Esencia sustain the Deep House thread. Nuff Pedals featuring DJ Die’s Unidentified on Gutterfunk brings Breaks, while Joaquin Joe Claussell’s Way Back Then on Rekids, The Vendetta Suite’s Neon Secrets (Max Essa Remix) on Hell Yeah Recordings, George Solar’s Neblina on NuNorthern Soul, Om Unit’s Bristol Theme on Acid Dub Studies, Fuga Ronto’s Greatest Treasure on Phantom Island and Cruisic’s Inspector Norse (Slowly Remix) on Flower Records carry the close through Downtempo, Bass / Club, Indie Dance and House Music.
Many Hands Basement Soul episode 44
Alex Kassian - Leave Your Life (Lonely Hearts Mix) [Pinchy & Friends]
Reuben Vaun Smith - Eternal Return [Soundway]
Little Simz - Point and Kill Feat. Obongjayar [Revolt Motion Records]
John Beltran - Entardecer [MotorCity Wine Recordings]
Al-Dos Band - Doing Our Thing With Pride [Kalita]
Christine Lewin - In The Mood [Hot Vinyl]
J.C Lodge - Dub It [Sanctuary Records Group Ltd.]
Allmos - The Sunday Morning March Feat. Paul Grant [Fresh Selects]
Simbad - Soulful Jam [Freerange Records]
Amp Fiddler - Energy [Ampliphonic]
Captain Mosez - Fly Cherry Fly [Afrosynth Records]
Helen - Zanzibar [Discomagic Records]
Toure Kunda - Salary Muhamed [Celluloid]
JD Twitch - Maya [Autonomous Africa]
Nonna Fab - Fab's Space Dance [Apricot Ballroom]
Masalo - New Dance [Rush Hour]
Ruf Dug & Lovescene - Make This Right (Club Mix) [Wolf Music Recordings]
Mike Clark - In My Arms [Upstairs Asylum Recordings]
WheelUP - We Shape The Future [Future Bounce]
Kameelah Waheed - America the Beautiful (Bruise Vocal Remix) [F*CLR Records]
Social Lovers - Higher [Lovers Lane Music Co.]
K15 - Feel More [Esencia]
Nuff Pedals Feat. DJ Die - Unidentified [Gutterfunk]
Joaquin Joe Claussell - Way Back Then [Rekids]
The Vendetta Suite - Neon Secrets (Max Essa Remix) [Hell Yeah Recordings]
George Solar - Neblina [NuNorthern Soul]
Om Unit - Bristol Theme [Acid Dub Studies]
Fuga Ronto - Greatest Treasure [Phantom Island]
Cruisic - Inspector Norse (Slowly Remix) [Flower Records]
Listen on Mixcloud here.