Disc jockey duo Many Hands, the project of Jona J and Kava, present their Basement Soul show 35 on Scientific Sound Asia. Scientific Sound Asia is an English-language electronic music radio station, DJ agency, promoter and music-news platform serving audiences in Asia and internationally.
Many Hands is the project of the musically absorbed, wide-ranging DJs Jona J and Kava. Jona's real name is Jona Jefferies, and he was born in Barcelona before being 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. He was received within Berlin's international music community, played venues across the city, and returned to the United Kingdom in early 2020.
Jona released Nocturnal as Sapience with his old friend Lewis Hopkin of Stardelta Mastering for Tom Middleton's Sound Of The Cosmos label. The collective release received radio plays from Gilles Peterson, Mala and Laurent Garnier.
Originally raised as a Kiwi, Kava has made Berlin his home for more than a decade. His musical education began in Wellington's melodic music scene, with regular doses of Soul, Bashment, Hip Hop, Disco, House, Techno and Drum and Bass.
In New Zealand, Kava sold vinyl records and hosted programmes for 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 wider recognition alongside appearances at venues throughout the German capital.
Jona and Kava met through a close ally near OYE Records in Berlin, and immediately recognised their musical compatibility. Their connection led to Many Hands and its eclectic, dance-focused basement sessions in the heart of Berlin, from which Basement Soul takes its name.
Jona J and Kava work across the rhythmic and harmonic cultural spectrum. Disco, Soul, Latin and Afrobeat sit beside MPCs and drum machines, Jamaican music in New York, West African synthesiser sounds and funky Euro-freak records.
Their selections can be quirky or bashy, but they are made for dancers. This edition of the show originally aired on Friday 19 February 2021.
Many Hands' Basement Soul show 35 episode opens with Adi Dick's Sometimes on ADI DICK MUSIC, moving from Pop into Hip Hop through Drips Zacheer's Azure on ear-sight. Key Elements' Morning Boom on Sonar Kollektiv brings in Nu-Disco, before Madlib's Riddim Chant on Madlib Invazion and Rela and Beka Gochiashvili's June on Inner Tribe add turntablism and further Hip Hop.
After Rocky Campbell's Return Of The Mack DJ Duckcomb edit and Jesse Futerman's Peaking Lights remix of Luckey, The Jack Moves bring Horror Games from Everloving into an R&B passage. Beautiful Swimmers' Dunk on Peoples Potential Unlimited introduces Disco, while Slum Village featuring Kurupt's Forth & Back on Ne'Astra Music precedes Bayete's Stargazing on Native Dance and its Zouk rhythm.
Moodymann's Hold It Down on KDJ Records turns towards Deep House, followed by Kid Sublime's Basement Works Vol.1 A Side from Rush Hour. Imagination's Changes, in the Larry Levan remix and Mr. K edit on Groovin Recordings, brings Boogie into the sequence before Tony Lee's Love So Deep Dub Mix.
Space Ghost featuring Morgan's Sim City on Tartelet Records returns to Deep House after the Aroop Roy Bruk mix of Childish Gambino and Isoul8's This Is America. System Olympia featuring Elliot Yorke's Lo-Fi Space Cowboy on Okay Nature adds Electro, before Benedek's Mr. Goods on L.I.E.S. Records, Duke Hugh featuring Renato Paris's Common Ground on Dance Regular, and Phlash & Friends' Revolution Solution Main Mix on Archive bring House Music and Breaks into focus.
Lordamercy's New Guitar New Mars follows Phlash & Friends' house-led Main Mix, keeping the latter part of the set open to less easily defined material. Pellegrino and Zodyaco's Amaremai then gives way to Danny Russell's Pay Adriano Edit.
Lonnie Liston Smith and The Space Echoes close with Sunset on RCA. The final record gives the programme a Free Jazz finish after its wide-ranging dancefloor selections.
Many Hands Basement Soul Episode 35
Adi Dick - Sometimes
Drips Zacheer - Azure
Key Elements - Morning Boom
Madlib - Riddim Chant
Rela & Beka Gochiashvili - June
Rocky Campbell - Return Of The Mack (DJ Duckcomb Edit)
Jesse Futerman Feat. Beverly Glenn-Copeland - Luckey (Peaking Lights Remix)
The Jack Moves - Horror Games
Beautiful Swimmers - Dunk
Slum Village Feat. Kurupt - Forth & Back
Sophie - Bipp (Autechre Remix)
Bayete - Stargazing
Marvin Gaye - Mandota (Instrumental)
Moodymann - Hold It Down
Kid Sublime - Basement Works Vol.1 A Side
Imagination - Changes (Larry Levan Remix / Mr. K Edit)
Tony Lee - Love So Deep (Dub Mix)
Space Ghost Feat. Morgan - Sim City
Childish Gambino, Isoul8 - This Is America (Aroop Roy Bruk Mix)
System Olympia Feat. Elliot Yorke - Lo-Fi Space Cowboy
Benedek - Mr. Goods
Duke Hugh Feat. Renato Paris - Common Ground
Phlash & Friends - Revolution Solution (Main Mix)
Lordamercy - New Guitar New Mars
Pellegrino & Zodyaco - Amaremai
Danny Russell - Pay Adriano Edit
Lonnie Liston Smith & The Space Echoes - Sunset
Listen on Mixcloud here.