Many Hands DJ duo release track list for 'Basement Soul' 49.

Disc jockey duo Many Hands have published the playlist for Basement Soul episode 49. Scientific Sound Asia is an Asian electronic music station serving expatriates and local listeners across the region and internationally.

Many Hands is a DJ project formed by Jona J and Kava, two selectors with deep roots in underground music culture. Jona J, whose real name is Jona Jefferies, was born in Barcelona and raised between Spain and the United Kingdom. He began DJing in the early 1990s within the free party and rave scene of South West England before relocating to Ibiza, where he became immersed in the island’s Balearic sound and open-minded musical ethos. Since then, Ibiza has remained a recurring influence throughout his journey, both as a raver and a DJ.

Following his time on the island, Jona moved to Bristol, absorbing the city’s sound system culture and inner-city musical mentality. After several years refining his craft there, he relocated to Berlin, where he became part of the city’s international underground scene, performing at a range of venues across the capital. In early 2020, he returned to the United Kingdom.

Separately from Many Hands, Jona Jefferies is also active through his own label and production work. His release Nocturnal, a collaboration with Lewis Hopkin under the name Sapience for Tom Middleton’s Sound of the Cosmos label, gained international attention and radio support from DJs including Gilles Peterson, Mala and Laurent Garnier.

Kava, originally from New Zealand, has been based in Berlin for over a decade. His musical foundations were shaped within Wellington’s diverse scene, drawing from soul, hip hop, disco, house, techno and drum and bass. Before moving to Germany, he was involved in vinyl retail and hosted radio shows across multiple stations in New Zealand.

After relocating to Berlin, Kava became a resident on the now-defunct Berlin Community Radio, hosting Float Some and Jet Some alongside Rodi Kirk of Scratch 22. He also performed regularly at venues throughout the German capital, developing a reputation for wide-ranging, rhythm-led selections.

Jona J and Kava met through mutual connections around OYE Records in Berlin, quickly recognising a shared musical sensibility. This led to the formation of Many Hands, a DJ project rooted in eclectic, dancefloor-focused sessions held in basement spaces, giving rise to the Basement Soul concept.

As a duo, Many Hands explore a broad musical spectrum where disco, soul, Latin and Afrobeat intersect with drum machines, MPC rhythms and electronic textures. Their selections move fluidly between genres, sometimes raw, sometimes playful, but always centred on the dancefloor.

Record collectors and late-night diggers at heart, Jona J and Kava bring decades of experience into Basement Soul, channelling their shared background in underground culture into sessions designed for dark rooms, heavy systems and open-minded dancers.

Many Hands Basement Soul 49 opens with a strong musical statement, moving from a jazz-leaning reinterpretation of Textures into grounded Hip Hop selections that set a confident and contemporary tone. The early flow balances rhythm and space, allowing instrumental jazz influences and vocal-driven tracks to sit comfortably side by side without forcing transitions.

As the mix unfolds, Street Soul, Lovers Rock and Jazzy Hip Hop deepen the warmth, with smoother tempos and relaxed grooves shaping the centre of the journey. Balearic and downtempo elements bring a sun-faded feel, while Disco House subtly lifts the energy without breaking the laid-back character that defines Basement Soul.

Midway through, the selection becomes more eclectic, weaving Post Punk, dub-influenced textures and Mediterranean jazz fusion into Jazz-Funk and UK Street Soul. Boogie and Synth-pop selections reinforce the episode’s nostalgic edge, nodding to vintage influences while keeping the mix contemporary and fluid.

The closing stretch leans back into Nu Disco, Disco and funk-rooted material, finishing with soulful dancefloor energy and a touch of RnB-inflected house. Episode 49 closes as a cohesive and expressive session, reflecting Many Hands’ ability to bridge genres while maintaining a consistent soulful identity from start to finish.

Many Hands 'Basement Soul' episode 49.

Herbie Hancock - Textures (Dan Akidos Earshot Edit) [Soundcloud]

Little Simz - Gorilla [Forever Living Originals / AWAL]

Haz Beatz - 55 to Shoreditch [Low Key Source]

AD90 & ABC - Gold Tops (AD90 Mix) [Bandcamp]

Ruf Dug & Private Joy - Don’t Five In (Street Soul Version) [International Feel]

Mike Brooks - On The Ice [Backatcha Records]

Crusic - Jazz Carnival [Bandcamp]

J-Walk - Equinox Desire [Before I Die]

Admin - Halo [Bandcamp]

Saāda Bonaire - So Many Dreams (Amek Live Dub) [Captured Tracks]

Pellegrino & Zodyaco - Quimere (Selezioni Mix) [Early Sounds Recordings]

STR4TA - When You Call Me [Brownswood Recordings]

Beverly Skeete - Warm [Elite]

Adele Berti - Build Me A Bridge [Geffen Records]

Adelle First - Don’t Give Up (Dub Mix) [Kalita]

K.G. Russel - Last Dance [Crown Ruler Records]

SMTHNG SMTIME (Ed Seven & Megatronic) - Luck [Razor-N-Tape Records]

Il Mare di Fronte - Il Mare di Fronte (DJ Rocca Selsedine Remix) [Flankup Recordings]

Portia Carey - Special (Dub Mix) [Backatcha Records]

Witch - Waile [Bandcamp]

Malcom Strachan - Cut to the Chase [Haggis Records]

Au Suisse - Thing [Bandcamp]

Missy Elliot - Beep me 911 (Instrumental) [EastWest]

Omar S & Troialexsis - Can’t Explain (RnB Mix) [FXHE Records]

Listen on Mixcloud here.