Musical duo Many Hands (Berlin) presented Basement Soul 03 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 project of eclectic DJs Jona Jefferies and Kava, whose shared interest in music crosses cultural and stylistic boundaries. Their collaborative selections bring electronic beats and world rhythms together in sets shaped for both listening and dancing.
Jona Jefferies was born in Barcelona and grew up between Spain and the UK. He began DJing in the DIY free-party and rave scene of south-west England during the 1990s.
He later moved to Ibiza, where the island's Balearic sound and hedonistic lifestyle influenced him, and he became a regular visitor. Jona subsequently settled in Bristol, a city he associated with an urban outlook and sound-system culture, where he lived for many years.
At the time of publication, Jona was based in Berlin and performed at venues across the city's international music scene. His release 'Nocturnal' was a Sapience project with longtime friend Lewis Hopkin of Stardelta Mastering, issued through Tom Middleton's Sound Of The Cosmos label.
The release received recognition and airplay from Gilles Peterson, Mala and Laurent Garnier. Although Jona mainly performed in Europe, he had also extended his activity to numerous venues across Asia.
Kava is a DJ from New Zealand who had lived in Berlin for ten years at the time this programme was published. He developed his skills in Wellington's music scene, where he encountered Soul, Bashment, Hip Hop, Disco, House, Techno and Drum n Bass on a regular basis.
While in New Zealand, Kava distributed vinyl nationwide and hosted several radio shows on local stations. He performed as a DJ worldwide, progressing from local events and underground clubs to national festivals, RBMA in São Paulo and appearances across the Asia-Pacific region.
His mixing style and varied selections led to support slots for Fat Freddy's Drop, Dave Clark and DJ Marky. After moving to Berlin, he co-hosted the monthly Float Some and Jet Some programme with Rodi Kirk of Scratch 22 on the now-defunct Berlin Community Radio, while also playing at venues around the city.
Jona and Kava met through a mutual friend near OYE Records in Berlin, recognised a shared musical outlook and began working together. Their collaboration became Many Hands, a music event centred on dance, relaxation and defragmentation in a central-Berlin basement, giving the Basement Soul series its name.
Jona J and Kava draw on rhythmic and harmonic styles from a range of cultures, combining Disco, Soul, Latin and Afrobeat with MPCs and drum machines. Their selections bring together Jamaicans in New York, West Africans using synthesisers and funky Euro-freaks, with material that can be quirky or energetic while keeping dancers moving.
Many Hands Basement Soul 03 podcast opens with MF DOOM and Sade’s “Air,” introducing Hip Hop before Idjut Boys supply the first House Music selection. Kaytranada and Phonte return to hip hop, while Beringei’s “The People The Place” brings the programme back to house.
Dego adds broken beat with “We’ve Been Here Before,” followed by Dom Bird’s Indie Dance track “Invisible Man.” Fred Fisher Atalobhor and His Ogiza Dance Band introduce Afrobeat, while The Mauskovic Dance Band shifts into Electronica.
Clément Djimogne’s Sofrito Disco Dub adds a Disco influence before Pellegrino’s “Genti Del Mediterraneo.” Needs supplies another house cut, while Soul Parlor moves into Breaks with “One For You.”
The middle section brings Jazz Music through 12 Senses and Pharoah Sanders, separated by Bryce Hackford’s disco house edit. Psychic Mirrors adds R&B before Little Dragon returns to indie dance with “Ritual Union.”
Nu-Era featuring Senay, Madteo and Montezumas Rache form a later sequence of house selections, with Lord Julien’s “Shades” placed between them despite having no confirmed genre in the supplied tracklist. Nick Ingman closes the show with Kenny Dixon Jr.’s edit of “Throng,” bringing Deep House into the final position.
Basement Soul Show 03 by Many Hands
MF DOOM x Sade - Air [Proved Records]
Idjut Boys - Dub Shine [Smalltown Supersound]
Kaytranada feat. Phonte - One Too Many [XL Recordings]
Beringei - The People The Place [WotNot Music]
Dego - We've Been Here Before [BBQ]
Dom Bird - Invisible Man [Beats Of No Nation]
Fred Fisher Atalobhor & His Ogiza Dance Band - Asa-Sa [Vampisoul]
The Mauskovic Dance Band - Down In The Basement [Soundway Records]
Clément Djimogne - Money Make Man Mad (Sofrito Disco Dub) [Sofrito Super Singles]
Pellegrino - Genti Del Mediterraneo [Early Sounds Recordings]
Needs - Walkin' Thru Circles (Full Expansion) [Rush Hour]
Soul Parlor - One For You [CoOp Presents]
12 Senses - Touch [Creak Inc. Records]
Bryce Hackford - You Get High In NYC (Bryce Hackford Edit) [Do You Records]
Pharoah Sanders - Got To Give It Up [Arista/Legacy]
Psychic Mirrors - Charlene [Cosmic Chronic Records]
Little Dragon - Ritual Union [Peacefrog Records]
Nu-Era feat. Senay - Starlight [Omniverse Records]
Madteo - V.C. Disco Mix (12" Version, DJ Sotofett Edit) [M.A.D.T.E.O. Records]
Lord Julien - Shades [Wonderful Noise Productions]
Montezumas Rache - Wu Du Wu [Second Circle]
Nick Ingman - Throng (Kenny Dixon Jr. Edit) [Private Collection]
Listen on Mixcloud here.