Berlin DJ duo Many Hands present Basement Soul Show 11 on Scientific Sound Asia. Scientific Sound Asia is an English-language electronic music radio station, promoter and music-news platform connecting audiences across Asia and internationally.
Many Hands is the creative project of versatile DJs Jona J and Kava. Jona Jefferies, born in Barcelona and raised between Spain and the UK, began his career in the DIY 1990s free-party and rave scene in south-west England.
After moving to Ibiza, he became captivated by the island’s Balearic sound and hedonistic style, and has continued to visit regularly. Following his time in Ibiza, Jona settled in Bristol, where he embraced the city’s urban energy and sound-system culture.
Jona has been a regular on Berlin’s music scene, performing at numerous venues across the city, before returning to the UK with family in mind. His track Nocturnal, a collaboration with long-time friend Lewis Hopkin of Stardelta Mastering as Sapience, was released on Tom Middleton’s Sound Of The Cosmos label and received airplay from Gilles Peterson, Mala and Laurent Garnier.
Kava, originally from New Zealand, has lived in Berlin for over a decade. His DJ journey began in Wellington, where he was influenced by Soul, Bashment, Hip Hop, Disco, House, Techno and Drum and Bass.
In New Zealand, Kava championed vinyl culture and hosted numerous radio shows. His musical journey has taken him worldwide, from local raves and basement clubs to festivals across Asia and Brazil.
Known for his broad musical knowledge and distinct mixing style, Kava has opened for Fat Freddy’s Drop, Dave Clark and DJ Marky. In Berlin, he became a resident on Float Some and Jet Some, a monthly radio show co-hosted with Rodi Kirk of Scratch 22 fame on Berlin Community Radio, which has since closed.
His time on air and performances around Berlin honed his craft and strengthened his presence in the city’s music scene. The two DJs met through a mutual friend at OYE Records in Berlin, where they discovered a shared musical affinity.
That connection led to Many Hands, an eclectic dance and defrag session in Berlin’s Basement Soul scene. Jona J and Kava’s sets combine Disco, Soul, Latin and Afrobeat with MPCs, drum machines, Jamaican beats from New York and West African rhythms on synthesizers.
Many Hands Basement Soul Show 11 episode opens with Idid'ntdothis’s Mean Love Edit, followed by Top Secret Bangers’ Track 7. Cici Kizlar’s Gemcim Yaçami Severim and Top Secret Bangers’ Track 37 extend the opening selection before the set changes direction.
Freddie Gibbs and Madlib’s Half Manne Half Cocaine (inst) sits beside Dego featuring Lady Alma’s Just Leave It before Steve Spacek’s Rawl Aredo brings Deep House from Black Focus Records into view. Tom Noble’s Flashlight, released through Rush Hour, follows with Nu-Disco detail.
Delfonic’s M’s Rise to the Top brings Funk through Toy Tonics, while Plustwo’s Stop Fantasy supplies Acid House on Light Sounds Dark. Ernie Ruso’s Holla, issued by Aftrwrk, keeps the rhythm centred on Funk before Kamasi Washington’s Re Run Home (Kon Edit) enters the sequence.
Steve Watson’s Born To Boogie adds Rap/Hip Hop from Rush Hour, and Soccer96’s Flight Formation (D.Krivit Edit) follows with Future Jazz on WotNot Music. Local Artist’s Ozone, released by Rhythm Section International, then establishes a House Music passage.
Danny Russell’s Got to Have Your Dub precedes BOOF’s Birgit Boogie, whose BubbleTease Communications release brings Disco into the later stretch. JS’s Sat Night leads into Jimmy Edgar’s This One’s for the Children, released on Hotflush Recordings.
A Made Up Sound’s Take the Plunge (Beat Mix) introduces Breaks through the artist’s own label, before Joy O’s HYPH MNGO follows. Herbert closes the programme with Close To Me on Accidental Records Ltd, returning the set to the measured pace of Deep House.
Many Hands Basement Soul Show 11 31st of January 2020
Idid'ntdothis - Mean Love Edit
Top Secret Bangers - Track 7
Cici Kizlar - Gemcim Yaçami Severim
Top Secret Bangers - Track 37
Freddie Gibbs & Madlib - Half Manne Half Cocaine (inst)
Dego ft. Lady Alma - Just Leave It
Steve Spacek - Rawl Aredo
Tom Noble - Flashlight
Delfonic - M's Rise To The Top
Plus Two - Stop Fantasy
Ernie Ruso - Holla
Kamasi Washington - Re Run Home (Kon Edit)
Steve Watson - Born To Boogie
Soccer96 - Flight Formation (D.Krivit Edit)
Local Artist - Ozone
Danny Russell - Got to Have Your Dub
BOOF - Birgit Boogie
JS - Sat Night
Jimmy Edgar - This One's For The Children
A Made Up Sound - Take The Plunge (Beat Mix)
Joy O - HYPH MNGO
Herbert - Close To Me
Listen On Mixcloud Here.