Many Hands present Basement Soul show 14 on Scientific Sound Asia, with the DJ duo's tracklist for the programme originally aired on Friday, 20 March. Scientific Sound Asia is an 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 DJ career in the burgeoning free party and rave scene in south-west England in the early nineties.
After moving to Ibiza, he was captivated by its Balearic sound and hedonistic atmosphere and has returned regularly as both a partygoer and performer. Following Ibiza, Jona settled in Bristol, where he embraced the city’s urban energy and sound system culture.
Jona has become a familiar name in Berlin’s music scene, performing across a range of venues, and later returned to the UK. His track Nocturnal, a collaboration with Lewis Hopkin of Stardelta Mastering under the name Sapience, was released on Tom Middleton’s Sound Of The Cosmos label and received airplay from DJs including Gilles Peterson, Mala, and Laurent Garnier.
Originally from New Zealand, Kava has been based in Berlin for a decade, while his DJ journey began in Wellington. He was influenced by Soul, Bashment, Hip Hop, Disco, House Music, Techno, and Drum and Bass, and in New Zealand he contributed to vinyl culture and hosted several radio shows.
After relocating to Berlin, Kava 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 in Berlin allowed him to develop his craft and establish a reputation in the music community.
The two DJs met near Berlin’s OYE Records, recognising an immediate musical synergy. This led to the formation of Many Hands, an eclectic dance session held at Berlin’s Basement Soul.
Jona J and Kava’s sets span a broad musical spectrum, blending Disco, Soul, Latin Music, and Afrobeat with MPCs, drum machines, New York Jamaican influences, and West African rhythms on synthesizers. Their performances can be quirky or intense, but are consistently directed towards the dancers.
Many Hands Basement Soul show 14 episode opens with Pharaoh Monch’s Eht Dnarg Noisulli, placing Afro-Jazz, Funk, and Downtempo alongside the programme’s Hip Hop and Drum and Bass references. Dillinger’s No Chuck It then establishes a Reggae thread on Scandal Bag Records.
Liquid Mask’s Just A Moment brings Italo-Disco from Leader Records into the early sequence. Andrew Weatherall’s Unknown Plunderer, released by Byrd Out, follows PIL’s Careering with a more direct Techno focus.
Letta Mbulu’s Down By The River introduces Adult Contemporary on RCA Records Label before Tony Verde’s Calypso brings R&B from NG Records. Solat’s Change The World, issued through Mr Bongo, moves into Nu-Disco.
Pellegrino Pres Zodyaco’s Caucciù (Damecuta Version) and Max Essa’s The Great Adventure keep the Disco-led section in motion, with the latter appearing on Hell Yeah Recordings. Jex Opolis’s Listen to the Band, from Good Timin’, adds Synth Pop character and Indie Dance detail.
Nana Love’s Hang On Baby on BBE Music and Peter Britto’s I Want Your Love retain the vocal R&B and Nu-Disco current. Henry Wu’s Substance (IG Culture And Alex Phonzi Remix) brings Broken Beat from First Word Records before K15 & SMBD’s Oceans turns towards House Music on Apron Records.
Teengirl Fantasy’s Cheaters (John Talabot Classic Vocal Refix) leads into Tom Demac’s Serenade, a Melodic House and Techno selection on Kompakt, before Calibre’s Horange supplies Deep House from The Nothing Special. The closing run takes in Swing Ting’s Contagious Feat Fox & Tyler Daley, Harmonic 313’s Alternative cut Lion on Warp Records, and AMJ’s Sign Of The Times Feat. Joe Peng.
Many Hands Basement Soul Show 14 20th of March 2020
Pharaoh Monch - Eht Dnarg Noisulli Feat. The Stepkids
Dillinger - No Chuck It
Abbey Spells - Those Shoes
Liquid Mask - Just A Moment
PIL - Careering
Andrew Weatherall - Unknown Plunderer
Letta Mbulu - Down By The River
Tony Verde - Calypso
Solat - Change The World
Pellegrino Pres Zodyaco - Caucciù (Damecuta Version)
Max Essa - The Great Adventure
Jex Opolis - Listen to the Band
Nana Love - Hang On Baby
Peter Britto - I Want Your Love
Henry Wu - Substance (IG Culture And Alex Phonzi Remix)
K15 & SMBD - Oceans
Teengirl Fantasy - Cheaters (John Talabot Classic Vocal Refix)
Tom Demac - Serenade
Calibre - Horange
Swing Ting - Contagious Feat Fox & Tyler Daley
Harmonic 313 - Lion
AMJ - Sign Of The Times Feat. Joe Peng
Listen On Mixcloud Here.