Disc jockey duo Many Hands present their first-birthday special, Basement Soul show 29, 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 musically wide-ranging DJs Jona J and Kava. Jona, whose real name is Jona Jefferies, was born in Barcelona and raised in Spain and the United Kingdom.
He 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 a DJ.
Following his time in Ibiza, Jona moved to Bristol, a city shaped by an inner-city outlook and sound-system culture, where he spent several years developing his craft. After being well received within Berlin's international music community and playing at venues across the city, he returned to the United Kingdom earlier in 2020.
Jona released Nocturnal with his longstanding friend Lewis Hopkin of Stardelta Mastering as Sapience on Tom Middleton's Sound Of The Cosmos label. The release received radio plays from DJs including Gilles Peterson, Mala and Laurent Garnier.
Originally raised in New Zealand, Kava has lived in Berlin for more than ten years. His musical background was shaped by Wellington's melodic music scene and regular exposure to Soul, Bashment, Hip Hop, Disco, House, Techno and Drum and Bass.
In New Zealand, Kava sold vinyl records and hosted shows on several radio stations. After moving to Berlin, he became an early resident of a monthly radio programme with Rodi Kirk of Scratch 22 fame.
The programme, Float Some and Jet Some, ran for a considerable period on the former Berlin Community Radio. It brought him recognition alongside appearances at venues across the German capital.
Jona and Kava met through a close ally near OYE Records in Berlin and quickly recognised a shared musical understanding. Their meeting led to Many Hands, an eclectic dance, defrag and alleviating music session held in a basement in central Berlin, hence the name Basement Soul.
Jona J and Kava perform across the rhythmic and harmonic cultural spectrum. Disco, Soul, Latin music and Afrobeat sit alongside MPCs, drum machines, Jamaicans in New York, West Africans with synthesizers and funky Euro-freaks, sometimes quirky and sometimes bashy but always for dancers.
Many Hands' Basement Soul show 29 birthday special opens with Glen Ricks' I Have Been Waiting (Version) on Emotional Rescue, bringing a Boogie foundation after the opening selection. Cleo Sol's One Love on Forever Living Originals follows with an R&B vocal focus.
J.C. Lodge's Why, released through Tommy Boy Music, introduces House Music to the programme. Freshwater People's Symptoms Of Love on PLANET TRIP brings a Baeleric turn before Vaudou Game's Anniversaire on Hot Casa Records adds Nu-Disco.
Aaron Broomfield's Boomerang on Music of The Earth returns to R&B, while Jeffrey Staten's Ain't No Stoppin' Us Now (Rap Version) on Streetheat brings in Hip Hop. The move from Broomfield's song-led cut to Staten's rap version keeps the birthday selection broad without losing its dancefloor purpose.
Nicholas takes the set into Electronica with Messages From The East on Shall Not Fade. SpyMusic's Aerodescent on DMS Country Recordings brings Broken Beat, before Marc Mac's The Dreamer on Omniverse Records introduces Trap.
Modula's Robotic Body Shake on Bordello A Parigi gives the later section an Indie Dance edge. Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra's Too Much Information (Rainy City Version) on Innervisions brings Deep House, leading into Chaos In The CBD featuring Nathan Haines and their Emotional Intelligence on !K7 Records.
Elektrik Dred's Butter Up (Gimmie Some Bread) on Sounds Of Florida Records supplies the closing stretch with Funk. Nikitch and Kuna Maze finish with the Domu remix of The Leak on Tru Thoughts, where Breaks bring the set to its final movement.
Many hands Basement Soul 29 1st Birthday Edition Part 2
Spikey T Feat. Mark Pritchard - Rise
Glen Ricks - I Have Been Waiting (Version)
Cleo Sol - One Love
JC Lodge - Why
Freshwater People - Symptoms Of Love
System Oylmpia Feat. P Nut - Falling In Love
Temu - Everybody Wants To Rule
Arp Frique - La Vérité
Vaudou Game - Anniversaire
Aaron Broomfield - Boomerang
Jeffrey Staten - Ain’t No Stoppin’ Us Now (Rap Version)
Parkwerks - Secret To Success Dub
Teyana Taylor - Still (Reggie Dokes Deep Mix)
Nicholas - Messages From The East
SpyMusic - Aerodescent
Marc Mac - The Dreamer
Benis Cletin - Jungle Music (Sofrito edit)
Peter Britto - I Want Your Love
Modula - Robotic Body Shake
Tom Bolas - Babylon Is Fallin’ (7-2-12 Extension Edit)
Aron Ottignon ft. IFÉ - Ore Yeye’O (Julien Dyne Remix)
Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra - Too Much Information (Rainy City Version)
Chaos In The CBD Feat. Nathan Haines - Emotional Intelligence
Elektrik Dred - Butter Up (Gimmie Some Bread)
Klein Zage - She’s Out There (Local Artist Cult Mix)
Nikitch & Kuna Maze - The Leak (Domu Remix)
Listen on Mixcloud here.