Back catalogue:

Review: Given the series' longevity and high standing, it's genuinely an honour to be asked to do a DJ Kicks mix. It's for that reason that most contributors genuinely raise their game, delivering something that's not only memorable but exquisitely mixed. That's certainly the case with Tristan Hallis AKA DJ Boring, whose DJ Kicks workout slaps hard. Starting with the woozy ambient colour and dubbed-out Balearic vibes of Anthony Napes, Hallis drifts through reverb-laden electronica, blissful downtempo soundscapes and oddball outsider house, before increasing the tempo, intensity and hands-in-the-air factor immeasurably as the mix progresses. It's vibrant, kaleidoscopic and endlessly entertaining, offering a melodious, ear-catching and celebratory take on house, techno and UK bass packed to the rafters with exclusive tracks and little-known treats.

Review: Honey Dijon is exactly the sort of artist you want to hear from in the DJ-Kicks series. And she more than comes through with tracks by Blackjoy, Art of Tones, Shaboom, Kiko Navarro, and a brand-new cut from Dijon herself. Known as a fashion icon, activist, Grammy winner, and DJ, Dijon has achieved success on many fronts but always brings with her a sense of authenticity and a through line to the roots of house in Chicago. The 19-track mix marks her first commercially available compilation and showcases her deep knowledge of house music as she blends forgotten classics, dollar-bin finds, and modern tracks, including one of her own.

Review: London-based DJ and producer Steven Julien's music blends contrasts and has done so across more than a decade on labels like Eglo and his own Apron Records. In that time he has explored various styles, from house and techno to soul and boogie, often drawing on his own life experiences for inspiration. His eclecticism extends to his contribution to !K7's wonderful DJ-Kicks series in a mix that features artists like Ryuichi Sakamoto and Todd Edwards along with Julien's own tracks. The mix takes you on a proper ride from a peaceful afternoon to a euphoric night on the dancefloor, with plenty of big moments and killer jams along the way.

Review: Berlin-based Sydneysider LOGIC1000 (real name Samantha Poulter) enjoyed a prolific and productive 2024, becoming something of an in-demand DJ, producer and remixer on the back of her acclaimed debut album Mother, a typically distinctive affair that pulled deep house in a variety of woozy, melodious and inventive new directions. Her inclusion in K7's long-running DJ Kicks series is therefore well-earned. It offers a home listening-ready distillation of her sound that's notably 'calmer' (in the label's words) than her club sets. But that's no bad thing, as it allows greater exploration of experimental, downtempo and hyper-pop, alongside a string of exclusives (including the obligatory track created for the series) and some heady, mid-tempo dancefloor grooves.

Review: Will Holland's first official mix release under his most familiar alias is a snapshot of a global career spent building communities across Bogota, Brooklyn and Brighton. Opening with the warm introspection of JJ Whitefield's 'The Mind Is A Palace' and the hazy psych-funk of The Heliocentrics, the selection soon tilts into submerged electronics via Dialect and Alfa Mist's brushed jazz motifs on 'In My Defence'. JKriv's 'Pifeiro Malandro' and Quantic's own 'Twang' bring syncopated bounce, setting up cumbia futurists Frente Cumbiero and a percussive remix of 'Theme From Selva'. Later, 'Eko Eko' and a live version of 'Motivic Retrograde' thread together low-slung breaks and synth-rich ambience, before Meridian Brothers' 'Un Grande Nubarron Se Alza En El Cielo' and The Maghreban's 'Covent Garden' ramp up the oddball charm. Anna Morgan and Ehua lock in high-BPM club energy on 'Throw Dat Azz' and 'Scintille', while Turbo Sonidero's 'Kumbia ESSJ' and Sobredosis's 'No Llores Por Mi' land like final toasts to dusk before the sun vanishes entirely. The journey ends, naturally, with a continuous mix of it all.