Tracklist: https://bit.ly/batucovmix
Read the cover feature: https://bit.ly/mixmagbatu

A sonic wormhole of a mix from our cover star @batuuk, marking 10 years of his essential @timedance imprint.

"The mix is a journey from the centre of the earth's core outwards into space. Stopping off at a space lounge before we come back to Mars to relax on deckchairs by the big Ikea."

Read the cover feature

The Cover Mix: Batu

The New York-based journalist talks about her breakout book, Mood Machine, live from Soft Centre Festival in Sydney.

As we approach the end of 2025, it's clear that one of the year's most zeitgeist-defining books has been Liz Pelly's Mood Machine: The Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist. The New York-based writer has been on a promotional tour, speaking at festivals around the world, and one of her recent stops was at Soft Centre in Sydney, where this Exchange was recorded live with writer, editor and DJ Audrey Pfister.

Pelly's background is in the DIY scene, college radio and independent alt weeklies, all of which ignited her interest in writing about music. Over the last few years, she has become an outspoken advocate for underground music, and an incisive critic of how the streaming economy has debilitated independent artistry. In this conversation, she unpacks some of her book's main conceits. Spotify, for example, was originally designed around advertising models rather than music-first models, which is why it rewards music that performs well at scale. She explains how that's created so much growing inequity in what performs well on the platform, and she also draws fascinating parallels between the streaming economy and digital media.

Mood Machine ends on a somewhat hopeful note, and Pelly proposes some solutions: as custodians of the independent music scene, we have a responsibility to go to live shows, subscribe to emerging DIY media projects and give money directly to artists by buying their music and merch. Listen to the episode in full. -Chloe Lula

EX.780 Liz Pelly

DJ Stingray 313 invites Viikatory - 27 October 2025

Ciel B2B Zeynep - 30 October 2025

Hessle Audio feat. Akanbi & Mattias El Mansouri - 03 November 2025

Fever AM with Rhyw - 05 November 2025

Pariah presents Voam- 06 November 2025

JASSS (Silvia Jiménez Alvarez) is a Berlin-based DJ, producer, and sound artist from Asturias, Spain. A former resident at OHM and Berghain's Säule, her 2017 debut Weightless on iDEAL propelled her onto the global stage, with performances at Sónar, MUTEK, and beyond. She has held residencies at EMS Stockholm, Galeria Zé dos Bois, and Villa Massimo. In 2020, she released Turbo Olé / We Solve This Talking on Whities, further cementing her avant-garde approach.



Europalia x Listen w/ JASSS @ Kiosk Radio 08.11.2025

Wisdom Teeth with Shielding - 09 November 2025

mad miran & Peder Mannerfelt at Dekmantel Selectors 2025

Assembly Mix 002 - Puncta

Event series and label, based in Liverpool, UK

Assembly Mix 002 - Puncta

Assembly Liverpool

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