At Field Maneuvers 2023, Optimo (Espacio) played the final set in the Sputnik tent as part of the Watching Trees takeover. "We expected everyone to be on their final reserves of energy," they said. "But it was instantly apparent that there was electric energy in the tent. It ended up being one of the most joyous, life-affirming gigs of [the year]."

@optimo-music @fieldmaneuvers

Find out more about Field Maneuvers 2024: https://ra.co/news/80472

RA Live - Optimo (Espacio) - Field Maneuvers, UK

Djax-Re-Up

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For RA.1000, we take it back to the source with two never-before-heard tapes from Frankie Knuckles's private collection

There is no house music without Frankie Knuckles, literally or figuratively. The queer icon's luxurious DJ sets at Chicago's Warehouse gave a rising movement its name. From there, countless offshoots splintered and travelled the globe. But what did the genesis and growth of the sound really feel like?

The Godfather of House left behind not only timeless records, but personalised cassettes with hand-drawn liner notes handed out to friends and family. Two of those, dated to 1989 and 1996, have been digitised especially for RA.1000. (Thank you to the Frankie Knuckles Foundation.)

To put that in context: the first tape predates not only many of today's active clubbers, but the entire existence of jungle, drum & bass, UK garage, French touch, Jersey club, Afrobeats, IDM, baile funk, hardcore, footwork, dubstep, dub techno, tech house, breaks, minimal, maximal, gqom, gabber, grime and hyperpop.

In short… that's a very, very long time ago. The world of dance music was much smaller. DJ culture was functionally unrecognisable from the one we see in 2025. 

And yet, to some degree, what you'll hear on RA.1000 hasn't changed at all. It's a capture of not only what made Frankie Knuckles one of the beloved pioneers of first-generation dance music, but what draws people to club culture in the first place.

The mood on these Frankie Knuckles sets outlasts even its creator: a spirit of optimism that floods the world's best dance floors and keeps dance music pulsing on into the future, nearly 40 years later, in spite of it all. We end our 1000th mix celebrations here because it all starts there.

Find the tracklist at ra.co/podcast/1018. Listen to all RA.1000 mixes, as well as the complete history of the RA Podcast, at https://1000.ra.co

RA.1000 Frankie Knuckles

CC:DISCO! at Ring, Horst Arts & Music 2025

Cakebeat, Fabba, Lovecore, whatever !  

https://www.instagram.com/Angel_d_lite
https://www.soundcloud.com/angeldlite



Angel D’lite @ The Lot Radio 10-20-2025

Recording of my all nighter on Sunday at Podlasie. This was a really wonderful intimate party, a couple dozen folks streaming in and out throughout the evening while I played a huge stack of records to my hearts content. Enjoy the music!

Inés "All Night Long" @ Podlasie

Two Field Maneuvers favourites serve up just under two hours of delirious, '90s rave-flavoured delights. 

@fieldmaneuvers
@angeldlite
@ecstasygaragedisco

RA Live - Angel D'lite b2b Joe Nonlocal - Field Maneuvers 2025, UK

Watch on Youtube

Palms Trax at The Lot Radio o5.11.25

Roman Flugel - 15 November 2025

Recording of NIK's set at The Loop stage during Dekmantel Festival 2025.

NIKS at The Loop - Dekmantel Festival 2025

excerpt live recording from Cocktail d’Amore, December 2016

Powder at Cocktail d'Amore December 2016

Amsterdam based DJs, events company and record label. - support@dekmantel.com for all your webshop and label enquiries.

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dekmantel

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