Here is the archive of the Trace A Line podcast, featuring mixes from the likes of Nicolas Lutz, Maya Jane Coles, DeWalta, Bill Patrick, and many more amazing DJs and producers.

All the mixes were recorded somewhere between 2009 and 2016, and published exclusively on the Trace A Line website.

Some episodes are unfortunately missing from this list. If you can help us complete it, please get in touch at contact@early-reflections.com!

Trace A Line Podcast (2009-2016 Archives)

Early Reflections Podcast

With a career spanning three decades as a DJ and producer, James Dean Brown has more than one story to tell. Growing up in Frankfurt in the early 1980s, he formed a small group of aspiring electronic musicians alongside now established names such as Uwe Schmidt (atomTM), Tobias Freund (Tobias) and Martin Schopf (Dandy Jack). At a time when Techno was yet to be created, they produced and released their precursory experiments in pure DIY fashion, armed with nothing but all sorts of drum machines, cassette decks and unrestrained creativity. Through his Hypnobeat alias, founded with Pietro Insipido in 1983, James Dean Brown produced a handful of self-released cassettes that integrated early elements of contemporary club music, following the ethos of reducing electronics to the hypnotic rhythm core.

Some years later in 1996, James Dean Brown formed a new project called Narcotic Syntax, as an evolution from Hypnobeat. Through mutual friends he happened to meet Thomas Franzmann and Markus Nikolai at the same time, who went on to found the highly influential Perlon imprint in 1997. The immediate result of this new friendship was Narcotic Syntax’s debut EP “Ultravolta”, one of Perlon’s first releases, co-produced by James Dean Brown and Zip. This record, among a few others from the label’s early output, would pave the way to the sound Perlon is known for today. Narcotic Syntax evolved further when Yapacc joined the project in 2003, leading to a string of releases on Perlon and other labels, including genre-bending collaborations with singer Robert Conroy and guitarist Achim Treu.

James Dean Brown is also an incredible DJ with a wide musical knowledge, who learned his craft from some of the very best in the field, such as Ricardo Villalobos. Mixing genres with flawless precision, his sets are a unique blend of obscurities from his ever-expanding vinyl collection. His storytelling skills are beautifully showcased in the mix he sent us for the first of our series, recorded live at Club der Visionaere in Berlin. And to dig a bit deeper while listening to his set, we asked James Dean Brown a few questions about his creative vision, his relationship with music and the defining moments of his career…

Read the full story: https://early-reflections.com/mixes/james-dean-brown/

@james-dean-brown

(Er₀₁) James Dean Brown

The next episode of our series comes from Cahl Sel, a young DJ and producer based in San Francisco. He released his first EP last year on Reflective Records, which was founded 30 years ago by his father, the legendary Jonah Sharp aka Spacetime Continuum.

His mix for our series is a mesmerizing journey through 90s electronica and beyond, featuring ambient classics and forgotten gems from The Black Dog, Global Communication, Single Cell Orchestra, and much more. Prepare to be transported to a state of pure sonic bliss as you lean back, close your eyes, and allow Cahl Sel's masterful selection to carry you away.

Read the full story: early-reflections.com/mixes/cahl-sel/

@cahlsel

(Er₀₂) Cahl Sel

Andrey Ramonov stands as one of those rare DJs who seem comfortable in any style of electronic music. A quick glance at his online mixes demonstrates how eclectic his record collection is: traversing from jungle to downtempo, ambient to deep house, it becomes clear there is no style the man hasn’t already explored.

His podcast for us is a rollercoaster blend of early 90s house chuggers, mixed in a single take with his signature “20 tracks per hour” pace, giving the set an old school quality that perfectly complements the raw energy of the individual tracks.

Read the full story: early-reflections.com/mixes/andrey-ramonov/

@andrey-ramonov

(Er₀₃) Andrey Ramonov

Dju:n hails from Brest, a rave stronghold that has been hosting the legendary Astropolis for almost 30 years, considered the oldest electronic music festival in France.

As part of a young generation of DJs who continually blur the boundaries between styles, she quickly stood out for the density of her selections blending techno, electro, breakbeat, juke, trance, jungle… It’s difficult to label her as her sonic identity constantly evolves, much like a certain Miss Kittin, whom Dju:n cites among her main influences. However, one constant remains in her sets: a high BPM and a galvanizing energy that sweeps everything in its path.

Dju:n’s mix is a perfect introduction to this scene for those who haven’t already explored it. It showcases the exhilarating energy that defines her trademark, catalyzed by her effortless mixing and a skillful use of vocals for added groove. A hypnotic ride full of twists and turns, equally suitable for home or warehouse listening.

Read the full story: https://early-reflections.com/mixes/djun/

@dju-n

(Er₀₄) Dju:n

For about fifteen years now, I’ve closely followed the journey of Ed Isar. His work influenced me way back in the early 2010s when he was writing articles on Get The Curse, by far the best French electronic music blog at the time, and a true lighthouse for an entire generation of music geeks. Not only do I owe some of my most crucial musical discoveries to this website (such as Donato Dozzy…), but it also played a pivotal role in shaping the foundation of our own previous collective, Trace A Line.

Highly active in the Parisian underground scene, Ed frequently performs as a DJ in clubs such as La Rotonde or La Station, where he also curates his own nights. His sets flow seamlessly across the spectrum of electronic music, always with the goal of connecting the dots between disparate eras and scenes yet linked by a certain common thread. His mix for our series reflects a more introspective facet of his sonic palette, where each track slowly unfolds to create a dreamy ensemble reminiscent of those 5am meditations in the chill-out room.

Read the full story: early-reflections.com/mixes/ed-isar/

@ed-isar

(Er₀₅) Ed Isar

Only quite recently did I start delving deep into the contemporary Belgian electronic music scene, realizing how central and defining it has been for my musical obsessions over the last few years.

The amount of talent I discovered along the way has been truly remarkable, showing that Belgium still stands out as one of the most exciting and dedicated countries in the world of electronic music.

Kim Kenis is an esteemed member of this new generation of Belgian electronic music artists. Originating from a trance background, Kim spent many years dancing at legendary venues like Fuse and Cherry Moon before finally stepping behind the decks. Drawing from her rich clubbing history and acute understanding of dancefloor dynamics, she quickly earned the opportunity to share her record collection at Waking Life, Paradise City, Funke and other iconic spots.

Kim often cites Giegling and Dial as important influences, which is evident in her selections ranging from floaty house grooves to dub techno, ambient, and everything in between. Unbothered by the ongoing trend to play fast and bumpy, Kim’s sound leans towards the deeper edge of the spectrum, as demonstrated by her mix for our series. Moods and rhythms flow elegantly into each other, creating a scenery of immersive soundscapes both dark and blissful at the same time.

Describing her approach to the mix, Kim says: "This set was recorded during a night hanging out at our house in the woods. I started digging into my folder/crate titled 'Bliss' using nature and the surroundings here as a starting point. It had to be a set that makes you feel good and warm. A story on the way to nirvana. A state of freedom from suffering and rebirth."

Just have a listen, and you’ll know exactly what she means.

Read the full story: early-reflections.com/mixes/kim-kenis/

@kimkenis

(Er₀₆) Kim Kenis

When she’s not busy shaping young minds in the classroom, Norfn is spinning house and downtempo at various venues across Northern England, with a particular focus on her current base in Leeds. Renowned as a bastion of house music, the city owes part of its contemporary musical heritage to collectives such as Butter Side Up and Louche, which have left a lasting influence on our guest.

Norfn’s passion for music dates back to her early years, her dad being a DJ himself when she was born. After years of digging and exploring a wide range of genres, she eventually got hooked on electronic music while studying at university in Leeds in the early 2010s. From there, her eclectic selections of house, disco and downtempo earned her a solid reputation within the local scene, securing gigs and sharing stages with acclaimed artists like Mall Grab, Interplanetary Criminal, and Skream. In addition to DJing, Norfn has been at the helm of the Run The Rhythm imprint since early 2022, curating a collection of high-quality deep house releases from underground UK producers such as Trippers Anonymous and Kerouac.

Norfn’s ER podcast is a celebration of her main influences, both old and new. Jacking drums, groovy basslines and sweet melodies sprinkle this well balanced journey through the realms of deep and tech house, offering a glimpse into her playful yet sophisticated sound.

Read the full story: early-reflections.com/mixes/norfn/

@norfn93

(Er₀₇) Norfn

Line_out has been collecting Drum & Bass records for 26 years, ever since he fell in love with the genre through the "Jungle Tekno 4" compilation in 1994. His collection includes thousands of references from almost every mutation D&B has undergone since the early 1990s. From Jungle, Darkside, Neurofunk, Techstep, and Drumfunk, there isn’t a single flavor of Drum & Bass he hasn’t already explored, which is a testament to his boundless knowledge of this particular field of electronic music.

Alongside his DJing, Line_out also used to run three vinyl labels exclusively dedicated to Drum & Bass, on which he released many records, old and new, mainly from obscure Russian and Ukrainian producers. Since settling in Serbia in 2022, his focus has been on making a name for himself as a DJ in the local scene, while waiting for an opportunity to release more music on vinyl in the future.

Line_out’s mix is a masterful showcase of his skills behind the decks, the kind of flawless precision that only years of experience and an unwavering dedication to the craft can bring. If you’ve always thought Drum & Bass wasn’t for you, give this set a listen, and you'll appreciate all the richness and subtlety that this genre and its many variations have to offer.

Read the full story: https://early-reflections.com/mixes/line_out/

@line-out

(Er₀₈) Line_out

Ikigai’s journey with electronic music began earlier than most, at the tender age of three. When her father, himself a musician, gifted her a Casio synthesizer, she quickly began losing track of time while exploring these strange electronic sounds.

This early experience sparked a deep passion for music, which persisted throughout her years growing up in Kyiv. Being born and raised in Ukraine, the legendary KaZantip festival greatly influenced young Katya, whose biggest dream was to attend the event once she was old enough. Unfortunately, Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula, where KaZantip was located, thwarted her plan, as the festival gradually lost its authenticity until its definitive end some years later.

After the Revolution of Dignity in 2014, the Ukrainian underground music scene began developing rapidly, especially in Kyiv. Popular venues such as the newly founded Closer brought together a tight-knit community of local and international artists, providing Katya the perfect playground to discover new music and meet like-minded dancers. She quickly started buying records and DJing, eventually organizing her own underground parties in Kyiv through her collective, Escaped.

Katya’s style spans many genres of electronic music. After discovering her work through her amazing podcast for SW:IDR, filled with moody downtempo and IDM vibes, I was curious to find out what the dancier side of her collection might sound like. This mix is the result, and it doesn’t disappoint.

Read the full story: https://early-reflections.com/mixes/ikigai/

@katin_ikigai

(Er₀₉) Ikigai

When I told Roger 23 that I would be writing a piece to accompany his mix, he offered a single rule: “Keep it simple.” Often seen as a mysterious figure, my interactions with him revealed a generous and passionate artist, albeit with a distaste for self-promotion.

Operating from Saarbrücken, just a few kilometers from the French-German border, he has built a compact but impeccable discography over the past 20 years, with releases on Playhouse, Volt Musik (a label run by Swayzak, with whom he was long associated), and more recently Ilian Tape. His diverse sonic explorations as both musician and DJ defy categorization, which may explain why he isn’t as widely appreciated as he deserves.

From our very first conversations, he immediately asked if I had a guiding theme to propose for his mix. Knowing Roger 23’s versatility behind the decks, I saw an opportunity to challenge him by suggesting a slightly dystopian narrative framework, inspired by his strong affection for vinyl.

“In a near-future world ruled by an authoritarian technocracy, a campaign is launched to eradicate all physical music formats, forcing citizens to access only state-approved music through controlled online platforms. When a massive network collapse suddenly disrupts all streaming services, a group of rebellious misfits organizes a secret rave in an abandoned data center, playing records they’ve covertly preserved from their collections. As the warm-up DJ for the night, you decide to record your set, capturing the moment and preserving its memory for future generations.”

From the very first seconds, Roger 23 pulls us into this dark, futuristic world, tracing the evolution of electronic music over the last four decades. The cold concrete walls resonate with 80s German synth-pop, Psychic TV experiments, industrial oddities, and the sharp beats of Dopplereffekt, mesmerizing the sparse crowd of dancing bodies as if it were 2024. Be sure to save this mix on a USB drive and hide it away; you never know what the future may hold…

Read the full story: early-reflections.com/mixes/roger-23/

@roger23

(Er₁₀) Roger 23

Trace A Line Podcast

(TAL147) Medicis – 17.04.2016

(TAL146) Alex Troubetzkoy – 30.03.2016

(TAL145) Zaquoir – 03.08.2015

(TAL143) Riohv - 25.06.2015

(TAL141) Théo Muller - 26.02.2015

(TAL140) Dilated Pupils – 29.01.2015

(TAL137) Dorisburg - 16.10.2014

(TAL136) Masomenos - 23.09.2014

(TAL113) Jesper Dahlbäck aka The Persuader - 19.07.2013

(TAL105) Delano Smith - 06.03.2013

(TAL080) Fred P. aka Black Jazz Consortium – 13.04.2012

(TAL074) Dewalta - 10.03.2012

(TAL066) Nicolas Lutz - 11.12.2011

(TAL064) Taimur Agha – 24.11.2011

(TAL062) Funkalicious James – 15.11.2011

(TAL056) Scratch Massive - 16.09.2011

(TAL031) Exercise One – 15.01.2011

(TAL03) The Love Supreme - 19.01.2010

(TAL024) Zhao - 28.09.2010

(TAL023) Maya Jane Coles - 21.09.2010

(TAL02) Florian Meindl - 12.01.2010

(TAL011) Photonz - 07.04.2010

Early Reflections is an electronic music platform launched in 2023 and based in Paris, France.

Through a collection of mixes, interviews and reviews, our goal is to bridge the gap between the past and the present across the entire spectrum of electronic music.

For any enquiries: filip.earlyreflections@gmail.com

https://early-reflections.com

Early Reflections

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