Spontaneous Affinity

@sisterzo is a DJ, producer, and writer, newly based in Colombus, Ohio after establishing herself in the music scene of Kansas City, Missouri. She is a co-founder of @untuckcollective, a queer/trans/femme/nonbinary collective based in Kansas City. Her mix is unadulterated summer fun full of bouncy basslines and cheeky vocals - she described it best herself: "It’s giving sweat, sunsets, poppers and good clean ecstasy."

Read the full interview:
spontaneous.zone/037-sister-zo.html

"When I started to conceive of this mix, I had a very strong feeling—as I’m sure many of us did around this time (May-June)—of desperately wanting to return to the light of a good, cathartic club night.

The Pandemic had shifted my musical tastes away from house, techno, bass music etc. and sent me down this rabbit hole of slower (and faster) tempos and rhythms. This mix was sort of a self-directed return to upbeat, driving house and techno—a spell for manifesting eventual joy and collective movement on the dancefloor, or a field somewhere. It’s giving sweat, sunsets, poppers and good clean ecstasy. I recorded the mix at home on CDJ 2000s and a DJM900."

@sisterzo / @untuckcollective

Read Interview

Spontaneous Affinity #037: Sister Zo

Heat Check (aka @amani-green) is a DJ based in Melbourne/Narrm, Australia. Their DJing (and their mix for us) is as fast-paced and fun-filled as it is vulnerable, emotional, and community-driven: "The starting point was finding music by people that I really care about, and music that I have some emotional connection with, and I suppose the individual expression aspect was how to stitch them together in a way that felt coherent and tried to do justice to the work these people have done."

Read the full interview and see a tracklist:
spontaneous.zone/038-heat-check.html

"You first asked me to do this mix just over a year ago. So the first time I thought about it, it was July 2020. The US was a total shit show and I was so worried about you and all my friends over there, as well as, of course, my friends and family in other parts of the world.

I was thinking about how it would be a long time until I was able to travel again, and to see my people overseas. I wanted to record something that was like a love letter to my friends in the US, my friends who are a part of your community. To put together a lot of the music that I love that gets made here in Narrm or so-called Melbourne, and send it over to you. It was going to feel like a way of connecting my community here with my community over there.

I didn’t record the mix then, and a lot has happened since. At the end of last year, I lost one of my dear friends, Bridget Flack, who DJed as DJ Brigida. She was a really important person in my life, as well as in our local scene and community. We went through a long lockdown last year, and she was instrumental in getting me through it. I spent so much of last year thinking about the dumb tunes I wanted to send her, what we would play at parties together, the kinds of parties we would throw when it was safe and legal to do so. She hosted a bunch of live streams, some of which I played on; it was a way of us staying connected. It also really built my confidence and ability as a DJ.

Since she died, I lost a lot of my love for music. I didn’t want to dig or DJ; it felt hollow. And the last few months have been a period of recapturing that love for me. So the other part of what inspired this mix was tracks that I have played for her, tracks that make me think of her. Aspects of it were built off the bones of a set I played on one of her streams last year. The last track of this mix is one of her acoustic recordings from last year. So this mix is dedicated to her, and to our friendship, and I would like to think she would be proud of it.

Based on those two premises, there’s a lot of emotions tied into this mix. It is at once an expression of the sadness, anger and love associated with the friends I miss, because they are gone or far away. Making it kind of helped me process those feelings and put them into something creative.

In terms of the gear I used, I recorded with my Xone-23 mixer and a little Lexicon sound card I borrowed (continuously for over a year now) from my friend and former housemate Jimmy. I recorded this mix in a brief, 3-week lockdown in July, the first week of which saw one of my little old CDJ350s break, so I borrowed the Cool Room XDJ1000s. So basically almost none of the gear was my own."

@amani-green

Interview + Tracklist

Spontaneous Affinity #038: Heat Check

Under both of his aliases—Widow for deep, atmospheric techno and Cicada for mostly longform ambient compositions—multimedia artist and writer @widowbeats specializes in telling stories and building complex, layered cinematic worlds. At Monument Magazine, and as a founder of Studio 72 & Provoke (a party series alongside A.M.D in NYC), he helps explore and elevate the stories of other artists, too. His mix for Spontaneous Affinity is musical world-building at its best, driven by subtle percussion, expansive textures, and a sense of mystery.

"This mix can be considered a direct representation of my artistry as a whole: Deep, Dark, Mysterious, Absolute.
All in all, it can be considered organized chaos.

Even though the main bulk of the recording is from mixing on a normal 2 channel Pioneer controller. You’ll hear a lot of atmospherics that was also mixed in via my audio workstation."

Read the full interview:
https://spontaneous.zone/040-widow.html

@widowbeats

Interview

Spontaneous Affinity #040: Widow

If someone asked us to name a "do-er" in the dance music community, @boo-lean is one of the first people who would come to mind. A recent transplant from her longtime base in Pittsburgh to NYC, she is a promoter and resident DJ at Pittsburgh scene nexus @hot-mass. As a curator and experiential producer, she co-founded VIA Festival in Pittsburgh, the @gfx-pgh collective, and has held curatorial positions with Public Records in NYC, New Forms Festival in Vancouver, and other clubs and museums.

"I asked myself, “what if I was 10 years old my whole life? What would a little Boo Lean DJ / dance to?” This is Boo Lean’s Regression Mix. Recorded with 2 CDJs, Pioneer mixer, Zoom recorder, brain, 2-8 hands."

Read the full interview and see a tracklist:
https://spontaneous.zone/041-boo-lean.html

@boo-lean

Spontaneous Affinity #041: Boo Lean

@hitfactoryrecs is @djwawabk, @claywilson, and their musical orbit of friends and collaborators. Their regular mixes and releases stand as a foil to perfectionism, commodification, and the music industry PR machine — two relative veterans of the music community reclaiming DJing and production on their own terms.

"This mix was recorded at the Hit Factory with nothing but vibes in mind. This ain’t a mix to prove that we’re good or know how to beat match or anything like that. Just years and years of listening to music with the hope of gaining a deeper understanding of it along with ourselves. Let the feelings take over when you hear the music not the thoughts."

Read the full interview:
https://spontaneous.zone/042-hit-factory.html

@hitfactoryrecs

Spontaneous Affinity #042: Hit Factory

XC-17 (@stephanie-alona-helen) is a DJ, producer, visual artist, and event organizer based in Pittsburgh. They are a founder of the Dyspheric (@dsypheric-leesss) series, which got started with livestreams during lockdown and has since evolved into a mix series and live events. Their DJing is as energetic and adventurous as their ethos: when it comes down to it, it's about being creative, having fun, and making space for everyone.

"This mix was about trying to showcase different music I love, in a way that I love to hear. I just really love so many genres. I felt like making something I will listen to any time of the day, and that I will like any time of the day, and I guess just feels close to me in a way. It gave me enough room to really just mess with things and have fun and be creative with it."

Read the full interview:
https://spontaneous.zone/043-xc-17.html

@stephanie-alona-helen @dsypheric-leesss

Spontaneous Affinity #043: XC-17

Currently based in Vancouver, BC, Adam 2 (@adamtwo) is a DJ, producer, organizer, and perhaps above all, a devotee of the dancefloor. They are the kind of person who's likely to have a meet-cute story with a surprising number of your friends from everywhere in the world (we met over a popsicle in the front row of No Way Back once upon a time). They bring the same spirit of community and giving they bring to the dancefloor to their engagement with the music community, most recently through their label @pprzrecords with DJ Hockey and their Afrofuturism is NOW mix series.

Read the interview and see a tracklist:
https://spontaneous.zone/045-adam-2

"So for mixes usually, I’ll find a few songs which have a common narrative/story. Then with that narrative in mind, I'll think about what the start and the end of the story sound like and do I have songs which I can use for the start and the end. I’ll usually then split the mix into 2-3 parts (3 parts for a recorded mix, 2 parts for a live performance) and each part will have the same shared theme but different energy levels.

For this one, I had a few electro tracks which weren’t really based on phrases, but were long and evolving, so I could mix them as textures kinda like how I would mix techno. There is a mix of electro/bass/techno throughout, however I purposely tried to avoid songs with 4x4 kick patterns.

In terms of a narrative I envisioned a soundtrack to a science fiction movie, recounting a story of a journey gone wrong, and elements known (science) vs. elements unknown (religion/ritual). It is always interesting to reflect on when a mix was recorded and how it reflects that period of time; for me it reflects a period of Winter, an ongoing pandemic and a bleak view of the future. I wouldn’t be able to record the same mix now because I am in such a different place emotionally and musically compared to a few months ago.

It was honestly so fascinating while writing the interview for this mix series to realize I’d come full circle and I was playing electro again but in a new way, after discovering it years ago and leaving it behind after getting so tired of it."

@adamtwo / @pprzrecords / @afrofuturismisnow

Spontaneous Affinity #045: Adam 2

Brooklyn's @mayilovesummer is a long-time pursuer of music turned DJ and event organizer in NYC. Their sound draws from their parallel interests in spirituality, textiles, and sustainability: textured techno and experimental sounds with depth beneath the surface. Their event series, @hybrididentity, combines psychedelic sounds and visuals in intimate spaces, with a focus on highlighting marginalized genders in a realm of hypnotic techno that still lags on gender balance.

"This mix was recorded in the midst of yet another half lockdown in New York last February. It was yet another night that I was spending with a few friends that I grew very close with since corona derailed the usual way of life in 2020. Someone came up with idea to play poker, which was supported by everyone but me. I am not much of a card player.

It was the middle of the night and I was left with 2 options, either go home or entertain myself and others with music. I thought that it would be fun to record a mix while creating musical accompaniment for my friends. I decided to go the moody and experimental route and play tracks that are not necessarily for dancing but more for contemplating. Something slow tempo but still engaging. I set out on this journey with an intention to record and was quite pleased with the experience and the consequential result. The gear I had was 3 XDJs 1000mk2 and Xone:92 mixer."

Read the full interview:
spontaneous.zone/044-mayilovesummer

@mayilovesummer @hybrididentity

Spontaneous Affinity #044: mayilovesummer

Nick Boyd (@nickboydnyc) is a dancefloor staple in NYC, and there's good reason for his omnipresence: everything he does, he explains, is centered around the dancefloor and the dancers who spend time there. Whether he's running @sorry-records, DJing at beloved local haunts like The Lot Radio, Bossa Nova Civic Club, and Nowadays (where this mix was recorded), or giving advice to friends, his ethos always comes back to the dancefloor. Grounded by an encyclopedic knowledge of dance music history and generous sharing of that knowledge, Nick and Sorry Records are beacons of integrity and openness in today's dance music community. 

This is part 1 of a 2 part mini-series with Sorry Records.

Read the interview + see a tracklist:
https://spontaneous.zone/047-nick-boyd

Mix mastered by @drvmmy.

"This mix is a recording of my first time playing at Nowadays, a club that has been incredibly influential and important to my life and my friends' lives. When I first started deejaying, my only goals really were to play on The Lot Radio and play Nowadays.

When they asked me, I was very surprised, legit like fall on my bathroom floor crying type situation 😂 😭. I’m a sappy nerd and had loads of nerves but I was lucky to be able to do it for the first time alongside my friend and collaborator Khadijah/DJ Delish and also have the time to just completely over-prepare for like three months ahead of time.

I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to do with the space, both extensively over the years keeping a running “Nowadays Wishlist” playlist and in the three months leading up to the party. I eventually came to the conclusion that I wanted to tell a story with what I played, in the tradition dictated by the New York dancefloor. A story about myself and my friends and the scene here as I’ve seen it both good and bad. A story about the Nowadays dancefloor itself and what that space means to me, but in turn also what dance music spaces and community mean period; how they function and the double-edged sword of trying to be good when it comes to those things.

I also wanted to play tracks by my friends that I knew were going to be there. The people I love who I dance alongside there frequently. I wanted to play tracks that were silly too! Tried to give a sense of levity to a pretty emotional thing. I mean, I got into dance music in large part because of the work that Justin (Carter) and Eamon (Harkin) had done through Mister Sunday into Nowadays, and I'd been going to the space since before it was open indoors. I’m there most every week and have put a lot on that floor…

In the weeks following, I finally got myself to listen to it. At first, I was like, there's so many bits in here where I remember not being able to hear myself or hear the cue. It's my first time playing in a big loud club besides like, Bossa. I considered making all these edits to it…

But then kinda just got to the point where I was like — look at the process of the mix, the ethos behind it… it's more about letting go and natural joy and glee than it is about anything else. So I decided to share it unedited, except for a little audio sample I added at the beginning that I didn't get on the recording. There’s a lot of other very concrete lyrical content included — always with purpose and intention but not always lyrics that I believe in personally."

@nickboydnyc / @sorry-records

Spontaneous Affinity #047: Nick Boyd

Unpredictable as both a DJ and an event organizer, Seattle's @grymnk brings a fresh, community-centered energy to the North American dance music scene and beyond. From throwing notorious raves in rented mansions and other unconventional spaces and bringing together international favorites and local heroes, to playing alongside artists like Ayesha, Object Blue, and Azu Tiwaline, grymnk is an energetic force. Their mix for Spontaneous Affinity is trippy, wonky, and devilishly fun.

Read the interview:
spontaneous.zone/046-grymnk

"When I made this mix, I had a couple weeks of being alone and to be honest things got a little weird. I think this will come through when you listen.

When I imagined people listening to this, my hope was that they would hear the struggle, the mental illness, but also the celebration of oneself and the wiggle of dancing in a room alone."

@grymnk

Spontaneous Affinity #046: grymnk

Perhaps best known for his association with beloved dance music blog Truants, @riccardovillella is also one of our favorite DJs—with a streak of mixes that always feel like instant classics—and a staple of the broader dance music scene in his own right. Villella's penchant for community began on early dance music forums and extends into today's social media networks and elevating others through mixes and in-depth interviews on @truants. His mix for us, inspired by timeless mix CDs like those of Fabric and a 'spiritual successor' to his mix for our friends at @sure_thing, is also a vivid memory of teenage bike rides along the beach in 2006.

Read the interview and see a tracklist:
spontaneous.zone/051-villella

"For the last 11 years I’d been living in London and for a long time, I had no desire really to leave. People say you can call somewhere 'home' after living there for a duration of seven years, so I was well past and on my way. The last three years though, I had really burnt out quite hard creatively, and was kind of just trudging along. It took me a while to realize that I’d maybe needed a break away from London and the constant living for the weekend parties. Work had gone remote, so the option of moving back home to Brighton on the seafront for a temporary reset and to save some money seemed like the logical next step.

I was quite excited about moving back, as one of my friends Bobby had moved back home from London a year prior to also work remote, my friend Sean was still down there and had been making some really cool art recently so we’d been reconnecting, and my friend Sam who moved to Australia 10 years ago was going to be back for a short trip in Brighton this year for a couple weeks. This felt kind of important to me as, as we’d all be in the same city for the first time in a very long time, and these were people that made up my favourite summer ever - the year 10 one in 2006.

... We spent most of that summer going on these really long bike rides from Shoreham-by-Sea, past the cement factory before reaching Brighton beach, and just cycle as far as we could until the sun went down. Me and Bobby would pack our little MP3 players (think I had a Creative Zen Touch then) the night before with as much ‘feels’ music as we’d like to call it, anything that would make our cycles feel like an extended Michael Mann movie, or "LA Action" we’d say. There was just something quite life-affirming as a 16 year old, headphones in, cycling back as the sun sets after exploring some beach cave and you’ve got either of Fila Brazillia - "Subtle Body", Groove Armada - "Paris", or DJ Shadow - "Blood On The Motorway" playing in the background. It was all very Stand By Me in the most musically liberating way possible. I’ve caught myself thinking of those times a lot lately.

I’ve tried to channel a lot of those feelings quite subtly into my studio mixes over the years—hopeless nostalgia, bittersweetness, a sad euphoria—more so on ones where I’m trying to achieve something other than a club-mix. The Sure Thing mix comes to mind especially, but that was also very influenced by the techno aspect of the series and certain life events. Whilst this feels very much like a spiritual successor to that mix, I didn’t want to be so subtle with this one. It’s a straight ode to a single perfect 24 hours that summer, and all the tunes that I was listening to back then, plus some that capture that perfect world-at-your-feet, carefree, teen vibe for me. It covers many moods and feelings of a hot day down at the beach and the transition as the sun sets and you’re getting ready to dance the night away.

I’ve wanted to record something like this for a long time, something that kind of felt like a timeless mix CD, and think you gave me the best opportunity and timing in wanting to put it together, especially as I’ve been doing that same cycle route every other weekend whilst down here."

@riccardovillella / @truants

Spontaneous Affinity #051: Villella

Not every DJ/producer can create airy ambient as readily as heavy, percussive dancefloor stompers; Chicago's Millia (@milliamusic) ranks among those who can seemingly do it all. With solo releases on @sweat-equity, @naivetrax, and Shuga Records, Millia also produces and DJs as part of the much-loved Purelink as well as DJing under @dasani_boys with his twin brother. It all seems to be driven by a map of connections on the dancefloor and beyond, and grounded in Chicago's deep dance music history while creating something fresh: playing, producing, and releasing alongside longtime heroes and new collaborators alike.

Read the interview:
https://spontaneous.zone/049-millia

"Whenever I’m asked to do a mix, I try my best to do something outside of my comfort zone and include elements that will make every mix a new experience for me. There’s always different ways to do this, including using only vinyl / CDs for track selection, only including artists from a certain region etc., but this time around I chose to do a Jungle inspired mix - a genre I’ve always loved listening to but have never been able to properly mix.

Earlier this year I went to Detroit for Movement Weekend and was fortunate enough to see my favorite DJ / producer Forest Drive West for the first time ever. He did a 3 hour b2b with Patrick Russell and played a lot of Jungle music that really blew me away. Ever since then I’ve been diving even deeper into the genre and now felt like it was time to give it a shot for Spontaneous Affinity. Added a little bit of my own flair with some half-time bass tracks and heavy percussion sprinkled in as well - I hope you enjoy it!"

@milliamusic

Spontaneous Affinity #049: Millia

With roots in Pittsburgh and a recent stint in Denver, Paul Fleetwood @fleet412 is both a beacon and a connector within the North American dance music community. A co-founder of Hot Mass with hands in events such as Honcho Campout, Lot Mass, VIA Festival, the Great American Techno Festival, and Humanaut, his DJ sets and productions blend a classic, grounded Midwest techno sensibility with a modern edge, always infused with emotion and sincerity. In 2021, Fleetwood launched his own label, Perimeter Junk, which has already cemented itself as a forerunner in predicting the next wave of dancefloor heaters for kind-hearted weirdos.

Read the interview and see a tracklist:
spontaneous.zone/050-paul-fleetwood

"I knew I wanted a mix that featured mostly four-on-the-floor music, upbeat but smooth and not too aggressive. I imagined a much deeper and more emotive mix than what I originally intended but that didn’t make me any less happy with how it turned out.

This was recorded Saturday, October 8th, 2022 at my apartment in Denver, CO. I used two XDJ-700s and a A&H Xone:92 rotary mixer. I compiled a playlist of roughly nine hours of music from which to choose. Experimenting from that list, it took around seven takes to nail a flow that felt right.

The interview questions brought Molly Nilsson’s 'Never Coming Home' to mind so I decided to include it. I couldn't come up with a smarter way other than to place it as an encore so there ya go, my creative apex at work."

@fleet412

Spontaneous Affinity #050: Paul Fleetwood

Tony G (@t_o_n_y_g) produces, DJs, co-runs @sorry-records, and enthusiastically supports a broad range of music on NYC's dancefloors. In addition to his own DJing and releasing tracks on Sorry, Eto Ano, Toucan Sounds, and more, he has organized ambient, experimental, and leftfield parties as Giambrone & Co at Brooklyn venues like Jupiter Disco and Mansions. Like his close collaborator, Sorry Records' @nickboydnyc, Tony brings an expansive knowledge of the context of dance music and an energetic attitude to each release and dancefloor. This is part 2 of a 2 part mini-series with Sorry Records.

This is part 2 of a 2 part mini-series with Sorry Records.

Read the interview + see a tracklist:
spontaneous.zone/048-tony-g

"This mix was a re-creation of a set I did at the Stream Informer Glen Falls House party this past June. I recorded the live set and was hoping to release that, but I was redlining a little too hard, and the recording came out hopelessly distorted. I was really proud of the mix and put a lot of work into it, so 3 months after the fact I decided to revisit it.

In preparing the set initially I decided to pretend I was playing to the sunrise even though the set ended at 4AM. Sunrise for me means… trance, I guess. It was a really cute party and lots of friends (Alyce included!) were there providing tons of warm and wiggly energy. I remember looking out and seeing someone twerking on the subwoofer at one point. My summer was kind of up and down after that, so it was a really positive memory to revisit.

I did this incarnation of the mix in my living room with 2 old CDJ 2000s, one XDJ 700 that I borrowed from my friend Danny, and my Mastersound 4 rotary mixer. I spent one day practicing, then did two full takes over the next two evenings. The take you’re hearing right now was the last one that I recorded. Looking back at the tracklist, one thing that stands out is how much new music I played, which is pretty rare for me. You’re not usually gonna see this much music from 2020 and beyond in a Tony G tracklist."

@t_o_n_y_g / @sorry-records

Spontaneous Affinity #048: Tony G

aka-Sol (@acaciabaila) is an Ecuadorian DJ, producer, and multidisciplinary artist based in Brooklyn. Through their Acacia Baila label, they're also a connector: they've released their own tracks and collaborations alongside releases from their friends and community, as well as thrown events at spaces like Mansions and their involvement in the Dripping event series and festival. As a DJ, their sets are genre-defying and psychedelic, bridging the gap between heady, trippy sounds and groove and percussion that go straight to the body. Their mix for us is deftly controlled chaos — a fresh, freaky take on 'fast' that's as floating and expansive as it is frenetic.

Read the interview and see a tracklist:
spontaneous.zone/052-aka-sol

"I wanted to create a mix exploring the 150-160 bpm pocket. I feel like I have only landed in playing around these tempos a few times while DJing live, and had definitely not recorded a mix up there before. I was itching to submerge into it after a crucial year in my DJ career, where I have widely expanded the limitations of the things I feel comfortable playing.

It’s been refreshing to understand more and more that I am not an artist/DJ that could be defined by a music genre, but rather by the sensibility in which I lace the different styles and sounds I use to create narratives when constructing my sets. Another important challenge I presented to myself for recording this mix was the curiosity of understanding what kind of tunes I would select and blend for this as a non DnB nor hard techno DJ. I feel like by going through this challenge, I have opened a world of possibilities that I can’t wait to incorporate when playing out there.

In terms of feelings explored, I would say that expansiveness of the body and the mind are a recurrent element in my practice and it was very present in this mix too. I wanted to build something that could feel both complex yet fluid. Entering into deeper introspections while feeling your body being pulled in all possible directions at once until the point of surrendering into a floating state of slow movements is the only possible solution to cope with the amount of information being received.

In terms of gear, I used 2 Pioneer XDJ-700s and a Pioneer DJM 450 mixer. For the recording I use a Zoom H6 recorder."

@acaciabaila

Spontaneous Affinity #052: aka-Sol

Vancouver's @djhockey brings a sense of playfulness, groove, and emotion to a realm of psychedelic, twisted techno that can often take itself too seriously. He regularly appears at Vancouver venues like Dolly and recently played at the inaugural Osmosis in the Trees festival in Oregon. In addition to DJing, he co-runs record label and mix series @pprzrecords alongside Adam 2, uplifting emerging artists from across the underground and most recently releasing his own latest EP, Celestial Pursuit.

Read the interview and see a tracklist:
spontaneous.zone/053-dj-hockey

"This mix combined parts of various gigs I was working on that fell through. The gigs had quite differing musical lineups and set times, which I combined with some tracks that had been sitting in my wishlist on Bandcamp but never seen a fit for a particular project as of yet. It quickly turned into my favourite mix I’ve created thus far, as I feel it closely represents my favourite aspects of dance music all in one.

I have been working on trying to incorporate a wider range of my style into my podcasts so that each one doesn’t get tunnel vision, while still telling a slow burning story. I’ve also been pushing myself to make each individual blend something unique. Lots of tracks work well together, but is it something special and new? These are questions I have been asking myself more lately. I like the playfulness of this mix, but it also has moments where you may question what emotion you’re feeling."

@djhockey @pprzrecords

Spontaneous Affinity #053: DJ Hockey

As Seunghee @seungheeworks prepares to make a move back to Europe and Seoul after a stint based in Brooklyn, we feel lucky to have connected with her range of creative output. She has hosted events under the banner of Yulheim Electronics alongside DJ Snail at intimate, audiophile venues like Jupiter Disco and Mansions, showcasing artists with a taste for dance music that builds layered, dreamy soundscapes, a descriptor that could also apply to her own DJing. With a patient, colorful, emotional approach and a penchant for abstracted kicks and polyrhythms, Seunghee's sound somehow feels as evocative of an urban landscape as a forest ecosystem, organic and full of life, even when that life may be struggling.

Read the interview and see a tracklist:
spontaneous.zone/054-seunghee

"Every time I make a mix, I just put in all the tracks I really like and play them by the BPM, and sort out the ones that mix well. After finishing the mix, I hear it and realize what thoughts and intentions were being made.

This time, it sounded like I was trying to build a conviction. There’s a virtual character and she is trying to say something without losing her tone or deviating from her angle. There are a lot of forces trying to convince her out of her own narrative but somehow she maintains it. At least it shows the struggle.

I am currently making a lot of difficult and big choices in life. These choices will determine my survival. It helps to remember where I come from and which direction I am going. It’s not just about my own wants. I think everyone has a name, background, and roots that connect them to their own destiny. I feel I am in a stage of life where I understand myself better. (I am in my thirties) and the mix is about moving forward without compromising. Hopefully it relates to others who are going through changes.

I used a pair of CDJs and Xone92 mixer with a pair of KRKs & Audio-Technica headphones."

@seungheeworks / @polyrhythm_portal

Spontaneous Affinity #054: Seunghee

@sheepshead-music is a DJ and the mind behind the Newtype Rhythms mix series on Inverted Audio, which doubles as a party series at Jupiter Disco and other NYC venues. He's also one of the curators of Unsound Festival, occuring annually in Krakow, Poland as well as organizing one-off events in other cities worldwide. A versatile DJ, his mix for us covers all the bases: from dreamy dub chords to downright rude bass.

Read the full interview and see a tracklist:
https://spontaneous.zone/036-sheepshead.html

"The mix was recorded at home on my Pioneer XDJ-RX; it was made during a period of meandering energies - as I had just gotten my first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine and anxiously awaiting the slow-but-steady incline towards more of my friends, family and community getting access to it as well.

The coalescence of tracks came together through periods of anxiety, but ultimately I wanted the mix to represent a cautious re-emergence towards the collective consciousness looking forward to the future of losing our communal shit on a dancefloor."

@sheepshead-music

Spontaneous Affinity #036: Sheepshead

Based in the Bay Area, @aunteesam of Club Pansy got their start DJing relatively recently. With their storytelling background as a filmmaker/editor and their strong sense for what it means to get lost in the emotions of a dancefloor, it feels like they could have been DJing for years. Viewing music as a universal language, their mixes are jubilant and connective — this is music for smiling at your neighbor through the fog, for uplifting one another, for heading home with a full heart and a changed mind.

"Music to smize to. As a filmmaker/editor by day, I really enjoy storytelling, evoking feeling, and creating a sense of warmth through the art. It’s not a perfect story, but it has a beginning, an arc, and a resolution.

This mix is bright, has some tight hugs of acid, and groovy bass lines to get your feet kickin’. I’m sharing music that combines my love of dancing and feeling sanguine - This mix is full of tunes that please my soul. I recorded this using an XDJ-RX2 and some studio monitors."

Read the full interview and see a tracklist:
https://spontaneous.zone/039-aunteesam.html

@aunteesam

Spontaneous Affinity #039: aunteesam

@fanafellahin is a musician, DJ, and multimedia artist born in NYC and currently based in Cleveland, Ohio. Their DJ performances and mixes bridge genres, scenes, and cultures, and they aren't afraid to bring experimental and unexpected sounds to dancefloors such as Gays Hate Techno and Honcho. They have released 3 EPs (most recently, Karantina) as well as tracks on several compilations. Here, they take a nostalgic and emotional dive into Japanese singers, musicians, and composers through the lens of learning how to be alone.

Read the full interview and see a tracklist:
spontaneous.zone/035-fana.html

"This mix is probably the most nostalgic one I've done in a long time. It's also the most tied to a very specific time in my life; the first time I learned how to be alone. At the beginning of and throughout the pandemic I've released mixes that were less about pining for the club and more about the anxiety, tension and disconnection of the present and the future.

This in particular is an ode to 11 year old me, isolated and estranged from the world, watching Spirited Away and Battle Royale on repeat, as well as my eternal gratitude for my Popo without whom I wouldn't have had...well, a lot."

@fanafellahin

Spontaneous Affinity #035: fana'

https://www.lychee.club
alyce@spontaneous.zone

@spontaneousaffinity
http://spontaneous.zone

2025 —
12/3: TBA, NYC
11/12: TBA (b2b threehz), NYC
10/5: TBA, NYC
9/7: The Lot Radio (b2b T.Wan), NYC
8/1: Public Records, NYC
7/26: The Great Beyond, Minnesota
7/19: Club Dyke fundraiser, NYC
7/18: Million Goods, NYC
7/8: Café Chat [panel discussion], L&SD, NYC
6/28: Moonshake, Space, Portland, ME
6/21: Evening Tea, Silence Please, NYC
6/5: Nowadays (b2b Sobolik), NYC
5/31: Earth Dog, NYC
4/3: The Lot Radio (b2b threehz), NYC
4/5: Groovy Groovy, NYC
3/29: Nowadays Nonstop, NYC
3/7: PHREAK THE BOXXX!, Earthly Delights, NYC
2/26: Distrikt1 Finale, Bossa, NYC
1/28: Dance Practice, NYC
1/9: Sonic Junkie Radio with Nutrition Facts

2024 —
12/31: Shelter NYE, Los Angeles
12/28: Last Saturday Dance (b2b Sobolik), NYC
10/26: Osmosis in the Trees (b2b Aaron J), Oregon
10/23: Hybrid Identity, Earthly Delights, NYC
10/11: BETA, Timisoara, Romania
9/27: Million Goods, NYC
9/8: Dehanta, NYC
9/5: Middlesex Lounge, Boston
8/31: Earthly Delights w Carlos Souffront, NYC
8/30: Meridian (b2b Aaron J), Jupiter Disco, NYC
8/11: Antidote, NYC
7/26-28: The Great Beyond, MN
7/24: Distrikt1, Bossa, NYC
7/19: Meridian (b2b Aaron J), Jupiter Disco, NYC
7/11: Present Sounds, NYC
7/6: STEAMROOM x BASE SEVEN, NYC
6/28: Meridian (b2b Aaron J), Jupiter Disco, NYC
6/8: FIBER, secret location, NYC
5/30: Hands Off Rafah!, Living Gallery, NYC
5/25: Club Toilet, Detroit
5/24: Meta Ta Physika, Detroit
5/10: Reclaim Your City at Basement, NYC
5/2-5/5: Ever Afters, CA
4/21: Bass Factory, NYC
4/14: Antidote (b2b Sobolik), NYC
4/4: dripping, Nowadays, NYC
3/27: Distrikt1 (b2b Pastels), Bossa, NYC
3/24: Plants Love Bass, NYC
3/14: Party Planner Journal Launch, NYC
3/9: Flash, DC
3/7: UXZ-03 Release Party, Mansions, NYC
2/10: Wrecked, NYC
2/3: DEEP, Miami
1/27: Merge, NYC
1/24: Distrikt1, Bossa, NYC
1/19: SutroFM at Underground, SF
1/12: House of Yes (b2b Ne/Re/A), NYC

2023 —
12/31: Woodbine Fundraiser, NYC
12/25: Bossa Xmas, NYC
12/23: OFFWRLD, The End, NYC
12/17: Antidote, NYC
11/25: Kissa Mode, The End, NYC
11/18: Fog City Pack OMEGA, SF
11/18: SutroFM Radio, SF
11/12: dream/self (b2b threehz), The End, NYC
10/25: Distrikt1 x Pure Immanence, Bossa, NYC
10/15: Antidote x Harmony Rec., Jupiter Disco, NYC
10/13: Mizz Softee, NYC
10/4: Reservoir Release Party, Trans Pecos, NYC
9/30: Madre, Toronto
9/14: Sustain-Release, NY
8/26: Good Room, NYC
8/23: Distrikt1, Bossa, NYC
8/19: Honcho Campout, Pennsylvania
8/6: Antidote (b2b Nutrition Facts), NYC
8/5: Recursive (b2b Aaron J), Owl Room, DC
7/28: The Great Beyond, MN
7/20: Bossa Nova Civic Club, NYC
7/13: 12 House, Trans Pecos, NYC
7/8: Basement, NYC
7/8: Covert Junction, NYC
7/1: Fourth World, NYC
6/23: Harmony Rec., Ankali, Prague
6/22: Harmony Rec., Infame Radio, Prague
6/15: HÖR Radio, Berlin
6/14: Refuge Radio, Berlin
6/4: Soft Reset, Wonderville, NYC
5/28: Katalyst.313, Bert's Warehouse Theater, Detroit
5/17: Distrikt1 Anniversary, Bossa, NYC
5/13: Meridian (b2b Aaron J), Jupiter Disco, NYC
5/5: Mind Xpansion, NYC
4/22: Antidote @ Hex House bday, NYC
4/21: Paragon (b2b Ne/Re/A), NYC
4/19: Intersection (b2b Nutrition Facts), House of Yes, NYC
4/15: Hotflush 20, Good Room, NYC
4/13: Facetime, Trans Pecos, NYC
4/9: Antidote, Secret Location, NYC
4/8: Basement (b2b Guilt Attendant), NYC
4/1: The Bunker, Good Room, NYC
3/25: Nowadays Nonstop, NYC
3/15: Rekordbox workshop, Nowadays, NYC
3/4: Wrecked 12-Year (b2b Furtive), NYC
2/23: Zone 1, Elsewhere, NYC
2/19: The Lot Radio (b2b Faited), NYC
2/18: Dance Planet @ Paragon, NYC
2/17: Basement, NYC
2/8: Mimisabishii, Mansions (b2b Sobolik), NYC
1/27: Meridian (b2b Aaron J), Jupiter Disco, NYC
1/25: CCC Radio, X Pizza, NYC
1/20: Stream Informer Anniversary, Good Room, NYC
1/20: Stream Informer @ Razor N Tape, stream
1/18: Distrikt1 with Starrk, Jahveri, Bossa Nova Civic Club, NYC

Spontaneous Affinity

Lychee