Now, NIKS is a name that you might already be familiar with, and, quite frankly, if you aren't, we're not really sure where you've been over the last year (well, hopefully your house)...

The South-East London-based DJ and radio host is one of the minds behind Black Bandcamp, a platform founded last year as a space to showcase, promote and support Black artists across the world. What began as a crowd-sourced spreadsheet quickly snowballed into a unified website and a global initiative which is continuing to grow and develop as we type.

But beyond NIKS' incredible work behind the scenes, she's also been causing quite the stir behind the decks too. Inspired by deeper, rhythmic strains of electronic music; sounds with percussive and melodic hooks, her sets and mixes —which have most recently come via Discwoman and Lobster Theremin— explore sounds that transcend the body and the mind, moving beyond thoughts and feelings. 

On top of cooking up lots of new, exciting plans for Black Bandcamp, which will be shared very soon, there's plenty coming up in the world of NIKS too, starting right now with her 'Ransom Note' mix... Get your loose clothing at the ready — this is one for the dance.

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NIKS: The 'Ransom Note' Mix

JEROME Mixfile #702 - dreemseed

https://soundcloud.com/dreemseed
https://www.instagram.com/la__diablita/
https://soundcloud.com/down-2-earth

JEROME Mixfile #702 - dreemseed

MOR ELIAN BLITZ radio 80000

Radio 80000 x Blitz Take Over — Mor Elian [31.07.21]

Rinse FM Podcasts

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Pangaea - 08 August 2021

Recording of DJ Overdose's set at Dekmantel Selectors 2021.

Dekmantel Selectors 2021

DJ Overdose at Dekmantel Selectors 2021

Based in Berlin Ruin is a writer, vocalist, activist and sex worker. She is passionately independent and is a founding member of the Sex Worker Action Group, Berlin Collective Action e.V and Radiant Love Berlin. 

We were first introduced to her through the release of a new EP in which she collaborated with D.Tiffany and Vani-T on Isla Records. Her contribution to the record allowed for her to reach and interconnect with a new audience, showcasing her own creative perspective toward lyricism, sound and design.

She herself was keen to explore this part of her nature in more detail and emphasises the importance of her and other sex workers amplification and inclusion in the wider music community. The following mixtape she has submitted is conceptual in nature and reflects the following ethos:

"It's not often that I am invited to participate in such a formate with a reach to the music community. I think it is incredibly important that we start to include sex workers in the conversation, not only because of stigma and raising awareness of their struggles but because of the incredible amount of exploitation of sex work aesthetic and vibe within the music industry 'the hustle'. Some think it's sick but existing in capitalism is harmful and violent and this is what I want to express. Do I like my work? no. I don't enjoy existing in capitalism, but furthermore sex workers are not only judged for the way we choose to survive within it but criminalised. And legalisation without decriminalisation is nothing, because it only regulates a very small amount of the community that can register. Being a sex worker becomes your identity, something that I could have never prepared myself for.

I would like to use this mix, What's your nature?, with two themes sewn throughout, almost as a collage. The themes I have chosen to speak about in my writing are pain/stigma & decriminalisation of sex work. The newly released record 'Calling Me' will be featured throughout the mix along with other collaborations, and some tones to accompany my writing."

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Ruin: The 'What's Your Nature?' Mix

Mor Elian - 05 October 2021

NYC legend - DJ G ( @dj-ggggg ) takes over earth doggo this week with a piping hot hour of murky basslines, foggy pads, and minimal steeze.. peak time morning style

Questions for the dog:

--What's the best dance track of all time? 

The Cool Notes - My Tune.
 
--Best party in recent memory?

Nonstop at the end of January. I got there on Sunday at 9am and expected a very chill one because of the snow storm that weekend but the heads were out in force and the atmosphere and the music was incredible throughout the day.

--Peak time style or Early morning style?

The style when early morning is peak time : )

--Where do you think contemporary dance music is heading? What's the next wave? Any labels pushing a sound your attracted to at the moment?

I think that coming out of the pandemic there's a renewed sense of importance being placed on this culture and on real life human connections. This will only boost the interest in both underground and mainstream experiences centered around dance music and deepen its significance for people already participating. I’m very optimistic about what’s to come and I think the future will make fertile grounds for a lot of fun and more experimentation that help to grow what’s already in bloom.

I also see a refocusing on the roots of this culture underway and lot of conversations happening around how to honor the people of color and the queer communities that are responsible for sowing the seeds that have given life to this thing that brings so many people so much joy. I’m excited by the prospect of newly imagined spaces being led by these groups that will foster new movements and ideas to push everything forward. That’s the next wave, I think. 

Additionally, as technology develops I think we’ll see more attempts to push the experience of listening to dance music further into the digital world and I’m confident that in the not too distant future lots of virtual clubs will exist where people will put on a VR headset in their homes and pretend they’re raving. These things are probably already out there but I think in five to ten years we'll see a lot more. If another deadly virus emerges and we’re not able to get it together irl again then I guess I’m down with the tech if it helps keep the culture going. But as immersive as this stuff has the potential to be, it definitely won't match the feeling of being in a room full of mad-for-it ravers lost in the vibe and feeding off one another’s energy. Despite the best efforts of the Silicon Valley types who think they’ve got the read on what’s happening, there won’t ever be an app for that. The mainstream brands and promoters will probably embrace this and I think the underground will be unified in calling bullshit on it. So it'll be win, win.

And on labels that are delivering the goods, there's an overwhelming amount of people absolutely crushing it but I think what the Incienso fam are doing is right up there with some of the best in the world in terms of releasing a range of high quality and sonically diverse music.

--This mix is insane - what inspired you?

Thank you! I was mainly just trying to do something that I thought Earth Dog would be down with so you were def the guiding light. But in the back of my mind when I was choosing tracks I was thinking about the tripped-out, sultry sounds that I heard Luciano and Villalobos play in between CO2 blasts at Space in Miami one Friday afternoon back in December. Thanks for the opportunity to put it together : )


earth dog xxx

Earth Dog Radio 015: DJ G

Playing with fire

Solidarity Forever

Sixty minutes of breaks, dub and spooky techno as re:ni warmed up RA’s second subterranean rave at Dimensions Festival in Croatia.

@renildn
@dimensionsfestival

RA Live - 31.08.19 - re:ni, Dimensions Festival, Croatia

Resident Advisor