These are mixes made by the current members of Research & Development, Makeen and JS Alvarez

Mixes by R&D members

@rosekourts at Hemlock Hole on Thursday afternoon.

Campout Mix Series: Rose Kourts

Campout Mix Series: Leonce

This mix is from a very special at night November 09 2024 at Smartbar with my dear friends Nikki Nair, Madeline and Pen Pals. I was tasked with closing out the evening and was an honor to do so. Thanks to everyone who came out and stayed till the lights came on.  Hope yall enjoy!

Live mix at Smartbar Nov 09 2024 - Dan B Hood

PAPER <3s NY and PAPER <3s the DJs that keep us moving. That’s why we’re proud to present The Tear, our new mix series highlighting the best DJs spinning in the city we call home.

THE TEAR: Nita Aviance

Sterling Juan Diaz locks in for an eclectic mix driven by a wide range of influences and the pulse of NYC’s queer dance music scene.

https://www.instagram.com/sterlingjuandiaz
https://soundcloud.com/sterlingjuandiaz



Sterling Juan Diaz @ The Lot Radio 03-31-2025

We are so lucky to release this mix for our 37th entry, recorded live at SmartBar (Chicago) by our friend and excellent DJ Shanti!

From the artist:
I am so grateful to be able to share this mix with you all through PPRZ! This is a mix that was recorded at Smartbar in Chicago when I opened for Lady Starlight as part of Justin Aulis Long's series, Flowers of Romance. It was a 3-hour long set from 10pm-1am on a Pioneer V10 Mixer with 3-4 CDJ 3000s. 

What I love about opening sets is having the ability to set the tone for the night as people are arriving and making the transition from wherever they came from to the communal embodiment of dancing. The other fascinating element about an opening set is the dramatic contrast between the beginning and end as one first experiences an empty dance floor and sees the gradual process of it growing with energy and feeling even though I can really only see beautiful silhouettes moving in the darkness. I take an opening set to be about the gradual cultivation of energy but also an opportunity for creative tension and exercising restraint for the headliner and rest of the night.

Bio:
Shanti is a Chicago-based DJ who explores philosophical themes of existential angst and ambiguity through surreal, foreboding, and atmospheric soundscapes. Her sets weave a story of the simultaneous despair and yearning that are intertwined with the human condition. 

While she is thoughtful about curating multifaceted energy and emotion within her sets, she also co-curates events such as Otherworldly Ambiguity as Evanti, a conceptual experience centered around the phenomenon of hybridity, occupying the spaces in between and outside of pre-existing concepts and rigid categories. She is also a part of Chicago-based DJ collective and label, Research & Development which is a mix series and curator of multifaceted music-centered experiences. 

Mix mastered by: Umair Chachar

Tracklist:
Part 1:
Lemna - Memories
Lemna - Hallucination 
Voices from the Lake - Mika 
Donato Dozzy - Aquatica
SHXCXCHCXSH - A Sunny Day in Ostrogothia 
Dan B. Hood - Ode to Drome
BMG & Derek Plaslaiko - Ghost Ship 
Rrose - Signs 
Alexskyspirit - The Travelers (Polygonia remix)
Etapp Kyle - Source 
Mike Parker - Heat Inducer 
Love Letters - Morse (BMG mix) 
Club Drippy - Crashed
Ryogo Yamamori- Zw
Marcel Dettman - Rush (Deep Release mix)
Pause - Crater  
SHXCXCHCXSH  - HHHHHHHGGKS 
Part 2:
Rrose - Solaris 
Lonefront - Stera
Modes - M52 
NØRBAK - Luyr 
Allana Letm - Tempos Multiplos (Centrific Remix)
Nubbles - Reflect 2 
Maedon-X - Caged Animal 
Perc - Milk Snatchers Return
Ritaffein - Laiva
Regis - Body Unknown 
Jamaica Suk - Tes Levrés
British Murder Boys - We Will Show You 
Uun - Junkspace 
Kanding Ray - Dark Barker 
Peter Van Hoesen - Vola Flash 
Surgeon - The Golden Sea 
Alexskyspirit- SNCTR2 
Decoder - Falling Flat 
Part 3:
Quelza - Plastic Waves 
Neel - A Thought without Time 
Oscar Mulero - Tormenta 
Regis - The Theme from Street Walker
DASH3D - Neuropulmonar
CRØG - Fire 
Oblivion & Uranya - Bassa Marea 
Sorcery - Dark Scan
GiGi FM - Amadamushies
Neel- Riflesso 
Quelza - We’ll Never Be Friends Again 
J. Blofeld - Uranus 
Cej- Itchy 
Char - Free 
Psyk & Orbe - Tunnel Diode
Surgeon - Convenience Trap Pt.2

Donations if you enjoyed this mix from Shanti's recommended organization: https://www.newrootsinstitute.org/ - creating a just and sustainable food system for all through education.

PPRZ Podcast 37 - Shanti live at SmartBar Chicago

ZONA CINCO - MICTLAN - VOL 4

Sterling Juan Diaz Live @ Faggots Are Women: Feminización Americana Worldwide (Opening Set)

Mi Gente! Presento mi live opening set recorded at FAW: Feminización Americana Worldwide back in March

Shoutout to mi comadres esa noche—Paurro, Cashu, Abe Duque—and ofc Kay Gabriel for building this world that is chaotic, intentional, and completely unserious/serious in the best way. FAWtina was everything y más. A fever dream, a protesta, a putivuelta through genres y genderos

Best party in NYC, hands down 

If you were there: u already know
If you weren’t: press play, y maybe bring a muñeca just in case

ra.co/events/2109660

Tracklist:

Ariel Zetina - Putamaria w MORENXXX
Keys N Krates - Samba Surprise
Jimmy Somerville - Heartbeat (Armand's Cardiac Mix)
Charlie - Spacer Woman (Vocal)
DJ Lucho Presents. La Cubanita - Toca Me (Latin Mix)
Coffintexts - Todo Mi Cuerpo
Fierce Ruling Diva - Woman Like Man
Abe Duque - Love To Ya (Original Mix)
Chico Bembé - The Pipe (Chico Bembé Edit)
Jacob Meehan - Old Reliable
Michael Magnan - Alright Um
131bpm - Want More?
Super Drama - Mwah (feat. Chi Chi Darling)
Thomas Garcia - El Carpintero (Extended Mix)
Ander P - Putas Finas
Orion Agassi - Lil' Yolanda - Dame Tu Amor (Orion Agassi Edit)
Savvas - Unlimited (Chris Cowie Remix)
Soulwax/Nancy Whang - NY Lipps (Kawazaki Dub)
INVT - TOBOGÁN
The Martinez Brothers - Move Ya Body (TMB Edit)
Chris Cowie - Suspect Manouver
Joey Beltram - Pulse
Green Velvet - Dank / Why Try?
Confidential Recipe - I Don't Need You (Tool Mix)
Love Letters - Tore
Sister Zo - Root of Desire
Maara - The M Word (Coffintexts remix)
Prizefight & Trustee - Centipede
Florentino - Fuego (Bitter Babe & Nick León Remix)
Sueno Latino Pres Valeria Vix - Viciosa (In-Progress Mix)
KOOXLA - REBELION
Armand Van Helden - Entra Mi Casa
Sinistermind - The Klock
1OO1O - ARRIBA ARRIBA (feat. Dj Fucci)
Regal86 - You say guns, I say pistolas (Shut up mix)
WOST - CALENTURA VAGINAL (HARD DRUM EDIT)
POSSESSION TECNHO - Toro (I HATE MODELS Remix)
Pelada - Habla Tu Verdad
Chloé Robinson - 0121 Do One (Coffintexts Remix)
Furacão 2000 - Techno Boxe
Imaabs - Alien Posse
C & C Music Factory - Acid Life (Nachos' 909 Remix)
Meilgaarden - Not Giving Up (Original Mix)
DJ Rush - I believe (pussy RMX) - Russian Roulette
ERIK TRAVIS - TECHNO DRIVERS 2023
Angels Gun Club - BIGROOM B
Moonwalkers feat. Ultra Nate - 10,000 Screaming Faggots (Armand's Banji Mix)
JSPRV35 - Varya
HMR - Vínculos
OSSX - 2 FOR THE PRICE OF 1
Longeez - Less Ordinary
Zombies in Miami - Mi Gente Latinx
DBBD - Muschi Muschi
DBBD - Ride That Beat
Ariel Zetina - Diva Down (feat. Glamour Cadaver)
ZDBT/Prado/Slim Media Player/Isabella LoveStory - ELASTIC (Extended Remix)
Danny Wabbit - The Man With the Sauce
Miriam Cruz - La Loba (DJ Pablocontrol 2k17 Smooth Intro Outro Edit)
Truncate - Dust 1 (Kai Van Dongen Remix)

Sterling Juan Diaz Live @ FAW: Feminización Americana Worldwide 03-15-2025 (Opening Set)

We are thrilled to present this mix by Chicago based JS Alvarez for our 39th entry in the series. Both Adam and I admire what Jeremy contributes to the music scene with their podcast and event series Research & Development.

JS Alvarez is a shape shifting lizard that has learned human behavior from living in cities such as Chicago and Miami. He succumbs to no one genre and can be found exploring the depths of mutant techno and unruly bass music alike.

He is the founding member of Research & Development which ignited in the iconic Chicago mainstay of Smartbar. The event series has moved on to host community focused events centered on a wide variety of often cutting edge electronic sounds at venues like Podlasie Club, The Whistler and various DIY spaces. R&D also hosts a biweekly podcast 100+ episodes deep ranging from rising talents, hometown heroes and well established DJs and producers from North America and around the world.

He's shared the booth with artists such as DVS1, Veronika Vasicka, D.Dan, Hodge and others. His mixes have been featured on NTS Radio, Mutant Radio and SutroFM among others. Catch him at The Great Beyond this July! 

I was trying to find a very textured sound within the first quarter of the mix. My attempt at some sort of atmospheric sci-fi horror score followed by something a bit more hypnotic. By the end of the mix I wanted those vibes to explode into something highly rhythmic. Something to shatter what came before and get the sweat dripping off the walls. 

If you enjoyed this mix, please consider donating to JS Alvarez' organization of choice:
https://www.organizedcommunities.org/ 
https://www.organizedcommunities.org/donate

PPRZ Podcast 39 - JS Alvarez

Live at Tossd 006 - Nita Aviance

Special guest mix from Chicago based dj SHANTI  - cohost of Otherworldly Ambiguity with Scum.ee, member of techno collective Research & Development, and host of “Liminal Radio” on WIIT 88.9 FM. Shanti kindly shared a 3 hour opening set she did for Aurora Halal in Chicago on May 9th 2025 at Smoke & Mirrors - toon in! 🚀🚀🚀
https://soundcloud.com/shantievanti
https://soundcloud.com/researchndevelopment

See video of Shanti’s set at https://youtu.be/QqfMYAyS8bM?si=FPZJDhNdZqlf63YS

BL Radio EP 130: SHANTI [Research & Development]

POST-WHOLE-REC001-07-23-2025

This was maybe my fourth time ever playing techno, and it felt incredible to be given the trust to close the main room at Zero Chill, NYC's hottest rave. After nearly 20 years of DJing—mostly known for house, sometimes ambient—it was a thrill to stretch into a harder, faster prime-time slot for a massive, raging warehouse crowd. Pride 2025 called for a disco-flavored last hour to honor our origins and ancestors.

I’ve never had so many people DM me after a set, and it’s got me inspired to keep exploring this direction in the techno landscape.

Special thanks to my dears Dirty Daddy Don and Physical Therapy for lacing me with some tracks for the night. It takes a village.

Zero Chill NYC - Main Room Closing - Pride 2025

A pillar of NYC’s underground and a founding force behind the legendary The Carry Nation, Nita Aviance has shaped the pulse of queer nightlife for over several decades. With sets that blur the line between ritual and rave, her sound is equal parts precision, power, and play—drawing from house, techno, vogue, and the deep lineage of ballroom and ballroom-adjacent spaces she’s helped amplify.

She helped birth the very first Nocturnal Emissions alongside Will Automagic, laying the sonic foundation for what the party has become. For Pride, she returned solo—bringing with her the experience, energy, and edge that’s earned her a place in NYC nightlife history. At peak hour, Mother arrived, stepped into the heat of the room and unleashed a relentless, dreamy monsoon of rhythm, feeding the dreamers of the dance floor one beat at a time and pushing the night into overdrive. Check out more of Nita https://soundcloud.com/djnitamusic

NOCTURNAL EMISSIONS is a trippy mix-mash of house, techno and trance with Latin / tribal influence; a distorted, sound-bending, mind-fuck that will leave you suspended with the vibrations of the night. bit.ly/nocturnalnyc for next events and more info. Live set mastered by @djjohnnyi

Nocturnal Sessions 031: Nita Aviance (LIVE)

SEVYN LOVE B2B STERLING JUAN DIAZ LIVE AT PAPI JUICE NONSTOP MAY 2025

Rumors Mix Series 022: MAKEEN

party and mix series since 2014 with a rotating cast of deejays and organizers. paypal.me/rumorschicago

STARRING:
@arielzetina
@misstwinkusa
Dutchesz Gemini

Based in Chicago, R&D is a music event/mix series focused on nurturing new sounds, experiences and atmospheres while exploring the music and culture it was born or mutated from. Techno, electro, EBM, bass, breaks, club and beyond.
Current personnel
Jeremy Alvarez - JS Alvarez
Eric Fernandez - Makeen
Shanti Chu - Shanti
Dan Hood - Dan B Hood
Kona Mazariegos - Zona Cinco

Rumors Mix Series 022: MAKEEN

RUMORS

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Research & Development Mix Series

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