The Off The Record series ventures stateside to Chicago, Illinois to reach out to one of the most iconic modern labels going at the moment; International Anthem, who are now celebrating 11 years on the planet. Started in 2012 by Scottie McNiece and David Allen International Anthem Recording Company has been focused on pushing some of the most ground breaking sounds in Jazz, funk, soul and blues. With a roster that extends to names like Makaya McCraven, Jeff Parker, Damon Locks, Carlos Nino and more it has proved to have an eye for the highest quality in sound and curation. For this mix the label has nominated their own Alejandro Ayala AKA King Hippo to hon and curate the sounds provided. King Hippo was the label representative on the International Anthem Worldwide FM Chicago show - so we are definitely in good hands. Coming in at a clean hour, Ayala brings in various styles of Jazz, moulded expertly to provide a perfect home listening experience or what the label likes to be known as the "Floating Kissaten Mix". We sat down and had a chat about the mix with Alejandro, as well as about the label and about what they have coming up in the future for their 11th year.

Off The Record Mix Series 55: International Anthem (Mixed by King Hippo)

The Phonica series drifts Amsterdam way for the next addition in its series with not one but two of the cities most prominent artists. Kamma & Masalo supply separately in their sets nothing but magical moments so when you have the chance to see them play together it is that times two and some. Never knowing what the direction and vibe their set will go - having roots in eclectic and disco vibes as well clubbier house, techno and acid sounds (a vibe they cement firmly at their Brighter Days party in Amsterdam) - they have firmly placed themselves on top shelf list of some of Europes finest selectors.  Appearing regularly at festivals like Dekmantel and Japan's Rainbow Disco Club to name a few, the duo have played some of the best clubs around the world. For Phonica 131 Kamma and Masalo have the dancefloor in mind with a mix focused on their beginnings in the underground club scene of their upbringing. We had a quick chat with them about the mix and what they have coming up!

Phonica Mix Series 131: Kamma & Masalo

Dee Diggs joins us for Phonica mix 132, a 90-minute session that traces a fluid line through U.S, deep house and disco. Based in Brooklyn, Diggs is a DJ, producer and curator whose work foregrounds the Black and queer roots of dance music. Her sets balance emotional depth and rhythmic precision, drawing from a wide palette while maintaining a strong sense of narrative. First emerging through New York’s queer party circuit, she’s since built an international profile through thoughtful mixes for platforms like Honcho and Dekmantel, as well as her own event series, House of Diggs. With each project, Diggs makes clear that dance music is both personal archive and political practice. 

Phonica Mix Series 132: Dee Diggs

If you’ve been to Phonica in the past 15+ years, you likely know Nick Williams—an integral figure behind the counter, sharing his deep and eclectic musical taste with everyone from global DJs to underground newcomers. As founder of Meda Fury Records, he’s championed soulful, leftfield sounds, discovering artists like DJ Seinfeld along the way. A seasoned DJ himself, Nick has played iconic clubs like Fabric and Corsica, known for genre-defying sets that span ambient, house, techno, post-punk, jungle, and beyond. His latest mix reflects this wide scope—layered, emotional, and full of unexpected gems.

Phonica Friends & Family Mix Series 24: Nick Williams

Our Off The Record mix series returns with a radio-show like hour long mix from Music From Memory affiliated Berlin based Electronica / Jazz trio The Zenmenn.
The Zenmenn are a genre-blurring trio known for their lush, escapist soundscapes that blend ambient, Balearic, and cosmic funk influences. With a flair for vintage textures and laid-back grooves, their music conjures a sense of timeless serenity—equally suited for sun-drenched afternoons or introspective nights. 
The Zenmenn debuted in 2021 with Enter The Zenmenn on Music From Memory, a dreamy blend of ambient textures, soft rock, and global influences. They followed up with Hidden Gem in 2022, a collaborative album with John Moods shaped by loose jam sessions and warm, nostalgic tones. Both releases highlight their signature fusion of cosmic calm and crate-digger sensibility.
Their contribution to the Off The Record mix series showcases their crate-digging sensibilities and deep reverence for global sounds, weaving together a meditative journey that’s both soulful and transportive. 
We had a brief chat with the band (fronted through the words of their Keyboardist Magnus) about the mix and about what they had coming up in the rest of 2025.

Off The Record Mix Series 57: The Zenmenn

For this edition of Off The Record, we’re honored to host a mix from Rob Sevier, co-founder of the legendary archival label Numero Group. Known for its meticulous approach to uncovering and reissuing lost gems across soul, funk, punk, ambient, and beyond, Numero has earned its place as a gold standard for crate diggers and curious listeners alike. Sevier, a tireless researcher and selector, brings that same curatorial depth to his exclusive mix—a deep dive into self-released and small-label funk-adjacent singles from Ohio, Texas, Michigan, and Georgia. Alongside the mix, we caught up with him to talk DJing in hidden corners of Japan, the joys of non-allegiance to any one digging method, and what’s next for one of the most important archival projects in music.

Off The Record Mix Series 58: Numero Group (Mixed By Rob Sevier)

The long standing NTS resident steps up for the latest Off The Record mix.
London-based DJ and NTS regular Babyschön a.k.a Safi Bugel brings her deep, left-of-centre sensibilities to Phonica’s Off The Record series with a mix that bridges the afterglow of summer and the shadows of winter. Known for weaving post-punk, Italo, EBM and oddball house through her radio shows and club sets, Safi has built a reputation for finding warmth in the darker corners of the dancefloor. This mix, recorded at home on a quiet autumn afternoon but inspired by her set at DIY festival Three Wheel Drive back in August, channels that same energy — hazy, melodic and a little nostalgic while still maintaining a solid dance ready beat throughout. We had a quick chat with Safi about her mix and what she has coming up for the rest of the year:

Off The Record Mix Series 59: babyschön

All vinyl tracks from Phonica Records - London W1F 7LZ
Only White Labels - limited edition tracks
Eclectic mix something for everyone
ENJOY


ONLY WHITE LABEL VINYL

Scott Hudson — better known behind the decks as Hudson’s Choice — is one of South-London’s up and coming perceptive vinyl diggers and tastemakers. Based in the UK, he’s built his reputation through a deep love for house, disco, and worldly, soulful electronic sounds — both as a DJ and a record-collector. 
 In 2024 he delivered his debut EP, Myatts Field, on Delusions of Grandeur, co-produced with label-founder Jimpster — a release that showcased his ability to weave classic sensibilities with contemporary left-field club energy. 
This “Friends & Family” mix in the spirit of working at Phonica Records, feels like a carefully curated journey through his musical universe. You can expect flickers of deep house, nods to disco and soul, maybe a touch of dubby wanderlust — a mix that reflects his dual life as both DJ and digger, uniting records from different eras and cultures into one seamless set!

Phonica Friends & Family Mix Series 26: Scott (Hudson's Choice)

Over the past decade, Ploy has quietly but decisively become one of the UK’s most versatile dancefloor thinkers—an artist whose catalogue maps a constant tension between percussive futurism, bass-heavy urgency and a mischievous instinct for left-turns. His most recent release on Faith Beat pushed that ethos further into focus, folding sleazy groove, screw-face swing and oddball funk into something unmistakably his own. The response has been telling: with each shift in style, Ploy only seems to sharpen his identity, earning a reputation for unpredictability that dancers and DJs have grown to trust. As the producer steps into the Phonica mix series, he arrives not as a chameleon but as a fully coherent shape-shifter—restless, playful and firmly in his stride.

Phonica Mix Series 138: Ploy

London's leading independent record shop. Also home to labels Phonica Records, Phonica White, Phonica Records Special Editions and @KarakulRecords.

Full features, including interviews and tracklists, for our Phonica Podcast and Phonica Mix Series on our editorial platform Off The Record ⬇

http://offtherecord.net/

Inspired by music that touches the soul and forces your eyes to close as you experience only sound vibrations - seeking that zone where you sink into the frequency and your mind explores deeper space and loses track of time and reality immersed in a world that comes and goes every beat but continues to take you on a journey beyond...

Currently going through all my mixes and remastering them for superior sound quality and mix tightness.

New tracks tagged #Phonica