For the 18th edition of our mix series we are joined by a revered breakthrough of recent years, @ciel_dj.

A key figure on and off the dancefloor, Toronto-based Ciel has been an ever growing force on the electronic scene. Spearheading the female focused Work In Progress collective and co-founding the touted Parallel Minds imprint, she has helped bring diversity, safety and representation into the clubs whilst also working with advocacy groups to change the city’s laws to be more favourable towards creative ventures. Pushing a distinctive sound that is characterised by a club-focused blend of deep and energetic contrasts, she showcases why she is one to watch with a standout mix for the Junction 2 series.

Here is what Ciel had to say about the mix:

“This mix was inspired by 1) clubs reopening 2) my love of cheesy tech house wafters and 3) a desire to present the most authentic version of myself as a DJ. I think most Djs have very complicated feelings about making mixes, the process of premeditating a mix at home away from an audience and the insatiable drive for perfection can both be very anxiety-inducing. So I chose to do as little planning as possible, seeking instead a truly spontaneous recording experience with zero plan and nothing more than 2 USBs full of bangers. The result is a high energy 90-minute trip into trancey house, techy rollers, dub techno, and minimal-UKG tools. Play this on your way back to the club.”

Junction 2 Mix Series 018 - Ciel

“For the closing night of Return to the Source at the @ithqdetroit presents @thebunkerny party, we have a night of unique pairings, back to back sets from people who knew each other mostly, but usually don’t play together. After a full weekend of non stop great music, what better than the drama of the unknown combinations to keep you fully engaged, with deeply curated pairings and flows for each room. On May 27, @mikeservito x @jeffreysfire scheduled from 1am until 3am. Mike Servito always majestically closes out No Way Back, but what would this combination bring? Sfire brought the heat, and their styles melded in a slightly pitched down form, music from all eras appeared. To me, it was a form of sonic bliss. I went and asked the Danny from Bing (who does the sound and built the speakers for the Garden Stage) if he minded if we went later, he was all for it. So were Servito and Sfire, and it just kept getting better and better. The crowd was totally locked in, the feeling was ecstatic, it was truly a beautiful moment. A magical closing set that naturally extended from two hours to 5 hours of pure heat from two DJs whose whole life is this music and this culture — who could ask for more?” — BMG

Catch Servito and Sfire playing an extended set to close out No Way Back NYC presented by The Bunker at the Chocolate Factory as a day party on Sunday November 12:
https://ra.co/events/1983236

The Bunker Podcast 233: Mike Servito x Jeffrey Sfire

NIKS (@niksbad) is as dedicated as anyone to furthering dance music culture. Hailing from south-east London via Bath, NIKS has long proven her curatorial skills with radio shows on BBC Radio 1, Rinse, and NTS. Her idiosyncratic blends of ‘90s groovy, rhythmic sounds and forward-thinking, underground-leaning soundscapes have brought her to some of the world’s most revered clubs. After contributing music to various compilations, last year she explored bass-heavy sounds with her first solo EP on Or:la’s Céad label. Beyond her work as a musician, NIKS also co-founded the Black Artist Database, a crowd-sourced list of Black-owned labels, artists, and producers designed to amplify and uplift talent.

Ahead of her debut at the Dekmantel Festival this year, NIKS serves up a 90-minute window into her current musical world, including her own forthcoming productions in a deep, dub-infused journey into hypnotic techno and house rhythms that intertwine to create a warm, supple soundscape. Its seamless flow takes in sounds from the past, present, and future, and they all encourage you to move and meditate in equal measure."

Dekmantel Mix 490 - NIKS

We linked up with the king, Donato Dozzy, at the iconic Brancaleone club in his hometown in Rome for a 5-hour set.

Donato Dozzy | Boiler Room: Rome

Interstellar Funk at Polifonic Festival Milano

Jennifer Loveless steps up to the Phonica mix with a charged hour of sculpted house — poised between deep groove and melodic resonance. 
Born in Toronto and musically forged in Melbourne, she relocated to Australia in 2012 and quickly became a central figure in the country's underground electronic scene. Now based in Berlin, her fluid DJ style — steeped in queer dancefloor energy and late-night catharsis — has lit up some of the world’s most respected booths, from Panorama Bar and De School to Body Movements, Maricas/Mxricas, and Boiler Room’s Discwoman showcase in Sydney.
As a producer, her discography speaks in rhythms both personal and expansive. The debut Hard/Soft (Pure Space, 2020) blended meditative percussion and fragmented spoken word; 1.5m (Planet Euphorique) offered a pandemic-era pulse of emotional urgency. In 2021, the Water EP (Butter Sessions) landed with immersive, club-primed textures and was hailed by Resident Advisor as “career-defining.” Its 2022 follow-up Around the World expanded that sound with driving drums and psychedelic tones — its standout tracks appearing in DJ sets by Jayda G, D. Tiffany, and more.
Loveless’s mix here flows like her best sets: deep, intuitive, and full of movement. Sensual grooves fold into one another — not showy, just sharp. A warm, high-fidelity hour from a DJ who knows how to guide the floor from dusk to afterglow. We had a brief chat with Jennifer about the mix and what she has coming up:

Phonica Mix Series 133: Jennifer Loveless

Tunnel

Beckwith - Anandia (Original Mix) X Mita Gami - All By Myself 

Anandia X All By Myself - Running Hottt Mashup

This week's RA podcast comes from US house stalwart Jus-Ed, recorded at his home in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

RA.127 Jus-Ed

Tune in for three hours of FXHE radio.

Omar-S, Dixon, Steffi, Nicolas Jaar and Ben UFO mark our 500th podcast.

Read more: http://www.residentadvisor.net/podcast-episode.aspx?id=500

RA.500 Omar-S

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Buy it here: www.discogs.com/sell/release/117845?ev=rb

Daniel Bell

422 - Daniel Bell - 'Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!' (2003)

Hey, Gareth here, I'm a graphic designer who start designing for clubs, parties, and labels in the late 90s. Back then, mix CDs were the holy grail of both design and music. I loved them.

But I wasn't the only one, mix cds were the soundtracks of our nights, our days, our afterparties and lives, for everyone. Yet in today's internet age, the art form has been lost (or just changed) to 2-3 hour online mixes and streaming videos, which just don't create the same magic your CD collection did. Just 60 minutes of music and incredible artwork.

The Classic Mix CD Series celebrates these discs, their soundtrack, their box art and your memories. We hope you enjoy it.

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Also, we try to help you find and buy them again by sharing Discogs links on all featured CDs and or direct links to labels where possible.

* We fully support labels and artists. If any disc creates a copyrighting issue let me know and it will be immediately removed. 

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About Gareth:
Digital creative type, gamer, music lover and occasional DJ. Currently living between Dubai & Seoul after setting sail from Sunderland in 2010. As a young designer, club and music culture was the driving force for his work, producing artwork for local club nights and record labels in the North East of England. In particular, DJ mix cds and their packaging were always his 'holy grail of design', especially those from Renaissance, Global Underground and Good Looking Records. It's a pleasure to share these discs back with people and they still influence our tastes to this day. 

For any CD recommendations, bookings, mixes or feedback you can catch me as @asapgareth on Instagram. Or you can check our my design work at www.acid.works

422 - Daniel Bell - 'Button-Down Mind Strikes Back!' (2003)

The Classic Mix CD Series

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