Contemporary cellist Okkyung Lee shares her inspirations. 
https://www.nts.live/shows/okkyung-lee/episodes/okkyung-lee-5th-september-2023

OKKYUNG LEE 050923

Nina Mix 012 takes us into the ethereal sonic world of Dylan Khotin-Foote, aka Khotin (@khotin). His sound—vintage but never pastiche—is deep and bursting with colorful, emotive textures that come alive on his Nina mix. The Edmonton-based artist has stitched together an hour of mostly unreleased originals, alongside collaborations with Nik 7 and Patrick Holland.

You can collect the mix for free on Nina: https://www.ninaprotocol.com/releases/khotin-nina-mix-012

Khotin - Nina Mix 012

Download

Nina Mix - 012 - Khotin

There are perhaps no better ears for melody in the Detroit techno canon than those belonging to John Beltran. Born just outside the city in nearby Lansing, Michigan, Beltran cut his teeth in the early '90s, releasing on a who's who of impressive '90s dance music stables like R&S, and Damon Booker's shortlived Sinewave Records. 

Beltran's typical sound floats somewhere above the robotic groove of Detroit. The mechanic pulse of drum machines are subdued or forgone entirely in favour of delicate and complex rolling melodies, edging towards new age music in moments - it's no surprise - Beltran is an avid fan of the genre. 

Two hours of placid angles from Detroit's master of melody - selected by NTS.  
https://www.nts.live/shows/in-focus/episodes/in-focus-john-beltran-19th-january-2024

In Focus: John Beltran  190124

"This is something about mining nostalgia & the space of how I've been listening to music over the last summer in Perth.  Like when you share the space of the car, facing the same way in the same direction, no eye contact but a moment of shared expression, seeing images pass, cue points of intrigue wandering out of frame haunted by what the last song anticipates. Becoming nostalgic for something as it happens in front of you.  I feel like music makes this kind of space. Maybe for me its a liminal space preceding memory, non-linear but not circular, reducing anachronistic distances, like transposing past emo angst against future heartbreak. Driving through Perth suburbs down the coast, sometimes trite corny cinematic but in its own way just great."

@eleventeeneston

John Tanner - 18.02.24

Music wouldn't sound the same today without Quincy Jones. 

Rising up from poverty, Jones spent his early musical career playing trumpet with big band swing legend Count Basie, and worked as a young arranger for jazz greats like Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie. He went on to learn classical composition in Paris under Nadia Boulanger, whilst living across the street from Picasso.

Jones became one of the first ever Black music executives signed to a US record label, and over the course of his career, his vision for transmuting musical talent into enormous pop successes earned him a staggering 28 Grammys, with collaborations spanning icons like Ray Charles, Frank Sinatra, and Aretha Franklin, shaping the sounds of jazz, pop, soul, and film.

Tune in for two hours paying tribute to his rece... 
Find the full tracklist and related episodes on NTS: https://www.nts.live/shows/in-focus/episodes/in-focus-quincy-jones-15th-november-2024

In Focus: Quincy Jones 151124

LA native Bianca Lexis showcases a monthly, genre-blending hour, exploring the different facets of pop, rock, synth and house music. all in panoramic view, for you. 
Find the full tracklist and related episodes on NTS: https://www.nts.live/shows/panorama-heaven/episodes/panorama-heaven-18th-december-2024

Panorama Heaven w/ Bianca Lexis 181224

Breakfast, in Flo motion - served by Flo Dill, every Monday to Wednesday. 
 
Find the full tracklist and related episodes on NTS: https://www.nts.live/shows/the-breakfast-show-flo/episodes/the-breakfast-show-flo-15th-january-2025

The NTS Breakfast Show w/ Flo 150125

Breakfast, in Flo motion - served by Flo Dill, every Monday to Wednesday. 
 
Find the full tracklist and related episodes on NTS: https://www.nts.live/shows/the-breakfast-show-flo/episodes/the-breakfast-show-flo-29th-january-2025

The NTS Breakfast Show w/ Flo 290125

Let the evening groove take over 
Find the full tracklist and related episodes on NTS: https://www.nts.live/shows/thee-marloes/episodes/thee-marloes-25th-february-2025

THEE MARLOES 250225

From the City of Angels it is our friend Bianca Lexis (@biancalexis) representing the 22nd mix. Interview (excerpt) down below.

www.musicfrommemory.com 

MFM: Hi Bianca, nice to have you on board. How's your day so far?

BL: Thanks for having me! Slow start to my day today, just woke up, worked out, and cooked myself some eggs and chorizo with pears and tahini. I’ve been hand modeling for extra money for a year now... LA is a crazy place.

MFM: ...hand modeling?

BL: Yes hand modeling! Like that episode on Seinfeld hahaha. It kind of fell into my lap at the perfect time.

MFM: Haha, wow. So, you've been doing quite a lot of radio, with regular shows at Dublab (where you've worked) and NTS too. What is it about radio that you like? 

BL: Yes, I volunteered at both stations for a while. It’s really cool to be a part of a larger community and easily find like-minded people all over the world who share a similar passion. A lot of times, being into music that’s not exactly top 40 can feel quite isolating. Because I feel so strongly about the music I love, to feel like I have an outlet to share that. Also, radio is a lot different than performing. I love feeling like I can play whatever I want. Mixes feel more personal. There is no pressure to cater to or pay attention to a live audience, which is a completely different form of DJing and also something I enjoy. 

MFM: Was it through the radio shows that you started playing dance floors too? You had a residency in a bar quite fast after you started, correct?

BL: Yes, I learned to DJ at my college radio station, then my friend Daniel T had enough confidence in me to let me play records with him in bars. Quickly after that, I secured a residency at the rather notorious bar, Tenants of the Trees, where I played records every Saturday night for a year. During this year, my collection grew, and I started playing proper dance floors at after hours parties. When I was let go from my day job at a greeting card design studio, I decided to try DJing full time. 

MFM: How's living in LA as a full time DJ? It is a rather big and spread out city, does that influence its scene(s) somehow? 

BL: I grew up here and never travelled until recently, so I wasn’t able to fully contextualize the city and its place in the global music community. Now that I’ve travelled a bit, I can appreciate how culturally fertile it is. There are so many different scenes, lively subcultures, countless parties. Liquor license restrictions make it so that bars and clubs have to close at 2am, so most of the scene gets pushed to risky illegal warehouse spaces. We don’t have clubs or reliable spaces to settle and nest in, which I think makes the scene feel a bit precarious. Also in order to cultivate a stronger local dance music community, booking local talent is extremely important. There are a lot of talented people here, but LA promoters tend to lean on bringing in bigger acts from other cities. Regardless, I truly love it here. 

MFM: You were supposed to be touring Europe a second time this year. Do you feel the world's lockdown has put your goals and dreams at risk?  

BL: Yeah definitely. I was really looking forward to that. This year has not been easy, especially for music/event workers. It’s comforting to talk to others in the same boat and to know I’m not alone though.

MFM: What are you hoping for once this situation is behind us and things pick up again? 

BL: When clubs start to reopen, it will be gradual and awkward. I think the pandemic will leave behind lingering psychological impressions - I feel uneasy just thinking about stepping in a crowded club right now. But all I can hope for is that a strong community emerges on the other side, with more fervor and hunger than ever to get back. I don’t think it will change my perspective to DJing much. Admittedly, I’m not listening to as much dance music as I was before, but I miss the club so much and I can’t wait to play and hear bangers at the club once again.

OKKYUNG LEE 050923

NTS 2023

Related tracks