Features

Marcia Carr is into her fourth decade behind the decks and has seen many trends come and go in that time. Throughout, she’s stuck with what truly moves her: an assortment of Black music from jazz, funk and boogie to gospel house, broken beat and beyond. She’s thought about giving up DJing on more than one occasion, but — driven by passion and faith — is now enjoying a well-deserved moment in the sun. Alongside an uplifting On Cue mix, she tells Ria Hylton her story

1st May 1994 was the first big London protest against the looming Criminal Justice Bill, the piece of legislation that first proscribed a genre of music — rave music, “wholly or predominantly categorised by the emission of a succession of repetitive beats” — in law. Despite widespread demonstrations at what was seen as draconian power-grabs by the UK authorities, the Bill became law later in 1994. Here, Harold Heath looks back at the reaction from the dance music community at the time, and the Act’s lasting impact on the rave scene today

Turntablist NikNak has a unique style, cutting and scratching field recordings and samples into ambient tracks — but her latest album finds her leaning into the dance music you might hear in one of her club sets. Ben Murphy speaks to her about Afrofuturist sci-fi, trip-hop, pop, and why she loves found sounds

Out of club music’s modern-day practitioners, few go deeper than Francis Harris and Anthony Collins. Producing under the Frank & Tony banner, working in the grand tradition of the sound’s pioneers, the duo has just released ‘Ethos’, their first long-player since 2014’s ‘You Go Girl’. Here, they speak to Bruce Tantum about their creative partnership, the uniting power of the house groove, and melancholic beauty of everyday life

In this series, we invite DJs, producers and label heads to dig into their digital crates and share the contents of their collections. This week, Tiffany Calver spotlights head-turning UK rap and garage, punchy bass, big-room amapiano and more

In the midst of the ruinous Thatcher era, Manchester’s Hulme Crescents estate became a haven for squatters, anarchists and acid house ravers, who converged in the hedonistic flat-turned-studio and after-hours club, The Kitchen. Kemi Alemoru speaks to former residents, DJs and familiar guests from the Madchester scene about the lasting impact this space had on the city’s cultural landscape

In life’s messier moments, it’s only natural to seek out a place of comfort. On her new ‘Home Music’ EP, the violinist and producer known as Bad Snacks tells the story of how she regained a sense of belonging through soaring instrumentals and a soothing spin on upbeat house

In this excerpt from Ears To The Ground: Adventures in Field Recording and Electronic Music, author and DJ Mag contributing editor Ben Murphy explores the use of found sounds in dance music as a means of examining and expressing cultural heritage in our surroundings

With his new podcast, Queerly Beloved, Northern Irish DJ Cormac explores what it means to be a queer artist in dance music today. Interviewing contemporary figures about their histories of queer discovery, the Panorama Bar and fabric regular continues an intergenerational conversation surrounding the life-affirming moments, communal  experiences and enduring challenges of LGBTQ+ expression. Alongside an On Cue mix packed with HI-NRG anthems and Italo house, Marke Bieschke learns more

If hard techno is energetic work, then Sara Landry is a divine healer. Driven by an innate desire to connect with and unite the crowd, the California-born DJ is often credited as the high priestess of the breakneck sound, but behind her signature cloak of organised chaos lies an unshakable force for good. We catch up with the international star to learn more about her spellbinding sets, and why the masses are craving a fierce new edge

Daft Punk split up three years ago, but thanks to a near-constant stream of archival video releases, album reissues, merch drops and more, the robots feel more present than ever. But what are the limits to one of dance music's most iconic acts' prolific post-split existence? Will it start to wear thin? And what does it all say about the brand-focused and content-driven ecosystem we find ourselves in today? Ben Cardew dives in

A key member of highly respected independent label, Griselda Records, Buffalo rapper Benny the Butcher has just stepped up to the majors with his new album ‘Everybody Can’t Go’ for Def Jam. He speaks to DJ Mag about listening to his fans and mentorship in the hip-hop scene

In this series, we invite DJs, producers and label heads to dig into their digital crates and share the contents of their collections. This week, Eddington Again spotlights adventurous pop gems packed with emotion and playful experimentation

Over the past three years, the name RIOT CODE has become synonymous with a strain of hard, fast techno, landing on labels like Noise Manifesto, HOMAGE and NineTimesNine and hammered out at parties like Teletech. Formerly a duo, the Derry-based project is now an individual venture for Oliver Grant, who’s ready to lift the trademark mask and take things to the next level. Alongside a storming Recognise mix that capture’s RIOT CODE’s past, present and future sounds, he speaks to Olivia Stock about going solo, navigating the techno scene as a trans artist, and what the future holds

Moving effortlessly through a range of tempos and flavours, the NYC-based, Lagos-raised DJ Akanbi demonstrates his party-starting sound with a live recording from New Year’s Day at Nowadays, and speaks to Michael McKinney about the evolution of his GROOVY GROOVY events, and taking the dancefloor somewhere new with his anything-goes approach

Delhi-born, Brooklyn-based synthesist, composer and singer Arushi Jain’s modular explorations are guided by boundless curiosity, and a researcher’s sense of wonder. On her new album for Leaving Records, ‘Delight’, she weaves enchanting vocals, organic instrumentation and elements of Indian classical music into her unique electronic framework, reflecting on love, longing and the nature of beauty. Tara Joshi learns more

Vienna-born, Manchester-based salute’s DJ sets and productions shine at the intersection of garage, French house and ‘80s synth styles. Ahead of the release of their star-studded debut album on Ninja Tune, they tell Kamila Rymajdo about their musical upbringing, flying the flag for Black artistry, and their joyful sound that, simply, makes people feel good

The latest and greatest DJs and producers rising to the top this month. From rowdy breaks and dreamy deep house to ambient electro and otherworldly techno, here’s April 2024’s list of upcoming talent you should be keeping track of

In this series, we invite DJs, producers and label heads to dig into their digital crates and share the contents of their collections. This week, Anastasia Kristensen spotlights ten idiosyncratic techno gems and electronic experiments

Continuing the legacy of his Lovefingers blog, Andrew Hogge’s ESP Institute is a truly anything-goes imprint, unbound by genre or style. Alongside a mix from its catalogue, he tells Anna Wall about how how his DIY attitude and digger’s mentality has helped him unearth countless new musical gems