MASSMix Series

Islas aka Ailsa Cavers is the curious mind behind many projects. From co-creating the Basic Moves record label, PLANET collective and the pop-up shop objet petit a / op-a with Dana Kuehr, there's always something fizzing.

We first met back in 2016, bumping into both her and Walrus in Leeds' Wire, Distrikt and Tribe Records over the same weekend. After a few shared tales, we ended up back at an afters for a long mission of mixing records and sharing more stories from their digging trip around the UK.

Ailsa has since developed a potent and intriguing style behind the decks, sitting somewhere between wonky minimal and punky oddballs, right through to introspective ambient and atmospheric club tracks.

There's always been a fruitful connection between the crews for almost 10 years, and it's about time we showcased her sonics in this wicked pod. Strap in!

@islasaliasailsa

Photo by Marine Urbain

nikol - circles by MASS

Lo-Lo is one of the minds behind the excellent Ascendancy curation and label.

Born in Uruguay and now based in Barcelona, the DJ and producer caught our attention from the very first time we heard him spin.

Full of intrigue and depth, his patient blends find a place between genres, flirting with the fringes of minimalist house and techno. Music that lands softly on the mind, like a sonic neurological massage.

Tune into this 90-minute trip from one of our favourite DJs in the city.

@lo-lo0

Fresh from our home city Leeds, co-founder and resident of On The Button, Luke Foulkes delivers a tightly curated blend of digs from his collection.

Yorkshire born and raised, he’s been digging deep for many years with residencies both at Albion Records and The Imaginarium, as well as several tasteful podcasts showing a deeper side.

Strap into 80 minutes of obscure and moreish beats in MASS 45.

@luke-foulkes

@onthebuttonleeds

@imaginarium-leeds

Hypnotic Mindscapes curator and founder Cosmic JD joins us for the next episode of the MASS podcast.

Known for delivering intelligent grooves on the dancefloor through both his DJ sets and live performances, JD recently unveiled a new dimension to his sound

We first caught a glimpse of this shade at the Seekers x Faciendo weekender at Hoppetosse in snowy Berlin this past February. With tired legs after hours on the floor, we drifted downstairs and stumbled into a deeply considered downtempo set, curated with warmth, restraint, and intention. It was a moment that gently pulled us inward, reshaping the energy of the night.

Inspired by that experience, we invited Cosmic to share this reflective mode with us. What followed is a soulful, immersive journey, grounded in emotion, textured in detail, and delivered with care.

Tune in to this special set, and keep an ear out for more from JD and the Hypnotic Mindscapes imprint.

@cosmicjd

sooooooth by MASS

Shakolin is next up on the MASS podcast! We’re honoured to welcome the tasteful Ukrainian selector to the series with this serene, flow-state hour of mixing.

Deeply rooted in Kyiv’s Closer club and now based in Berlin, Shakolin carries the spirit of one of electronic music’s most revered institutions wherever he plays. His selections blend old and new into something groovy, deep, and unpredictable, always guided by a keen ear and instinct for the dancefloor.

This mix is a testament to his craft, tune in and enjoy!

@shakolin

Marie K's intriguing sound caught our attention from the very first listen.

As a resident at Amsterdam's Breakfast Club and based in Rotterdam, her skills both behind the decks and in the studio have been nurtured over the years, defining a highly personal presence within dance music. Whether you catch Marie spinning records or playing live on her machines, the passion shines bright.

We first heard Marie playing live at Above Below festival - a fascinating sound that balances a sense of playfulness with cryptic and mystical atmospheres. Her DJ sets channel a similar path with influence from contemporary circles in the likes of Ukraine and Uruguay where a spirited sound is front and centre.

Tune into this two hour cut of a DJ set at Breakfast Club on the Phonotheque stage. Keep your eyes peeled for Marie's music coming soon on wax ;)

@marie-k-music

@n1kol, aka Chris Nicholls has grown into an integral part of MASS. Since meeting him in 2016 following a random Facebook message, we connected and have no doubt formed a lifelong friendship.

After featuring on MASS‘s first vinyl last year, his sound began to attract attention leading to a full EP on O.C.D Records with Gavin Herlihy as 'Body Copy'.

Now flourishing as a solo artist with several EPs in the pipeline, plus his downtempo live project Between Dreams with Dan, years of quietly crafting his sound is finally coming to fruition.

This podcast is a special one for us and we’re proud to present Nikol's first electronic podcast, inviting us into his world of sound.

MASS 003 – V/A - Landed (12”)

Episode three for Leeds-Barcelona collective MASS connects both cities at the heart of their project with two artists from each scene.

A1 features the talented Leeds-based producer Ollie Burgess aka Zuul/R.O.E as he adds another alias to his belt, AS Groove. He is joined by Barcelona-based Driahn, a seasoned artist in the city and one-half of the DJ Service project.

Monile brings her dreamy visions to the B-side, an artist who continues to blossom with her infectious and spirited taste. Resident Nikol concludes the EP with a timeless breakbeat cut to finish this Leeds-Barcelona connection.

Artist: AS Groove, Driahn, Monile, Nikol

Release Title: Landed

Label: MASS

Cat n.: MASS003

Release date: July 2024

Tracklist:

A1. AS Groove – On Pause

A2. Driahn – O.C.D

B1. Monile – Transition

B2. Nikol – Seismic