Mix Up Look Sharp: The Best Mixes Of The Week

Abrasive UK garage, a DJ Q greatest hits and some luxurious half-time rap beats.

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Here at Complex, we understand the grind of listening to the best music each week. There's so much new music uploaded to every single platform, every single day, that following just one of your streams can become a dizzying, life-consuming task. To help you out on at least one front, each and every Friday, our music team will trawl the depths of the internet to bring you the best mixes from the past week. House, hip-hop and bass, grime, trap and techno—it'll all be represented in our picks to get you warmed up for the weekend. So let us do all the hard work; click through below and enjoy.

JLSXND7RS' '7' Mix

Taking a break from dirty grime bangers, radio regular JLSXND7RS has put together this new mix of disparate sounds that have inspired him over the years. There's a fair bit of dubstep inside—Mala, Silkie, Jack Sparrow and Coki all feature—but it's a pretty broad selection. Dubstep had a pretty bad rep for quite a while, so it's nice to be reminded of the genre's flexibility, as well as just how incredible a lot of those releases truly were.

Cotch International's Mix For Rye Wax

Sometimes you just want to kiss goodbye to the increasingly bleak reality of the world and immerse yourself in some music that sounds like it comes from space. If that's the case, and surely it is, then record label and club night Cotch International have you covered. Recorded as part of Rye Wax' new mix series, the team have blended together an immersive, eclectic collection of hip-hop, R&B, dancehall, grime, bass into something that truly knocks but still warrants an attentive home listen too.

Al Chewy's 'Garage & Bass' Mix For New Movement

Here we have some of the heaviest UKG we've heard in a while, though it's no surprise given Al Chewy's reputation. Consistently blending together the more abrasive, bass-heavy moments from UKG's palette with elements of grime, dancehall and bashment, Wot You Call It founder Al Chewy is a force to be reckoned with and someone who's input into UK music deserves considerably more attention.

DJ Q's '60 Minutes Of DJ Q' Mix

A man of DJ Q's stature needs no introduction so let's all give thanks to the bassline god for putting together this nothing-but-Q mix.

Gqom Oh!'s 'A Durban Exploration' Mix For Electronic Explorations

Gqom, South Africa's latest exciting export, has been pumping through stereos the world over for a little while now and that can be attributed to the hard work of—among others—the Gqom Oh! crew. The label and collective are responsible for some of the defining Gqom releases over the past couple of years and this "exploration" pulls that all together, along with some exclusive cuts they were sent via WhatsApp—a means of distributing music that has become central to Gqom's growth. Keep an eye out for their upcoming mixtape on July 18 via Crudo Volta Radio.

Sirr Tmo's 'Journey' Mix

Complex UK favourite Sirr Tmo has quite rightly made his way to this very column on more than one occasion. There are obviously a lot of gifted, inventive and progressive juke and footwork producers and DJs out there, but there's something a little different about Sirr Tmo. Adding a rich, soulful and funky edge to the footwork template, Sirr Tmo's mixes and productions are so eclectic and outward-facing that the term "footwork" doesn't even begin to cover it.

Detlef's Mix For Data Transmission

With a slew of releases for respected house and techno labels like Moon Harbour, Viva, Snatch! and more than a few contributions to Lee Foss and Jamie Jones' inimitable Hot Creations label, Detlef is a DJ's DJ. That's not to say he's too bogged down in his craft to tear the roof off a rave, far from it. Hours, days even, can be lost on YouTube watching his live sets. That's no substitute for catching him in the flesh, so while you wait for him to hit your town, check out this brand new mix of squelchy, bouncy, iridescent house bangers.

Orlando Volcano's Mix For Hyponik

Orlando Volcano, boss of Escape From Nature, recently released his stunning debut on Liminal Sounds late last month. A four track collection of twinkly electronics, powerful drums and intricate melodies, the Complete Concrete EP was a bold statement of intent, especially the space-age R&B of the Gemma Dunleavy-featuring "Mixed Messages". This mix, however, while identifiable as an Orlando Volcano venture, runs full-belt into the world of dancehall, albeit with a heavy and abrasive edge. Not to be taken lightly.

The Geek x Vrv's Mix For Clash

At the top of last month we brought you "Coming Up", the latest single from Parisian twosome The Geek x Vrv. That single was a sumptuous, melodious take on half-time rap beats with a timeless quality. Their latest mix, recorded for Clash, goes deeper into those influences, bringing in relaxed summer cuts from Mr. Carmack, Anderson .Paak, starRo and rounded out with a couple of their own cuts, including—we're pleased to report—"Coming Up".

chunyin's Mix For Truants

chunyin, the underground techno and electronic alias of pop futurist Rainbow Chan, may not be a name you're overly familiar with—but it should be. In Australia, where she's based, early cuts like "Softcall 101" and "Ori" are earning cult status for their hyperreal aesthetics, whiplash beats and crazy bass lines. Most of her productions, and indeed this mix, are pretty out there and experimental and yet you just know they'd utterly decimate a dancefloor. Especially "Ori". We can not stress enough how much that tune bangs. Sadly, that particular tune does not feature here, but she does deploy some heavy-duty weapons from Air Max '97 (the perfect "Fruit Crush"), Laurel Halo and Dro Carey.

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