Best New Mixes Streaming Right Now

Featuring Ta-ku, Dre Skull, Bok Bok, Starkey, and more.

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Direct from Artist

Image via Biz3/Credit: Johnny Castle

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If, like most, you've had your eyes glued to the sporting event known as the Olympic Games for the last week or so, you should be able to appreciate the value of rewarding the best of the best with a medal. The same theory applies in our regular rundown of the best new mixes streaming right now, except we give our awards every two weeks to the best of the best.

Whether it's familiar names like Ta-ku, Bok Bok, and Gilles Peterson going for gold once again, or less familiar forays by Breach, Blockhead, Massacooraman, and more, all of the following mixes are winners in our book.

A pioneering talent in his own right, many reading this are unknowingly fans of jazz musician Bobby Hutcherson, who sadly passed away last week after a lengthy battle with emphysema.

Aside from playing a key role in the music of people like Madlib, Q-Tip, Nas, DJ Krush as well as influencing the music of countless others, Gilles Peterson shared his sentiments alongside a three-part mix made in memory of the jazz great.

"Like so many of you, I was so sad to hear of the passing of one of the key jazz players of our lifetime recently. I've always loved Bobby Hutcherson's music but it wasn't until I started to go through my collection that I started to realise what a massive impact he's had on me over the years. So many classics, such depth and talent. There was so much amazing stuff that I've had to split the mix over three parts. RIP Bobby, you really were a legend."

Like a courier for the local temperature in Tel-Aviv, Obas Nenor brought '30°C in the shade' levels of heat during his session for Heist Recordings' recent Boiler Room event.

Help yourself to the platter of disco, afrobeat, funk, and sundrenched house as if it were a delicious homous salad and it's already half past lunchtime.

Fans of big room bass, people living for the weekend, and those who fall into both of these parameters will probably be interested in this mix from the Keys N Krates crew for Fader Magazine's reliably strong series.

Featuring music from maximalists Baauer, Rustie, Boys Noize, HudMo and more, the mix naturally also showcases some original productions from the lads.

"It feels very much like a 'get you excited for Friday night'-type of mix," they explain. "In the context of us traveling, the beginning of the mix kind of feels like the plane taking off. So the mix could really be good for going somewhere where you'll have a lot of fun."

Barbeque going, Red Stripe chilled, friends starting to gather...What's next? If you answered, "A sick dancehall mix from Mixpak label boss Dre Skull," you'd be exactly right.

A dream team features on the tracklist—Vybz Kartel, Mavado, Popcaan, Sean Paul and more—and thus deserves many a rewind throughout.

For anyone who has spent time in the dark corners of a loud club, this particularly mad set from Massacooramaan for the Fade To Mind fam on Rinse FM will probably resonate.

There are two hours of unrelenting heaters, so be warned that this isn't one for the faint-hearted.

We love a mix of classics, and Ben Westbeech aka Breach has brought the goodies.

"Another of my Redlight radio shows going up today. Perfect pre listening for my set at the magnificent Lowlands festival in my beloved Holland."

We won't list the tracklist here so it's more of a surprise. All we'll confirm for you at this point is that both synthesizers and saxophones feature.

With 98 tracks included, you certainly can't fault the comprehensiveness of Starkey's song selection on his latest promotional mix for his current American tour.

The title Grime & Beyond should give you a heads up on at least one of the things the listener can expect to hear. Have your gunfingers unholstered for sure.

Suffice to say we've heard a lot of excellent transmissions from various outlets this time around, but Rinse FM has been on form lately. Take Ta-Ku and Wafia's wonderful mix, for example, which was made available over a week ago and has been in heavy rotation since.

A highly emotional affair.

If imitation is the highest form of flattery, how does a mix comprised of your various releases over the years rank on the flattery scale?

For New York based producer and Ninja Tune alum Blockhead, the following mix by DJ Jing Kohn not only marks the commencement of Blockhead's Australian tour, but also an affectionately crafted tribute to his music.

This back-to-back from Sweyn J, 2SHIN and Bok Bok could turn almost any given club out as swiftly as it could provide the perfect soundtrack for a social smoke with some friends.

Originally broadcast over on Radar Radio, we once again doth our caps to Bok Bok for making our list of the Best Mixes. How do you do it, man?

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