With DJ-Kicks, British DJ and producer Djrum turns the traditional DJ mix into something closer to an experimental composition. Moving between breakcore, jungle, ambient, jazz, classical music and post-punk, the 82-minute set refuses to settle into a single mood or genre. Instead, it embraces the unpredictable, finding unexpected connections between sounds that might otherwise seem worlds apart.
Released via !K7 Records, Djrum’s DJ-Kicks entry follows his 2025 album Under Tangled Silence and 2026 EP I Wander. Highlighting Felix Manuel’s skill as a selector, the mix eschews conventional club drops for dynamic tension, silence, and sudden energy. It opens with field recordings and atmospheric textures before launching into ‘Turning’, one of four original Djrum tracks on the release, and continues through fractured rhythms, intricate breakbeats, and abstract electronics.
The mix succeeds by unifying disparate elements into a cohesive whole. The inclusion of tracks by Skee Mask, Clark, and The Raincoats creates unexpected intersections, complemented by Chris Watson’s quiet field recordings. On his own track ‘Psychic Video’, Djrum blends abstract tones, intricate drum patterns, and unsettling spoken word. Throughout, fluid transitions make distinct musical worlds collide and transform. This stems from his process: Djrum initially performed the mixes on vinyl using three turntables, then edited and overdubbed them in the studio. Combining live mixing’s physicality with studio precision, he uses scratches, overlapping rhythms, and abrupt shifts as compositional tools.
This approach has its challenges: dense ideas, rapid tempo shifts, and changing textures make DJ-Kicks a bit disorienting, which could be those wanting a simple dancefloor groove. Yet, this unpredictability defines its appeal. Djrum prioritises listener curiosity over momentum, rewarding close attention as elements align. DJ-Kicks proves DJing can be an act of composition.
Listen to DJ-Kicks: Djrum:
