In 2015 emphasis was placed on the selector

We admired renowned crate diggers and hailed new discoveries for their obscure selections and ability to shed new light on the past. This list, comprised of the mixes we kept coming back to this year, reflects that. Whether it’s a killer artefact of an emerging scene, or someone looking back in order to step forward, the artists in this list have the sought after ability to string music together in a way that alters our perspective on it.

Here’s to the selectors.

25

Blackest Ever Black for Berlin Community Radio

Our favourite instalment of BEB’s excellent monthly residency. This mix zoomed in on different aspects of the label’s aesthetic with post-punk and experimental sounds filed alongside lopsided jazz and plenty of cold romanticism from its catalogue.

24

The Aptitude Show ft. Kid Drama

The Aptitude Show is a series of live mixes curated by dBridge and recorded from the Exit Records HQ. Damon Kirkham, with his new DnB project Kid Drama (formerly half of Insta:mental, aka Jon Convex), steps up to deliver the second Aptitude podcast of 2015.

The mix showcases new unreleased music from dBridge, Kid Drama and many other Exit-affiliated artists, as well as underground classics from the Autonomic camp. dBridge and Instra:mental were responsible for pioneering the ‘Autonomic’ Sound throughout 2011-12 and the 2015 Aptitude mix series continued to push this minimal, experimental sound.

The Aptitude Show ft Kid Drama (Nov 2015) by Dbridge on Mixcloud

23

Batu - Solid Steel mix

The Livity Sound affiliate and Timedance label head explored current movements in bass-heavy, syncopated UK techno, Bristol’s new school, and beyond.

22

Meaghan Garvey - a known grim reaper

More commonly known for her work for Pitchfork, this woozy string of submerged hits from writer Meaghan Garvey delivers “70% nihilism, 30% turn-up.”

A known grim reaper by Meaghan Garvey on Mixcloud

21

Public Possession Instore - Suzanne Kraft

Wigged out goodness plucked from the Public Possession racks.

20

Function Berghain 07

Described by Function as “the single most difficult music project I’ve ever worked on”, the Berghain resident and native New Yorker tunnel visions into impeccably paced techno.

19

Morgan Louis White Material mix #1

Quality left-of-centre club music from the latest member of the White Material camp.

18

Logan Sama - fabriclive 83

As Logan Sama described to Crack’s Tom Watson in our Turning Points feature, this chaotic turn for fabric, which compiles 24 unheard instrumentals and features 66 MCs, showcased “grime as high art”; shrink-wrapping a legacy into under two hours.

17

Dekmantel Podcast 35 - Autechre

This was a special one – a rare mix from Autechre sprawling over four hours of early influences. A glimpse into the minds of the pioneering Warp duo, and a highlight from Dekmantel’s storming run of podcasts.

16

JD Twitch Post Punk Special NTS

The esteemed Glaswegian digger made unearthing rarities his business this year and this mix dug further into the void of sought after and under the radar vintage post punk, with insightful commentary from the man himself helping you connect the dots.

15

Mathew Jonson fabric

This stunning turn from Mathew Jonson’s inimitable live show was captured at fabric’s 15th birthday.

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