Jayda G - DJ-Kicks (2021)

Jayda G's mix takes you on a journey that moves through loved classics and new bubblers. This includes original productions from HAAi, DJ BORING, LNS and Australia-based friend Jennifer Loveless – whose track ‘in 10000 places (then what)’ swells with trance euphoria – as well as appearances from ‘Both of Us/Are You Down’ collaborator Fred Again, DJ Koze and FIT Siegel.

Each selection, Guy explains, is attached to a memory – whether it’s starting her career in Vancouver’s nascent electronic scene, her time DJing in Berlin or reconnecting with friends from home. “I really wanted to involve friends who I've had shared experiences with. The people included are people I've shared trips with, had late night DJ sessions with or made music with. They’ve been really formative in my artistry.”

As a result, her DJ-Kicks album is an exercise in connection; a look to the past and the future, the good times and bad. “This mix is full of nostalgia; music is nostalgia for me. It’s happy and sad at the same time,” she says. “A friend and I were looking at old pictures from when we used to throw underground parties in Vancouver and you have that feeling of like, ‘Wow, it's changed. And there's a sadness to that, but an awesomeness to it as well. At least we get to look back at these times and feel like yes, we lived.”

Ultimately, that’s what draws you into the mix. It’s a much-needed shot of enthusiasm, yet acknowledges the converging feeling of melancholy of our troubled times. Listening to the mix evokes a feeling of familiarity, like revisiting memories on dancefloors past or texts of encouragement from an old friend. A testament to positivity, a work that chooses joy. The message is simple: “I’m an optimist. I want people to think, ‘We're listening to good music and brighter times are ahead.’”