DJ-Kicks: Steven Julien

Steven Julien delivers a knockout for the DJ-Kicks series, blending raw ghetto-funk basslines, cosmic boogie, and leftfield house into a masterful, genre-blurring ride. With standout selections from Ryuichi Sakamoto to his own cuts with Dreamcastmoe, Julien takes us from mellow, sunlit grooves to deep, late-night club burners. Tailor-made for fans of Theo Parrish and Moodymann. - Hunter


Well known for the fact that we never know what he's going to throw down next, UK DJ and producer Steven Julien is the latest to gift us with a DJ-Kicks selection, and this one is a wild 'n' wonderful ride. The full eclectic electric smorgasbord, Julien treats us to tunes from the likes of Ryuichi Sakamoto, DāM-FunK and Todd Edwards, as well as some of his own exclusive cuts. Mmm! - Flying Out

London-based DJ and producer Steven Julien’s career has always been about contrasts. Across a decade of releases on labels including Eglo and his own Apron Records, as well as club sets around the world, he’s consistently mixed light and dark, soft and heavy, yin and yang. From rough-edged house and techno to laid-back soul and boogie, or meditations on his familial and musical heritage with 2018’s Bloodline LP Julien’s music has always moved between moods, styles and emotions.

That eclecticism also defines Julien’s upcoming instalment in !K7’s iconic DJ-Kicks mix series. Featuring a broad spectrum of artists including Ryuichi Sakamoto, DāM-FunK and Todd Edwards, alongside a selection of his own exclusive productions, Julien takes us on an imagined journey from day to night: from a bucolic afternoon in nature to heady domestic vibes before a big night out, and finally the euphoric embrace of the dancefloor itself.

Julien describes his creative approach to DJing in general, and this mix in particular, as letting his energy and intuition guide him - it’s only on listening back to the finished session that he realised how often he mixes tracks in key, creating smooth transitions from one moment to the next.

That instinctive approach, where seamless mixing becomes second nature, speaks to Julien’s decade of appearances in DJ booths around the world: he cites sets at Ormside Projects in London, Doka and De School in Amsterdam, or Mitsuki in Tokyo as specific inspirations for this mix.

Tracklist

1. Steven Julien - PAYN ME MIND (ft. Kristian Hamilton)
2. d’Eon - Transparency
3. Ryuichi Sakamoto - A Day in the Park
4. Steven Julien - Retriate (ft. Dreamcastmoe)
5. Elli - Just For Me & You
6. Steven Julien - Number
7. Brothermartino - KAH
8. DāM-FunK - Morphing
9. My Girlfriend - UBER HYPE
10. Mr Flash - Disco Dynamite
11. Devin Morrison - Shesbi
12. Ryuichi Sakamoto - Rio