Stuck for new mixes? You’re not alone. With festival season reaching its Glastonbury-induced climax, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of names on line-ups. Especially when it comes to up-and-coming artists, navigating your way through the smaller text is a daunting task. But you needn’t beat a retreat back to that same old Soundcloud mix. What you need is a little curation.
Enter, a new initiative launched by Refuge Worldwide and Zalando. Refuge, a community-driven radio station based in Berlin, has handpicked 5 DJs to showcase and support across the coming month. The action kicked off last week at Refuge’s brand new HQ, as the artists attended a two-day workshop complete with mixing masterclasses and guest talks. There was also a visit to popular neighbourhood club arkaoda, and a final performance at MELT festival is upcoming.
To get to know the next generation of DJ talent, we quizzed them below on their sound, their style, and their musical guilty pleasures. Plus, for your listening pleasure, we copped a Soundcloud mix from each. No excuses now.
DJ WESTFA
Describe your sound in one or two sentences.
I play music for the soul and to represent Black house culture. Soulful, tribal, healing house music.
What’s your track for the summer?
Name three random things, or people, that inspire your music.
Wendel Sield, Black culture, joy and happiness.
Similarly, three items of clothing you couldn’t live without?
Sunglasses, black tanktop, my rings.
Listen to DJ Westfa’s top mix here.
JOSIANE
Describe your sound in one or two sentences.
My sets are known for their bold soundscapes, blending bass-heavy and melodic house with acid and trance influences. The tracks I choose have a spacey vibe to them – some of my friends call me DJ Spacy / DJ Alien…
Would you rather play to a huge audience at Glastonbury or give an intimate show to your biggest fans?
I would say an intimate show to my biggest fans, whom I gained at Glastonbury… LOL.
Name three items of clothing you couldn’t live without.
Turtleneck top, platform boots, tailored jeans.
What’s your musical guilty pleasure?
Choosing music based on album or EP covers, buying records without being able to listen to them, and listening to a lot of soft indie music from the early 2010s.
Listen to Josiane’s top mix here.
NALAMAZON
Describe your sound in one or two sentences.
My sound is groovy, grounding and at the same time trippy and otherworldly. I like to transport the dancefloor to a realm where energy and euphoria collide.
Name three random things, or people, that inspire your music.
Jeff Mills, the Hubble telescope, [the movie] 303.
What’s your musical guilty pleasure?
I don’t feel guilt around pleasure!
Listen to Nalamazon’s top mix here.
MISZO
Describe your sound in one or two sentences.
It’s music for sunsets: euphoric, but dreamy.
Can you tell us about an embarrassing DJ moment?
I remember I did a radio show with two friends once. We played back-to-back, and as we hadn’t seen each other for a long time, we were sharing some spicy dating stories – live on air, as the mic was still on! Always double-check the mic, lol.
What’s your musical guilty pleasure?
Indie rock/pop/cheesy electronica from 2008-2012.
Listen to Miszo’s top mix here.
LISA HILL
Describe your sound in one or two sentences.
House meets techno meets energetic percussive rollers and ethereal rave hymns.
How does music inform your personal style?
DJing can be sweaty, hectic, and feel sort of like a workout at times. I’ve grown to love techwear that still feels elevated enough for a club or a festival. I also love showcasing friends’ designs and smaller brands when I get the chance.
If you could go B2B with anyone alive or dead, who would it be?
Octo Octa – there is so much to learn from her on a technical level.
And finally, can you say a bit about what you want to get out of the experience with Refuge x Zalando?
Starting out as a DJ can be an isolating experience at times. You learn on the go, make mistakes ‘out loud’ and spend a lot of time hunched over your equipment figuring out the more technical part of the job. Being able to exchange with other like-minded DJs and seeing the work that Refuge Worldwide has been doing is a huge gift. I’ve already learned a ton from everyone involved – especially our mentors Sarah Farina and Nico Adomako – and I can’t wait for our trip to MELT Festival.
Listen to Lisa Hill’s top mix here.
Want more outfit inspiration? Click here to explore the Refuge x Zalando project.