Quantic is infectiously groovy on his exclusive DJ mix

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Since 1995 the DJ Kicks series has been offering high-profile disc jockeys the chance to mix choice tunes into a set tailored to home-listening. The latest is from Quantic, an artist and label boss from the West Midlands who’s been outputting a specific mix of soul, funk and jazz - with copious Latin influences - since the turn of the century.

In addition to DJing, Quantic (real name William Holland) is a very capable musician, playing everything from guitar to saxophone (sometime in his band the Quantic Soul Orchestra), and while more than half of his DJ Kicks entry comes from musicians he’s worked with over the years, the best tracks are ones he produced himself.

Those include the steel drum-powered ‘Eko Eko’, and ‘Motovic Retrograde’, which originally appeared on his 2019 album Atlantic Oscillations’, featuring here in a new, live-band iteration.

Two versions of Quantic’s DJ Kicks are available online: one with each track mixed into the other, and one that keeps them discrete. Personally I recommend the former for maximum home-bound head nodding: more than just a showcase of Holland’s artistry behind the decks, it makes his dedication to groove that much more infectious.

Samia is the mononym of Minneapolis singer Samia Najimy Finnerty. Her brand of indie Americana is familiar by this point - sweet vocal tones, twang and periodic blasts of electric guitar - but as signalled by this collection’s title, she’s on a darker path than some of her peers.

One song called ‘Bovine Excision’ refers to the unexplained phenomenon of cattle being drained of - yep - blood. Another is named ‘Spine Oil’. ‘Lizard’ has references to crucifixes and… even more blood.

The production by Caleb Wright and Jake Luppen has its share of murk to go along with the sometimes-grim subject matter, but melodically this is all very enticing and pop-adjacent. There’s plenty to dig into - maybe more than you’d think on first listen - and the surface pleasures are just as good.

The French-English band Stereolab have always been categorised as ‘post rock’, and while technically correct, it feels ill-fitting. Theres is music that’s exploratory but always measured, and retains its specific proclivities on their first album in 15 years.

Instant Holograms on Metal Film continues a legacy of intriguing album titles from this band. Co-founders Laetitia Sadler and Timothy Gane are still the core unit, joined here by members who entered the band between 1993 and 2005.

And Sadler’s eternally cool voice is still their defining element. Second might be the drumming of Andy Ramsay, who’s been with them since close to the start. His rhythms are always busy but not overwhelming, holding together a tapestry of guitar, bass, and electronic burbles.

It’s a very specific mix, drawing on 60s pop, jazz, and krautrock, familiar but still frequently thrilling.