From his days attending drum ‘n’ bass parties in Los Angeles to gravitating toward industrial music, Ashes eventually found his true musical calling — techno — and hasn’t looked back. Elements of the genres he’s explored on his artistic journey continue to influence his evolving sound, and that’s the secret sauce behind his productions.

In October the Berlin-based technocrat released his debut Angel of Dissolution EP on his Nox Recordings. It’s a hard-hitting four-track effort that wraps its arms around all of the previously mentioned styles (and more). It arrives after the previously released Dream Pusher and Relic EP on Volute Records.

Ashes takes the helm of the final Big Shot Guest Mix of 2017. It’s a 16-track session featuring dark, unrelenting tracks by Dustmite, Regal, Kryptic Minds & Sleeper and The Scientifics.

He says of the mix: “The focus of this particular mix was to create a narrative around the Angel of Dissolution EP and to set the tone for my label, Nox, by pulling inspiration from the past and present; hinting at what can be expected in the near future.”

Big Shot Guest Mix 340: Ashes

1. Archivist – Star In A Circle
2. Ashes – Crystal Oblivion
3. Dustmite – Lightwall
4. Regal – Trave Generation
5. Ashes – Drug Sorcery
6. AnGy KoRe – Flat Tummy
7. 7.Opål – Capillaries
8. Jan Fleck – Control
9. Kryptic Minds & Sleeper – Axis Shift
10. Kryptic Minds & Sleeper – Solarized Formation
11. Coefficient – Inverse Dub
12. Struction – Kreen
13. The Scientifics – Dirty Love
14. Andrea (IT) – Void
15. Struction – Warrior
16. Ashes – Relic (Faru’s Submersion Remix)

Limitations often spawn creativity. When we caught wind that The Umbrella co-founder Robert Picciotto (a.k.a Blacky II) was getting ready to release his Point of Light debut EP under his Material Witness moniker, we threw down the gauntlet and asked if he could craft an all-Brooklyn DJ mix. Picciotto accepted the challenge but took the necessary time to orchestrate it.

A few weeks later he emerged from the lab with an absolutely incredible 10-track session boasting dark, electro-fied techno cuts by Umfang, Beta Librae, Ciarra Black, The Creatrix, Via App and Kedr Livanskiy. He also included three selections from his aforementioned EP.

Says Picciotto, who is also half of the borough’s Rinsed party crew, of his Big Shot Guest Mix: “All tracks were either written, produced, released, or set to be released by Brooklyn residents, Brooklyn-based labels and/or artists and labels integral to the Brooklyn electronic music scene by request of Big Shot Magazine.

“As a third generation Brooklynite, I’ve valued the underground sub and counter cultures surrounding nightlife, dancing, music, and art from a very young age. Included in the mix is only a small slice of the immense diversity available to the lucky residents with whom I share a home.”

Big Shot Guest Mix 339: Material Witness

1. Material Witness – Point of Light (The Umbrella)
2. Umfang – Where is She (Technicolour)
3. ID – ID (The Umbrella)
4. Material Witness – Micro Lunar Abrasion (The Umbrella)
5. Material Witness – 3 6 9 (The Umbrella)
6. Beta Librae – Thirties (Allergy Season)
7. Ciarra Black – “Series Of” (Lives Through Magic)
8. The Creatrix – “Ionosphere” (No Tech)
9. Via App – Anisthynia (Allergy Season)
10. Kedr Livanskiy – ACDC (2MR)

Southampton DJ/producer UKG four-piece FooR know that it don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing.

The group of friends are on a mission to make a difference in the world of UK garage. So far they’re kicking ass, releasing floor fillers on the regular and dropping some mighty fine bootlegs.

The foursome have just unleashed their latest jam, “3 Words” featuring Effie, on Yosh. It’s supported by a fiery set of remixes by featuring choice remixes by Freejak, Endor, Mind Of A Dragon, Shaun Dean, Shapes and Bad Habit.

To celebrate the release, the boys entered the lab and crafted a 20-track guest mix stuffed with vocal bangers. Opening with their new single, they drop funky-ass upfront tracks by Zed Bias, Camilla Destiny, Dua Lipa and Shapes feat. Major Milli. The boys also pepper in their spicy re-rubs for James Hype & Keli-Leigh and Chase & Status.

Hit that play button below and get ready to move your waistline to their basslines.

Big Shot Guest Mix 338: FooR

1. FooR feat. Effie – 3 Words
2. Imani feat. Sigala & Blonde – Dont Need No Money (Marc Baigent & Element Z remix)
3. Control-S feat. Sweet Female Attitude – I Quit
4. Endor – Give Me More
5. Zed Bias & Shermanology – Love Don’t Love Me
6. Like Son – Freakin (FooR Remix)
7. Camilla Destiny – Sunset (Control-S Remix)
8. Maddy – Under A Spell (Bad Habit Remix)
9. Zed Bias – Been Here Before
10. TIEKS – Sing That Song (feat. Celeste) [All About She Remix]
11. Moony – Be Your Only
12. Champion – Runnin it Red – FooR Dubplate
13. Dua Lipa – New Rules – Shaun Dean Remix
14. James Hype & Keli-Leigh – More Than Friends – FooR Remix
15. Tom Zanetti & Karen Harding – More & More – Shaun Dean Remix
16. Notion Feat Slick Don – Vex
17. Jay Faded – Head Off!!
18. Chase & Status – Eastern Jam – FooR Remix
19. Shapes feat. Major Milli – Pogo Stick