Back catalogue: Balearic/Downtempo

Review: With their debut album on !K7 Records, Kassian (aka the pairing of Joe Danvers-McCabe and Warren Cummings) return to the warm, sample-based house sounds that originally brought them together. Over five years, they revisited early ideas, refining their craft to create a record that explores emotional depth beyond their club-focused tracks. The album has been, we're told, shaped by time, loss and reflection so weaves through various atmospheres with live instrumentation, field recordings and percussion that evolve over time. Featuring Joe Armon-Jones from Ezra Collective on keys and Timothy Kraemer on cello, Channels makes for a tender and introspective journey.

Review: Berlin-based Sydneysider LOGIC1000 (real name Samantha Poulter) enjoyed a prolific and productive 2024, becoming something of an in-demand DJ, producer and remixer on the back of her acclaimed debut album Mother, a typically distinctive affair that pulled deep house in a variety of woozy, melodious and inventive new directions. Her inclusion in K7's long-running DJ Kicks series is therefore well-earned. It offers a home listening-ready distillation of her sound that's notably 'calmer' (in the label's words) than her club sets. But that's no bad thing, as it allows greater exploration of experimental, downtempo and hyper-pop, alongside a string of exclusives (including the obligatory track created for the series) and some heady, mid-tempo dancefloor grooves.

Review: After a whirlwind year - releasing her acclaimed debut Mother, touring globally, remixing Dua Lipa and launching a podcast - Logic1000 (Samantha Poulter) now marks herself out from the other DJ-Kicks entrants with a unique approach to the vinyl LP-mix form. Seeking calm amid the chaos, she curates a deeply personal mix reflecting her home life, morning rituals, and evolving sonic palette, coursing through neo-ambient textures, dub-infused post-2020 downtempo, and NY-feel golden hours. Exclusive tracks from close friends DJ Plead and Big Ever blend seamlessly, while Poulter herself contributes two originals: 'Fused', most notably, pinches the ears with its distilled +12 vocal repitchings and a tropical flow. Poulter embraces a softer, contemplative side here, her mix emphasising subtlety in a series otherwise often besieged by artists seeking to stand out with techno-schlocks of loudness and rapidity.