Amaliah Mixx
Next up in our Origins Tapes series is one of London's brightest stars: DJ and Borne Fruits aficionado Amaliah is one of the scenes brightest talents and someone whose star is certainly on the rise. With electric sets of classic & freshly cut disco and house to ferocious rave and electro, it's crystal clear to us that Amaliah's connection to the music runs deep.
Borne Fruits is a London Based party collective which Amaliah runs and DJ’s for across a number of stations: Netil, Threads, and a monthly residency on Balamii: with her most recent radio show picking up editors Top Pick for April with what is a joyous 2 hours featuring selector Sally C. Amaliahs mixes are good for the mind and soul which is something that has transcended into the events that Borne Fruits host, which are small scale events with the feel-good energies of a house-party.
Amaliah’s one of the most exciting DJs around. Not just a DJ to watch for 2021 but someone we believe will become an incredibly important part of the fabric of London's electronic scene and we are honoured to have her mix for us on Origins Tapes #17.
Tracklist
Kara Noble - Flesh (MauroVecchi Re-Flesh)
The Boogiemaster - You & I (Pimpin Willie Alter Jamstrumental)
The Boogiemaster - Get Nuff (Uncle Jam DISKO Mix)
Pure Science - Say It
Screen II - Let The Record Spin-Disco House Mix
Kempston Hardwick - Have You Stopped It?
Passarani - HyperDos
Housey Doingz - Fonki (Original Mix)
Alexis Vogel - Dance With The Devil
Slim Steve - For The Lonely
AGT Rave Cru - Deathray 9001
Big Ang - Pleasure Principle
Rozzo - Into Your Heart (Terry Lee Brown Junior Remix)
DJ Life - Skeletal
Christina Chatfield - Ascent (Tin Man's All Hearts Mix)
DJ Pooch - Let The Bass Roll (Slap Bass Mix)
Tuff Trax - Dirty Harry
Jordan Brando - Elsewhere
Anz - Unravel In The Designated Zone
Cassius Select - Honda Civic
Hi Amaliah! How is this week going so far?
Hiya! This week is going good thank you 😊 been busy recording some exciting guest mixes and prepping for my first gig since December this Friday at The Cause. Feels quite mad to even say it but I can't wait to shell out!
Firstly I would love to ask, what are the Origins of the sound you play today? What are your earliest memories of music?
I play quite a stretched variety of different genres and this stems from my musical upbringing influencing that. My mum used to be in a band and later started working in music management, so I was always surrounded by music in varying forms; records, recording studios, singers, live shows, these were all an integral part of my childhood and later became an inspiration for my constant curiosity in finding, learning and sharing new music. The music I grew up with was super diverse as well and ranged from the soul and disco influence from my mum to hip hop and RnB from my early teens to reggae and dancehall from my Caribbean background. These have all shaped the distinct sound I curate today of 'mixed bag energy'.
What was your first experience of the sound you play today?
My first experience of the more electronic, dance-focused sound I play today comes from growing up with the sounds of London's underground scene. I think the first electronic genre I became really fascinated with on my own accord was dubstep when I was like 14/15 and it was at the time where the genre was becoming slightly more well known in the late noughties and wider acknowledged through larger venues, festival bills, etc. This was a sort of introduction genre for me to the heavier sounds of the UK underground, including UKG, bassline, drum n bass, and jungle and later lead me to find labels like Swamp81, stations like Rinse FM, and venues like Plastic People. These were all cultural hubs where my musical taste developed and shaped the sound I play today.
Can you talk to us about the mix you've recorded?
I wanted to record a really high-energy, dancey mix for Origins Sound given parties are slowly back on the rise. I've been playing a lot of darker/heavier music in the past few months which is probably reflective of my lockdown mood, but more recently I've re-explored other sounds I used to play at the start of my DJ career. This mix starts off with lively and energetic disco, moving into rhythmic house, then dark, thumping techno and back up to rave ready bangers. It echoes the kind of set I would play out to a crowd to get people dancing.
You collect records, this might be a hard question but what is your most prized and precious one to you?
A lot of the records I collect are soul and disco as I think the original sound quality for vinyl from those genres is so much more satisfying than any digital format. This soothing sound is heard so beautifully in one of my OG Marvin Gaye records, 'I Want You'. Front to back, the record is just sublime.
Borne Fruits is an incredible label, do you think one day you will be putting out your own BF records?
Thank you ❤️ this is actually in the pipeline for later this year! I'm hoping to start a Borne Fruits label with an intro compilation after we get some comeback parties underway when things open back up again, so stay tuned!
Playing multi-genre sets is thankfully becoming more widely accepted in the electronic scene - how important is it to you to play a mix of genres and how do you still maintain coherence in your sound?
It's really important for me to play a mixture of genres for both my musical knowledge and understanding, as well as to introduce others to genre fusions they might not consider. The main thing I have in mind when I play is to get people dancing and make them get lost in the music and I think this transcends to a higher level when blending genres people might not expect to be thrown together. The coherence in my sound is then developed through a steady build-up of these genres and making sure to form a journey with what I'm playing.
Living in London have you found that the city has shaped the sound you play?
100%! London has such a broad hub of sounds that touch so many corners of music, especially within the dance/electronic scene. Growing up in the city introduced me to varying underground genres that I don't think I would've found so prematurely if I lived elsewhere. There's such an array of intrinsic components to this scene as well, from the clubs, the radio stations, the record shops, the labels, and collectives, there are so many pockets to take inspiration from and build your own musical interest and sound.
You have mentioned in previous interviews a love of dance and the connection it brings to the audience in a club setting. When clubs re-open and you have the choice of one song only, to really have a dance to - what will it be?
Ooo that's a hard one! One of my all-time fave tunes is 'Ordinary People - Baby You Make My Heart Sing' and the thought of dancing to this in a club is giving me goosebumps!!
What is your dream B2B?
Ah there are so many! Anz would be wicked to go B2B with, as well as re:ni and Saoirse who are some of my favourite selectors. Ben UFO and Call Super would obvi be a dream come true as well.
What's next for you as an artist and what's next for Borne Fruits?
I'm hoping to start producing towards the latter part of the year, as well as release a BF compilation record. I now feel at a point where I'm confident with my sound so these seem like the natural steps to take which is exciting! Other than that, I've got some fun bookings ahead for summer so hopefully, I get to keep playing and dancing with everyone once normality resumes.
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Interview by @lcy__________