Various Artists: Sofia Kourtesis - DJ-Kicks: Sofia Kourtesis Various Artists: Sofia Kourtesis

For Sofia Kourtesis, joy is a living practice. It's evident in her effervescent stage presence and bombastic sets, which confidently traverse through house, electro-pop and melodic techno. The Peruvian DJ and producer has forged a vibrant and illustrious career that has taken her to all corners of the globe.

Kourtesis's debut DJ-Kicks mix is a potent blend of the beautiful, complex emotional soup that has made her connect so deeply with her fans. But during the compiling process, Kourtesis grappled with one of the most difficult emotions she's ever had to endure: unbearable grief. "Losing my mother, my idol, knocked the wind out of me. But as the seasons shifted, I found myself back in Peru. Being there made me feel close to her again, like she was in the air. Slowly, music started to come back to me, not as noise, but as strength. It felt like reconnecting with her spirit, honouring everything she gave me. This chapter of my life has forever changed how I hear music. It's more fragile now, and in a strange way, it feels like a gift she left me; a reminder that even in loss, there's still beauty and connection."

The mix is a chameleonic voyage through the moods, sounds and emotions that made up her interior world during the compilation process. She flits through the electronic spectrum with ease, not only indulging the needs of the dance floor but the quiet moments of introspection, too. "DJ-Kicks is a series that shaped how I think about DJing and listening. I played the DJ Koze mix an unhealthy number of times, to the point where it basically lives in my DNA now," she smiles. "Those mixes taught me that the best ones aren't about showing off; they're about taking people on a journey. They move, twist and surprise you. They give you goosebumps when you least expect it."

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If Kourtesis mother's memory is a gift that has the power to comfort and heal, then this DJ-Kicks entry is Kourtesis sharing it and paying it forward; a heartfelt offering of love, movement and eternal gratitude. "This mix was about bringing together all the different sounds and emotions I carry with me. The highs, the lows, the warmth, the weird little left turns. That's basically how my brain works when I'm behind the decks. This is my way of letting those worlds collide, overlap and dance with each other," she says. "That's exactly what I wanted to do here. I wanted emotion, tension, release. I wanted this mix to feel alive."

LP Track listing
A1. Jon Hopkins - Home Station (DJ-Kicks Version) **NEW
A2. Sofia Kourtesis, Novalima - Los Poemas No Siempre Riman **NEW
A3. Laurence Guy - Make Me Feel Better **NEW
A4. Sedef Adasi - Mermaids On Acid

B1. △▃△▓ - ؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌
B2. Sofia Kourtesis - A Brief Look in Your Eyes **NEW
B3. Dave DK - Lagoon 69 **NEW
B4. Aphex Twin - Flim

C1. Sofia Kourtesis - Texas Changing **NEW
C2. DJ GTi - Santa Teresa **NEW
C3. Myd - You’re a Star **NEW

D1. Axel Boman - Rock Top **NEW
D2. Sofia Kourtesis - It's You **NEW
D3. JOY (Anonymous) - JOY (Look Up Now) **NEW

CD Track listing
1. Jon Hopkins - Home Station (DJ-Kicks Version) **NEW
2. Aphex Twin - Flim
3. Sofia Kourtesis - It’s You **NEW
4. Cos-Ber-Zam - Ne Noya (Daphni Mix)
5. Laurence Guy - Make Me Feel Better **NEW
6. Myd - You’re a Star **NEW
7. Axel Boman - Rock Top **NEW
8. Sofia Kourtesis - Texas Changing **NEW
9. Joy Anonymus - JOY (Look Up Now) **NEW
10. Avalon Emerson - One More Fluorescent Rush
11. Logic1000 - Her
12. Sofia Kourtesis - A Brief Look In Your Eyes **NEW
13. Sedef Adasi - Mermaids On Acid
14. Nick León feat. DJ Babatr - Xtasis
15. Ahadadream - Piano Skank
16. Chloé Caillet, Luke Alessi - The One ft Jocelyn Brown
17. Octo Octa - Find Your Way Home
18. DJ GTi - Santa Teresa **NEW
19. Sofia Kourtesis, Novalima - Los Poemas No Siempre Riman **NEW
20. Dave DK - Lagoon 69 **NEW
21. △▃△▓ - ؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌؞؞ ৢ ◌