For his contribution to the acclaimed DJ-Kicks series, TEED presents a mix shaped by a lifelong passion for electronic music and over two decades immersed in club culture. Inspired by the energy of Los Angeles, where he has lived and worked for more than a decade, the mix captures the feeling of anticipation before a night out. Conceived as the soundtrack to the American tradition of “pre-gaming”, it reflects the excitement of getting ready, sharing a drink with friends and building towards the dancefloor.
Determined to create a mix that immediately draws listeners in, TEED opens with uplifting house grooves before gradually unfolding into deeper, more hypnotic territory. Revisiting classic DJ-Kicks editions while preparing the project reinforced his desire to craft a selection that was soulful, energetic and club-focused from the very first track.
The mix features a number of exclusive productions, including tracks from Joe Goddard, Austin Ato, Jacques Greene and Oscar Farrell, alongside new material from TEED himself. Two of his own tracks, “Never Seen You Dance” and “Persuasion”, were fully reworked for the project with new intros, outros, rhythms and arrangements, while his interpretation of KC and The Sunshine Band’s “Please Don’t Go” pays tribute to the long-standing tradition of exclusive covers within the DJ-Kicks series.
Throughout the journey, vocal house, soulful melodies and driving club rhythms are balanced with moments of introspection. Tracks by Hercules & Love Affair, Seven Davis Jr., K.T. Brooks and Dennis Ferrer’s uplifting “How Do I Let Go” sit alongside TEED’s exclusive “Another Day”, adding emotional depth before the mix gradually shifts towards richer synth textures, progressive influences and hypnotic grooves. His own “Under The Metal” marks one of the release’s most immersive moments, leading seamlessly into an increasingly dreamlike finale.
The closing track, Malibu’s “Spicy City”, brings the mix to a gentle conclusion, its ambient textures and choral atmosphere recalling the broad musical influences that have shaped TEED’s work. Moving effortlessly between warmth, nostalgia, euphoria and reflection, DJ-Kicks: TEED is both a celebration of club culture and a carefully curated listening experience, capturing the emotional arc of a night out from its first moments of anticipation to the calm that follows the dancefloor.
