Modeselektor have always seemed like an ideal candidate for a
DJ-Kicks volume, as the series has always welcomed unconventional mixes rather than straightforward beatmatched sessions replicating club sets, and the German duo have always been far too eclectic to strictly categorize as techno. Their
DJ-Kicks release (the series' 86th, for those keeping track) reflects the personalities of both members, with
Sebastian Szary leaning towards more experimental soundscapes (including a field recording-based ambient piece from his 2024 solo effort,
Datei) and
Gernot Bronsert bringing the dancefloor heaters. Deutsch club rap from
Kitschselektor (the duo's collaboration with
KitschKrieg) leads into the polyrhythmic thump of original track "MEGA MEGA MEGA," then dives into the muck with
Slikback's grimy, subterranean "Sea," first released by dubstep label
Tempa earlier in 2025. The selections progress from hypnotic pounders to broken rhythms to more abstract moments, sometimes landing at surprising moments such as a blend of
DJ Narciso's minimal, skipping "10 Minutos" with
Little Simz's restrained, club-minded "Mood Swings." A pair of slow, dubby tracks give way to
Beirut in wide-eyed sophisti-pop mode ("Spillhaugen"), followed by more head-spinning polyrhythmic techno and a dubstep breakdown in the form of
Untold's "Discipline." The mix heads toward the finish line with
Julien Bracht's dark, hypnotic stunner "Melancholia," ending with a more introspective
Siriusmo track about Koko the gorilla, keeping in line with
Modeselektor's long-standing obsession with apes.
Modeselektor's
DJ-Kicks is a highly adventurous, well-chosen set that crosses genres and tempos with ease. ~ Paul Simpson
