Gag Reflex: The ‘Shine A Light On’ Mix

As a DJ she’s made quite the name for herself in the US, holding residencies in Portland and San Francisco, as well as her former home of Seattle, where she ran transfeminist club night BLOOM: a space to inspire connection, catharsis and experimentation within the local scene and beyond.

The connections that she’s made have led to releases on international labels like Scuffed Recordings, Violet’s naivety sub-label and, most recently, on the former’s newly minted sister label Angel with her Lush EP, which drops on 21st April.

In the lead up to the release she takes the controls of this week’s Shine A Light On mix with a blend of murky, percussive and weighty sonics for the heads down and the hands up crew…

Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you and what are you?

My name is Odessa and I Produce and DJ as Gag Reflex. I currently live in Berlin.

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

My music contains many percussive elements and a wide range of influences including, The KLF, Crass, early dubstep, 2000’s techno, Primus and a lot of others too. My music is propulsive while also having cerebral elements as well.

Where was the mix recorded?

This mix was recorded in my room in Berlin.

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

With a very large sound system.

What should we be wearing?

As much or as little as you want, I’m not here to tell you what to do.

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

My favourite mixes are the ones that are recorded live so I would like to record more mixes at murky DIY raves.

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Salac – Elixir Of Life and exael – wet look

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

I can’t pick just one!!!

Kiernan Laveaux’s Truants Mix

https://truantsblog.com/2019/truancy-volume-251-kiernan-laveaux/

Donegal Social Club – Discovering Ireland: Vani – T https://theface.com/music/monthly-mix-roundup-chal-ravens-sherelle-space-afrika-dj-florentino-gage-club-romantico

CLIMAX On Refuge Worldwide 009 – rrrkrta b2b ābnamā https://soundcloud.com/climaxberlin/climax-on-refuge-worldwide-009-rrrkrta-b2b-abnama?in=abnama/sets/radio&si=bc624acd80cc4cb5b42ece5d0cb97c5f&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

I can be quite shy so meeting a dead person sounds a bit stressful to me.

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

I had a native instruments Z1 and X1 that I found on craigslist. It was a strange little setup. Right now I have a cdj and an xdi, a turntable and a Xone 92.

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

This mix starts and ends on the same track. But for me djing is best experienced live so I would say that the ending track is most important because it’s the feeling that a dancer leaves with.

What were the first and last records you bought?

I think the first record I bought was probably Korn – Follow The Leader. The last records that I bought was a used Frankie Bones cd and a Charles Mingus cd that I bought for my girlfriend.

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

A bit like copper and body fluid.

If it was an animal what would it be?

An Earthworm colony.

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

Nothing is unmixable 🙂

Upcoming in the world of Gag Reflex…

I’m currently working on a few eps and lining up some tour dates, going to be doing a lot of travel in the next few months so hit me up if you want me to play in your city.

Anything else we need to discuss?

Check out Soraya’s new Ep Take It All Back 🙂

Defund the police.