Mix of the Week: Teki Latex

Parisian DJ Teki Latex drops the third chapter of his “King of Blends” Trilogy, connecting the dots between pop, underground club music and everything in between.

Such is the reputation that Teki Latex has built for himself, that as soon as this mix appeared on my news feed I knew it would be my choice for mix of the week. Since his early days as a rapper and producer, he has evolved into a figurehead of the club music scene through his record label Sound Pellegrino and curation of live DJ mix streaming show Overdrive Infinity. Last year he helped to highlight the Parisian bérite club music sound. His “King of Blends” series of mixes as well as sets recorded for Boiler Room and at Unsound festival have established Teki Latex of the most innovative DJs in the world.

Listening to the mix simply confirmed my decision. As Teki Latex states, this mix breaks all rules of progression in DJ sets, getting off to an unconventional start with a classic Squarepusher track. This sets in motion a stream of consciousness style of song selection that Teki Latex likens to a Lil Wayne verse. It’s all held together by the one thing that is consistent in the mix  - the tempo. Tracks are slowed down and sped up, highlighting the similarities between the old and the new, the underground and the mainstream, urban music and club music.

With this mix Teki Latex is sending out a message to a scene flooded with conservative Techno mixes following well-established formulas. In a world where ‘play anything’ often means techno/tech house/house and people lose their minds when a house DJ drops a hip hop tune, Teki Latex is showing everyone what ‘play anything’ actually means.