This mix from Luen Jacobs reportedly had the highest number of people dancing for its time slot in the history of Astral People’s Summer Dance and it’s not hard to see why.  

In a city where the majority of DJ’s generally stick to a certain style, Luen Jacobs certainly stands out from the crowd. Usually in Sydney, house DJ’s play house, techno DJ’s play techno and hip hop DJ’s play hip hop. Whether this is a result of the lockout laws segmenting the scene into parties rigid to certain genres or DJ’s afraid to push boundaries when playing to fickle crowds it’s hard to say.

Whatever the reason, there are still many DJ’s that stand out from the crowd. Jacobs is one of those DJ’s. Case in point is this mix, recorded at Astral People’s Summer Dance party. Warming up with a nice mix of soulful house and afro disco heaters she could have continued in that style for the rest of the set and it would have been a pretty good mix.

But that’s not how Jacobs does things. Instead around 26 minutes into the mix the tempo changes and a digital-reggae riddim kicks in. We’re then treated to a handful of dancehall classics from Chaka Demus, Tenor Saw and Spice before the tempo lifts again and we’re taken on a fun, funky psychedelic trip around the world.

Jacobs impeccable song selection and mixing demonstrate her vast experience as a DJ. As well as countless club gigs she has played at festivals such as Groovin’ The Moo, Splendour in the Grass, Strawberry Fields and Secret Garden. In amongst her regular national tours she has appeared on FBI and Triple J radio and has recently released a music zine. She’s currently at the tail end of a national tour so try to catch her before she jets off to South America for a year.