Last mixx of the year by HAKEEM
During the past months we’ve had the pleasure of having HAKEEM interning at Strøm where he has blessed us with his technical, thoughtful and practical skills. Besides being a great team player and able to work under pressure, he is also a magnificent selector and DJ, so we’re thrilled to have him round off the year with this stylish mix.
HAKEEM’s loose, genre-bending style is a discovery journey into deep soulful sounds across the spectrum. His crate digging loot spawns the forgotten classic, the timeless nugget or that familiar break. Besides DJing, over the past few years HAKEEM has been active in the local Copenhagen scene by taking different roles at Kune Festival, In Situ, and Strøm, as well as Drift Radio and his former collective, Second Nature.
Hi Hakeem, can you tell us a little bit about this mix?
Hi! Thanks for having me! For this particular mix, I tried to do something that was Strøm but also me. So, I ended up playing a lot with layers, textures, and using different references and artifacts to navigate between genres coherently. My intention was to challenge myself to cover quite a lot of ground within the spectrum of bass-inspired music, so piecing it together was quite interesting.
I’d say generally my approach is very research-oriented. When recording new mixes I really try to step out of my comfort zone and find interesting sounds out there. As my idea of what I want to do develops, I go through many iterations and attempts of piecing things together. It’s a bit obsessive to sometimes look endlessly for the perfect track but I find it very rewarding, so it’s totally worth it even though it’s not always a straightforward process.
In terms of the artists on this particular mix, there’s a mixed bag between household names, next-generation talent and the occasional oddball, all focusing on the more experimental side of music for the dancefloor I’d say.
You’re from Portugal, but have been based in Copenhagen for the past 7 years. What made you come here, and what made you stay?
Damn! That feels like a lifetime ago… Haha. Well, when I came to Copenhagen, I wanted to study and live somewhere with a better work-life balance. Funnily enough, Copenhagen was totally by chance! The initial idea was actually Amsterdam, but studying conditions were better here and I ended up getting called for a trial shift at a fancy Michelin-star restaurant, so I thought “why not?!”, packed a bag, bought a one way ticket and the rest is history… And I’d never even been to Denmark before! It was all a bit surreal…
So, over the past 7 years living here, I ended up studying for a master’s degree and having a strange career in high-end hospitality, which was fun for a moment, but then you know, hospitality… It was also here I started DJing, and after Strøm’s K101 in 2022, organizing events, and getting more and more involved in the local scene. Throughout the years, I’ve had the privilege of having the opportunity to work with many iconic people and organizations that made the local scene what it is today. Being part of Strøm, Kune, Drift Radio and In Situ, really broadened my horizons.
I guess all these experiences had me be into different scenes and music, and that has, in a way, reflected in my taste and how diverse the music I play can be.
You’ve been quite active in the scene, do you have any exciting projects coming up in 2025?
I always try to get involved and contribute to the culture when I feel like I can bring something to the table and leave things a bit better than they were before. So, I end up doing a lot of volunteer work behind-the-scenes. It keeps me on my toes, and I get to meet a lot of cool people and work on crazy projects. I find it very fulfilling.
I’ve been trying to enjoy the process as much as possible, always with a keen eye to learn as much as I can from those around me that have been doing better and for longer than I have. Fortunately, there’s so much incredible inspiration in this city that every day is an amazing privilege to get a shot at becoming better at doing what we all do collectively in the scene.
In terms of projects, this year I focused a lot on researching through both my radio residencies, Spin Cycle at Drift Radio, focusing on ravey, progressive and tech house and Bubbling Inside at Komrad, focusing on deeper and more adventurous sounds such as UK bass, techno and percussive oddities. Now, both of them are materializing into club nights very soon, so I couldn’t be happier! Spin Cycle will debut at Den Anden Side and Bubbling Inside at Jolene already on 04/01/2025! I think that it’s a very exciting next chapter, and I’m looking forward to focusing less on producing digital content and more on doing what we all love to do – dancing!
Tracklist
- Skee Mask – Bandprobe Dub [Ilian Tape, 2023]
- Danny Daze & Jonny From Space – Sweet Spot Radio (Nick León Dub) [Craigie Knowes, 2024]
- Pangaea – You & I [Hessle Audio, 2008]
- DjRUM – Untitled 9 [Ilian Tape, 2016]
- Joe – Rut [Hessle Audio, 2009]
- Command D – Esc [Animalia, 2024]
- Mary Lake – Askim [Nous’klaer Audio, 2021]
- James Bangura – Doner Dub [Numbers, 2024]
- Len Faki – Street Dub [Figure Music, 2015]
- Cooly G – Hard [Hyperdub, 2017]
- Heddah – Bleach [Unreleased]
- CCL – Plot Twist [!K7, 2024]
- GiGi FM – Senstronaut (SYO) [Bambe, 2022]
- OK EG – Phase Transition [Animalia, 2021]
- Pugilist – Acid Flange [3024, 2020]
- Calibre – Im Ent [Signature Recordings, 2022]
- D. Tiffany & DJ Zozi – Arise [Planet Euphorique, 2020]
- Yas Reven – WHoO-Oo! [Hardline Sounds, 2024]
- Studio Natura – Agents Against Agency (A.dixen Remix) [Tactual, 2024]
- Sterac – Teknitron [Delsin, 1994]
- Peverelist – Pulse XV [Livity Sound, 2023]
- Anz – Morphing Into Brighter [OTMI, 2021]
- Nicola Cruz – Pulso Invisible [Rhythm Section, 2022]
- Jennifer Loveless – 1.5m (Korea Town Acid Remix) [Planet Euphorique, 2020]
- Denzel – Techniques For Life [Émotsiya, 2023]
- Appleblim – Vansan (T++ Remix) [Skull Disco, 2009]
- Will Hofbauer & Sangre Voss – Jala [Whirm, 2024]
- Objekt – Shuttered [Bleep, 2013]
Stay up to date with HAKEEM’s many escapades and parties on Instagram
and find more mixes on his Soundcloud.