Phonica walks into the fall months, but by no means are we saying goodbye to Summer just yet. With a weekend ahead looking to be well into the late twenties we are looking for somewhere to get our dance and sweat on one last time. Enter Grace Sands!
Grace is not only a regular in our shop but also a London legend. Being one of the founding members of the DiY Soundsystem, she has been holding it down since the early 90’s originally as well as one half of Digs & Woosh alongside the late Peter Birch. These days you can find Grace holding it down at her residency at London’s queer warehouse party Adonis or all over the world playing the likes of fabric, Panorama Bar, Kala Festival and NYC Downlow at Glastonbury to only name a few.
For this mix Grace has brought us our sweat in the form of an hour of pure driven house, tech and acid mixed to seamless perfection. This is Phonica 112: Grace Sands.
We had a brief chat with Grace about the mix and what she has coming up:
Hey Grace, thanks for joining us! Can you tell us about your mix and what the idea behind it was?
Hi loves. I guess the idea behind this mix was to make something that soaked up my summer travels – KALA in Albania, Love International in Croatia, Phi Garden in Tel Aviv, my first visit to Chicago’s SmartBar, Wildwood & Lost Village festivals and of course playing the new Glastonbury By The Sea stage and NYC Downlow at Glasters itself.
Can you tell us a bit about how you usually approach recording a mix or a set?
For a mix I generally pull out a pile of tracks that I want to feature, put them in a rough order either by ear or maybe try a couple mixes out – then put it down the next day. The tracks on here represent my deep house roots (MAW, Chez Damier) , moving into the new ‘1991 going on 2023’ sound that is prevalent at the moment, with some old pals (Dan Ghenacia & Gideön) featured alongside new labels; then returning back to early deep house with the Jovonn remix and the long version of Morning Factory I picked up in Second Hand Records when I played for Stuttgart Pride.
What are your preferred methods for finding new music—do you still enjoy digging around in dusty crates, or do you prefer to buy online?
I still love to dig, me and Seb Odyssey (fellow ADONIS resident) make forays around London, we used to go with JNKO, another resident but she’s back in Tokyo at the minute. Making trips to Crystal Palace, a cool ‘private’ digging spot in Leyton, Flashback, some others .. and I always check Oxfam and other charity shops. In my home town of Manchester you’ve got King Bee and Vinyl Exchange, also I picked up Monster Movie by CAN and the Beatles – Revolver on vinyl both at Vinyl Revival there my last trip . Stockport has it’s pick of shops too – take a look on the Underbank next time you’re in Greater Manchester!
Online I need to be fresh and in the mood – I can get a bit antsy & impatient and you can’t always hear the whole track – so I’ll drop by Phonica with a list as well as seeing what Luther, Daire and Nick might pull out.
What advice would you give to any DJ’s or Producers just starting out?
Try and work out what it is you like, then stick to it.
What is your dream setting for a DJ set?
A submarine, fully kitted out. Like a boat party, but with a better view!
What do you have up your sleeve for 2023?
My party Sands of Time continues at the Lion & Lamb in East London, with ‘main’ guests so far Jaye Ward, Super Drama, Jeffrey Hinton & Ms_G b2b Ugly Drugless, alongside some warm ups. I’m trying to platform up and coming DJs but am currently asked every day or two ‘can I DJ at Sands of Time’ – I’ve got eyes and ears loves chill the fuck out will you!
Production wise I have a remix out of ‘You’re Everything’ on Buckled Records which is hot stuff, if I say so myself and an EP coming on Fabric associated LoveChild Records. I also have a mixtape which is taking some time to finish – so am not going to say too much other than its called ‘Taste The Grains’ and is dedicated to my two DiY DJ pals we’ve lost – Pete Woosh and Simon DK.
Thanks Grace! 🙂
All bookings, remixes & enquiries for Grace Sands please email – bookings@s-o-t.co.uk
TRACKLIST:
MAW & Co feat Xavier Gold ‘Gonna Get Back To You’ (Mood II Swing Big Thick Dub) – Esquire Recs
Chez Damier – My House – Master Jam
Martha Wash – Give it To You (Def Dub Mix)
BMG
Gideon – Brighter Day Dub – Homo Centric
Delano Smith – Remembrance – Mixmode Recordings
Dan Ghenacia – Rolanda – Aweed
One Eyed Man – Moody Discotec – Sakskobing
Mark Grusane – Slam Scream – HEAT
Furious Frank – Trip 3 Fantasy – Kalahari Oystercult
Aerofunk – Idea – Subsequent
Jovonn – Garage Shelter (Tuff City Kids Remix) – Mojuba Underground Series
Chez N Trent – Morning Factory
