Playlist of the Week: Bok Bok

Bok Bok

Jun 28, 2023

As the seminal Night Slugs imprint celebrates its 15-year anniversary, label founder Bok Bok serves up some devious club weapons for Beatport’s Playlist of the Week.

Hey, what’s good? It’s me, DJ Bok. I just got home from the Australia leg of this year’s NS15 tour, celebrating 15 years of my label Night Slugs. It’s only right that it’s been a busy year so far – we’ve dropped four new artist EPs, including one from myself, as well as a large compilation album called Night Slugs Classix Remixed, packed with brand new heat from our extended community. NS15 tour dates have so far touched London, Manchester, Berlin and Sydney, to name a few, with some truly amazing parties. We have more tour dates and releases to be announced soon, but for now I have a little downtime at home. Summer has fully hit London, I’ve been DJing A LOT lately, so this is a good time to hit you with a Beatport chart – Lets goo!

The 15th Anniversary compilation Night Slugs Classix Remixed is out now. Buy it on Beatport.

Check out Bok Bok’s Playlist of the Week on Beatport.

Bok Bok – Duetto [Night Slugs]

Let’s get right into it – this one’s the title cut from my new EP on Night Slugs which dropped in May. Made for moonlight trancing and moments of cheek-to-cheek dancefloor romance.

DJ Lag – Switz [Goon Club Allstars]

I’m addicted to playing this percussive banger with a huge 808 underbelly in every set. I literally can’t help it. Humble brag: I also mixed this one.

Ohjeelo – 2 Steps [Plaisance Records]

Obsessed with this very cool banger by our Parisienne fave Ohjeelo, produced by NorthStarz Boyz. Her vocal is simply sublime against the chop rhythm, and I love the message. Perfection in my eyes.

Zaida Zane – Fly By [Night Slugs]

Zaida brings the feminine pressure on the lead track from her EP “Boy Eyes” that we dropped on Night Slugs earlier this year. I told her this sounds to me like ‘No Bills’-era Darkchild making techno, which is a very Night Slugs proposition.

Girl Unit – IRL (Scratcha DVA Hi Emotions Remix) [Night Slugs]

Of the 24 tracks on the aforementioned Night Slugs Classix Remixed compilation, this is the only one which is taken from the archives rather than made freshly from the comp. It’s actually from 2010, our first year as a label, but you wouldn’t know it, as the 5/4 rhythm and wicked sound design sits perfectly amongst my present-day selection. Still, a set highlight each and every time.

Neana – Cyberia (Hagan Remix) [Night Slugs]

This one, on the other hand, is a brand new cut made this year and one of my personal faves from the Classix Remixed comp. I just love what Hagan did to Neana’s Alex O’Neal samples and saw stabs. Proper broken down UK Funky without an edge of nostalgia, just pure ‘greaze’.

Hysterics – Code Switch (Ikonika Remix) [Night Slugs]

With 20 years of production prowess under her belt, I’m in love with Ikonika’s current direction. Here, she updates this Hysterics Club Constructions classic with slap bass and plenty of emotion while further bolstering the momentum of the rhythm. Speaks to the timelessness of the NS sound for real. Another one taken from Classix Remixed (allow me, it’s 24 tracks, all bangers)!

HMXGOD – Anti Fed Up II (feat. Gaika, Raddy Rich) [Night Slugs]

I’m always proud to release this artist, formerly known as Hitmakerchinx. A pioneer of the Flex Dance Music movement, a type of 808-heavy, fluid dancehall. Taken from his EP “Flexgod’, out earlier this year on NS.

Mina Jackson, The Children – Pray (Mike Dunn’s Blackbal Instrumental Mix) [Clone Records]

Recently rediscovered this naughty deep roller in one of my older playlists, and it’s been making a regular appearance in my sets ever since. Don’t you love when that happens?