Liv Ayers: The 'Shine A Light On' Mix

Music

London-based DJ and graphic designer Liv Ayers is a core member of collective and platform Rhythm Sister. Started three years ago and helmed by Jess Farley, the collective seek to provide a safe and supportive space for women, non-binary and female-indentifying to learn to DJ through workshops and open deck sessions. On top of this Liv, Jess, and fellow members Hemlin and Eliza Rose, host regular parties and a monthly residency on Peckham's Balamii Radio.

Inevitably, as someone teaching and supporting other people to DJ, Liv is a dab hand behind the decks but this is matched by her diverse and wide musical palette that sees her seamlessly float from Turkish funk and percussive rhythms to euphoric trance and crisp breaks…

Please introduce yourself… Who are you, where are you and what are you?

Hello I’m Liv. I’m a DJ and graphic designer. I was involved in setting up Rhythm Sister and we’ve just passed our third birthday!

What does your music sound like? Can you draw what you think it sounds like for us (an image from the old internet is acceptable)?

Aiming to be upbeat and positive but with a sinister twist… I think the classic Windows wallpaper reflects that…

Where was the mix recorded?

At home in London on a sunny day

What would be the ideal setting to listen to the mix?

Some field with friends at the witching hour

What should we be wearing?

Wooly jumpers

What would be your dream setting to record a mix: Location/system/format?

High up on a mountain at sunrise – the most transcendent setting I can think of. Mixing nature and music and mood would really pique those senses

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Velah by DJ Ungel, mystical and trancey. Anything from Mirror Zone

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

Joe’s On Cue mix is my most listened to

If you could go back to back with any DJ from throughout history, who would it be and why?

I could never go back to back, but would love to have seen Erot. The 2nd Song for Annie is one of my most-listened-to-but-never-played-out tracks, not sure if I ever will. Also would definitely stop by The Knife Silent Shout tour in a back-in-time music tour as I was too young to go

What was your first DJ set up at home and what is it now?

Pretty much the same I’ve always had. I got it about six years ago from someone in part exchange for some design work, and it’s a pioneer DJM-750 mixer and 900 Nexus CDJs and, more recently, a Technics SL-1210 MK2. I hope I’ll be able to upgrade the mixer at some point.

What’s more important, the track you start on or the track you end on?

The final track – I noticed I keep playing quite euphoric tracks in full at the end of the mixes I’ve done recently, maybe because I want to leave it on a hopeful tone and can’t fade out early in case that build up is lost. Of course closing tracks on sets can completely lift the crowd, but I also like it when DJs play obscure curveballs

What were the first and last records you bought?

The first one was probably something very silly from a charity shop, the last one was Tom Wolgers Rush Music which I’m still somersaulting about for finding so cheap

If this mix was an edible thing, what would it taste like?

Whisky on the rocks

If it was an animal what would it be?

A slinky lynx

One record in your collection that is impossible to mix into anything?

When there’s a vocal all the way through like the 12 minute Archaic Revival by Spacetime Continuum where Terence Mckenna is talking literally right up until the last bar, and you’re like I’ll do it now, oh wait, ah yes now, oh wait he’s still talking. I mean I’m not sure I’d play this out but it’s all I can think of off the top of my head

Upcoming in the world of Liv Ayers…

In November: Supporting Jamie Tiller at NT’s, then DJ Voices + Kiara Scuro at Five Miles. In December I’m doing Red Light Radio and continuing a mini residency at Cotton in Manchester, it has a great manifesto to promote inclusive line-ups in this little hidden sanctuary, check it out if you’re there!