Mariiin & Jessica: The ‘Shine A Light On’ Mix

Plenty of us have been finding our own ways of staying creative during lockdown, and some have also started trialling new ways of working and collaborating remotely. 

Though DJs Mariiin and Jessica are far apart geographically – Jessica is in Berlin and Mariiin is in Leeds – the pair’s musical synergy is very much in sync. 

Both have been making their own musical movements for a while now. Italian born Mariiin has built her rep as a skilled DJ and selector, known for exploring the deeper, immersive realms of electronic music. As well as being one of the residents for Bobby.’s Pleasure Club party in London, she’s also a member of Leeds-based music collective Equaliser who provide a platform to empower wxmen, queer and non-binary people. 

In a similar vein, Jessica is the founder of Rhythm Sister, a collective and workshop supporting wxmen, queer and non-binary people to DJ and, more recently, learn about music production. On top of her Rhythm Sister commitments, she’s co-founder of Headroom, a small close-knit festival in the countryside of Abergavenny, as well as running her own digital music agency.

During the first round of lockdown, the pair decided to record a b2b from their respective homes, recording 15 minutes each, and sending it back and forth. The result is a mix of deep, hypnotic electronics, that’s perfect for your lockdown pre drinks. Hopefully we’ll see this pairing play b2b in real life sometime in the future…

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

Marinella: I am Marinella, I am a DJ and an architect. At the moment, I am in the UK, in Leeds

Jessica: I am Jessica, I’m Berlin based DJ amongst other things, I just recently located from Bristol 🙂

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)?

Here is our depiction of our mix in image form.

Where was the mix recorded?

The mix was recorded at home, Jess and I recorded it during the lockdown in our respective places. We managed to record 15 min each and then send it to the other person and so on. It wasn’t easy but we made it!

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

Marinella: I imagine an outdoor space into the woods where you can have some proper fun.

What should we be wearing?

Marinella: Something comfy for sure, sneakers because you should dance 😀

Jessica: Or naked? Haha

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

Marinella: I love recording mix at home, with two turntables, two cdjs and an Allen Heath xone 92 mixer. At home I can go through all my collection and dedicate the right amount of time.

Jessica: I have to say I am a fan of live recordings at gigs I’m really enjoying as I am often really in the zone and I’m present. At home sometimes the lack of crowd presence means I oddly feel more pressure as I guess it feels less tangible! 

Which track in the mix is your current favourite?

Marinella: DHS – Watch the Sky

Jessica: Sweely – The never ending groove

What’s your favourite recorded mix of all time?

Jessica: Oo that’s a tough one.. I actually really can’t pick an all time favourite, but this year I’ve gone back to Voigtmann’s Phonica a lot and actually also Mariiin’s Inner City Electronic Mix!

Marinella: I have a long list, so I tell you the first one which comes to my mind in one from Gemini dated 1992, recorded in Brussels.

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

Marinella: My dream is to play b2b with Sonja, I feel really identified with her music and she is an amazing person.

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

Marinella: I had the luck to start with an amazing set up (it was borrowed from my boyfriend). Two technics and a rane 2016. Now I have two technics, 2 xdj 700s and an Allen Heath 92mixer.

Jessica: I had a cute traktor controller and 1 small monitors when I first started learning, now I have and 2 CDJ 900s, 2 technics and a 2 channel One 23

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

Marinella: When I play I try to create a connection with the music I selected so I give a lot if importance to the choice of the track which is about to start.

Jessica: Yes for me I love the mood the first track sets and the journey you can take a mix on from there

What were the first and last records you bought?

Jessica: I actually can’t remember my first as I went mad and bought so many at once haha, but I think French Kiss by Lil Louis was in there. Most recent one was NGY05 Ron Obvious – Builded Mind

Marinella: a classic: Joey Beltram-Energy Flash. Last record, I have made an order of 10 records so I will pick one from this order: Transparent Sound Orson’s House that was repressed

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

A Neapolitan Margherita.

If it was an animal what would it be?

A penguin, Mariiin’s fav animal

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

Jessica: Lots of my listeners would be a disaster to try and mix ha. Here’s one of my faves which is a psychedelic Greek record: Plato’s Trip on Megali Idea

Marinella: Pino Daniele: Bella mbriana

Upcoming in the world of …

Marinella: Some releases on labels which I am a big fan of, planned for next year ☺

Jessica: I’m very new to Berlin so trying to enjoy the city as much as possible lockdown permitting, I’m working on some exciting music projects atm, and then I guess it will be christmas? Haha

Follow Jessica & Mariiin.