Searching for a summer soundtrack? Montell2099 has got you covered with his new mixtape, Mana Mix.
The Auckland-based electronic producer and DJ, originally from Katikati, serves up a celebration of his favourite Aotearoa tunes, curated after a jam-packed year touring the States and playing massive arenas.
This 2023 mix marks the first locally inspired edition, dropping now and set to become an annual December release, welcoming in the holiday season with some serious sonic heat.
Clocking in at 49 minutes, the mix features beloved Kiwi classics like like Scribe‘s “Not Many”, P-Money’s “Everything”, SWIDT’s “312”, and Dave Dobbyn’s “Slice of Heaven”. Montell2099 also weaves in global hits from the likes of Sexyy Red, Central Cee, and Skrillex, along with exclusive unreleased tracks from artists like 33Below and Melbourne’s Darby.
According to Montell, Mana Mix is his creative canvas, showcasing the tunes he’s been enjoying throughout the year, as well as “stuff I wouldn’t normally play in a normal Montell2099 set.”
Accompanied by vibrant artwork from Pōneke cartoonist Daniel Vernon, the visuals capture Montell and Savage, along with friends, chilling in Morningside.
In Montell’s words, “Musically, in essence the Mana Mix is a new creative outlet for me to show people what tunes I’ve been listening to throughout the year, pulling in influences from all over the world, from different genres and tying it all together with some Kiwi culture and music.
“I’m very lucky that I get to travel for work and go to different parts of the world and be inspired by different music, so I’ve always liked the idea of pulling those influences together and expressing them through the lens of a DJ from Aotearoa New Zealand. This mix gives me a sense of identity and I hope it does the same for people out there too, whilst also having a bit of a groove as well.”
Listen to Mana Mix by Montell2099 via SoundCloud below.
