djbb came up inside the club communities of Chengdu and Beijing, where he was a founding member of the Seafood party collective and spent years shaping the visual identity of Chinese club culture as a designer. His DJ practice grew from that same world, and during the Covid years he became part of a wave of local artists rebuilding and reinvigorating the Chinese scene, touring widely and running his own parties. Now based in Berlin, he has extended his reach to Whole Festival, Endurance in Copenhagen, and shows in Lisbon, Melbourne, and Perth.
Tell us about this mix: what mood or journey were you going for?
I wasn't trying to tell a dramatic story. I wanted to create a space where everything felt like it belonged to the same landscape. I wanted the whole mix to feel playful, warm, slightly psychedelic, and always moving.
Where and how did you put it together?
I had actually just finished another mix, and my first thought was, "Well... I guess I've used all the tracks." So I had no choice but to keep digging and start paying attention to the ones that had been sitting quietly in my collection all along. That's probably why this mix ended up sounding the way it does. It came together pretty naturally over time. I didn't start with a fixed concept in mind, I was collecting tracks that gave me the same feeling. Eventually I realised they were all speaking the same language.
Pick one track in here you cannot stop playing right now, and why.
I don't really have one single answer. The moment I choose one, I'll probably think of three others I should have picked instead.
When and where should people listen to this?
It could work as something to put on while getting ready before going out, during a long night with friends, or even just listening back at home with headphones. It's not really about a specific time or place, more about finding a moment where you can let yourself follow the flow.
What is your connection to SEVEN or to Berlin?
I moved to Berlin in 2023 chasing an idea of freedom I had been carrying with me. I met Rachel right after I came here through mutual friends, and then we became close friends.
A hidden gem from your collection most people have not heard?
That's a difficult question. I think the best hidden gems are often the ones that are hidden even from yourself, they can sit in your collection for years, then suddenly the right moment comes and they become important.
If you could keep only three records, which?
I'd rather keep three records that remind me of different versions of myself, rather than simply the three "best" ones. For me, records are often tied to specific moments, places, and people, so their meaning changes as I change.
The first record you ever bought?
Various, Planet Giegling Tour EP (2017).
The mix is up now. Sit with it, follow the flow, and find djbb on SoundCloud, Instagram, and Resident Advisor.