“What matters most, above all else, is what comes through the speakers,” says Detroit’s Ryan Elliott. “It must be the right track at the right time, delivered in the right way.” Few know this better than Elliott, whose distinction as an internationally respected DJ, and remixer has grown steadily over his decade-plus behind the decks. They don’t hand out ‘DJ’s DJ’ reputations at the club door, and Elliott’s is well-earned and well-deserved.

Having spent his earlier years in the States—where he held legendary residencies at Ann Arbor’s Goodnight Gracies and Detroit’s Shelter—he moved to Berlin in 2009 to further his focus on DJing and production from a newly international perspective. “Berlin and Detroit may not look the same, but they feel the same,” he says. “The connection isn’t just in the music, but also in both cities rough edges and honest hearts.”

As a selector, there’s a reason Elliott is so highly regarded: justification of his skills was laced throughout his 2014 Panorama Bar compilation, a quite stunning addition to the acclaimed series that was voted RA‘s top mix of 2014—and his 2016 fabric mix was also remarkable. His sound, as those who have seen him play, remains bassline-driven techno and house reduced to their essence, thoughtfully calibrated to drive crowds out of their minds—but today he uses the XLR8R platform to present something rather different: a mix of the music he listens to at home but that he can “never play in a club.”Though reflective of a different side of Elliott’s character, it’s just as enjoyable as all that has come before.

When and where was the mix recorded?

The mix was recorded on a rainy Wednesday afternoon in my home studio in Berlin.

What setup did you use?

Two technics, two CDJ’s, and my old Allen & Heath Xone 62 mixer that I bought when I still lived in Detroit. I did the mix in one take, no edits, no computer.

Could you tell us about the idea behind it—was there a clear concept in mind?

I wanted to do a mix of the music I listen to at home, but can never seem to play in a club.

Where is the mix supposed to be listened to?

At home, in a car, on a flight, or while going for a run.

How does the mix compare to one of your club mixes?

This is the exact opposite of a club mix, it’s actually a non-club mix.

What’s in store for the rest of 2017?

More of the same. Playing the music I love for people all around the world.

Tracklisting

01. Modeselektor “Fake Emotion” (Dabrye remix) (BPitch Control) (0:00)
02. Lapti & Nocow “Sirenas” (Gost Zvuk) (4:23)
03. Alexey Nikitin “Na Sever” (Gost Zvuk) (7:20)
04. Hatti Vatti & Es. Tereo “Kolours” (Absys) (11:31)
05. Calibre “Lost” (The Nothing Special) (16:05)
06. Alexey Nikitin “iAi” (Gost Zvuk) (20:02)
07. Anne-James Chaton “In The ISS” (Raster Noton) (25:17)
08. Betrieb “Maria Einsiedel” (Klang Electronic) (28:05)
09. Mark Ernestus’ Ndagga Rhythm Force “Yermande” (Ndagga) (30:30)
10. Rhythm & Sound “Density” (Rhythm & Sound) (36:25)
11. Oleg Buyanov “Money Is Gas” (Gost Zvuk) (39:58)
12. Ihor Tsymbrovsky “By The Sea” (Offen) (41:46)
13. Aleksi Perala “UK74R1512040” (Dub Rec) (44:55)
14. Photek “T’Raenon” (Applied Rhythmic Technology) (48:53)
15. Harmonious Thelonious “The Grasshopper Was the Witness” (Judd & Rown remix) (Meakusma) (55:45)
16. Zenker Brothers “Mintro” (Ilian Tape) (1:00:25)
17. Jamal Moss “Ginger Snaps Pt. 1” (0000000) (1:04:14)
18. Kassem Mosse “In the Water Where the City Ends” (Honest Jon’s) (1:08:47)
19. Rhythm & Sound “Jah Rule” (w/ Paul St. Hilaire) (Burial Mix) (1:12:21)
20. Gas “Zauberberg 1” (Kompakt) (1:18:08)
21. June “Lost Area” (DJ Sprinkles’ Empty Dancefloor) (These Days) (1:25:10)
22. Pretty Sneaky “B1” (Pretty Sneaky) 1 (1:27:54)