psychedelic ambient drifting into spacey dub and tripped out beats

Eora DJ Ellie Locke - better known in the scene as Lazy Suzan - steps up for mix #54, gifting us with a treasure trove of ambient electronica lovingly weaved together with skill and finesse. Expect tracks from Biosphere, Suzanne Kraft, Albrecht La'Brooy and many, many more.

Can you tell us a bit about your journey into electronic music and DJing? When did you first discover electronic music? Travelling in Europe during my gap year was pretty pivotal, listening to James Blake, BoC, Four Tet and Scuba’s Triangulation album. My friend introduced me to jungle and DnB, leading me into an obsession with half time, namely D Bridge and Instra:Mental. Also the Nightslugs / Machinedrum / future bass at Tauron Nowa Muzyka festival in Poland still feels very relevant and informs the UK sounds I play more of these days. It’s such a privilege to be able to travel and find inspiration in other scenes and cultures, for which I am eternally grateful.

You were a graduate of FBi’s first Dance Class program back in 2015. What did you gain from the experience and would you recommend it to budding DJs? Dance Class opened the door to a male-dominated world that felt very inaccessible. There was a lot more discrimination back then, both subconscious and overt. The training and opportunities that came out of it were invaluable and I believe Dance Class has played a huge role in fostering a more inclusive local music industry today.

You spent a year living and DJing in Tokyo. What is your favourite thing about the nightlife scene there and can you share a favourite memory? The techno community in Tokyo is so warm and welcoming. I had the best year wandering through record shops and practicing on the turntables in my tiny student apartment. Nothing beats Labyrinth though - dancing with Japanese families and their dogs, eating tempura mushroom soba noodle soup, listening to three hour sets by Dozzy, PVH and DJ Nobu in the misty mountains.

How did you decide to approach your Lazydaze mix? Was there a concept behind it?The mix is both sombre and psychedelic, moving through a spectrum of feelings representative of a particularly turbulent time in life. I toyed with the idea of complete ambience but ended up incorporating a mixture of instrumental pieces, electronica, abstract ambient and soft dub/techno.

This was the first version I recorded, which is rare for me. I often end up overworking it by the twelfth take. In Rick Rubin’s book The Creative Act he speaks of the beauty in the first take, in the ‘demo’, where the first seed of an idea can often be overwatered when trying to recreate it.

Are there any particularly special tracks or moments in there for you? The first track ‘From A Solid To A Liquid’ by Biosphere still makes me cry; the simplicity of elements, the sound design as the rain fades away, the warm, withdrawn synth. I’s also the opening track in a Patrick Russell mix, Mystery of the Deep VI. I’ve listened to this other-worldly mix for over 10 years as it helps me get to sleep. The final track ‘Ways of Saying Things Direct’ from Danish producer Ydegirl is another gorgeous, stripped-back ballad that’s very special to me.

What have you got coming up gig or otherwise that you’re excited for? This summer there are a few festivals lined up including Skydance, Serenity Now and a couple of others TBA. At Wierd Women, I’ll be playing an ambient soundscape for a yoga class led by my friend Teaghan. Subaske and I have a monthly show on Nomad Radio called Ear Contact, which we hope to expand into a bigger project in the future.

A favourite mix or album to soundtrack a lazy Sunday afternoon? See my ever-expanding Soundcloud playlist Sounds for a Sunday for a bunch of downtempo+ mixes. Too bad I work on Sundays, so I can't actually be lazy - it’s all a farce!

What makes me happiest is…? Puppies.

If I could go back in time I would…? Save Brittany.

You can check out the full tracklist for Ellie’s mix over on SoundCloud.