Between SoundCloud, YouTube, Mixcloud and everything else, it can feel like we’re being overwhelmed by an impenetrable, almost infinite stream of music, often of varying quality. You need a soundtrack to start your weekend right, but you don’t have the requisite lifetime to trawl through the week’s new DJ mixes. To help you out, we’ve done the busy work for you. We’ll be running this series every single Friday of every single week to bring you the very finest house music, grime, techno, bashment, R&B, trap, D&B, Amapiano, and no doubt a bunch of stuff that doesn’t have a name yet.

Dive into TRENCH Radio’s best mixes of the month below.

This year’s GALA Festival looked like an absolute beauty. Ringing in the festival season at Peckhmam Rye Park, it was a killer line-up with sets from Conducta, Plastician, a rare appearance of Giggs, and show-stopping appearances from Novelist and D Double E. Our hihglight, though, was this set from Todd Edwards. Nothing but hits from the outset, he kicks off with the apt one-two punch of “No Place Like London” and “Rockafeller Skank”. before running through an hour of garage, 2-step and house, with a few extra gems for good measure.

One of the greatest MC/DJ duos of grime’s modern era, Grandmixxer and Mez are so deeply in tune with each other that it’s guaranteed gold every time they get on a set together. For the past year and a bit, Reprezent’s 1UP series has been uniting DJs and MCs for half-hour sessions and it’s a ilttle surprising it’s taken this long to get a Grandmixxer/Mez set. Regardless, it’s a strong contender for the best so far—no mean feat given what came before.

Last month, TS7 took it to the heartland of bassline, Sheffield, for a massive night featuring Flava D, Big Ang, Warpfit, and K Dot. Right now, he’s in the midst of a New Zealand tour and it’s testament to the surge in bassline’s popularity these past few years. In the North, it never went away, but thanks to the relentless work of TS7, Murkz, Subzero, TRC and the like, it’s spread back across the UK and has gained footholds all over the world.

The crossover between UK funky and Amapiano has proved fertile ground these past few years. Legends like Supa D and Wigman applying their talents to the sound and folding in the funky, bouncy rhythms has proved a revolutionary combination. Recorded ahead of Supa D and Spidey G’s appearance at the House Of Unity Summer Day Party (alongside Crazy Cousinz, Mark Radford, Lee B3 Edwards and more), this set proves how much heart, energy and innovation there is in the melting pot of Amapiano, UK funky, and soulful house.

There’s no question dubstep is having a huge moment right now. Books are being released, Skream & Benga are doing gangbusters, and there’s a crop of exciting new talent bubbling up with their own fresh ideas. One such newcomer is Jaz Imsky who this week stepped into the Farringdon shop front with a selection of screwface slammers, dubby skankers and weighty chuggers. She’s been a huge run lately with her Ego Death EP and the “Mandelbrot / Supreme Array” single, not to mention all her other radio sets. With new school talent like Jaz, the modern era of dubstep is in very good hands.

A true legend, DJ Storm’s sets are never to be skipped. Co-founder of Metalheadz, alongside DJ partner Kemistry and Goldie, Storm was (and remains) one of the most influential driving forces behind the sounds since those early heady days in the ‘90s. Sadly, her longstanding DJ partner Kemistry is no longer with us, but Storm’s reign remains unchallenged. Known for her knack for imbuing sets with huge bursts of colour and soul, without sacrificing heaviness, this set recored at Horst Festival is a reminder why she’ll always be the greatest.

A.G’s sweet memories EP in April has been a personal favourite ever since it landed. Mixing gorgeous soundscapes, invigorating Jersey club chops and gnarly breaks, it’s an EP you’ll keep coming back to. It’s a similar energy to her DJ sets, especially this recent session for NTS Radio. Although this particular sets leans more on her grime selections, with choice cuts from Skepta, JD. Reid, and Dizzee, the same playful way she hops and skips between genres with the lightest of touches, is the defining feature.

United Identities founder Carista has been on some serious stuff for the better part of two decades. Born and raised in Utrecht, she’s been diligently working away with her raw yet soulful house and techno selections and it’s been paying off in a big way. Her BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix from 2020 hits just as hard today as it did when it dropped, and more recently she’s been turning her hand to production. This set for The Lot Radio is as good an entry point as ever (although you really have to hit the Essential Mix up next), with its detail-oriented approach and deep, deep funky grooves.

Part of the Sexy Lady Massive alongside Selectacee, Betsy Mae, and Hendy (co-founder Jolie P took a step back earlier this year), Asian Brat’s sets champion rebellion, empowerment and community, as well as challenging perceptions (and fetishisations) of East Asian women. They’re also unbelievably heavy-going. This one focused on the 140BPM section of the West Londoner’s record bag with choppy breaks, grimey thump, and plenty of funk.

This month marks a period of significant change for Oblig. Now busier than ever, between his ever-industrious Obligated Records and his family, this month marked the last of his weekly shows on Rinse as he switches to a monthly slot (last Sunday of the month). Unfortunately, that final show isn’t online just yet, but it was worth marking this momentous occasion at the end of his massive seven-year run. Expect grime, dubstep and plenty of bassy club weaponry. Here’s to the next chapter.