As if we haven’t heard enough about Oliver Heldens this year, one of 2014’s breakout stars has given us an early Christmas present: his first ever BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix. To be chosen for an Essential Mix is one of dance music’s highest internal honors, as the 2-hour mix is curated by the legendary Pete Tong and broadcasted on the most popular dance music station in the world. If you’re a big fan of Oliver Heldens and his signature house groove, this is a can’t miss mix. Not only are we treated to the uber popular tracks “Gecko” & “Koala (Last All Night)” ft. KStewart, but Heldens brings out the big guns with mashups like Duke Dumont’s “Feel Good” vs “Need U 100%” and Zhu’s “Faded.” There’s also nods to Tiesto, who gave Heldens his start more than a year ago on the Musical Freedom record label, and Sander Van Doorn, who’s put out many of Heldens’ tracks this year on Spinnin’ Records. It’s possible that Oliver Heldens could make the shortlist for Essential Mix of the Year with this late entry, as the groovy 2-hour mix really caps off a fantastic year for him, but he has a lot of competition against the likes of MK, Porter Robinson and the late Frankie Knuckles. Listen to the Essential Mix in its entirety below:
Photo via: Cr2 Records
