Max HeyraudThis week’s Mix Of The Week comes from Belfast’s own Nikki O who delivered a deep, rolling set live from AVA Festival last weekend, serving up steppy tech house, classic vocal house, snarling bass cuts and more via London’s Subtle Radio.
Playing from 14:30 to 15:30 on the Yard Stage, slotted between Matcha and Inside Moves, Nikki O had the all-important task of setting the tone as some of the first rhythms sang through the festival gates. Her mix caught the vibe early and laid the groundwork not just for the day ahead, but for the weekend as a whole. With the Yard’s powerhouse soundsystem behind her, Nikki let the deepest of deep sounds roll out, heating the floor with an intoxicating selection.
House and house-adjacent cuts were her tools of choice for this hour-long tone-setter. A seasoned AVA regular, Nikki O knew exactly what to bring, and brought it in full: luscious, soul-drenched reworks, squelchy tech-infused grooves, glossy UK bass cuts, and 80s-tinged electro weapons. It was a masterclass in the subtle art of the warm-up DJ, enticing enough to turn heads, but never overpowering.
She seamlessly threaded earworm into earworm, crafting a vibe that held people in place even as they might’ve been tempted to explore other stages. Tracks you might not recognise but couldn’t forget. The kind of mix that left you pulling out your phone to Shazam or muttering to a mate hours later, “What was that one we heard early on Friday at The Yard?”
Nikki O’s set was a reminder that the early hours of a festival are just as crucial as the headline moments. It’s in these moments, under bright skies, with energy still building, that a DJ can truly sculpt the mood of a weekend. And sculpt she did.