Cue Drops – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode we're joined by DJ Ben the Bee (Ben Taylor), who started DJ‐ing in the late 80‘s, at the birth of dance culture, and the emergence of the world music scene. He’s played at clubs, parties and festivals worldwide including Kimberley, GIVE!, Wilderness, Harvest, Desert Heart, Womad, Glastonbury, Burning Man, Mucky Weekender and Bestival, as well as many gigs overseas including in Ibiza, across Africa and Southeast Asia.

Ben is also the artistic director of events production company House of Honey, which creates intimate events and boutique festivals like GIVE! Festival and club nights throughout the yearly calendar.

* Companion link to Ben's mix: https://www.mixcloud.com/cuedrops/cue-drops-ep-12-ben-the-bee-mix/

Connect with Ben the Bee

House of Honey https://houseofhoney.org/

HoH Media Player https://houseofhoney.org/mediaplay/superg23thebee

Mixcloud https://www.mixcloud.com/benthebee/

Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/benthebee

https://www.instagram.com/benthebee100/

https://www.instagram.com/givehouseofhoney/

Connect with KABBAGE

https://www.instagram.com/kabbagemix/

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Yukari, a Tokyo-born, London-based DJ, is fierce behind the decks, and blends globally inspired sounds — from driving dark techno to uplifting, melodic moments — creating sets that move both hearts, and feet.

From iconic spaces like About Blank and Matrix Club in Berlin, to ZERO Tokyo, and London’s House of KOKO and Union Club, Yukari brings joy, vitality, and an unmistakable presence to every performance.

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As the co-founder of Longevity Rave with fellow DJ Tina Technotic, Yukari is an advocate for music and movement as essential ingredients for a longer, happier life.

* Companion link to Yukari's mix: https://www.mixcloud.com/cuedrops/cue-drops-ep11-yukari-mix/

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Actor, comedian (and alter-ego Lenny Beige) steps behind the decks as Steve Furst recounts the wild evolution from cabaret stages to London’s most iconic chill-out rooms. His Cue Drops episode spins through Hammond funk, easy-listening floorfillers and the forgotten gems of Britain’s retro nightlife boom in a journey where comedy and crate-digging collide.

From Double Six, the UK’s first board-games nightclub, to cabaret chaos at Talk of London, Steve shares how vinyl nostalgia, Moog-driven grooves and soundtrack deep-cuts found their way into his DJ sets. A warm, witty ride through the offbeat corners of London’s nightlife history.

* Companion link to Steve's mix: https://www.mixcloud.com/cuedrops/cue-drops-ep-2-steve-furst-mix/

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Kicking off the Cue Drops series, Jay Taylor takes us deep into the roots of UK house and techno, revisiting the early days of Kiss FM, belt-drive decks and cassette-recorded radio shows. With a career shaped by London’s underground and Detroit’s soul, Jay shares how his love for raw, analogue sound evolved into a lifelong passion with vinyl and dancefloor storytelling.

From his first gigs and early influences, like Colin Dale and Underground Resistance, to the timeless energy of Drexciya and Terry Francis, Jay’s episode is a love-letter to a scene built on intensity.

Expect memories of 90s club culture, techno classics, and the unfiltered truth of what it means to grow up living and breathing house music.

* Companion link to Jay's mix: https://www.mixcloud.com/cuedrops/cue-drops-ep-1-jay-taylor-mix/

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Meet Bill Brewster, DJ, writer and music historian. Author, selector and dance-music historian, Bill brings wisdom, wit and warehouse memories to Cue Drops.

As co-author of ‘Last Night a DJ Saved My Life’, and 'How to DJ Properly’, his stories trace decades of club culture through the lens of experience and love for the craft.

Bill’s reflections are part history lesson, part masterclass, bridging the roots of DJ culture with the energy and pulse of its present scene.

* Companion link to Bill's mix: https://www.mixcloud.com/cuedrops/cue-drops-ep-10-bill-brewster-mix/

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Jack Leonard’s Cue Drops captures the spirit of DJs raised on Britpop and shaped by big beat and electronic influences. It’s a deep-dive into what it means to find your sound and make each set personal and unique.

Incorporating tracks he’s written with guest collaborators, including James Lavelle and Unkle, and Cheapcuts (which he formed with Jonny Harris), and their new single, Lately with Benjamin Francis Leftwich, expect reflections on track selection, crowd flow, and the art of staying authentic behind the decks.

* Companion link to Jack's mix: https://www.mixcloud.com/cuedrops/cue-drops-ep-9-jack-leonard-mix/

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Lewie’s Cue Drops story dives into the deep hours of London’s club circuit, and 5–6am sets where gospel-tinged techno meets hypnotic house. From Egg London to Ibiza, his selections build tension and release with cinematic precision.

With heroes like Bicep, Floorplan and Dubfire shaping his palette, Lewie talks loop mixing, late-night resilience and the soulful energy that fuels his sound. A set-builder’s story, in equal parts grit, groove and grace.

* Companion link to Lewie's mix: https://www.mixcloud.com/cuedrops/cue-drops-ep-8-lewie-mix/

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British-Iraqi DJ Luma blends UK bass, garage and SWANA influences in a Cue Drops episode bursting with cultural pride and club energy. From Glastonbury’s Shangri-La to Boiler Room and Fabric, Luma’s sets bridge worlds through Arab pop edits, drill beats and fearless energy.

Luma shares stories of discovering ‘Body Groove’ at 16, championing representation through Habibti Nation, and turning mishaps into milestones. A celebration of identity, sound and the future-facing DJs shaping London’s underground.

* Companion link to Luma's mix: https://www.mixcloud.com/cuedrops/cue-drops-ep-7-luma-mix/

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From Soho House residencies to Pike’s Ibiza, George Plant’s Cue Drops captures the evolution of a DJ who lives for connection. Rooted in deep house and Balearic warmth, his sets blend emotional storytelling with effortless groove.

George opens up about his first overseas gigs, euphoric moments sparked by Lovebirds’ ‘Want You In My Soul’, and the crowd unity that defines his approach. With a sold-out debut release and more on the way, this is an artist tuned perfectly to the pulse of house music’s heart.

* Companion link to George's mix: https://www.mixcloud.com/cuedrops/cue-drops-ep-6-george-plant-mix/

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With two decades behind the decks, Oscillate rewinds to their early days of mixing, when he showed up with two CDs, and prayed his USB didn’t overheat. From Underworld in Camden to beach parties on Croatia’s Yacht Week, his sets mix nostalgia, precision and pure crowd instinct.

Oscillate reflects on navigating first-gig nerves, mid-tempo transitions, and those hands-in-the-air moments powered by Floating Points, Kiasmos and Amtrac. It’s a masterclass in resilience, rhythm and the joy of rediscovery.

* Companion link to Oscillate's mix: https://www.mixcloud.com/cuedrops/cue-drops-ep-5-oscillate-mix/

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