With the whole Defected team currently working from home, our staff were in need of a soundtrack to keep us going while away from the office, so we curated some of our favourite tracks into a playlist and we wanted to share it with you! With this being a time for us to really get creative, the tracks we chose here are the ones that keep the cogs turning behind the scenes. 

From Four Tet and Steve Lacy to Bill Withers and Stevie Wonder, the Defected Staff Picks playlist is an eclectic selection of tunes we love to listen to at home - we hope you enjoy it too. #DefectedInYourHouse

Managing Director - Wez Saunders
Poppy Ajudha - 'Shades Of You'
“I am obsessed with finding new music. It is a hobby. Outside of my absolute love for dance music, I love to listen to music of black origin. Particularly female singers across Hip-Hop, Rap, R&B, Jazz, Grime, Soul, Reggae, African and Gospel. There’s a number of singers that have my attention right now; Joy Crooks, Tierra Whack, Princess Nokia, Andreya Triana, Teni Tinks, Dope Earth Alien, Aramiah, Sampa The Great, Yasmin Lacey – I have been the same since I was younger, listening to Mary J Blige, Lil Kim, Faith Evans and more. My latest discovery is Poppy Ajudha. Thanks to ‘Shades of You’ (with Moses Boyd), I discovered Poppy (around since 2015) and can’t get enough. Her ‘Patience EP’, and ‘Low Ride’ & ‘Devil’s Juice’ singles are all essential listening for those work from home days. Something else worth checking is the Tom Misch Remix of ‘David’s Song’.”

Digital Marketing Manager (Events) - Sam Mooney 
The Blaze - 'Territory'
“I randomly discovered The Blaze at a festival. As I was walking past their stage this track was playing and it instantly grabbed me. Towards the end of the set I started asking people who the duo were as their name wasn’t on any visuals. Since then I’ve been hooked. Amazing to see their most recent collab with another favourite artist Octavion!”

PR & Promotions Manager - Scarlett Pares Landells
Sunni Colon - ‘Baby I Don’t Mind’
I discovered Sunni during a late night deep dive on YouTube. Released on his 2018 album Satin Psicodelic, it’s not a brand new record but it might as well be. Super slinky, sunshiny and so self-assured, And his videos are brilliant. ‘Baby I Don’t Mind’ is always top of my “workflow” playlist because I can listen to it on repeat while I work and just FLOW. Get to know! 

A&R Assistant - Oli Welch
Otherliine - 'One Line'
“A new one from George Fitzgerald & Lil Silva’s joint project, I loved their previous work together on ‘Roll Back’ and was buzzing when they announced they were doing a whole project together, I could have chosen any of the tracks from the EP but this one tips it for me…”

A&R Assistant - Anna Croitoru 
Four Tet - 'Anna Painting'
“I chose it because it’s such a beautiful piece of work that compliments Anna Liber Lewis’ paintings so well - I actually went to the Muscle Memory show where Four Tet performed the songs he wrote for Anna live in the gallery where the paintings were being exhibited. It was super special. The track is the perfect blend between ambient and melodic tinged with those familiar Four Tet-esque sounds. Check it out if you haven’t yet!”

A&R - Seamus Haji
Stevie Wonder - 'Send One Your Love'
"Big Stevie Wonder fan but this album from 1979 has been in my collection for over 30 years and slightly overlooked. It’s a rather introspective album bizarrely titled ‘Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants’. It features some tasty uptempo disco cuts as well as the wonderful ‘Send One Your Love’"

Talent Booker - Mitch Nunn 
Bill Withers - 'Lovely Day'
“This is my get out of bed tune. When it’s one of those days where I’m really struggling to get out of bed, I stick this on and I’m up and out in no time. Instant mood-lifter.”

Graphic Designer - Angus Brash
Flying Lotus feat. Andreya Triana - 'Tea Leaf Dancers'
“This dreamy production from young 23 year old FlyLo is one of my all-time favourite tracks to hear first thing in the morning or last thing at night. The hazy beat underneath a dusty vocal from Andreya Triana make this one just ooze out of your best speakers."

Business Affairs Assistant - Mark Long
“A couple that were my favourites are ‘RNP’ & ‘U Say’, Anderson Paak and GoldLink are easily two of my most streamed artists and whilst probably the least chill ones on my list, the tracks have such a vibe and makes it impossible for me not to move along with them a little... which is great for someone like me who can’t sit still for more than 30 seconds at a time!.”

Head of Product and Curation - Joe Bennett
Armand Van Helden - Flowerz
The day before deciding on my staff picks, I was digging through some old vinyl and happened to come across a personal signed copy of Flowerz featuring the incredible vocals of Roland Clark that Armand Van Helden had gifted me after working on his masterpiece compilation album back in 2015. I had been listening to the record that day and It just felt like the perfect laidback, feel-good selection for the playlist. It’s an oldie, but music discovery is timeless.

A&R & Publishing Manager - Adrienne Bookbinder 
DJ Rashad - Let U No 
I listen to all kinds of music and get really into finding everything I can about where it comes from, the culture around it and the producers / artists that paved the way. My curiosity around footwork and juke led me to my first Teklife party at Smart Bar in Chicago many years ago, an experience that stuck with me since. The less adventurous tend to shy away from footwork, and I feel like ‘Let U No’ is a great gateway into the world, by the late and great DJ Rashad. RIP.  

Head of Digital Marketing - Tom Coxhead
Tom Misch & Yussef Dayes - What Kinda Music
Over the past 6 years, Tom Misch has become one of my favourite artists in the world. His ability to seamlessly move between genres is simply amazing and everything he touches turns to gold. His new collaboration with the amazing Yussef Dayes pushes musical boundaries and is the freshest song I’ve heard for some time. Cannot wait for the album.

PR & Promotions Assistant - Lucy St John
Hanna - I Needed
After getting my hands on a copy of this when it was re-issued last year, ‘I Needed’ has remained one of my most-played records. A perfect balance of groove and soul that makes it the perfect soundtrack when I need to focus. The B-Side ‘Intercession, On Behalf’ is a really special track also.

Events Operations & Glitterbox Product Manager - Amanda Hamilton
Pional - Tempest
I played this on repeat pretty much all of summer 2019. For me, it’s one of those tracks that when you play it once you get totally addicted and need to hear it over and over again it at least another ten times. I could never get sick of it. Anytime I play it on the speakers in the Defected office it gets the odd Shazam or the “TUNE!” seal of approval from the team.

Catalogue Manager - Rap Sanders
Steve Spacek - Natural Sci-Fi 
Steve Spacek'sb album “Natural Sci-Fi” was released late 2018 and in my opinion was the best album of 2019, or at the very least the most underrated album of last year! A healthy mix of downtempo hip hop, broken beat, future boogie and soul.. Difficult to choose a stand out track, so check the whole album! A must. 

D-Store Marketing - Pippa Maguire
George Benson - Give Me The Night
Nothing makes me happier and more nostalgic than a George Benson record. It’s my childhood Sunday roast music. His voice - rich, low and impossibly smooth, is one of a kind. I could have this on repeat all night long. 

In uncertain times remember, we still have music, check out some of our other playlists here including 'Defected Fresh House Friday', 'Defected Chill' and 'Defected Classics' plus more!