Kicking off a new spotlight series called Favourite Finds, where we ask some of our favourite DJs, collectors and selectors to tell us the story behind how they came across one of their favourite records.

Every collection tells a story, however new or old, big or small, Favourite Finds digs into those personal histories. Rarity nor price are prerequisites, we’re more interested in sentiment, perseverance or just blind luck.

For this first volume we put the question to Jazz Refreshed core member and Full Joy Music founder LAANI. As a DJ and radio host her eclectic and infectious style moves from jazz and broken beat through soulful house, disco and everything in between. It’s a magnetic vibe that has seen her grace the stages at Worldwide Festival, Fabric, We Out Here, Printworks and Corsica and many more.

LAANI took the time out to tell us the story behind her favourite find below:

“During a visit to Bogotá last year, I found this tiny men's shoe shop that had a few records on display. It was mainly compilations but this one record was clearly played by an old radio station - the ones with "DJ promo" written in red across the cover. The record had this one track which immediately grabbed my attention. Annoyingly, it had a scratch right in the middle of it. I wanted it so bad though I listened to it about 5 times to see I could get away with the jump but alas no."

"There was something in the early ‘80s pop synth sounds and choral call and response that pricked my interest and I took a photo of the comp label and searched on Discogs there and then. Whilst in Columbia, I found a vinyl copy in Barcelona and ordered it immediately without listening to the rest of the album - I just needed THAT TUNE..."

"My very first record as a child was a 7" Bangles 'Eternal Flame' and this Xoxonees record gives me a nostalgic feeling of everything I loved about early ‘80s girl groups - their music was described as 'flamenco-rap' but I also feel deep funk in there too and it makes me feel joyful and empowered that these pioneering women were forging their own path in music.”

Big thanks to LAANI for contributing to the series be sure to give her a follow, catch her playing in a city near you soon and dive into her mixes / radio shows.