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Christmas gift guide for DJs and producers 2021

DJ Mag's digital tech editor rounds up the best Christmas gifts for DJs and producers in 2021. Whether it's for yourself, a partner, a family member or a friend, we've collected everything from headphones and hardware to merch, MIDI controllers and new music books for 2021. Good luck and Merry Christmas from DJ Mag!

from £7.99
Virtuoso subscription

Virtuoso is an educational platform featuring video masterclasses from some of electronic music’s biggest artists like Skream, Carl Cox, B Traits and Eats Everything. You can subscribe to their platform for £8 a month and soak up their knowledge through a series of courses. A great gift for someone who’s just started out or those looking for inspiration. Check out the price options here

from £2
Defected Merch

Defected is one of the biggest dance music brands in the world — and they’ve got the merch to match. Their D Store is full of dance music paraphernalia including from their own sub labels and party brands, but also books, mugs, t-shirts, posters, jewellery, clothes and even Xmas baubles. Head to their store here.

from £5
Wasted Heroes

Wasted Heroes has been providing rave-inspired garms to the stars and the dancefloor for years, with regular wearers including Carl Cox, Peggy Gou and Charlotte de Witte. There’s tees, sweatshirts, joggers, jackets, swimwear, hats and heaps more for any dance music fan. Perfect for some stocking fillers for Xmas. Visit their site here.

£10
USB disco lights

Bring some fun to the Zoom, DJ stream or job interview with these USB disco lights. Powered over USB ports or via a standard USB plug, it’s basically Studio 54, but without the tax evasion. Although maybe that’s not as fun. Find out, here.

from £2.99
NTS Supporter

NTS’ range of programs and archives is globally renowned for a reason. Spanning all genres, styles and tempos, their hosts and mixes include up and coming artists, huge names and a wealth of international talent all united under the NTS stamp of approval. The vast majority is already free, but you can become a supporter that gives you access to those all important tracklists and more, for as little as £2.99 a month. Do that, here.

£2
Headphone adaptor

It’s a classic tale of woe — a lost headphone adaptor means you either have to borrow, or lend, your precious to someone else resulting in yet another lost adaptor, and the cycle continues. Luckily, DJ mixers are starting to include both 3.5mm and ¼-inch headphone jacks, but you can never be too careful. Stock up now and prepare for the worst.

£6.99
DJ Mag Issue

Yes! What better thing to buy the electronic music lover in your life than a copy of the world’s biggest and best dance music magazine? If you’re reading this then you’re already up to speed on what we do, so head to the shop and grab a copy of the latest print mag. Why not pick up a subscription, while you’re there?

£9.99
Vinyl brush

Keep your precious vinyl collection in top shape with a vinyl brush. This one from Rough Trade is anti-static with an ultra fine carbon brush to get rid of any nasty dust and particles that might hamper the quality of your music, or damage your cart. A must have for any Discog fanatics.

£6
Lobster Theremin lighter

If the smoking area chat is running dry, why not spark some convo with this Lobster Theremin lighter? Just the like the label itself, it promises to always bring the heat.

£9.99
Disco Disco x Pikes pins

London party squad and Pikes Ibiza teamed up for some swish disco pins, repping some classic dancefloor fillers like ‘I Feel Love’, ‘Keep The Fire Burning’ and ‘Young Hearts Run Free’. Grab them here.

from £15
DJ Mag Merch

DJ Mag’s very own store is full of goodies like t-shirts, hats and totes for you to proudly express your allegiance to dance music’s biggest magazine. You can also buy the mag there too, by the way.

£15
Renegade Snares: The Resistance and Resilience of Drum and Bass

Written by one current and one former DJ Mag editor, Renegade Snares is a deep dive into d&b as it “traces the history of jungle/drum & bass from its early roots in soundsystem culture and rave music right through to the present day”. A must-have for the d&b head in your life.

£38.99
Dam Swindle x Rubuust Record Frame 01

Amsterdam-based house music dons Dam Swindle and design company Robuust have released some nifty new record frames and a record holder for your precious vinyl. The frames create a 3D effect with their ‘shadow’ outline and come in four colours, while the more expensive record holders can display your records in a trendy cube. Get them both at Phonica.

£39.99
Sennheiser HD250BT headphones

Makers of excellent audio kit, Sennehsier’s HD-25s are a DJ’s fave and for good reason. Their 250BT — the BT is for bluetooth — is at an amazing price point to get your hands on the quality Sennheiser sound. They’ve also got a 25 hour battery life, for even the longest of commutes. Check them out here.

from £10
Slipmats

Give your 1210s a makeover with some fresh new mats — prices start as low as £10 for the classic Technics affair, or most indie labels will offer their own branded ones, just check their Bandcamps.

Dorothy prints
£35

You may have spotted these prints in various studios and offices across the UK, mapping the blueprint of genres and artists across musical history. Dorothy are the proud makers of them and more, with various music-related art and accessories. Spot on for your new home office or re-decorated bedroom.

£12.79
Pikes cocktail book

Pikes Ibiza has some pretty simple rules: no under 25s, no flip flops, no cunts. For the rest of us, it’s one of the planets most-fun spots for disco, house and balearic good times. If you didn’t make it to the Isle this year, fear not, as the boozy taste of Ibiza can be brought to your Xmas soirée via the Pikes Cocktail book. Magic.

from £15
Abbey Road merch

The iconic music institution is celebrating its 90th anniversary in 2021, and to celebrate they’ve got some special water bottles, totes and t-shirts with a newly designed 90th birthday logo. There’s also the usual Abbey Road merch on their packed online store, plenty to pick from for any music fan. They’ve even got their own gift guide here — handy.

£12.99
Carl Cox autobiography, Oh Yes, Oh Yes

The man, the legend, the hero of Ibiza, there are few DJs like Carl Cox. He released an autobiography this year, titled Oh Yes, Oh Yes, of course. It’s the story of a man Gilles Peterson said, “Carl is one of the few true pioneers of UK club culture internationally”. Pick it up here.

from $14.99
Beatport LINK subscription

Beatport LINK lets DJs play music directly from Beatport’s catalogue of millions of electronic music tracks straight into your DJ software or hardware without downloading them. LINK allows users to stream their DJ sets from the cloud — a very handy service for those who haven’t built up their music collection yet. One month costs $14.99.

£14.29
Avicii biography

Avicii’s untimely death is one of electronic music’s greatest tragedies. The official biography of Avicii is out now, written by Swedish journalist Måns Mosesson, and documents the meteoric rise of the global EDM star via interviews with friends, family and colleagues. Pick it up here

£160
AIAIAI TMA-2 Move XE

OK, OK, they’re £10 more than the limit, but AIAIAI’s TMA-2 Move XE are a fantastic option for an all-rounder headphone that looks good, sounds good and has the added convenience of being completely wireless. A great option if you’re looking to upgrade your cans for on-the-go.

£60
Top 100 Clubs book

A limited edition coffee table book, DJ Mag’s Top 100 Clubs profiles 100 of the best and most unique clubbing spots across the planet. Interspersed with interviews from the world’s biggest DJs, the book features incredible photos of clubbing culture from all four corners of the globe. A perfect gift for the clubber in your life.

£139
Pioneer DJ DDJ-200

One of the winners of the pandemic was Pioneer DJ’s DDJ-400 controller, a versatile, portable and affordable controller for DJ streams and house parties, as well as small events. Its smaller sibling is designed for use more with mobile devices, but is a great entry point for aspiring DJs on a budget. Grab it here.

£129
Beyerdynamic DT990s

Beyerdynamic headphones are a favourite of producers and engineers everywhere for their honest and flat response, while being open and clear without fatiguing during long sessions. If whoever you’re buying for spend long days and nights using cans to make music, these are a great option — a pro sound and feel at an affordable price point. They won’t excite, but they will make your mixing easier and better.

£129
Native Instruments A25 MIDI keyboard

Native Instruments is one of the most popular names in music tech for their wide-ranging tools for music makers and DJs. Whether it’s groove maker Maschine, DJ software Traktor or full software suite Komplete, it’s likely you’ll find something for you no matter what style or genre you make. Their entry level A-range MIDI keyboards are a great option too, with the 25-, 49- and 61-key versions, starting at £129.

£109
Focusrite Scarlett Solo

One of the most successful soundcard ranges of all time, these red interfaces are featured in studios all over the world for good reason: they’re portable, affordable and feature high-quality Focusrite pres that get the job done on a range of inputs. Their Solo version starts at £109, but if you can stretch to the 2i2 for £159, it offers a lot more options. Get one here.

£129
Pioneer DJ DM-40

While they’re not the most recent version of the DMs (the DM-50D came out in October and costs £199) they’re still a very good entry level option for DJs who need a home speaker setup for their controller. They’re not gonna rival more high-end studio or home speakers, but they will more than do the job for beginners. More here.

£119
Blue Yeti mic

In the age of podcasting, content creation and ZOOM calls, a good mic is a must for any self-respecting home office or studio. Blue has been making some of the best quality USB mics and mic solutions for many years, and their Yeti is the world’s number one USB mic. Handy for many tasks, get one here.

£111
Korg Volca Beats

It’s not every day you can pick up a fully analogue drum machine for less than £150, but Korg’s Volca range has long held the crown of the most fun and flexible mini machines going, and at a great price. Their drum machine option — Volca Beats — can create some powerful beats with weighty low end and crisp highs for just over £100. Bargain.

£139
Minirig 3 Bluetooth speaker

Minirigs have been a staple of the bluetooth speaker scene since the unique chubby puc launched, and they’re still an excellent option as an all rounded speaker with great battery life. There isn’t a music lover in the world who can have enough speakers, so why not give them another?