PSYCHEMAGIK, & NAVID IZADI — Mink & Shoes

Psychemagik feat. Navid Izadi – Mink & Shoes is a four-track 12-inch vinyl release on Psychemagik’s own label, originally issued in 2015 as catalogue number PMEP002. Blending slow-motion disco, deep house, funk, cosmic electronics and psychedelic dancefloor sensibilities, the record presents Psychemagik at one of their most distinctive points: hypnotic, atmospheric and deliberately difficult to place within a single genre. At the centre of the release is the original “Mink & Shoes”, featuring the unmistakable vocals of Navid Izadi, backed by a dub version, Lokier’s Paradise Remix and a shorter Radio Edit. The record emerged during an important period for Psychemagik, the UK duo whose reputation had been built through an unusual combination of deep digging, re-edit culture, eclectic DJ selections and highly individual production work. Their catalogue has always moved freely between disco, house, funk, psychedelic music and leftfield electronic sounds, and “Mink & Shoes” captures that philosophy in original production form rather than simply presenting another re-edit. Psychemagik’s own catalogue describes the duo as being known for their extensive record collections, edits and immersive mixtape journeys, while their releases regularly cross the boundaries between disco, deep house and indie dance. “Mink & Shoes” itself is a low-slung, nocturnal piece of modern disco with an unusually spacious and psychedelic character. The track operates at a relaxed pace, with contemporary listings placing the original around 115–116 BPM. Rather than pushing toward peak-time house energy, Psychemagik build the track around a creeping groove, restrained rhythmic momentum and a strong sense of atmosphere. The production has a distinctly cosmic quality, with electronic textures and a hazy instrumental environment surrounding Navid Izadi’s vocal performance. Izadi’s contribution is fundamental to the identity of the record. His vocal does not simply sit on top of the instrumental as a conventional house vocal; it becomes part of the track’s character, giving “Mink & Shoes” a narrative and slightly surreal quality. The lyrics revolve around a dysfunctional relationship and a character obsessed with appearances, nightlife and material presentation, with the recurring “mink and shoes” reference becoming a memorable hook. The vocal delivery adds personality to what might otherwise be an entirely instrumental disco excursion. The original mix is the longest and most complete presentation of the track, running for just over seven minutes. Its appeal lies in the contrast between the understated groove and the increasingly immersive atmosphere surrounding it. Psychemagik avoid the obvious route of turning the track into a straightforward disco-house anthem. Instead, the arrangement leaves space around the rhythm and vocal, allowing the electronic details and low-slung pulse to create a more hypnotic experience. The A2 Dub Mix provides the natural alternative for DJs who want the same musical foundation with less emphasis on the vocal. At more than seven minutes, it retains the extended club structure of the original while shifting attention toward the underlying rhythm and production. The dub format makes the track particularly useful for mixing, allowing the groove and atmosphere to occupy the foreground without the full lyrical narrative. Contemporary descriptions of the release specifically highlight the dub as a useful instrumental alternative to the vocal original. On the B-side, Lokier delivers the Paradise Remix. The Mexican producer and DJ’s interpretation takes the material further into the darker and more electronic side of the record. The remix retains the essential identity of “Mink & Shoes” while reframing it for a more club-oriented environment. With its extended running time, the Lokier version is particularly suited to DJs looking for a more spacious, leftfield interpretation rather than a conventional disco edit. The B2 Radio Edit condenses the concept into a much shorter format, running for approximately three minutes and forty-seven seconds. It provides the most direct presentation of the vocal song and makes the central hook more immediately accessible. On the full 12-inch, however, its real significance is comparative: alongside the Original Mix, Dub Mix and Lokier Paradise Remix, it demonstrates how the same composition can function in different contexts, from a concise vocal track to a long-form DJ tool. “Mink & Shoes” is also significant because of the circumstances surrounding Navid Izadi’s contribution. Psychemagik described him as a close friend and collaborator, and their original announcement explained that he recorded the vocal in a single take. Izadi tragically died in a plane crash in 2015, shortly before the physical release of the record. This gives the vocal performance an additional historical importance within the Psychemagik catalogue and within the broader musical legacy of the artist. The production credits identify Daniel Mclewin and Thomas Coveney as the writers and producers of the track, with Navid Izadi credited for vocals and lyrics. The original release appeared digitally in September/October 2015 depending on the platform, while contemporary vinyl listings place the 12-inch release in late September or October 2015. The physical record is consistently identified as PMEP002, with four tracks: Original Mix, Dub Mix, Lokier Paradise Remix and Radio Edit. The track has also accumulated a life beyond the original EP. Psychemagik later released a Greg Wilson Edit of “Mink & Shoes feat Navid Izadi”, issued separately in 2016. That version should be regarded as a distinct later edit rather than part of the original PMEP002 tracklist. The existence of the Greg Wilson interpretation nevertheless underlines the strength of the composition as a source for further DJ-oriented reinterpretation. For DJs, PMEP002 is particularly attractive because it offers several different functions across a single 12-inch. The Original Mix is suited to warm-up and late-night sets where a slower, atmospheric groove can establish a mood without sacrificing rhythmic movement. The Dub Mix strips the arrangement back for more flexible mixing, while the Lokier Paradise Remix introduces a darker and more electronic angle. The Radio Edit provides the most compact version for situations where the vocal and hook need to arrive quickly. For collectors, the record represents an interesting intersection between Psychemagik’s edit-driven background and their original production work. It is not simply another compilation of disco reworks: “Mink & Shoes” is an original Psychemagik production with a strong vocal identity, supported by a carefully selected set of alternate versions. The combination of Psychemagik’s production style, Navid Izadi’s vocal performance and Lokier’s remix makes PMEP002 a distinctive document of the mid-2010s underground disco and house landscape. Musically, the record occupies territory between deep house, disco, cosmic house, funk and indie dance. Its relatively restrained tempo, loose groove and atmospheric production make it particularly effective for DJs who prefer records that build a mood rather than announce themselves immediately. There is enough rhythmic definition for the record to function on a dancefloor, but the production remains spacious and psychedelic enough to work equally well in more eclectic sets. Psychemagik feat. Navid Izadi – Mink & Shoes is therefore a highly individual 12-inch: a slow-burning modern disco production built around a memorable vocal, supported by a functional dub, a distinctive Lokier remix and a concise radio version. Released as PMEP002 in 2015, it captures the duo’s ability to combine disco and deep-house foundations with cosmic atmosphere, psychedelic sound design and an unmistakably leftfield approach to dance music. Tracklist: A1. Mink & Shoes feat. Navid Izadi – Original Mix A2. Mink & Shoes feat. Navid Izadi – Dub Mix B1. Mink & Shoes feat. Navid Izadi – Lokier Paradise Remix B2. Mink & Shoes feat. Navid Izadi – Radio Edit