With more electronic radio shows on air than ever, we take a look at the 5 shows you can’t afford to miss.

Though it was born in the clubs of Chicago and the discotheques of Deutschland, electronic dance music has since found a home on online and mainstream radio stations across the UK. Electronic music radio shows are the places fans know they can turn to hear the latest from the underground, and the next big thing. Here are 5 of the best electronic radio shows hitting the UK airwaves as we speak.

1 – Essential Mix on BBC Radio 1

When: Saturday, 4am. Where: BBC Radio 1 and BBC iPlayer (previous 10 episodes).

Great for: big name DJs, highest quality mixes, keeping the party going.

The idea behind Essential Mix is a simple one: Give a different DJ two hours of airtime every week to let loose and play whatever they want to play. The show kicked off in 1993 with a live mix from the legendary Pete Tong. The proceeding years saw mixes from the likes of Paul Oakenfold, Moby, Gilles Peterson, Snap!, Artful Dodger, Flying Lotus, DJ Yoda, Kerri Chandler and Hannah Wants. Thoughout its entire run, Essential Mix has been, well, essential, with its unique insights into the minds and tastes of the best DJs in the world. And with plenty of eager young DJs on the rise, the show will have no problem filling that late night Saturday slot in the years to come.

2 – Alex Presents on the Kiss Fresh

When: Monday-Friday, 3pm. Where: Kiss Fresh.

Great for: new tunes, multiple genres, charming presenting.

Alex Presents’ Kiss Fresh show lives up to the station’s maxim of playing ‘nothing but the new stuff’ without a doubt. Alex’s playlists are packed with non stop new beats. The DJ collates the best of RnB, house and dance. Never afraid to play tunes from the entire electronic spectrum, from the poppiest EDM tracks to blistering bass. Away from the studio, Alex is a sought-after club DJ who knows how to drop old skool anthems when they’re needed. His knowledge of what becomes a classic and what works on the dancefloor makes him even better at picking the new tracks that will stand the test of time.

3 – MistaJam on BBC 1Xtra

When: Monday-Thursday, 7pm. Where: BBC 1Xtra and BBC iPlayer (for podcasts).

Great for: interviews, banter, eclectic choices of fantastic songs.

MistaJam is one of the most enthusiastic, authentic and downright loveable presenters on the airwaves. His infectious laugh and riotous interviews are enough to tune in for alone. Add to that the fact that MistaJam has his finger on the pulse of new electronic trends – as demonstrated by his #inboxfresh segment that premiered the solo work of Kelli-Leigh – and you have a show not to be missed.

4 – Butterz on Rinse FM

When: Sunday, 7pm. Where: Rinse FM and SoundCloud (for podcasts)

Good for: grime, garage, funky, house, heavy tracks, new and unreleased music

Elijah and Skilliam of Butterz have expanded their humble grime blog into a record label and respected radio show in the past several years. In an intimate documentary Pull Up: Grime Through the Eyes of Butterz, the DJs discuss what it was like to be a part of creating the first grime nights from the ground up, and introducing them to a world that had never really had grime radio before. The Butterz label is at the forefront of the grime scene, so expect nothing less than cutting edge grime from the Butterz show.

5 – Uncle Dugs on Rinse FM

When: Friday, 11am. Where: Rinse FM and SoundCloud (for podcasts)

Good for: old skool, jungle, interviews with veteran artists.

Uncle Dugs prides himself on presenting “the only legal daytime oldskool/jungle radio show in the whole world.” With this in mind, Uncle Dugs’ show is a one-man mission to display the best old skool tunes on the planet, and to educate a younger audience about the tracks that paved the way for the electronic scene of today.With guests on almost every show, Uncle Dugs is the place to go to hear from house legends. But the DJ isn’t afraid to play with the format, often dedicating entire shows to jungle vibes or pirate radio chat.

Featured image by Hanes Grobe, used under Creative Commons CC BY 3.0.