Friday 30 September 2011

October (Week 1) Clubbing Listings: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee


Edinburgh

Club: LuckyMe
Venue: Sneaky Pete’s
Date: Friday 30th September


LuckyMe make their irregular trip through to Edinburgh to share their ever-expanding corner of the world with the capital’s crowds, and this time they bring Oneman – Rinse FM DJ and long-time garage supporter. When he isn’t tearing up the airwaves with dubstep, 2-step, grime, garage and the murky bass soup that lies between, he's destroying the dancefloors, so get yourself to the subterranean layers of Sneaky Pete’s. Support comes from The Blessings and Eclair Fi Fi.

Sound like:


11pm-3am, £5 / £4 (members free)

Club: Sugarbeat
Venue: Cabaret Voltaire
Date: Friday 30th September

Riding high on his debut LP, SBTRKT jets to Sugarbeat to throw post-dubstep bounce into the groove, adorned with powerful vocals and wobbling basslines. Taking a path between garage, electro, pop and straight up bass music, SBTRKT joins the Sugarbeat high-powered mix of knee-shaking beats.

Sounds like: hold on (live at maida vale for bbc 1xtra) by sbtrkt

11pm-3am, £9

Club: Departure Lounge
Venue: The Caves
Date: Friday 30th September

Departure Lounge celebrates eight years transporting Edinburgh’s clubbers to a land of cosmic beats, latin rhythms, African styles, and downright funk. They invite special guests Zed Bias and Federation Of The Disco Pimp. Bias will break up the chilled beats and rebuild with 2-step garage influences and FOTDP have been described by Craig Charles as the most aggressive jazz and funk he’d heard. Departure Lounge continue their journey breaking down musical barriers.

Sounds like: Maddslinky - Moonshine (From Forthcoming LP 2012) by zedbiasakamaddslinky

11pm-3am, £10 / £7 adv

Club: Rendezvous
Venue: The Green Room
Date: Saturday 1st October

Debuting in Edinburgh, Poker Flat’s MANIK joins Rendezvous for a brand of house that takes in nu-disco and funky acid along the way. Drawing rave reviews from the likes of DJ Mag Mixmag and iDJ, MANIK has the start of the winter nights sorted for heat. He’ll be joined by Blair & Ryan Harrower, Ross Scott, Gary Carvel, Steven Willison and Bruce Nicholson.

Sounds like: Adana Twins & Dr Dru- Anymore (MANIK Remix) [160 Kbps Preview CLIP] by M A N I K

10pm-3am, £10 / £8 before 11pm or students all night 
 
Glasgow

Club: Sono
Venue: The Courtyard
Date: Friday 30th September

Nothing like a good ol’ free techno and deep house night, especially when it’s a pre-club to get your night started off on the right foot! Sono aims to draw on the talents of local artists in an outdoor venue, easing clubbers into their night one beat at a time. Special guests Adam Watt and Why Eleven? of No Sleep, and Elastik residents’ Gary Campbell and John Smyth aka Dynamode join the Sono residents.

8pm–12am, Free

Club: Pressure
Venue: The Arches
Date: Friday 30th September

For Soma’s 20th birthday party special, the usual high profile techno and house artists (Slam, Funk D’Void, Silicone Soul, and Gary Beck) will celebrate the entry to their third decade on the scene, but there’s an extra special surprise in their featured headliner – a live set from dub-techno don Deepchord! Detroit fans grab your shoes and tickets.

Sounds like: Deepchord - Amsterdam Remnant 6 (Night Air Mix) (Soma 319d) by soma

11pm-4am, £14

Club: How’s Your Party
Venue: Sub Club
Date: Friday 30th September

How’s Your Party reappear at full strength, inviting wobbly bass purveyors Jack Beats for another Glasgow showdown as we enter the darkness of Scottish Winter. Always keeping it fresh and lively, Jack Beats has the positive answer to How’s Your Party?

Sounds like: Aloe Blacc: Green Lights (JACK BEATS REMIX) by Jack Beats

11pm-3am, £10 / £8

Club: Let’s Go Back
Venue: Stereo
Date: Saturday 1st October

LGB returns to A Boy’s Own era, welcoming Ashley Beedle and Terry Farley to this old school party. Beedle was dropping acid-house when today’s average clubber was picking out school socks, and he joins returning guest Farley for a fast-paced history lesson. Residents Bosco and Rob Mason spin classic acid-house, rave sounds and techno rhythms in support.

Sounds like: Ashley Beedle Live @ Freestyle Birmingham by ASHLEY BEEDLE

11pm-3am, £12

Dundee

Club: Prince Fatty Soundsystem
Venue: Reading Rooms
Date: Saturday 1st Oct

For a full-on dub and reggae injection in traditional soundsystem style, check out this special show from Prince Fatty Soundsystem, all agog with tape-delays, vintage production, and the vocals of ex-Revenge of the Killer Slits singer Hollie Cooke and the Horseman MC.

Sounds like: Christopher Columbus ft. Little Roy by Prince Fatty

10pm-2.30am, £8 / £6 before 11.30pm

Extra: You can also catch the soundsystem at the Afro Caribbean Network Centre (8pm-3am, £5 donation) 

Aberdeen

Club: Liebe
Venue: Snafu
Date: Friday 30th September

A fantastic booking for Liebe, as they invite the rising star of corroded acid-techno beats, Blawan to dirty up the Snafu dancefloor. Lo-Quality is fresh from writing a rave review on his latest release ‘What You Do With What You Have’ for Clash – head north this weekend for a thoroughly dirty groove. Support comes from Tuff Wax and the Acid Thunder residents Bones and Money.

Sounds like: Blawan - Vibe Decorium by casadielectronica

11pm-3am, £tbc

More info: I hear he’s in Edinburgh on the 5th of October at the Caves…

Club: Mothership
Venue: Snafu
Date: Saturday 1st October

Prolific mixer Stretford Dogs Club guests at the Mothership this weekend, giving ‘Donian crowds a taste of his massive mix project ‘A Day In a Dog’s Life’. Mixing a two hour set of old and new classics in a deep house vein every month, Stretford aims to create a 24 hour mix portraying his tastes, recommendations and inspirations. And a collection of generally great music!

Sounds like: STRETFORD DOGS CLUB | A DAY IN A DOGS LIFE | UNLEASHED 2011 by Stretford Dogs Club

11pm-3am, £tbc


Thursday 22 September 2011

September (Week 4) Clubbing Listings: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee

Switching things up a little at Lo-Quality, with shorter listings for the weekend ahead. Take a shedload of great club nights, run them through the guest headliner, price, usual crowd turnout, and general atmosphere filters, and you get the top picks below!

Edinburgh

Club: Tokyoblu
Venue: Teviot Underground
Date: Friday 23rd September 


Tokyoblu move to the student stomping grounds of the Teviot for their auspicious ninth birthday, featuring live house, electro and tech from Gabriel Kemp, Little Grooves, Sounds of Soul, Niall & Dennis McKervey, Nobad & Damon Melvin (Get 2 Funk), and Soul Jam Hot. Residents John and Iain dig through the crates for the finest representation of their near-decade delighting house fans. This one-off is happening during Freshers week, picking up the influx of new students looking for underground disco, funk and sparkly house.

Sounds like: Bottletop by tokyoblu dj's

9pm-3am, £8 / £6 before midnight

Club: Four Corners
Venue: Bongo Club
Date: Friday 23rd September


As part of the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, Four Corners welcomes a live set from The Delegators, infusing soul with Jamaican flavours and reggae swing, rocksteady and splashes of motown. Residents Simon Hodge, Johnny Cashback, Astroboy and Wee G bring in the remaining corners of the world with breaks, jazz, funk dipped in South American, African, and European styles.

Sounds like: Movin' On EP excerpts by The Delegators

11pm-3am, £tbc

Club: Compakt
Venue: Cabaret Voltaire
Date: Friday 23rd September


Perk up for the techno sightings this weekend – label boss Ali Wells aka Perc of Perc Records, home to Forward Strategy Group, headlines Compakt’s third birthday party for a techno lesson in UK industrial noises. The second room is hosted by Compakt resident DJ Phrase offering a different take on the techno night, heating up the second room with electro, dubstep and drum and bass beats. He is joined by Special Ed, label owner of Special Records.

Sounds like: Perc - Wicker & Steel - full album stream by Perc

11pm-3am, £5 / free before midnight

Club: Kapital
Venue: The Caves
Date: Friday 23rd September


More techno prevails! Kapital make their monthly appearance with Oliver Huntemann touring his Paranoia Reactable Live show for the only Scottish date. The tour celebrates his new LP, Paranoia, turning his live show into a visual feast as he shifts cubes of soft and hardware to control synths, installed in a fancy-ass/fetishist cage and lighting rig. It’s a full stage show to blow your mind as you groove minimal techno. Kapital residents Barry O’Connell and Brad Charters support.

Sounds like: Ideal Audio Podcast, Vol. 1 - Oliver Huntemann by Oliver Huntemann

11pm-3am, £12 / £10 adv.


Glasgow

Club: Sensu
Venue: Sub Club
Date: Friday 23rd September


The sea tour is finished, and Sensu dock at the Sub Club for landlubbers Guti and tINI, who despite sounding like an exotic circus act of the 1860s, are Desolat stars: jazz wunder-kid turned latin-infusing techno and house explorer and tINI, the able accomplice of the Desolat label-bosses and fast becoming a regular fixture on the German club circuit.

Sounds like: Patio de juegos - patio de juegos -Desolat by guti_desolat

11pm-3am, £10

Club: Optimo Presents… Horse Meat Disco
Venue: Sub Club
Date: Sunday 25th September


Optimo host another special Sunday event with Horse Meat Disco taking over the Sub reins to introduce James Hillard, Jim Stanton, Severino and Filthy Luka to Glasgow’s disco cravers. Horse Meat Disco are Sunday night faithfuls also, delighting that niche of the club scene who shift-work, know when to book their holidays, or simply can rock on through till the 9am start on Monday. Refresh your knowledge of disco with an education in the genres that twist in and out its funky and soulful centre.

Sounds like: HMD 6 Music Pilot #2 by James-horse-meat-disco

11pm-3am, £9 / £8 before midnight

Club: Divine
Venue: The Admiral 

Date: Saturday 24th September

Andrew Divine raises Divine from the refurbished Art School to the Admiral for a new venue and solid reputation to draw on – return to the 60s and 70s for a reach into the roots of the modern. Groove to psych, funk, ska, soul, northern and more on original sexy vinyl.

Sounds like:

11pm-3am, £7 / £5 before midnight and concessions


Aberdeen


Club: Mothership 
Venue: Snafu 
Date: Saturday 24th September

Mothership do a bit of resident swapping, when they beam in Glasgow’s Junior, fresh from behind the decks of Sensu and performances at Subculture, tipping out the freshest house and techno by the bucketload from Snafu’s sound system. Fuad and Adam Ackers support.

Sounds like: Juniors Kinda Blue Pic and Mix (Pick a record and mix) by Junior Sub Club

11pm-3am, Free entry with "7!" wristband.

Club: Snafu is 7: Steve Bug
Venue: Snafu
Date: Sunday 25th September


All this week Snafu have been celebrating their 7th birthday with a raft of special events, and they round it all off with Poker Flat’s Steve Bug. Taking you on a sonic journey from start to finish, Bug trawls minimal tech-house and deep house for the spine-tinglers and knee-wobblers. He is joined by Fuad (Rememory Music) and Si Smith.

Sounds like: Steve Bug -Do It Right - teaser by stevebug

11pm-3am, £10 / £7 adv / £5 members

More info: Anyone who had bought tickets for the original billing, Josh Wink, will still be able to use them.


Dundee

Club: Bass Orgy Sound System
Venue: Reading Rooms
Date: Friday 23rd September


Dundee’s launches a new night for the bass fans with Bass Orgy Sound System, as much of a tin-name as you could possibly get. Electro, dub, dnb, and sub shakers abound from residents Dave Non-Zero, Sharpy and Farfletched, and Scotty D guests for glitchy, fast-paced beats on their very first event. B.O.S.S’s motto is: Letting you feel how bass is meant to be.

Sounds like:

10.30pm-2.30am, £7 / £5 before midnight

Wednesday 21 September 2011

Vinyl and Digital Reviews: Gonno and T.E.E

Another batch of Clash reviews for you all - dig in to September's booty.


Gonno - ACDise #2 (International Feel)

...hypnotising

Japanese techno and house DJ, Gonno, delivers chunky acidlines, Chicago-drums and emotive melodies churning electro, trance and Orbital references on ‘ACDise #2’, stripped back to driving techno with an acid nag by Skudge on the remix. Gatto Fritto embraces the track as a muse, inspiring Fischerspooner-techno and teasing out the tightly compacted emotions of the original.

Release date: 12 September 2011


T.E.E. (Turzi Electronique Experience) - Connaissance EP (Record Makers)
...uncomfortable

T.E.E drops his album teaser EP with spoken word rap mingling amongst full-on electro, but it’s not so much TTC as tame Mr Kitten. Remixes by Black Strobe (better, but crude use of strings), Sahara aka T.E.E (cosmic pan flutes – no), and Naum Gabo (dancefloor friendly trance mix) play some damage control.

Release date: 16 September 2011

Wednesday 14 September 2011

DJ Mehdi RIP

I was curious as to why I was getting search hits on the blog regarding DJ Mehdi last night, and then I read the Metro this morning... RIP Mehdi - the Scottish clubs loved your style, and Glasgow always welcomed you with open arms.

Tuesday 13 September 2011

Feature: A Pinch of the Future

Six years into the evolving history of bass juggernaut label, Tectonic Recordings, they’ve finally created a 21st Century website to go with their prolific, modern output of dubstep, dub-techno, and music that sub-basses lust. The onslaught of new features (discogs, gallery, news, shop and more) chimes with the arrival of the 50th Tectonic release, 'Closer', from Photek with remixes from Pinch aka Rob Ellis, and the digital only ‘Best of Tectonic’; delivering the best way to absorb their back catalogue in one purchase.

When asked what he thinks typifies the best of Tectonic, he chuckles and admits; “I didn’t do that good a job of narrowing it down; there’s 40 tracks on there! I guess I was trying to cover as many bases as possible - It was difficult for me as I’ve loved everything we’ve put out.”

With this passion, Pinch has sealed his position in dubstep; emergent as a Bristol Godfather of bass and homing the dub-techno talents. It’s written into music history, and although he finds it “very comforting to be recognised... it’s about doing the next thing rather than dwelling on the past.” And with that it’s not difficult to see why he’s pushing the boundaries of an ‘expected’ Tectonic roster. One of the latest releases to do so is ‘Frantically Hopeful’, from Pursuit Grooves, and he’s been taken by how well it’s been received, despite it’s off-kilter, broken beat and hip-hop approach. “You always worry that if you start veering off the trodden path that no-one else follows you on the way,” he tells us.
“I’ve always really liked the white label techno ideas of buying into the music; they have a strength of following based on nothing other than being genuinely interesting."

Does he sense an unnecessary rigidity in the dubstep genre? “I think the majority of people do come into dubstep with rigid views, and their concept is a rigid template,” he says. “For me, dubstep was always a progressive and experimental school of music, and I feel it’s a bit of shame to not follow that spirit. Switching up tempos, changing grooves, and playing around with ideas is very much what dubstep is about.”

His not-so-secret collaboration with Distance as Deleted Scenes has recently been brought into Facebook existence, embracing the inevitable unmasking and alerting everyone else to their dub and sub powerhouse. “I’ve always really liked the white label techno ideas of buying into the music; they have a strength of following based on nothing other than being genuinely interesting,” he says, explaining his preferred anonymity.

Keep your eyes peeled for more DS material later this year, and Tectonic releases including Pinch-recommended Distal, who incorporates warehouse and spine-tingling acid, and a general diversification of bpm from the 140 standard to push sonic directions; the decree has gone forward - Tectonic is not a one-bpm label!


This interview was originally conducted for Clash magazine, and can be picked up in the Autumn back issues.

Thursday 8 September 2011

September (Week 2) Clubbing Listings: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee


Patrick Walker (FSG)
Featured Club of the Week: Pulse
Venue: Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh
Date: Saturday 10th September

On his whistle-stop tour of Scotland, Dave Clarke checks in with Edinburgh again to see if they missed his eyeliner and brand of techno since T in the Park. Pulse Residents Darrell Harding, Andy Problems, Ritchie Bryson, Muzza B, and Andy Borthwick support in Room 1. In Room 2 there’s a Substance / Audio showcase, with Forward Strategy Group’s Patrick Walker (Perc / SA) and a special DJ set of pressurised dub-techno, and devastating rhythms. Substance resident Gavin Richardson supports.

Sounds like: 4. Forward Strategy Group - Corporate Stress Tools by Substance+SubstanceAudio

11pm-3am, £14 adv.

Extra: Dave Clarke appears in Aberdeen the night before, on Friday 9th at Liebe in Snafu. 11pm-3am, £tbc


Edinburgh

Club: Telefunken
Venue: The Store
Date: Saturday 10th September

Filter’s DJ Q returns to the Telefunken stage, having last wowed the crowd when the club was still playing out of the Jazz Bar! The venues have progressively changed, but the favoured house style of Telefunken hasn’t, and DJ Q will remind why his jackin’ loops are so seductive. Residents Alan Gray, Nick Wilson and Harvey (We Play House) support.

Sounds like: Alan Gray - We Are One by telefunken

11pm-3am, £5/ £4 / Free before 11.30pm

Club: Betamax
Venue: Studio 24
Date: Saturday 10th September

New club Betamax launches with special guest HRH, cranking out the moody punk-electronica. New wave, disco, post-punk, and full on analogue synths ring out from residents Chris Fast, Gig Gus, and Jake Barnes going through the vinyl back catalogues to dig out what was the cutting edge of the 80s.

Sounds like:

11pm-3am, £5 / £4 / Free before 11.30pm

Club: Edit
Venue: Hawke & Hunter, Green Room
Date: Saturday 10th September

Everyone likes to joke about the rivalries between Edinburgh and Glasgow (what passes as an East and West side feud in Scotland), and Edit are hosting their own musical version with Glasgow DJs Geoff Montford and Al Kent exchanging disco beats with Edinburgh’s John Tokyoblu and Future B.

10pm-3am, £8 / £6 before midnight or students

Round up

Get rolling with Animal Hospital at Sneaky Pete’s at a budget-busting free entry for minimal tech (11pm-3am) on Friday 9th, and Musika host a residents’ house, techno and electro special with Derek Martin, Laurie Neil, Jamie McKenzie and Kirk Douglas on Saturday 10th (Liquid Room, 10pm-3am, £MOTD / £5 before 11.15pm). Over at the Bongo, Messenger Sound System with MC Ras Echo deliver another round of roots music (11pm-3am, £7 / £6 before midnight).

If you’re still going by Sunday 11th, Bass Syndicate provide another free session at Sneaky Pete’s with heavenly breaks (11pm-3am, £3 non-members) from G-Mac, Believe and Silver Storic. Fancy a boat trip sail out the weekend? Heavy Gossip host a high seas adventure on the Firth of Forth, picking up from the Newsroom at 5.30pm. Disco, house and more via two modes of transport from Craig Smith and Nick Yuill! (3pm-late, £20 / £15 adv)


Glasgow

Club: Warp Presents
Venue: The Arches
Date: Friday 9th September

Glasgow just can’t get enough of Africa Hitech it seems. Having recently stormed it at Fortified back in June, the Detroit and Jamaican blenders headline this special Warp event, with Rudi Zygadio, Anxst and supporting artist Point to C. The theme for the event is ‘African music from the future’, with an infusion of Warpitude – namely acid, dub, digital, ragga, garage and more. It’s an early start gig, so if you check this out you’ll still have time to hit the clubs later!

Sounds like: Africa Hitech - Sampler by Warp Records

8pm-late, £8+BF

Club: No Sleep
Venue: Chambre 69
Date: Saturday 10th September
No Sleep host a special 10 Years of Secretsundaze party, featuring Giles Smith, George Fitzgerald and Brawther, with support from residents Adam Watt and Jonathan Carroll. The London party brings Secretsundaze founder Giles to reinvent the daytime house and techno groove for the Glasgow nightlife, and fresh talent George Fitzgerald, who recently dropped his ManMakeMusic release pitching a balance between softer dubstep beats and futuristic garage-house.

Sounds like: Fernweh / Hearts - MMAKEM001 by George FitzGerald

11pm-3am, £10

Club: Electric Frog September Weekender
Venue: SWG3
Date: Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th September

After being unable to deliver the goods at SWG3 due to refurbishment, the Electric Frog Weekender returns to its revamped venue with an enhanced line-up. Day One of the mini- urban festival features Derrick May, Jeff Mills, Levon Vincent, Len Faki and Slam on the Pressure Street Stage for the techno faithful, and on the 10 Years of Melting Pot Stage, Frankie Knuckles, Joe Clausell, Bob Jeffries and Andrew Pirie take up the house guard. It’s a calmer, melodic line-up for Day Two, with live Music from Mogwai, Wild Beasts, The Fall, Mount Kimbie, The Orb, Errors, Jimmy Edgar, Organs of Love and Konx-Om-Pax fill your desire for post-rock, electro rhythms, indie and experimental electronics.


Sounds like: Pfirter - The Dub Track (Len Faki remix) by LEN FAKI

2pm-10pm, £50 / £27.50 per day

More info: The Electric Frog can’t exist without an after-party, so each night you can head to The Arches for the official after-show. Only £5 with a Electric Frog wristband (10.30pm-3am).

Club: Shake It
Venue: Chambre 69
Date: Saturday 10th September

Layo and Bushwacka take over Chambre 69 to dominate the entire four hours with their club Shake It and a DJ set. That’ll be one hour of dance mash-up for ever year since they’ve last visited the city, described by them as the “UK Detroit”.

Sounds like (a higher quality version of):

11pm-3am, £10

Round up

Soothe your Soul with Jelly Roll at La Cheetah on Friday 9th with their residents’ special of house inspired by the likes of Theo Parrish (11pm-3am, £5), and after a quick kip you can start all over again at Wax Works Vs Equalised at The Old Hairdressers from 1pm-1am, for their all day techno party for freeeeeee. House and techno go mann gegen mann for a heated and deep party. New club Freaky Freaky launches at Nice’n’Sleazy with special guests S-Type and Éclair Fifi (Saturday 10th, 11.30pm-3am, £3), and supported by resident Sam Murray, spinning electronics and rnb slants. Remedy Nites Presents Baktrack on the same evening at La Cheetah with special guest Tom Budden, with AdrianM, Rab Hendo and Steven Fair at this brand new house night (11pm-3am, £8). Over at Blackfriars, Osmium with DJs Blair and Gary delights with disco, funk, italo and more (11pm-3am, £3). Dirty Beautiful Science flip the dubstep, electro and techno with residents The Black Price, Vik Vector, and AlessioOo (Blackfriars, 11pm-3am, £tbc).


Aberdeen 

Club: Mothership 
Venue: Snafu 
Date: Saturday 10th September 

Mothership keeps its regular notch in Aberdeen’s clubbing calendar with another instalment of house, techno, electro, disco and lots in between with residents Adam Ackers and Fuad.

11pm-3am, £tbc


Dundee

Club: Mixed Bizness
Venue: Reading Rooms 
Date: Friday 9th September

Mixed Bizness make their irregular visit to Dundee and bring the Glasgow club that has entertained so many. Live guest HaHaHa delivers his unique twist of house and techno, tweaking the heart strings with melodic patterns.

Sounds like: 1.1.11 Mixtape by HaHaHa

10.30pm-2.30am, £5 / £4

Club: Spektrum
Venue: Reading Rooms
Date: Saturday 10th September

Dundee is pleased to welcome back Monkey Mafia’s Jon Carter to enthrall dancers with ragga tinged acid-house and techno.

Sounds like: Tinted Car by Jon Carter

10.30pm-2.30am, £8

Saturday 3 September 2011

Vinyl and Digital Reviews: Black Dog, George FitzGerald and Obtane, Georgio Gigli & Tinman


The Black Dog - Liber Temple (Dust Science Recordings)
… going back to our roots

Black Dog were doing dark techno when UK cities could be considered ‘industrial’, and now that 80s deprivation rears its head, they embrace the aggressive and driving with ‘Heavy Industry’, a silent but screaming protest peppered with abstract samples and ‘Greedy Gutter Guru’, culling melodious sirens’ urgency into synth noise.

Released: 5 September 2011 / Out now


George FitzGerald - Fernweh / Hearts (ManMakeMusic)
… melting genres like butter

The ManMakeMusic label head begins their new series with ‘Fernweh’, a bright spray of keys supported by deep, grooving rhythms and soulful house vocals; for those who found dubstep too heavy, and house too stagnant. ‘Hearts’ continues scooping garage into techno, dubstep, and house for a shuffly piece of loveliness.

Released: 5 September 2011 / Out now


Obtane, Giorgio Gigli, Tin Man - Analysis of a Nihilist Who Wants to Become Famous (Zooloft)
... wish we could call it shoegaze techno

Eerie soundscapes and relentless techno hammering out your insecurities, ‘Social Deconstruction’ and throbbing ‘Individual Submission’ come from the new(ish) dark wave making producers dribble at aural beauty, and sometimes being lost on casual listeners. Beats struggle against dying ‘Ghosts of Techno’ melodies; like a broken heart trying to mend itself, solemnly ebbing away.

Released: 12 September 2011 / Out now


Originally written for Clash Magazine - these are the unedited originals. You can read all the latest Electric Selection 12" reviews over at www.clashmusic.com or buy it in the newsagents. 

Thursday 1 September 2011

Tha first of the month

It's the first of September, and that means the embargo on content is lifted, and I can bring you all my lovely articles and reviews published in other magazines. So whaddya you want first? An interview with Pinch or new reviews?

Stay tuned to this weekend for the first in a series of fresh new content and my dribblings scribblings. In the meantime, check out the club listings for all Scottish bods to get you revved up for the weekend.

September (Week 1) Clubbing Listings: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee


Featured Club of the Week: Highlife's Witchdoctor Dance
Venue: La Cheetah
Date: Saturday 3rd September
 

Highlife continue their reach across the continents for top-notch guests, this time setting their sights on the Ivory Coast’s Raoul K for a Witchdoctor Dance with African beat stylings and tribal rhythms against the techno wireframe. More afrobeat, funky, jackin’ house, Latin and electro come from resident Auntie Flo.

Sounds like: Mr Raoul K feat. Iklwa Brothers - Black Sky by Mr Raoul K

11pm-3am, £6


Edinburgh  

Club: Funky Doodle Do
Venue: Bongo Club
Date: Thursday 1st September


DJRed6’s newest night delivers classic hip-hop, funk and soul sounds, guaranteed plenty basslines and beats and the odd horn section.

11pm-3am, free

Club: Devil Disco Club
Venue: Bongo Club
Date: Saturday 3rd September


It’s disco on all fronts at DDC this time, when Edinburgh-based Discopolis guest for a live set of eh, electro, indie and house music. They delighted crowds at the recent Reading and Leeds Festival with their lush synth onslaught. Even if you can’t get your disco fix from Discopolis, residents the Trouble DJs and Giles Walker spin vintage disco, electro funk, and New York grooves.

Sounds like: Discopolis - Zenithobia by discopolismusic

11pm-3am, £3

Club: Superlovers
Venue: Liquid Room
Date: Saturday 3rd September


I’m not sure how they’ve managed to keep the reported 5am license now that Edinburgh winds down it’s party season, but whatever – Fever and Lovechild team up to create Superlovers for their final festival party, starring main Lovechild resident Alessandro Londra, and Fever resident’s Brian Fisher and Mark Price, with Miss Chris. There will be a special live PA from Novena, singing the lighter side of vocal house, who has been a hit on the gay club scene and charts.

Sounds like:

11pm-5am, £12 / £10 adv.

Round up
It’s a very light weekend for Edinburgh, as people recover the last month of their lives living from dusk till dawn at the Festival: Cab Vol Stars host Believe vs Trilogy at their next instalment in Cab Voltaire on Friday 2nd (11pm-3am, £5 / free before midnight), and Fake returns to Sneaky Pete’s on the 3rd, with house, techno, breaks and more (11pm-5am, £3 / members free)


Glasgow  

Club: Traktion
Venue: Basura Blanca 

Date: Friday 2nd September

Residents Colin Forbes and Chaz Johnston host special guest and Slave to the Rhythm radio show host, Domm, spin deep house and techno for the Tracktion faithful, drawing on a dearth of material featured on his Subcity Radio slot.

10pm-2am, £5 / £3 NUS

Club: Jak
Venue: Ad Lib
Date: Friday 2nd September


Cranking out the releases for almost 17 years, DMX Krew aka Ed DMX guests at Jak, on the launch night of one of the newest acid-house, Chicago vibes and electro grooves clubs to hit Ad Lib. Residents Signal_! And beatPHreak support.

Sounds like:

11pm-3am, £8 / £6

Club: Numbers
Venue: Sub Club
Date: Friday 2nd September


This month’s Numbers sees James Blake take to the stage again with a DJ set of experimental bass, post-dubstep, and warped and melodious keys. Residents Goodhand and Nelson support with dub-techno, hot electro, and a plethora of juke, hyphy and more.

Sounds like:

11pm-3am, £7 adv

Club: Substanz Kelburn Party 
Venue: The Arches 
Date: Saturday 3rd September 

Originally due to be hosted at the infamous Kelburn Castle, the Substanz Kelburn Party is keeping the name and moving to The Arches due to licensing restrictions. Headliners and DJs Clive Henry, Subb An, Silicone Soul and Chris Duckenfield and Mash spin minimal, tech-house, electronica and deep beats.

11pm-3am, £12

Club: Melting Pot
Venue: The Admiral
Date: Saturday 3rd September


After their summer break, Melting Pot return to the good ship Admiral, the finest nautical on-land venue. The British house master special guest Joey Negro opens the first of the Autumn / Winter season while residents Andrew Pirie and Simon Cordiner rock the disco house.

Sounds like: Joey Negro Live In The Southport Weekender Connoisseurs Corner 2009 by Joey Negro

11pm-3am, £10

Round up
Now that Glasgow is back on top for the sheer range of club nights, what with the Edinburgh Festival finishing, the weekend starts here on Thursday 1st at Club 520 with Walk n Skank, courtesy of Mungo’s Hi Fi with reggae, dancehall, jahtari and more (11pm-3am, £4 / £3). On Friday 2nd, David Barbarossa’s Thing at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy with more reggae, disco, electronica and post-punk (11.30pm-3am, £3), and ReFrame launch at The Admiral on the same evening, with DJs Haunted Code and Martin Lindinger spinning house and techno (11pm-3am, £5). On Saturday 3rd, Front to Back return to Club 520, carrying on the emergent reggae theme for the first weekend of the month in Glasgow. Residents Chungo Bungo, DJ L-I-A-M, Marquee DJs and La Bamba play (11pm-3am, £7 / £5). Subculture take their usual slot of fresh and classic house with residents Harri and Domenic (11pm-3am, £10 / free before midnight), and Instruments of Rapture close the weekend on Sunday 4th at the Sub, as part of the Sub Club's series of one-off Sunday specials, featuring choice tracks from the nu-disco label, Instruments of Rapture (11pm-3am, £tbc).


Dundee  

Club: Headway
Venue: Reading Rooms
Date: Friday 2nd September


Ahead of their appearance at the Substanz Kelburn Party, Silicone Soul headline Headway at the Reading Rooms for electronic bliss.

Sounds like:   silicone soul dj set @ the slam tent, t in the park, scotland 2011 by siliconesoul

10.30pm-2.30am, £tbc

Aberdeen

Club: Dot to Dot and Okoru
Venue: Snafu
Date: Friday 2nd September


The Germans are coming again, when David August (Stil Vor Talent) enthrals the crowd with house and electro swathes ahead of his debut LP, due to drop in 2012. Gary Smith supports.

Sounds like: David August - East Side Story Mix - May 2011 by davidaugust

11pm-3am, £10 / £8 adv.

Club: Mothership
Venue: Snafu
Date: Saturday 3rd September


Radio hosts Nocturne take over the basement of Mothership for house and techno frequencies. You can hear Nocturne every Friday, 8-10pm on shmu radio/99.8fm.

11pm-3am, £tbc

Club: Hot City
Venue: Snafu
Date: Sunday 4th September


New night Hot City bring the disco to Aberdeen, with Hush Puppy of Glasgow’s Death Disco, and Delusions of Grandeur.

Sounds like: http://vimeo.com/27776798

11pm-3am, £tbc