Antoin Lindsay takes a look at some of the best electronic gigs, mixes, tracks and releases of the week, including Florist, Klaus and KABLAM.
GIGS
Beat BBQ – To The Bone EP 48 at The Treehouse [am:pm], Belfast
Friday 7 August
Timmy Stewart is a familiar face around Belfast, and he’ll be celebrating 20 years of DJing with parties around Belfast. Tonight, he’ll be joined by Feel My Bicep’s Hammer, Twitch and other local DJs for a free night in The Treehouse with no shortage of techno, I imagine.
Tw!tch – Livity Sound Night with Peverelist & Kowton at Queens Student Union, Belfast
Saturday 8 August
Peverelist is somewhat of a cult figure these days. He’s not massive but those who know are, for very good reason, boundlessly enthusiastic about him. Kowton has been a more relatively recent arrival on the scene but his equally fresh and experimental outlook on dance music means that when they come together as part of Livity Sound, something special happens. Don’t miss this one.
Maeve Showcase Ireland at District 8, Dublin
Saturday 8 August
As far as Irish DJs go, there’s not really many globally as Mano Le Tough (pictured) right now. Tomorrow he’ll be playing at an all-day party at District 8 (2pm-3am!) alongside Baikal, The Drifter and, most interestingly, John Talabot. The tickets are a tad steep, but it’s not every day you get a 13 hour party in Ireland.
TRACKS
Florist – Marine Drive [All Caps]
In what is undoubtedly the most overdue record of the year for me, Florist’s Marine Drive finally got a release date earlier this week, it should be with us at the end of the month. The track is, frankly, an utter delight. A gorgeous, sodden, melodic and understated tribute to 90s rave with a knowing ear to more recent sounds from the likes of Mood Hut and Future Times. It has all the comfort of being under a tree during a rainstorm without the risk of actually getting wet.
Shreikin’ – Red Beach [Blacklink Sound]
Shreikin’ is one of the few artists carrying the flame for grime in Ireland, and he’s doing a damn good job of it. This new one is on the newly founded Blacklink Sound label and it’s bright, glossy and definitely something that will be getting heavy rotation at grime nights everywhere. Remixes from Slackk and Strict Face top the whole thing off.
RELEASES + MIXES
Klaus – Soundscape 005
Klaus’ Blowing Up The Workshop mix last year has entered my personal library of all-time favourites, so a new recorded mix is a cause of excitement. This one is a distinctly different vibe, a lot more subdued and varied with the likes of Actress, Demdike Stare and plenty of his own ambient productions. Top stuff.
ANGEL-HO – EXOUÇIE
This is wild. Cape Town DJ ANGEL-HO brings together ballroom, R&B and grime in an extremely in-your-face kind of way. It’s full of his own productions which will be seeing the light of day on Rabit’s label Halcyon Veil. There’s also an incredibly interesting interview with him to go with the mix where he talks about colonialism and race relations in South Africa, so check it if you can.
KABLAM on NTS
One of the most appealing parts of a KABLAM mix is her unpredictability. You honestly don’t know what you’re going to get rhythmically or sonically in one of her sets. In this short half-hour one she runs through kuduro, grime and a bunch of stuff I can’t even put a name to. Fantastic stuff.
