Danuka, Manchester
Manchester promoters So Flute managed to keep things eclectic throughout last year, building on a melting pot of worldwide music with a strong, soulful undercurrent, not to mention chucking in the odd curveball along the way. Their previous guests comprised a who’s who of contemporary house, including Motor City Drum Ensemble – AKA German House trailblazer Danilo Plessow – and Detroit DJ Andrés, both of whom they brought to Manchester’s Roadhouse during the past year. As such, Danuka – co-founder and resident of the night – has picked up more than a few head-turning tunes along the way. Rooted primarily in hip-hop and jazz, he seamlessly and gradually blends in a wider variety of forward-thinking music to irresistibly rhythmic effect. Here, he ventures outside the auspices of his club night, taking control of the decks at Chorlton’s Oddest Bar for this new Friday series. For those desperate for a hint of more sunlight at this time of year, this So Flute DJ undoubtedly has it covered.
Oddest Bar, Chorlton, Fri
JT
Exploited, London
Shir Khan’s label Exploited has been carving out its own little deep house empire since 2007, specialising in the sort of thing that’s contemptuously bland when thudding out of a bar’s speakers at 10pm, only to feel just right around 3am when you’ve dug your heels in for an extended session. He’s also spun off the rather crassly titled disco edit label Black Jukebox, where the likes of Donnie & Joe Emerson or Al Green get kicked up a gear – much of the time it’s sacrilegious but occasionally it picks out and buffs up the grooves. Here, he plays alongside his label charges Adana Twins and Joyce Muniz. The former juxtapose emotion-inflating chords with gruff bass, in smoothly overlapping longform blends; the latter drifts towards beautifully honed minimalism but patters back to twittering melody and Balearic joy. You won’t get much edge but those smooth surfaces might be all the better for sliding into the depths.
Egg London, N7, Fri
BB
Medlar, Edinburgh
A new party at Scotland’s best micro sweatbox, Sneaky Pete’s, is the aptly named In Deep. Kicking off 2015 in seriously smooth style is their booking of Medlar, the British DJ and producer at home with the WOLF Music crew (alongside Bicep and Waze & Odyssey). What makes Medlar’s sound his own, though, is how he makes house sound like hip-hop. In turning the lightest jazz sample or bellowing note from a diva into a short, sharp snap of the fingers, this deftness of touch saw his 2013 debut album Sleep hailed as an underground hit. Returning to Edinburgh again, a DJ set from Medlar is a fine way to cleanse your post-New Year palette with some beautiful house music.
Sneaky Pete’s, Fri
LM
South London Soul Train, London
All year round South London Soul Train should be your No 1 destination for crowdpleasing, spiritually nourishing grooves – but with the two-pronged prang-out of Christmas calories and NYE excess, you’re extra likely to need its charms. Giving everything even more honeyed, brown-wallpapered warmth than usual is James Taylor. No, not that one, but his British namesake, who is equally adept on the keys, playing funky Hammond organ jams with much vamping and stank, and always leaving room for a circuitous guitar solo or splashy drum wigout from his sidemen.
Bussey Building, SE15, Sat
BB
Warehouse Presents, Brighton
After the festivities of Christmas and the New Year, it’s understandable that promoters around the country tend to put their feet up for a week or two – but not the guys at Audio. The Brighton-based promoters have decided to keep the party going with a look back at the greats of house and garage. Audio resident Charles Green and Disco Deviant’s Pablo Contraband will be leading the way, playing selected classics from the past few decades; expect cuts from the likes of Kerri Chandler, Wookie and Woz.
Audio, Sat
SM
