Unleash x Lessizmore, London
While the likes of Utrecht and The Hague offer harsh, acid-burned takes on techno, in Amsterdam things get classier, more cosmopolitan and ever so slightly hippiefied. That sound gets a great showcase here, headlined by Magic Mountain High, AKA Juju & Jordash, alongside Move D. Their improvisational live sets, jammed on a panoply of synths, focus on vintage Detroit soulfulness, analogue snares hissing through milky washes of sustained chords, with space for jazzy noodling on top. But the pair go to cooler reaches of the galaxy, too; jazz morphing into minimal groove. Also appearing live is San Proper, hirsute Bacchus of the canals, bringing a live setup in which Manuel Göttsching-esque guitar delay meets pumping house. DJing is Sammy Dee, whose Get Perlonized! nights with Zip demonstrate an ear for hip-swinging, cachaça-swigging techno; plus there’s Maayan Nidam and her deep, aquamarine selections.
Secret location, E1, Fri
BB
Headstrong, Glasgow
Two weeks ago, Untold, boss of Hemlock and Pennyroyal, uploaded a mix of his own productions from between 2008 and 2010 to SoundCloud. Oddball meldings of dubstep, jungle, techno and hardcore, this music made him part of an ingenious vanguard unfortunately named “post-dubstep”. Perhaps it’s a bit early to be feeling nostalgic towards this stuff, but the passing years haven’t diminished Untold, either: the abrasive nuttiness of 2009’s Gonna Work Out Fine EP sound as vital as 2014’s more techno-guided Black Light Spiral. Also on the bill is another stalwart of said vanguard. Hessle Audio man Pangaea’s melancholic sub-bass productions draw on elements of jungle and techno, and in parallel his DJ sets have evolved into darkly creative marathons, peppered with oddities to entice even the most kickdrum-weary dancers. Also supporting are Scottish dubstep-turned-techno duo Clouds. The result is a triple threat of bass spanning myriad genres, with a sly eye on the future.
Glasgow School Of Art, Sat
LM
DJ Sprinkles, Manchester
The dance music press commonly reaches for the word “legendary” when referring to Terre Thaemlitz’s DJ Sprinkles persona, but it’s a description that feels apt considering Sprinkles’s ongoing relevance in the field of contemporary club culture. Both in conversation and behind the decks, Thaemlitz is a bit puritanical and a lot inclusive, taking queer culture’s original link with deep house and transferring that subversive energy into DJ sets which seep with energy and connect back to the music’s underground roots. With nearly 20 albums to draw from, Thaemlitz’s three-hour sets occasionally challenge, but ultimately unite clubbers across lines of race, generation and gender.
The Roadhouse, Fri
JT
Moody Disco, Brighton
Moody Disco pride themselves on showcasing the best underground house and techno from around the world, as well as providing a platform for original talent. Tonight, they welcome Shonky, Dan Ghenacia and Dyed Soundorom back to the decks, this time, as DJ collective Apollonia. Last year, the French producers’ combined talents saw them enjoy their biggest Ibiza campaign yet, with a worldwide tour celebrating their debut album, Tour A Tour. Their slick style of house and expertise at playing back-to-back makes this a must-attend for any 4/4 fanatic.
Coalition, Brighton, Sat
SM
Screensaver, London
With seven cameras and 42 microphones, Screensaver has upped the stakes for the live-streamed club night, and this edition is likely to offer more polyrhythms than a badly mixed Tony Allen record. As well as DJs playing various outernational styles, there’s uptempo Afrobeat from United Vibrations; ramshackle grooves from Mo Kolours; and best of all, flurrying, funk-inflected improv from Albert Newton, the supergroup trio of Charles Hayward, Pat Thomas and John Edwards.
Bussey Building, SE15, Sat
BB
