Blink launches with Berlin's Fachwerk

Emanating from the beating heart of Berlin's infamous techno scene, Fachwerk Records was founded in 2007 by Mike Dehnert along with childhood friends Roman Lindau and Sascha Rydell. It has since released a steady stream of unyielding productions exploring the raw, dark recesses of dance floor sounds, earning both the label and the artists behind it the respect of serious techno fans the world over.

This year sees their 25th release, simply and efficiently named 'Fachwerk 25', said by Clone Records, responsible for album distribution, to take a step away from Dehnert's usual no-nonsense approach, fusing ambient structures with dirty techno grooves.

In celebration of reaching this worthy bench-mark, Fachwerk have announced a label tour which sees the UK leg land at our very own Hidden on June 15th, making for a worthy launch of Blink, the newest addition to FOUND's forward thinking series.

Mike Dehnert recently put together a mix for Carl Cox's Global Radio which you can listen to here:

http://www.mixcloud.com/CarlCox/carl-cox-global-471/

Carl Cox Global 471 by Carl Cox on Mixcloud

Gerd mix gets us in the mood for Clone Records

 
Thanks to TRIX and Streets of Beige we're thrilled to be hosting a Clone Records night next month, but if you're not familiar with their sound it's time to get right up to speed. Clone Records is a Dutch record label and shop established in 1993 specialising in experimental/underground electronic dance music that is home to prominent - often pioneering - names on the scene. Releases from Drexciya, Legowelt, Cosmic Force, Duplex, I-f, Jamal Moss and the mighty Dopplereffekt give you an idea of why we're so excited to be hosting them, and on the night two of Clone Records imprints will be given an arch each.

Representing Royal Oak is Gerd, Genius Of Time and Serge. Rotterdam veteran Gerd will be performing live armed with his blissful and, at times, soulful melodies along with teasing vocals hooks. Swedish duo Genius of Time struck a chord with "Houston We Have A Problem" last year, but have plenty more smooth tunes to loose yourself in while Clone Records owner Serge will take his pick from the best house, techno, disco and electro his label, and others, offer.

Holding up the Basement Series side of the night will be Dexter, Untold and Conforce. Dexter and Untold will veer away from the strict 4/4 beats of Royal Oak, with the former touching on dub rhythms while Untold is known for his bass-heavy sets which can range from house through to dubstep. The 4/4 will certainly be served up by Conforce who can be relied upon for an authentic analogue bliss alongside their digital expertise.

To get you in the mood for the Clone Records night at Hidden, have a listen to Gerd in action at Berlin's notorious Panarama Bar, part of the infamous Berghain, as he lays down some jacking beats:


http://soundcloud.com/octopusagents/gerd-panoramabar-berlin-12-08

More info & tickets

Mad Decent // Munchi

Mad Decent and Moombah LDN bring Munchi to Hidden's arches this Friday 23rd March. Get yourself acquainted via the video in Mad Decent's blog below.

http://maddecent.com/blog/munchi-moombahtonista-world-tour

Alongside Herve, Tomb Crew, Rollz, Roksonix, Tom Staar, Smutlee, Sarah Young and the hottest in UK Bass and tropical Moombahton, this Friday's FOUND session is set to be massive! Tickets and information available here.

Midland, Deadboy +more

Harry Agius - aka Midland - has been creating exceptional sounds in the studio whilst simultaneously bringing an infectious force to the table when it comes to his sets. TRIX are super excited to invite him to play alongside house and techno legendary, Simon Baker, who has had releases on seminal labels such as 2020 Vision and the mighty Cocoon. George FitzGerald needs little introduction, being the house-techno-bass crossover king. As for the elusive Deadboy; we cannot wait to get familiar with his garage-inspired flavour in person. Electronic wonderkid Pedestrian embraces his Hidden debut having put together a truly wonderful mix especially for TRIX - check it out here - whilst the Deadplate Records family take hold of the second arch featuring Randomer (Numbers, Hemlock), James Fox, the recently hyped Artifact and label founder, Synamatix. March 9th is looking massive.


Earlybirds have sold out, £10 advance tickets are available from here. See you there!

Make some [Loud] Noise

The deeper end of dubstep is gracing Hidden's bassbins on Friday 10th February. Loud Noise are hosting one of the original dubstep innovators, Kromestar, alongside Tunnidge, rising star J:Kenzo, Distance's newest discovery Sleeper and sub-bass flag-flyer, Thelem. Watch this space for a forthcoming interview with Tunnidge. Massive.

Tickets and information available here.

TRIX :: French Fries

With an EP lined up for release on Claude von Stroke's dirtybird label, and having stormed dancefloors with the infectious Hugz, not to mention tearing up the dance with his exclusive XLR8R mix, it's safe to say Frenchy's doing exciting things and we can't wait to have him to Hidden.Cementing himself as an electronica-tribal house legend-in-the-making, Parisian-born French Fries spares us ten minutes ahead of his FOUND debut, playing for TRIX on Friday 16th December alongside Boddika, Dark Sky, Eliphino, Synamatix, and Ten Thousand Yen records host the second arch.

•

Thanks for catching up with us, we know you're especially busy these days! We’ve got a lot of time for the French take on house; many of your sounds ooze a tribal quality. When did you first start dabbling in production?

"I started making music when I was really young. I began making rap beats when I was 9 and I went into house about 6 years ago."

Who’s been supporting your music?

"The most important thing for me is that I have the support of my family, my friends and the people I admire."

Is the French house scene thriving? Who are some key artists, promoters and labels pushing the scene out there? 

"The French house scene was really big in the 90s and then we had a sort of a blank period. But nowadays a lot of new labels have blossomed such as Sound Pellegrino, Youngunz, Marble, ClekClekBoom... And artists like Brodinski, Bambounou, Manare, and Club Chaval are killing it right now. It's even more thrilling as we are like a big family, working together - it creates a great dynamic."

If we found ourselves in Paris, what decent spots would you recommend to us?

"I think Social Club, Rex and Nouveau Casino are the best spots in Paris."

Who or what has played a key part in shaping your musical influence? What sounds were you brought up on?

"The artist who made me want to make music in the first place was Prince. I grew up surrounded by Latin music but I was quickly driven into rap music. The main labels that influence me in club music are Dance Mania, Hessle Audio, Uzuri, Night Slugs and Hyperdub."

What sort of background do you come from musically - are you a trained musician or play any instruments? Do you think being classically trained makes a big difference to an artist’s productions?

"I've learned drums for a long time, my father also taught me how to play guitar and piano. I don't know if you can hear a difference to an artist's productions, but I think it makes you work faster, and maybe more creatively."

What labels do you think are really flying the flag for dance music these days?

"Hessle Audio, Night Slugs, Numbers, DirtyBird, Swamp 81..."

When you’re not in the studio, where might we find you? 

"You can catch me at CelckClekBoom's office."

Can you give us a sneak preview of forthcoming projects and releases to look forward to?

"We just dropped Champagne/Hugz 12" - the digital release will be out on the 19th December. I've got a lot of forthcoming projects, an exclusive track with Manaré which is coming out on the next Youngunz compilation, an EP on DirtyBird and the first Piu Piu's EP."

What can people expect to hear when they come and see you play TRIX on Friday 16^th December in London?

"Ghetto music."

Pirates, ahoy

Pirate Soundsystem - what a name. For those that don't know, tell us what you guys are about.

D: I'd say our overall approach to music comes from raves and carnivals. Any time we're in the studio and getting a bit too caught up in the sonics we come back to this. 

J: I think we used to be about combining elements of dance music. Trying to find a balance between the genres we liked that created a new energy. Now I think it's a lot more about rhythm exploration - finding mad beat patterns that make bodies move in new ways. I guess there is still that idea of combination, though, as we tend to always keep some classic house 4x4 stuff around which provides an interesting counterpoint to the crazy riddim stuff.

How did it start and where?

J: It all started around 2004. We wanted to start a night called 'Pirate Club' plundering all the bass from other genres so we needed a DJ name and both liked the idea of being a sound system. I have a memory of us being stoned, walking round a lake at the university I was going to.

D: We actually got booked for our first gig before we came up with a name and had to make a pretty fast decision before flyers went to print. 

Are you finding yourselves pushing a certain sound, or do you find your tastes are constantly evolving? What labels and/or artists are really doing it for you right now?

D: There's times when we're playing a lot of a certain sound, but we're never trying to be part of a particular scene. Being the type of DJ who just plays one sound and only the latest whitelabels is just too limiting.   

J: You can't really stop that evolution of musical appreciation. It's natural for me to just drift from scene to scene. I feel like an eagle. I just jam in the sky, checking out what everyone's up to from above and then go back to my nest with a few twigs and make something myself.

I'm really into some of the the moombahton stuff at the moment. Mainly the stuff that has less of the Dutch house synth, although I do like that, too. The moombahton that basically just sounds like reggaton and dancehall with big housey production. Loads of bongos.

MJ Cole is unstoppable at the moment. Breach, Hot City and the Unknown To The Unknown stuff, Mosca, Numbers...all that stuff is good inspirational dance music. I love the Crookers Dr. Gonzo album at the moment. Tight production, massive rhythms and bass.

D: Yeah there's some good moombahton coming through just now. I've developed a bit of a fascination with some African kuduro-meets-eurodance stuff like Cabo Snoop but not sure how to work it into sets just now, haha. Steak House and Senseless record labels are always quality. 

If you could take it back to one musical era, what, when or where would it be?

J: Probably when cavemen were first going wild on tree logs with bones. I could fashion a primative hi-hat and get the skippy garage movement off to an early start.

D: London and surrounding area, August 1991. 

Let us in on your secret weapon tune - the one guaranteed to get the crowd vibing nicely.

D: There's so many but when the vibe is just right to do it, dropping down from house speed and into Beenie Man - Who Am I is just too much fun. 

J: Nice vibes would be J Zoomba - Easy Blessings, which is coming out on out on Heavy Warper in next few months. It's a good example of that perfect struggle between polyrhthms and classic house influences.

I love the MJ Cole dub of Southern Electric though to get a crowd hype. Hard house garage madness.

Any juicy, funny or embarrassing anecdotes from a set you've played in 2011? Do tell... The worse the better!

D: We played at Hootenanny in Brixton in the summer and there were a lot of families in the outside beer garden. Having the dancefloor stormed by half a dozen 7 year old girls brocking out to Almighty Father by Sunship was a new one on me. 

So what can we expect from your set next Friday at Z-Shed's Hidden debut?

D: Unreasonable bass, tropical vibes and an entourage of toddlers.  

Tickets are available to see Pirate Soundsystem play alongside Star Key (Ninja Tune), Murderbot, Raffertie and the Black Butter Recs crew including L'il Silva, Greenmoney, RackNRuin, Warrior One and more, for just a tenner! Grab them here.