FESTIVAL CLUBS | Previews
REASONS TO . . . GO SOBA
Who’d have thought you’d find some very excellent late night DJ sets, in a noodle restaurant? There’s plenty happening on George Street this August, with both 99 Hanover Street and Bar Soba booking some tremendous DJs. Here are four who’ll be making the most of the 3am licences at cocktail bar and Asian restaurant, Soba (the old Amore Dogs) Al Doyle (Hot Chip), 8 Aug Guitarist and multi-instrumentalist in Hot Chip; percussionist with the late, lamented LCD Soundsystem before they passed on; half of esoteric funk-pop outfit New Build with the Chip’s Felix Martin; and described by website Fuck Yeah Al Doyle! as ‘The Whitest Boy Alive with more funk.’ This ought to be fun.
Daddy G (Massive Attack), 15 Aug (pictured, above) A member of the UK’s esoteric electronic rock royalty through his membership of Massive Attack (the only remaining member alongside Robert ‘3D’ Del Naja), Grantley Marshall’s 2004 DJ Kicks compilation suggests he’ll be playing a deep mix of reggae, soul and old-school trip-hop.
Artful (Artful Dodger), 22 Aug One half of the team who inflicted Craig David on us with his debut appearance on Artful Dodger’s hit ‘Re-Rewind’? Or one of the authentic originators of the UK garage and 2-step styles? Mark Hill’s been doing a great job of casting himself as the latter lately, with high-profile sets as Artful and remix collaborations with Disclosure.
Jerry Dammers (The Specials), 29 Aug One for the old school here – Dammers was the keyboard player and songwriter with 2-tone icons The Specials, and is currently a hard-working and defiantly knowledgeable reggae and ska DJ. (David Pollock) ■ See Bar Soba’s Facebook page for more info.
92 THE LIST FESTIVAL 8–15 Aug 2013
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FLY CLUB PRESENTS AUS MUSIC SHOWCASE London label brings a house music takeover
Over the last few years a vast wealth of new talent has come to define British house music. From producers like George FitzGerald and Dusky to the likes of Bicep, Midland and Glimpse, the focus has returned squarely to the UK and what seems like a real renaissance of the underground. Enter AUS Music, one of the most exciting house labels of 2013. Home to all the aforementioned artists and some of the biggest club tracks of the last twelve months, it really is on another level.
But what makes AUS worth the hype? It could be the label’s desire to keep things constantly moving
– head honcho Will Saul explains. ‘To be honest, I really hope the label isn’t getting recognised for a particular sound as this means we become predictable and in turn, boring. I try to approach A&R-ing by focusing on working with artists that have something that I feel is special and unique. I then let the artists lead the “sound of the label”.’ Playing alongside Midland at an exclusive showcase for Fly Club, Saul is also a prolific producer in his own right and recently released a hotly anticipated album under his new persona, CLOSE. Having presented the project with a live AV show earlier this year, while also holding down sister label ‘Simple Records’, he’s a busy man. ‘I do all the A&R and in fact everything else for the labels as I run them on my own, with a little help from my wife. I look for something unique and fresh from an artist and we aim to release cutting edge electronic music that will blow people off their feet on the dancefloor’. Mission accomplished. (Alex Caslano) ■ Cabaret Voltaire, 247 4704, 9 Aug, 11pm, £10–£12 (£8). For a longer version of this interview visit list.co.uk
IAM PRESENTS JUSTIN ROBERTSON Balearic, oddball disco, EDM, acid – this man’s all over it
‘I love primitive, visceral music,’ says sometime Lionrocker, high-profile remix capo and gentleman of the old school, way back to the Hacienda in the early 90s, Justin Robertson. ‘It’s what comes naturally; I’m not one for over-thinking or rehashing. I like to capture a mood and a moment. If it ain’t working I bin it, or come back to it with fresh ears.’ He’s talking about the production of his first album in 12 years, The Pilgrim’s Ghost (under the alias Deadstock 33s), but he could well be talking about his attitude to a favoured and distinctive collision of the analogue and the electronic in general.
He describes 2013 as ‘in many ways a Golden Age for dance,’ but he also hears ‘a lot of balls and nonsense. The music I’m playing now is mindblowing; it takes the best of the past and puts it in a 21st century context. It’s just good to be playing great music to people who dig it and get it.’ (David Pollock) ■ Cabaret Voltaire, 247 4704, 8 Aug, 11pm, £3–4. For a longer version of this interview see list.co.uk