‘WHEN I WAS YOUNGER I JUST WANTED TO PUT OUT GOOD MUSIC’
Underwater love
Legendary tech-house DJ Darren Emerson tells Henry Northmore why he’s dusting down his old techno 12-inches.
\en with the remarkahle sueeess nl' his l'nderxtater lahel it’s hard tn think (if Darren limersnn \Villinlll thinking nl’ l'ndertx'nrld. The deep teeh-duh that limersnn hrnught tn l'nderwnrld tnnk them l'rnm indie—pnp almnsi runs in l‘estital slaying heat enntnrtinnists. 'I‘he rieh multi—layered eleetrnniea nl‘ their hi'eakthrnugh. 1903‘s Dublin/iiixsu'i'l/inirlieitil/mm. still stands the test nl‘ time as a dark. intelligent reenrd tilled
\xith \tarped ideas and deep hypnntie grnnxes. .-\nd nl‘
enurse there was the insistent 'Bnrn Slippy~ that pnunded through the linal mnments nl’ 'Ii‘uiiis/inrri‘iig Darren is the tirst tn admit. ‘lt still rneks when I play it.’ l'ndei'tt‘ni‘ld's elassie nutput. alsn ineludes ‘Ref. ‘(‘n\\'girl' and ‘Dark and l.nng’. all still spun h_\' |).ls aernss the glnhe.
ll()\\'L‘\'CI‘ liinersnn left the hand in 2000 alter their third alhuin Bt’tlllt‘Ult/l l'i's/i. ‘l dnn’t remember it heing unpleasant at all. just stitltlcfll)‘ there heing nn ennrersatinn.‘ rememhers l'nderxt'nrld enhnrt Karl Hyde. ‘hut snine penple just like In deal \\ ith things that \\';i_\' and )‘nu hate in i'espeet that and let e\ei'}'nne li\'e their lit‘es.‘ Sinee then limersnn has enneentrated nn his [)Jing. snln prnduetinns. remixing. and nl enurse his l'nderwater lahel. 'l ’nderxt'nrld and l'nderxt'ater are l\\'t) enmpletel)’ dill'erent prnieets really explains limersnn. ‘l was a DJ hel‘ni'e I started l'ndei'xtnrld sn was liezi\i|_\ intn the (‘hieagn llnuse seene. When I l‘ii'st started l'nderxxater i'eeni'ds in the earl) ‘)()s m_\ idea was tn ptit nut just gnnd qualit) danee musie. \xhethei' that he lintixe tracks or teehnn:
It‘s a strategy that has \x'nrked \\ ell l'ni' l'ndei'uatei'. enenmpassing sueh huge ehai't hits as Tim l)Cltt.\e\ ‘lt
.lust \\'nn't l)n' tn the gentle hnuse-inl'used eleetrnniea nl‘
leeland’s (itis (his. 'lt \\'Ll.\ just an idea when l \\ as _\nunger. that I wanted tn put nut gnnd musie.‘ sa_\s limersnn. 'l didn‘t imagine that it \xnuld still he gning l2 _\eai's later‘.’
It's alsn gnnd in see Nn Strings Attaehed making a return in lidiuhui'gh’s eluhland. '\\'e ehnse Darren as a guest heeause he has heen a ltitl\.\l\ e inl’luenee nn us sinee the earl} tltt}s nl l.emnn lnterrupt.‘ explains prnninter Steve (Kiss. ‘He is alsn a huge L‘l't)\\'tl linntti‘ile.’ :\nd \SA has its sights set nn the l'uture: '\\'e hax e a text dates planned l‘nr next _\ear in lidinhurgh and we are organising ntii' lii'st nutdnnr e\'ent tn he held next summer in (ialasliiels where we are lnnkiiig tn attraet prndueers like l‘elix l);i llntiseeat and Dirt id llnlines.’
But what ean \\ e expeet nn the night and hntt has a DJ
sueh as limei‘snn. a man \t'hn has been at the t'ni'eli'nnt nl'
danee eulture sinee near its ineeptinn. managed in sia} etirrent ihniigh all the ehanges in eluhland n\ er the years. 'I pla_\ linuse. teeh-hnuse. eleetrn hased musie and teehnn] sa_\s liinersnn. ‘Basiealh an_\thing that limits my hnat. l dnn’t like stieking tn nne kind nl niusie it gets hnring. Ynu :il\\;l_\'.\ ha\ e in keep _\nur ear in the gi'nund and keep _\‘nur eyes npen tn \x'hat‘s gning nn. \\l]ll.\l al\\a_\s staying true in what _\nii like. But I‘m alsn l'inding. dusting tilt and lnading tip snme nl' the nld teehnn |2s I used tn pla) ten exen IS xears agn. 'l'he} still snund gnnd mm and penple dnn’t knnxx what the} are. :\dds a little hit nl magie.’
Darren Emerson guests at No Strings Attached, the Liquid Room, Edinburgh, Sat 9 Dec.
1 I l ‘ I Cathouse 16th Birthday Rumour has it that the management are throwing real cash to the tune of £1000 at the punters to celebrate. Cat/rouse. Glasgow. Fri 7 Dec.
Modern Lovers Stuart Braithwaite (Mogwail pops by tonight to play dusty old 453. Ego, Edinburgh, Fri 7 Dec. Headspin Surely it's against the law not to Hitlist Norman Jay. The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Sat 2 Dec.
Off The Record & DEFF Abe Dudue (pictured) heads the bill at the OTR fourth birthday celebrations with Dirty Electro Filthy Funk (DEFF) playing host to London's Marco Shuttle (SUDl. The Sound/mus, Glasgow, Sat 2 Dec.
Pretty Ugly The Underskirts celebrate one year being on the planet and to coincide with this they launch their successful club night at a new location, The Hold. Glasgow. Sat 2 Dec. Mungo’s Hi Fi This has been somewhat of an institution over the years, so see them off in dub step style. The Woodside Social. Glasgow, Fri 8 Dec. Sugarbeat meets Solescience Two rooms of bliss as DJ Yoda sets up his live atlleNiStlal showcase in the main room. while electro master Greg Wilson mans the backroom. Cabaret Voltaire. Edinburgh. Fri 8 Dec.
5:1 Divine Mr Braithwaite iMogwai) also guests at one of Glasgow's funk and soul night. The Glasgow School of Art. Glasgow. Sat 5) Dec.
White Heat Glasgow new ravers Shitdisco curate this night for the esteemed indie club. Classic Grand. Glasgow. Wed 13 Dec; Cabaret Voltaire. Edinburgh, Thu 74 Dec.
\J 'rZI‘a- .IA‘THE LIST33