Name Edbanger Records Occupation Probably the coolest electronic record label in the world. Can you back this up? If it‘s credentials you're looking for then. it's run by Pedro Winter aka Busy P and he counts acts like Justice. Uffie & Feadz (pictured). Mr Oizo. Sebastian. DJ Mehdi and Mr Flash among his label mates.
Who are these people? Have you been living down a hole? Justice as in, ‘We Are Your Friends' and Mr Oizo as in the Levi's ad. Then there is DJ Mehdi and Uftie & Feadz.
Who is Uffle? She hasn't even turned 20 but is already producing some stellar stuff. She released her debut single ‘Pop the Clock' last year and her current offering ‘Hot Chick' is to be found in pretty much every DJ’s box at the moment.
How about Feadz? Well, he is the DJ/producer behind this young lady. He discovered her and asked her to sing vocals on his records. It was a match made in heaven.
And this Mehdi guf.’ His first solo album Lucky Girl was released last year and his follow up Lucky Boy is out now. Born and raised in Paris. he has been producing hip hop artists for years. has remixed the likes of Joakim. New Young Pony Club and Just Jack, has played in several bands and was resident DJ at the legendary (now defunct) club Pulp. (Sandra Marronl
I DJ Mehdi plays C/ash.’. Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh, Thu 79 Apr; Uffie <2 Feadz play Death Disco. the Arches, Glasgow, Sat 21 Apr.
REGGAE
BIG TOE’S HI-FI MEETS MESSENGER SOUNDSYSTEM College of Art, Edinburgh, Fri 13 Apr
Following the soundsystem summit this time last year between Wee Bed Bar residents Big Tee's Hi—Fi and leading Glasgow practitioners Mungo's. this spring sees the Big Toe folks inVite Messenger Soundsystem. Edinburgh's other big reggae club. to leave their home at the Bongo for a one-off head-to-head in ECA's mural room. It‘s a fundraiser for post-grad students. as well as —’ we're sure you'll agree —~ a mustn't-miss night for fans of dub and
dai icehall.
‘l've been going to Messenger since I came to Scotland four years ago.’ says Big Toe's John Farrugia. ‘and I'm well aware of the sound and the authenticity that they have. It's a very roots and culture-based system. very genuine. and they have a good operation going after
doing it here for 2() years.‘
As an artist himself, Farrugia is well aware of the benefits of collaboration. ‘I think it's just in my nature that I like interacting with people. especially when it comes to reggae. It's a soundsystem culture. you don't use Just a single DJ. that collective aspect is something that really struck me in the six or seven years I've been doing this.‘
He's hesitant, however. to describe this event as any sort of soundclash. ‘Scotiand isn't like London,‘ he notes. 'where them are dozens of soundsystems. although the ones we do have each do very well. So what we miss out on is the way soundsystems face off. not in an aggressive sense, but Just as an opportunity to offer each of their own crowds two very
different sounds.‘ (David Pollock)
34 THE LIST 11* 26 Apr 7007
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HOUSE'ECLECTIC TOM MIDDLETON Headspin at The Bongo Club, Edinburgh, Sat 21 Apr
To read Tom Middleton’s wilfully genre-dropping biography is to understand how much he makes a feature of his eclectic nature. Growing up as a surfing and street sports enthusiast who loved The Police and Prince in Cornwall, the classically-trained pianist went through the musical fashions of the time in startlineg flighty style. He was a new romantic, then a soul boy, and then a hip hop kid, before Richard James got his hooks into him at the turn of the 90s.
When James released his ‘Analogue Bubblebath’ EP - his first as Aphex Twin - Middleton was there collaborating on the track ‘En-Trance To Exit’. Middleton credits James with his introduction to the ways of creating dance music, though he subsequently
r.
took what was taught and forged a wide-ranging career of his own. Moving to Exeter 3 short while later, he teamed up with Mark Pritchard, who he met while they both studied graphic design at college. Together, the duo started Evolution Records and released a large batch of material under joint and solo aliases, the most famous of these being the ambient Global Communication and the house-focused Jedi Knights, while also helping to launch the career of Matthew
Herbert and producing a compilation for Warp Records.
Fast-forward to the present day, and Middleton has recently become most famous under his own Cosmos alias, playing a more purist form of progressive house. Along the way he appears at the larger dance festivals and smaller club gigs like this, and it’s that long- fostered sense of eclecticism which helps him keep his varied crowds happy. (David Pollock)