‘THERE WAS A CERTAIN
MYSTERY WHICH OVERCAME
THE EGO OF ONE INDIVIDUAL'
ti." 4 i I |‘{'
The labours of Hercules
David Pollock looks forward to the disco-house revival in the company of up-and-coming club stars Hercules & Love Affair
o this is where the disco-house revival starts.
hopefully. Alter the garish indie-aided excesses
of new rave in 2007. \vouldn't it he a beautiful thing to see and hear classic dance music stand [)I‘titltl again'.’
('ertainl). \vith his/their gorgeous debut single ‘Blind‘. New York‘s rather oddl_\-titled Hercules & Love Affair blend all the ingredients for that most elusive of musical passages. the _\ear-soundtrackiiig cluh anthem. The song doesn‘t just capture a moment. it condenses generations of dancelloor styles \vith an alchemist‘s touch. vaooshes of space-disco float in on grooving Moroder rh_\thms. and the synthesised horn chorus and soulful di\a vocals hetra} roots from house music's earliest and greatest era. That the ‘diva‘ in question is sometime tender halladeer Anton) llegart} (sans Johnsons). only adds to the tracks cachet.
‘(irovving up. l was so excited h} the model .\lassi\e
Attack laid dovvn.’ .sa_\'.s Andy Butler. the fulcrum ot‘
ll&l..-\. h_v \va_v ol'esplaining \\ hat might be described as both a group and a solo project. ‘h’liu' Lines inspired me when I was l5: it \\ as a project which had a revolving door for singers. so there \\ ere man} voices coming through on the one record. I also tised to just like the way that house producers' identities were kinda vague. so there was a certain m_\ster_\ \vhich overcame the ego of one individual.‘
\Vhile Butler is the driving force behind llckl..-\. a collection of vocalists take almost equal billing alongside him. including Hegarty and l‘ellou .\'e\\ York ereatives-come-cluh kids Nomi and Kim Ann Foxman. How did he come to work with them all‘.’
"l'he easiest ltll\\\cl' is that I love making \tith Hi} friends. and it happened \er} naturall}.~
More than that. Butler and llegart} time been friends since before either \\ as famous. 'l‘he f'oriiiei'. a .\lid\\estern ho} \\lltt learned piano as a child. discm ered decks as a teenager and soon alter arrixed in .\'e\\ York to stud} music production. \\ as actuall}
introduced to llegart) tvvice. The first time the singer “as an unassuming guest at a mutual friend‘s dinner
part}. the second he \Hls this unearthh mice on a tape pla_\ ed h} the same friend. Butler remembers seeking him out alter this and the pairs friendship formed \xhile \valking the streets of" Manhattan in the neck alter ‘)/l 1.
'Blind' itself \\as actuall} recorded l'our _\ears ago. although Butler anticipated it \Hitlltl start to recei\e attention once llegai't)'s career took off. .-\nd Il&l..~\ are no“ signed to James .\lurPh_\ .\ l)l-‘.-\ Records. and the epon_\mous debut album is due this month isee i'e\ ieu page (il) l.
‘('lassic disco liotise is \\ hat escited me a hen l \\Ll\ _\oung.‘ sa}s Butler. "l‘he album \xas driven h} memories of getting tip on various dancet’loors. Btit then .-\nton_\ and | bonded o\ er people like The (‘octeau 'l‘uins and Kate Btish. and there are simple. atmospheric songs there too. \vhich might surprise people \\ ho respond strongh to 'Blind'. I love disco. I love house. but _\ou can‘t get freak} all the time.‘
Hercules & Love Affair DJ at Death Disco alongside headliners The Glimmers, the Arches, Glasgow, Sat 15 Mar.
; DJ Hell The Geiiiian master. who seems to invent genres in his sleep, proves whv he's a true tiltihhing legend Cabaret Voltaire. f-tf/nfiurt/h. In M Mar.
Death Disco l‘yes left for the Hercules 8. l ove Affair story. Not only that. but headliners lhe Glimmeis \Nlll be handing out their own self distributed album to everyone for zero pence. Arches. Glasgow. Sat 75 Mar:
.- Hospitality One of the most Vibrant drum a bass labels in the world. Hospital Records. showcases its wares. Liquid Hoom. Edinburgh, Sat 75 Mar.
3- Cotton Cake Gallic electio cool invades Glasgow once more. in the shape of l-:d Bangers Mr Oizo. of ‘l'-lat Beat' notoriety. Sub C/ul). Glasgow. Fri 27 Mar.
1 ' Hell Mr C. ox of The Shamen and long established as a dependable tech house decksman. guests. Class/c Grand. G/asgow. Fri 27 Mar.
.? Melting Pot Easter Special There are numerous fine Easter specials on this year. but Greg Wilson‘s guest appearance at MP's funky house milieu is bound to be a blinder. The Ho/d, Glasgow, Sun 23 Mar.
97 Optima Presents: An Espacio Odyssey A one-off themed evening of psychout Stargazing from Twitch and Wilkes promises much interstellar overdrive. Stereo. Glasgow, Fri' 27 Mar.
-" Volume Grime and rave come together in the masterful hands of techno innovator Neil Landstrumm (pictured). Ego, Edinburgh, Sat 22 Mar.
:3: Taste Is there a blank void in yOur Sunday club calendar? Thankfully Taste are back for an Easter special to plug that gap. Studio 24, Edinburgh, Sun 23 Mar.
'17/7".'::' 7/}: THE LIST 35