Tuesday, 9 February 2010
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Thursday, 14 January 2010
Thursday, 8 October 2009
Thursday, 3 September 2009
Monday, 31 August 2009
Thursday, 9 July 2009
BURAKA SOM SISTEMA
Mixtape
D I S P A T C H 3
BURAKA SOM SISTEMA.
BY SEAN MICHAELS
- - - -
Buraka Som Sistema are a Portuguese group whose forceful and luscious music is meant for dancing. In their touring form they consist of a DJ, live drummer, DJ/drummer, two MCs, and an MC/dancer. But when they play it's as if there is another member perched on a black corner speaker, hurling plums and diamonds onto the dance floor. Your legs glitter with fruit juice and the shards of gems.
Recently, Buraka Som Sistema came to play in Montreal. They played at a dance-club called Zoobizarre located on a peculiar section of Avenue St-Hubert, where the street becomes a covered, never-ending strip-mall. It feels as if you have been teleported from Montreal's back streets into a suburban retail experiment. Baby clothes and wedding dresses are propped up, fading in the shop windows.
Zoobizarre has been modeled to look like a tunnel, or a wine cellar, or the underside of a bridge. The room is long and the ceiling is very low. Everything is done up in rough gray brick, and when you are inside it is hard to come to terms with the fact that this grotto is on the second floor, high above street level. But of course there are no windows.
Sometimes Zoobizarre is one of the worst venues in this city: cramped, claustrophobic, and it is hard to see the stage. But at other times it is the best venue in this city. The room becomes a prism. The speakers thump and the whole room dazzles. A hundred shades of sound refract across the curved concrete ceiling.
The show by Buraka Som Sistema is sold out. It is the kind of crowded where you touch other people's sweat, where you accidentally brush a stranger's hand. And yet there is no discomfort here tonight. We see BSS as soon as they arrive − they slip through us, grinning, awkward, over the stage and into the sliver of offstage space. We can see them there too − adjusting their hats, peeling off trousers. When finally they come out to play, setting up behind MacBooks, a drumkit, drumpads, and hoisting microphones like they are the keys to the city, their awkwardness is gone. They look playful and certain; men with irresistible secrets.
Buraka Som Sistema set up a long drone, a weave of noise, and after the MCs call out their welcome, the beat drops. Very suddenly, undeniably, we are brought together. The audience, the performers – all of us are dropped into the mesmeric kuduro rhythm. We are sweating emphatically, we are touching hands purposefully, and we are imagining jewels and fruit-pulp under the soles of our running shoes.
The first time I saw Buraka Som Sistema it was in their home city, Lisbon, on a visit to Portugal last fall. That concert-hall was the opposite of Zoobizarre – a giant wooden building, a place for children's art classes, community dances, amateur operas, with wide staircases and a balcony where one of the MC's fathers stood, clapping. Most of us danced in the wide room below that felt free, large, with space for our hearts to send us staggering. Buraka Som Sistema's light-show strafed through the steam, images flashed on big screens, and guests interceded, dancing like maniacs or spitting Portuguese rap.
In their visit to Montreal, Buraka Som Sistema are just people, just players; there is no backdrop save the songs. But in Lisbon their imagery flashed sinister. There were lashes of light, looming typography, the opaque menace of a hand-drawn black diamond. Across the sea, the music still matches this look. The snare is hard and loud, the bass subterranean. Blaya, a female MC and dancer, spends much of her performance glowering. And yet Buraka Som Sistema's greatest gift is the way they gild this grimness in joy. The principal MCs, Kalaf and Conductor, goof and celebrate. They pose, they grin, they yell "LISBOA!" (there) or "MONTRAY-AL!" (here). DJ Lil' John drops thundering samples − "A Milli"? "Rhythm is a Dancer"? − and Kalaf and Conductor lead us in group dance-moves, crouching on the ground and leaping into the air ...
... Until suddenly these novelties fall away. They're gone. Our hands are raised but the instructions are over, the Lil Wayne sample has been swallowed up. Now there's just this cloaked beat, expert and artificial, RAT-a-tat-tat-tat, and with jerk and sway and step I feel a kind of terror, or maybe a dark and sharking joy; in all this roaring flash I feel like I should cower. But instead I, and all of us, dance.
- - - -
For more from Sean, please visit
www.saidthegramophone.com.
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
Wednesday, 29 October 2008
Minus Presents... Richie Hawtin
Minus Presents...
21.30 - TBA
Richie Hawtin
Troy Pierce
Gaiser [ Live ]
Barem
21.30 - TBA
Richie Hawtin
Troy Pierce
Gaiser [ Live ]
Barem
The Essential Mix Party
The Essential Mix Party
21:30 - 05:00
Pete Tong
Deadmau5 [ Live ]
Special Guest: Steve Angello
Room 2:
Danny Howells
Presents Dig Deeper
Live on BBC Radio 1
The Ape 3rd Birthday
21:30 - 05:00
Roots Manuva [ Full Live Show ]
Skream & Benga Present...
Magnetic Man [ Live ]
The Bug [ Live ]
High Contrast
Shy FX
Krafty Kuts
Marcus Intalex
Alix Perez
Virus Syndicate
Boxcutter [ Live ]
Rich Reason & Ken Evil
MC's: Tonn Piper & Mad Rush
In association with 1Xtra
21:30 - 05:00
Pete Tong
Deadmau5 [ Live ]
Special Guest: Steve Angello
Room 2:
Danny Howells
Presents Dig Deeper
Live on BBC Radio 1
The Ape 3rd Birthday
21:30 - 05:00
Roots Manuva [ Full Live Show ]
Skream & Benga Present...
Magnetic Man [ Live ]
The Bug [ Live ]
High Contrast
Shy FX
Krafty Kuts
Marcus Intalex
Alix Perez
Virus Syndicate
Boxcutter [ Live ]
Rich Reason & Ken Evil
MC's: Tonn Piper & Mad Rush
In association with 1Xtra
10 Years of Valve
Friday 3rd October
10 Years of Valve Soundsystem
21:30 - 05:00
DJ Marky
Goldie
Lemon D & Dillinja
Chase & Status [ Live ] featuring Plan B
N-Type & Hatcha
Dexter [ The Avalanches ]
Plus very special live guest...
Raekwon [ Wu Tang Clan ]
Prophecy & Mark OD
Coki [ DMZ ]
The Steppahs
Network
and very special guest… Grooverider
secret DJ guests announced on the night
In Association with BBC 1Xtra
Saturday 4th October
Eat Your Own Ears Presents...
20:30 - 05:00
Reverend & The Makers [ Live ]
Tricky [ Live ]
The Whip [ Live ]
Late Of The Pier [ Live ]
Midnight Juggernauts [ Live ]
Simian Mobile Disco [ DJ Set ]
Eat Your Own Ears DJ's
Will [ Tramp ]
"The Official In The City Launch Party"
The Warehouse Project Launch weekend - Part 1 & 2
Friday 26th September
Launch weekend - Part 1
21:30 - 05:00
Sasha
Locodice
Paul Woolford
Tini [ Desolat ]
Greg lord / Andro
Saturday 27th September
The Launch Weekend Part 2
21:30 - 05:00
Basement Jaxx [ DJ Set ]
Duke Dumont
Riton
Disco Bloodbath
Krysko
Greg Lord
Warehouse Project Launch Party Part 2
29 Sep 2008
The Warehouse Project is back for another twelve weeks of big lineups and heavy beats. But can it live up to previous years’ successes? We checked out the Launch Party Part 2, headlined by Basement Jaxx, to find out.
When the Warehouse Project first started out, a big part of the hype surrounding it was its short-term nature. The first WHP took over a huge, disused brewery on the edge of town, declared that "For twelve weeks, this city is ours..." and unveiled the biggest and most varied lineup Manchester had seen in years. The clubbing community went crazy for it, making the most of the opportunity at hand without knowing if they’d ever see its like again. When Boddingtons Brewery closed its doors for the last time on New Years Day, there was the general feeling that for three months Manchester had been home to something fleeting, iconic and extraordinary.
It wasn’t until the first of the WHP’s big bank holiday parties that clubbers learned the team were planning another takeover. Excitement was high over the new venue, a series of arches below Piccadilly Train Station on Store Street. WHP2 proved to be every bit as exciting as its predecessor and once again clubbers poured in from across the country.
But this year, things are a bit different. The Warehouse Project now has a permanent home at 112-116 Princess Street (aka Paradise Factory) for 6 months of the year. We know they’ll be hosting massive bank holiday parties at Easter and August. We know they’re planning WHP4 already. So, with the club now a seemingly permanent fixture in Manchester’s clubbing calendar, can the Warehouse Project live up to the excitement of previous years?
Walking down for the Launch Party Part 2, there was definitely a buzz about. The last few tickets for the party, headlined by Basement Jaxx, had gone earlier in the day and rumours were being passed along the snaking queues that ticketholders wouldn’t be allowed in after half past 11, so it was with a little anxiety that we waited to get through the doors. We needn’t have worried. Last year’s heavy-handed door policy (sniffer dogs and the closest thing we’ve had to a strip search) had returned back to a normal bag check and within ten minutes of joining the queue we were inside.
No matter how many times you’ve been to the Store Street venue, it is still impressive. A sprawling warren of brick archways and cavernous spaces, the venue harks back to the early days of raves and warehouse parties but the addition of huge AV screens and Funktion One soundsystem root the club firmly in the present. This year the space has been put to even better use, with the introduction of a chill-out room full of deckchairs under one archway and a smaller, more intimate second room installed under another.
They’ve also made sure there are three bars, so we found that even though the club was starting to fill up we got served in under 5 minutes. Prices are lower this year, but £3.50 for a can of Budweiser (the only beer option) still stings a bit.
Duke Dumont was given the task of warming up the crowd before Basement Jaxx’s set. He started out in fine style, playing exactly the kind of twisted fidget house you would expect from an artist who’s first releases have been on Tiga’s Turbo Recordings and Switch’s Dubsided label, but seemed to lose his way at the end of the set, with the last 20 minutes or so given over to playing Mujava’s Township Funk over and over at varying speeds. We’re all for innovation on the dancefloor, and there is no denying that this is one of the biggest tunes of the year, but by the third replay it was wearing thin.
However, the grumbling of the crowd disappeared as the first beats of Lennie De Ice’s proto-jungle classic We Are Ie hit the crowd. A massive cheer went up as the crowd welcomed Basement Jaxx to the stage. The goodwill spread across the whole set. Clubbers carved out grooves in the floor to the jacking house music until Basement Jaxx began breaking out re-edits of their massive hits like Rendevous and Do Your Thing. The biggest tune of the night was a re-edit of Where’s Your Head At, with the intro teased out for so long that when the tune actually dropped the crowd cheered so loudly they almost drowned out the bass.
Whether the crowd hadn’t quite found the second room or it was simply it never stood a chance against the mighty Jaxx, the second room was relatively empty all night with only a handful of clubbers throwing themselves in Disco Bloodbath’s set. There is definite potential in that space though and we think that as this season progresses, the second room will come into its own.
Riton finished off the night with records that kept a healthy proportion of the crowd dancing straight through to am. Looking at the flushed, sweaty, exhilarated faces as the lights came up, it is clear that this year’s Warehouse Project is still on top form. With nights already selling out throughout October and a visit from the Chemical Brothers tipped to be this year’s hottest party, the next twelve weeks are going to be massive. M.AfterDark
Launch weekend - Part 1
21:30 - 05:00
Sasha
Locodice
Paul Woolford
Tini [ Desolat ]
Greg lord / Andro
Saturday 27th September
The Launch Weekend Part 2
21:30 - 05:00
Basement Jaxx [ DJ Set ]
Duke Dumont
Riton
Disco Bloodbath
Krysko
Greg Lord
Warehouse Project Launch Party Part 2
29 Sep 2008
The Warehouse Project is back for another twelve weeks of big lineups and heavy beats. But can it live up to previous years’ successes? We checked out the Launch Party Part 2, headlined by Basement Jaxx, to find out.
When the Warehouse Project first started out, a big part of the hype surrounding it was its short-term nature. The first WHP took over a huge, disused brewery on the edge of town, declared that "For twelve weeks, this city is ours..." and unveiled the biggest and most varied lineup Manchester had seen in years. The clubbing community went crazy for it, making the most of the opportunity at hand without knowing if they’d ever see its like again. When Boddingtons Brewery closed its doors for the last time on New Years Day, there was the general feeling that for three months Manchester had been home to something fleeting, iconic and extraordinary.
It wasn’t until the first of the WHP’s big bank holiday parties that clubbers learned the team were planning another takeover. Excitement was high over the new venue, a series of arches below Piccadilly Train Station on Store Street. WHP2 proved to be every bit as exciting as its predecessor and once again clubbers poured in from across the country.
But this year, things are a bit different. The Warehouse Project now has a permanent home at 112-116 Princess Street (aka Paradise Factory) for 6 months of the year. We know they’ll be hosting massive bank holiday parties at Easter and August. We know they’re planning WHP4 already. So, with the club now a seemingly permanent fixture in Manchester’s clubbing calendar, can the Warehouse Project live up to the excitement of previous years?
Walking down for the Launch Party Part 2, there was definitely a buzz about. The last few tickets for the party, headlined by Basement Jaxx, had gone earlier in the day and rumours were being passed along the snaking queues that ticketholders wouldn’t be allowed in after half past 11, so it was with a little anxiety that we waited to get through the doors. We needn’t have worried. Last year’s heavy-handed door policy (sniffer dogs and the closest thing we’ve had to a strip search) had returned back to a normal bag check and within ten minutes of joining the queue we were inside.
No matter how many times you’ve been to the Store Street venue, it is still impressive. A sprawling warren of brick archways and cavernous spaces, the venue harks back to the early days of raves and warehouse parties but the addition of huge AV screens and Funktion One soundsystem root the club firmly in the present. This year the space has been put to even better use, with the introduction of a chill-out room full of deckchairs under one archway and a smaller, more intimate second room installed under another.
They’ve also made sure there are three bars, so we found that even though the club was starting to fill up we got served in under 5 minutes. Prices are lower this year, but £3.50 for a can of Budweiser (the only beer option) still stings a bit.
Duke Dumont was given the task of warming up the crowd before Basement Jaxx’s set. He started out in fine style, playing exactly the kind of twisted fidget house you would expect from an artist who’s first releases have been on Tiga’s Turbo Recordings and Switch’s Dubsided label, but seemed to lose his way at the end of the set, with the last 20 minutes or so given over to playing Mujava’s Township Funk over and over at varying speeds. We’re all for innovation on the dancefloor, and there is no denying that this is one of the biggest tunes of the year, but by the third replay it was wearing thin.
However, the grumbling of the crowd disappeared as the first beats of Lennie De Ice’s proto-jungle classic We Are Ie hit the crowd. A massive cheer went up as the crowd welcomed Basement Jaxx to the stage. The goodwill spread across the whole set. Clubbers carved out grooves in the floor to the jacking house music until Basement Jaxx began breaking out re-edits of their massive hits like Rendevous and Do Your Thing. The biggest tune of the night was a re-edit of Where’s Your Head At, with the intro teased out for so long that when the tune actually dropped the crowd cheered so loudly they almost drowned out the bass.
Whether the crowd hadn’t quite found the second room or it was simply it never stood a chance against the mighty Jaxx, the second room was relatively empty all night with only a handful of clubbers throwing themselves in Disco Bloodbath’s set. There is definite potential in that space though and we think that as this season progresses, the second room will come into its own.
Riton finished off the night with records that kept a healthy proportion of the crowd dancing straight through to am. Looking at the flushed, sweaty, exhilarated faces as the lights came up, it is clear that this year’s Warehouse Project is still on top form. With nights already selling out throughout October and a visit from the Chemical Brothers tipped to be this year’s hottest party, the next twelve weeks are going to be massive. M.AfterDark
Tuesday, 26 August 2008
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