The year ahead promises to be a particularly vibrant on the Irish dance scene, with a number of producers really coming in to their own.
Cork is leading the charge – which makes a nice change as the Northerners have ruled the roost for long enough.
The ubiquitous house and techno producer Mark O’Sullivan, deep house dons Fish Go Deep, and rising techno stars Edwin James and Chymera are four of the Leesiders to keep a close eye on.
Ex-pat Mark O’Sullivan recently came home from Sweden to produce and mix the debut album from his fellow Leesiders, Stanley Super 800 and he hopes to get back to his native land a lot more in 2007.
He will have a wealth of new material to promote, not least the second album from top Swedish producer Jesper Dahlback and himself (in their DK7 guise), which is nearing completion.
The prolific O’Sullivan kicks off what will be a frantic year with two excellent releases, and the first, ‘Emission’, is the latest effort from JM Recordings, the stamp he co-owns with DK7 Jesper’s talented cousin, John Dahlback. DJ supporters include Mr C and Tiga.
Mark’s also got a three-track EP dropping on Electrovibes Records this month, comprising the new tracks ‘Kix’, ‘Pretty Girls Dub’ and ‘Indian Summer’.
Cork-born techno producer Edwin James has remixed an upcoming single on the Dublin-based Invisible Agent stamp, which is due to drop next month. Edwin has donned his Corrugated Tunnel guise for his version of Ikeaboy’s ‘Die To Be Alive’.
Fish Go Deep feat. Tracey K will be releasing ‘Battery Man’ as the next single from their Lil’ Hand album in late spring. (See elsewhere this issue for a Tracey K interview).
Costa Rica-based Corkman Chymera (who occasionally records for under the guise of I Am An Exit) releases a new single, ‘Midnight At The Aquarium’ this month on Mezzotinto Records. The tune is a firm favourite with Laurent Garnier.
There’s more Irish techno in the pipeline from Belfast’s Phil Kieran. His fourth Soma Records collaboration with Funk D’Void has been recorded. The two new tracks include ‘White Light’.
Up and coming trance producer Paul Webster got a great start to the New Year – his remix of Warrior’s trance classic, ‘If U Want Me’, was signed to Incentive Records.
Webster’s remix of the all-time anthem has already been licensed to the forthcoming Ministry album from Judge Jules, who has also asked the young Dubliner to remix the next single to be lifted from his Proven Worldwide album.
Irish trance sensation John O’Callaghan follows his powerful remix of Danny Oliveira’s ‘Drop It Your Love’ (out now on Discover Dark) with his debut artist album next month. Something To Live For will be released on Discover with a bonus CD of club versions and rare remixes.
By day, Donegal lads Timmy & Tommy teach at the STC in Dublin’s Temple Bar and by night they retire to its studios and knock out some tasty electro.
Their Sir Tuffner EP is due out in March on French label, Lift’In Records. Remixes come from respected Polish producer Greg Kobe.
Timmy & Timmy have also remixed Swedish electro-pop act Rubikon’s ‘Why Keep On’ for the Substream label, and it is due in April.
And the pair have signed their ‘Rapturous’ single (which features Nat Leonard on vocals) to the Irish-based house label, Queep Records. It includes a remix from a Northern producer to keep an eye on, Discount Rhino.
Queep Organic House, incidentally, was set up in 2004 in London but is now run from Dublin by founder Damien Hughes.
Queep kicks of 2007 with a six-track sampler featuring an Eros da Funk mix of the aforementioned Timmy & Tommy tune along with upcoming tracks from Hatstandy Andy, Thee-O, Mr Fuzz presents Twisty Fuzz, Elektro Organik feat Christian Fontana and Layers Of Sound featuring Demetrious.
The sampler EP will be quickly followed by ‘No Reason’ from Hatstandy Andy (one half of the hot London duo, Fuzik), which will include a remix from Steve Edwards and is the eighteenth Quuep single.
The 19th is already on the schedule, and it will be ‘Soulmate’ from U-Ness featuring Fazee, a duo which is one part Belgian, one part Moroccan.
Towards the end of 2006, two New York-based Dubliners – Glen Brady aka DJ Wool and Dominique Keegan – embarked on a mini-tour of Ireland having completed work on their debut album as The Glass.
Dominique had previously founded the influential Plant Music label in New York with partner Marcus Lambkin (who is now based in Stuttgart and is recording for DFA as Shit Robot).
Their Plant Bar (opened in 1999) was the teething ground for The Rapture and the DFA, and Dominique’s renowned Sound of Young New York mix compilations championed artists such as !!!, DFA, The Rapture, Metro Area, MSTRKRFT and Ratatat.
Glen Brady moved to New York in 2001, having been one of the most popular club DJs on our circuit for more than a half a decade.
Dominique and Glen started working together in 2003 as The Glass and have released four 12ins so far. They are currently in negotiations for a European release for their album. 2007 promises much. Check their myspace page to hear why.
Last but not least, Psychonavigation Records has announced details of its first release of 2007. Bickley and O’Farrell’s ‘All Your Life’ will surface in February accompanied by remixes from Chris Coco, Sasha Puttnam, Digitonal and Electric Penguins … THE BEAT GOES ON!