The October Bank Holiday weekend will be the centre of all things electronic in Europe, with DEAF 4 ‘05 (the Dublin Electronic Arts Festival 2005) running at more than twenty city centre pubs and clubs from Wednesday October 26 to Monday October 31.
More than 150 artists will take part in 40 events that mix live electronic music with visual performances, DJ sets, digital exhibitions and workshops.
Highlights on the superb calendar of events include the first ever live appearance in Ireland of Underground Resistance / Galaxy 2 Galaxy at The Village on Sunday 30. The Detroit techno godfathers will perform as a seven-piece hi-tech jazz band. Also making his Irish debut is rap legend Kool Keith aka Dr. Octagon at The Village on Thursday 27, while drum ‘n’ bass superstar DJ Goldie spins at Traffic, with the latest signing to his Metalheadz label, Irish producer Beta 2, playing support.
As ever, not all of the essential DEAF events involve partying. At Filmbase on Saturday 29t, Pamelia Kurstin will give a Theremin performance, and veteran Irish electronic composer Roger Doyle teams up with musicians at the cutting edge of laptop and acoustic improvisation.
Laptops will also be much in evidence at the free DJ weekenders running every day throughout the festival from 6pm at Hogans and The Globe. For a full list of the DJs performing, and regular DEAF updates, see www.deafireland.com.
And as if to prove that Dublin isn’t all about cool music and cutting-edge art, the October bank holiday weekend will also see a combined audience of almost 10,000 clubbers attend two banging dance events – Godskitchen at the Point (with Dutch trance DJ Armin van Buuren and Irish star Fergie among the DJs) and the Temple Theatre Reunion at The Ambassador (with Italian icon Mauro Picotto and yours truly on the bill).
There are three new Irish releases surfacing this fortnight. Electronic artist Somadrone, who has worked with The Redneck Manifesto, Jape and Goodtime John, releases his Fuzzing Away To A Whisper album on Trust Me I’m A Thief Records on October 21. It will include a free CD containing the rare ‘Let’s Depart’ single originally released on 10-inch vinyl in 2001. The album will be officially launched at Project Arts Centre in Dublin on October 22.
Test pressings of the fourth Crash Test Recordings single are now in the hands of key UK DJs. The single pairs a Raff N Jay remix of Grit Greenglow’s ‘Alpha Component’ with Alan Pullen’s rather tasty roller ‘Some Of This’. Cork producer Mark O’Sullivan’s DK7 are among the acts on the new Output compilation. ‘Life Is Everywhere’ is the featured track …
Ireland’s ever-growing Polish community (many of whom are avid clubbers) may appreciate the eastern European jazzy inflections of the Skalpel album Konfusion (Ninja Tune); heavy ganja smokers most definitely will. Smokers will also appreciate Broadcast’s Tender Buttons on Warp Records, which also unleashes the mind-blowing experimental set Smash from Jackson Fourgeaud, aka Jackson and his Computer Band.
Suburban hip-hop star Hot Karl’s The Great Escape (BBE) covers his departure from Interscope Records with much humour. An equally merry romp, but driven by pumping Euro rhythms, is Erasure star Andy Bell’s first solo album, Electric Blue (Sanctuary). The BEATS & PIECES pick of the bunch, however, is The Campfire Headphase (Warp) from Boards Of Canada. Electronic music was invented for journeys like this.
Compilations on the go this fortnight are Steve Lawler’s Lights Out (Global Underground), full of dark drums as you’d expect, Full Cycle Live 2 (Full Cycle), recorded at a Bristol party and featuring Roni Size, Krust, Die and the crew, and Ewan Pearson’s compilation debut, which launches Soma’s Sci.Fi.Hi.Fi series in subterranean style. Mightily impressive is the Soulwax remix album, Nite Versions, which remodels their Any Second Now album in fine fashion.
Rob da Bank’s Fabric 24 (Fabric) jumps from Plastikman’s seminal ‘Spastik’ to The Futureheads’ ‘Hounds Of Love’ with ease, and peppers its contemporary eclecticism with some old acid house classics. Life Before 40 (Low Life) is the renowned UK hip-hop stamp’s classy round-up of its first 39 releases and it comes with jams from Rodney P and Skinnyman.
Notably different but equally good is New York label Definitive Jux’s compilation Hell’s Winter, which features fresh cuts from R2D2 and DJ Shadow. While Fingathing’s Time Capsule is a fine representation of Peter Parker and Sneaky’s first five years.
Big single of the fortnight is Olav Basoski’s monster anthem ‘Waterman’ (Positiva), which samples Sister Nancy’s reggae classic ‘Bam Bam’ and features Michie One on vocals. It got one of the best responses for Fatboy Slim at Electric Picnic. One of the hottest promos about contains electro remixes of acid house’s biggest hit, S’Express’ ‘Theme From S’Express’ (White Label) by King Roc, Simon Acetone and Punx Soundcheck.
Fans of Caged Baby’s delightful album Will See You Now (Southern Fried) date will be thrilled to learn that they bring their live show to Crawdaddy in Dublin on October 21. Hard dance don Andy Farley will spin at the Energize first birthday blowout at Liquid in Bray on October 15th … onetrackrecords.com is running a new weekly Saturday night club at The Underground in Dublin … German trance legend Paul van Dyk plays Lush in Portrush on October 29. Tickets are now on sale …
And finally, the reopening of Redbox in Dublin has been postponed due to delays in the completion of the building work. Insiders say it could be early December before owner John Reynolds gives the go-ahead for the punters to see what the fuss is all about …THE BEAT GOES ON!