After the critical and commercial success of his 2010 debut album Curse Of The Voodoo Drums, Irish producer Detboi is about to return with a sequel. Out on the Cheap Thrills in the autumn, Curse Of The Voodoo Drums: Vol 2 includes ‘Sanctuary Of Love’, which has been causing huge ripples on the bass house scene. In particular, the video has been acclaimed for its use of a hot new art style, light painting. See the video on YouTube – search for Detboi featuring Mista Men, ‘Sanctuary Of Love’.

Another Irish act about to return with new material is one half Berlin based duo The Glass – Glen Brady – who has an EP with Brooklyn electro-rapper Cerebral Vortex in the pipeline. Speaking from his studio at the final mixdown of the EP, Glen explains, “I’ve been on the road constantly for five years. I’m just taking three months now to catch up in the studio before tour madness starts again in October, where we continue touring the States with The Glass.”
The band have a dance legend on board too, “Todd Terry has just remixed us,” he enthuses, adding that his own DJ Wool solo project is taking off (“I have a solo release on Discobelle and another on Top Billing”.)
The latest small festival to hit the Irish dance scene is the Mansion Festival, announced this month. Pitching up in the Fairway Hotel Complex, Dundalk on October 29 and 30, Mansion is headlined by the star act at Life Festival in May, Vitalic. A live set from the French electro wizard will be backed up with one of the hottest names in house, Joris Voorn and hard techno stalwart Chris Leibing. More info at the-mansion-festival.com

Joris Voorn’s fellow Dutchman Sander Van Doorn is bringing his latest project Dawn ‘Til Doorn to the North’s premier dance clubnight, Lush, at the end of the month. “It will be different to the kind of night I usually play at,” says Sander of the event, which is in Kelly’s, Portrush on July 30. “I’ll be doing three special sets rather than one. We’ll be bringing in extra production for each event and there is a unique theme to the performance that I’ll be unveiling very soon. I don’t want to give much away at the moment!” For more details check kellysportrush.co.uk.
A Daft Punk style monster with serrated edge disco and hip hop samples, ‘Get On Up’ is the international debut single for The Control Freakz, a new duo from Dublin Paul Byrne (of FM104 and East Coast FM) and Chris Browne. A launch party for the single, on German label Plasmapool is being held in The Kitchen on July 29 with admission a mere €5. Find out more at thecontrolfreakz.com.

Galway based Corkmen The Disconauts hold another one of their notorious boat parties on July 31, again on The Corrib Princess, moored on Galway Bay. The party sees the return of Scotsman Craig Smith under his much talked about alias The Revenge. An afterparty in The Bierhaus follows ‘til the early hours. For more info contact myspace.com/disconauts.
The long-awaited Mindfield compilation CD from Irish electronica pioneers Psychonavigation Records gets a launch party upstairs in Whelan’s, Dublin on August 6. Featuring ambient legends such as Future Sound Of London, Autechre and Black Dog, the CD will get launched with the likes of Zombie Computer live, Tiny Magnetic Pets and electronica’s veteran Dublin DJ Mick Chillage. More details at psychonavigation.com/mindfield.