With the explosion of the myspace generation in the 'mid-noughties', it was becoming apparent that the internet community would provide the means for a whole new group of young, talented (and not so talented) artists to have their music heard. This was a break-through, of sorts, for music industry, as it gave the opportunity for these artist to share their music with the world without the need for a prior connection with, or 'lucky break' into, the music industry.

Nowadays there are a whole host of different mediums an artist can choose as a way of sharing his music. Whilst myspace is functional, and should never be forgotten, it has nevertheless been sidelined for website with more friendlier interfaces and communities. One such site is soundcloud, a site you would do well to not have come across, and one that is a very valuable tool for any aspiring DJ/Producer/Record Label or plain music lovers.

With this in mind, this post will focus on a few artists you may or may not have come across on the interweb who I feel deserve a bit more attention.

Firstly is a producer from the musical hotspot of Leeds, known as Matt Fear. He has been getting some serious attention recently, as is shown by his latest signing to the Hot Creations sub-label Hot Waves. It must be the water up there.

Sub-heavy deep house sexiness draped in disco. I can't choose a favourite.

  Lee M Kelsall - On The Road (Matt Fear Remix) Teaser, coming soon to [[ Hot Waves ]] by Matt Fear

  Matt Fear and Will Crawshaw - Just One (Original Mix) TEASER by Will Crawshaw

  Matt Fear - That Girl (Original Mix) [[ PREVIEW ]]   Label TBA by Matt Fear

Go show him some love on his soundcloud.

The next is a guy new to the production scene, but a regular on the DJ circuit. With a weekly residency at We Love... in Ibiza that speaks for itself, Ian Blevins (aka Al Gobi) knows what makes a club full of revelers tick, as he so kindly demonstrates in this 'mid-tempo hosue chugger'.

  Al Gobi - A Cup of Tea by ianblevins

Olaf Stuut (. O .) is a frightfully talented producer from Holland, who I have only recently had the pleasure of discovering. Making a huge variety of different tunes that demonstrate an incredibly eclectic taste and diverse musical inspiration, his pieces are made as music should be. Organic, electronic, melancholic, melodious and atmospheric all in one.

  ◯ - I See by · O ·

  ◯ - Walking Stairs by · O · 

  ◯ - Love by · O ·


Other top artists to note are Sam.u.L, whose tunes have been played a number of times by Desolat's tINI; Kitchen's Inc and Two Long People. Enjoy.

Rebel Rave @ EXIT Festival 2011 from Dominic Kocur on Vimeo.

Sunday: Steve Aoki, Paul Kalkbrenner (live), Rebel Rave (Damian Lazarus, Seth Troxler, Jamie Jones)

We can argue the nostalgic redemption of Jamiroquai forever, but in truth Saturday at Exit was a write-off. Indeed DJ Sneak and Matthias Tanzmann et al were orchestrating what I expect was a wonderful night in the Dance Arena as we made our way back to the campsite, but our commitment to keeping ourselves fit and fresh for Sunday kept up our spirits.

Every party likes to go out with a bang, and Exit's finalé last year was a masterclass in how to bring a party to a close in style. The earlier chapter of Sunday last year was dominated by the Chemical Brothers on the Main Stage, a performance that absorbed so many that the Dance Arena was practically empty when me and Chris first entered to catch DJ Mehdi, the first of Ed Banger's three representatives to play that night. By the time Crystal Castles were ready to follow Mehdi in the Dance Arena, thousands had poured in from elsewhere around the fortress to catch what promised to be a memorable remainder of the night. Busy P whetted the appetite before SebastiAn's outrageous extended three-hour assault of raw, explosive electro, a set that would ultimately be named our favourite of 2010. Finally wrapping things up was A-Trak, who kept the longstayers beaming until sometime after 8am. It was a night of near perfect design, peppered with unforgettable moments of magic that would eventually become legendary, like SebastiAn's selection of the controversial full version of 'Threnody' that had us sat on the ground for over 10 minutes before its lethal climax. Expectations for the closing night at Exit this year were therefore very high.

We made our way purposefully to the Dance Arena when we arrived at the fortress, eager to mark our territory, but Steve Aoki and a mass of writhing, sweaty bodies stood in our way. Forcing to stay at no more than spectating distance, we watched with great amusement as the Dim Mak chief launched himself into the crowd on an inflatable dingy, soaked those at the front in several bottles worth of champagne, leaped around a lot and occasionally dashed behind the decks to change the track. I can't say I paid great attention to what he played, the majority of it plucked from his dependable arsenal of crowd-pleasing juggernauts (as well as his own self-proclaimed debut dubstep track, road tested to frightening consequences), but along with his frequent surges towards the edge of the stage to bellow down the microphone, the Steve Aoki show fulfilled no less than the one-man spectacle promised. Rest assured, there should be no confusion in the expectations for one who is faced with Steve Aoki.

Our night effectively started when Paul Kalkbrenner took over, but it was only then we became fully aware of how remarkably emptier the Dance Arena was in comparison to previous nights. From high upon the hills of the fortress that watch over the Dance Arena this wasn't so obvious, but on ground-level inspection the numbers inside were noticeably fewer. I can offer several explanations for this, but it wouldn't surprise me if many compatriots of ours had opted to miss the final night in order to catch Monday's early flight back to London, the last until Wednesday. This worked in our favour though, as we were able to glide through the prime zones of the arena with unprecedented ease. With tracks from his new album Icke Wieder comprising the bulk of his hour allotment, there was little eclecticism to Paul Kalkbrenner, but the veteran's wonderfully honest, unpretentious approach to making music is admirably reflected in how he brings it to us on stage. What Kalkbrenner avoids so naturally is the often inescapable ego of the solitary live act. In a musical scene congested with posturing unoriginality, Kalkbrenner is still a breath of fresh air, making tracks and relaying them with the unfaltering grin of someone who was entertaining thousands for the very first time.

While we had been far from deprived of Jamie Jones, Seth Troxler and Damian Lazarus this year, it was their B2B 'Rebel Rave' stint on the Sunday night that had more or less been the focal point of the festival for us ever since the drama of Thursday night ended. House, Techno. Deep House. Disco. The prevailing theme of their two hour voyage into the sunny ascent of Monday morning was predictable, but how these three individually charismatic selectors would handle a three-way split was not. Food for thought this was, but ultimately it was merely academic, as all it really meant was it gave each member ample time to dance and drink and enjoy the true spectacle it was. It was also a showcase of three musical minds that, in musical terms, are defining now. The influence these three artists have had on reshaping underground music is so easily underestimated, but here was their opportunity to really prove it. This they did emphatically, demonstrating an alchemy between them you would expect from the likes of the Tyrant duo, and selecting bespoke, elusive records that were of neither mundane predictability or personal overindulgence. The soundsystem coped admirably, and as the sun rose, flooding the fortress with searing heat with the Rebel Rave drawing nearer to a close, we could argue with conviction that this would be the part of Exit 2011 that would leave the greatest impression on us. On their own these DJ's are of the highest caliber, from the elite, but together they are a force beyond reckoning.

Before Sunday night, perhaps Exit 2011 was crying out for something it could be truly remembered by. Last year we were spoiled with these, but prior to the Rebel Rave there wasn't a great defining moment in all honesty. It was still, by festival standards an equivocal success, it's size and scale being enough alone to determine that, but thanks to those same faces, seen like clockwork on the London circuit, we took home something truly unforgettable.

The quaint Cornwall fisherman's town, St. Ives marked the end of my summer of 2011. Despite boasting arguably Britain's finest coastline and on a fine day like the one pictured above, one of Europe's, there is barely a decent pub to be found within the town's charming little cobbled streets, so getting a fix of minimal techno in some cottage basement seemed unlikely. Of course, that was never something I expected, and the brief, tranquil escape to the south coast with the family is probably just the rest I need before I relocate back to London in the next few days.

Hopefully I haven't missed too much while I've been away, but it appears that even the relative insulation of a place like St. Ives isn't enough to keep the musical world's most brow-raising news from me. Chris wasted no time giving me the heads-up as soon as In:Motion's 2011 Programme was announced. Much like Manchester's Warehouse Project series, In:Motion offers a feast for all musical palates over 9 weeks starting in October and concluding on New Year's eve, the line up of which has been naturally withheld thus far. Chris will no doubt be stalking the ramps and tunnels throughout the series, as I would myself if I lived as close to the action as he does, but at present only Cocoon's showcase on December 10th has been firmly penciled in my diary. The usual suspects are there, with established nights such as Bloc, FWD vs Rinse, Hospitality and Shit The Bed catering for those of a more bass-craving disposition, while Bristol's thriving indie-electro scene is serviced by Bristol stalwarts Bugged Out! and Annie Mac.

Of more specific interest for Chris and I is undoubtedly the impressive package supply of house on offer, which is far from surprising considering the impact Just Jack's house-driven programming has had on Bristol. Their Halloween party on October 29th welcomes Visionquest's Shaun Reeves and Tale of Us, as well as New York disco hipsters Soul Clap alongside Space Dimension Controller and Just Jack's lynchpin residents, Tom Rio and Dan Wild. RMBA & Futureboogie's November 26th takeover is another intensely intriguing assembly of sounds and performances, with Crazy P and Henrik Schwarz billed live with DJ's Maya Jane Coles, Julio Bashmore, Appleblim and Bonobo. Cocoon meanwhile, presents perhaps the most daring episode of the In:Motion series. While Bristol is well and truly immersed by house music these days, catching up and arguably surpassing dubstep as the city's most influential sound, minimal techno is a soundscape of untested waters as of yet. Will Onur Ozer's shadowy aesthetic be as well received as the Visionquest sound? The jury's out, but either way Shonky, Dinky and Dyed Soundorom are lined-up for those still unsure come the 10th of December, but rest assured I'll be clinging to the most fragile of basslines wherever they come from.

Closer to now, we're also faced with another bank holiday weekend on the horizon, which means more wild Sunday things in London and beyond. Hopefully by then I will have settled in my new home, which unfortunately is no longer a stone's throw from fabric but now the Emirates Stadium. I've studied what's on offer and Ketoloco's Summer Closing Party at The Light Bar in Shoreditch is what stands out most. The Wighnomy Brothers are sadly now defunct, but Robag Wruhme continues to make coveted rare stop-offs in London and this is my opportunity to finally catch him, alongside a handful of other Ketoloco DJ's at one of London's hottest all-day parties this coming weekend. WYS!, Lo*kee, Eastern Electrics and Secretsundaze are making sure whatever party you choose will not be easy, but in short you're unlikely to lose out wherever you are.

It's been relatively boring for Chris and I since Exit. We've spent most of our time consciously avoiding even the most reasonable expenses in anticipation of a new and exciting start to our second year at university (I can't quite believe how quickly a year has passed, for I still vividly remember posting just before I began my first year). Our belt-tightening has led to depressing and at times shameful measures like nursing a single pint in a pub for about three hours, or even making do with 70 pence lime and sodas, a fee even then I regret paying. Despite our determination to cut back at all costs, we were summoned back to London right at the end of March for fabric's first extended party of the year. By 'extended' we mean it will finish sometime after 2pm when fabric are behind the operation, and so it did. Fashionably late, Ricardo Villalobos graced the decks just after 10am, proving why he is still the king of Room One amidst an uprising of skepticism since his controversial antics at the club in March. More on that, along with the final chapter of Exit to come, but just before I nip off for a brief retreat to the south coast with the family I've managed to finalize my July chart. Chris is still yet to update his since May, resulting in Lee Cutiss's 'Candy' still proclaimed as his number two choice for the last month, but I'm sure he will be back with a treasure trove of unreleased, foraged house gems very soon. What I have been listening to over the last month has been dramatically varied as I'm sure you've already observed. Some old, some new, some very old, in particular Derrick May's late 80's detroit classic, The Dance has almost been on repeat of late, ever since I finally managed to hunt down what that vintage house groove Craig Richards so often slips in to his sets is. John Digweed's latest Bedrock compilation, Structures Two is riddled with both the finest progressive house cuts and ambient offshoots, but for me Robert Babicz's contribution is the most profound, and something I'm dying to one day finish a set with. One of house music's most exciting producers, David August, is once again making DJ's lives a lot easier with his magical beat-making formula demonstrated in Music Is The Place To Be, while another producer I've long had my eye on, Arne Weinberg, has had me in awe of his delicate, atmospheric fusion of post-modernistic minimal techno and surging house music with Eclipse. But without any real contest, topping July's chart for me (and probably Chris) is Oni Ayhun's OAR003-B. Although I was initially unaware of Oni Ayhun's true identity, I felt foolish that I never instantly pinned down some kind of connection to The Knife. Oni Ayhun is of course, Olof Dreijer, one half of Swedish electronic duo The Knife and brother to Karen Dreijer aka. Fever Ray, the other half. I feel foolish because OAR003-B has The Knife's DNA embedded in every single bar. As well as technical similarities, it is subjectively beautiful, fresh, unpolluted electronic bliss and irrefutably Scandanavian. It helps beg the question why we all don't pack our bags and head for Stockholm. Unfortunately, Ikea Wembley in search for a full-length mirror for my new flat will have to do for me...

1. Oni Ayhun - OAR003-B


2. Robert Babicz - Pink Trees (On The Couch Journey Mix)


3. Arne Weinberg - Eclipse


4. David August - Music Is The Place To Be


5. Craig Bratley - Birdshell (6th Borough Project vs. Russ Yallop Dancefloor Edit)


6. Derrick May - The Dance


7. Radiohead - Little By Little (Caribou Mix)


8. Waifs & Strays - Yeah Yeah


9. Ethyl & Huxley - Reflextions (Aybee Mix)


10. James Teej - Daytime Ringer

Saturday: Jamiroquai

We dance music lovers live a strange existence rarely reflected upon. Domestically, we live to a few subconsciously conceived unwritten rules to enhance our party experience. One of the rules I have enforced over the years is never to arrive at a club night too early. Naturally, this rule is subject to change depending on when the night is expected to finish, but my philosophy has always been that there's nothing more demoralising than leaving a night undesirably early due to tiredness, which effects us all at some point. The rules become inconveniently scrambled during festivals like Exit however, where the programming is not like a nightclub's, and the gig-mentality prevails over the rave. So we are presented with a bit of a problem as Exit has an arena dedicated to dance music, but many other stages showcasing music not designed for the early hours.

We fell victim to this problem on Saturday night, when the last four days of constant beer consumption, scorching heat and cobbled, uphill walks in unsuitable footwear around Novi Sad had become inevitably punishing. With nothing (and we mean NOTHING) to combat our diminished energy reserves and faced by another 40 minute journey to the fortress, the treasures of the Serbian dawn in the Dance Arena for the first time appeared realistically beyond what we could physically manage. Unfortunately, this meant DJ Sneak, Matthias Tanzmann, Martin Buttrich and David Squillace would all be sacrificed in a desperate and necessary attempt to hasten our recovery in time for the final night's spoils.

All was not lost though as we did join the many thousands who gathered to see Jamiroquai on the Main Stage. Jay Kay, crowned by that famous hat, rolled back the years with a scintillating array of the band's greatest tracks. It was an enormously nostalgic experience for me as at the age of around ten, 'A Funk Odyssey' may have been the first CD I had ever bought. Indeed it was only after I became aware of Jamiroquai's appearance at Exit this year that I dug out that CD from one of the many dusty vaults of forgotten music in my house and gave it a listen to for the first time for what I estimate was about a decade, possibly more. Many musical fads come and go, some embarrassing, but Jamiroquai has somehow managed to salvage my genuine affection all these years on. It's pop music, but when pop music used to be good. Groovy, funky, catchy, and utterly adorable, and at the time the perfect tonic after three nights of bass-driven, sun-soaked dissipation.

Untitled from Dominic Kocur on Vimeo.

Friday: Carl Craig, Marco Carola, tINI

After the fireworks, the mouseheads and energy levels we wouldn't see again for the rest of the festival, Thursday night's menu at the Petrovaradin fortress was distinctively more relaxed. I say relaxed loosely, as any party with Carl Craig and Marco Carola billed will be far from an ambient spectacle, but compared to the explosive sets from deadmau5, Gessafelstein, Tiga and James Zabiela the previous night, it promised more tranquil proceedings.

One new thing we did learn was that despite the shaded campsite, trying to catch some vital shut-eye at 8am remained a near impossible task. Temperatures continued to rise throughout the morning, the ensuing heat-induced daze on the beach became the only opportunity to sleep for longer than 20 minutes, a system that would continue for the rest of the trip. Importantly though, Friday night at the festival was the first time I discovered how physically tiring this festival can be. Chris admittedly wavered slightly right at the end of the first night, which was intense by anyone's standards, but it was only after Marco Carola's two hour set in the Dance Arena on Friday that the reality of genuine fatigue struck me.

On a more positive note, Carl Craig was first on the bill for us, as we made our way to the fortress at the later time of 2:30, having to sacrifice Maya Jane Coles and her surprisingly early 11pm slot in the Dance Arena, before fading 90's duo, Underworld performed live soon after. Upon arrival, the Dance Arena was congested as ever and Carl Craig was the man supplying the beats, complimented by an impressive array of lighting, visuals and on-stage performers. We decided to occupy new dancefloor territory inside the arena, that being the inclining terrain towards the back that leads to a higher platform of the fortress and some metal terracing. It was a poor decision, as we overlooked the difficulties of trying to dance on a steep gradient lined with craggy rocks, ultimately hindering our enjoyment of Craig's set.

It's difficult to confess disappointment in Carl Craig without an element of intrinsic betrayal. This was the first time I had witnessed Planet E's founder, and his name on the line-up was arguably one of the festival's greatest coups. For me personally, it was a particularly exciting inclusion as he was one of few at the festival I hadn't already seen. Unfortunately if felt like Craig's loyal adherence to the detroit sound he is famed for championing was a little awkward for a venue like Exit's dance arena. Festivals are notoriously difficult territory for club DJ's and Craig's set was a suitable example of when club music doesn't work outside the club. With the exception of Movement, and perhaps a few other specialised indoor festivals, it might be fairer to say Craig's sound couldn't work in the festival context, and he was fighting a losing battle to win over Exit's fairly fickle dance arena crowd this time. His mixing was naturally flawless, and his instinctive selection of polished, industrial techno was of the highest order, but there seemed a shared desire for slightly slower rhythmic dynamism. In short, what we wanted was house music, or fresh, flamboyant techno that essentially gave us a few breathers. Last year, Ricardo Villalobos revised his selections with intelligent consideration of where he was playing, and to whom he was playing for. His hypnotic microhouse grooves may stimulate the minds and bodies of those in fabric's Room One, but would unlikely be as effectively received within the ancient walls of the dance arena. But such is Craig's obvious devotion to the sound of detroit and the culture of techno that perhaps he refuses to adapt his sets even for festivals.

In a night committed to techno, Marco Carola was the perfect tonic to Carl Craig's intense motor-city indulgence. The man responsible for the honestly named 'Play It Loud' album released on M-nus last year delivered exactly what we expect from him with two, sunny hours of uncompromising, big-room minimal techno. His selections were far more appeasing, peppered with long, soothing breakdowns and beatless periods that helped engineer some genuine movement, the muscular basslines complemented by a thick forest of raised arms that had been absent during Carl Craig. From someone who named his album 'Play It Loud', Marco Carola is someone who understands the importance of an adequate soundsystem, and the Dance Arena's PA was EQ'd to perfection for Carola's most percussive cuts. Last year's searing electro abrasion was captured at its most satisfying by that system, while this year it demonstrated remarkable dexterity to handle drums and percussion with such ease and clarity.

tINI, Desolat's rhythm queen concluded Friday with an absorbing set, finely textured with everything from quirky microhouse, to shrewdly applied techno. There was far more variation in her transitions to Carola's, but the rhythm was relentless, and her selections highly original. At one point, UK garage/2-step pioneer Burial was briefly embedded into a throbbing deep house pulse. The snares, organic crackles and angelic vocals of his seminal track 'Raver' applied so tastefully had me almost too stunned to dance for the 30 seconds or so it filtered in.

Just like last year, Friday represented the most 'underground' night at Exit. Despite Carl Craig's slightly unavailing early slot, we were left fully satisfied by Carola and tINI's emphatic taste of sweaty, warehouse-rave music but monitored in a way that hit all the right notes at festival of Exit's size and style.

Plastikman, Richie Hawtin's production alter ego, is a dark, sinister project. The brainchild of an acid-influenced mind perhaps, but however you look at Plastikman, and hear the sounds coming from him, you cannot escape his enigma.

Soundscapes that are at times inexplicably bleak, yet rich with trippy, downtempo fervour is what Plastikman is all about. Plastikman is a concept, as much as it is a real person, contained inside a body, designed to take electronic music into a new dimension, to places it has never been before and infect people's minds with it. Whatever was going on in Richie Hawtin's head when he developed Plastikman is anyone's guess, but beyond the disturbing, corrupted nature of the music he gave birth to under this moniker is something very, very sophisticated.

In the same way our world needs scientists, music, particularly electronic music, needs someone like Richie Hawtin. I'm reluctant to use the term 'pioneer' as it's such an overused word in music, but it certainly can be attributed to Hawtin. There was a day when a mixing desk, a few samplers and a laptop was enough to make a great live performance, but Plastikman has changed all that with his live show. We've seen the videos and we've heard the stories of Hawtin, cocooned inside an LED screen, sending packed-out arenas into hypnosis with his sensually stimulating techno odysseys. Now we can finally see the iconic live show ourselves, but more stunning than ever as Plastikman 1.5 will soon be touring Europe and the US, with three dates booked in the UK.

I've already secured my ticket for the London leg of the tour, to be held at Brixton Academy, and I would strongly being prompt about doing the same. Early bird and tickets for the balcony sold out within the first 24 hours of their release, and as with any high-profile event in London, the rest do not hang around for long. If Plastikman alone isn't enough to tempt you, then support from M-nus royalty in Magda and Ambivalent may do so. He will also hit up Manchester and Glasgow before he moves concludes his tour in Italy on December 7th. The links below are the places to get your tickets for any one of the three parts of his three UK stops:

Plastikman 1.5 - Manchester Academy, Manchester: Thursday December 1st 9pm-2am (£25)
Plastikman 1.5 - Brixton Academy, London: Friday December 2nd 9pm-2am (£27.50)
Plastikman 1.5 - Barrowland, Glasgow: Saturday December 3rd 8pm - 1am (£25)

To celebrate the news of this tour, for I can hardly contain my excitement, here's my top 5 of Plastikman. It took me a to compile this list, for all of Plastikman's output is original in a very unified style, but what I've come up with reflects his most indulgent and compelling work. Whether it's his eccentric infatuation with the letter 'K' in his track-naming (I'm sure it has nothing to do with ketamine, seriously), or his acid obsession (which might have something to do with the corresponding narcotic...), all Plastikman's work exhibits a musical mind adverse to playing it safe.

5. Plastikman - Marbles


4. Plastikman - Plasticine


3. Plastikman - Spastik


2. Plastikman - Konception


1. Plastikman - Are Friends Electrik?

From an outsider's perspective, festivals are remarkable concepts. Throwing a party is one thing, but gathering thousands, or in Exit's case around 200,000, for one big, extended party is something else. It's therefore not exactly difficult to get to the heart of why we love festivals so much. We love to party, so by stretching one out over several days and by grouping all those attending to live, sleep, eat and drink together, we are provided with something that offers one hundred percent indulgence and hedonism. It's like a holiday, but so much better.

Last year we chose Exit for several reasons. Most important was the line-up, which was undoubtedly best suited to our musical palate, covering all bases from Ricardo Villalobos to SebastiAn, to Crystal Castles. But what is so unique about Exit is that despite being one of Europe's festival leaders, it is refreshingly affordable. Costing just £85 for the four days and only a further £25 for a ten day camping pass, it's less than half the price of Glastonbury and considerably cheaper than the likes of Sonar and many other European heavyweights. Does that mean you get any less for your money? Not in the slightest, and once again we found the festivities in Novi Sad just too good to resist, prising us away from temptations elsewhere.

Every festival has it's unique selling point (or USP as they so fondly initial it in The Apprentice), and although there is so much that makes Exit so attractive, it's location is without doubt what makes it so special. Housed in the medival Petrovaradin fortress that looks over the River Danube and across Novi Sad, Serbia's second city, it's a phenomenal backdrop for the festival, providing unrivaled charm and character . No other festival can claim to have such a remarkable setting, and despite the undesirable uphill journeys, narrow draw-bridges and the cobbled pavements, Exit wouldn't be what it is today without it's historic venue.

In all honesty, Exit found us this year, for it was only at the very latest stages we swerved Benicassim, questioning why really we were going to a festival Chase and Status were headlining. Secretly I had been monitoring the additions made to Exit's line-up, out of curiosity more than anything as the consensus suggested we would not be returning. As months passed us by under the illusion we would eventually end up in Spain come July, and as Glastonbury sold out almost instantly for those who like mud, acid and Paolo Nutini, Exit's line-up meanwhile was swelling with acts that raised our pulses. A summit meeting was called and radical changes were implemented immediately. Exit it was. To our delight, several other acts were added to the dance arena after we had secured our tickets, including Martin Buttrich, Mathias Tanzmann and David Squillace, collectively known as 'Better Lost Than Stupid'. Maya Jane Coles was also added, but the addition of Rebel Rave was without doubt the most exciting one, made even more so when it emerged they would be responsible for the closing slot on the Sunday. Personally, I still felt it was pipped ever so slightly by last year's line-up, which I reiterate was almost too good to be true. There was certainly a significant difference in theme though, with last year's heavy electro influence replaced by the prevalent flavour of house and techno, which of course was no problem. Either way, what brought us back to Exit wasn't just the music, it was everything else that makes it such an enjoyable week. Here's what...


Thursday: Gesaffelstein, Tiga, KiNK (live), Pleasurekraft, deadmau5 (live), James Zabiela, Joris Voorn

Arriving on Monday afternoon, we were surprised to learn that the Exit Village, the campsite, was not where it was last year. First impressions were not great, the alarming bleakness of the site made it appear far from habitable even for the most unfussy festival-goers. We would later come to appreciate how merciful the change was, as unlike last year's unshaded alternative high up near the fortress, this campsite was essentially a forest, providing us with all the shade we could ever wish for. It was also situated on the banks of the Danube, which unlike last year had not risen to flood-threatening levels and also was complimented by a wonderful man-made, tree-littered beach. We were never brave enough to wade into the river, slightly cautious of it's cleanliness (you wouldn't step into the Thames now, would you?), but the beach and its shaded patches provided vital refuge from the searing midday temperatures that cooked Serbia later that week. Last year we struggled surviving, let alone sleeping, in completely open 38 degree heat the days peaked at, but this year was a shock even for the olive-skinned Serbians as temperatures regularly hit the 40 mark, one day apparently climbing to as high as 43. The Balkan climate is certainly one of Exit's most appealing features, but in these unprecedented temperatures it was undeniably draining at times. Although the portaloos were standard issue festival putrescence, the other facilities were in all fairness superb. These ranged from the shower cubicles to the battery charging tent, costing a mere 50 dinara, equivalent to around 50 pence. The campsite also provided us with welcome, if at times slightly dubious nighttime entertainment on the Tuesday and Wednesday leading up to the festival days. Stages were erected and DJ's deployed with some bizarre styles, but it nonetheless provided us with a suitable context to consume a vast proportion of our duty-free vodka and have a warm-up groove before the spoils of the opening night arrived.

The sizzling anticipation ahead of Thursday night, together with the vast scale of the whole festival make Exit ever so slightly overwhelming to begin with. It's the little things, as well as the grand, that all contribute to make Exit seem like it's just too huge to fully absorb. Novi Sad as a city awakens from its fairly sleepy normality on this Thursday evening every year, with everything and everyone catching Exit fever. Whether it's the old Serbian women on the streets selling home-made Rakija, the regional spirit, or the locals without tickets just around to catch the vibes, you are constantly reminded on the way to the fortress, which was a good 40 minute walk, that this city enjoys being home to this festival. With our eyes firmly fixed on the legendary dance arena, Tiga, James Zabiela, Joris Voorn and interestingly deadmau5 were lined up in what promised to be a breathless first night. But before we tackled the complex route to the dance arena, we were keen to catch Turbo's Gesaffelstein, who was billed to perform live in the discretely tucked away Elektrana stage. Despite some initial sound problems, it was an exhilarating start to our Exit 2011 experience. Love or hate him, you can't accuse Gesaffelstein of lacking bravery with his sound- a raw, uncompromising meld of jagged techno and cold, mean electro. It's the kind of stuff your mother would kick you out of the house for playing, and while his set probably shocked and disgusted many in the small arena, we loved every minute, including some of my personal favourites like Aufstand, Hatred and most his most recent release on Turbo, OPR.

After a fist-pumping, sweat-breaking introduction from Gesaffelstein, we made our way to the Dance Arena to catch his boss, who was already rocking a packed out crowd. I hadn't seen Tiga since Planet Turbo over a year ago, an event I have seminal reminiscence about. Founding arguably the most influential label for electro-edged techno, it was hardly a surprise then that he showcased some of the scene's greatest tracks, while predictably throwing in some unreleased/never-to-be-released records that only label owners have the luxury of. It was a magnificent performance, and expectations were high this time, but his set felt distinctively unchanged from when I saw him over a year ago. It was safe, festival-friendly two hours, with plenty of old crowd-pleasing selections like Proxy's remix of Tiga's own What You Need, and Len Faki's blistering remix of Dustin Zahn's Stranger To Stability. It was a safe and satisfying set from Tiga, but not thrilling by any means, and certainly didn't have him rummaging deep into his label's record vaults or using his enviable list of contacts.

We left Tiga for the last half hour of his set and made the short journey to the Happynovisad Stage, arguably the festival's most unique and charming little space, accessible only through a narrow tunnel from the Dance Arena. Here, one half of UK duo, Pleasurekraft was in full swing with plenty of softcore tech house grooves, that despite being pretty cheesy at times, was irresistibly fun. We also caught a good half hour of KiNK live, who wasted no time slapping us in the face with a bold session of big-room house. There were some truly devastating basslines in his set, but at times he got a little carried away, occasionally giving us the impression he was about to tear his equipment out from the sockets as he jumped around, somehow remaining mildly coherent. Despite the relative absurdity of KiNK's performance, we would have probably stuck around had deadmau5 not already started over in the Dance Arena. Amidst a sea of cardboard mouse heads attached to thousands, the enigmatic Joel Zimmerman was in control of his 'Unhooked' set (whatever that means), and was actually very impressive.

Last year Exit enlisted David Guetta as their mainstream addition to a Dance Arena of otherwise high integrity. This year, that role appeared to be taken up by deadmau5, who's popularity would inevitably situate him in the mainstream category. The good news is that unlike Guetta, I actually have some affection for deadmau5, but the bad news is that affection used to be much greater, and has unfortunately somewhat diminished over the last couple of years. The arrogance, the outspokenness, the dubstep and the stupid mouse head has all made me lose interest to be frank. The deadmau5 I used to love, the guy who produced clean, clever and unfussy progressive electro house, has disappeared, and whereas his name on a line-up would have once had me aroused, it barely carries any appeal anymore. However, this time there was no awful dubstep, the mousehead was used sparingly to the right gimmicky amount, and he actually looked like he was enjoying himself, pleased to be there. On top of that, he played to his strengths with all the old classics that I can't deny being very fond of. 'Some Chords', a more recent creation of his, came in fairly early, followed soon after by the club classic 'Ghosts 'n' Stuff', effectively preceded by 'Moar Ghosts 'n' Stuff'. It was a stand out moment without question, as the thousands that gathered on the slopes of the Dance Arena joined together to recite that euphoric chorus.

It may have been 5am by the time deadmau5 concluded his set with the delightfully trancey and warmly received 'Strobe', but the night was far from out in the Dance Arena as James Zabiela prepared to turn the heat up further. To say he DJ'd would be slightly misleading, as the blonde-locked face of Pioneer's elite CDJ series used a complicated array of equipment to compliment his famous scratching skills on numerous CDJ 2000's. Heavy-duty techno was on the menu, a little too heavy for us as we made do with spectating the chaos, as Zabiela leaped around, jabbing at his iPad and whatever else he was using to manufacture such excitement as we watched from high above the arena.

The main stage, which had hosted Arcade Fire and Magnetic Man among others throughout the night, had been long empty by the time Joris Voorn took over from Zabiela, who finished off with a few savage breakbeat and dubstep cuts. By this time, the sun was already directly overlooking the fortress, emitting remarkable heat considering it was only 6:30. It had been a long, physical night, and we felt as if ours was coming to an end. Voorn certainly didn't reflect any of the crowds fatigue in his selections though, with a lively, fresh feeling to his string of techy house tracks which was probably the lift many needed. Although my long desire to see Voorn compelled me to want to stay much, much longer, we headed back to the campsite soon after 7am, with the sun beating on our backs and our legs heavy. The sign of a very fulfilling party always, and also one of a very exciting start to a festival.

We're back, EXIT 2011 is over and after 10 days of scorching heat, criminally cheap beer and an intimidating amount of music, we return to Britain bronzed and bored. Last year I attempted to review the festival in meticulous detail and admittedly failed, so this year I will do something a little more succinct but hopefully vivid enough to give you some idea as to the festival's enormity. Meanwhile here's my charted tracks for June, which are typically diverse. MANIK (NYC) has won my heart for the second month running, this time with his squelchy house cut, Good 4 Me, while the UK's great house hope, Maya Jane Coles makes an inevitable return with her recent vocal-led jam, Senseless. Mat Jonson's Learning To Fly, released on M-nus is difficult to ignore and even more difficult not to admire, while Claude VonStroke's remix of Girl Unit's Wut and Butch's Big Futt represent the real dancefloor muscle. Top spot is taken by one of the most hyped, but welcome collaborations in dance music, made up of two of the most celebrated figures. Burial and Four Tet couldn't be more suited together in terms of style philosophy, yet there output on Text Records with Moth beats from both producer's hearts, forming something that could never have been created individually but remains unavoidably identifiable with them.

1. Burial & Four Tet - Moth


2. Mathew Jonson - Learning To Fly


3. Girl Unit - Wut (Claude VonStroke Remix) [Undressed Mix)


4. Butch - Big Futt


5. Heiko Laux - Moved (Ricardo Villalobos Remix)


6. MANIK (NYC) - Good 4 Me


7. John Tejada - Subdivided


8. Russ Gabriel - Prey Tell


9. Murphy Jax - Time To Bump


10. Maya Jane Coles - Senseless

FABRIC WATCH may have taken a break since for a month or so, but activity at the club has never been busier. The programming this year has been widely acknowledged as exceptional, and it's difficult to disagree when you consider who has visited EC1 so far and we're only half way through the year. Although I speak only for Saturdays, this year has been a statement by the club of its continued and unrivaled reputation as the country's elite underground club, and one of Europe's. Week after week Saturday nights display line-ups that most clubs could only dream of exhibiting, yet fabric conduct it all in such an admirably modest fashion. I certainly can't recall any year I've had fabric on my radar being as consistently impressive as 2011. The selections of artists has been innovative, interesting, even daring at times while remaining appropriate. For sure, some of electronic music's most illustrious artists have performed but only those who are right for the club.

The best of July

Saturday July 2nd:
Craig Richards, Matthias Tanzmann, Martin Buttrich (live), Matt Tolfrey, Lee Foss, Jamie Jones
The first Saturday of July offers an all-encompassing showcase across all three rooms. The tribal tech house wizard, Matthias Tanzmann, returns for the first time after his fabric debut last autumn where he demonstrated why his popularity has risen so dramatically over last couple of years. He is joined in Room One by the Desolat brand of techno from Martin Buttrich, who will deliver one of his coveted live sets. Room Two exhibits '5 Years of Leftroom', with the label's chief, Matt Tolfrey joined by some of his finest alumni. Room Three welcomes back Jamie Jones, alongside Lee Foss for what will most certainly be a packed out Hot Natured session of the most cutting-edge deep house.

Saturday July 9th:
Craig Richards, Dixon, Isolee (live), Steve Rachmad, Terry Francis
This night is all about Room One and most notably Innervisions founder Dixon. Anyone who has witnessed one of Dixon's genre-spanning sets will tell you how impressive his ability to weave so many diverse, unconventional sounds together is. Without doubt, Dixon is right up there with the most daring, unpredictable selectors, and is possibly the best example of a DJ who pushes the boundaries of when any sound can work on the dancefloor. Isolee live is certainly not to be missed either. The German minimal producer followed his critically acclaimed debut album, We Are Monsters with another fine long player, Well Spent Youth in February and this rare performance in the UK promises to be a memorable occasion.

Saturday, July 23rd:
Tyrant (Craig Richards & Lee Burridge), Reboot (live), Maetrik
Any night Lee Burridge descends on EC1 to join his old pal Craig for one of their regular Tyrant episodes is always a great occasion. Take it from me when I say if I would be there every time if it was possible. There is no better example of chemistry in a B2B set than when these two phenomenal DJ's begin bouncing off eachother. While both supply equal amounts of the most groovy, quirky tech house available, Lee Burridge embraces the party like anyone else in the club, and his enthusiasm is an exhibition in itself. Reboot, a man who needs no introduction, is also billed to perform one of his perfectly assembled and infinitely intriguing live performances. Frequently credited as one of the most exciting live acts around, Reboot, having released music on Sei Es Drum, Cadenza and Cocoon, is very much at the forefront of minimal techno and house, and if there's any possibility of hearing him play 'Caminando' then it surely not to be missed.

Wednesday July 27th & Thursday July 28th:
London Electronic presents Nicolas Jaar (live), Gadi Mizrahi (Wolf + Lamb) and Soul Clap
After the resounding success of his London debut at fabric back in March, London Electronic once again are back to unveil electronic music's prodigal son. This time however, there are two chances to catch him, the first on Wednesday which finishes at 1am and also features one half of Wolf + Lamb, Gadi Mizrahi. The following evening, they are joined by Soul Clap in what promises to be one of the most prestigious events in London this year. Expect a night of the most soulful, elegant house and other delicate electronic beats, as well as very rapid ticket sales and none on the door...

Saturday July 30th:
fabric ON... Craig Richards, Ricardo Villalobos, Deniz Kurtel (live), Space Dimension Controller, San Proper (live), Sandwell District (live), Sigha... (Saturday 11pm - Sunday 2pm)
Ricardo Villalobos is back for the second part of his twice yearly residency, the natural choice to headline fabric's extended party, ON..., which traditionally finishes no earlier than 2pm. His appearance will no doubt spark a frenzy of anticipation in London, especially for those who witnessed his remarkable behaviour at the club in March. His set time will also be hotly debated, with many dismayed by his 8:30am starting time at the event's equivalent last year, which even then he was an hour late for. For those who are coming down just for Ricardo, I would suggest arriving at the club no earlier than 5am WITH a ticket, with queues expected to be very, very long all night. For those arriving earlier there is no danger of being bored. Deniz Kurtel and San Proper are billed to perform live on stage in Room One, while Space Dimension Controller in the booth should give a refreshing twist to the night. Room Two sees Terry Francis joined by Sandwell District live. Not familiar? Then you should listen to their debut album, Feed Forward, released on their own eponymous label in December last year and met with universal acclaim. Think of a coalescence of Jeff Mills-style detroit and the Berghain-schooled techno of Ben Klock and you're some way to achieving some kind of expectation of what Sandwell District are about. Correctly deployed on Room Two's shuddering soundsystem, expect an eye-opening couple of hours, within the monumental occasion of the whole event.

fabric 58: Craig Richards presents The Nothing Special


Craig Richards has been tormenting me for a long time. 11 years ago he was one of three key people to conceive what would eventually become arguably the world's most iconic nightclub. Several years later, he inaugurated the club's mix series, now 58 strong and showing absolutely zilch signs of coming anywhere near to the end. Almost very Saturday night since October 29th, 1999, he has been at the forefront of the line-ups as the club's resident, the first name on the list above whoever he invited to play, and not once has that ever felt wrong.

Craig Richards would ask why that should be wrong, but the the reality of clubland has always focused on the headliner. Forgetting fabric's unique approach momentarily, any event flyer will always have the headliner as the very first name. In big, bold print, heading the list of acts billed, with the residents somewhere near the bottom. The logic is obvious, as the residents are always there, so there needs to be no overt notification of their appearance, while the headliner is what will generally draw the crowd. Fabric decided to challenge the necessity of this, and it was Craig Richards all those years ago who was provided the opportunity to be the star of every night. Entrusted to invite who he wanted, to play when he wanted, Richards has transformed the nature of a club residency from a position of assumed insignificance to one of control, autonomy and prestige.

This formula couldn't have been more successful at fabric, as the club edges towards its twelfth year without a hint of decay on the cards. Naturally, this degree of evergreen longevity couldn't be achieved by anyone, and although his role as the club's director of music has been arguably the most crucial factor to the rise of the club, as a DJ, one of the people actually supplying the music on the night, Richards has been beyond revelatory. This is where his habit of becoming the tormentor comes in. This is a man who doesn't see himself as a 'DJ' in common perception of the title. He is a collector of music, a hobby of his since childhood, and having the opportunity to play them in a club is merely an offshoot of this hobby. As an avid collector of music myself, I can say that having a vast reserve of tracks does allow a wonderful sense of freedom and expression, and nobody exploits this better than Richards. Whether it's warming up for one of Ricardo Villalobos's epic sonic voyages, or closing the night after Cassy's warm house sessions, Richards has the perfect records to fit the occasion and work the crowd. Together with Lee Burridge as Tyrant, he regularly assumes the role of resident-headliner, now a celebrated staple in Room One.

Perhaps because he rarely tries his hand at production, it has always been a difficult task pinning down exactly the style Richards is all about. I used to lazily associate him with 'tech house', a fusion genre which has become almost derogatory these days, but having seen him more and more I'm now less certain what sound he leans towards, which is exactly why his sets are so utterly captivating. The number of records at his disposal makes it an almost impossible task identifying tracks from his sets, something that has become almost an obsession of mine. Only occasionally do stumble across one I recognize- a celebratory moment. It's his ear for the quirkiest, funkiest, most trippy cuts of minimal techno, house and electro-flecked hybrids that is so moreish and absorbing. It's addictive stuff, and for years now I've become a slave to the Craig Richards sound.

So, is fabric 58: The Nothing Special anything like his sets at the club, and does it reveal any of those elusive numbers that have tormented me over the years? There are occasions when it feels very much like one of the dark, nightmarish experiences in Room One at his mercy. Arne Weinberg's My Testimony has a hollowness that is often found in Richards's warm-up sets, a crucial part of any night, quickly followed my G-Man's El Jam, which is snappy and breathless and perfectly designed to keep bodies and minds stimulated. While the first third of the album definitely feels like the warm-up material Richards would use in one of his introductory The Nothing Special sets at the club, the tempo hastens with Eco Tourist's Magelonic, a searing cut of electro-tinged house which paves the way for even more daring notes to enter. Anyone who has seen Richards this year will probably have heard him try to fit the square-shaped Comeback Dust by L.I.E.S. into his circular sets, and make it work somehow, which is exactly the case in the mix. Typically peculiar, it's an inspired selection that although usually only appears in the very late hours of his sets, melds fabric 58 together in a way you wouldn't ever expect had you heard the track before and seen it on the tracklist.

When I think of Craig Richards I can't help picture the whole occasion of him playing at fabric. The smokiness of Room One, the pressure cooker of sound it becomes when he really feels like testing a soundsystem which, let's be honest, is rarely exploited to its dangerous potential. There are periods during his sets that are difficult to pull away from if you're on the dancefloor, like Loop Hotel's acidic Room 202 which is stuffy and claustrophobic, undeniably characteristic of Room One, something which is later revisited by Convextion's dingy Premiata. But what is possibly most impressive about this mix is how it genuinely grasps what Craig Richards at fabric is all about. Whether he designed the mix in this way or not, it's a very vivid recreation of those finely-tuned, tastefully assembled warm-ups and those eccentric, exciting and even humourous finalés at the club. Richards has this very intuitive and cunning ability of manipulating his dancefloor by changing the mood of what he's playing. Despite the drained, leggy feel to much of the second half of the mix, the final two tracks although are typically late selections of his, are undeniably lifting. A final surge of energy in a club that tests the limits of body and soul but always leaves you wanting more. Is an extraordinary knack Craig Richards has really. To pluck records from a vast museum-like collection is one thing, but to sew them all together and make them feel like your own is something very, very different.