To help us answer this we spoke with Joonipah about how the term has aided him, what Newcastle is like away from the stereotypes and the importance of vinyl.

Joonipah will be appearing at this years Gottwood festival, tickets for which can be picked up from HERE. 

HuWho: On earlier tracks we’ve heard a darker techno sound from you, but your newest Untitled track seems to be a chugging house number with flashes of 90s style piano chords. Is this the beginning of a shift towards a different style for you or just an opportunity for you to experiment? 

Joonipah: I’ve been into the slower house thing for a while, I’ve made tracks in the past that are a similar style, like my track on the Well Rounded Slow Spectrum comp, one of the first tracks I produced on Logic which was almost three years ago now. I like a lot of different styles and tempos and I think I’d get bored if I stuck to making one thing, I can’t tell yet if I’ll end up settling on a particular style really but I want to try and keep my productions as varied as I can. Hopefully it’s possible to keep things interesting but consistent.

You released your Trap Door EP as a vinyl exclusive. Why did you choose this method when so much emphasis is place on digital these days?

I was approached by the guys at Nixwax who had already put out a few quality 12” releases which I was really impressed with and had a certain style that I was really into. It was the label’s plan to put out vinyl only releases and putting some music out on vinyl felt a lot more concrete than a digital release. I got into electronic music through buying records and DJing so it felt only right that I should eventually release something of my own on that format, otherwise I wouldn’t really feel like I’d left much of a mark.

Following on from that what is it about the format that draws you in both as a listener and as a producer? 

I think digital is obviously a safer and cheaper way to go if you want to get music out, but there’s so much available that your music can potentially get lost in the sea of Beatport and never really stand out. Vinyl requires more effort, from the label and from the buyer, which means there’s generally more enthusiasm involved in the music, which is great. I’m always willing to spend more money on an album or a release if it’s in a nice package with artwork and has clearly had a lot of care and attention put into the production. With a digital release, you can pick and choose between which tracks you like on an album, downloading maybe only a few tracks from a full-length release, which is slightly missing the point of album, in my mind. This means that artists are having to adapt the way they release music to fit with trends, but with vinyl it feels more like you’re supporting and hearing the music the way the artist intended, which feels a lot more personal.

Although you’ve been producing for a number of years you’re still spoken about as a ‘new producer’. Is this a title you’re happy with and has it affected your productions in any way? Has it allowed you to experiment a little more without having people know you for a specific sound?

I think it’s mainly because a lot of people are hearing about me for the first time as I haven’t really had much big exposure, just small amounts here and there, so it’s been a slow but steady progression so far. I suppose it means that I haven’t really had much pressure to stick to a certain market or image and I’ve been able to experiment with a few different styles. I’m not sure where things will go in that sense but I’ll just keep making music I enjoy.

Also at what point do you think you stop being an ‘up and comer’, such as when you produce a big record or when you’ve been doing it for a number of years? Do you think you’re at that point yet? 

As I said, I haven’t had a big record with a lot of exposure yet, I’m really proud of the few achievements I’ve made so far, but I think most of that has come from connecting with people on the internet. Certain labels, DJs and promoters that I’ve got in contact with have really helped me along, but I’ve definitely still got a few stepping stones before I start to make a proper name for myself, which I look forward to.

As you started as a live instrumentalist how did you make the transition to electronic music, and how has this played a part in your productions? 

I never played serious live music, I played some instruments a little bit when I was younger but in terms of producing my own music it’s always been electronic stuff. I’ve experimented with different music styles, recording and producing other artists, and I’ve always been into a wide range of stuff. In the future, once I’ve made more of a name for myself and have reached a place where I feel comfortable where I am in terms of music, I want to branch out into styles of music other than what I’m doing now, so I’m just keeping my options open for the time being.

Furthermore do you think it’s important to keep that live element in electronic music and why? 

Live music is definitely more exciting than straight up DJ sets and makes for much greater engaging experiences, in my mind anyway. That’s not to say DJ sets are boring or anything like that, I can find a lot of inspiration from a good DJ playing good music well, but adding live elements to a performance, whether it be electronic music/bands/a mixture, will always liven things up and is much more than just background music to somebody’s night out, which DJ sets unfortunately sometimes tend to be.

There’s quite a few producers in Newcastle at the moment experimenting with mixtures of live electronics and instrumental stuff, it’s definitely worth checking out people like Mr Blazey, Eden Zoo or anything on the Triptik label, they’re all doing great things for the local scene.

All clichéd stereotypes aside how has Newcastle itself played a role in what you do? There seems to be a very strong ‘local pride’ element to the city, so does that play a part in the music scene up there?

Yeah there is a great community here, everybody seems to know everybody. I wouldn’t say that’s exclusive to Newcastle but because it’s a relatively small city there’s a lot of good things packed in. It’s a great place to be and I’m proud to have become a part of the scene. It obviously does have it’s Geordie Shore reputation, being one of the most popular places to go out if you’re into trebles and chart music, but aside from that there are plenty of good local scenes going on. Nights like Ape-X, Lively Up, 707 and Audio Asylum to name a few are always bringing great DJs and producers up to the city to play, and there’s so many venues for music here. In terms of electronic music the scene has been growing a lot recently and it only seems to be getting better.

soundcloud.com/joonipah / facebook.com/joonipahUK / twitter.com/joonipah

Dimensions Festival, as i’m sure you are all already aware, welcomes some of the greatest names in house, techno and electronica to the shores of Punta Christo Pula, Croatia from the 5th to the 7th of September. At the festival Juan Atkins will be playing under his greatest pseudonym Model 500, while Pantha Du Prince will bring his ‘Bell Laboratory’ for a masterclass performance of German minimal…with bells. For those who have visions of dancing to the sunset in an item of clothing that measures a total of 2 square inches, Moodymann, Theo Parrish and Omar S will be your choice. For others who desire a more ‘heads down, fists up’ approach then Ben Klock, Skudge and Blawan will suit you perfectly.

Anyway, to the weekend. Mike Denhert of Fachwerk Records recently released a mix for Dimensions Festival showcasing 40 minutes of techno for people who look for more than just a 4/4. The opening track ‘Welcome To Our World (Dima Studitsky Remix)’ sets the mix up perfectly, later bringing in cuts from Jazzanova and Diego.

Anyway, enough talking, you can listen to the mix on the stream below while tickets for the festival can be picked up HERE. Don’t worry, the weekend is only 5 days away.

The Polish festival have recently added a number of acts to their line up, helping to cement themselves as one of the finest purveyors of forward thinking electronic music  in Europe. Having freshly emerged from his cubed spaceship the ’ISAM’, Amon Tobin will play as Two Fingers, his more experimental alter-ego which says something, for a very rare live performance. Warp! aficionado Jamie Lidell will also introduce listeners to his unique hybrid of leftfield-pop, giving listeners a chance to see what Calvin Harris would be like if he listened to Aphex Twin as a child. Deptford Goth will also be making an appearance alongside Polish natives ÖSZIBARACK and UL/KR.

You can still buy tickets for the festival from HERE, still at the unbelievably low price of £really-really-cheap.

In the meantime take a listen to ‘Vengeance Rhythm’, released on Ninja Tune not too long ago accompanied by probably one of the greatest videos i’ve seen.

Two Fingers – ‘Vengeance Rhythm’ (Official Video) from Ninja Tune on Vimeo.

1. What is the first track you ever bought?

Jabru: Unfortunately I think it was this on 7” from Woolworths, backed with the rightly overlooked ‘It’s A Party’

Hackman

2. What is the last track you bought?

Jabru: I only recently discovered CCS. Awesome recordings.

Hackman

3. Name a track that changed your life.

Jabru: Watching Juice for the first time and hearing this made me want to DJ.

Hackman

4. What is your favourite track to open a set with?

Jabru: Don’t really have one but this is a fresh start and leaves options pretty wide open.

Hackman

5. What is your favourite track to close a set with?

Jabru: Again I wouldn’t say I have one but I wouldn’t really complain going home on these vibes.

Hackman

6. Name a track you currently can’t stop listening to.

Jabru: Big sis must be proud. That or in full green eyed monster mode.

Hackman

7. Name a track you wish you’d written.

Jabru: Tragic perfection.

Hackman

8. What is your biggest guilty pleasure (musically, obviously)?

Jabru: Not Sure why I feel guilty.

Hackman

9. Name a track you currently use to rescue a dancefloor.

Jabru: Never seems to disappoint at the moment.

Hackman

10. The end of the world is nigh, what record do you take to your underground bunker?

Jabru: Say no more.

Hackman

You can take a listen to Bruh Jackman’s upcoming EP on Futureboogie using the link below. It’s a belter.

I’ve never been to a gig and seen a crowd so still, the fixation between the audience and Blake took over. His presence was exhilarating. Swaying from side to side on the keyboard with his eyes shut. He looked absorbed, in a trance from his own productions. He whispered a unassuming thank you into the mic after his opening with ‘Digital Lion.’ A track from his new album which is as bass-heavy and funky as anything he has ever released.

Finding my location for the night, stage right just the accurate angle for an eyeful of the shy, humble presence before me. At one point during ‘I Never Learnt To Share’ I couldn’t see his lips moving as he looped the tracks over one another, harmonising with himself. Compelling and genius.

The definitive Feist cover ‘Limit to your Love’ was still a crowd pleaser but this didn’t compare to his new material. ‘Retrograde’ proved how much his lucrative style has grown since his last album. Glossy synths and rolling basslines flowed effortlessly proving he is the octopus of the electronic music scene. Shaking the Academy’s foundations with each individual beat and down tempo.

Heading to the door to leave as James had fled the stage, he returned seconds later with an encore of the Joni Mitchell cover ‘A Case of You’. A classic that pulled the crowd back fluently, the crowd closed their eyes and regained position for one last track. A perfect end to an already magical night.

Blake today announced he is returning to us with another tour, showing commitment to his fans and giving us more from his new album.

The full James Blake tour dates are as follows:

September 18 - Glasgow, O2 ABC

September 20 - Manchester, Ritz

September 21 - Birmingham, Institute

September 22 - Oxford, O2 Academy

September 24 - Bristol, O2 Academy

September 25 - London, O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Written by Lauren Jo Kelly

Tauron Nowa Muzyka seem to celebrate the leftfield. It’s refreshing to see a music festival where the focus isn’t on attracting the guaranteed crowd pleasers (i’m looking at you Jamie Jones), those chosen for their ability to sell tickets over their skills on stage. Tauron Nowa Muzyka have steered clear of this, concentrating on providing a festival that encompasses arts and music without a Crosstown Rebel in sight.

Headline performances will come in the form of the always spectacular Squarepusher and Moderat, alongside one of the masters of the 303 LFO. Other acts to perform include Warp alumni’s ‘Chk Chk Chk‘, the ever strange yet captivating apprentice of Aphex Twin Venetian Snares, Skream, Machinedrum and Jimmy Edgar under their combined ‘Jets‘ guise and Darling Farah to name but a few.

If you act quickly tickets start at a meagre £30 and can be picked up HERE. And while we’re on the subject here is one of my favourite songs ever.

After a move back to his hometown of Valencia, Spain back in 2010, Maceo Plex, AKA Eric Estornel has been producing much more melodic, funk & jazz influenced material, in contrast to his earlier Techno based works as Maetrik. It’s clear that the move has allowed Eric to unwind from his former American way of life and experiment with musical elements that have been seeping out of his skin since day one.

Maceo begins in a wandering cosmic mindset with Monsters from ID’s Spatial Lobe before swiftly moving on to the eerie, moody sounds of Evaluation by Voice Stealer. After the thought provoking sounds of some of the ten Maceo Plex Re-Edits in the mix, we are blessed with an exclusive hearing of Galactic Cinema, which proves Eric is not holding back on the quality of his productions. Following the static interference and confusion of re-entering earths atmosphere with Schienders remix of Turner by Multiorgel, Plex touches down softly with the euphoric sounds of Mind On Fire.

Putting it simply, this mix is out of this world. Maceo Plex has confirmed yet again, that his all round versatility and mission for musical exploration is not stopping for anyone.

DJ-Kicks: Maceo Plex is available on !K7 Records from 29th April 2013.

1. Monsters From ID / Spatial Lobe
2. Voice Stealer / Evaluation
3. Stingray313 / Defect
4. Mathias Schaffhäuser / Nice To Meet You (Maceo Plex Remix)
5. TV Baby / New York Is Alright (Blakspun Minimal Dub)
6. Maceo Plex & Mark O’Sullivan / When It All Comes To This
7. Lab Insect aka Nomenklatür / Oh Happy Day (Maceo Plex Edit)
8. Kimbu Kimra / Raise The Dead (Love From San Francisco Dub)
9. Mattski / Escapism (Maceo Plex Conversation Remix)
10. Eric Volta / Rez-Shifter (Maceo Plex Remix)
11. Visnadi / Racing Tracks (Indianapolis Drive Mix / Maceo Plex Edit)
12. Maceo Plex / Galactic Cinema (DJ-Kicks)
13. Move D / Sandmann (Maetrik Treatment)
14. Zeta Reticula & Freaks / Creep (Maetrik Fusion Edit)
15. Jaydee / Payback (Maceo Plex Remix)
16. S.A.M. / Nangijala (Maceo Plex Reggae Edit)
17. Turner / Multiorgel (Schneider TM Mix)
18. Maceo Plex / Mind On Fire

Laurence Stanley

Few people can claim to have followed the evolution of dance music through the years. As artists such as Bicep look to the past for inspiration (as many other artists do) and bring that music to a new audience, it is important to pay homage to the past. But by doing this do we forget to evolve? One person who embraces both the past and the future is Graeme Park.

Few people can claim to have mirrored the evolution of dance music from it’s beginnings to the present day. You have your Weatheralls and your Belleville Threes, the explosion of Chicago House and of course The Haçienda and ‘Madchester’, which played a pivotal role in not only bringing dance music to the masses, but also nurtured it into what it is today. Graeme Park, alongside DJs such as Mike Pickering and Justin Robertson, is one of those pivotal people responsible for picking up on House music before it was even a term, transforming it into a multi-generational movement to rival Punk, Britpop and the like (complete with smiley faces and all). Not content however with simply living from past success Graeme delivers something unique with his current DJ sets, a nostalgia trip for some and a discovery for others.

Ahead of his “A Night With Graeme Park” on Friday 12^th April we spoke with him about his years in ‘the business’, forgotten gems and why he still loves his job.

HuWho: People often describe you as an integral part of the house scene in the UK in the 90s, but how would you describe your role in that whole movement?

Graeme Park: When the early Chicago house tunes started to appear in 1986, I was instantly hooked to the raw freshness of this new sound. However not everyone agreed with me, and a lot of my punters at The Garage club in Nottingham didn’t share my enthusiasm.  The easy thing to do would have been to ignore it, but I persisted in playing it and eventually people came to love it and I’m so glad I did.  Look at how huge house has become and how universal it is.  People take it for granted, but like rock and roll, punk, psychedelia and jazz it took its time to gain popularity and I’m proud to have been an integral part of that.

With The Haçienda being such a renowned place do you find that you’ve been pigeon holed by it in a way all these years later? For example, I read that people shout at you to play ‘Voodoo Ray’ during funk and soul shows, similar to how I heard that Andrew Weatherall once got started on for playing a Rockabilly set…

There are a lot of people who used to go to The Haçienda who are over 40 and who don’t go out clubbing as much as they used to due to various work, family and other commitments and possibly because they don’t find nightclubs relevant anymore. They save themselves for a rare night out and attempt to relive their youth.  They’re the ones who expect DJs like me to play certain classic tunes from the 1980s and 1990s and often get slightly annoyed if they don’t hear what they want.  What they fail to realise is that the club is often full of people in their twenties who never went to The Haçienda (or Shoom, or Spectrum etc.) and who’re there because they want to hear a DJ with a decent reputation and a long career doing their thing.  They [The Haçienda crowd] seem blissfully unaware that there are scores of great club and dance tracks being made every week and that things progress and change. I would go insane if I had to play the same tunes every week, as if people stopped making great club tracks in 1998.  There are several reasons I’m still DJing after 29 years: people still ask me to, I still love it and I always play to the crowd in front of me and tailor what I do accordingly, because its the people in front of you who ultimately pay my fee.  At the end of the day, it’s showbusiness.  People won’t come and hear my selection of tunes if I don’t entertain them.  As a result, every single gig for me is different and after almost three decades on the decks and with my fiftieth birthday fast approaching, this is what keeps me going.  I thrive on not knowing what I’m going to be playing until very close to showtime and the nervous energy this creates contributes towards the whole night.  I’d like to think that after so many years playing music to packed dancefloors, I have a fair idea of what I’m doing.  However, it doesn’t stop people over 40 clambering up to the DJ booth demanding I play certain tunes from a specific era despite the whole crowd going crazy around them.  But I refuse to knock them, I just wish they’d be a bit more open minded.

Furthermore is that a good thing to have such a following for that style of music, or does it simply make it harder for you to branch out? 

Like I said before every night is different and I’m very lucky that I get to do different sets every weekend.  For example, over Easter weekend I did five completely different gigs where each set was different.  First up was The Haçienda Good Friday at Sankeys where I DJ’d with Mike Pickering, it was our first DJ set together in over five years so expectations were high.  The crowd was roughly split 50/50 between people who used to go to The Haçienda and those who were too young to.  As a result, Mike and I played loads of new stuff along side classic stuff and the night was massive.  Everyone loved it and it was a joy to see people old enough to know better going crazy to brand new tracks alongside younger heads going wild to obscure classic tracks. My second gig of the weekend was at The Warehouse in Leeds to a mainly older crowd where I followed K-Klass who did a set of huge 90s anthems.  I decided to go all Acid House to start with before playing some Disco and finally some big piano tunes.

On Easter Sunday I played a small underground club in Manchester to a younger crowd and played nothing but new deep house tunes before heading to a small and very swanky club in Cheshire where I played loads of big vocal house tunes to a mixed crowd. I finished off at daft o’clock in a warehouse party in Sheffield, playing something completely different again.  So in essence, I do my thing but tailor it to whoever is in front of me.  As I use Serato with vinyl, I tend to have tens of thousands of tracks at my disposal so that helps. It also means that any obscure track that pops into my head gets played, plus any bizarre request from punters can often be accommodated too.

Artists like yourself, Justin Robertson and Mike Pickering who all played at The Haçienda are all still formidable DJs to this day. Did you expect yourself to be in the industry this long?

Absolutely not.  When I began DJing reluctantly in 1984 I thought I’d give it a go for a while. I had no intention of making a career out of it but Acid House exploded, I began my eight year residency at The Haçienda and I got swept along.  I’m so glad I was.

I’m interested to hear what you have to say about acts like Bicep who are taking that Chicago house sound and repackaging it to a new audience. As a purist of sorts do you find this is a good thing? If so/not, why?

Dance music and house music has always borrowed from and repackaged other people’s ideas, that’s why it has such endearing and enduring qualities.  This past couple of years has seen a whole new generation of producers making music that sounds like it was made over 20 years ago.  But rather than knock them for it, I’m happy celebrating it. It is an absolute joy to hear a brand new tune that sounds like it could have been played at The Haçienda in 1992.  These tunes of often remind me of certain forgotten house tracks from the late 80s or early 90s that I then dig out. In many instances no-one remembers them but when I drop them they get a massive response.  I’ve got a huge lock up full of such forgotten gems and I’ll continue to dig them out to entertain and influence people.

You’ll be hosting your own ‘A Night With…’ party at Basing House in London soon. With 8 hours to play with what have you got planned for the occasion?

I’m looking forward to playing a few forgotten gems, some obscure stuff, some of my favourite tunes ever made, some surprises and “Voodoo Ray” too.  But ultimately, I’ll be making it up as I go along, which is what I’ve been doing for the past 29 years. It it ain’t broken…

You can purchase tickets for 8 hours with Graeme Park on the link HERE. Just go in with an open mind though, yeah?

The institute will take artists as diverse as Pinch, Lucio Aquilina, Rob Smith and Dubmasta for special performances across the globe from Bristol to Johannesburg and Egypt  to Kenya. Across these cities we’ll see a number of special events and exchanges curated by Oren Gerlitz and Bill Sellanga of Just A Band as the ten cities moves onto Nairobi, Kenya from the 14th April – 1st May.  Also making the trip over from Lisbon will be Octa Push and Batida, with Berlin’s Oren Gerlitz will be joining them out there.

The full line up can be found over at www.ten-cities.com. In the meantime discover how the exchanges may sound by listening to Pinch’s African inspired classic ‘Qawwalli’. It’s a beauty.

Next weekend the venue will pair up with Leeds’ long serving promoters Wax:On and mono_cult club night to welcome Maya Jane Coles, the absolutely astounding John Talabot, Joy Orbison, Prins Thomas and Midland to Leeds for a very exciting Easter sunday marathon. Later in the season we’ll see SBTRKT, Happa, Bondax, professional tea drinker/part time musician Mr Scruff and a special ’10 years of Crosstown Rebels’ event join the ranks.

All ticket info ‘nd such can be found on the Canal Mills website HERE. In the meantime take a look at the Crosstown Rebels Rebel Rave promo tour video (I wish their name was shorter) to see what’s in store. If you thought hip hop videos were sexy then well…

The year of hard work will come to a head over the second weekend of April (11th – 13th), showcasing a mix of film, exhibition and music that will go some way in demonstrating what the venue has achieved in this time.

Proceedings kick off on the Thursday with the ‘Ex:ample Magazine Hip Hop Exhibition Launch’. The launch of the exhibition will focus on the theme of hip-hop, and will showcase photography from some of the best Ex:ample contributors, including Air Adam, Al Baker, Gary Brown, Jody Hartley and James Mernagh. The following day will showcase respective films from Sigur Ros and LCD Soundsystem, featuring music provided by past HuWho guests Generic Greeting.

And in true Saturday fashion, the venue will play host to an all-night long DJ set from The Unabombers (expect an interview from the duo coming soon).

All ticket info can be found on the link here: http://www.skiddle.com/2022nq
 

The festival itself features headline performances from M.A.N.D.Y, The Martinez Brothers, Reboot plus the newly added Krankbrothers. However, if you prefer to do your raving at an altitude closer to sea level then the festival takes over venues including Joshua Brooks and Sankeys in Manchester, alongside The Rainbow in Birmingham and Cargo and EGG in London. Here they will play host to acts including a live performance from Guti, Elephino, Bella Sarris and Burnski to name but a few.

The parties run through March to July, and (most of) the details can be found below if you simply click the links.

Sunday 31st March, 2013
Zombie Soundsystem Bank Holiday Special
Official Vertigo Festival Pre-Party
Check www.facebook.com/events/433363866740738/for updates

Friday 5th April, 2013
X presents: Kate Simko, Alexis Raphael, Simon Baker
Official Vertigo Festival Pre-Party
Check www.facebook.com/xprojectlondon for updates

Saturday 13th April, 2013
Mixmag & What Matters Presents…501 Series
Official Vertigo Festival Pre-Party
Check www.sub-tracked.co.uk/ for updates

Saturday 13th April, 2013
Vertigo Launch Party: Fiesta vs mute!
Check https://www.facebook.com/events/321431954636428/ for updates

Saturday 20th April, 2013
SolidGrooves 1st Year Birthday!
Official Vertigo Festival Pre-Party
For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/events/490457380991971/

Thursday 25th April, 2013
4 Day Weekend in Association with Seedy Sonics
Official Vertigo Festival Pre-Party
Check www.facebook.com/pages/4-Day-Weekend/112014178973959?ref=ts&fref=ts for updates

Friday 26th April, 2013
ELM Meets Vertigo Festival with M.A.N.I.K at Victorian Vaults
For more information visit http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?436409

Friday 26th April, 2013
NOVA
Check https://www.facebook.com/events/487665121282706/ for details

Friday 10th May, 2013
White Jail presents Vertigo Festival Pre-Party
Visit www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?458084 for updates

Saturday 18th May, 2013
NoVus All Day and All Night Summer Vertigo Party
For tickets and info check https://www.facebook.com/events/549746348390096/

Friday 24th May, 2013
Rheinrhythmik, Cologne
For updates check http://www.residentadvisor.net/event.aspx?464453

Saturday 20th July, 2013
Dusted in association with Deep Edition Recordings
Official Vertigo Festival Pre-Party
Check www.facebook.com/dustedmanchester for updates