aaamusic | On 02, Sep 2012

BROKEN & UNEVEN PRESENT: THE HYDRA
After our inaugural launch of events in Spring 2012 Broken & Uneven return to deliver an autumn/winter series that can only be described as mammoth. With 11 concisely programmed events that will fall underneath the banner of The Hydra (a ‘beast with many heads’ in Greek mythology) there is no doubt that this is something the global nightlife scene will welcome with open arms. Concocted by programming brains from The End, We Fear Silence and Electric Minds, expect a host of audacious line-ups that involve only the premier labels and collectives in electronic music today.
Taking place in an undisclosed East London location, rest assured that everything from the sublime visuals to our bespoke Funktion One sound system (by Sound Services) will be tailored to perfection for each event’s needs. Also, to commemorate The Hydra series we have teamed up with clothing brand Supremebeing for a limited edition range of T-Shirts that will be equally as eye catching and daring as the line-ups.
The opening party on Friday 24th August will be hosted by Berlin’s Ostgut Ton – bringing over their label mainstays Marcel Dettmann, Marcel Fengler, Prosumer and Nick Hoppner to fly the flag for one of the most-revered Techno labels in recent times. We have also enlisted special guest Surgeon to join them and as fans of his lengthy body of work can attest, he pulls no punches when it comes to the art of Techno.
The following night on Saturday 25th August our good friends A Bunch Of Cuts will be celebrating the album launch for DRS’s new offering on Marcus Intalex’s Soul:r imprint. Pulling out all the stops for a D&B Bank Holiday special will be ABoC residents Calibre, D Bridge, Doc Scott, Klute, Marcus Intalex, SP:MC and Justyce alongside a performance of the album from DRS alongside DJ sets from album guests SPY and Dub Phizix. There will also be special Jungle sets from Fabio and DJ Krust and anyone that attended the Easter special earlier this year will know about the extremely family-like atmosphere that A Bunch Of Cuts brings to a party.
In September we invite Hamburg’s Dial Records to town for a showcase of their labels most discerning acts. Having been responsible for launching career of Pantha Du Prince, Dial have always been ahead of the curve when it comes to electronic music and never constricted themselves to filling the House and Techno quota. Dial’s varied stable of Pantha Du Prince, Efdemin, Roman Flugel, Lawrence, John Roberts and Christian Naujoks will all be joining the proceedings as well as a special guest appearance by Redshape under his Palisade moniker which has seen him release more House-orientated music on Laid, Dial’s vinyl-only sub label.
One of London’s most forward thinking club nights celebrates five years of being just that on Saturday 13th October when Deviation puts on a star-studded line-up, headlined by Detroit House icon Moodymann. From his sought-after releases on his Mahogani Music label to his outspoken interviews and DJ sets he’s a true maverick in his field and will be joined by Deviation favourite Dam-Funk, who performed at Deviation’s third birthday and will be bringing his live Funk exploits to the table. Making the birthday that bit more memorable will be Warp’s Hip-Hop wunderkind Hudson Mohwake. Hyperdub boss Kode 9 will be wishing Deviation many happy returns and of course the man who got the disco ball rolling five years ago Benji B will be taking you through the sounds that have made the night so crucial in London’s club scene since its inception alongside Deviation extended family, Eglo Record’s Alexander Nut and NTS Radio host Moxie.
On Friday 26th October online record store Bleep will be presenting some of their hot tips for the current wave of forward-thinking Techno that has seen UK and German producers swap notes, so to speak, on how to propel the genre into the ears of a new audience. Blawan has been creeping up on the radar with his productions which are steeped in traditional Techno but still contain the swing and groove of UK Garage and early Dubstep – as 2011’s Getting Me Down proved by claiming the number one spot in RA’s top tracks of the year list. Stroboscopic Artefacts leading light Lucy will be laying down a selection of cerebral cuts that he’s been championing since the labels inception and the man who may have just made 2012’s most daring release, in the shape of Cactus on Hessle Audio, Objekt will be playing a mixed selection of Techno both old and new. We’ll also be treated to a rare live set from Third Side (comprised of Steffi and The Analogue Cops) whom after show-stopping releases on Restoration Records are expected to bring nothing but uncompromising machine grooves. Adding his perspective on Techno will be Bristol’s House ambassador Kowton who has been in fine form with his distinctly raw and disjointed productions, which have found homes on labels like Keysound and Idle Hands.
Two labels that have been pushing quality releases on the German House scene for some time go head to head on Saturday 27th October for a Halloween special as Innervisions meet Permanent Vacation. Since their early work with Jazzanova’s Sonar Kollectiv imprint Ame and Dixon have clearly held a variety of influences in their music and this has manifested in their label releases over the years. From Ame’s 2005 anthem Rej to Dixon’s slew of edits the label has stayed relevant by failing to bow to trends but by also having an A&R policy that is second to none. Permanent Vacation can be heralded for kick starting the careers of John Talabot, Azari & III and Midnight Magic and have managed to avoid the mire of the retro-infused Disco and House and instead focused on the edgier spectrum of it all. On the night some of the labels most-revered artists will be making an appearance so gear up for sets from Tensnake, Todd Terje and Prins Thomas who will be delving through their crates of Balearic Disco, House and beyond.
With a discography that spans a whopping four decades R&S Records have firmly cemented their place in electronic music history as connoisseurs of the genre both past and present. Cult acts like Aphex Twin, Model 500 and Jay Dee have all played a part in the labels make-up yet they’ve had a big hand in the recent rise of the UK’s fragmented electronic scene by getting acts such as Airhead and Untold at the embryonic stages in their respective careers. On Friday 23rd November James Blake will be stepping behind the decks for a DJ set that promises to encapsulate the diversity of the label whilst indie-tinged Mancunian quartet Egyptian Hip-Hop step up live a showcase of work from their debut Good Don’t Sleep album. There’s also the chance to catch live sets from the ambient Vondelpark and intergalactic funk musings from Irish beatsmith Space Dimension Controller. For an idea of where the UK is at right now then look no further than Lone who’s 90’s-influenced album Galaxy Garden is one of this year’s standout long players and Pariah who’s been busy as of late with his Techno-leaning collaborations with Blawan and Midland on his own imprint, Works The Long Nights.
Boddika’s Non Plus label goes back to back with German imprint Workshop on Saturday 24th November for a lesson in experimental House and Techno. Boddika himself has been instrumental in the success of Non Plus as artist but also as a label owner and has invited Joy Orbison, Skudge and Endian to celebrate the labels triumphs. Workshop have been a benchmark for creativity since its inception in 2006 have released music from Move D to Benjamin Brunn and will be showcasing the deep and soul-drenched sounds from Kassem Mosse, Even Tuell, and label boss Lowtec.
The final month of The Hydra kicks off with Bugged Out present Night Slugs on Saturday 15th December, which showcases the London imprint’s finest talents and one of their personal heroes. The special guest this time around is Disco enthusiast Soundstream who’s remarkable edits and sample-laden cuts have seen the Panorama Bar affiliate build up a repertoire of buy-on-site releases that bring back hazy memories of yesteryear. Label-heads Bok Bok and L-Vis 1990 are known for their genre-defying sets that can range from Garage to Techno to early UK Grime and have been known to go back to back for hours on end. Jam City’s recent Classical Curves LP has seen the producer come into his own both technically and musically whilst Girl Unit has been playing around with live 808’s and synthesizers by the sounds of his latest Club Rez EP so don’t surprised if he drops the odd Prince tune in his set.
The biggest night of the partying calendar, New Years Eve, sees Border Community ringing in 2013 on a high note. Known for scouting artists and releases that are slightly left of centre, the label has long been a platform for icons such as electronica king Nathan Fake, Luke Abbott and label head honcho, James Holden. Lovers of the labels’ output can expect a psychedlic and trippy journey into the New Year as the soon to be announced special guests will be making sure the good spirits will be going well into the twilight hours.
For those with gas still left in the tank we’ll be throwing a special New Years Day party with our good friends Electric Minds who will be teaming up with Will Saul’s Aus and Simple imprints with a line-up we feel will end The Hydra on a memorable note. Not ones to leave all the party celebrations in 2012 we’ll be giving 2013 a kick start with notable appearances from Radio 1’s Mosca, the uncompromising New York House stalwart Levon Vincent, recent Permanent Vacation signee Mano Le Tough and Electric Minds founder Dolan Bergin. If that isn’t enough to cure the hangover from the night before there is a special guest headliner that will be announced closer to the time and sets from Dusky, Midland and Sei A in what is shaping up to be a fitting beginning to the New Year and an equally strong end of a series that we’ve been truly proud to showcase to the world.
All are events that carry their own theme yet still fit together in the ever-growing Broken & Uneven puzzle. This mini-festival of sorts will bring a fresh approach to the clubbing in London and provide a creative space for a diverse range artists and revelers to co-exist under one roof…
BROKEN & UNEVEN PRESENT: THE HYDRA
PART 1
(Heads 1 – 7)
1. 24th August: Ostgut Ton – Marcel Dettmann, Marcel Fengler, Surgeon, Prosumer, Nick Hoppner
2. 25th August: A Bunch of Cuts pres. DRS Album Launch – DRS (Live), Marcus Intalex, S.P.Y, Dub Phizix, Calibre, dBridge, Doc Scott, SP:MC, Justyce, Fabio (Jungle Set), DJ Krust (Classics Set), Marcus Intalex (Soul:r Archives Set), Doc Scott (Nasty Habits Set)
3. 15th September: Dial Records – Pantha Du Prince (Live), Efdemin, Roman Flugel, Lawrence, John Roberts (Live), Palisade (Live), Christian Naujoks
4. 13th October: Deviation 5th Birthday – Moodymann, Dam Funk, Hudson Mohawke, Kode9, Alexander Nut, Benji B, Moxie
5. 27th October: Innervisions x Permanent Vacation Halloween Special – Dixon, Ame, Tensnake (Live), Todd Terje, Prins Thomas
6. 23rd November: R&S Records – James Blake (DJ), Egyptian Hip Hop (Live), Vondelpark (Live), Space Dimension Controller (Live), Lone, Pariah, The Chain
7. 24th November: Non Plus x Workshop – Boddika, Skudge (Live), Joy Orbison, Loefah, Endian, Kassem Mosse, Lowtec, Even Tuell
PART 2
(Heads 8 – 11)
8. 26th October: Bleep.com – Blawan, Lucy, Pangaea, Objekt, Third Side (Live), Kowton, Bleep.com DJs
9. 15th December: Bugged Out present Night Slugs – Bok Bok, L Vis 1990, Jam City, Girl Unit and Special Guest: Soundstream (Live)
10. New Year’s Eve: Border Community – Very Special Guests TBA
11. New Year’s Day: Electric Minds x Aus vs Simple – Very Special Guest Headliner TBA, Mosca, Levon Vincent, Mano Le Tough, Dolan Bergin, Will Saul, Dusky, George Fitzgerald, Midland, Sei A