From the WatchTheDJ archive
Jul 2017
Banging 4/4 and disco house goodies from BBC Radio 1's Monki Monki played a blistering Friday headline slot, with Syreeta, Jaguar and Feel Good Smalls supporting. Over the course of Saturday and Sunday the #SmirnoffHouse saw sets from Coldcut, Nightwave, Jasper James, Silicone Soul, The Menendez Brothers and more.
Jul 2017
Nastia has been involved in clubland since she started sneaking into venues in her native Ukraine at the age of 13. Over the years she’s grown in stature from working as a dancer at Donetsk’s revered Club NLO at the age of 17 through to landing a DJ residency at Moscow nightspot Arma17 and launching her own Propaganda label. She’s also used her position to influence positive change in the world, speaking to school children about DJing and standing up to oppressive politicians in her homeland which landed her the recognition of being labelled one of the country’s ‘Top 30 Under 30 Young Leaders’ by the Kyiv Post. After making her debut at Cocoon last summer Nastia is returning to the island to perform at two more of Sven Väth’s incredible parties on July 3 and September 4 alongside the likes of Sven, Richie Hawtin, Dana Ruh, Adam Beyer and Ben Klock
Jul 2017
Between June 22 and July 9 Mixmag and Coors Light are hitting Ibiza for a series of very special Labs from the White Isle, powered by Void Acoustics. We've hand-picked some of the finest artists in the game to spin their interpretation on the original Balearic and sunset groove that Ibiza was founded on. On July 4 we host seminal Detroit techno icon Carl Craig for a pounding session in Pikes Hotel. Arriving onto the scene shortly after the birth of techno as one of the forerunners in Detroit’s second wave, Carl Craig has been leading the way for musical innovation for nearly three decades. Few artists can match him for influence or catalogue quality, with an array of first-rate works under multiples aliases arriving thick and fast across the years. Carl Craig’s latest release ‘Versus’ saw him turn many of the gems he’s produced into orchestral masterpieces with the help of Francesco Tristano and other talented musicians. You can read more about the project in our in-depth feature, and check out the tour details on Gigatools.
Jul 2017
Mixmag will be celebrating Independence Day weekend with Crew Love on Monday July 3, featuring full live streamed sets from Soul Clap and Wolf + Lamb. The extravagant rooftop party will take place at Brooklyn's new Dobbin St venue, fitted with proper groovy Crew Love decor and a breathtaking city backdrop. The Crew Love family has consistently upheld their brand of funky curation and good-time vibes over the years, famous for showcasing positively far-out beats and smile-saturated crowds at their colorful, opulent parties. Joining Crew Love leaders Soul Clap and Wolf + Lamb will be The Fitness & Pony, whose special live set will also be streamed via Mixmag. Supporting will be fellow label member and Black Flamingo resident A-Rock.
Jun 2017
To go from playing your own tiny basement parties to hosting a headline UK club tour in the space of a year is the stuff DJs’ dreams are made of. To do it with a backstory of chips-are-down grit and determination is the stuff of Hollywood blockbusters. Make that a Manchester movie with a soundtrack of bass-heavy tech; one that smacks of the city’s party heritage from the Haçienda to The Warehouse Project via Sankeys. One wherein our two protagonists, Mark (MRK-1, veteran producer instrumental in building grime and dubstep’s foundations) and James (house connoisseur and longstanding Manchester scene head), put every penny into their Solardo project and end up releasing music on the likes of Hot Creations, Of Unsound Mind, ViVA, Snatch, Toolroom, Lost and MTA, are played by everyone from Jackmaster to Skream to Annie Mac to Jamie Jones, and host their own series of sold-out events – all within the space of a year. “I was down to my last £100,” says Mark. “James sold his house and put money into a studio so he could make music his main focus. We both had to make it happen.” Both in their 30s, they locked themselves away for six months, doing 12–16 hour days and refining what’s now become their low end-heavy, jacking, rough soul sound. They wrote 35 tunes, all signed within a month thanks, in part, to a very old-school technique. “Parties,” grins Mark, whose racous sets often see him and James sharing their rider with the crowd. “We were out all the time, supporting the scene, making friends. We hosted parties and invited DJs we wanted to work with. We’d party and afterparty with them, making connections. It’s a community vibe that I haven’t experienced since FWD at Plastic People: like-minded people meeting up and playing the music they love. It’s not just nights out, it’s about having experiences.” It’s also about a near-sold-out UK tour climaxing with a home game at Manchester Albert Hall and EPs due on Green Velvet’s Relief Records and Hot Creations, 12 months after their first basement party, 18 months after their first release. The sequel to this Manchester blockbuster could well be bigger than the original.
Jun 2017
Between June 22 and July 9 Mixmag and Coors Light are taking over Rooftop Nine for a series of very special Labs from the White Isle, powered by Void Acoustics. We've hand-picked some of the finest artists in the game to spin their interpretation on the original Balearic and sunset groove that Ibiza was founded on. On June 27 we welcome Ibiza mainstay Guy Gerber for a session of immersive, dynamic house from the legendary Pikes Hotel. Over the course of his illustrious career the Israeli artist has risen up the ranks to take a seat among house music royality. He’s released four diversely stylised albums, including a collaborative work with global rap icon Puff Daddy, founded two renowned imprints which have charted releases from the likes of Seth Troxler, tINI and Dixon, and launched the beloved RUMORS party which was born in Ibiza and has gone on to host sold out shows on both sides of the Atlantic. This summer RUMORS looks set for another fine season on the White Isle with a series of parties lined up at Destino Ibiza, and Gerber has multiple dates locked in across many of the island’s finest clubs, including Hï, Heart and DC10.
Jun 2017
Between June 22 and July 9 Mixmag and Coors Light are taking over Rooftop Nine for a series of very special Labs from the White Isle. We've hand-picked some of the finest artists in the game to spin their interpretation on the original Balearic and sunset groove that Ibiza was founded on. Kicking us off on June 22 is Hot Since 82, who will showcase his soaring, euphoric brand of house music from San Anotonio's Rooftop Nine. The Knee Deep In Sound boss was 17 when he first visited Ibiza, and now a further 17 years down the line he’s kicked off a residency on the island, launching his Labyrinth party at Pacha this season after impressing the club with three fiery label showcases last year. “Working with the legendary club on this new party concept has been a lot of fun and I’m really looking forward to evolving the format from what I do with my label showcases. I can't wait for you to get lost in the Labyrinth with me,” said Hot Since 82 prior to the launch, and the weekly shindig has been a raging success so far, with Maya Jane Coles, Sasha, Eats Everything, Derrick Carter, Cassy and more all joining him for killer parties in the opening weeks. Artists lined up across the remainder of the residency, with runs every Friday until October 6, include Pete Tong, Anja Schneider, Carl Craig, Goldie, Ida Engberg, Cassy, Erick Morillo and Adam Beyer, marking out Labyrinth as one the best new parties to hit Ibiza this season. Tickets are on sale here. Hot Since 82’s appearance at the debut Lab IBZ event will be another milestone in what looks set to be a spectacular summer for the Yorkshire-hailing artist.
Jun 2017
AFROJACK, born Nick van de Wall, found music at an early age. He learned piano at the age of five and quickly picked up an interest in DJing by the age of 14, first getting his chops wet at local pubs and bars. He broke into international success in 2007 with his smash hit 'Take Over Control' and helped to pioneer the next generation of electronic dance music that continued. He's since gone on to receive a Grammy win, head his own label Wall Recordings and produce for massive artists like Beyonce, Madonna, Ne-Yo and Pitbull. Later this summer, the Dutch talent plans to play 40 shows in three months including 12 special sets in Ibiza at Ushuaïa, Pacha and Hï, where he'll perform under his new techno-tipped alias, Kapuchon. His latest single 'Another Life' saw him team up with David Guetta with a feature from vocalist Ester Dean. His other recent collaborations include work with Ty Dolla $ign on 'Gone' and Luis Fonsi on 'Wave Your Flag'.
