Recommendations: December 2024

and

Jan 09, 2025

Mic check. Is thing on?

That’s how it felt returning to work this week, and some sense of routine, after three weeks off. It was a break that was well needed. The signs were there. As soon as I logged off for the year my body completely relaxed; I was sleeping in everyday until noon (I’m notoriously an early riser, part of the 5am crew), still not having the energy to do anything apart from watch the slowest TV series’ and catching up on some reading. There was a point where I accidentally didn’t see or speak to anyone for three days - oops. It’s good to be back though! Might be a little rusty but I’ve missed engaging with life. First week back at work always comes in line with my birthday and this year it’s my 30th (tomorrow!) so a lot is happening and please bear with me whilst I try to find some intelligent thoughts in this letter. Experiencing a serious case of writer’s block at the moment so if you’re waiting for something from me, that’s why.

The ending of 2024 went by at 100 miles an hour. Spent three weeks away in Bogotá, São Paulo and Paris, which were a lot of fun but also a lot. I don’t have much to report from Bogotá sadly as I spent most of my time either sleeping or being in a delirious state of jet lag trying so hard to stay awake. However, I got spend a lot of time in São Paulo and it quickly became one of my favourite cities I’ve visited. The epitome of an urban jungle in its landscape, the city has everything to offer. I was there for the TMS São Paulo series for work with Boiler Room where they put on two parties and a panel talk, all of which featured local artists only (with the exception on Roni Size, that was a trip!) Over the course of three days I witnessed some of the best, creatively inspiring sets I had seen in a while - sets that were completely different from anything I’ve experienced before. A real deep dive into São Paulo’s vibrant musical hub, the parties spanned across future facing club music to featuring the leading figures in the city’s MC scene. Of what I got to see my highlights include Kenan e Kel (who played with dancers on the booth who seemed like they were performing a synchronised comedy sketch), DJ BASSAN, DJ Dayeh & their haunting clown-faced dancers and all of the artists that I saw play on the vibrant Paredāo Soundsystem in the other room. The soundsystem was so colourful and of course so powerful with the sounds of Baile beaming out of it; it was like a musical fairground ride. Sets will be live next month, can’t wait to watch them all back!

Next up on the adventure was a weekend trip to Paris to play for the French edition of kinetic x Bait’s Eurostar weekender with myself, B. McQueen, Dj wiggles and Softi playing - the cutest lineup ever with the girlies! It was a really fun early evening party, played quite deep and dubby set, tried to test the crowd with some tekky rollers but they weren’t having it sadly. With three friends coming along for the journey we took the day into night to check out the newly opened Essaim (owned/curated by Concrete and Positive Education. Another very sexy club, up there with Open Ground. It’s so beautifully designed with an unreal soundsystem, intimate layout (a slightly bigger version of Ohm), delicious cocktails and lush lighting. We saw Kahn & Neek play a 3-hour dubstep set and they played so many classics, it was so jokes. Very nostalgic. Highly recommend making the trip to Paris for Essaim if you can! I’m absolutely gutted I couldn’t go back for the recent all night long with Livwutang - the fomo was all too real.

Other bits:

contributed a low end psychedelia mix to dj wiggles’ kinetic series here accompanied by a short & sweet interview and more details on the concept of low end psychedelia
i went b2b with ol drfit on my december netil radio show which you can listen back to here. hoping to have the recording from our ormside projects set live soon!
fellow london-based dj beaabea invited me on her voices radio show where i contributed a 30 min mix here
playing at Ormside Projects next weekend for the brilliant Expert Death Club with Sarjan, DJ Marfox and Tom Boogizm - going to be so sick. Super excited! Tickets here
as we ease into the new year, berlin-based collective overflow will be hosting a month-long rave wellbeing programme which you can find out the details for here