- Music
- 12 Dec 07
The cream of Irish DJ talent is set for a new year’s mix apocalypse.
Two prominent Irish DJs, Bryan Kearney and Karl Davis, have already confirmed major DJ mix album releases for early 2008.
Trance producer Kearney aims to record his ‘Live As’ mix album set (released on UK trance label Discover) in an Irish club in the New Year, and it will follow previous Irish contributors to the ‘Live As’ series from John O’Callaghan and Greg Downey.
Hard house don Davis, meanwhile, is pulling out all of the stops for his long player. The Dublin scratch-master’s set will comprise of exclusive collaborations that Karl is recording especially with reputable forces such as Ian M, Dynamic Intervention and OD404.
In the meantime, the Pure NRG label founder’s kick-ass single ‘Funky People’ is unleashed this fortnight on the Infectious stamp with a firing remix from Paul Maddox. While another Davis effort, ‘Big Rich The Needle Pusher’, has been signed to Canadian label Kung Fu Wax.
Ex-pat Fergie has completed work on a new techno EP due for release on his own Excentric Muzik label in late December. He’s also been working with revered German minimal techno boffin Gregor Tresher, whose excellent A Thousand Nights album is released in Ireland on Great Stuff next January.
Ahead of all of that, Fergie’s ‘Larne Express’ tune has just pulled in to Excentric station driven by a remix from Bigger Than Jesus.
Dublin trance producer Paul Webster is over the moon after his remix of Alex Kunnari’s ‘Lifter’ was approved for release on Tiesto’s label Black Hole Recordings.
Party-loving Donegal electro-house-trance duo Timmy & Timmy have just signed two tracks to Flutter Spark Records. ‘Shake It’ and ‘A Bit More Tilt’ are pencilled in for release in March, and remix duties have fallen to the fast rising David Forbes (one to watch in 2008).
Incidentally, Timmy & Tommy’s debut single ‘Rapture’ (released earlier this year here on Queep with Nat Leonard on vocals) has been signed to the Blanco Y Negro in Spain for a vinyl release on its GT2 Records subsidiary.
Speaking of Queep, the Organic House imprint based in Dublin continues its hectic schedule this month with another pair of commendable singles.
There are seven remixes ranging from deep house to electro to progressive on ‘No More Clean Records’, a dark vocal number produced by legendary German trance producer Taucher in cahoots with his regular sparring partner Trancefeld. Hot on its high heels are the ‘Electro Remixes’ of A.C.K. & Simon Point’s ‘Bella Marie’ – the 42nd single on Queep, no less.
The event will run from 5pm until late, and tickets are on sale now (priced e59.50 including booking fee) from usual outlets.
There is more hot news for trance fans, as the DJ Magazine world number one DJ, Armin van Buuren, has confirmed a four-hour set for Tripod in Dublin next April. “Tickets will go on sale in time for Christmas,” Tripod’s Robbie Butler told Hot Press. The Dutch demigod, of course, also plays Planetlove’s Winter Party at King’s Hall in Belfast on December 26.
One Night Stand is a new club night running at Dublin’s Tivoli on Fridays and featuring funk, soul, and party tunes; Ladyflash is new at The Button Factory in Dublin on Wednesdays (with Phantom FM’s Sinead ni Mhorda as resident DJ) and Sin is new in Cork on Fridays at Fast Eddie’s (with soulful house from Brendan O, Ger Barry and Mucca).
Under the Stairs recently launched at Hogan’s Bar in Dublin under the stewardship of clubland legend Billy Scurry. Boasting Irish DJs such as Lex Woo, Mr Moto and Groovement Soul on Fridays and Saturdays, it will also feature occasional international guests such as Quantic who drops by for an invite-only party on Sunday, December 9. Invites are available at Hogan’s, so get yourself along pronto. Future plans include regular Sunday sessions from David Kitt and Donal Dineen.
Exile in Wexford has announced two of the final dance events under its current management. On St Stephen’s Night, MEX Events host a 515 party with The Freaks live and DJs Conor G and LRB. While on December 29, Gatecrasher launches its new reign in Ireland with a 2,000-capacity arena event headlined by Meganite’s Mauro Picotto.
In January 2008, Exile will close and will re-open in March as The Music Factory under the management of Peter May, who was most recently at the helm of Carlow’s now defunct Music Factory. House, techno and trance nights are very much part of Peter’s plans for the south-east venue which is situated in the basement of White’s Hotel.
PoD Concerts has confirmed the return of Hed Kandi for its second successive New Year’s Eve party at Tripod. Tickets are e30 and last year’s sold out well in advance, so consider yourself warned.
Limerick superclub Trinity Rooms has unleashed 100 early bird tickets for its NYE bash, priced just e15. Tickets for the champagne and fireworks spectacular cost e20 thereafter.
Galway’s dynamic duo Cyril Briscoe and Cian O Ciobhain return to the city’s Black Box on December 21 under their Badger banner to throw a Christmas party. Tickets are e15 in advance from Town Hall Theatre, and e17.50 on the door
Ballybrack-born producer Shit Robot and The Juan Maclean bring their DFA Records tour to Dublin on Friday December 7 for a party at Crawdaddy.
And finally, dance music legend Moby will release his sixth studio album Last Night on March 10, 2008. Recorded in Moby’s home studio in Manhattan NY, “it’s a lot more dance-oriented and electronic than my last few albums,” he informs. The CD features a number of guests including rapper Grandmaster Caz, who was one of the writers of ‘Rapper’s Delight’. Adds Moby: “He’s been rapping since 1975, and I’m really happy to have him on the record.”… THE BEAT GOES ON!