He's Electric

Widely regarded as one of the most influential polls in dance music, the DJ Magazine Top 100 is upon us again. Irish superstar DJ John O’Callaghan is hoping to beat the world’s finest and storm into the first 25 as he did in 2009.

The Carlow native, whose most recent single, ‘Find Yourself’, has clocked up over 1.5 million hits on YouTube, says “It was a great achievement to rank in the chart again last year and hopefully with the support of my Irish fans I’ll get there”. John’s bid comes amid controversy about the voting tactics which has seen some big international names named, shamed and disqualified. John isn’t one of them, so vote for him at www.djmag.com
French legend and recent dubstep convert Laurent Garnier has championed one the first major releases in the genre to come from an Irish producer.
“I love it!’ he says of Detboi’s ‘Voices From Heaven,’ “it’s a dubstep monster,” adding “I’m going to play it out a lot”. The track, out this month on Herve’s Cheap Thrills label (and featuring a remix from the man himself) has also been getting the hi-five from Paul Oakenfold, Princess Superstar and Stereo MCs. For more on Garnier and his Electric Picnic appearance next week, turn to
page 57.
While the big dance names such as Garnier, Leftfield and Massive Attack dominate EP’s dance line-up this year, there’s plenty of hidden nuggets for the clubber to seek out. One of the Godfathers of modern club music, as one half of Soft Cell, Marc Almond headlines the THISISPOPBABY stage. No torch songs or solo Russian ballads from the great man this time ‘round though, he’s going back to his roots with a band, to play a set subtitled ‘A-Sides, Hits and Best Bits’ which should thrill fans of his early electronic pop. In a similar vein, occasional Dublin gay clubnight Horse Meat Disco makes an appearance at the Bacardi B-Live Tent which also houses DJ sets from underground upstarts such as The Revenge and Zombie Disco Squad, and old hands like MJ Cole and Greg Wilson.
One of the latest Irish labels to branch out and release tracks from international artists is Aciitone. The label, run by respected Dublin scene-veteran Al Keegan, is putting out Swedish artist Hans Bouffmheyer’s upcoming EP, which includes a remix from up and coming Dublin band Hypertic. Al’s own solo album, While The City Sleeps – under the name Bubba – is still quietly creating a stir since its release in June.
Both previously championed in He’s Electric, Break Down labelmates Johnny Pluse and The Dirty Dubsters have landed a show together on German breaks station Ramp FM. The show’s date and time is TBC but both acts are keen to get their hands on your breakbeat, drum ‘n bass and dubstep tracks, so contact them at [email protected].
Showing the way to get ahead in Dublin clubland, Ana Tomy has its second visit to Twisted Pepper on September 18. The night – in the innovative concept vein of Pop Up, Shock and Partie Monster – is an electro and new wave night with a theme of ‘body parts’. Its innovator, Ev Ni Chonnaith (pictured) says “we had the heart as the first one earlier in the month, next one is all about the eye”. Its name? Socket To Me Baby. www.facebook.com/anatomypresents.Also, the guys behind the successful Life Festival in June will be treating us to ‘The Rave In The Woods’.
For more details email [email protected].