We all know Santa rewards good behaviour. So do our friends at Dublin club night Jack. They've teamed up with Austria’s Snowbombing festival for their official Dublin 2014 launch party. This coming April the week–long fest celebrates 15 years of music mayhem on the snowy slopes of Mayrhofen, near Innsbruck.
Going down December 13 at The Button Factory, the event features Exploited Records mainstay Claptone, with support from David De Valera. In memory of American DJ and producer Romanthony, who sadly passed this year, Claptone has remixed his track ‘Floorpiece’. It’s out this month.
Your Christmas wish of bringing your DJ skills to the attention of the wider world could come true thanks to Hooked Evolution club night. All you have to do is upload your best mix, then sit back and wait for the winners to be announced on Christmas Day. The prize? A mega-slot at their next big event. Get mixing. Check www.facebook.com/events/489250654505908/?ref_dashboard_filter=calendar
Stocking stuffer alert. Cork-based Vision Collective Recordings have come to us with their final release of the year, from VCR founding member and past Sir Henry’s DJ Marq Walsh, aka QuestionmarQ. His EP, Show Me/Break From The Norm, lands on December 6. Think deep, chilled and dreamy (a bit like your like average Hot Press writer then...) As for the label, 2014 will see a new 12” plus Irish and international signings and further releases from their roster favourites! www.visioncollectiverecordings.com
Just when you thought you’ve opened all your pressies, Santa has arranged a New Year’s party with some of the best DJ talent Ireland has to offer. Shit Robot, Johnny Moy, Billy Scurry, DJ Scope and Will Dempsey will help ring in 2014 at The Sugar Club, Dublin.
Be ready for some surprises. www.facebook.com/events/785764504773514/ref_dashboard_filter=calendar
Representing Derry and Belfast are The Japanese Popstars, aka Gary Curran and Gareth Donoghue. They recently remixed a track for Foog, ‘Cannary Row’. It's out now on Tulipa Records. The lads are fresh back from a wicked gig at EFS Toronto and are wasting no time hitting London’s The Ministry Of Sound for a whopper date on December 6. www.beatport.com/track/canneryrow-the-japanese-popstars-remix/4868339
Liffeyside producer, promoter and DJ Luke Barnett has a new project called i– 15. Luke, who’s brought you nights like Weird Scientist and The Warehouse Collective, has teamed up with Niall Fogo and Dara Rawat. They take influences from Radiohead, The Aphex Twin and Dandy Warhols. Check their first video at www.youtube.com/ watch?v=29BY4KJ0liQ.Luke runs a free bi–monthly techno night in Sweeney’s, and has John Hussey headlining on January 31.
Who doesn’t like free stuff after our post holiday splurges? Yay! Carrickfergus-born, London-living producer and DJ Kat BMP, has come to us with her new track, ‘Freakin’. It's made the Grime Instrumentals Volume Four compilation, on Mixing Records! Also featured on the comp is fellow Irish producer Major Grave. Get your festive grime fill atwww.stayclever.com
Dublin ambient label Psyconavigation has a limited 500–copy release of Godhavn by Italian producer, Galati en route. The release showcases deep, ambient soundscapes influenced by his treks across the rolling thundra of Greenland. Perfect Christmas mood music.psychonavigation.com/tagged/new
Cork-born, Berlin-living producer Chymera, aka Brendan Gregoriy, has a new track, ‘Under The Slip’, out now on on Kompakt Records and a ‘14 release coming with Ovum. ww.kompakt.fm/releases/speicher_76
Swink Music has unleashed Underground Sound Of Swink Volume One, a new deep house and garage compilation featuring tracks from F’N’T, Snazzy Trax, Phaze Dee, Frank Jr, Nick Beringer, Colm Buckly and Frek Musik. It’sout now. www.swinkmusicrecords.com/