Off The Record: The Year In Club And Dance

It’s been a tremendous year.

A year of death, a year of rebirth, and a year of renewal.

A year in which we were reminded of our individual and collective fragility.

A year that saw doyens of music and popular culture pass so frequently that it became an almost familiar feeling.

A year in which Fabric nightclub, one of electronic music’s most esteemed and publicly recognised venues, fell prey to vested interests, only to be granted renewal with strict licensing conditions.

A year that saw Bob Dylan awarded a Nobel Prize for literature.

A year in which Sydney residentsrallied twice in their thousands againstthe prolonged social and cultural suffocation of entirely unsubtle lockout laws.

A year that saw Carl Cox relieve himself of frontline duties at Ibiza’s Space club following almost 15 years at the helm.

A year in which Australian electronic music found its voice again.

A year that saw Paddington’s Goodbar reopen and, persisting patron management issues aside, come through with consistent bookings week after week.

A year in which we were reminded of our individual and collective strength.

[Keep Sydney Open Rally photo by Ashley Mar]

This Year’s playlist:

Spread across house, techno, electro and jazz,here are 20 releases that helped soundtrack 206:

Harvey Sutherland – Priestess/Bravado

Nicolas Jaar – Nymphs

Tim Hecker – Love Streams

DJ Seinfeld – Season 1

City People / 20 Below – It’s All In The Groove (reissue)