Off The Record

Big news:Piknic Électronikis coming to Sydney this summer.

First launched in Montreal in 2003 and expanding to Barcelona in 2012, the weekly outdoor event plays host to a specially curated lineup of DJs and producers.After a successful launch in Melbourne earlier this year, organisers have announced that in 2016 they’ll also be expanding up here. It’ll take place every Sunday afternoon from Sunday January 10 – Sunday March 27. Headlining the first party will be Detroit’s techno don Kevin Saunderson [above left], while later in the month both Jeff Mills and Derrick May will be stopping by. The full lineup is coming on Tuesday January 5 and the venue is Sydney Park in St Peters. Stay tuned.

Well this is probably the best Christmas present ever. My all-time favourite producer, DJ and all-round greatest dude on the planet, Kenny Dixon Jr. AKA Moodymann,will drop by Sydney later this month. I’m not even going to try and list the Detroit techno and house kingpin’s accolades; the man is on a whole other playing field. He’ll be supported by Simon Caldwell, Stereogamous, Boogie Monster, Kali, Preacha, Heavenly, Andy Webb, Karim + Daniel Lupica, Lovebombs, Adi Toohey, Annabelle Gaspar and L’Oasis on Sunday December 20 at Harpoon Harry. It kicks off at 3pm.

One of the finest names to emerge from Melbourne’s deep house scene, Francis Inferno Orchestra[above right], has locked in a rare headline show in Sydney. I say ‘rare’ because the kid is so damn popular that he was forced to move to Europe due to the overwhelming requests for overseas bookings. Last week he dropped his newest single ‘Harmony’, which is hands down my favourite (technically) Australian track of the year. Catch him alongside Steven Sullivan, Kyle Kenn, U-Khan, Methodix, Loveless and Dave Stuart on Saturday January 16 at the Burdekin Hotel.

More tours of note: Get Physical head honcho DJ T. will visit us on Saturday December 26 at Jam Gallery; Friend Within will play at Chinese Laundry this Saturday December 12 (supported by a DJ set from Oscar Key Sung) and European house heavyweights Catz N Dogz willalso hit Chinese Laundry on Saturday February 6.

Tour rumours: sometime over March or April we’ll be seeing the return of the Sex Tags honchos DJ Sotofett and DJ Fett Burger.

Reading material: the ‘best of’ end-of-year lists are coming, and as usual, most of them are rubbish. The only one that’s been published so far that I’d recommend is the always on-point list by The Quietus. I bet you a pint that there’s some killer electronic albums on it that went under your radar.

Best releases this week: as always, releases tend to slow down at this time of year, but I’m really digging the first compilation on new label Salt Mines’ SALT001 and Foreign’sBAROC005 (on BAROC).

Recommended:

FRIDAY DECEMBER 11

Kowton @Goodgod Small Club

SATURDAY DECEMBER 12

Optimo@Chippendale Hotel

Friend Within@Chinese Laundry

Will Saul, Jay Haze@Burdekin Hotel

SHXCXCHCXSH@Bridge Hotel

SUNDAY DECEMBER 13

Wolf + Lamb@Café del Mar

SATURDAY DECEMBER 19

Floating Points@Oxford Art Factory