Off The Record

Spend this Australia Day Eve down at the Oxford Art Factory as Picnic and Funf throw down a triple-bill bonanza. Leading the charge are US disco and funk luminaries Soul Clap who will also be joined by fellow Statesmen Nick Monaco and London’s Apron Records boss FunkinEven. A killer local lineup rounds out the bill – including Slow Blow, Dreems, Kali, Ben Fester, Adi Toohey and Andy Webb. It goes down on Sunday January 25.

Heads up – Florian Kupfer has locked in a last-minute Sydney show. Having spent 2013 releasing all-killer no-filler productions on the likes of seminal labels L.I.E.S., Russian Torrent Versions and Rush Hour (with his single Feelin topping many end-of-year lists), his sojourn to Australian shores this month will mark his debut visit Down Under. He’ll hit The Spice Cellar on Friday December 19 where he’ll be joined by local legends Ben Fester and Preacha.

Two of the biggest names on the NYE/NYD touring circuit, Hudson Mohawke and Mr. Carmack, have locked in a double headline show in Sydney. The Scotsman Mohawke is a regular on Warp Records and Kanye West’s label GOOD Music, and also makes up one half of the duo TNGHT alongside Canadian producer/DJ Lunice. The Hawaiian-based Carmack is also a heavy-hitter, with his hip hop-tinged dance productions finding homes on the likes of Teamsupreme and Soulection. Thursday January 8 at the Oxford Art Factory. Highly recommended.

Jungle, hip hop and turntablist extraordinaire Om Unit has locked in a return to Australia. The artist formerly known as 2tall (of which the moniker he retired in 2008) dropped his debut album Threads last year on Civil Music, and is a regular fixture on labels such as Goldie’s legendary Metalheadz, Pinch’s Tectonic and Berlin’s Project Mooncircle. He also runs his own label Cosmic Bridge Records. Catch him on Friday January 23 at Goodgod Small Club.

Our mates over at CODE are bringing one of the biggest club brands in the UK and Ibiza, Sankeys, to Sydney for one night only to celebrate their 20th anniversary. Headlined by the debut Australian performance of resident DJ Darius Syrossian, there will also be sets from the likes of Yousef, Dillan Joseph, Space Junk, Ben Ashton, aboutjack, Tristan Case and more. It goes down on Sunday January 25 at The Greenwood Hotel.

Best releases this week: shut it down – Theo Parrish has swooped in to take out the coveted Tyson Wray Album Of The Year™ with his last-minute entry American Intelligence (on Sound Signature). Other highlights include the techno mini-compilation Reversed Polarity (on Genesa), Yan Cook’s Gravity (on Delsin), DJ Metatron’s U’ll Be the King of the Stars (on Traumprinz), Some Truths’ Bliss Abyss (on We Can Elude Control) and Prosumer’s fabric 79 (on fabric).