Off The Record

Gig of the year material right here: Ripperton [pictured] is finally returning to Sydney after years (and years) away.

Having first broken through in the mid-’00s through his Lazy Fat People project (which saw him release on labels such as Border Community, Planet E and Wagon Repair), since the release of his 2010 solo debut Niwa, the man otherwise known as Raphaël Gros has been considered one of the pioneers in electronic music, with releases on the ilk of CH, Tamed Musiq, Clone and Green. He’ll be joined on the night by Aaiste, Whitecat, Jake Small, Dave Stuart, Aaron Robins, Eliot Mireylees and Marley Sherman. It goes down on Saturday August 22 at the Burdekin Hotel.

One of the fastest-rising names in the house game – UK producer Weiss – is heading to Australia this weekend. With a sound highly influenced by the greater Chicago sound, he’s received support from the likes of Groove Armada, Pete Tong, Green Velvet and Masters At Work’s Kenny Dope, has remixed for big-name players MK and Deadmau5, and almost every release of his is guaranteed to skyrocket up the Beatport charts. Catch him on Saturday August 15 at Chinese Laundry.

Looking for a way to spend Halloween this year? The original star of trap, Baauer, has confirmed that he’s returning to Sydney. Known worldwide as the producer behind the viral track ‘Harlem Shake’, his penchant for interfusing electronic and hip hop has seen him enlisted to create remixes for the likes of Nero, The Prodigy and Flosstradamus. This will be his first visit to Australia since the 2014 incarnation of the now defunct Future Music Festival. It goes down on Saturday October 31 at Oxford Art Factory. Spooky.

The first round lineup for Victoria’s Rainbow Serpent Festival has dropped, and holy moly, it is next level for house and techno fans. Found within the upper echelon of the bill are the likes of Pachanga Boys, John Digweed, Hernan Cattaneo and Monkey Safari. Needless to say we’ll be getting loads of Sydney sideshows, but y’all should really consider making the pilgrimage down to Lexton for the action from Friday January 22 – Monday January 25.

Tour rumour: thank the good Lord almighty that I can confirm to you the one and only Motor City Drum Ensemble has locked in a return to Australia. Full announcement imminent. Oh, and what’s that I hear about a Dense & Pika tour?

Best releases this week: Fred P has once again served up the goods under his FP197 alias with Raw Trax Vol.1 (Soul People). Other highlights include Unknown Artist’s Dream Vision (Loonie Bin), Kiko Navarro & Onsra’s Shir Khan Presents Black Jukebox 13 (Exploited), Alejandro Vivanco & Nu Zau’s Black N Space (Fizical), Beau Wanzer’s Untitled (Beau Wanzer) and Pvre Matrix’sBurning Sulfur (L.I.E.S.).