Off The Record

It’s already time to start thinking about the 2016 incarnation ofSubsonic Music Festival.

I know, right? This Sunday June 5 it’s teaming up with the dons from S.A.S.H to throw an all-day mini-festival launch party. Headlined by a secret international guest and also featuring performances from Pepperpot, Stereogamous, Robbie Lowe, Matt Weir, Kerry Wallace, Gabby, Jake Hough and loads more, the day will feature roving performers, market stalls and live art over four rooms. Plus, there’ll be information available if you want to get involved in the festival, volunteer and what have you. It kicks off at 12pm at the Greenwood Hotel.

Speaking of S.A.S.H joining forces with other legends, it’s also teaming up with Mantra Collective over the Queen’s Birthday weekend for an audiovisual extravaganza. House and techno specialist Arapu [above](who can count the likes of Raresh, Rhadoo, Barac, Ricardo Villalobos and Nima Gorji in his fan base) will be joined by fellow Romanian and visual artist Coté to create a multi-sensory environment set to blow your mind. They’ll be flanked by locals Gabby, Jake Hough, Jac Frier, Le Brond, Datura, Matt Weir and Kerry Wallace. It’s going down on Saturday June 11 at the Arthouse Hotel.

Our mates over at Blueprint are set to celebrate their second birthday by repeating one of their most ridiculous parties of last year – by covering the Greenwood Hotel’s courtyard with 60 bloody tonnes of real snow. Furthermore, the snow-out blow-out will be headlined by Berlin’s Argy (who has had releases on the likes of Cocoon, Cadenza and Desolat) while he’s on the Australian leg of his Chronographic album tour, with supports from Jacob Malmo, Ben Nott, AAISTE, Simon Caldwell, Space Junk and Tristan Case. It’s going down on Saturday June 25.

Germany’s Luca Lozano has locked in his debut tour of Australia. The man behind the seminal Klasse Recordings imprint (and its sub-labels Graffiti Tapes, Zodiac 44 and Klasse Wrecks) has also had his releases find homes on the likes of Sex Tags UFO, 100% Silk, Optimo Trax, Unknown To The Unknown and Crème Organization, and is a selector that is guaranteed to bring the heat to even the coldest of winter dancefloors. Can’t recommend this one more highly. He’ll be joined by residents from the Heavenly and Ghostly crews on Saturday June 11 at an undisclosed warehouse location TBA.

Tour rumour: I’ve got a pineapple or two down on Dense & Pika announcing an Australian return within the next month or so.

Best releases this week: fancy listening to a really killer album with a really shitty title by a group with a really shitty name? Look no further than SHXCXCHCXSH’sSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSsSs (on Avian). Don’t get me started on the track titles, too. Otherwise, I’d recommend giving a spin of Ibrahim Alfa’s Hidden By The Leaves (Workshop), Vester Koza’s OTR (Houndstooth) and Lone’s Levitate (R&S).

Recommended:

SATURDAY JUNE 4

Weiss @Chinese Laundry

Cesar Merveille @Burdekin Hotel

SUNDAY JUNE 5

Subsonic Music Festival Launch Party @Greenwood Hotel

FRIDAY JUNE 10

Louisahhh @Oxford Art Factory

SATURDAY JUNE 11

Andhim @Chinese Laundry

Luca Lozano @TBA

Arapu @The Arthouse