Take an abandoned bank in Long Island City, turn it into a sprawling outdoor pool club, and add two of techno music’s most innovative DJs. That’s what’s going down on Friday, September 2nd, when ReSolute and Basic team up for a one-off event in one of New York’s most unique – and very temporary – event spaces. They’re kicking off Labor Day weekend with a thunderous double-header of dark and driving techno as Stockholm’s Joel Mull and Southampton’s Alan Fitzpatrick – both standouts of the amazing Drumcode label – come to Long Island City to play at The Palms. It’s a pool party, it’s a dance party, it’s a celebration of everything that’s great about New York in the waning days of summer, and we can’t wait for all of it.

Housed in a former bank, just around the corner from PS1, the Palms evokes an Art Deco-era Floridian beach club, with three “dumpster pools” parked in the backyard for swimming, alongside food trucks, ping pong tables, photo booths, hula hoops and loung chairs galore. Inside, the building itself has been turned into a disco, with a pumping sound system and a massive bar. The venue, created by the 3rd Ward and the Danger camps, with music curated by Mean Red, is only open through Labor Day weekend, and is already drawing huge weekend crowds looking to get their swim on. This is the perfect opportunity for the techno heads to come see a truly unique party spot.

Our artists for this event are two of techno’s most dynamic DJs and artists. Swedish techno stalwart Joel Mull is an artist known for exploring the interplay between the dark and the light, a producer whose tracks attract discerning DJs looking for something beyond the ordinary. He has been plying his trade for over a decade, with releases on Drumcode, Truesoul,  Cocoon, Jericho and many more. Joining him – in his New York debut – is quite simply one of techno’s most exciting new artists: the UK’s Alan Fitzpatrick. He is a prolific producer who does not shy away from dark and twisted peak-hour techno, with his 8 Sided Dice label and his acclaimed “Shadows in the Dark” LP on Drumcode focusing on the harder end of the spectrum.

The lineup is rounded out by Basic NYC’s Sleepy & Boo, who are co-presenting this party with the ReSolute crew. Representing ReSolute is NYC favorite Connie, whose sets are always a highlight of their parties, and at the myriad of other events she is featured at in the city.

Joel Mull – Klangfarben

For advanced tickets, click HERE.

This Friday, Basic NYC welcomes two of electronic music’s premiere artists to New York for the debut of their new party Good Times, taking place at the Hudson Hotel’s downstairs space Good Units. Representing the two cities of Detroit and Berlin, Planet E’s Carl Craig will be headlining the event with support from Mobilee’s Sebo K, the first time these two luminaries have shared the decks together in the Big Apple. The name of this event says it all – Good Times is a party all about good music, good people and having a great time together on the dancefloor.

Joining the artists will be Basic NYC’s resident DJs and founders Sleepy & Boo, who celebrated their 7th anniversary this Spring of presenting top-notch events and music in New York. Good Times will take place at various venues throughout the city, and will not be anchored to any one particular sound or style. Also on the lineup is Michael Vieira, the founder of the Greater > Than events and a regular fixture on the decks at Cielo. Warming things up are Roman Chamomile and Lucas PM, two of the newer faces on New York’s underground scene.

2011 has been a banner year for Detroit’s visionary DJ, producer and label boss Carl Craig. All year long he is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Planet E, his genre-crossing label that has been his primary outlet for two decades. At the 2011 Movement Festival, he debuted the live performance of 69, his artist alter ago – it was 69’s “Jazz Funk Classics” release that first put Planet E on the map and declared that Carl Craig was going to be charting his own, unexpected path as an artist. Craig’s headlining set on the Vitamin Water main stage on Sunday was one of the festivals highlight performances. In recent years Craig has collaborated with artists including Luciano, Moritz Von Oswald and Francesco Tristano, and Amp Fiddler – and he continually pushes the boundaries of everything he does.

Aficionados of cutting edge European sounds are intimately familiar with the Mobilee Records camp, headed up by Anja Schneider. Sebo K is one of the label’s stalwarts, an accomplished producer and DJ who bridges the gap between contemporary sounds with classic deep and techno vintage grooves. Outside of Mobilee, his music has appeared on revered labels including Get Physical, Cecille, Tsuba and many more, where his credo is quality over quantity.

John Digweed is a legend in his own right. His long career in electronic music has seen him shape the very formation of the progressive house movement, as well as the crafting of the evolution of the genre through his involvement in some of the most influential clubs and event organizations in the world. It is therefore no wonder that his recent presence at District 36 brought multitudes of fans to fill every nook and cranny of the spacious club. In fact, the space was so full of eager merrymakers it was nearly impossible to move at all, let alone make your way to the restroom or the bar. This way no doubt also due to the magnificent opening set by Basic NYC movers and shakers Sleepy & Boo, who played until nearly 2am to an almost overwhelmingly full house. Their sets only get better with every spectacular event that they organize, making it worth getting there early to catch them every single time. Their ability to build a solid set that compliments the sound of the artist performing after them, while still maintaining their own personal style, is a truly noteworthy talent.

It was clear that there was something special in the air that night, as many people were heard remarking on their long term appreciation for Digweed and his music. Multiple stories were repeated of people’s “first time” with Digweed, and how this single experience had definitively brought them into the world of electronic music and thereby molded their entire future experience of music.

Digweed played an extended set of stimulating progressive house, manipulating the heaving dancefloor with every build-up and drop of the bassline. As usual, he remained quite calm throughout his set, evoking an air of a wise professor or sage priest, powerfully imparting his knowledge and watching it manifest in his pupils. He played deep into the night, far past the closing time of 4am, yet the continuously brimming floor never ceased to respond.

Check out the full photo gallery HERE.

Next Friday May 6, the legendary “DJ’s DJ” John Digweed will step behind the decks at District 36; something I personally have been looking forward to all month. I’m sure that for most of you the man needs no introduction, as his long career in shaping the evolution of electronic music and reputation as an incredibly talented artist are no mystery to anyone who subscribes to the genre. For those of you who don’t know, get familiar:

Even if you’re not an avid follower of dance music but are tuned into popular culture at all you’ve likely experienced music touched by the hands of John Digweed. Originally hailing from England but having clearly arrived on the global scene nearly a decade ago, Digweed has long since cemented his name in the pages of dance music history. His list of achievements is groundbreaking to say the least. The beauty of what he does lies in just how different he really is from his contemporaries. From his early beginnings in England at the age of 15 in the blossoming scene of acid house to the apex of the international DJ’ing world, he has created and maintained a level of integrity that is the benchmark for both DJ’s and producers globally. In fact, he has reached the very top of his profession, being voted #1 in a voter’s poll by DJ magazine in 2001. Digweed has become the people’s choice while maintaining his longstanding presence in underground dance culture. His popularity as both a DJ and a person seems to have no limits, but his efforts transcend DJ’ing alone, he is as much a producer and promoter. His moniker “Bedrock” is actually three things: a record label, a promotions company and a studio production partnership (with Nick Muir).

Check out this outstanding Essential Mix from last May by John Digweed for a taste of what next weekend will bring…

Basic NYC residents Sleepy & Boo will be providing the opening set, to be sure to arrive early to catch them! To get on the guestlist for reduced admission at the door, shoot an email to rsvp@basicnyc.com. Otherwise, a limited number of discounted presale tickets can be purchased HERE.

Last Saturday, District 36 hosted the 7 year anniversary celebration of New York City party starters Basic NYC. The party featured and extended set from techno and house legend Lee Burridge, with Basic NYC residents Sleepy & Boo building up the energy of the crowd to the bursting point beforehand. Every nook and cranny of District 36 was filled to the brim with enthusiastic electronic aficionados moving with complete abandon to the sounds of the world renowned DJ, with the dance floor spreading far beyond the allotted area usually designated for it. Congratulations to Basic NYC; we look forward to seeing what the next year will bring.

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Super music nerd that I am, I’ve recently been spending my nights off teaching myself the entire history of electronic music (because who doesn’t want to spend hours reading about the TB-303). I’ve always experienced a certain feeling of nostalgia for a time that I never knew; I feeling that I arrived in this world just the tiniest bit too late to have the thorough understanding of the inception of the electronic sound that accompanied being a young adult in the 80′s and 90′s. This feeling, paired with my natural tendencies toward academia and scholarly pursuits, has essentially meant that I’ve been, through the study of texts and the experience of the music itself, giving myself a degree in electronic music.

I’ve recently, due to a currently fascination with techno and the state of the electronic movement in the early 90′s, found myself immersed in the sounds of Detroit techno, which was after all the epicenter of electronic music when it first began gathering steam in the United States. Imagine my joy then, when I put down my reading and checked my email, only to find this event beckoning to me. Carl Craig, Derrick May, Paul Woolford, and local favorites Sleepy & Boo all together in one night on District 36′s sky high sound soundsystem? Yes please!

I was not disappointed. District 36 boomed with the best of cutting edge techno and house, as well as older cuts that hearkened back to the roots of the sound. Carl Craig in particular absolutely killed it, building his set as the night went on, until he was dropping some seriously wicked acid house at around 3am. While the newer strains of electronic music and young up and coming DJs and producers are exciting to follow for their innovation and fresh ideas, there is truly nothing like hearing a master at work, and Carl Craig is just such as master.

Check out the full photo gallery HERE.

Next Friday, February 18, Carl Craig’s infamous Detroit techno label Planet E celebrates two decades of ground-breaking electronic tunes with what promises to be an outstanding and memorable event at District 36. This is the kickoff event for Planet E’s 20 year celebration, including parties worldwide and special remixes and releases. This night features a truly cutting edge trio of outstanding DJs that have never played together before in New York. Full on Motor City techno on D36′s massive Gary Stewart Audio sound system, with an opening set from New York City’s own Sleepy & Boo!

Dancefloor experimentalist and top Detroit techno producer Carl Craig has few equals in terms of the artistry, influence, and diversity of his recordings. Few others have recorded so much quality music in such a variety of styles than Craig, who jammed distorted beat-box samples into lo-fi electro riggings, crafted epic house tracks like his remix of Tori Amos’ “God,” and recorded the most sublime Detroit techno since godfathers Juan Atkins and Derrick May were at their peak. Like many of his peers, Carl Craig has approached techno using inspiration from a wide range of musical genres, including jazz and soul. Carl Craig has released many successful albums under a large number of aliases, such as BFC, Psyche, Paperclip People, 69, Designer Music and Innerzone Orchestra. Using one alias, Innerzone Orchestra, he released perhaps his best-known track “Bug in the Bassbin” in 1992, a track that many regard as being a key influence in the then evolving sound of drum and bass. Additionally, he is the founder and owner of his own record label Planet E, which apart from his own work, has released records by well known techno and house artists like Kevin Saundersen, Alton Miller, and Moodyman.

Of the Belleville Three, the cadre of early Detroit producers who tested the limits of spirit within electronic dance music and changed the integrity of the form forever, Derrick May‘s reputation as an originator remained intact despite more than a decade of recording inactivity. As far as influence counts as part of the equation, May recorded the techno tracks which top dance producers point to as the most original and influential. The classic Derrick May sound is a clever balance between streamlined percussion-heavy cascades of sound with string samples and a warmth gained from time spent in Chicago, enraptured by the grooves of essential DJs like Ron Hardy and Frankie Knuckles. May’s Transmat Records label was the home of his best material, cuts like “Nude Photo,” “Strings of Life,” “Kaos” and “It Is What It Is,” most produced from 1987 to 1989 as Rhythim Is Rhythim. And though his release schedule all but halted during the 1990s, he has continued DJing around the world and honed Transmat into one of the most respected techno labels in the world.

Through his work as DJ, producer, dancefloor experimentalist, remixer, collaborator and label owner, Paul Woolford has succeeded in bringing a rare level of artistry to the world of modern dance music and in doing so, made an enduring global impact. His name is synonymous with high-quality. 2010 was a key year and saw releases and remixes for Sven Vath’s Cocoon Recordings, Steve Bug’s Poker Flat, and the release of the double CD mix compilation ‘Platform’ which displayed Woolford’s sonic manifesto in vivid detail. Initially inspired by the constant throb of the radio throughout his childhood, the seeds of his future direction were sewn by the time a record-collecting addiction kicked in properly during his teenage years. This insatiable appetite for musical stimulation has driven Woolford to explore far beyond the cutting- edge house and techno that is his stock-in-trade, and led him down more experimental paths, embracing aspects of improvised jazz through his collaborative work with Paul Hession, and taking huge inspiration from the modern composition of Steve Reich. All this is distilled within the techno dynamic that Woolford has made second-nature.

Check out this phenomenal mix that Carl Craig put together for Resident Advisor’s 200th podcast last March.

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