Guest Selector: Dixon Avenue Basement Jams

"Real rockin’ raw shit from the street for the clubs” is the motto that underscores the Glasgow-based label Dixon Avenue Basement Jams. Run by Dan 'Monox' Lurinsky and Kenny Grieve, the imprint was established in 2012 and has been responsible for championing a number of Scottish artists at the beginning of their careers, as well as providing a home for enigmatic artists (such as Marquis Hawkes and VernoN) who prefer to let their music do the talking.

A record label and also a DJ outfit, DABJ have plenty of tour dates lined up this spring, including the aforementioned Terminal V Festival in Edinburgh, a Glasgow show at The Berkeley Suite with Mella Dee on 6 Apr, and Shapes' Shapes At The Jail party in Stirling with Big Miz on 15 May. Here, Lurinsky and Grieve talk us through the releases that have influenced DABJ's sound; listen to their choices in the Spotify playlist below.

Dexter – I Don't Care
[2000, Klakson]
"First heard in a dark dingy wee club in the basement of an Indian restaurant in Paisley around 2000. Still a firm favourite, along with a lot of other Dexter releases!"

MMM – Donna
[1997, MMM]
"This record has been around forever, it's still readily available even though it was first released back in 1997. Poppin' electro with a style all of its own, sampling a famous Disco Diva."
 
Ralphi Rosario – You Used To Hold Me
[1987, Hot Mix 5]
"Chicago house classic, [it's] been played to death, but we still like to drop it into sets from time to time and it always gets the right reaction."

Suburban Knight - The Art Of Stalking
[1990, Transmat]
"One of the most influential tracks ever for us. Dark, brooding classic Detroit, and has spawned a thousand copycats. "

Cliff Lothar – Tool Tyme
[2017, Unknown To The Unknown]
"We have been big fans of Cliff Lothar since we first heard his work on Viewlexx a few years back. This track on bossman DJ Haus' label is another cracker. Simple with a ridiculously funky sawtooth bassline."

Big Miz – Our House
[2018, Dixon Avenue Basement Jams]
"One of many fantastic tracks (if we do say so ourselves) on the recent album release on DABJ. This guy can do no wrong, and his talent just keeps growing."

Sparky – Seven Daggers
[2016, Optimo Trax]
"Another Glasgow trooper who does a mean live set, and has been making records under various monikers since the early 90s. This track on Optimo Trax [another Glasgow label!] is a firm favourite."

Hazylujah – Knife Silhouette 
[2015, Delsin]
"This track is pretty mental. Its dark moody bassline is kinda reminiscent of the classic Art Of Stalking."

Hissman – Nobody's Talking
[2014, Hardmoon]
"One of the first tracks we heard from Hissman, this was included on our BBC Radio 1 Essential Mix back in 2014. Since then we have played with him Glasgow and Barcelona and will soon have a release coming out on DABJ from him." 

Jared Wilson ‎– Unknown Desires
[2012, Dixon Avenue Basement Jams]
"The title track from the first release on our label released back in 2012, which was the record that inspired us to start the label!"

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Terminal V, Royal Highland Centre, Edinburgh, 1 April, tickets here