Clubbing Highlights – July

Fed up of the long hours and vitamin D deficiency inherent in its proselytising ways, the Clubbing Highlights column has made a devastating concession to 'fun' by packing its suitcase with suncream and homemade lysergics, with the all-too-distant aspiration that it might come back from Sonar festival looking like something other than a crème brûlée lovingly prepared by Duke Nukem. Only the acid will give it the conviction to believe as much. As usual, it's up to the rest of us at Clubs to pick up the pieces and salve its melanoma-riddled carcass with the following aftersun lotions.

LuckyMe host one third of polybass triumvirate Hessle Audio, Ben UFO, at their Sneaky Pete's bimonthly on Fri 29 Jul. Ben UFO's selections of warmth-infused house and UK garage mirror LuckyMe's continued quest towards a place called Omnigenre, a realm where nothing is off-limits. Playing out beforehand will be Leeds-based Respite, The Blessings and Eclair Fifi, the last of whom has released a typically exceptional mix for URB.

Over at SWG3, Electric Frog reprise their April soiree with an inarguably stellar line-up on Sat 30 and Sun 31 Jul. Essential Saturday offerings include a live set from Minus's Marc Houle (he of irrepressible minimal anthem On It), the Teutonic disco pastiche of Nitzer Ebb, the porno-bass of DJ Funk and the electro-techno of Instra:mental. Mount Kimbie, Optimo, Chrome Hoof and Joker should be foremost in your thoughts on the Sunday.

Clockwork are the latest sleek house act to visit Rendezvous. Much in the vein of Art Department and Lee Foss, also a former Rendezvous headliner, the Italian duo marry sensuous basslines with pitched-down vocals played at slow, libidinous tempos. Retrophile duo Cheap Picasso augment proceedings with a considered blend of 70s and 80s NY cocaine disco and diva house (of the acceptable kind). Catch this at Hawke & Hunter on Sat 2 Jul.

Slabs of the Tabernacle welcome Intergalactic Gary and John Heckle on Sat 30 Jul at Big Joint. Intergalactic Gary's wantonly eclectic box of tricks will be funneled into an exclusive Chicago acid setlist, something which Dutch label Rush Hour are repressing lots of if you're keen on copping yourself a few copies. Heckle's oeuvre looks more to the future; recently-released EP 4th Dimension rides a hi-tech jazz groove reminiscent of Space Dimension Controller.

Getting hold of a ticket to T in the Park is notoriously difficult, unless your banking is done offshore or you're sleeping with someone in the media (you poor bastard). If you belong in either camp, then a beeline to the Slam Tent should be considered standard procedure. Of the stramash on offer, Tiga's seamless patchwork of 80s synth pop and restrained electro house, along with DJ Sneak's timeless disco house (stone cold classic You Can't Hide From Your Bud being a good example), are fine starting points. Josh Wink's epic acid techno and the ethereal 4/4 of The Black Dog should excite your adrenal glands something fierce, while live sets from Hudson Mohawke and Boards of Canada-inspired beatsmith Mathew Jonson are also deserving of your discerning ears.