Clubbing Highlights – January 2013

January is traditionally a bit of a featureless wasteland in the club scene, with punters too broke to go out, and promoters unwilling to gamble money on a big-name booking for the same reasons. After the sturm und drang excess of Hogmanay, people are more likely to take a break, and chill inside with cups of Bovril and a cheeky six episodes of Breaking Bad than they are to come and cut loose on the dancefloor. And yet, January offers a plethora of recession-busting free and cheap nights from local promoters, and the odd international guest thrown in for good measure. So we recommend you un-glue yourself from the custom-fitted butt-groove of your sofa, fill your pockets with left over cutter from Chrimbo, and head out into the winter night for some top-notch hedonism! But where do we go, we hear you cry? Fear not! The Skinny has the inside dope on the best fun to be had in front of two turntables and a speaker stack. Read on...

First up is a mighty clash between two Edinburgh techno mainstays, who both did a bloody good job of reinvigorating the party scene in Edinburgh in 2012. The Unseen crew take on ETC (Edinburgh Tekno Cartel) at east-coast techno's ancestral home, Studio 24, on 4 Jan, and it's completely free. With a collective resident list that is pretty much a who's who of Edinburgh techno – featuring Neil Templar (Dogma), Patrick Walker (Forward Strategy Group), Alias23 and Toxicologist back to back, and a live set from Morphamish (Black Lantern), the night promises Unseen's trademark ‘pitch-dark voodoo beats’ alongside the tougher sounds of the ETC crew, spinning everything from dubstep and jungle to hadtek and gabber. It remains to be seen whether this four-to-the-floor face-off will culminate in sweet, beautiful electronic lovemaking or a teeth-bared techno deathmatch – the only way to find out is to get your arse down there.

Just up the M8 on 5 Jan, the ever-inventive, globetrotting sounds of Auntie Flo and Esa's popular Highlife bash are rounded out by the sounds of high-intensity, Afrocentric percussion maestro Romare. Get yersel' down to La Cheetah and experience the exotic sounds on offer for a measly fiver. Meditations on Afrocentrism, Romare's debut for the ultra-hip Black Acre label (which also features Scottish artists such as Loops Haunt and Akira Kiteshi) was a blistering four track collection of hyper-intelligent techno and bass music with a suggestive, political edge. His set for Highlife should be a real eye-opener, not to mention an epic booty-shaker.

The first big weekend of the year in Glasgow really kicks off on 12 Jan, with Subculture welcoming Numbers beatsmith Jackmaster to the decks at Sub Club, joining long-serving ressies Harri & Domenic. Meanwhile, The Berkeley Suite sees the second outing for new kids on the block Oddio, who welcome Soma signing and deep techno pioneer Alex Smoke, who celebrates the launch of his new album Wraetlic. Smoke's back catalogue is impressive, taking in moments of deep, bass-driven house of 2006's Paradolia, and more recently the minimal tech of 2010's Lux. His new album promises similarly restrained, minimalistic pleasures. Oddio is the cheaper option, at just a fiver.

Back in Edinburgh on 12 Jan, the Musika crew return to the fray just weeks after their epic Hogmanay blowout, welcoming their residents crew of Laurie Neil, Kirk Douglas (not that one), Jamie McKenzie and Derek Martin to the decks at The Liquid Room. Expect house, techno and deep, deep grooves from a night with a blistering reputation as one of the best places for upfront house and techno in the capital.

Are there Thursday parties in January? You bet your ass! On 17 Jan, Edinburghers can get down to the bass-heavy, broken beat sounds of French DJ Plezier, who joins the iAM residents Beta & Kappa for a session at Cabaret Voltaire. It's free if you visit their website (iamclub.co.uk), or just a few quid on the door. You can currently grab Plezier's two-track Baby EP from his Bandcamp on a pay-what-you-want basis (plezier.bandcamp.com).

On 18 Jan, the Axis crew are joined by Turbo Recordings star Duke Dumont, who joins the party for a genre-busting run through electro, techno and dubstep. Dumont has completed some high profile remixes for the likes of Lily Allen, Bat For Lashes and The Mystery Jets. Get thee down to The Caves to partake. Up in Dundee, the Mungo's Hi-Fi crew take over the Reading Rooms, with guest selectors Chungo Bungo and Miss DLove bringing the roots, reggae and skanking dub sounds.

On 19 Jan, ETC return again with their first birthday party, with the usual fancy dress madness, this time on the theme of Away With The Space Trash Fairies. Interpret as you will – it's a fiver in costume, more without, and takes place at Teviot.

The Trash! Crew have a special date with Sleaze Records techno-heads Hans Bouffmyhre and Lex Gorrie, over at the Citrus Club in Edinburgh. Bouffmyhre started plying his trade in Glasgow, and now has releases on Perc Trax, Harthouse and Soma, not to mention his own label. Catch him in action on 20 Jan.

Back in Glasgow on 25 Jan, the Andrew Weatherall-approved Crimes of the Future night returns to Glasgow's Berkeley Suite for another meagre fiver, with residents Scott Fraser and Timothy J. Fairplay (Weatherall's collaborator for the much-touted new project The Asphodells – see our feature in this month's issue) manning the decks to play a selection of Krautrock, electronic, dub and everything inbetween. This night's gaining a solid reputation – you'd be advised to check it out before the queue goes mental, Optimo-style.

If you happen to be up Dundee way on 25 Jan, you'd be well-advised to check out eclectic beatsmith Riton, who headlines the fourth birthday party for local lads Bleep at the Reading Rooms. Fresh from his collaboration with DJ Mehdi (under the name Carte Blanche), Riton is working on material for a planned new album, his first under the Riton name since 2004's vocal-heavy Homies and Homos.

And speaking of Optimo, we'd be remiss if we didn't mention their very special soundclash with the cheeky young iAM scamps on 29 Jan at the Sub Club, which they're touting as a 'very special' Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas-themed party. As you already know, the Optimo boys go all-out when they throw a theme party, so expect zany decorations, a carefully-curated playlist and a weird and wonderful crowd. We predict madness, and again, it's just a fiver.

Wrapping things up for January, rising future-bass star, Los Angeles' RL Grime joins the Witness crew at Sneaky Pete's on 30 Jan, with a super-cheap party (just three quid!) that will feature garage, dubstep and bassline house. RL Grime's speaker-busting, acid-meets-post-dubstep track Trap On Acid was a convention-busting techno / trap hybrid,and bodes well for an explosive night at Sneaky's. It's free for members, so the Witness faithful should be packing out the dancefloor for this session.

And that's it for January, with what looks like an exciting start to the year – keep it locked on to The Skinny's highlights column for the finest monthly selection of spinners, sinners and winners north of the border – and be sure to check our Listings for late additions! We'll see you back here in February, when we'll be sharing the love and Valentine vibes. Check it!