Scottish Clubbing Highlights – August 2015

This month we look forward to clubbing at the Fringe, with a few shouts for Glasgow and Dundee too

Preview by Xavier Boucherat | 04 Aug 2015

August means Fringe, which means all the parties that count are happening in the capital (sorry Glasgow). Coming through for Tweak’s festival opener is none other than Jackmaster’s BFF Seth Troxler. The pre-eminent house and techno selector arrives in Edinburgh a night before his much-hyped Acid Future night in London, an 'anti-EDM' celebration of all things acid house. Will he be breaking out the 303 classics in preparation? Not that we’re suggesting the man needs practice – wherever he takes us, it’s going to be very special. So special in fact that Tweak will be temporarily vacating their usual spot at The Mash House for a secret location, to be announced closer to the time. Support comes from Edinburgh boy Theo Kottis, whose talent behind the decks has earned him high praise from the likes of Skream and Solomun. This past year has also seen him lift the veil on his production skills – 2014’s Waiting Game EP on Moda Black gave us a pair of deep, bittersweet cuts, whilst this year saw him drop the vocal-driven Human Chemistry. The perfect warm up for Troxler’s otherworldly travels (7 Aug, secret location, £20).

That same night will see Scuba deliver a set in Aberdeen's The Tunnels. Following the release of his well-received Claustrophobia LP, the Hotflush boss and diverse producer has been touring nonstop of late. These last few years have seen a number of forays into different genres, but recent ouput has spelt a return to the darker side of techno. Support comes from Aberdeen locals Daniel Black and Matt Shuttleton (7 Aug, The Tunnels, from £16 + bf).

Meanwhile, over in Glasgow, the Norwegian-born London-based Fine Grains label will be celebrating three years on our mortal plane with a party at The Art School. Stepping up for a headline slot is the city’s resident Skweee-lord Joe Howe. Expect 100% positive vibes from the former Ben Butler man’s sin-wave funk, all performed live. If you haven’t had the pleasure yet, check out his awesome set for Teki Latex’s Overdrive Infinity show. Joining him is Highlander and Fine Grains mainstay CAIN, label-head Uraki Riddim, and rising star T_A_M. The Aberdonian’s hard-edged, many-textured grime instrumentals have gotten airplay from rinse royalty like Plastician, Mumdance and more this year, whilst his Damned If I Do EP on Aberdeen’s Tuff Wax showed off how innovative a producer he’s on his way to becoming. Catch him now before he blows up (8 Aug, The Art School, £5).

A quick shout out to We Should Hang Out More, who celebrate their first birthday at La Cheeta the same night. If you enjoyed yourself there last month, then why not head back for some more unhinged disco-funk? Nothing complicated this time round; residents only, surprises guaranteed. Don’t hold back on the feel-good (8 Aug, La Cheetah, £5/£7).

Witness will host Brighton’s Donky Pitch label at Sneaky Pete’s on 12 Aug, with Slugabed to headline. The Ninja Tune signing’s heat-treated beats, crystalline hip-hop and oddball selections thrive on the kind of demented energy that keeps dancefloors interesting. Emerging from the oft-forgotten wonk of the late 00s with a slew of punishing singles and remixes, the producer has since refined his sound and become a distinct voice in electronic music. Joining him is Tuff Wax boss Lockah, whose recent LP It Gets More Cloudy…, is a joyous, hyper-emotional synth-funk romp from start to finish (Barcelona Drums’ rave pianos are a particular highlight). Expect Miami bass, electro breaks and edits you may never hear again. If that’s not enough, Astral Black’s Dressin’ Red is also getting involved, bringing along all the influences he threw behind this year’s excellent Head / Body release. It’d be tough not to enjoy this one, and it’s seriously cheap too! (12 Aug, Sneaky Pete’s, £3).

If you like your club music raw and real, get to 69 Below for Wax Factory where Neil Landstrumm will be performing his jaw-dropping live hardware show. His mastery of the analogue arts has seen the man travel the globe, delighting audiences worldwide with the many gruesome incarnations of unfiltered club music he’s seen in his time. Support comes from Nomad and Kenny Campbell (15 Aug, 69 Below, £7).

There’s an all-dayer coming up near Dundee, courtesy of Tantric. Berlin-based techno veteran and head of the Affin label Joachim Spieth brings his heavyweight sound to the gorgeous 16th century surroundings of Mains Castle. Having been associated with the genre for over 15 years, Spieth’s hard-hitting productions have landed in the record-bags of techno’s finest, with spins from Juan Atkins and Derrik May. Don’t miss out on this chance to witness a behind-the-scenes tastemaker in a very special environment. Other guests include Deepbass, Sqyre, Correlate and Jamie Daw. If you’re travelling from outside Dundee, see Facebook for details on bus transport from Perth. Don’t be the nugget who tries to walk it. It’s not as strong a look as you think (15 Aug, Mains Castle Dundee, £20 / £30 with bus).

Elsewhere that night, Abyss will be celebrating their second birthday at SWG3 with a headline set from Monika Kruse. The Berghain resident’s Terminal M label celebrates its 15th birthday this year with a re-release of Monika Kruse @ Voodoomt’s Passengers LP. Support comes from Fraser Stuart and the excellent Glasgow duo Lindsay & Kendal, as well as the Abyss residents. (15 Aug, SWG3, £10.00)

Airhead will also be making the trip to Edinburgh this month. Here’s an idea of how well the R&S / 1-800 Dinosaur affiliate can hold a room’s attention – earlier this year he had the dubious honour of inclusion on perhaps the most talked about club night in Bristol, where James Blake and Trim had all but promised an appearance from Frank Ocean. The night was characterised by a group of unimpressed youngsters standing down front waiting for a man who, surprise surprise, never showed – unimpressed, that is, except during Airhead’s set. His phenomenal taste in spaced-out garage and breaks got everyone moving. Frank who? Much recommended. Support from Dan Juice and Kami (20 Aug, Sneaky Pete’s, £5).

Northern Irish party unit Bicep will throw down at La Belle Angele for Musika’s annual Fringe outing. If you haven’t experienced one of their Feel My Bicep parties yet, trust us when we say there’ll be no better time than mid-Fringe, when the city’s already half-cut and ready to party. The duo’s gift for unearthing the best in rare disco classics makes for summer vibes you can’t mess with. This will surely be a Fringe party highlight (21 Aug, La Belle Angele, £12.50 / £15).

Bicep will be joined by Panorama Bar regular and crate-digger extraordinaire Gerd Janson. Apparently it’s his first time in the capital, so make sure he gets a good welcome. He’ll also be playing an all-nighter at Subculture in Glasgow on 22 Aug. 2015’s been a hectic year for the Running Back boss, with a schedule that’s seen the release of bonus beats compilation Rhythmn Tranix, Kink’s big-room-ready Cloud Generator, and a record of the year contender from Maurice Fulton’s BOOF moniker, The Hydrangeas Whisper. There’s no-one else on the bill, so don’t miss this chance to see the man dig deep (22 Aug, Sub Club, £10 / £12).