Clubbing Highlights Scotland – August 2013

This month sees one half of our highlights roundup dominated by the launch of Sync In Squares, a mouth-watering series of nights held across various Glasgow venues with the simple aim of bringing some of the most ‘forward-thinking’ names to the city. First up is hip-hop production royalty, Just Blaze. Having produced for the likes of Eminem, Busta Rhymes and Jay-Z, Justin Smith has had a hand in some of the biggest rap records of the last decade. In recent years he has emerged as more of a name in his own right and this year collaborated on hyperactive hit Higher with trap poster boy Baauer (he of Harlem Shake fame). Smith is joined on the bill by Maya Medvesek AKA Nightwave. Taking in influences such as jazz, house, techno and juke and melding them with UK sounds such as grime and garage, Medvesek is as acclaimed for her productions as she is for her party-focussed DJing style (17 Aug, The Berkeley Suite, £5 adv).

The following week, the series returns with a set from Stephen Bruner AKA Thundercat. A protégé of brainfeeder label boss Flying Lotus, the producer from LA serves up a celestial electronic take on jazz and soul, pushing these forms to new and intriguing frontiers. With his critically-acclaimed 2013 album Apocalypse, Bruner has become one of the most talked about names in the Brainfeeder family (23 Aug, Poetry Club, £8 adv).

24 hours or so later, a new bi-monthly night launches at La Cheetah. With the aim of bringing a diverse selection of guests to town every other month, State announce their presence with a set from Ukranian producer Vakula. Mikhaylo Vityk has gained acclaim for his analogue-driven forays through the jazzier recesses of deep house and, with last May’s Resident Advisor podcast bringing him further into the spotlight, Vakula is a name that you will doubtless hear more from over the next few years. In support are resident Malcolm Bennett and the ever reliable crew behind Jelly Roll Soul (24 Aug, £8 adv, £10 on the door).  

Sticking with La Cheetah for the moment, August sees the club resuming their Motor City Electronics series, this time hosting the gifted apprentice of some of the most iconic house producers to emerge from the mechanised funk Mecca that is Detroit. Kyle Hall was schooled by the likes of Carl Craig, Rick Wilhite and Omar S, and his sound retains all of the hallmarks of their work without at all seeming like an imitation. Hall’s productions display an introspective, soulful sensibility, a tempered approach to pacing and structure and, above all, the kind of raw authenticity that so often eludes many modern laptop producers (30 Aug, £10).

Finally, on 31 Aug Sync In Squares return to offer up not one, but two options with Make Do playing host to Andrés and Saint Judes welcoming DJ Haus to their ever-flourishing Bath Street lair. Formerly known as DJ Dez of seminal rap crew Slum Village, Andrés has increasingly proven the diversity of his sound, effortlessly bridging between elements of soul, jazz, house and, of course, hip-hop. His 2012 track New For U became the song for that summer, and indeed for any summer. With its soaring strings and deep, roving bassline, that one release alone has had many listeners excitedly journeying through the Andrés back catalogue to find more of his subtle, skilfully textured productions. As a DJ, Andrés exhibits the kind of scope and flair that his background suggests and he is very much in the mould of other legendary Detroit-based selectors such as Theo Parrish and Moodymann (free before 12, £5 after). Meanwhile, the founder of Unknown to the Unknown, one of the most talked about labels in recent years, DJ Haus hits Saint Judes to round off an impressive first run of events in the series (free before 12, £5 after).

In Edinburgh, with much of the city in festival mode, the clubbing schedule is also pleasingly hectic. Many promoters will be taking advantage of the special 5am licence on offer and an early highlight comes in the formidable shape of London-based producer Jerome Hill. The label boss behind Don’t has been honing his DJing skills since 1990 and his technically outstanding, scratch-happy mixing style takes in techno of all hues, old school hip-hop, garage and whatever else takes his fancy on a given night. Make no mistake, Hill is a DJ who has mastered his craft, consistently ploughing his own furrow rather than hopping on any particular bandwagon. He is joined for Unseen by the mesmerizingly anarchic Sicknote, a punk-meets-techno five piece from Cardiff whose lack of any apparent musical genius is more than made up for by their wild stage antics and the energy with which they deliver their absurdly catchy tracks (2 Aug, Studio 24, £7 before 11, £10 after). On the same night, local label Ghost Groove are in session at Henry's Cellar Bar, with a wealth of techno and electro from residents Rendezvoodoo, Jack of Diamonds and Krowne running from 2am to 5am (£3 before 1am, £4 after). The event kicks off at 11pm - come early, and you can catch a live hip-hop showcase with local lads TH!NK, Ill Papa Giraffe, MasterSystem and others.

Later in the month, Cab Vol welcomes Aus Music duo Will Saul and Midland to the capital to showcase the label Saul established in partnership with Fin Greenall AKA Fink. Emerging in 2006, Aus has steadily built in stature over the years and, through standout releases from the likes of Ramadanman and Appleblim, has become one of more reliable outlets offering dubstep and bass-oriented producers safe passage into more housey territory. Saul is very much in the label owner mould of DJ with an eclectic approach which often throws up surprising selections amid the kind of dub-infused house which the label has become known for. With a handful of celebrated releases on Aus, Midland has become one of the most talked about producers to emerge from the outlet. His recent track Trace is already en route to becoming one of the label’s most popular releases to date (9 Aug, Cabaret Voltaire, £8-10).

On 23 Aug, international men of mystery Tiger & Woods bring their perfectly-sculpted blend of disco and house to Sneaky Pete’s. Having steadily built up a loyal fanbase with the release of several killer records sampling the likes of Evelyn King and Imagination, the duo finally collected their masterful edits together on their 2011 album Through The Green and have since reached wider audiences with a dazzlingly hip sound they call ‘future boogie’. In support is Glasgow’s Atom Tree (£14).

If that’s not quite your thing, the same evening sees techno heavyweight Jeff Mills head to the capital for the first part of the Jackhammer Festival Special. A monolithic force in the development of techno, Mills has enjoyed a return to form in recent years; at least as far as his thundering DJ sets go. His set for Substance in Edinburgh back in February of 2012 was easily among the best he has performed on these shores over the last decade and more recent Glasgow performances have confirmed he still has what it takes to deliver big room techno which retains the depth and character synonymous with his hometown of Detroit. UK-based Ben Sims is a similarly enduring act. Like Mills, the Hardgroove label boss has been known to deliver his pulsating sets via a three deck setup so we expect this night to go off with a bang (23 Aug, The Liquid Room, £15 adv).

Finally, UK drum n bass institution Hospital Records is teaming up with local night Xplicit to host their biggest Hospitality party north of the border. In the main room, the likes of High Contrast, S.P.Y and Nu:Logic will be taking charge of proceedings, while the I Love Hip-Hop room will bounce to sets by Nasty P and Ritchie Ruftone, who blitzed his way through a scratch-infused bass music set to win the UK DMC contest in 2012 (24 Aug, The Liquid Room/The Annexe, £15-20).

With those nights totalling only the essential picks (in our humble opinion), and with the usual last minute announcements sure to be made in the coming weeks, we reckon August’s clubbing calendar is among the strongest we’ve had this year. Never before has an overdraft facility seemed so tempting. Fill yer boots!