Clubbing Highlights Scotland: June 2013

With summer upon us, it’s not a surprise to see the number of high profile club bookings decrease slightly, as the draw of foreign festivals and sun-soaked beach parties proves too much for international acts and Scottish techno tourists alike. Still, June’s calendar packs quite a punch and there is a varied enough selection of talented guests and trusty resident nights on offer if you plan to do your partying closer to home.         

Glasgow’s Subculture kicks off the month with a visit from Birmingham-based producer Mark Evetts AKA Mark E. Once lauded for his sublime, stretched-out disco edits, released on labels such as Running Back and Jiscomusic, Evetts’ recent production output draws more on modern electronic styles. When DJing, the Merc records boss is even less rooted in the slo-mo brand of edit that characterised his early work and he’s been known to supplement his deep house sets with up-tempo excursions through pulsing acid and energetic techno. Evetts is joined at the Sub Club by Solardisco’s Craig Moog (Sat 1 June, £TBC). Meanwhile, Melting Pot welcomes another re-edit master in the shape of internationally acclaimed DJ and producer Danny Krivit. Spinning records for over 40 years, and one of the key players in New York’s burgeoning club scene in the 70s, Krivit established himself playing to crowds at legendary venues such as The Loft and The Paradise Garage. Expect a well-crafted blend of funk, soul, disco and house (The Admiral, £12 advance. £15 on the door)

If live performance is more your thing, both JAK and Huntleys and Palmers Audio Club have promising nights lined up this month. JAK should be on to a winner when they host Detroit group, Ultradyne, who dish out a particularly punchy blend of murky, futurist electro and techno. In keeping with the faceless philosophy of many of the Motor City’s underground acts, Ultradyne deliver their sets masked, adding an arresting visual element to their shows. In support is Tabernacle Records’ Andrew Ingram, whose expertise in blending choice cuts of techno and electro make him a perfect accompaniment to the Michigan outfit (Fri 7 June, Stereo, £8). For Huntleys and Palmers, Steven Warwick AKA Heatsick lands in Nice 'n' Sleazy offering an altogether different live experience. Using a single Casio keyboard, Warwick constructs sets that are both startlingly full-bodied in sound and skilfully structured. His music combines sparkling melodic phrases and old-school house chords with vibrant percussion, which he carefully punches into his Casio’s in-built drum pads, creating loops and improvising as he goes. In stark contrast to the masked, theatrical militarism of Ultradyne’s live aesthetic, Heatsick has the appearance of an introverted bedroom musician, communicating confidently through his favourite toy (Fri 4 June, £4). Both nights come highly recommended.   

Across the M8, Ryan Hemsworth takes his One Man Boy Band show to Juice at Sneaky Pete’s. With a sound that merges ambient electronics with elements of hip hop and trap, and with high profile remixes for the likes of Frank Ocean, Grimes and Cat Power under his belt, the Canadian producer has firmly established himself alongside contemporaries such as Shlomo and R.L. Grime (Thu 6 June, £5/members free). Other Edinburgh highlights include techno night Unseen, which this month features Beatmaster General and Octophant from local party Shake Yer Shoulders joining residents Neil Templar and Nomad at Studio 24 (Fri 7 June, free before 11pm/£5 after). Elsewhere, Pulse and White Noise team up to bring South American producer Juan Pablo AKA Pfirter to Castle Clvb. Pablo releases his hypnotic brand of minimalist techno on such acclaimed labels as CLR and Stroboscopic Artefacts and has found high profile fans in the likes of Richie Hawtin, Sven Vath and Joey Beltram (Sat 8 June, £8).