Tronic: Exactly what it says on the tin

Glasgow's clubbing scene will get a rude awakening on Friday 8 February, thanks to Tronic securing the services of Yimino. For the event Tronic are moving to Blackfriars, and as Tronic co-promoter Stuart Foxwell tells us, "We needed a later licence to get more folk in and attract a higher calibre of artist." The aim at the heart of Tronic is to showcase new, live electronic artists and all the guests scheduled fit that bill perfectly. Tronic's ingredients for success in their own words are "a great atmosphere and artists having a good time". The Skinny asks why and how the club was conceived in the first place? "We felt no-one represented live electronic acts. We knew there was a lot of good talent out there - we wanted to create something a bit different. We had been getting bored with endless DJ nights, and it seemed natural to put on a night that embodied our passion," says Stuart. Well, they've got the later licence, fresh Scottish talent, now all they need is a memorable headliner, but the club already has this wrapped up: "We try hard to branch out. Hence why we booked Yimino from London... 95% of unsigned acts we book are local."

Long Range, Phil Hartnoll's new project in collaboration with Nick Smith (check out the music film credits on a selection of Ridley Scott movies), were scheduled for Hartnoll's first live appearance in Scotland since Orbital's demise, but unfortunately the duo pulled out due to unforseen circumstances. The show doesn't end there however, and Tronic are going full steam ahead to continue their February artist showcase. Yimino will entice clubbers in with his cool and wholesome grooves; rich swathes of electronics awash with IDM, whie the Tronic boys themselves will appear under the name of Ives with two albums of material under their belt, and Glasgow-based Integra TV and I Am Blip, also long time Tronic favourites, will be appearing. Integra's crisp electronica hooks both ears and feet, while I Am Blip's lo-fi electronica does its fair share of emotional string plucking.

Step forward 22-year-old Andrew McManus, aka I Am Blip. "God, I hate talking about myself," he says, disarmingly. I Am Blip spent his teens getting into sampling and sequencing software, then while studying audio technology at university, Blip invested his student grant in a machine which was to play a major part in shaping his sound – the Korg EMX1. Even now, the EMX1 is still the only machine I Am Blip uses when performing. "Everything gets sequenced live. I enjoy the fact I'm not hiding behind a laptop, clicking away at Ableton every few minutes. The difference in sound I get from the hardware is something I love," he says.

I Am Blip fits in perfectly with Tronic's modus operandi; he's an up-and-coming artist, hungry enough to want the crowd, yet professional enough to know what they want. "My first proper club set was last January (07) at Inner City Acid at the Soundhaus. It was amazing to see randoms dancing away to my music. In 2007 I played nearly 20 live sets, including supporting Shy Child at The Arches. I still get a bit embarrassed when people praise me to be honest!" If he continues on his current upward trajectory, then that seed of embarrassment will hopefully soon blossom into a blooming flower of confidence. This feeling is further evinced by the grittiness at the heart of I Am Blip's sound. "My tracks don't sound too polished or perfect, they tend to sound a bit dirty and wrong and that's how I like it." The Skinny ventures that perhaps this is why Tronic's audiences have warmed so readily to him. "I don't write music in specific genres that I know people will enjoy. If they do, then that's a pure topper!" Or, alternatively, pure Tronic. There's only one way to find out...