First Floor #255 – Smoke and Mirrors in the DJ Booth
An examination of the Ryanair DJ phenomenon, plus a round-up of the latest electronic music news and a fresh bundle of new track recommendations.
Before we get into today’s digest, I just want to give a heartfelt thank you to everyone that came out to last week’s live First Floor event in Barcelona. Elijah likely deserves most of the credit—make a point to go and see his Close the App, Make the Ting lecture if you have a chance, or grab his book of the same name—but it was great to take some of my usual chatting and pontificating out into the real world. Some photos from the event have been posted here, and if you weren’t able to attend, don’t worry; more First Floor events are already in the works.
In other news, the world continues to go mad, and electronic music has so far responded by … not doing much of anything. To be clear, I’m not suggesting that the genre should be doing something, especially when the whole “revolution begins on the dancefloor” narrative often feels a lot more like self-righteous posturing than a concrete call to arms. But after years of the discourse being exceedingly loud on a myriad of social and political issues, things do seem oddly quiet these days. Maybe people are in shock, or are just exhausted by the onslaught of crazy / harrowing news. Maybe DJs have resigned themselves to the fact that their power to affect social change is in most cases quite limited, and have therefore stopped trying. Or maybe it’s because Twitter, which used to be the primary venue for these kinds of conversations, has largely been abandoned by cultural progressives, who are now without a central hub where they can exchange ideas and, let’s be honest, mercilessly attack one another. I can’t say I miss that phenomenon—Ray Philp actually penned a great essay about the absurdity of Techno Twitter that you can find in the No Tags book—but it is a bit weird to see just how politically inert the electronic music discourse has become during the past few months.
Admittedly, First Floor isn’t going to change that. When it comes to stirring the pot, I generally steer clear of global politics, focusing instead on the workings of the actual scene / culture / industry (i.e. a realm where at least some people might genuinely be interested in what I have to say). Along those lines, I published an essay earlier this week about Ryanair DJs—a term I myself didn’t coin, but one that nonetheless seems like a perfect descriptor for many of the artists populating club and festival line-ups these days. You’ll find that lined below, and yes, the paywall is temporarily down so everyone can give it a look.
Otherwise, read on for the rest of today’s First Floor digest, which rounds up electronic music news items, new release announcements and suggested reading links from the past week. And for those craving new music, I’ve also compiled a list of recommended tracks—all of them from releases that dropped during the past seven days—and have also enlisted Belgian artist Emily Jeanne to stop by with a special guest recommendation.
Let’s get started.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Every Tuesday, First Floor publishes a long-form piece that’s initially made available to paid subscribers only. But if you’re not part of the paid tier, now’s your chance to see what you missed! The latest piece is now (temporarily) open to everyone, and it’s an essay that looks at the phenomenon of Ryanair DJs, examining not only why artists feel compelled to construct a narrative that they’re more successful than they really are, but how promoters contribute to these narratives by repeatedly booking these acts—even when they have little discernible draw.
REAL QUICK
A round-up of the most interesting electronic music news from the past week, plus links to interviews, articles and other things I think are worth sharing.
DJ Funk has died. Only 54 years old, the veteran Chicago DJ had been in hospice care battling cancer, and passed just days after an online fundraiser had been launched to help with his forthcoming funeral costs. One of the key figures of Dance Mania’s ’90s heyday—several of his tracks appeared in First Floor’s recent retrospective of the label—DJ Funk was a ghetto house icon, and leaves behind a catalog full of classics—many of them featuring lyrics and subject matter that might politely be described as “adult oriented.”
With Sandwell District set to release a new album, End Beginnings, later this month, the UK duo of Regis and Function—who for many years were not even on speaking terms—has granted an interview to Resident Advisor’s Chloe Lula. It’s the group’s first conversation with the press in 12 years, and the first one since beloved Sandwell District member Silent Servant unexpectedly died last year. The new album is in many ways a tribute to him, as is the radio-style mix they created for the latest edition of the RA Podcast.
Headed up by Berlin-based Canadian Darwin, the SPE:C imprint is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, which is likely what prompted Beatportal to name the bass-centric outpost its latest Label of the Month. The accompanying feature, written by Kit Macdonald, recounts not just the origins of SPE:C, but how the label recently came back to life after a period when Darwin thought she was ready to close it down.
Detroit is littered with underappreciated techno innovators, but if there’s one figure who deserves more recognition, it’s Anthony “Shake” Shakir. A new DJ Mag piece by Ben Murphy celebrates the man’s legacy and outsized influence, talking to friends and fellow Detroiters like Eddie Fowlkes, BMG and Erika, and, of course, “Shake” himself.
The stress and strain of social media, and its warping effect on music culture, is a frequent topic here at First Floor, and it’s also something that Egyptian writer / producer and SVBKVLT affiliate Abadir addressed in his latest column for Arab-language outpost Ma3azef. Non-Arab speakers will need to use their browser’s translate function to read it, but it’s full of insightful observations about contemporary culture and industry practices, and also includes a number of Abadir’s on-point music recommendations.
Scuba has been teasing a big change to his Not a Diving Podcast for a little while now, and this week the Hotflush founder revealed that the show not only had a new name (Music Not Diving), but had also made the leap to video. The first episode with this new format dropped a couple of days ago, and features an interview with veteran UK producer Tom Middleton.
OBLIGATORY BOOK MENTION
My first book is out now. It’s called First Floor Vol. 1: Reflections on Electronic Music Culture, and you can order it from my publisher Velocity Press. However, if you’re outside of the UK, I recommend that you either inquire at your favorite local bookshop or try one of the online sales links that have been compiled here.
JUST ANNOUNCED
A round-up of noteworthy new and upcoming releases announced during the past week.
As a documented fan of boundary-pushing cellists, I was very excited to see that Lucy Railton will soon be releasing her first album of solo cello works. Entitled Blue Veil, the record was recorded by Kali Malone and Stephen O’Malley at Église du Saint-Esprit in Paris, and it’s slated to arrive on April 18 via the Ideologic Organ label. In the meantime, LP cut “Phase III” has already been made available.
Actress has a new 12” on the way, his first for Barcelona outpost Modern Obscure Music. It’s called Tranzkript 1, and though the label hasn’t yet offered much in the way of backstory, the record is scheduled to surface on April 11. Ahead of that, the first of its four tracks, “Baby U Lar,” has already been shared.
Steffi and Virginia last released an album together in 2019, but they’ve pooled their talents once again on a forthcoming full-length, Patterns of Vibration. Crafted during a “three-month period of intensive work and play” at their Candy Mountain studio in the Portuguese countryside, the record will be released via Dekmantel on April 25. Album cut “Stab Stealer,” however, is available now.
Lucrecia Dalt’s cosa rara EP dropped last Friday, and it was on that day that the Colombian avant-pop auteur revealed its third and final song: a “dopamine dub” of the title track by Chilean eccentric and Cómeme founder Matías Aguayo.
Five years removed from her debut solo album, Fountain, experimental artist Lyra Pramuk has returned with a new single—and her own newly founded label, pop.soil. The new song is called “Vega,” and it’s out now.
Speaking of new labels, Danny Daze—who was interviewed by First Floor back in 2023—has just launched Flamingo Park, an offshoot of his Omnidisc imprint that the Miami artist says will be devoted to “stripped-back dancefloor music.” To kick things off, he’s prepped Breathe Easy, a new EP from his D33 alias. That’s due to drop on March 19, but the record’s title track—a collaboration with Aura T-09 and Pilo—has already been shared.
EMILY JEANNE HAS BETTER TASTE THAN I DO
First Floor is effectively a one-person operation, but every edition of the Thursday digest cedes a small portion of the spotlight to an artist, writer or other figure from the music world, inviting them to recommend a piece of music. Today’s recommendation comes from Emily Jeanne, a Belgian artist who first made her name in the techno circuit, but has more recently taken a turn into more unorthodox rhythms. On March 7 (i.e. tomorrow), she’ll officially be kicking off her new quỳnh imprint with the slinky, dubwise Call of the Sea EP, and while it’s something of a departure from her past output—which has appeared on storied labels like Semantica, Token and Peder Mannerfelt Produktion—anyone who’s heard her Kiosk Radio show already knows that Emily has long had a taste for freaky sounds. Her selection here reflects that predilection, showcasing a recent find that sits on the outer edge of the hardcore continuum.
Super 180 “Variation 01” (ESKA)
I go to Milan for my other job every once in a while, and I always make sure to include a stop at the excellently curated Serendeepity record store. On my most recent trip I came across TikTok Teens, a record by French duo Super 180 on Milanese label ESKA.
Structurally it has quite a lot in common with classic roots dubstep stuff from the mid 2000s, but rather than the more organic sound palette you find on those kinds of records, this one has a far more cold, futuristic feel. Like much of the electronic music I feel an affinity with, its dancefloor sonics are deep and introspective, but also daring and forward-thinking.
“Variation 01” is one of those tracks l’d use in a DJ set to create a different flow of energy. Songs like this give me a moment to read the floor a bit and see which direction I’m gonna go, because they leave the door open to either going high-energy or stretching the breakdown even more.
It’s music for both the body and the brain.
LISTEN UP
The following is a selection of my favorite tunes from releases that came out during the past week or so. Click the track titles to hear each song individually, or you can also just head over to this convenient Buy Music Club list if you prefer to listen to them all in one place.
Jonas Landwehr “Next2U” (Faux Poly)
Remember 2011? It seems like Jonas Landwehr sure does, because “Next2U”—the sleek B-side of the Cologne producer’s new two-tracker—sounds like something Joy Orbison would have played on Rinse FM back when post-dubstep was at its peak. These days, the song will likely just be tagged as bass music, but there’s a lovably retro feel to its upbeat combination of wubby basslines and come-hither R&B vocal fragments. Even better, Landwehr has infused the song’s sultry thump with just a hint of pop sensibility, all but guaranteeing that anyone who hears it will have the phrase “I’m next to you” running on repeat in their head for at least a few hours.
Fred P & Cassy “Be You (Rolando Remix)” (Kwench)
Between Fred P, Cassy and Rolando, something like 75 years of dancefloor experience went into this version of “Be You,” and it shows. While the original is a supple, late-night house cut, Rolando turns up the heat—just a bit—and transforms the track into something slightly more pumping. It’s a vintage performance from the Detroit native, and though the resulting tune is still rather deep—particularly by the manic standards of modern techno—its seductive vocal chops and elegantly stuttering synths are sure to hypnotize even the twitchiest of club kids.
ANMON “Dune” (YUKU)
A collaboration between French producers Ténèbre and DJ Saint Pierre, ANMON dedicated much of their 2023 to serving up serrated techno experiments, which they doled out two tracks at a time. Those experiments have now been compiled on a proper album, DEUX, and its contents are borderline unhinged—in a way that’s absolutely invigorating. Metallic crunch and post-apocalyptic dread are two of the duo’s favorite tools, and on the standout “Dune”—a song that’s about as cuddly as a threshing machine—they’re delivered via a maniacally galloping rhythm and a series of moody industrial drones.
Om Unit “Ascension” (Self-released)
Launched in 2021, Om Unit’s Acid Dub Studies series provides exactly that, as the veteran UK producer has largely dedicated his past few years to “exploring the infectious sound of the 303 bassline in a dubwise setting.” Having already released a pair of albums (and a couple of remix collections) under the Acid Dub Studies banner, Om Unit has now returned with a third full-length, and the techno-adjacent “Ascension” is one of the new record’s high points. With its crunchy synths and tweaky 303s, the song might even conjure a few big beat memories (good ones, thankfully), but at its core, it’s still a Caribbean-flavored stepper—one that been infused with a major dose of rave-ready energy.
Saffron Bloom “Dirge of the Lonely” (Delicate)
Plenty of artists have made albums about heartbreak, but Sepehr—who’s best known for his freaky melange of techno, electro and EBM—was apparently so deep in his feelings that he cooked up a new alias to explore the emotional contours of lost love. In broad strokes, the self-titled debut album from his Saffron Bloom project is a collection of moody trip-hop and illbient sounds, yet its swirly textures and mucky beats transcend the ’90s cosplay that’s flooded the more downbeat corners of electronic during the past couple of years. LP standout “Dirge of the Lonely” employs a sort of swampy witchcraft, the song’s waterlogged beats providing a satisfyingly sludgy foundation for the ethereal siren calls of the song’s unnamed vocalist.
Crystal Sting “Octopus Jam” (POW)
Founded in 2016, the POW imprint—an offshoot of the essential Passion of the Weiss blog—has always been a platform for independent rap music, but with the addition of Canadian duo Crystal Sting to the roster, the LA outpost is unexpectedly dipping its toes into electronic music waters. “Octopus Jam”—the first taste of a forthcoming full-length—is a bright, whimsical and undeniably cute tune, the sound of which the label compares (not inaccurately) to “the underwater levels of Super Mario 64 as directed by David Lynch.” There’s some new age in the mix as well, and with its assorted bloops, bells and chimes, the song sits comfortably alongside the charmingly twee indietronica that acts like The Books and múm made their calling card during the early 2000s.
Graintable “Otters on the Lake” (Music to Watch Seeds Grow By)
One of several labels under the Ransom Note umbrella, the ambient-oriented, plant-inspired Music to Watch Seeds Grow By is less than six months old. But after knocking it out of the park with January’s Prism (Delphinium Elatum) from Davis Galvin, the young imprint has quickly returned with Graintable’s new Blue Flax release, solidifying its standing as a “must listen” operation. The Portland-based producer keeps things minimal, populating his tunes with little more than weightless synths and a dusting of reverb. Yet even as the sound palette stays relatively static, the prevailing mood does not, as Graintable skillfully glides between melancholy introspection and arpeggiating bursts of color. Album closer “Otters on the Lake” falls on the latter end of the spectrum, and its ebullient tones—accentuated by the sounds of gently splashing water—exude both a wide-eyed sense of wonder and a palpable feeling of serenity.
J.WLSN “Lulled” (Room40)
The deliciously foggy opener of J.WLSN’s new release, The Rush, “Lulled” is a spellbindingly deliberate tune. In terms of instrumentation, it consists of little more than some sparse guitar tones. Or is that a piano? Buried beneath what feels like a mountain of cloudy reverb, it’s honestly difficult to tell exactly what’s generating those beautifully haunted tones. Yet the slow-burning “Lulled” is deeply captivating all the same, and should prove particularly pleasing to those with the patience to revel in its gauzy haze—and come along for the ride as that haze gradually takes flight during the track’s closing minutes.
That brings us to the end of today’s First Floor digest. Thank you so much for reading the newsletter, and, as always, I do hope that you enjoyed the tunes. (Don’t forget, you can find them all on this handy Buy Music Club list, and if you like them, please buy them.)
Until next time,
Shawn
Shawn Reynaldo is a freelance writer, editor, presenter and project manager. Find him on LinkedIn and Instagram—and make sure to follow First Floor on Instagram as well—or you can just drop Shawn an email to get in touch about projects, collaborations or potential work opportunities.