These days, in the insulated world of electronic music, the cyclical journey from obscurity to oversaturation to insignificance (and, of course, back again) often happens in the space of a year. It’s all too easy to get numbed by minutae or otherwise lead astray away by the fickle whirlwind of hype. Rummaging through the 15 year discography of the unrelenting, steadfast techno legend Surgeon – and tracing the vast odyssey of his creative exploration – breeds a rare feeling of discovery. And genuine artistry. Surgeon (a.k.a. Anthony Child) stands tall as a true individual in the leagues of electronic music…

The life of a true music lover is a divine mixture of beauty and obsession, dedication and impulse; and there are very few who can be fairly categorised as a true music lover more than Thomas Koch, aka DJ T. His list of accolades and contributions to electronic music are irrefutable, indelible and seemingly endless. There’s his editing and publishing work in the periodical world: founding Groove Magazine in 1989 and remaining its publisher and author for 15 years (Groove remains one of the longest running – 20 years and counting – and most respected dance music periodicals in the…

Buraka Som Sistema have always liked throwing curveballs. From their first DJ residencies, where off-the-cuff sets were “pretty much rehearsed live… mixing for people at raves, that was our practice – kinda like shock therapy” to incorporating unusual material into their songs – recording shattering glass, or throwing an orange at the wall and using the sound as a snare. Even their first drum & bass collective, Fusion Lab, had a reputation for mixing things up: “it wasn’t all about drum & bass, it was all about experimenting with crazy beats.” So it was hardly surprising that some years ago,…

With their vibrant club night Kill Em All, the Filthy Dukes have made an individual and indelible impact on the nightlife landscape of London. True pioneers in their own right, Kill Em All first struck a chord at Camden’s unassuming Barfly in 2001, after the pair recognised a thirst amongst a public raised on both guitars and electronic music. Bored of the dull notion that the two scenes should be kept separate, the Filthy Dukes (Olly Dixon and Tim Lawton) decided to unite dancefloor-geared DJs with hard-edged scuzzy rockers, and went on a quest for artists that embraced both disciplines.…

Anyone can construct a track, and lay out its elements in all the right places – have the bassline kick just here, or the percussion build right there – but only a select few can actually design one. It comes as no surprise that Matt Edwards is a graphic designer and artist by trade, as a visual thread runs colourfully through his sonics, rhythms and arrangements. Shaped by the groove, and ever leaning on an uplifting hypnotic lilt, every production that falls under the spell of Edwards becomes certified dancefloor gold. But success has never taken away from his prolificacy,…

“Are you ready?” is a common question you’ll be asked by 24 year old Sheffield wunderkind Toddla T, and it’s a good question to ask yourself before listening to his FABRICLIVE 47 mix. In amongst his wide vocabulary of homegrown slang and off-the-wall catchphrases, Toddla T (known to his mum as Tom Bell) is a bright embodiment of boundless enthusiasm, unmatched charisma and a musical personality unlikely to be found anywhere else on the planet. His otherworldly taste in beats is often hard to keep up with as he shuffles effortlessly through genres and styles at a reckless pace, guided…