Shangri-La Bank Holiday All-Dayer @ Tramshed, Cardiff
Sun 1 May
Though you may not have heard of him (and don’t confuse him with the other Dutch techno guy, Orlando Voorn), this technologically-advanced Rotterdam artist has achieved a lot in his 20 years DJing. His 2002 debut for the Keynote label contained hi-tech rhythmic textures and future-shock melodies inspired by classic Dutch record labels like Djax-Up-Beats and Spiritual, but with a sense of progression that made him a huge inspiration on the tech-house sound that ended up taking over a lot of clubs and labels.
These early productions received support from Carl Craig, Derrick May and Laurent Garnier, so he was instantly a name in the highest levels of European dance music. Just last year he was given the controls of Fabric 83, the latest in the illustrious London club’s official mix series. 2009 was the year his profile became seriously large, after he released his Balance 14 CD – a complex mix of over 100 tracks digitally engineered to fit together in an amazingly detailed way; he was beating Richie Hawtin at his own game.
Of course, in recent years his productions have distanced themselves from the warehouse-filling trance-tinged techno style that he made his name with – things are more suitable for well-dressed European clubbers, with bedroom-friendly melodies and pleasant, building harmonic shifts. He’s been relatively quiet of late, but 2015’s Sonic Highway saw him reappear for his first proper single in two years, for a Italo disco-influenced journey through fizzing drum machines and waves of pinging, headspinning synthesisers.
Prepare to be surprised when you catch him DJing though – that Fabric mix wasn’t just any old bodged-together selection of house, spanning Detroit techno from Plastikman and Robert Hood alongside emotive deep house, modern UK electronics and even a bit of classic jungle, all skilfully woven together using Ableton music software with his expert attention to detail.
This daytime bash is the biggest party yet thrown by Shangri-La, normally found in Cardiff’s Glam nightspot. Other top names featuring in its 10-hour duration include Liverpudlian big room house man Yousef; Kydus, a young DJ from Yousef’s Circus label; and Swansea promoters The Lighthouse Project controlling the second room.
GWYN THOMAS DE CROUSTCHOFF
Tickets: £20. Info: 029 2023 5555 / www.tramshedcardiff.com