Compound @ Jacobs Market, Cardiff
Fri 18 May
Jacobs might have come to prominence as a club venue with Teak’s vibes-heavy disco and house selections, but it isn’t bad when it needs to be a dark techno cavern either. Compound, last spotted causing a commotion back in 2016 when it brought techno baron Dave Clarke and DVS1 for two nights of stomping, uncompromising 4/4 rhythms, is re resurfacing after nearly two years will be calling upon its services to become just that. Fittingly, they’ve flying in a headliner of real ‘not messing about’ status.
Ansome, a Berlin-via-London modular synth maestro, deals in the sort of abrasive, industrial influenced UK techno which has, through the likes of Perc and Blawan, enjoyed something of a resurgence over the past few years, when it was for many years largely the preserve of frightening squat parties that your mate dragged you to but you hadn’t the heart to ask them to leave because they were having such a lovely time so you just ended up styling it out and talking to a nice anarchist lad with a mohawk from Chichester for the evening. Right?
Ansome’s mind-melting modular set-up is in a constant state of flux, but one thing you can certainly count on is this being heavy – British Steel, his last release on Perc Trax, was a typically boisterous affair, with layers of sheet metal noise punctuated by heavy rolling grooves, and dare we say it, something of a wry grin. Just check out the record cover, featuring Ansome himself striking a manly pose in the buff, with just a large sledgehammer and a pair of Doc Martens for modestry. Suffice to say, it’s not one for the faint-hearted.
Support here comes from Cardiff veteran Midge as well as well as Sam Burton, Julez Wyl and Sam Burton. If you’re looking for an antidote to the seemingly endless swathe of disco and tech-house events popping up in Cardiff, here’s a big fat slug of something a touch stronger.
Tickets: £12-£15. Info: 029 2039 0939 KRISTIAN DANDO