The Vaults, Cardiff Bay
Sun 26 Aug
Swapping Berghain for the Bay, Blawan heads to Cardiff on the back of his debut album, Wet Will Always Dry, a 2018 LP release that encompasses the south Yorkshireman’s deep-lying affinity for gritty, industrial techno. Having hosted big-room German producer Chris Leibling in July, The Vaults have pulled yet another techno pantheon out of the bag here.
Under the Blawan alias, Jamie Roberts emerged from a post-dubstep scene with several successful releases in the early 2010’s, including a well-received remix of Radiohead’s Bloom. Throughout the decade though, there has been a palpable shift in Roberts’ production towards a darker shade of techno, epitomised by one of his most popular (and sinister) releases, Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage? – an underground banger of nuclear proportions.
One only need look at Blawan’s most recent Boiler Room, a rip-roaring hour-long set at last summer’s Dekmantel, for confirmation that this is a man who has every intention of capturing a crowd in his own unique fashion, laying on thick some of his heaviest tracks whilst imploring a crowd to grin at his tenacity. Delving further into the amassed online footage of Roberts’ sets only serves to further demonstrate his love for the menacing. Always there are provocative selections, lucid mixing, and a perpetual nod to the insidious side of dance music. And yet, wherever you look, the people on the grainy dancefloors are always really bloody into it. Always with new material at his disposal, Blawan is someone you don’t go and see, but go and experience.
There are, of course, new and ethereal touches to be found from Roberts in his debut album; indeed, we have come to expect the unexpected from a producer with such a taste for the eccentric. Layers of ambience are littered throughout his new LP, but ultimately this record is crying out for the dancefloor.
Fitting support comes in the form of Julez Wyl, fresh from a revered, stomping three-hour set in Corsica Studios this July. Midge, Blap and Luke Winds are also assembled for what is to be a heavy ride at The Vaults. CHARLIE COTTRELL
Tickets: £14.50/£13.50. Info: www.vaultspresents.com