I added some Wu Lyf here back in October and it received a large number of interest. Tonight, they play their first UK gig outside of Manchester at the Arches. £8 a ticket including booking fee, get there if you know what’s good for you.

WU LYF-spitting it concrete like the golden sun god from LUCIFER YOUTH FOUNDATION on Vimeo.

Wu Lyf – Such A Sad Puppy Dog
Wu Lyf – Lung Songs
Wu Lyf – Heavy Pop

Electric Frog Carnival is a uniquely programmed urban & electronic micro-festival which has be created and curated by bewteen Liquid Events, Optimo and SWG3.    The festival takes place over one full day in the heart of Glasgow’s cutting edge arts scene at the SWG3 studio’s on Eastvale place.    Its a collaboration between the very best of Glasgow’s musical and artistic communities with a diverse programme of live performances, installations, graffiti art, face-painting, break dancing and deejay performances.

The programmed acts for the event are a cherry-picked international selection with exclusive appearances in Scotland by Liquid Liquid, Simian Mobile Disco, Felix Da Housecat, Planetary Assault Systems, Trus’me and Alter Ego. While complementing this international gang will be a host of familiar faces from amongst the ranks of Glasgow’s own live and club scenes –  Optimo DJs, Sensu, Simon Cordiner (Melting Pot) and Billy Woods (Supermax).

All these attractions take place both indoors and out, around a massive street party, across three specially programmed stages with five bars and a food court.   Electric Frog Street Carnival promises something entirely bespoke  - a cutting-edge urban micro-festival – where a collection of exceptional summer festival talent can be easily accessed and experienced in the very heart of the city.

Sunday 1st August 2010, 3pm – 11am (*subject to license). Admission price £32 (+ booking fees)

SWG3, 100 Eastvale Place, Glasgow.

Optimo (Espacio) Marquee :- Liquid Liquid, Simian Mobile Disco, Alter ego, Optimo, Factory Floor.

Sensu Room :- Felix Da Housecat, Planetary Assault Systems, Cottam, Sensu(live).

Street Party :- Simon Cordiner (Melting Pot) & Billy Woods(Supermax), Teamy & Dirty Larry (Wring Island), Deman & NIce (Freakmenoovers) Craig Moogroove & Kev Stevens.

www.electricfrogcarnival.com

An especially disco-fied affair at Death Disco this month. The Arches was paired down to two rooms, with italomatic warm ups from myself and Josh Jones, a live performance from Australian trio The Swiss, while one half of current nu-disco darlings Aeroplane headlined with a formidible dj set.

The Swiss and their laconic but energised live show was however the highpoint of the night.   Tremendously satisfying and irresistibly danceable, The Swiss members executed a faultless, muscular hybrid of jazz, disco and late 70′s funk streaked with fantasic euro-diso synth stabs and more neon pow-pow-pows than Patrick Cowley’s entire back catalogue.  This might all sound like rather unpalatable Swiss cheese, but these guys come down heavy on the the right side ‘disco’ and with actual instruments (played with impressive skill).  It is a sound that harks back to classic era disco acts like Musique,  Kano and Cerrone, with a knowing and impressive nod to the inspirational jazz funk of late-era Passport and Herbie Hancock.

WCNS caught the guys back stage afterwards, interrupting a post-show critique of their own performance (despite a brilliant show they were being pretty hard on themselves) and grabbed this cheeky shot of the band before we knocked back a few iced beverages and talked fusion jazz albums and Doobie Brothers tracks.

I urge you to check out the current Ep Bubble Bath out on Modular and pump up the volume on the tracks nesting on their Soundcloud.

The Swiss DJ mix for Studio Brussels by The Swiss

Leith Records, product of Scotland’s most original and memorable ad firm The Leith Agency (makers of classic Irn Bru, Grolsch, Tennants Lager in case you live on Jupiter) are once again, holding their Batter Of The Brands musical showdown. It’s being held at Studio128 on Pitt St in Leith, Edinburgh tomorrow night (17th June).

Audio candy will be supplied by: electro pop outfit Futuristic Retro Champions; grungie Glasgow rockers Schnapps; popular local boys Jakil and Little Eskimos with their indie treats; plus Leith’s very own The Fusiliers.

All proceeds from the night go to the charity Fairbridge – who support young people aged 13–25 in the most deprived areas of Scotland to develop the confidence, motivation and skills they need to change their own lives. So if you’re about Edinburgh tomorrow, be sure to check it out. Good music and good causes.

You can swoop a ticket’s on Leith Records’ site.

Dam Mantle is pretty spot on right now in terms of that off-kilter wonk/glitch/dubstep scene which has taken over the city in the past year. He’s a normal, unassuming-looking Glasgow-based art student called Tom Marshallsay, but probably one of the most exciting producers about at the moment. He released his EP ‘Grey‘ at the beginning of April (on boutique label Halleluwah Hits), featuring the luscious tracks; Grey and Rebong (see below). His remix of Kele Okereke’s Tenderoni (also below) not only makes the tune sound good – a feat in itself – but makes it into something mind-spangling.

Following the success of the Sailor Jerry Presents… series, Sailor Jerry bring their free live music, film and art event to Glasgow with California dance punk act !!! (Chk Chk Ck) and Dam Mantle will be supporting.

There will also be an exclusive screening of the short film Hori Smoku which documents the life and works of Norman Adams aka Sailor Jerry. Did you know, due to an IRS dispute, he stopped tattooing from his 20s to his late 50s? He only tattooed for 12 years in total.

You can pick up tickets here but hurry as space is limited!

Dam Mantle – Grey

Dam Mantle – Rebong

Kele Okereke – Tenderoni (Dam Mantle remix)

Photos by Gabriel Green

On Thursday 27th May 2010 RPZ present DOBLY ANOL for a special guest dj set! No strangers to the RPZ dancefloor (or most other glasgow club nights), Dolby Anol are one of Scotland’s most inventive and respected electronic producers.

Hailing from Glasgow the duo have carved an enviable reputation for themselves with a series of blistering EPs that demonstrate a devious and imaginative approach to dance music. Their releases – including Puppies, Tender Touch, Macaroon/Cameron and most recent Sandy Bitches (which you can hear below) – take a particularly skewed but wildly inventive approach to the business of delirious dancing, jumping from genius cheesy 80′s MOR disco samples to thoughtfully skeletal and superlative techno. This playful diversity has won them a varied collection of admirers ranging from BBC radio populist Annie Mac to kings of belligerent beats the Boyz Noise.

As always RPZ residents Bonjour Boi and Hushpuppy will be spinning out their own brand of sweat inducing digital disco delirium, grinding together electro, rave, jerky bassline, italo, synthetic disco, French sound, gay hi-NRG, Oz-matic punk-house and delinquent techno.

Glowing pop-art projections and über gay-cosmic visuals are provided by one-man videoteque Joe Crogan.

tbass19 Dolby Anol-Sandy Bitches EP by Tigerbeat6

Seems to be March is going to be an ace little month for gigs this year. Not only is the massive Subcity 15th Birthday Party blowing the doors on the first Saturday night the Arches reopens, but there are a few other shiny gems aswell…

Floating Points were introduced to me about a month ago. Their Vacuum EP is an excellent little purchase, which features effortless whizzes, drones and feet tapping beats it’s a cracking choice for any mood you’re in. They are playing March 5th for Numbers at Sub Club, alongside Kode9 and Martyn. Tickets are £12.

Featured on the Kitsuné Maison Compilation 8 album, Memory Tapes released Seek Magic. Dream pop, glitch pop, summer time on a disc, call it what you will-it’s great. Warbled, lucullan, distorted, organic electronic recording matched up with Dayve Hawk’s soothing vocals creates, quite frankly, a flawless album. Catch it in Stereo on March 12th for a measly 7 punts.

No introduction is really needed. It’s a no-brainer it’s Four Tet. You just go! Playing in the Bongo Club in Edinburgh on March 13th for £12.

Floating Points-Vacuum
Memory Tapes-Pink Stones
Four Tet-Plastic People