The word on EDM/Dance with Aegipan Samarawickrama

Bass fiends, doofers, shoe-shakers of all varieties – lend me your eyes! Chief Lunatic Pan here, resurrecting this column to report on all things happening in the EDM underground.

If you’re the kind of cat who graces the Territory’s dancefloors on the regular, you may very well have spotted a painted-up life warrior enthusiastically worshipping at the altar of bass – that would be yours truly!

I am greatly honoured to write this column, and I’ll keep my ears and feet to the ground to bring you the lowdown every issue.

When it comes to my personal taste, it’s constantly expanding. Drum ‘n’ bass is my speciality, with psytrance a close second. But really, I’m keen on anything that puts a smile on my face and gets my skeleton a-thrashing. Expect more diverse recommendations for tunes and parties as I broaden my musical horizons and discover shiny new things.

On that note, if you have any recommendations for gigs and releases across the EDM spectrum, please hit me up! AEGIPAN101@GMAIL.COM

My goal here is to give you, the dear readers, the best run-down and gig guide I can manage within the space of this column, with the purpose of bringing bigger crowds out to all of the excellent events happening around town.

Getting more bodies through those doors means more doors will open, and we want nothing more than to see our scene grow, yeah?

Before we get into the meat and potatoes of what’s happening around town, how about we look at some notable national and international releases from the past few months?

Bo! Selecktah! [aka Top Tunes For Titillation]

In May, local psy legend Mosscilator released his debut EP, Making Fools of Frogs, on Zenon Records. Call me biased if you like, as Josh and I go way back, but it’s one juicy, foot stomping, multi-layered beast that I haven’t been able to get out of my head since it came out.

The UK’s ALB released the two-track single Lost Without U/Melancholy Remedy towards the end of June. Both songs feature the same beat but deliciously different stylings.

Brooklyn’s Dazegxd released his sophomore album, Exhibition Mode, on the same date. It is a genuinely creative 14-track album that showcases his influences in jungle, house, hip hop, and deep house.

Maryland’s Nedaj hit the breakcore jackpot with State of Mind. The album has a neatly coherent sound, featuring pumping rhythms under ethereal synths and catchy but sparingly used vocal hooks.

Into darkstep? Forbidden Society’s Lonely Road should be in your playlists this month. It’s an excellent album for those long winter nights when you need something heavier to warm your spirit.

The wild card of the bunch is “Strawby Computer Entertainment Europe” by Strawberry Station, which came out earlier in June. It’s the most eclectic album on this list, featuring Future Funk, synthwave, and video game music elements. It’s one to bop to on those days when you are your most upbeat, happy-go-lucky self.

Meat and Potatoes [Happenings]

Winter has well and truly taken hold in the Territory, and there’s no better way to warm up your chilly bones than to get out, get your feet on the floor and boogie with some tremendous human beings.

On Saturday, 27 July, Vision Entertainment is chucking on double-headliner FKING HOT at the Symonston Greyhound Track featuring Sydney’s Doctor Werewolf and Parker from the UK. Both acts are heavy hitters with chart successes and massive supports under their belts. This one is entirely indoors for those looking to escape the cold. Tix via Humanitix.

This one is for the die-hard bass fanatics – the Headz are Rolling crew are hosting another party at the Pot Belly in Belconnen on Saturday, 10 August, and this time they’re bringing a DJ who many people say is Australia’s greatest – Mark N, supported by a list of local legends. Come at 10pm and expect to stay until sunrise because the Headz crew are well renowned for throwing some of the best parties in town, and all signs point towards this one being quite the rager. Get thee to Humanitix!

Dragon Dreaming Festival might be kicking off in October when spring will be in full force, but on 24 August, they’re throwing an aptly named warm-up party at The Vault warehouse space in Fyshwick. This one-night party will have a local and interstate line-up, performance and visual artists, and interactive art spaces. If this is your first time going down to The Vault, it’s quickly becoming one of Canberra’s most exciting venues, and you really can’t complain about legitimately fairly-priced drinks either. Tix here!

Speaking of Dragon Dreaming, the line-up for the festival itself has plenty of international acts (including Mogwai, Dela Moon, Emiri, and more). Still, it also features some of the best and hardestworking local acts. Logman N Pstump will be bringing back the bounce, Headz are Rolling legends Tidy & Samwise will be carving it up with their unique sound, and Kazuki, who used to commandeer this very column.

The line-up now includes local dynamic duo Burley Bassweight, bringing Gammacell and Cetacean up to kick it with the big dogs. Over the past two years, this crew have been putting on some of the best events in the region, bringing in local legends like Loose Cannon, Pann, Solid Professor, and the UK’s Transforma, promoting community spirit and inclusivity in the scene. If you’ve never been to a Burley Bassweight gig, then you’ve been missing out – keep an eye on this column for details on their future gigs, and make sure you give ‘em some love at Dragon. Dragon Dreaming tix are on sale now-get em here.

Non-EDM Earworms just for fun!

That’s about it for the month ahead. Whatever is up and over that hill is sure to be a blast, though! Finally, I might as well use this space to broaden the musical horizons of EDM fans in the same way that EDM broadened mine. So here’s a short list of non- EDM earworms that you might just get a kick out of:

Alcest – Les Chants de l’Aurore – On their seventh album, French outfit Alcest graced us with seven blissfully ethereal and profoundly emotive post-black metal.

Aurora – What Happened to the Heart? – The most eclectic mix of sounds you’ll hear on a pop record. Aurora dabbles with bluegrass, EDM, and even bossa nova across 16 tracks. And my GODS; that voice!

Wardruna – I’ve had Wardruna on repeat for longer than I care to remember. The Norwegian folk ensemble uses historical and traditional instruments while drawing lyrics from Norse sagas and poetry, all to incredible effect. Check out their Live @ Hellfest performance on YouTube and prepare to be entranced. They’re also touring Oz for the first time in January!

Before I go, remember: if anyone says Canberra is boring, THEY are the ones who are boring! We’ve got a great live music scene, an even better underground, and some of the friendliest people around. But maybe we should keep all that a secret. We don’t want to spoil it, now, do we?

I’ll see you on the dancefloor!