With the imminent closure of Output and Cielo on the horizon, the state of NYC’s club scene is a big question mark at the moment. Through the scene has had many ups and downs over the past decade or so, the FIXED NYC crew — JDH and Dave P — have work diligently to keep people dancing and the party going. On December 21 FIXED will once again take over Goodroom in Brooklyn for its finale soiree of the year. The blowout features Fort Romeau and famed UK producer Jake Williams (a.k.a. Rex The Dog), who will throw down one of his famed live sets.
Following the recent release of material Correspondant, plus appearances at Panorama Bar in Berlin and Concrete in Paris, we checked in with the man himself and asked him to share his favorite tracks of the moment.
Matthew Brown – Headly Foot
This is an early one from the Public Possession label out of Munich. It’s very squirty and raw and I really like it. It splutters along and then there’s a kind of late-in-the-day transformation into a running sequencer bass. I’ve recently become obsessed with Public Possession, as much for their off-kilter graphics and merchandise as for the music (which is also great). I think I have four different sweatshirts and a tee. I’m a fan boy.
DJ Haus – Ready 2 Jack
This is a great, bouncy party track, but it’s even better with the video. When it suddenly cuts to the running man at 1:02 it’s so goofy and exciting. I love these kind of badly-photocopied rave flyer graphics. The track is strong too, the way he holds that ‘ja ja ja ja ja ja jack’ vocal much longer than you think he should, but it’s so silky sounding that it’s right.
Schwefelgelb – In Dem Laken
I’ve been dipping my toes into ‘new’ EBM recently and these guys are making some great stuff. I struggle with full-on EBM because it can often lack light and shade and feel like a constant heavy hammer. But Schwefelgelb seem more three dimensional than that, and their driving basses are the best.
Laurie Spiegel – Patchwork
This is an old track, it’s one of Laurie Spiegel’s more ‘accessible’ (to my mind) pieces, and I really like it. I would use this as an antidote to an accidental EBM overdose. There are shades of early Kraftwerk here, which is always going to be yum.
Autarkic – I Know
I’m friends with Geoff Man Power, and he recently stayed over at my place. I used the opportunity to raid his music collection and this is one of the best finds. It’s the string line. It’s so simple, but it’s so moving. I love this very much.
Image by Clare Shilland