Episode 5 was put together by Traffic MCR main stay and prolific producer Arytan aka Freddie Aitken. Episode 5 is a taut exploration into techno. A pulsating, rhythmic journey into darkness punctuated with shards of light.
All My Friends caught up with Ayrtan to chat about club closures, techno and Eastern Bloc.
So Ayrtan, you have a busy record store day next week playing at both Eastern Bloc and with All My Friends. Have you got any other events in the pipeline?
I’ve been pretty lucky to have been fairly busy over the last two months playing gigs for my own label Traffic MCR, Drone, on Limbo Radio with VAM collective and (probably the highlight) and extended seven hour set for my showcase at Eastern Bloc Records the other weekend.
But, apart from a slot on 199radio for Looselips in about three weeks, and of course Record Store Day, I don’t have too much ahead.
Its fine though! Gives me some time to work on two potential releases, sorting out releases for Traffic MCR and recording a couple of mixes. And to actually go out and catch some of these nights in Manchester!
Are there any nights you’re looking forward to going to soon?
There are a ton of great nights on at the moment. My number one recommendation would always be to go to the Eastern Bloc instores.
Honestly, if you’re into electronic music of any kind this is the most exciting place in Manchester to be. Always a really receptive and appreciative crowd and, because it’s not a traditional “club” environment and the DJ and dancers are on the same level the connection between performer and audience is electric. For some reason this means the DJs seem to push themselves that little bit more. Highly, highly recommended.
In terms of actual club nights…I would suggest Tensile in Leeds on the 20th April (I know it’s a little out of the way but they have something really great going on), Donato Dozzy on the 25th April and (the highlight) Kerrie and Objekt playing for CULT on the 28th. I saw Kerrie’s first ever live set at Eastern bloc a couple months back and it was unbelievably good for a premier. I can’t wait to see what she’s doing now…and Objekt isn’t bad either.
The mix you’ve put together is a taut exploration into techno and sums up your musical ethos perfectly, How did you approach the mix?
Thanks man. Yea, I think whenever you are recording a mix for a podcast, as opposed to playing to a live crowd, I’d say you have to approach it in a slightly different fashion. For me this difference is that, while sets played “out” still obviously need to challenge the listener, this the need to keep them engaged is accentuated when your listener is most likely sitting down staring at a screen or eating their tea. Basically, a podcast is pretty much listened to in a Vacuum so you need to be technically good or innovative, and explore as many boundaries as you can while keeping it cohesive.
Are there any standout tracks for you in the mix you wouldn’t mind sharing?
I’m still undecided on whether I’m gonna be one of those DJ’s that doesn’t share his tracks but I’ll share this time! I’ll share two because I think they just about cover a fair bit of what I love about this music. The first, which comes in just before 26 mins in, is from Hemlock Recordings, which isn’t a label I’m usually super into but this one’s a proper gem. The track, Unruly by Ploy (HEK032), is, I guess, what you’d call an effect track.
In my mind, what defines an effect track is one that shakes up a listener, brings them out of their head and back into the room. You can do this in a load of ways (sometimes just making a mistake mixing does that, some of the best reactions from crowds come after DJ’s make mistakes). I also love this track because it’s fun to mix, nice complex time signatures that still sit in with the industry standard 4/4.
For the second, I won’t give the name of the track but I will give the name of the album, cos its great and you should listen through it. It’s from Walk Type by Kilner (AVN027) (an alias of Blawan). Its gritty and sinister and just lovely and so, so hypnotic. There’s more character in the kick of this than there is in many whole tracks .
I always like to chat a bit about the state of clubbing especially in Manchester. Are you fearful about the state of Manchester’s nightlife? And do you think there’s anything we can do as a dance community to combat the continued closures of clubs in town?
As for the future of Manchester’s nightlife: We deal in “underground music” but I am not going to be idealistic and say “music with roots in resistance and counterculture can survive any kind of governmental repression”. If the council do not support the safe spaces where people enjoy this art then, while I am sure the music will survive, it will move to unmoderated, unsafe spaces (reminiscent of the mid 90’s).
I get that this is always the dream of “millennial Ravers” ( squat raves and hidden warehouses with eccies as big as digestives) but great DJ’s and producers will go elsewhere in the UK, to established venues. So, yes, I think I am a little worried. But that’s only natural and Manchester seems to be a city of constant flux anyway.
That’s one of the things I love about it. One day you’re worried that there are no good venues and then places like Peer Hat, Aatma and The Old Pint Pot come through. Although it is perhaps worrying that we seem to be trading 250-500 cap venues for 50 cap ones. And the bookings over the next couple of weeks certainly show no sign of a city in decline.
If I knew how to combat this I think I’d be a very popular guy! In my mind it seems fairly clear though. Keep on going out dancing. Buying tickets and filling venues is the best way we, as music lovers, can support venues. Also keep an eye out for new nights in new venues and go to them if you can; Get Digging!
