Sacha Lord and all the Warehouse Project team sent a strong and clear message to all those critics who said the Manchester underground scene is ‘dead’ with their superstar bill of international DJs in a line-up like no other in the UK.
A completely unique music experience that some compare to a festival and some to a underground gig, The Warehouse Project has frenzied ravers pouring into the city from all over the country.
And with 12 weekends jam-packed with an eclectic mix of music genres, there’s definitely something to caress everyone’s earbuds. Here’s our pick of some of the DJs to make sure you don’t miss!
Jupiter Jazz
It’s hard to believe that a DJ like Maceo Plex who’s jet-setting the world smashing gigs in Miami, Ibiza, New York and the infamous BPM Festival in Mexico for fun would have time for another music venture- wrong. Jupiter Jazz is Maceo Plex’s electro inspired baby, working alongside Miami native Danny Daze.
Think futuristic and metallic noises creeping into high intensity tracks and a fusion of Detroit Techno and Italo Disco- definitely one to watch if you like your drops to be energetically building and unpredictable, but oh so satisfying!
See Jupiter Jazz on Sat 28 September at The Warehouse Project
Four Tet
Think a mature, cinematic sound mixed with fast-paced drums and guitar loops… sounds strange, right?
Four Tet is an electronic performance by a man called Kieran Hebden that has to be seen to be truly understood; it will keep you entranced by the thumping techno bassline layered with ‘mini-tracks’ of percussion and rumbles.
Not everyone might “get” what Four Tet is all about, but he remains a musical genius in how he charms listeners with his sets and deserves all the kudos in the industry he gets.
See Four Tet on Sat 2 November at Curated by Four Tet & Caribou at The Warehouse Project.
Tania Vulcano
Bringing the sound of the Balaerics to Manchester, Miss Vulcano is Ibiza epitomised.
The leading lady resident of the infamous ‘Circoloco’ brand at the underground DC10 club, she is notorious for throwing dynamic and high-octane parties into the early hours of the Ibiza morning!
Her sets are renown for being relentless journeys across all different styles of underground vibes- from slick Ibiza deep house to dark and powerful tribal techno.
If you’ve got the stamina for music, the energy of the Tania Vulcano Volcano is one not to miss!
See Tania Vulcano on Sat 7 December at Circo Loco’at The Warehouse Project.
Thom Yorke
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has been raising eyebrows in the music industry for a decade since his successes with the alternative rock band and has been causing stirs in the media slamming commercial electronic dance music (we won’t tell Guetta if you won’t…) Yorke branched out from his indie-rock roots and describes his DJing style as ‘more beats and electronics’.
From what we’ve heard on the grapevine, Yorke’s sets offer you a seat on a one-way musical journey through minimal house, stopping off at Moombahton, then taking you straight back into Acid House town.
Seeing his name on the bill for the “Curated by Four Tet & Caribou” event, we knew we had to be a part of this weird and wonderful experience to witness myself the man that is Thom Yorke… and we suggest you join us too…
See Thom Yorke on Sat 2 November at Curated by Four Tet & Caribou at The Warehouse Project.
Stimming
“I am neither afraid of showing my emotions nor to include them in my music.”
People might be shocked to see that my pick from the “Dynamic” line-up at WHP isn’t in fact the Pacha and Sankeys Ibiza resident Solomun- but from my own experiences of the “Dynamic” DJs, we think Stimming brings the most diverse and unique sounds to the mix.
Few people bring a truly original sound to house music, but Stimming has earned his reputation as one of the top producers the in the business- he’s known for never using the same sample more than once and his sets are nothing short of the charismatic, lively beats you expect.
He’s remixed for the likes of Sascha Funke, Claude VonStroke and Deadmau5 to name but a few, and smashing bookings for appearances (his shows are always live, he never DJs) in places like Pacha, Berlin’s Panoramabar to Sao Paulo’s D-Edge, Stimming is definitely one of my recommendations as a gem you don’t want to miss.
See Stimming on Sat 28 December at ‘Dynamic’ at The Warehouse Project.
Armin van Buuren
Trance fans must have been frothing at the mouth with the line-up with this big daddy on. This man needs no introduction really and Warehouse Project bosses have rightfully handed him a night titled in his honour. Bright white flashes of light and thousands of bodies all with their eyes closed and hands raised in the air as the beautiful beat floods over the room, van Buuren delivers the best in uplifting trance each and every time.
See Armin van Buuren on Fri 4 October at the Armin van Buuren Night at The Warehouse Project.
Richie Hawtin
The DJs who argue that dedication and originality in the underground scene is a dying art need to take a leaf out of this guy’s book.
The founding Daddy of techno, Richie Hawtin is an icon of the genre to all aspiring DJs and one us Brits can be bloody proud to say was born on our English soil (all be it he moved to Canada at nine years old, but we’ll take the credit anyway!).
With his epic label ‘ENTER’ taking Ibiza by storm, Hawtin brings a unrivalled dedication to his music like no other.
When the 43-year-old hits the WHP stage, expect to see him fixated on his decks and digital mixing equipment, bringing an abstract, dark and gloomy mix of minimal and tech-house with clever and intricate noises interweaving through a beat that you can’t just help but move to. This man is just too. damn. good.
See Richie Hawtin on Sat 19 October at Resident Advisor’at The Warehouse Project.
Picture courtesy of Shaun Murphy, with thanks.
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