Club Watch: The Hydra - NonPlus+ vs Workshop Records

By Londonist Last edited 136 months ago
Club Watch: The Hydra - NonPlus+ vs Workshop Records


For the last month or so, shadowy promoters The Hydra have been bringing together some of the biggest names in electronica for a season of blockbuster shows across the city. Saturday night's joint billing of artists from NonPlus+ and Workshop records is as fine a lineup as we've seen yet. While the labels have shared artists before this marks the first time they've shared the stage - unrivalled dancefloor adventures await!

NonPlus+ is the project of Boddika, a man who in recent years has flitted between more styles than Eric Pickles has had hot dinners. His Instra:mental project alongside Jon Convex started off as left-field drum'n'bass before falling right off the grid into an electro cyberworld even Rick Deckard might have found a bit too dystopian. Under his Boddika guise he’s bolted these electro influences onto tough techno stylings - take the woozy but deadly "You Tell Me" below; with its brittle 808s and snaking melody it remains contemporary while sounding like nothing else.

In new collaborator Joy Orbison, also on the bill, he has found a kindred spirit; few others would have seen the pop potential of a track like their warped acid monster "Swims" and its demented "walk for me" refrain. Incidently that record was released by the fine Swamp 81 label, whose founder, dubstep survivor Loefah drops in aswell. Goerge Levings, best known as one half of Commix, will showcase the wide-eyed beauty of his Endian project. Finally Swedish techno duo Skudge, who have remixed and been remixed alike by most of this line-up, round off this delightfully incestuous bill.

The other room is hosted by Berlin's Workshop records - whose showcase at Corsica Studios in February was one of our highlights of the year. Their strong squad comprises the low-slung sounds of the aptly named Lowtec, Even Tuell's oddball deep-house and the warped darkness of Kassem Mosse. While the label has had a quiet 2012 don't expect any peace when these guys go in.

The Hydra: Non Plus x Workshop with Boddika, Skudge, Joy Orbison, Loefah, Kassem Mosse at iCAN Studios, E3 2PR -  Saturday 24th November. For tickets and more information go here.

Image used with permission

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Last Updated 23 November 2012