I think of experimental club as the sum of all dance music, a cultural force that shapes innovative considerations of dance by understanding both the past and the contemporary moment through a new lens. As dance music continually folds into itself, producers and DJs are faced with the task of understanding both the cultural juncture(s) they inhabit and why certain sounds resonate more meaningfully than others.
Of course, changes in dance music parallel — or are the result of — the evolution of the communities where it exists. And as Jackson Scott suggested in TMT’s review of Graham Lambkin’s Community, “the material and economic realities of the 21st century have rendered community de-localized and more utilitarian.” The fringes of dance music reflect this: DJ sets are becoming more eclectic and globalized, drawing influences from around the world and appealing to a variety of tastes.
London’s Akito (boss of the Sans Absence label) is one producer among many pushing new and eclectic rhythms to the fore. Both his Boiler Room set and his upcoming Turbo Blues EP are full of oblique references to styles that span the globe, from grime to dancehall to Jersey club. Moving like a clock with the mechanism removed, Akito rotates through different realms of dance music without catching one specific gear. The result is a collection of club abstractions that land somewhere between euphoria and chaos.
To get an idea of what I’m talking about, stream “Carry On Comedown” below, a track from Akito’s aforementioned Turbo Blues EP, which is due April 7 on his very own Sans Absence label. Stay tuned for tracklisting and ordering info.
More about: Akito
