THE APPLIANCE OF SCIENCE_PART 4 - 1994_CHRISDUCK

Kim Lana’s journey into House is inextricably linked with her proud identity as a Trans woman and long-time community builder, both in her local town and across queer dance floors. Her legendary night ‘Lana Loves’ was the first Trans-led party in Happy Valley at The Trades Club in Hebden Bridge. Gig highlights have included HomoBloc, Beatherder, and Adonis at London Pride. Kim is a firm favourite of HomoElectric, an NTS resident,  Manchester’s Deep Gay and Todmorden’s Nan Moors,. Kim was Mother of Iconoclast, the annual queer all-dayer that brought beautiful crowds to Happy Valley for a taste of queer utopia.

My musical romance began late at the age of 16, listening to old cassette tapes my brother had on rotation - INXS, RHCP, GNR, Janes Addiction.   Bored one day I picked up an old acoustic guitar which had been gathering dust and began to work out the basics of  "I could have lied."  Mostly by ear but then later tabbing out the rest of the Blood Sugar Sex Magic album, Are you Experienced and One Hot Minute before taking a few lessons in music theory from a guitar teacher my uncle at the time (who worked for Roland Corp) recommended.  Finally I was able to appreciate scales and chord structures, apppegios and harmonics rather than simply copying tabs and soon after I joined a band, grew a mullet and started experimenting socially and musically, jazz, rock, industrial, funk.  Dance music was gaining popularity at the time and a close mate was already making mix tapes, blending house tracks seamlessly with hip hop style cutting and EQing all on vinyl usingTechnics 1200s.  He was throwing house parties with sound systems Id only seen before at concerts. The music was house, west coast - Ian Pooleys Keep On Groovin comes to mind - sometimes deep or techy but always groovy. I had a mixing program on my lappy but the latency was fucked and Id always dreams of decks.  Just before my 21st I was hit by a car as a pedestrian and although I escaped with relatively minor injuries I spent the next 6 months in rehabilitation where I decided to buy a pair of Ominitronic turntables from the local record store.  The direct drive MKIs were so weak, the vinyl was too heavy for the platter to spin underneath when cueing tracks.  Almost impossible to hold a mix, I returned them  to the store where the owner insisted I was not using the correct slipmats and recommended I try oven paper instead - turns out he was wrong, it was a 'feature' of those decks. Soon I became hooked on vinyl, I quickly gave up my guitar and started hording as much wax I could get my hands on.  Reading credits linking artists, labels, tracks, grooves and styles my knowledge and passion for house became an obsession. When I wasnt mixing and buying records, I was hitting clubs hearing locals such as DJs Ben Drayton & Illya at The Globe and Alex Taylor and John Devecchis weekly at the Terrace @ home nightclub.  Internationals from the US like Justin Martin, Maetrik, Mark Farina, Kaskade and JT Donaldson inspired me and lead me into the areas of deep, funky tech house which eventually evolved into electro, techno and now 10 years later Im listening to a fusion of everything past and present but mostly still within the deep tech arena. I try to remain as open minded about music as possible and try to give and take, express history, present and future but mostly variety within the sets and the music I play at home.  Music is to me proof that creativity is limitless and incomparable, life and beauty are created and  expressed through art, sharing, love expression, communication and harmony.  I will always be grateful for what music has given me and feel honored to be surrounded by so many like minded people who share my passion.  I have a monthly residency at a private club and have other mixes to share if your interested hit me up.  Any feedback welcomed and thank you for checking out my profile!

aka @bluehour909 & A-JX
tracingxircles@gmail.com

Discography:
'Gaia's Requiem' EP [Blue Hour Music] 2017
'Kaieteur Falls' - Air Texture VI [Air Texture] 2018
'Blue Hour x UTE (Remixes) [Blue Hour Music] 2020
'Air Lock' EP [Blue Hour Music] 2020
'Xenolith' EP [Blue Hour Music] 2022
'Sanctuary' [Sävy Records] 2022

https://tracingxircles.bandcamp.com

Also known as DJ Jihad and many other aliases on occasion

THE APPLIANCE OF SCIENCE_PART 4 - 1994_CHRISDUCK

Chris Duckenfield