We are delighted to welcome none other than Q-BRA (@qbra) to our DETECT mix series.
They have recorded an exclusive one hour mix for us, available to listen to now on our FOLD SoundCloud.

Music, just like any of culture’s facets, has a key thing at its heart: storytelling. Whether they come in the form of a song, a book, a speech, a dance or an opera, the greatest stories have long transcended languages and borders. They impart information, excite our imagination and spur on our creative thoughts. They challenge the status quo as well as ourselves.

Which is why for an artist like Q-BRA, curation is of the utmost importance; every track from the XSM Records co-founder is a necessary character, all playing a particular role in the effortlessly multi-layered narrative. 

The 90s are revisited in this delightful one hour mix from Q-BRA, with old-school Chicago house threading together more contemporary acid, electro and house. It’s this genre-fluid approach that has become Q-BRA’s trademark; for the moment a dance-floor’s storyline begins to wane, so does its audience’s attention and lasting power. And knowing how and when to change before this happens is the mark of a true storyteller. Short storylines connect their four different groups of genres, all wound together with gradual transitions and several surprises along the way. 

After nearly-25 years of performing throughout Istanbul's queer underground, they have deservedly become one of the most recognisable activists in the city. More recently they made the move to London, following it up with performances in the Barbican as well as appearing as a panellist on FOLD Talks.

DETECT [162] - Q-BRA

A migrant, activist, curator, selector and deejay who navigates life, death, joy, and sorrow through writing, singing, performing, producing, and mixing sound and rhythm.

They believe in the h(e)aven and power of music as a transformative, borderless, cross- and inter-genre force. 

With all respect, they approach to mixing is guided by harmony, intention, intuition, and most importantly desire.

‘…after all rhythm and sound together are constructive, connective, instinctive, and of course unpredictable as myself-being’

Well known for their genre-fluid DJ sets which, in their words, “welcome everyone to dance together.” In 2023, they were invited to London to perform in the Barbican’s Pit Theatre for Transpose BURN: Pit Party. Since October 2024, they are based in London.

1/3 of XSM Recordings

FOLD is an artist-led, community-driven nightclub and arts space. Positioned at the forefront of electronic music, audio-visual performance, and live streaming. FOLD prides itself on striving to be a safe space for our predominantly queer techno community.

Resident Bookings: Gemma@fold.london


FOLD RESIDENTS: 

Voicedrone - https://soundcloud.com/voicedrone
Anabel Arroyo - https://soundcloud.com/anabelarroyo.
Andromeda - https://soundcloud.com/andromedaldn
Gareth Wild - https://soundcloud.com/eartoground
James Newmarch - https://soundcloud.com/jamesnewmarch
Alba Heidari - https://soundcloud.com/lemmiwinks
Lockhart - https://soundcloud.com/lockhartsj
Riva - https://soundcloud.com/riva999