Fifth Pleasure

Here's a glimpse into what went down on the second date of my 2024 residency at Public Records.
2 and a Half hours in the Sound Room - one of the best discotheques in the world, where the sound system leads the selection process.

All tracks Blended on the in house ISONOE Mixer. This was one hell of a journey - Can't wait for next time :)

Grab an early Bird for September in NYC: https://ra.co/events/1840942

Live at Public Records May 2024

Bradley Zero  @ Public Records NYC 4th May 2024

Kaleidoscopic psychedelia from one of Australia's finest.

While it might feel early to call bets on DJs of the decade, Kia Sydney, best known as Kia, is undoubtedly one of them. The Animalia founder began in Naarm's (Melbourne) underground scene in the mid-2010s, crediting a trip to the influential deep techno Japanese festival, Labyrinth, as the inspiration behind her sound.

Deep techno might not cut it as a descriptor for Sydney's sound, though. Hypnotic ribbons of steely techno mix with atmospherics and nimble grooves, drawing from IDM, dub and tech house, sharing as much with DJ Nobu and Donato Dozzy (try to find the track that overlaps with Dozzy's own RA Podcast) as well as modern practitioners like Priori and Beatrice M.

This distinctly Australian scuttling psychedelia has made Kia one of the most sought-after underground DJs globally. Her brainchild, Animalia, showcases a plurality of sounds and scenes, serving as living proof of the fruitful shift of the 2020s: less serious, perhaps, but with a sense of open-minded worldliness that offers a far more promising vision of what dance music can be and achieve.

Sydney's rare talent lies in forging connections, bringing people, sounds and ideas together with a distinct playfulness. Her RA Podcast showcases this alchemy in abundance, weaving classics like Monolake and Enya with peers such as OK EG, Cousin and Command D.

As she told us in her 2023 Breaking Through profile, "people tell me I have quite a distinctive sound but I can't tell so much because I hear so many different versions of it." RA.973 serves as confirmation that Kia's style is, to say the least, the mark of a generational talent.
 
@kia-sydney @animalia-label  @cirruslabel

Read more at ra.co/podcast/973

RA.973 Kia

NDYŪKÅ PODCAST #17 

ALUKU BUSINENGE

Bokilifu Boni born in 1730 was a freedom fighter and leader of the Aluku tribe. He fought and fought for the freedom of our people and raiding all plantations until his death 
due to warfare  in 1793.
Here i am talking about him hundreds of years later with inspiration of his strength and devotion. His legacy lives through our free souls today.

With this mix i took it back to the very basics. the mindset of one big story where the rhythms lead you to hypnotize if locked in. Simplicity, with a less is more mentality. Inspired by the pace of the Apintie drums which is always fast and rhythmic. 

ALUKU BUSINENGE

The Melbourne-born, London-based artist crafts unique contemporary techno by blending moods, textures, and atmospheres with an innate sense of storytelling.

Music has been a cornerstone of Fergus' life. Inspired by his mother’s eclectic taste, he grew up immersed in the sounds of US3, Gorillaz, Roy Orbison, Groove Armada, and more. Initially producing house music, Fergus discovered his passion for techno after experiencing Marcel Dettmann’s transformative performance at Rainbow Serpent Festival in 2015.

With over 15 years of production experience, Fergus draws from his love of jazz, bossa nova, rap, ambient, and electronic music to create dynamic, boundary-pushing techno. His DJ sets mirror this ethos, guiding audiences on an immersive sonic journey.

Fergus is a key member of the Hayes Collective, having consistently released his music on the esteemed Portuguese label since 2020. His work has also found a home on Illegal Alien, NRBK, Ear To Ground, Connection Verified, and Codec Recordings, in addition to his own imprint, Pressure Systems.

Pressure Systems embodies the philosophy that sound is pressure and music is its system. The label champions total creative freedom and authenticity, reflecting the physical and emotional power of sound as a medium for deep self-expression.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fergus.sweetland/

SCORDISCI PODCAST 001 | FERGUS SWEETLAND

soundcloud : @11pmraar
instagram : www.instagram.com/raar_v/

Raär @ GIMIC - 09 April 2025

The vaunted techno producer discusses the connections between visual art and music, balancing a full-time career as a fine artist and how he creates his signature sound.

There's a connection between visual art and dance music that's seldom explored on our channels. Mike Parker is well known in the underground techno scene for minimal, hypnotic and beautifully executed sound design that sits somewhere at the edges of club music. But he also received his master's degree in fine art and teaches drawing and painting at Daemon University in Buffalo, New York. Fans of Parker will recognise his visual trademark: monochromatic prints that adorn the covers of the records he puts out on his label, Geophone.

In this Exchange, Parker sits down with Chloe Lula to talk about how he balances his art- and music-making practices and how they inform each other. He also opens up about the long process of sticking to his sound and finding an audience rather than catering to the demands and suggestions of labels and distributors. His 2001 breakout album, Dispatches—which he reissued last year—is a meditation on the act of living far away from any listeners or immediate influences, and he discusses the ongoing drawbacks and rewards of balancing the Eurocentric pursuit of DJing with day-to-day work that's so geographically removed. He also opens up about his longtime collaboration with Donato Dozzy, his love of mid-20th-century sci-fi movies and how free-form radio shaped his approach to music and art. Listen to the episode in full.

EX.761 Mike Parker

Today, we’re very pleased to welcome Italian-born, Berlin-based Midgar boss, Severja. Jacopo has been blending art and music for the past two decades. As the founder of Midgar label, he oversees both artist curation and visuals, and he's also part of Monument’s design and booking team.

His journey spans Europe, Asia, and Australia, including a stint in Taipei during the pandemic, and he's gained a reputation for hosting some of Berlin’s most talked-about parties.

For Osmura, he delivers a unique set — starting at 180 BPM and gradually slowing down through ambient and trippy dub techno, before ramping back up with d’n’b and murky steppers.

Osmura w/ Severja 27

The French techno and IDM producer shares a “fluid, open and evolving” mix 

Dazed Mix: Quelza

This mix contains all original unreleased tracks by Fergus Sweetland -> https://soundcloud.com/fsweetland

Vault Sessions #270 - Fergus Sweetland

This week we present a recording by the  ever-so-lovely @o-utlier who recently released on Animalia, a prolific producer from Ireland - at Mostra Festival, Barcelona 2025.

Fifth Pleasure

Sam Zerbst

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