TASCAM DR-05X

Live from the Adriatic 2024: Dresden

Ivan Smagghe is stepping up to take over Tapes #142. Known for his ability to play music like a raw conduit between famously obscure records whilst never losing sight of the dancefloor’s strobe soaked bodies - injecting something of himself seamlessly into the mix along the way. 

His genre defying/defining production from Black Strobe, It’s A Fine Line, Smagghe & Cross and now Ivan & Johnny has connected him to and garnered the praise from the likes of Craig Richards, Vladimir Ivkovic, Paranoid London, Solar and of course, his long time friend Andrew Weatherall - all fellow crusaders in the fight to prove that electronic music is so much more than a one dimensional soundtrack for a night on the lash, and so much more than an Instagram account. 

Tracklist: https://www.originssound.com/os-tapes/ivan-smagghe-mix

Follow Ivan Smagghe  —

instagram.com/ivan_smggh_jmm
soundcloud.com/colonelgatito

Origins Tapes 142 - Ivan Smagghe

Dresden live from Earthling on Sunday afternoon at Houghton 2024.

Recorded at Houghton - Dresden (2024)

We revive our Global Selection series with a standout contribution from one of France's most authoritative selectors of his generation, Ivan Smagghe.

Ahead of his return to Dublin for Big Dish Go this weekend at Centre Point, Smagghe delivers a masterful hour of storytelling through sound. From shimmering downtempo rarities to deep, driving house cuts and smoky, electro-kissed grooves, his mix unfolds like the hazy soundtrack to a foggy morning in the hills of an undisclosed rave, transporting you there, or wherever your wandering mind takes you.

Few DJs can transform obscurity into dancefloor gold like Ivan Smagghe. With a musical ethos reminiscent of the late, great Andrew Weatherall, Smagghe acts as a raw conduit, channelling his notoriously esoteric record collection into the pulsing bodies beneath the strobe. His latest mix is yet another example of his singular talent—a deep dive into the avant-garde fringes of electronic music, held together by an intuitive understanding of groove and space.

Smagghe has long been at the intersection of Parisian hype and unwavering musical integrity. From his pioneering work with Black Strobe to his boundary-pushing productions as one half of It’s A Fine Line, he has received praise from some of the most respected names in electronic music, including James Murphy, Trevor Jackson, Ata, Optimo, and, of course, Weatherall himself. What is their shared mission? To demonstrate that electronic music is more than just a hedonistic soundtrack; it is a constantly evolving art form.

“I have very fond, if a bit blurred, memories of the Big Dish Go parties in the basement of Kennedy’s… Loud and wild they were but we live in the now and we must let that spirit live on. It’s just about freedom, in that mix (who cares what style it is) and in that ephemeral companionship with David Holmes. Freedom & Love”

Ivan Smagghe
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SC: @colonelgatito
IG: www.instagram.com/ivan_smggh_jmm/
Four Four Magazine
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Four Four Global Selection 060 - Ivan Smagghe

BIG DISH GO were great parties in Dublin about 15 years ago and the basement at Kennedys some kind of legendary place. The boys found back a few old recordings of our nights. They are what they are :)

IVAN SMAGGHE & ROMAN FLUGEL - BDG KENNEDYS OCT 2011

all night long at Platforma Wolff in Bucharest 25.02.22

London’s friendliest DJ duo Merchant summon their deepest club crates for two hours of summery prog and rhythm heavy house heaters!

Oozing their signature feel good sensibilities, this one’s a bumping ride with classy 90s groovers and contemporary UK dance music mixed up with love as the main ingredient..

@merchantrecordslondon

Q. What inspiration did you guys draw upon when planning out and making this mix together, and what kind of listening environments might you see it being easily enjoyed in?

A. We’ve always loved a variety of different music and it feels really nice to be able to put out a dance mix that shows that side of our sound. We often spin dance music with our mates at home before a night out, so this could be quite good for the pre-game or as you’re gearing up for the dance in the festival campsite.

Q. Are there any songs in the mix that are especially close to your heart, and what is it about these tracks that resonate with you so much?

A. Two of the three tunes we’ll be releasing in our first EP this summer are in the mix so look out for tracks Viva and Twenty46. We worked with our very talented producer friend Strath on those and we are excited for playing them more this summer. 

Another standout is Rockin The Boat by Reflex Blue. It’s got the perfect amount of groove to it with that sax coming over that acid line and it’s a great track for moving sets in different directions. 

We are also really fond of the last two tracks. 

Life Formation by Epsylon 9 is a 90s trance track that has got a lot of positive energy. We paired that with the closing track Please Come To My Show by Kolter which carries that atmosphere but with a more contemporary sound. 

Q. Harry I know you’re heading back to the UK to reunite with Al after spending the summer down here in Aus. What are you guys looking forward to upon your return, any new projects or parties in the works?

A. Mainly excited to give each other a big hug, crack a bottle of wine and chuck a few records on. DJing never feels the same when we aren’t together so we are really looking forward to some nice European gigs soon. Obviously the EP is also exciting. We are also starting a run of parties later this year so keep an eye out for that on our insta if you’re listening from London.

MDC.306 Merchant

Friday eve with Dresden

https://www.instagram.com/dresden_dance
https://soundcloud.com/dresden-dance



Dresden @ The Lot Radio 03-14-2025

Yeah Yeah Yeah finds its home on Rossi.’s label Homegrown, delivering a sleek and confident minimal groove that sits right at the heart of the UK’s scene. With a sound that feels both effortless and intentional, this release embodies the stripped-back, quality-first ethos that defines the label.

Refined, understated, and built for intimate dancefloors — this one keeps it cool while still hitting with purpose.

Dresden @ The Lot Radio 03-14-2025

The Lot Radio

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