It's 2003, Rennie Pilgrim's Emit remix is on serious rotation and Cut and Run remixing another classic that should have been left well alone! This was when breaks were breaks and the genre moved predictably through reggae, hiphop and electro without disturbing the wider music scene.
Fast forward to 2010 and 'breaks' is dead. In its place the open casket which is 'electro', no longer the preserve of choppy drums and stabbing synths, 'electro' today encompasses elements from across the dance music spectrum with a diverse range of artists to attaching the 'electro' label to their sound.
The sound of electro in Bristol is vast, catching all the international players from Erol Alkan and Boys Noize to Toddla T and Redlight all bringing their own take on 'electro' to the table and redefining the genre as they go. It's this chicken and egg scenario that liberates the genre and allows nights like Shit The Bed at Motion and Blowpop at Thekla to have such a diverse sound.
Visiting producers like Sinden borrow basslines from dubstep and garage while artists from the Boyz Noise and Ed Banger imprints inflate traditional electro synths beyond recognition. Whether it's the manicness of fidget house (a la Redlight) or the choppy breakbeats of 90s old skool (Toddla T), Bristol's electro listings are bursting with influences from across dance music.
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What our editors say
“Closing out the night, we’re excited to have Eksish. Consistently putting in work to keep Bristol’s 4x4 scene moving with night Late Feeders and regularly sharing a bill with names as serious as Raresh, Lucas Wigflex, and Ogazon, she’s built a name for minimal, wonky but groove-heavy sounds spanning techno, house and electro. We can’t wait to hear her top off the night on a high!”
From: Ludera presents... Milly On Air b2b R.E.D., Eksish
“AMOR ANTE follows and raises the temperature. A South East London multi genre selector known for techno, electro, bass, club edits and their own party Noon, they know exactly how to lean into a crowd once it has warmed. Sharp rhythms, bold choices, a sense of momentum and that unmistakable AMOR ANTE tension and release.”
From: CLUB LOVE FESTIVE MEMBERS PARTY
“Beaming in from Hackney, we have the long awaited return of 1/4 of the KB recipe, cofounder and resident muzhit seamlessly slithers between techno, electro and lord knows what else keeping up that pulsating dancefloor energy start to finish.”
From: Klüb Blancmange - Mark EG, Mollie Rush, muzhit, & more
“Space Mistress will bring this Queerky to a close for the year! After her extraordinary closing set in March, exploring driving trance and psychedelic breakbeat, we cannot wait to see what she delivers this time.”
From: QUEERKY w/ Wednesday
“For the last night in our 3 part underground series, Tuff Breaks are proud to present Bodhi: Inspired by bass grooves, percussive nuance, and melodic textures, Bodhi’s sound occupies a space between Bass, UKG, breakbeat, and electronica. With a deep musical intuition shaped by years of exploration and crate-digging, the Cardiff-based duo are known for productions that move fluidly across styles while retaining a distinct emotional core.”
From: Tuff Breaks Presents: Bodhi