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.
Buy tickets for electro events in Bristol
Our recent electro recommendations
Sell out warning! Guts absolutely wiped the floor at Jam On The Horizon - we wouldn’t miss another education from the boom-bap troubadour! Not with Canton Mambo queen Gia Fu setting the ‘floor alight with Afro-Cuban discs and hip-swirling spins in this massive Sinai-powered session, bolstered by Pangaea hero Kesh + Popola bringing the finest in ass-shaking reggaeton, soca and afrobeats. POW!
Sinai Sound ft Guts / Kesh + Popola at The Boxing Gym.
Stroom's low-lit rockstar work his magic down at the Inn; he’s blessed us with some seriously memorable dances over the years, and we’re expecting another one here. Oddball dance revivals, wonky chug, sleazy new beat and trance-induced slo-mo melters incoming.
Nosedrip at The Love Inn.
For the initiated, only Willikens will do. The Salon GOAT gets real deep with a rare-opening set, stretching minimal synth slayers and acidic chug to psychedelic breaking point before Saskia fires up the subwise hardware explorations and Anina & Lynne absoultely wipe the floor with junglist domination. Secret Shade, we salute you.
The Secret Shade: Lena Willikens, Lynne b2b Anina, Saskia at Strange Brew.
Sell out warning! Absolute go-hard-or-go-home belter for Zone 1 and Bris-Tek’s big birthday bash! Storming The Boxing Gym: Barcelona tekno firecracker Amygdala, bassline boss Jenny Sparks and donk sommelier DJ Bax touching down in Bris + Grandma Wubplate’s hard-dance swag and jungle euphoria from Betsy Mae. And that’s not even half of it….
ZONE 1 x BRIS-TEK / AMYGDALA, DJ BAX, JENNY SPARKS, VANDAL at The Boxing Gym.
More Photos of Bass & Electro in Bristol
What our editors say
“Bringing their shared love of UK garage, house, electro, and techno to the dancefloor, the pair have developed a natural chemistry that moves effortlessly between rolling groove and off-kilter club energy.”
From: Van Wilkins & Roaming Data
“Fez the Kid B2B Casino Flats (Cirrina Sessions) Casino Flats and Fez the Kid step up once again for a b2b; this time delving into hypnotic, downtempo modulations. Expect Casino Flats' minimal techno and deep breakbeat inflections subverted and broken by Fez the Kid's dubbed-out atmospheric bass.”
From: Cirrina Sessions w/ Tim Reaper , i-sha & residents
“Expect the unexpected as we set off for a free-flowing night of genre-bending mastery, gear shifting inventiveness that'll touch all the bases of techno, electro, bass, jungle, grime, footwork and who knows what else. >>”
From: Netham Trax w/ Jay Carder + Sir Hiss + Residents
“Luca Lozano is a DJ, producer, visual artist and co-founder of Klasse Wrecks, whose unmistakable approach draws from the raw energy of early rave culture while refusing to settle into any one genre. A lifelong digger and selector, his sets move instinctively through acid, breakbeat, electro, house, techno and trance. Joining the dots between forgotten records, underground classics and unexpected dancefloor weapons.”
From: Dismantle Collective Halloween: Luca Lozano, C.A.R
“Rounding out the lineup is Bristol's own Safiye, a DJ and promoter floating freely between house, techno, electro and disco - a Love Inn and SWU.FM resident whose approach to the decks is guided by instinct over genre.”
From: Toy Tonics Bristol Jam: Cody Currie, Arpy Brown + Safiye