Southern Breeze: Chat From The South

First off, I don’t want to spoil anything. I know that South London is not some secret idyll in need of protecting, but I am a bit worried that by pointing out what’s great about it has the potential to do more harm than good. It’s changing, quickly, reflected in the ridiculously rapid inflation of rent prices and swift rate of cute cafes/bars/restaurants opening. Although I've been visiting South for years, I've only technically been a resident here about six months and some would probably call me part of the problem. So what can I really say?

Regardless, there's plenty of varied and exciting things going on down here at the moment and I want to bring to the fore the musicians, venues, labels and parties doing interesting work off their own backs. This is basically just a dump of stuff that has piqued my interest over the past couple of weeks and is coming up soon. Which can’t be that harmful to the vibe, right? Frank’s rooftop already invited all the snooty Claphamites and East London douchebags over to Peckham in Time Out anyway so that was pretty much the beginning of the end right there (yeah I said it, you wanna throw down? Let’s do it).

Moga Docs

South London afro-enthusiasts Mogadisco launched their new monthly film night at the tiny, community-run Deptford Cinema at the beginning of the month. Moga Docs set off with Soul Power (2008), documenting the 1974 concert which attracted some of the biggest names in blues, funk and African music to (then) Zaire, as part of a festival surrounding Ali vs Foreman’s ‘Rumble in the Jungle’. The next screening is 1st November where they’ll show Finding Fela! (2014), and play some brilliant music in the bar before and after it. Tickets are £5/3.50 concessions. More info here.

Church

The lads at Church have been picking up speed over the past couple of weeks, announcing a date in Vauxhall with Vakula (with support from SE staples FYI Chris and Seb Wildblood), getting the moody and long-awaited Viers LP out into the world, and announcing a compilation titled Volumes 001 which draws together Canadian Project Pablo, California’s Darnum Samp, Church’s own Apes, and Rye Wax’s FYI Chris. It’s a bit of a left turn from the label but an absolutely welcome one.

FTD

Charles Drakeford released a STONKER of an EP on his From The Depths label at the end of September. Elzeard and Moana, brothers from Paris, take a side each; veering wildly in tempo and tone we’re torn around the spiralling, high-energy echo-box of Planck Unit, hypnotised by the cosmic, new age fringes of house in Elzeard’s Concussion, and thrust into the vast, meandering mindscapes of Moana’s Zimba. Very available to buy now.

22a

The label/family responsible for (and consisting of) the idiosyncratic, lilting dub/hip-hop/hardware jams from Mo Kolours, Tenderlonius, and Henry Wu (amongst others) released a new, hefty split LP last week, first-half ruled by South London rapper DO£ BOY, followed by the seductive croon of Shepherd over the second. The instantly recognisable lolloping, sparse rhythms of the 22a crew appear underneath the vocals of both featured artists and is well worth checking out. Not sure if it's actually out yet, but you can buy/preorder it here.

Coming up

Look at how much is on this week/end, you lucky sods.

Rye Wax has some great stuff coming up (as per). Wednesday sees the return of monthly Kraut-jam Rye Lane Trans-Motorik, hosted by Flamingods and Screensaver brain Raymond Wong. It's a heady, atmospheric trip with some extremely accomplished musicians and visual artists. Thursday sees Toulouse Low Trax and Ruf Dug descend into the basement for West Friends, and then on Friday you've got the ever-amazing Elle Andrews, Bahamian Moor and Jonny 5 (if you haven't heard his Bah023 – stop what you're doing right now and put it on). For my money this will actually be the best thing to attend this week, dead cheap, brill basement venue, undoubtably amazing leftfield music from fantastic DJs.

Elsewhere on Friday the YAM Records boys takeover the newly reopened Big Red in Deptford, which is now under the direction of some of the minds from the recently closed Paperworks. Some good bookings are coming up and the DJs will play til 2am so it's definitely a potential spot to watch. It's free and Fleisch Mob are cooking so it's win-win really. More info hurr.

Just a stones throw away (but way underground and a bit grubbier), Deptford's Bunker Club sees the return of Sticky Floor which features a very, very special guest. Actually, this is another top pick as the Bunker is a wicked little venue with an unbelievably cheap bar and… it's in a basement and has great bookings… kind of like Rye Wax actually… I'm starting to see a pattern emerging for my preferred party space. Anyway, joining the residents are Oyinboy (He's REALLY GOOD – Ed.), Sum Bredda, and their dissident guest. It's only £4 and will be great.

Find Me In The Dark celebrates it's second birthday on Friday and has assembled a killer lineup for Corsica – Legowelt, Delroy Edwards and Willie Burns play, so I'm pretty confident there's going to be plenty of sequenced, analogue, modulating squelching going on. Then pretty much next door at The Columbian you've got Justin Vandervolgen and Thomas Bullock (of Rub-N-Tug/Maps of Africa) playing for Studio 89 til 6. If you like your disco this one's for you – tickets are nearly out though so hurry.

As I mentioned earlier the Church chaps have Vakula playing at Vauxhall's Lightbox on Friday. No idea what Lightbox is or has to offer but it's a solid lineup and judging by Vakula's insanely on point Dekmantel mix and his super sought after LPs from this year it's probably worth investigating, innit. This is another one on Friday, I mean, what the fuck?

Then you've also got Rhythm Section at Canavan's on Friday which sees Kiwi brothers Chaos in the CBD appearing alongside Bradley Zero. It's Canavan's, it's Rhythm Section, I'm sure everyone knows the vibe.

Corsica's Saturday hosts the Anal House Meltdown – a to-the-point event page gives us the lineup and simply states "Gay Dance Party/International Faggotry". Fiedel, Dan Beaumont, Lakuti, Mike Servito and Jacob Meehan play. 

Brixton puts in a fair effort with Jamie XX and Four Tet appearing at the O2 Academy on Friday and Saturday respectively. And I'm sorry but I can't not mention Phonox which is trying it's hardest to get noticed with some pretty legit bookings – Friday there's The Bug playing a B2B set with Loefah, Mr Ties plays Halloween at the end of the month, and further along the line they've got Fatima Al Qadiri & Nguzunguzu, Kowton B2B Peverelist B2B Tessela, Move D, Benji B vs Jon K, Gerd Janson & Fort Romeau, Horsemeat Disco, DJ Sprinkles & Young Marco, Head High, Omar S… I mean, alright we get it.

And a cheeky mention for the weird, flimsily opulent Club Valbon in New Cross which throws open it's doors on the 23rd for roaming South London party Body Motion. Expect the best in leftfield dance, new beat, italo, acid… Valbon has a wicked soundsystem, chandeliers, enormous smoke machine, and for this one they've booked Cowboy Rhythmbox, along with local promoters & mates Good Genes and Slow Bounce. More info on the Facebook event.

There's loads I've missed, exhibitions, events, whatever. Put whatever you like in the comments, or, more constructively get yourselves over to the Beat Manifesto and get the full lineup of what's actually coming up.