AT HOME WITH LWE: 16TH JULY - JUNCTION 2 TAKEOVER
With the past weekend still fresh in our minds, for today’s At Home With blog we’ve got a special Junction 2 takeover. Featuring exclusive sets as well as panel discussions from the two day virtual festival, we’ve unpicked some highlights featuring the likes of Anna, Maceo Plex, Nina Kraviz, Carl Craig, Derrick May, Sama’ and more.
The Console Stage - ANNA
In true Junction 2 tradition, the Drumcode stage was thumping start to finish with the label’s A-team out in full force. Between Joel Mull, Bart Skils, ANNA, Alan Fitzpatrick and Adam Beyer, it’s almost impossible to pick out a single highlight, with each and every one of them delivering one of the most memorable sets in recent memory. However, if we had to choose one act who surpassed their own very high standards, it would have to be the Brazilian wrecking machine, ANNA. Her high octane set was a non stop barrage of seductive, heavy duty techno that had us all mesmerised into a trance.
The Vault Stage - Nina Kraviz
From Sama’ Abdulhadi, Maya Jane Coles, Anastasia Kristensen, Daniel Avery and Nina Kraviz, The Vault featured some of the top contemporary and leftfield techno stars from around the world. Sama’ Abdulhadi displayed why everybody should definitely be keeping tabs on the Palestinian underground scene while UK’s own, Daniel Avery, showcased why he remains one of the most avant garde artists in the game with another flawless traverse through the full spectrum of techno. The star of the show, however, was always going to be Nina Kraviz. The Russian rocket was in relentless form with an absolute roller coaster of piledriving, acid drenched, rave euphoria.
The Hex Stage - Maceo Plex
One of the most diverse stages of the festival, the Hex featured some of the brightest up and comers along with the most solidified and touted stars. From an impressive opening by Effy and the undeniable groove pool laid out by Saoirse and Shanti Celeste to a free flowing masterclass by rising star Jossy Mitsu and the otherworldly melodic minimal laid down by me, the stage was set for Ellum boss Maceo Plex to close out the show, and close it out he did… A faultless 2 hour odyssey through the many minds of Maceo, the perfect sonic escape with floodings of nostalgia from his legendary Mainstage outing at Junction 2 last year.
The Mainframe Stage - Part 3 (K-Hand, Stacey Pullen, Carl Craig and Derrick May)
Hosted and Curated by longtime LWE collaborator and visionary artist Carl Craig, the Mainframe stage was assembled in direct response to a process of self reflection within the team and a conscious effort to do more in our effort to educate and expose our audience to the wealth of history that underpins the music we love. In addition to The Care Workers' Charity, Refuge, The Outside Project and The Trussell Trust foodbanks, Black Lives Matter UK was added to the list of charities to which we will be donating all the proceeds from the online event as well as making an active commitment to do more moving forwarding in helping develop emerging Black talent.
The 6 hour non stop stream featured a who’s who of Detroit pioneers, including the likes of Kevin Saunderson, DJ Minx, Kyle Hall, Waajeed, Rick Wilhite, Dj Dez Andres, Moodyman, DJ Holographic among many others. It’s fair to say every second of this stream was a highlight but the close out from K-Hand, Stacey Pullen, Carl Craig and Derrick May will live long in the archives as one of the greatest moments ever.
Palestine's Growing Electronic Scene with DJ, Sama'
Sama’ Abdulhadi’s journey is one of the most extraordinary and awe-inspiring we have ever come across. From growing up on the streets of Palestine and fighting for basic human rights to uniting people across a divided country through the power of music, Sama’ and The Union Collective managed to create an underground scene amidst the rubble and destruction that continues to plague the country to this day. Trippin caught up with Sama’ and Martha Pazienti Caidan ahead of our fascinating panel discussion with the collective at J2v: The Speaker’s Corner.
Say It Loud: Carl Craig, Derrick Carter, Seth Troxler and DJ Holographic in conversation
As well as a panel on the future of diversity in London’s electronic music industry with key players of the London scene, we had another eye opening discussion with Planet E label head Carl Craig, Chicago's Derrick Carter and Detroit raised artists Seth Troxler and DJ Holographic on the African American roots of electronic music, equality in our industry, the past, present and future.