Siteclubbing, Tresor special: the best underground electronic music around right now

Berlin-based club and label Tresor have recently released Yet, a compilation which paints a vivid portrait of global electronic music, a fractured mass that lives in constant flux. The release explores how shifting geography and localised culture continue to impact creative output in what is an increasingly connected world. In this edition of Siteclubbing, we ask some of the contributing artists to give us a small insight to where they are, where they have been, their cultural heritage, and how it has all helped shape their creative outlook and practice. Additionally, each artist has selected recent electronic tracks that reflect and expand these ideas. Thanks to NVST, Solid Blake, Kavadi and Nandele for their contributions.

NVST

“I’m from the French part of Lausanne, Switzerland. Switzerland is a quite surprising country when it comes to culture. To start with, we have an incredible squatter history in the ’80s-90s, at least for the electronic scene I’m part of, which is quite removed from capitalist models. Geneva and Zurich were hotspots of alternative culture with symbols that are still very much alive, like L’Usine, la Reitschule, la Rote Fabrik, which are thirty-year-old self-managed institutions of alternative culture. 

“For me the most interesting things going on are happening under the radar of the club scene. Nobody wants to pay a lot for an entrance fee and a drink. So we go into the forest with whatever means we have and party. We create free zones. For me, Switzerland is this ambivalence between self-managed institutions, money-making machines, and partygoers who give the system the middle finger.

|We need diversity behind the scenes, which is sorely lacking in Switzerland. I want to see proletarian BIPOC and queer individuals behind the scenes, not just for representation. I believe that more queer individuals should be at the door, BIPOC individuals should be at the soundboard, and women should book the artists. We need equal access to spaces, subvention, and support when it comes to artistry and music. It is not right to normalise the idea of having to grow a tough skin to be in this business, as it promotes toxicity.

“In order to truly combat racism in our scene, it’s important that we actively engage in deconstructing systemic issues and commit to being anti-racist. Simply labelling oneself as an activist or claiming to be hyper-political isn’t enough if there’s no meaningful action behind it. Unfortunately, I’ve noticed that many alternative collectives are hesitant to be politically engaged when it comes to human rights, yet are quick to decry police violence when it threatens their ability to host illegal parties in the forest. This lack of willingness to address systemic issues and enact meaningful change is concerning, as it suggests that many individuals are content with a system that benefits them, rather than advocating for genuine progress. I am also amazed at the quality of artists and producers that are popping up in the music scene, however, we need to promote equality and diversity to ensure that everyone has access to resources and opportunities.”

Alice Anyway – Sidewalk Flower (Explity Music)

“I’ve been a friend and fan of Alice Anyway, or Laurent Quartier, for quite some time now. I absolutely love this track. It builds up to something explosively captivating, almost like a love story that takes a wrong turn. I have a soft spot for voice distortion, and this track combines everything I enjoy – the halftime feeling, the textured elements, the distorted vocals, and the club-like effect towards the end.”

Pekodjinn – Chokri (Les Disques Magnétiques)

“‘Chokri’ is a track that pays tribute to Chokri Bellaïd, a Tunisian trade unionist who was tragically assassinated in 2013. Chokri was a highly influential political leader known for his progressive convictions and dedication to social causes. The vocals featured in the track are in Tunisian dialects and are sourced from a pirate podcast by anarchist hooligans called Takriz. These individuals had just learned about Chokri’s death and were outraged by this tragic event. In their podcast, they strongly denounced the complicity of the Islamist party that was in power at the time. As someone with roots in Algeria this track resonates deeply with me. Additionally, I believe that Pekodjin’s new album is one of the finest works to emerge from Switzerland thus far. The song itself starts off gently, lulling the listener, before surprising them with a false drop that fails to prepare them for the torrential surge of percussion, kicks, and aggressive bass that follows.”

Solid Blake

“I’m originally from Glasgow, but I moved to Copenhagen in 2011, and then to Berlin in 2021. The three cities have a lot of similarities, especially today when culture is so easily shared online, but they have their individual qualities as well. I think anywhere you look there’s healthy and creative change. Whenever I’ve felt unsatisfied with the direction that I think music is headed, it’s been because I haven’t been digging deep enough. There’s always something exciting and inspiring happening somewhere – if you stay curious enough, you’ll find it.”

Ctrls – Concept 7 (Micron Audio)

“[This artist is] a staple of the Copenhagen scene since before I set foot in the city, and continuing to push his work in new directions while staying committed to sharing his knowledge and love for his craft with the newer generations that come up behind him. This one is a great example of the kind of oddball sound design experiments he has a special knack for.”

Perko – Prang (Numbers)

“Perko’s music is a carefully crafted balance of forward-thinking, fresh ideas and playful references to cultural moments of the past. Perko also moved from Glasgow to Copenhagen around five years ago, so I suppose he sits between scenes the way I feel I do sometimes. It’s been great to see him influencing Copenhagen’s sound and forming connections with local labels, venues and events in the time he’s lived there.”

Kavadi

“Being part of the Tamil diaspora, talking about where I am from, in relation to the electronic music scene I derive from, is a bit fragmented. I consider my music scene to include everything and nothing at the same time. Ever since I’ve been living in northern Norway, I’ve had no awareness of an electronic music culture, other than what is now the living ghost of the scene in Tromsø from the ’90s and early 2000s. Established artists and newcomers are producing from these areas, but we are located in a tourist hotspot, where prices are rising and ultimately decreasing our chances to create new scenes or platforms. In these situations we tend to look for miracles, new energy and the right people to harness it, but we will slowly get there.

When it comes to what moves across the borders within the electronic music scene of Tamil Eelam and the Tamil diaspora I feel like it is nonexistent. That is why I got into this in the first place. Our traditional folk and temple musicians are still in the temple or playing at Tamil cultural events across the globe. Kollywood, the Tamil film industry in South India, has a long tradition with electronic music influences. In the wide catalogue of composers like A.R. Rahman and Ilaiyaraaja we find well-infused samples from UK club scene from the ’90s where genres like house, jungle, acid house, dub and dancehall has found its way into our more traditional ragas, melam drums, nadaswaram, and other traditional instruments used by the worshippers and Gods alike. There is also a legacy from Tamil artist MIA that is now inspiring Tamil female music artists worldwide. Most of electronic music in Sri Lanka occurs only in the capital of Colombo. One way to look at it is the governments several years of developing more infrastructure for westerners in the south. I believe that this is also why an electronic music scene has not blossomed in the north and north-east.”

Nagaver – KANJI (self-released)

“Nagaver is a Tamil artist producing music from the Oslo-based label Frøya Records. He mostly samples traditional Tamil folk music and combines them with the like-minded state of transcendence associated with club music. I wish I could say that I knew other Eelam-Tamils who found their way into open spaces and available platforms, but I do not have that type of overview of this scene. Us who know each other exchange input regarding the roots of our music, so I do not really feel I need to do a further explanation on why Nagaver is crucial to the scene.”

Vera Dvale – Garden of Feelings (mixed snippets from the LP) (INSMS)

“Vera Dvale introduced me to new modes of listening and thinking about sound. She has been lurking in the shadows a bit, but at the same time gives the young artists in the region a push, with constructive criticism and arranged spaces for artists to meet each other. Her last release, ‘Garden of Feelings’, on the label In the Neighborhood of the Sun the Moon and the Stars, keeps our northern consciousness in check, as the darkness unfolds in winter and as the summer keeps us rested in the everlasting sunrise.”

Nandele

“I was raised in Mozambique, in the capital Maputo. The underground electronic scene is emerging, while the mainstream is more established, with deep house and amapiano being played each weekend. The music for the misfits is slowly growing, institutions are requesting more performances and a lot of underground artists are doing their own thing independently as well, even with the lack of support. The small crowds are growing each year. Mozambique is not that well-known for its electronic music, but in my perspective we have a lot to contribute to the global scene.”

Double Drop – Cradle in War (PHM)

“He is doing amazing things for the electronic music scene in Mozambique. He is the founder of the label Xibalo, and has collaborated with local and international acts as well. I just love his drums and his approach to Afrotech.”

Pioneer 11 – Brain Dead (Nandele Remix) (POW)

“Me and Pioneer 11 have a lot in common regarding music taste, so doing this remix felt right. But it was a challenge. I got out of my comfort zone, as my music tends to be more dark with a edge.”