BOUND Blackout: Wallis / Katie Rex / Speedy Spice / Dee Diggs / Michael Magnan

May 19, 2023

BASEMENT: Wallis / Katie Rex / Speedy Spice
STUDIO: Dee Diggs / Michael Magnan

FETISH ATTIRE MANDATORY

BOUND Blackout continues its definitive run at BASEMENT, this time inviting Jell Records founder Wallis. The underground techno phenom got her start sneaking into clubs as a young teenager, and a bit of that deviance and hunger for music remains embedded in her sound. Playing with an unrelenting urgency, the Parisian-born artist has built a reputation for impact that has already found her in world class company; she recently DJed a b2b with SPFDJ and has released on Ellen Alien’s BPitch Control. When asked in an interview what one could expect from a set, her answer was blunt: “Bangers.” BOUND organizer Katie Rex is a fearless presence. She can go into full-on eyeball bleeding techno when the occasion calls, but has a knack for sick rave grooves and darkwave basslines that give her set an essential variety. Oozing confidence, the mastermind owns the space like few can. Speedy Spice brings the “hot n heavy tech.” Her mixes drive with a gritted-teeth determination, keeping the tension simmering and the sweaty density at peak levels. Her last time at the club back in December saw her in riveting form, pushing the tempos and embodying a cathartic rigor.

Dee Diggs has become one of NY’s finest DJs. The self-described “selectress with no inhibitions” pays tribute to her Black and queer forebears, drawing from every era of house music’s rich history. A recent collaboration with Joey Mercedes, “It Goes On (At The Afterparty),” shows her creative energy in full force. Drawing on a palette both sultry and intimate, Diggs intones a gentle invitation, or perhaps a prompt: “What kind of party do you want to have?” Michael Magnan balances the pure ebullience with a more lysergic bent, taking the dancefloor to the depths. His sets feel custom-made for the latest hours, with chugging, nasty grooves tumbling down hallucinatory rabbit holes.

■ No photos or videos
■ No phone use on the dancefloor
■ The dance floor is for dancing, not conversation
■ No glowing/flashing clothes or items
■ Respect other people's space, no shuffling
■ Consent is mandatory
■ Zero tolerance for racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, ableism or any form of discrimination
■ Take care of each other, alert our staff if somebody isn't feeling well
■ Violating the house rules will result in removal
■ Ticket purchase does not guarantee entrance