BASEMENT: Takaaki Itoh / Hiroko Yamamura / Umfang
STUDIO: DJ Minx / Mike Servito b2b Love Letters / Honey Bun
Takaaki Itoh is one of the titans of Japanese techno and a household name to devotees of darkly cerebral, hypnotic tracks. Over three decades, he’s developed and honed an impossibly focused, tightly woven sound that has found recognition across the globe. On his own label Wols, he’s built a home for his own productions, which only seem to grow in intensity the less they change. He has said that producing music is “like creating a sculpture,” and the integrity of his art stands unquestioned. Chicago’s Hiroko Yamamura brings a more wildcard, jacking energy to her sets. A recent mix for Inverted Audio glides from sleazy mind games to claustrophobic peak time techno to slithering acidic trip hazards. NY’s Umfang is one of the most important NY artists of the last decade. As a DJ she was an early adopter of lean, roiling ‘90s and early ‘00s techno. Her vinyl-heavy sets celebrate the riveting and unyielding, blurring the lines between the visceral and the cerebral.
DJ Minx is a Detroit legend: the First Lady of Wax got her start at the Music Institute, the club which gave birth to so much foundational techno music. Active for over 30 years, her tireless work ethic has seen her break ground as an artist, community leader, label organizer and radio jockey. Her Women on Wax label was an early hub of feminist inclusivity and representation, long before those concepts were commonplace. Meanwhile her productions show an evergreen Detroit cool. Her recent “Violet Groove” EP pounds and purrs with pantherine sleekness. She makes her STUDIO debut with a headlining set. Mike Servito returns to the club, this time in a b2b with Love Letters. The two have a long history together. Their chemistry together is palpable, with Servito’s well-honed jacking sound given an extra dose of depth by Love Letters’ balmy pads and breathy vocals. Honey Bun sets the tone with a mix of glowing, soulful house. On Buntopia, her Lot Radio show, she takes her time, crafting an immaculate chill, with heavy nods to r&b, funk amapiano and southern hip hop.
■ 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