Yesterday, we asked some of our favorite DJs and producers to spill the beans on some of the super talented young people they can’t wait to hear more from the coming year. Today, because we’re firm believers that artists have better taste than everybody else, we asked NAAFI, Teki Latex, Jubilee, Aaron David Ross, Jlin, and more to tell us about the parties that made this one so special. Read on for a trip down memory lane spanning multiple continents, a handful of fast-food restaurants, a summer camp in upstate New York, and one very cool mom’s living room.
1) Aaron David Ross
The best party I went to this year was a one-off Telfar fashion week afterparty at the White Castle in Times Square. The unlikely yet seemingly perfect location freed and activated attendees with its totally uncanny context. Let’s hope more parties are thrown in restaurants. Events at [Chinese restaurant] 88 Palace and [last week’s] UNO NYC holiday party at Broadway Fried Chicken and Pizza are steps in the right direction.
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2) Physical Therapy
UNTER—it’s a little techno after-hours party in Brooklyn by Eryk Sarniak and Seva Granik. Seva basically takes the same care he used with his party Club Shade for 2000+ people and applies it to a little 100-capacity basement. Resident DJ Volvox is excellent and keeps getting better. Claustrophobic, hard techno in a tiny room. What could be better?
3) Jubilee
A recurring party that I really liked is Club Etiquette. It is run by a girl who calls herself The Dance Pit and it’s centered around a zine that she puts out based on HOW TO ACT in the club. It’s a very small party, but because she is such a good vibe and has always been a supporter of good music since her college radio show a lot of great people play it secretly on their weekdays off while in NYC. I hope it gets bigger and better, because she is very important to the club scene! I played it a few months ago with MM and Sudanim but she has had other guests like Stud1nt, Murlo, and Deadboy. The parties have been at Elvis Guest House recently but have moved around a bit.
4) Venus X
I was at 3 trance parties that Josh, aka Evian Christ throws—well, because i djed them on a Halloween tour—but even if I hadn’t, the lineup was incredible. I was really pleased to be able to experience 7 different artists every night.
5) Rushmore
If I’m being biased, then House Of Trax, the party I run with Fools in London, of course. It’s been a great year booking the likes of MikeQ, Kstarke, Air Max ’97, and Imaabs. If I’m not being biased, then I suppose Night Slugs’ Club Rez is one of the other parties I’ve been to that has been kind of regular in the city, and also Tropical Waste. Great line-ups and amazing vibes in intimate spaces.
6) NAAFI’s Tomás Davó
I really want to check out Hiedra in Buenos Aires and Salviatek in Montevideo—I haven’t had the chance to be there but would love to! I also had plenty of fun at Chemical Monsters in Tokyo.
7) Weird Magic, aka Erez Avissar
Sustain-Release obviously! Not only is it something i’ve watched grow from just an idea, but being removed from civilization/rules changes everything. Throwing the monthly Purple Trax label night at Bossa Nova in Brooklyn has also been super fun—seeing people receptive to new and radical sounds.
8) Sporting LIfe
The parties at China Chalet in NYC are always lit. It’s a Chinese restaurant, so grime and jungle will be shaking the walls while waiters in bowties are serving people. It’s a pretty unique spot.
9) JLin
The dopest re-occurring [party] I’ve ever been to is UnSound, hands-down.
10) Teki Latex
My girlfriend Betty‘s Bonus Stage party. Of course, I am biased, but I firmly believe this kind of cross-cultural cross-channel party—it takes place in Paris and London alternately—is what Europe needs at this moment to counterbalance the “all techno everything” thing and the Berghainization of every single French club. There’s a dope “big family of weirdos” vibe to that party, and it’s so much fun! Mostly club/grime/funky kids—off the top of my head, Ikonika, Sudanim, Gage, Madam X, Slackk, Miss Modular, Deamonds, Loom, Ahadadream, Promise, Le Dom, and myself have all played it. Betty’s the resident and curator. It takes place at La Java
in Paris and at Miranda in London
11) J-Cush
Footsie‘s King Original raves are the best events in grime and in the UK right now. He’s not playing about. The line-ups are always ramjam full of the best DJs and MCs, and there’s always a massive sold-out crowd, with a sick energy to boot. It’s good to see an event where the focus is fully on the music. They’ve created a proper vibe with this series. Really looking forward to more of these across England in the new year.
12) TSVI
Definitely the Nervous Horizon warehouse parties we did in London’s Hackney Wick: 500 people going mental, lots of secret guests each time!
13) Drippin
Finally catching a MoMA PS1 party in New York this summer was cute.
14) Kornél Kovács
My mom’s monthly salon in her apartment here in Stockholm. Every first Friday of every month, she opens up her home to a wide variety of people, mainly her Hungaro-Swedish friends and their friends—but anyone’s welcome, really. It’s pretty chill; people eat cheese and drink wine and hang out. This year was the 10th anniversary. I can only make it a few times a year because of gigs and traveling, but it’s always dope.
