While Australia has a flourishing electronic scene of its own, it’s always a treat when talent from fabled shores head over to bless us with a swag of tunes from halfway around the world for one hell of a club night.
That’s exactly what’s going down in Melbourne and Sydney throughout December, as the Pine Forest Tea Party brings over a meticulously-curated roster of international acts to play intimate sets in each of the cities, transforming venues with art installations a series known as Lady Grey’s Sunday Best.
The good lady has already seen fit to bless us with a pair of shows featuring a UK duo of Cleric and Reflec, but there are still three more nights to come in each city, packing heavy sets from Solee, Julia Govor and Betoko.
With our minds already on the weekend, we’ve got a quick wrap on each of these European producers and DJs below, and an idea of what you can expect when the show rolls into Sydney’s Zoo Project tomorrow night ahead of a Sunday session at Melbourne’s Gasometer Hotel.
SOLEE, Germany
Deep, progressive, and melodic – that’s what you can expect from German producer and DJ Solee aka Normen Flaskamp as he heads to Australia for the first time in his storied 15-year career to play a 90-minute live set of the finest house and techno.
With auspicious beginnings in the music biz as a vinyl distributor, Solee began producing in Stuttgart back in 1999. In 2006, he adopted his new alias, going on to earn cred worldwide and become a heavyweight in his own right.
Solee heads to Sydney’s Zoo tomorrow night, and Melbourne’s Gasometer Hotel on Sunday December 4.
JULIA GOVOR, Russia
Julia Govor’s career has had a fascinating genesis. Emerging from the small Russian town of Abkhazia to DJ with a fistful of pop cassettes, Julia became the lead singer in a local military band, before making the leap to television in Moscow, DJing in underground clubs all the while.
After relocating to New York, Julia has performed with Jeff Mills, Richie Hawtin and Sven Vath, and gained the attention of Pete Tong with slinky and dramatic techno grooves.
Julia makes her way to The Zoo Project on Friday Dec 9, and The Gaso the following Sunday.
BETOKO, UK
Born in Mexico the son of an actress and singer, Beto Cohen started off playing guitar and drums at the age of 12, and had already started his own studio and production company by the age of 20 – not to mention a modelling agency.
He jumped ship to London in 2002, developing a style of minimal tech house and his own label, OKO Recordings. Now making his way to Australia for his debut shows, he makes for an ideal finale to the series.
Betoko wraps up Lady Grey’s run of shows with a final set at The Gasometer on Sunday December 18 – a Christmas gift come early.
