Category: News

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FLUFF #8

  • 4xi
  • Mikey P
  • Cynthia’s Periscope
  • Knowing the Oak Tree

Thank you to everyone who came to FLUFF #8 and for continuing to create a warm, inviting space for queer electronic musicians to perform their music live. Thank you 4xi for shaking all the molecules in our body with your thrilling opening set. Thank you Mikey P for allowing us to witness your first live gig and hear recently finished versions of the beautiful songs you started writing in the 90s. Thank you Cynthia’s Periscope for choosing this occassion for your first live gig in three years and delivering such a dynamic performance. Finally, thank you Knowing the Oak Tree for creating such an intimate and captivating performance merging electronica with classical instruments, gracefully merging folklore, abstract soundscapes with hot beats, saxophone and violin solos with delicate vocals, all delivered with grace and humour. It was a joy! Thank you Heidi for sorting the sound and Fuel CafĂ© Bar for hosting us again. Until next time!

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All photographs by me except last one by my FLUFF wive Norrisette.

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FLUFF x Tales from Other Worlds at Sounds from the Other City festival 2023

Photograph by Mike Plunkett

This year Norrisette and I took FLUFF on tour for the first time, to Sounds from the Other City festival. FLUFF was established in December 2021 and has been running since as an act of resistance in the precarious post-Brexit and post-Coronavirus music economy with the aim to create a resilient space for queer electronic musicians despite the challenging economic situation. In addition, we aim to reclaim the queer origins of electronic music through focusing on and supporting the queer community. 

FLUFF is a night of queer live electronica organised by Anna Appleby and I (performing as Norrisette and Industries respectively) and takes places at Fuel CafĂ© Bar in South Manchester, usually on a Thursday night every two to three months – the next one will be on June 1st, mark it in your diaries. Since we started the night FLUFF has become a community driven network which fosters collaborations amongst the different performers, some of whom have had their first gig there.

Photograph by Mike Plunkett

An example of a collaboration which has developed from FLUFF is our invitation to programme and promote a stage at the Salford-based Sounds from the Other City festival this year together with Tales From Other Worlds, a Manchester-based promotion company run by Lavender Rodriguez who had their first ever gig at FLUFF performing their original productions. This collaboration led to FLUFF being acknowledged in a Guardian article about the ‘DIY music scene pushing Manchester music forward’.

The FLUFF x Tales from Other Worlds stage was at the Old Pint Pot downstairs. We kicked off the day with Is33n who rapped over their glitchy beats, gracefully moving between more experimental and more poppy moments. Dayzee Chain delivered pure experimental electronica transporting us into an otherworldly industrial sounding soundscape. NĂželle presented her carefully produced beats and masterful vocals through which her beautiful melodies shone through. Caitlin LM  brought her band and switched between singing, playing the flute and saxophone, creating a magical atmosphere which definitely brought the feels. RosĂ© Gold then played their joyous dance tracks including Emma Wheeler’s gorgeous vocals during what was their second gig ever. As headliner, Phia Sky definitely delivered a versatile engaging set even including a little bit of performance art, a wide range of electronic instruments and sounds, great vocals, creating a very engaging organic electronica pop set. In between the live sets, Norrisette, Lavender Rodriguez and me (Industries) played DJ sets containing some of our music – Norrisette’s set had a hyper pop energy, while Lavender’s set brought two step and afro futurist vibes and my set contained ambient techno and minimalist left field electronica with a focus on percussive elements.

Photograph by Mike Plunkett
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Sounds from the Other City festival 2023

Photographs by Mike Plunkett.

Thank you Mike Plunkett for capturing my DJ set at Sounds from the Other City Festival this year through his photographs. It was a pleasure to not only curate the FLUFF x Tales from Other Worlds stage with Norrisette and Lavender Rodriguez but to also play my own electronic music productions including my remix for Flowers of Evil, collaborations with Indigo Jung and Northworks as well as tracks by my sister raaz — thank you for listening!

Thank you as well Ashley Garrod for this review of my DJ set.

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SFTOC Takeover at Feel Good Club / SFTOC stage announcement

Thank you for everyone who came down to the Sounds from the Other City festival (SFTOC)Takeover at Feel Good Club on Easter Friday. Anna (Norrisette) and I had lots of fun deejaying for you. Don’t forget to come to SFTOC on April 30th and see our FLUFF x Tales From Other Worlds stage promoted by Anna (Norrisette), Lavender Rodriguez and me. The performers will be three of our FLUFF artists (Phia Sky, RosĂ© Gold and Dayzee Chain) and three artists selected by Tales From Other Worlds (NĂželle, Is33n and Caitlin LM). Anna (Norrisette), Lavender Rodriguez and I will deejay in between the sets. Grab your tickets here: https://soundsfromtheothercity.com/tickets/.

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A Walk presented at upcoming PGR Practice-Led Showcase

‘A Walk’ is a sonic representation of my lockdown walks in Alexandra Park. I recorded field recordings during my walks including rustling leaves and birdsong. My friend and fellow electronic music producer and sound artist Hervé and I improvised the music together combining the field recordings with synthetic sounds. Afterwards I edited the jam session recording and crafted ‘A Walk 1’ and ‘A Walk 2’. The music videos were shot by my friend Timothy and edited by me. To visually represent the theme of lockdown walks, we went to Alexandra Park filming me walking through Autumn leaves and shots of trees matching the rhythms of the music.

Music written and produced by Markus Hetheier and HervĂ© Girardin.
Music edited and mixed by Markus Hetheier.
Music mastered by Darren Withaker.
Music videos shot by Timothy Gallagher including artwork by Bella Probyn.
Music videos edited by Markus Hetheier.
Artwork by Luca Shaw.

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FLUFF #7

I loved premiering new material at FLUFF #7 and am so grateful for our receptive and supportive audience that keeps coming back, it is truly inspiring and energising! Thank you Bella @baabybelles for these wonderful shots and Norrisette for organising this one. We’ll see you for our Sounds From The Other City showcase on April 30th (save the date)!

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FLUFF #6

  • Cyberia
  • Oorya
  • Queer Coda
  • Tea Fannie
  • Rodney

FLUFFmas aka FLUFF #6 was a success — thank you Queer Coda for their beautiful synth driven music, Cyberia for gracing the stage delivering their first ever performance, Tea Fannie for her immense talent and stage presence and coming all the way from Canada (thanks Lavender for making it happen), Rodney for their experimental bespoke sonic experience and Oorya for casting a magical spell on us. Special thanks to Lee, our sound engineer for the last year. Thanks to everyone who keeps coming back and the new faces we see every time. We will see you next year!

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