Highlights of 2023

Music, art and research

I released Wales, a collaboration with Indigo Jung and Northworks and did a mix themed around German electronic music for Transcen:dance. My music video for A Walk 1 featuring Nevsky Perspective was exhibited at the MSARC PGR showcase at Oxford 70. I continued my participatory practice-based research project on queer sonic geographies of Manchester at the School of Digital Arts.

Wales artwork by Markus Hetheier

FLUFF and Sounds from the Other City festival

Norrisette and I continued to run FLUFF, our queer electronica night, at Fuel Café Bar. I curated and promoted FLUFF #8 and #10 with 4xi, Mikey P, Cynthia’s Periscope, Knowing the Oak Tree, Danny H, Snuggle Ninja, Renee Stormz and The Silver Field as artists.

Norrisette and I were also invited to curate and promote a stage at Sounds from the Other City festival together with Tales From Other Worlds, a Manchester-based promotion company run by Lavender Rodriguez.The artists included Is33n, Dayzee Chain, Nøelle, Caitlin LM, Rosé Gold and Phia Sky. Norrisette, Lavender and I deejayed in between the live sets and prior to the festival. Norrisette and I also did a DJ takeover at Feel Good Club.

Photograph by Mike Plunkett

Live and DJ sets

I played live at FLUFF #7 premiering new material and was the opener for System Exclusive at The Castle Hotel promoted by Hey! Manchester. Besides deejaying at Feel Good Club and Sounds from the Other City festival, I also deejayed at The WRD event at Contact.

Photograph by Baaby Belle

See you in 2024 with new music, collaborations and events!

FLUFF #10

Thank you Danny H., Snuggle Ninja, Renee Stormz and The Silver Field for bringing so much joy and inspiration. Special thanks to Alex Booth and Fuel Cafe Bar and of course thank you to the audience.

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Wales out now!

Wales artwork by Markus Hetheier

I am very pleased to finally release my newest project called Wales into the world.

Wales is a collaboration between me and Indigo Jung. We played with different samples, like my field recordings of Wales, and mixed them with synthetic and other acoustic samples, such as acoustic drum samples. The result is a chill, experimental electronica track inspired by Wales’ beautiful nature. The flowing water running through the mountains is expressed in organic sounding synth loops that merge with the recordings of streams, mixed with hints of electromagnetic waves.

The remix of Wales by Northworks is inspired by Manchester’s Acid House legacy, taking the track from a more chill, relaxed emotional place inspired by hiking trips in Wales to the more danceable, bouncy realm of Manchester’s electronic music heritage.

Purchase it here and let us know what you think.

Written and produced by Markus Hetheier and Arif Michael True.

Mixed by Markus Hetheier.

Remixed by Michael Gallagher.

Mastered by Julian Holloway (High Peak Recordings).

Artwork by Markus Hetheier.

Industries Mix for Transcen:dance

In this mix for Transcen:dance I am presenting a selection of German electronic music that I consider relevant for my musical journey. It contains both music of friends of mine and music of more known historic musicians, some of whom have been recommended to me while preparing this mix.

Expect a blend of orchestral music, ambient sounds, noise, sound art, left field electronica, a chiptune choir, dirty synthesizers, electro, techno and some classic German electronic music.

Listen here!

Photograph by Norrisette and tracklist below.

Peter Thomas: Raumpatrouille Orion (Theme)

Tangerine Dream: Origin Of Supernatural Probabilities

Funkstörung: Mush

Yann Tiersen: Summer 78 (instrumental)

Hainbach: A Quiet Adieu

OSCESTRA: dolphins

Karl-Heinz Stockhausen: Kontakte

Einstürzende Neubauten: Tagesschau-Dub

raaz: somebody’s out there?

Oil Thief: Cologne

Bodenständig2000: Schöne Die Du Mein Leben

Angst4: In Gefahr (Industries Remix)

DAF: Ich und die Wirklichkeit

Conrad Schnitzler and Wolf Sequenza: Fata Morgana

Das Muster: Bedürfnisse Erwecken

Circonstances A.: Likkle Man Run

Hardfloor: Double Steal

Anthony Rother: Maschinenwelt

Kraftwerk: Computerliebe

Wolfgang Riechmann: Wunderbar

FLUFF #8

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 Café Bar for hosting us again. Until next time!

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

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 Café 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. Nøelle 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. Rosé 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

Sounds from the Other City festival 2023

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.

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, Rosé Gold and Dayzee Chain) and three artists selected by Tales From Other Worlds (Nøelle, Is33n and Caitlin LM). Anna (Norrisette), Lavender Rodriguez and I will deejay in between the sets. Grab your tickets here: https://soundsfromtheothercity.com/tickets/.

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 Hervé 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.

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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