BBC Radio Ulster to air new series of four live mixes - In The Mix

Northern Ireland has always had a thriving dance music scene, with artists from David Holmes to Bicep ruling dancefloors around the globe. Now there is a new generation of talent rising through, and BBC Radio Ulster aims to capture and bring the sound of the underground to the airwaves.

In The Mix begins on Tuesday 12 March at 10pm, when Hammer, aka Rory Hamilton, takes to the decks in the BBC Radio Ulster studios, for a session which will be live streamed on the BBC Music NI homepage.

Originally from Belfast, but with a House Music education via Glasgow and London, Rory Hammer has been one of the co-pilots of the globally renowned Feel My Bicep blog. He has been friends with Matt and Andy from Bicep since they were children, and growing up the three immersed themselves in Belfast's electronic scene.

The Hammer Hits label has seen his track Love Somebody sell out within days. Hammer has releases slated for Jennifer Cardini’s Correspondent, Denis Sulta’s Silver Service, and a follow up on Feel My Bicep records scheduled for early this year.

Also taking part in the series will be Jordan McQuaig, Kristian Woods (Schmutz) and Holly Lester.

On Tuesday 12 March it’s the turn of Jordan McQuaig, co-founder of Belfast’s The Night Institute, playing live in the studio and simulcast on the BBC Music NI homepage.

Strongly influenced by the timelessness and forward thinking nature of the 1980s, Jordan’s low-slung bass lines, synth-work and distinct animation have found familiarity on a range of respected imprints - from Tiga’s Turbo Recordings, to Berlin’s K7! Records and Liverpool’s Abandon Silence. With an increasingly busy schedule, Jordan has regularly found himself playing parties across the world, from Copenhagen to Tokyo, locking in sets at both The Warehouse Project and a particularly rowdy Boiler Room at Belfast’s AVA Festival.

On Tuesday 26 March, Kristian Woods (Schmutz) hits the decks. Kristian, one half of Belfast house duo Schmutz with Conor MacParland, plays live in the studio and is simulcast in video on the BBC Music NI homepage. 

Having first teamed up to promote their renowned parties in Belfast, Kristian and Conor invited (among many others) house and techno heavyweights Midland, Hunee, Leon Vynehall, John Talabot and Gerd to Belfast.

The Schmutz star rose rapidly in Belfast as Conor and Kristian held down a variety of residencies across the city's leading electronic venues, Shine, Stiff Kitten and Thompsons Garage, delivering their no-nonsense, and straight-to-the-point format of DJing, incorporating disco, house and techno.

And on Tuesday 2 April, the beat goes on, with Holly Lester live in the BBC Radio Ulster studios and simulcast in video at the BBC Music NI homepage.

Hailing from Northern Ireland, Holly is fast making waves on the UK electronic music scene.

The last half of 2018 alone has seen Holly perform her debut Boiler Room set at Belfast's illustrious AVA Festival, alongside Job Jobse and Mano Le Tough, finishing the year with a residency at UK clubbing institution The Warehouse Project.

Holly began carving out her signature Chicago and Detroit-drenched sound through her residency during university at Liverpool’s esteemed rave Chibuku Shake Shake, drawing the attention of fellow Irishmen Bicep. The duo invited the young selector to join them on both their esteemed Feel My Bicep mixtape series and parties of the same name, resulting in rave reviews.

Soon after, Manchester outfit Limbo Radio recruited Lester to front a monthly radio show on the network, where she demonstrates her eclectic palette, playing everything from jazz-funk to freestyle synthpop.

All four of these exclusive DJ mixes will be live in the studio, simulcast in video at the BBC Music NI homepage and catch up with the shows via BBC Sounds.

CC