Headlines
On the 31st December 2011, Defected Records will be hitting London for our first ever New Year’s Eve party in the capital. Boasting a line-up that presents house music in all its myriad forms all under one roof, if house is your staple diet, then this is the only place to see in 2012.
This week we continue our profiles on each of the three rooms of house music on the night, with a look at the artists bringing you the soulful sound of the underground in the Deeper Room.
Osunlade
2011 has been an exceptional year for Osunlade, even when taken in context of a career that has rarely fallen short of extraordinary. May saw the release of his Pyrography album and art project; a body of work that Osunlade himself has said will be his “last ever house album” and one that featured a number of acclaimed records, including ‘Idiosyncrasy’ and the stunning ‘Envision’.
“I’m very excited and honoured to be added to the line up!” says Osunlade. “Usually NYE can be daunting due to the added atmosphere of the celebrations, but London has always been a great place of musical education. The fans understand and expect a certain type of music and sound from my DJ sets, and that’s exactly what I will offer… good music”
Ideal midnight tune...?
“Afefe Iku ‘Mirror Dance’.”
Atjazz
Martin ‘Atjazz’ Iveson is one of the most in-demand DJ in the world, and whether it be as a renowned producer, sought after remixer, or floor filling DJ, you can guarantee that he will give everything he has. Having remixed the likes of Nitin Sawhney, Bob Sinclar, Jazzanova, Zed Bias and Omar, his credentials as a producer are in no doubt, while as a DJ, Ajazz's sets dig deep and range from the deepest house to uplifting, soulful vibes.
“It's a total honour and I'm very grateful for the opportunity” he says of his upcoming appearance at Proud2 “Defected will bring the noise on the night, and for me to be spending time and playing alongside good friends and quality DJs such as Osunlade and Aaron Ross…it's already party time in my mind!
“I always try my best to bring the party wherever I play…after all, it’s all about entertainment. Whatever the night brings I will make sure every face has a big smile on it seeing them into the New Year.”
Ideal midnight tune…
“Difficult to answer, but I guess something that people really know and love to hear in a club, nothing too obvious as that's just a quick trick but maybe something like Roy Davis Jnr. with Peven Everett 'Gabriel' or a classic Kerri Chandler record. Whatever it may be, as long as it's loud and uplifting and we see people shaking their butts, then it's a winner.”
Aaron Ross
Aaron should be no stranger to anyone with even a passing interest in house music and Defected Records. As host of the weekly Defected In The House Radio show as well as A&R man and regular Defected DJ, Aaron is one of the most experienced DJs on the planet and his recently launched Hi:Rise and Lo:Rise imprints have gone from strength to strength in 2011. Aaron’s knowledge of deep, soulful beats are second to none and his sets are always nothing short of superb.
“It’ll be nice to be in London for NYE with friends rather than abroad and not to mention being at home for the January 1st hangover rather than dealing with airports like usual!
“Music-wise think it will be a bit of a reflection of the year’s best tunes” he says. “But let’s see…I never really plan things too much, just gotta see what the vibe is like. Definitely gonna be playing stuff from David August and Steve Bug though… two of my favourite producers of this year”
Ideal midnight tune…
“Daft Punk ‘Aerodynamic’ is a pretty epic one, or a more current one would be the Solomun mix of Noir & Haze ‘Around’. It’s good record to be able to start right at the beginning and is a great tension builder.”
Click here for full-line up details
Tickets for Defected In The House New Year’s Eve at Proud2 are available now
