If you've been following happenings on Dots & Dashes of late, you'll have denoted an increasing excitement for a certain Butlins-based groove on going by the name of Bloc Weekend. Said weekend is now next weekend, and anticipation is now rife. We've been extensively featuring our Ones To Watch, plucking a handful of essential acts out of the line up and banging them up on this here site. In chronological order, we've figuratively circled and starred the likes of Black Devil Disco Club, Siriusmo, SBTRKT, Boxcutter and King Midas Sound in glaring fluorescent highlighter and today, our series comes to an end. To ease any incurred disappointment however, we're offering not one, but two tips for what will hopefully prove to be breathtaking sets...
Alva Noto
Having already featured the quite superlative Berliner Siriusmo in this series, our attentions return to a rather different German version with the ambient resplendence of Alva Noto, aka Carsten Nicolai. His meticulous soundscapes sound almost equivalent to evolution set to sparse musical flourish, and given his infatuation with the marriage of sound and art is sure to provide one of the most aesthetically glorious moments of the weekend this side of Aphex Twin. Focussing on the musical side for the time being, this is Haliod Xerrox Copy 1, taken from the subliminal 2007 LP Xerrox Vol. 1, and it pretty much validates Mr.'s Moog and Korg soldering and synth hotwiring away for decades. Alva Noto - Haliod Xerrox Copy 1 by carlomnus
Lifted from Xerrox Vol. 2 meanwhile is Xerrox Monophaser 1, the sound of serene progression and flowers blooming in remote wastelands. Nicolai promises to be nothing short of spectacular in the beer-sodden surrounds of Butlins, Minehead.
Floating Points
Finally we turn to Sam Shepherd, or Floating Points when resting gargantuan headphones under crooked neck behind the decks. Drifting through sumptuous rhythms, a dash of breakbeat and twisted jazz-funk spurts, Shepherd has remixed the likes of Bonobo and Daedelus, and has been heavily backed by Mary Anne Hobbs and Gilles Peterson, rolling out an effervescent BBC Radio 1 mix for the former (here). Truly unique, equal parts tropical and techno, For You touches on '80's hippest of hop and deep soul.
Otherwise the trippy jazz juice of Love Me Like This is enough to have you gargling when he swings by the south west this weekend. Here is now, and Bloc is almost here.
For more weekend on the imminent Bloc Weekend, the official site can be found here.
