Fest Bests: Bloc.2012.

Quietly, calmly moving along from its Butlins residence this year's Bloc. relocates to the similarly newly rejuvenated London Pleasure Gardens way out east somewhere along the DLR. Exchanging Centre Stage and Crazy Horse for German deep-sea fishing vessel MS Stubnitz and the imposing scenic surrounds of derelict warehouses, this year's festivities sensibly snub the Sabbath, a day that's traditionally as limp as a waterlogged Minehead hotdog stuck in the seashore as far as most festivals are concerned. Thus Bloc. is to take place on Friday, 6th July and Saturday, 7th July, and our scattily selected highlights are thus.

Actress

Who: Darren Cunningham to both progenitors and the police, Actress' R.I.P. proved an invigorating return on Ladbroke Grove label Honest Jon's.
Why: Having pulled an inexplicable no-show at Camden Crawl back at the turn of the month, wouldn't it be nice to this time experience its translation to live re-envisaging? Yes would be the correct response to such rhetoric.
When: Saturday.



Alva Noto

Who: Pristinely efficient German soundscape sculptor Carsten Nicolai.
Why: A Bloc. vet, despite the monumental grandeur of multimedial projects embarked upon alongside the likes of Ryoji Ikeda, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Blixa Bargeld and Robin Rimbaud Nicolai works best when lost within his sparse compositional structures; alone. Sure to be a concentrated pleasure in these newly renovated gardens.
When: Saturday.



Battles

Who: Quite honestly one of the best 'bands' about; active this summer or for that matter any.
Why: Quite honestly one of the best live 'bands' about; active this aeon or for that matter any. Whether they opt to meld together the melty genius of indispensable remix LP Dross Glop with the only slightly more orthodox Gloss Drop ought to add a substantial degree of intrigue too.
When: Saturday.



Clark

Who: Progressive, polymathematical Warp returnee Chris Clark.
Why: Iradelphic may indeed be considered the "looming, ambiguous, radiant. Glowing, whole, invincible, complete" opus Clark himself regarded it as being representative of. It's incontestably one of our records of 2012 thus far, and to witness the thing live can realistically only go one way...
When: Saturday.



Four Tet

Who: Text Records magnate, expert remix mogul (check that for Neneh Cherry & The Thing's cover of Suicide's Dream Baby Dream below), and a bloody decent and genuine bloke Kieran Hebden is doubtless one of the main attractions to this one.
Why: When Hebden DJs, an ultimate elation spins off his fingers as they skid atop jetblack discs yet when he enlivens with reconstituted edits of There Is Love In You material and the like he seems simply inimitable. A contemporary genius of an unflappably genial disposition, is he.
When: Saturday.



Oneohtrix Point Never

Who: At the forefront of Brooklyn's ambient experimentalism stands Daniel Lopatin, whose records under the utterly unpronounceable moniker of Oneohtrix Point Never have achieved releases via esteemed labels such as Editions Mego and Mexican Summer.
Why: A consummate combo of drones to drift off to and pallid visuals to die for, Lopatin may yet prove the unheralded hero of the weekend. Moreover, this one's booked in to be played out in the bow of the stonking MS Stubnitz.
When: Saturday.



Orbital

Who: Other Stage luminaries, the brothers Hartnoll recently returned to penning further entries into their Wikipedia discography page with superb comeback LP Wonky.
Why: Given the old hiatus they could be forgiven for having lost a little on the live show. They've not whatsoever.
When: Saturday.



Steve Reich

Who: The prime ruler over the Reich of minimal composition, celebrated neo-classical luminary Steve is a one-in-an-interminably-recurring-number kinda guy.
Why: A superficially obscure headliner, his set ought to proffer diverse scope and some divine deviation from the unremitting barrage of blips, clacks and throbs emanating from other areas of London's Pleasure Gardens.
When: Friday.


More info on this year's revamped and relocated Bloc. may be encountered here, whilst tickets may be acquired here as of now.