All the blood, sweat and beers that go in to running events in two cities throughout the year seems to pay off (never financially!) in Autumn time. Last year DO IT! collective were hosted in Helsinki and Bergen for two differing gigs but equally fun trips during August. This year it was just me (
Uraki Riddim) on a solo trip to Bucharest via Copenhagen in late October. Copenhagen opened my ears to an exciting instrumental beats scene which is arguably the strongest right now in Scandinavia, the label
Hobby Industries and
New Folder collective making up the best of it. Bucharest peeled back my eyes to an otherworldly place. Hosted by ex-pat DJ and journalist
Tom Wilson, I was given the insight needed to map my way through a city that without assistance I would have struggled to grasp. Full of contrasts, romantic and mysterious historical corners it is a metropolis like none other I have visited. Playing at Ota's minimal looking basement club (complete with kitchen for making hearty soups) alongside Tom was incredible, the crowd were so locked in and ready to dance - someone name checking and asking for a spin back on a Mike Slott tune will surely be a once in a lifetime request! Props to
Fresh Good Minimal for press, check them out for a lowdown on the Bucharest scene.
