DJ Contakt, courtesy of the artist.
Blank isn’t an attempt to propel its DJs to stardom or make them rich, it’s about good music and a good time. This new dance party, held for the second time at Tandem this past weekend, is a family affair, bringing together the various but related sounds of UK funky (a heavily syncopated, percussion-driven style of house), dubstep, and techno.
“There’s no discernible local sound in New York,” says Contakt, one of the four residents. “But there’s excitement, cooperation and overlap in these respective scenes, and that’s what we are trying to capture at Blank.” London is known globally for a number of genres emanating from within its borders. Even Los Angeles has a thriving beat scene. But there has been no electronic musical movement with international influence from the US’s largest city in years.
The party is spawned from the funky-oriented Turrbotax monthly in Williamsburg. Contakt and Mayster deejay there, and that’s where they met their partners in Blank, Hirshi & Phleghm. But where the Williamsburg party focuses on big name headliners from overseas, the Bushwick event brings local DJs together to dive into particular sounds. “Turrbotax is more about promotion of a scene,” Mayster explains. “Blank is more about us as deejays trying to branch out and experiment with certain styles through sets.”
For Saturday, they brought Alex Incyde from Dub War (the first US dubstep party) in as a headliner, and he played a deep, dub techno set. Contakt focused on UK funky and Detroit techno, and Mayster’s dive into techno and tech house can be heard here. Hirshi went to lengths to separate his selection from the common "brostep" (aggressive dubstep full of wobbly bass and fist-smack drum hits). “It’s UK funky, moving into rhythmic, 2 step-styled dubstep. I’m also very interested in unique sounds and drawing from global culture. It’s so easy to access and connect with artists from around the world now.”
They came upon Tandem when Mayster, who lives in Ridgewood, attended a disco party there and liked the space. They decided that its singularity in the neighborhood, diversity of atmosphere in the different rooms, and selection of food and drinks meant people would come and stay, rather than drifting to nearby competition.
It also offers an inexpensive drink menu, and they charge no cover. This falls into line with the ethic of accessibility the DJs have shown with Turrbotax, where they’ve managed to keep the Friday night cover to $5 while flying in acts from the UK. “The free Asahi at Turrbotax helps,” laughs Mayster.
Contakt says he remembers first coming to New York and not having enough money to go out: “I grew up in a DIY scene where the events were inexpensive. We just want you to come out and have a good time, not necessarily spend a lot of money. The funky-oriented scene is still so small, it’s nice to be a part of it before it’s commercialized.”
They hope to turn the Blank party into a monthly event at Tandem. Until then, you can catch Hirshi & Phleghm on their radio show, The Grime Machine, which airs on WNYU 89.1 every Sunday from 6-8pm. Contakt and Mayster are at Turrbotax every first Friday of the month. This Friday, they’ll feature the UK’s Doc Daneeka. The two also just finished their first song together, called “Korak,” which explores their love of UK funky and techno. “It’s US Funky,” says Contakt, only half joking.
