This Friday, Dublin promoters JACK offer what is arguably their best line-up to date in their short but prodigious tenure. Boasting seasoned big-hitters Pleasurekraft and rising English sensation, Bontan, this fantastic JACK billing ensures that the Button Factory is the place to be this Friday night.
It’s no exaggeration to say that the work of Kaveh Soroush and Kalle Ronngardh is among the most distinctive in the industry. Their releases under the Pleasurekraft alias have appeared consistently at the top of charts and at the peak of sets, flying the flag for roof-blowing tech house. Their label Kraftek is home to an enviable array of similarly-styled artists such as Umek, Pirupa and Jaceo, and has been behind some of 2013’s stand-out tracks, such as “The Most Dangerous Game” and DJ Anna’s “Unique”.
Making waves on the Ibiza shores in 2010, Pleasurekraft’s enduring masterpiece “Tarantula” piqued interest with its marching tech beat and eerie break-down. Fast-forward a year and “Carny” represented a further insight into the bizarre workings of Kaveh and Kalle’s minds, with dizzying circus-like effects and distorted, maddening vocals overlying a haunting house masterpiece. The cartoonish vocal samples and synths have become a distinctive characteristic of the duo, along with the pulsating house beat and deeply satisfying drops. Their capacity to diversify also paid significant dividends in 2013, with “313 (Detroit Calling)” and their edit of Bontan’s remix of “Got a Feeling” capturing number 1 on the techno and deep-house charts respectively. With a 2014 album in the works, a big year is in store for the dynamic duo.
The aforementioned edit of Josh Butler’s “Got a Feeling” received virtually unrivalled airtime throughout the summer and beyond. An absolute master-class in deep-house, the edit was a mere smoothing of the edges on Bontan’s exemplary remix of the track. The young Englishman had an immensely successful year of his own, building on the hype generated around his 2012 remix of Pleasurekraft and Green Velvet’s “Skeleton Key”. His debut EP, “Hit it from the Back” was released on Pleasurekraft’s Kraftek label in January of 2013 and his remix of “Downpipe” on Toolroom drew massive acclaim in the second half of the year. He’s hit the ground running in 2014 too with a remix of Faul/Wad Ad/Pnau meeting his incredibly high standards.
Further support on the night comes from Dublin-based Dan Stritch, limited tickets still available on Ticketmaster.