BPM 2013, PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO
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accounts for Vitamin B shots being de rigour amongst the hardest partying, and explain a wave of sickness knocking down DJs left, right and centre. Fortunately, after an unprecedented 16 hours sleep, we’re fighting fit for the Pets Recordings vs Dirtybird party at Canibal Royal, a short walk along the beach from the clubs we’ve visited already. Slightly smaller than the other venues, it seems to contain the heftiest soundsystem, Danny Daze proving our find of BPM as he pumps out popping 808 electro and raw house jams, the direction taken by his new Jupiter Jazz project with Maceo Plex. Also shining are Catz ‘N Dogz, who turn in a typically seductive selection, starting with their own re-edit of Marshall Jefferson’s ‘Mushrooms’ and encompassing Miss Kittin and The Hacker’s aptly titled ‘The Beach’ and Harvard Bass and Green Velvet’s punchy ‘Lazer Beams’. Bailing halfway through Justin Martin’s bass-driven finale, we try some Mexican duck mole, the mole a traditional dark sauce made from 20 or more ingredients which takes a degree of sleuthing to find but is worth the questioning.
That night (by now we’ve lost track of the actual day) we’re back at Coco Maya for Hot Creations’ Paradise party, their logo brought to life by the giant palm hanging over the DJ booth. Wearing a large sombrero handed to him from the crowd, Jamie Jones cracks a smile as he drops deep, grooving house, Sante’s remix of Ramon Tapia’s ‘411’ followed by a minute or so of LCD Soundsystem’s classic ‘Tribulations’. After a while he’s joined by Rob James, Lee Foss and Richy Ahmed for a back to back closing set, and with the club closing we find ourselves heading back to Jamie’s villa in the scorching morning heat, after-party lesson clearly not learnt. It’s been dark for a few hours by the time we drag ourselves away, friends, DJs and actors all having spent the day dancing, swimming in the pool, making shop runs and generally soaking up the heat.
Unfortunately when we next wake up it’s with a cough that has the same intensity as Walter White, the lung cancer ridden, methamphetamine-cooking anti-hero of ‘Breaking Bad’. Having made our way through the first series already, his blue crystal is beginning to seem like the only way to get through ten days of no sleep but we settle for prescription medicine, fresh smoothies and bursts of sporadic sleeping to revive us instead, waking up to go out at the discombobulating time of 3am. BPM’s immense production, which changes from party to party, is most literal at the Desolat party in Blue Parrot, giant dice hanging from the distant roof as Loco Dice fills
Loco Dice
THE DJ’S PERSPECTIVE
ART DEPARTMENT How was The BPM Festival for you? “This BPM was amazing. It was almost surreal having been there since day one to see it evolve in to what it is now.” Best BPM memory? “With two No.19 showcases on the beach and the honour of the closing slot of the closing party, plus countless ridiculous after parties, it’s hard to pick... For me personally it was the extended closing set at Coco Maya on the beach tagging with Nitin and Three through sunrise.” Describe the BPM Festival in thee words? “What’s with the three word thing? People keep asking me to do this. Best festival... period.” Tune of BPM 2013? “It’s a long ways off till release, but it’s the Eric Volta record we’ve just signed to No.19. This record was getting the biggest reaction of any song I heard at BPM this year.” Breakthrough DJ/Producer of BPM 2013? “Mano Le Tough, that guy blew my mind at the Life And Death Showcase. He’s a really sweet, funny guy too, when I can understand what he’s saying!” What are you looking forward to most in 2013? “The six weeks at home we’re about to take to get started on writing the next Art Department album, working more with our girl Martina Topley Bird, the release of our first mix CD, ‘Social Experiment’ for No.19, and of course returning to all of our favourite places again to do what we do.”
djmag.com 037
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