Anyone who participates in DJ culture has to admit that one of its strongest allures is the hunt for track IDs. Human nature will not allow for anything to be remain a secret. The will to knowledge is too intense. And if this was the case 30 years ago, then the intensity is now at boiling point in the age of mass communication and Facebook’s ‘The Identification of Music Group’. Hardly any mainstream DJ or club night can avoid the scrutiny of an iPhone lens. DJ Koze took the mickey out of this phenomenon with his production ‘Track ID Anyone?’ – probably in the hope that someone would ask the titular question as it was playing and, upon hearing the reply, short-circuit like a confused and overloaded ID-bot.
Uncovering track names and artists is not just the reserve of homogenous big-room club nights though. It is an essential aspect of grassroots and underground communities, whose cohesion and development of a shared knowledge relies on the excitement of uncovering truly obscure tracks from music history – or even its future. It is about honouring music that may have slipped through the cracks, but can always be revitalised by the sacramental laying on of hands of the DJ. Nicolas Lutz – the high priest of Jupiter via Uruguay – is one such figure whose infamy over the past few years has spread from of his ability to dig up slabs of golden wax, assembling one of the world’s most resplendent (yet secretive) trophy rooms of house, techno, breaks and garage.
It’s the job of us club-going peasants to figure out what they all mean. Ciaran Hansen, Butter Side Up resident and founder of Dog Eat Dog in Manchester, has been more successful than most in this project. He will be warming up for Lutz on Friday in the Wire basement, and to celebrate, Ciaran has agreed to share with us some of the South American shaman’s juiciest clandestine cuts.
Tickets for the party can be found here.
“This first track I’ve selected was played by Nicolas when we had him play in Manchester for our party Dog Eat Dog in 2014. A bit lesser known DJ then, the crowd wasn’t the biggest but Nicolas had us all booting off all night.”
https://www.discogs.com/Esser-Forces/release/1097046
“The next one I’ve included was a bit of a sleeper record put out by some good friends from Austria that run the Funkroom parties (shoutout to Roli and Dominik). It sat in the shops for ages but now sells for a fair bit on ‘cogs after being played by Binh, Nicolas and co.”
https://www.discogs.com/Moxx-Waves/release/5389633
“This next track blew me away when Nicolas included it in his My Own Jupiter podcast recorded live from Concrete. Top lad Harry Mcelwee found it and bought it for me too. As with plenty of Lutz’s records he can pitch things up and down dramatically.”
https://www.discogs.com/Spacetime-Continuum-REALtime-EP/master/72777
“This one was actually a dig of my own before I heard Lutz play it (honest) and it’s a cracker. Doubtful it’ll be in my bag for Friday but hopefully it’ll be in Nicolas’.”
https://www.discogs.com/Electric-Company-Electronique/release/158215
“I’ve included this one as most of these are tracks from the 90s but Nicolas clearly digs newer music as much as old. Real acid banger here and one I’ve been hoarding for a bit myself too.”
https://www.discogs.com/MAP-Vs-DJ-Haus-X-Mod-EP/release/10156885