Electrolist: Rhythm and Sound...

Electrolist, by Shanghai Ultra of the VOID crew, gives the lowdown on the Shanghai electronic music scene each week, with picks, tips, news, and other rumors.

Electrolist returns after getting lost in the Chinese New Year wilderness. March is now upon us, and supposedly spring. This time of year is normally when the clubbers awaken from their winter hibernation and look for partying opportunities. However, Shanghai has a strange effect on people's reaction to the weather, and a few spots of rain can send them scurrying for cover and refusing to come out until its bone dry outside. So with all the rain this week, it still feels like December.

A ray of sunshine is beaming brightly onto the DJ music menu this weekend however. One half of the mighty Rhythm and Sound, Mark Ernestus, is playing Shelter on Saturday night, with vocalist Tikiman. Together with Moritz von Oswald, Ernestus was part of the legendary Basic Channel crew from Berlin. Their music fused dub and techno into an utterly hypnotic and spaced-out powerful vibe, which they unleashed via two seminal record labels, Chain Reaction, and the eponymously-titled Basic Channel.

Later, the German pair went from doing Techno influenced by dub as Basic Channel, to dub influenced by techno, as Ryhtym and Sound. They worked in collaboration with many well-known reggae and dub vocalists such as Jah Cotton, Sugar Minott, and Willi Williams. Tomorrow night, Tikiman aka Paul St. Hilaire is in town to perform live with Ernestus. It should be quite a night. Certainly Ernestus is an innovator in electronic music, its a privilege to see someone of his ilk come to Shanghai.

If you are looking for action tonight, then there is a ladies night at Dada Bar - but not your standard free drinks for slappers kind of evening. The ladies in question will display their charm on the decks and mic. Drum and Bass queen Siesta, and Yen, will provide movement on the floor, whilst Cha Cha makes some vocal accompaniment. The event is being run to raise awareness of the New Citizen Life Centre, which runs projects supporting migrant women.

Electrolist's last focus might surprise more discerning readers. Electronic music has historically been very much influenced by the environments and cities in which it developed - Chicago, Berlin, Detroit to name but a few examples. All the more reason then to check out trumpeter Theo Crocker on Sunday afternoon, with a performance entitled "Path of Transcendence", which, claims the promotional material, reflects his experiences of living in Shanghai. More info at JZ Club's website.

That's all for now. Next week, start getting excited already for Drum and Bass heavyweights LTJ Bukem and MC Conrad.

TONIGHT: Riot Girls @ Dada, 115 Xingfu Lu, near Fahuazhen Lu 请带我去幸福路115号. No cover.
SATURDAY: Sub-Culture pres. Mark Ernestus and Tikiman @ The Shelter, No. 5 Yongfu Lu, near Fuxing Xi Lu 永福路5号，近复兴西路. 60 RMB on the door.
SUNDAY: Theo Crocker's 'Path of Transcendence' @ Shanghai Oriental Arts Center, Dingxiang Lu, near Century Blvd, 丁香路425号. Check www.jzclub.cn for ticket info