When: 23rd March 2024
Where: Derby, England.
In recent years, a vibrant independent electronic music scene has developed in the UK, spearheaded by labels like Castles In Space, Woodford Halse and Werra Foxma. The latter has been holding a run of sold-out events all over the country (and one forthcoming in New York).
They are now bringing a new event to the Midlands in partnership with Derby-based music journalist, DJ and promoter James Thornhill, announced earlier this month and with all early bird tickets already sold out on the strength of the line-up announced.
Taking place across two venues, Deda and Dubrek Studios in Derby on 23rd March 2024, WFR Central is bringing an unmissable selection of UK independent electronic artists to the Midlands.
It is headlined by rave legends, who you might know from their number three chart hit ‘Activ 8 (Come with me)’ in 1991. They will close out the night at Deda with a full live PA and then DJ set from founder Mark Archer, leading to an after-party of acid house/rave classics at Dubrek Studios till late.
They are joined by Castles In Space signee Warrington-Runcorn New Town Development Plan and his ambient music for broken concrete utopias, off the back of his critically acclaimed new album The Nation’s Most Central Location, and new labelmate, ex Sink Ya Teeth, Maria Uzor, fresh from collaborations with the likes of A Certain Ratio, Acid Klaus and Mera Bhai with a debut album on the way.
Werra Foxma bosses, Castles In Space signees (again!) and Orb collaborators Dohnavur will bring their dynamic modular techno to the stage. Also in this announcement is Werra Foxma signing Cholly, who crafts complex and jittery electronic pop packed with warped melodies, and Welsh vocal experimenter Bethan Lloyd who creates folky, tribal tunes that collide with experimental electronics.
Bringing “the sound of big strange worlds”, Field Lines Cartographer can be seen as one of the most consistently enthralling artists in the ambient music space. Crafting aural maps of real and imagined places, live performances are a transportive experience.
Collaborator Polypores, whose releases are some of the most interesting in underground electronic music. Painting aural pictures with modular synths, Polypores’ music is playful, unpredictable, sometimes unnerving but always joyous.
If you’ve ever seen Adam Curtis’ genius documentary ‘Hypernormalisation’ you will be familiar with the music of Thomas Ragsdale as part of the soundtrack. Ragsdale is a composer, producer and musician with a varied catalogue of releases under his own name and monikers like Ffion. As Sulk Rooms, who he performs as during WFR Central, he brings drone-heavy electronics to filled doomed, melancholy spaces.
Returning to Derby after a sold-out show in the city in November 2022, York duo Kimber will bring their electronic-indie to the stage again, alongside Pale Stranger who played the same gig and have just been added to the Glastonbury bill.
Completing the main bill Glasgow is ‘fairy pop’ artist Pearling, who crafts hyperpop that oozes familiarity and confusion in equal measure.
With a line up of DJs and other activities, WFR Central is shaping up to be an unmissable snapshot of UK independent electronic music.
https://werrafoxmarecords.bandcamp.com/
Tickets are available at £50 – skiddle.com/e/36365034
Payment plans are available via Skiddle