Meet Bala Club, the young collective who refuse to play by the rules

Banana splits and waffles topped with fat swirls of vanilla ice cream at Creams parlour in Brixton. It's one of the Club's de facto hangouts and today there's cause for celebration. Earlier, Kamixlo joined Annex, the booking agency that represents Helena Hauff and Demdike Stare, while Endgame signed an EP to one of the most influential record labels in underground dance music, Hyperdub. And Uli-K has arrived fresh from Bala HQ, having completed the tracklist and running order of their first compilation (which goes on to drop on June 10).

The three talk about how ‘Bala Club Vol. 1’ is the statement of intent that opens the label’s account, as well as a primer to the artists involved (some of who will go on to drop solo releases). They’ve assembled an international cast, with relationships forged in the blur of nights out, during trips abroad and, of course, in SoundCloud DMs. Some contributors they’ve known for years, others just a matter of months. All are misfits, doing their own thing, pushing and pulling at the edges of what’s possible.

Uli-K: “The only unifying thing is that everyone is trying to do something new and different; no one’s trying to abide by a genre or scene. That’s what brings us together.”

Endgame: “That’s why Bala Club is its own thing; a scene for people who don’t want to be part of a scene.”

Uli-K: “It becomes one by itself. The objective is to do something new and different every time.”

Kamixlo: “It’s natural. Who wants to join a scene or stick to a genre? That’s so dry. There’s so many people who do that but I legit can’t get my head around the way they’re thinking.”

Uli-K: “We’re trying to create an alternative. Everyone we work with, we never dictate what they’re doing. The fact that we’re working with them, there’s an unspoken trust or connection. Everyone does someone different, everyone has their own speciality.”

Endgame: “But it all makes sense together.”

That’s because, as Uli-K mentions, there’s an overarching feeling of the new. And passion. Artists giving themselves up, no questions asked. Rage. Pain. Lust. Euphoria. ‘Bala Club Vol. 1’ bares all.

Rules, a producer and lyricist from Washington, sends wailing vocals through an electrical storm riddled with heavy bass on ‘Take Me Hate Me’ before switching to lights-low mode on ‘DI4U’ with Endgame, where intense yearning is on full display across a libidinal rhythm. Fellow American Lunarios provides an equally intense turn on 'Red Lagrimas'. London’s Palmistry tees up colourful dancehall for downbeat Swedish rappers Bladee and Thaiboy. Malibu, from France paints a warm, ethereal backdrop to the softest of Uli-K lyrics on ‘Mi Luz’ (as well as adding her own soft-sung words). The pair also feature on ‘Besitos’ by London singer/producer Organ Tapes, who's known for intimate, off-kilter bedroom pop. Belgium’s Sky H1 distills trance right down to its essence – the warm ripple of ecstasy – on ‘All I Ever’. Wavy Chicago rappers Adamn Killa and Killavesi serve a Henny ’n Coke moment on the glorious ‘Ballin Like Messi’. Another Londoner, Yayoyanoh is equally mischievous during Uli-K produced ‘4 ME’. Kamixlo and Endgame provide great solo efforts, which is a given due to the rep earned off the back of their solo releases. And Uli-K makes his biggest statement yet, putting his name to five out of 15 tracks. There’s the aforementioned as well as joints with Rules, Berlin’s Mechatok and the comp’s most high profile contributor, Swedish sadboy Yung Lean. Uli-K fans will know his talent thanks to umpteen SoundCloud uploads, but here it is, crystalised.