September: Six artists you need to check out this month

Vancouver residents Ashlee Luk and Lida P have built a distinct sound with complex arrangements of polyrhythmic drums, floating melancholic melodies and spooky vocal loops, a heavier and more sinister sound than some of their Vancouver peers. Their journey began with an album for local label Genero, which highlights female producers from the Canadian city. Their music has appeared on Jungle Gym and First Second, and they’ve now released an intense acid trip for Lobster Theremin.

‘Acid Lakes’ is out now via Lobster Theremin

Despite growing up immersed in her home town’s music scene and working as a producer for Subcity Radio, it took relocating to Copenhagen for Glasgow-born Emma Blake to unlock her potential as a DJ and producer. As Solid Blake (a play on her own name and Metal Gear Solid protagonist Solid Snake), she makes up a third of techno collective Apeiron Crew, while making unnerving electro in the Drexciyan mould. In July she helped launch Glasgow club La Cheetah’s Outer Zone label with her bruising, intense debut EP ‘Mario’.

‘Mario’ is out now on Outer Zone

When Joe Goddard first heard Balako he felt like he might have chanced on some long-lost Brazilian gold from the 70s; he’d actually found a brand new duo capable of recreating the sounds of Brazilian funk, disco and carimbo, without resorting to samples or pastiche. He snapped up Diogo Strausz and Rodrigo Peirao to put out the brilliantly energetic and flirtatious ‘Hora De Balako’ EP on his Greco-Roman label.

Balako’s ‘Hora De Balako’ EP is out now on Greco-Roman

Just 18, Kai Whiston has already been snapped up by Big Dada (home to Kate Tempest, Kutmah and Young Fathers) for his angular, shape shifting and sometimes hostile beats. A self-taught producer whose interest was piqued by video game soundtracks, Whiston has been evolving his sound since he was 12. Among his credits is helping to co-produce Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes’ mixtape ‘Humans Become Machines’ alongside Grimes and Jam City. Cop his debut EP for unexpected, deconstructed sounds.

‘Fissure Price’ EP is out now on Big Dada

Yu Su, who also DJs as bb.yu, has played a key role in Vancouver’s resurgent dance scene since moving there from China to study in 2011. She's a regular at Mood Hut nights, and puts on parties with the Genero label. Making and DJing laid-back house, she’s also half of ambient live project You’re Me, who last year released the floaty ‘Plant Cell Division’ on 1080p. After a cassette outing for Dutch record store Wichelroede, a 12” for Peoples Potential Unlimited is her solo debut.

‘Infi Love/Soon’ (Moa mix) is out now on PPU

Raised in Cape Town, now based in London, Esa Williams’ sound combines the joyous highlife styles of his home continent with house and techno worthy of the Sub Club (he lived in Glasgow for six years, setting up the Afro-influenced label Highlife with Brian ‘Auntie Flo’ d’Souza there). He now presents a show on Worldwide FM and has joined Mim Suleiman and Ata Kak’s live bands. More solo material is due on Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label soon.

Esa’s ‘Aweh’ EP is out now on Dekmantel

[Photo: Alex Zalewska]