Five on Friday with Russel Penn

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Russel Penn has been part of the underground for the best part of four decades. His story begins in 1988, when he and a group of friends started promoting their own parties under the Moonstomp banner, favouring the New Beat and EBM coming out of Belgium, Holland and the UK.

Through the early nineties he ran United Frequencies, sharing bills with Andrew Weatherall, David Holmes, Darren Emerson and Leftfield’s Paul Daley. In 2004 he formed The Digital Gimp Society, a regular fixture at 333 in Old Street that hosted Blackstrobe, Mark Moore, The Hacker and Richard H Kirk, alongside a run of events across London.

Early 2014 brought his Música Noche Project, with guests including Khidja, Scott Fraser, Craig Bratley, Richard Sen, Daniele Baldelli, Ruf Dug, Coyote, Apiento and Leo Mas. In 2017 he joined kindred spirits Marc Hasler and the late Kirsty Pemberton to form the PIDR collective. United by a shared love of everything left of centre and anything built around a machine, the three have played events from Belgrade to Brixton, working with artists such as Vactrol Park, Schwabe of Tapan and Ali Renault.

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His influences run from Prince to Nitzer Ebb, hip-hop to techno, and he has never let any single strand take over. An open mind and a reluctance to follow the crowd are the mantras he holds close.

For this week’s Five on Friday, hosted with The Red Telephone, he talks us through his selections. Read on.

Oltrefuturo – Figure Del Flusso (Movinenti Adriatici) on Macadam Mambo

A wonderful LP of Frozen Balearic Beat on the ever excellent Macadam Mambo

Sexo Y Fantasia – Trabajando El Flex on Pinkman

The Belgian / Italian duo drop their gloomiest record yet with ghostly meanderings channelling Coil, New Beat and EBM influences 

Exotic Gardens –  Drugs & TV  on Emotional Response

Genre hopping EP of the highest order with a beautiful acid tinged opener on side A1

Craig Bratley – Plasticine Dub on Magic Feet

Sun drenched dubbed out beauty from Mr. B. Music for heatwaves!

Vakula – Pulsation EP  on Pure Delay

One of my favourite producers drops an EP of epic Goan influenced melters. Ukrainians do it better!!


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About the Author

Originally hailing from South London and now based in Margate, Damo runs The Red Telephone club night and hosts a radio show of the same name on the ever growing Margate Radio. Damo has also now teamed up on a weekly basis with the amazing Decoded magazine for the five on Friday and also writes articles based on his journeys through clubland and beyond.