Designed to sooth, this session is all about Alex Rita (Touching Bass) playing some of her hypnotic and melodic records aloud, a sonic cloud to drift away on.

For those of you who were there for Alex’s Calm Roots set in 2019 will know how vital and reenergizing this session will be.

You can listen to one of her NTS shows right this moment to get a feel of what’s to come.

Anja Ngozi is a London-based DJ and producer, whose music and sets centre around soulful tunes, lo-fi beats and experimental vibrations… She runs Síbín, a club night and label (founded by herself and the infamous Maxwell Owin), with two new monthly shows on Reprezent and rundemradio. We love this tune, Pastor, which she and Max made featuring O the ghost; this Frank Ocean Mix Anja put together, and her recent edits of American R&B artist India Arie.

West Londoners Babeheaven were born out of a shared sonic dream between singer Nancy Andersen and keys player Jamie Travis. When they first met, the pair enjoyed mutual love for trip-hop, soul and electronics and we working day jobs – Nancy in her grandmother’s antique shop, Jamie in an organic farm store – meaning it wasn’t until night fell that they set about channelling the spirits of Massive Attack and Cocteau Twins into their creative cloud.

babyschön is a DJ and radio host based in Leeds. Across her regular shows on the community-led stations NARR (which she co-founded) and Sable Radio, she plays sleazy n slinky sounds from post-punk and downtempo to new wave and Italo. She tells us that for her set at Shack this year, you can expect weird and woozy sounds to get your summer evening started <33 genres to include: post-punk, new wave, new beat, synth pop, italo and dub.

Taking the Brainstage by storm on Friday night are the immense wonder that is Balimaya Project. We are beyond lucky to have them with us, and are happy to say that they recently released their first single, Soninka/Patronba, from their upcoming album Wolo So which you can listen to here. 

Led by composer/arranger and leading UK-based Djembe player, Yahael Camara Onono and featuring members of bands including Kokoroko and Seed Ensemble, Balimaya Project intently synthesize and bridge London’s bustling jazz circuit with traditional repertoire and folklore of the Mandé peoples of West Africa, and in turn connect the music’s contemporary and ancestral forbearers.

The word Balimaya is a word from the Maninka language that means the essence of kinship. In Mande society, the ideology of kinship is engrained in the moral fabric of its people. Family ties aren’t just limited to blood relations. The concept of extended family created by marriage, cousinage, shared history within ethnicities and deeds are done for one another is complex, but shared and adhered to with great pride. This extended family model is what inspires Balimaya’s repertoire and mission.

This group is built on the foundation of forging musical and cultural ties, from a place of integrity, authenticity and inspiration. Balimaya uses the repertoire of the Mande peoples of Senegal and Mali as the bridge to bring the folkloric West African music, together with Jazz and the sounds of Black London, to create something different.

Yahael was born in North West London to Nigerian and Senegalese parents. Despite being born in the UK and growing up in inner city London for most of his life, he had an affinity for his folkloric music from a very young age. He received his first talking drum at the age of 6 from his grandfather, and later started playing the djembe at the age of 8. Though he grew up in Harlesden, he was given the gift of an open mind through travel at an early age.

Balimaya is an accurate expression of how Yahael feels and expresses his musical journey. There is a story and meaning behind every piece, and homage is paid to his cultural roots throughout the music. In this journey, he has endeavoured to make space within the folklore to add, enrich and give new depth to the music, and to include the voices of the many communities that have guided him along the way.

Check out their website & Instagram for more infooo!

bb sway is the solo project of Ashley Grace, a 22-year old artist originally from Hong Kong. Currently producing all of their own music in a tiny bedroom somewhere in South London, much of bb’s currently released music can be associated with the sounds of Dream Pop, Lo-Fi and Psychedelia, with influences including Men I Trust, Khruangbin, and Crumb.

Having been featured by magazines including Complex, CLASH, DIY, and The Line of Best Fit, their music has also often been added to Spotify and Apple editorial playlists such as Lo-Fi Indie, Chilled Pop Hits, Indie Pop, Fresh Finds, New Music Friday, The Other List, and New in Alternative. bb sway’s releases have been played on BBC Radio (1, 2, and 6), and have often featured on BBC Introducing.

bb sway will be coming to Brainchild with their full band to play their new ‘Pearl’ EP.

Longstanding Brainchild family, Ben is a South London-based producer, DJ and sonic experimenter.

In his words, Ben believes music is more about attitude than it is about mixdowns. Hands on and haphazard, Ben hits the mark every time. Whilst we’ve loved Ben for a long long time, it feels like he is really coming into his own. 2020/2021 has been a prolific time for Ben, having released EPs Nightwork, One Year Dance and Cranes in Branes (with Cecil B), as well as ‘off brand bits‘ which we are loving at BCHQ.

Do. Not. Miss.

As part of their takeover, Touching Bass presents Brother Portrait and Maxwell Owin, showcasing a new project they’re working on together. Both Brainchild mainstays and pillars of London’s music ecology in their own right, we are very excited to find out what material they’ve created!

A little bit more about them each:

Brother Portrait is a writer and artist – his words falling into form in poetry, prose and music. His work centres the Black British experience and socio-political issues, expression and archiving of experience. He is featured on recent releases by Oscar Jerome, Chiminyo, Neue Grafik and SAUL with many more collaborations and solo releases in the near future.

Maxwell Owin is a London-based producer, musician and DJ whose ferocious creative appetite and passion for music is reflected by the wide variety of projects he plays a pivotal role in, most recently the label Síbín alongside Anja Ngozi. 2017 saw the release of Idiom, with Joe Armon-Jones to widespread critical acclaim. With so many projects in the works, a cluster of imminent releases is being lined up to drop, further illustrating Maxwell Owin’s diverse range of musical talents and cementing his name as an artist of true creative merit.

Bushbby is a British-Colombian DJ-come-producer based in London, who champions the rhythms and roots of Latin American music. Alongside hosting the bi-monthly ’Candela Viva’ show on Threads Radio and being a resident DJ at both FLAWA (Festival of Latin American Women in Arts) and the long-standing & deeply loved Movimientos club night, she has also been an active campaigner in amplifying the voices of the Latinx diaspora.

Having grown up around sound systems in both the Colombian Caribbean and UK underground, Bushbby’s sets are a celebration of these roots – blending the likes of Cumbia, Champeta and Dembow with high-energy electronic beats!

South London’s busiest DJ & founder of L.A.B Collective and much loved Brainchild family DJ; whether it’s his Croydon FM show, beat-maker meet-up Beat Meet or Beats & Liquor show – Chris (BusyFingers) has kept us stocked up with brilliant mixes, energy and new tunes throughout this pandemic and we are so excited to have him back to close the Kite Bar on the Saturday night. Get a flavour for what went down last time over on his TikTok.

Cameo Blush is the project of London-based producer John Dunk, who in 2019 debuted his live set at the acclaimed Field Maneuvers, following his first outing as a producer on Nick Höppner’s Touch From A Distance. We are super excited to welcome him back after JD played with us back in 2015 and again with Ross from Friends in 2016 and 2017.

His debut release showcases his fascination with off-kilter sounds through a heady mix of intense drum programming, alien vocals and glistening arpeggios.

Along with a string of mixes – including Olsen and the Feel My Bicep mixtape series – 2020 kicked off with live shows at revered London clubs, Phonox and Corsica Studios, continuing with a remix for Athlete Whippet and a three-track EP ‘In Cadence’ as the inaugural release on new concept label, unknown – untitled.

Heralded as one of the most unique and uncompromising DJs in the world: Coco Maria is a selector, curator and a radio host with impeccable taste. Hailing originally from Mexico and now based in Europe. She specializes in Brazilian, South-, Central-American, and Caribbean wax. Irresistible slices of jazz, samba, cumbia, and all sorts of rarities from sunnier, far-off places.

All mixed with her irrepressible energy and original style. Coco Maria hosts her flagship morning show and “Club Coco” on Worldwide FM. She can also be found showcasing her original sounds at festivals globally such as Worldwide Sete, Dekmantel, We out Here… and now Brainchild!

An early bird special treat – Coco is opening up the Shack on Friday afternoon. ⚠️ do not miss!! ⚠️

Life Works Out… Usually is the fruit of Demae’s years spent absorbing London’s culture and musical identity, as well as singing with Fatima or as part of hiphop trio Hawk House. It’s a coolly assured debut from an artist with an incredible voice and flow. Demae sings of joyous experiences, growth and empowerment as a Black woman in turbulent times. The words are her story, the pages are soulful, contemplative beats from the likes of Eun (Ego Ella May), Jake Milliner (Slum Village) or 104.ROG. Life Works Out… Usually channels the unique London sound world, full of colour, earworm hooks and earthy, nu jazz production.

Demae was previously one-third of hip-hop adventurists, Hawk House, whose introspective, eclectic style was reshuffling the rule book for UK-based rap, quickly making them one of the UK’s most exciting emerging sounds and earning fans from Mac Miller and Ghostpoet to Wretch 32 and Jill Scott.

Touching Bass’ relationship with Demae runs deep (having met each other back in 2012) making the label the perfect home as they continue to prise open a distinct, exciting lane for themselves as a stable for forward-thinking, soulful music.

We feel blessed beyond belief to have her come down with the TB crew, its gonna be a happy beautiful time for sure. 💜💟

You aren’t ready for Dreya!

West London Native Dreya Mac caused a stir with her debut single “Skippin” which hit over 600K streams across DSPs, while her Colors session received over 340K views / streams in just the first three weeks. Dreya has garnered support from tastemakers including Annie Mac, Toddla T, DJ Target, Sian Anderson and Rickie and Melvin and Charlie. Dreya is an alumni of the world-famous Brit School where she studied musical theatre and dance from the age of 14. Since then her professional dancing background has taken her all over the world to countries as far-reaching as the USA and China. She can be seen demonstrating her talents in videos and shows for prominent artists such as Stormzy, Dua Lipa and Rita Ora. She has also performed at the MTV EMAs and Brit Awards and featured in the Burberry 2020 Festive Campaign.

The Brainchild team fell in LOVE with Dreya after they saw her dancing in Stormzy’s Vossi Bop, first for her wild energy and inventive choreography, and have been hooked on her equally brilliant music ever since, eagerly awaiting each release. Stay tuned as she’s got her 1st EP dropping in full this summer  👀

London-based Elkka is an artist who began her path as a singer-songwriter and has evolved into a multi-faceted producer, DJ and label boss. Most recently bringing out EP Euphoric Melodies on Ninja Tune.

Sitting firmly in a lane of her own creation, Elkka’s music is a cross-pollination between house, electronica, percussive beats and dreamy vocals. When performing, she immerses herself in her art – from expansive, cross-genre DJ sets to hypnotic live shows.

In 2016, Elkka founded femme culture. The London-based record label and collective was born out of the desire to champion women in the arts and push forward-thinking music standing for inclusivity amongst all genders, backgrounds and beliefs, and actively promotes collaboration in all fields. The label’s annual HeForShe compilation has garnered critical success and featured the likes of Octo Octa, DJ Boring, and DJ Python.

Elkka’s momentum is fuelled by a silo of authentically danceable music; to date, her work has been supported by Four Tet, Floating Points, Caribou, George Fitzgerald, SHERELLE, Annie Mac and more.

Producer and pianist Eriksson Kaner joins forces with drummer Sascha Create to bring you ‘Ithaca’: their debut project featuring saxophone talents James Akers and Kaidi Akinnibi. The 5-piece consists of Alex Blake on guitar (Project Karnak, Jaz Karis, Arlo Parks), Hugo Piper on bass (Ego Ella May, Conor Albert), and James Akers on tenor saxophone (Levitation Orchestra). Kaner and Create formed their collaboration after a recording session turned into a jam, and those ideas took full form in the duo’s collective creative process.

Brainchild sees the project performed live for the very first time, with their 12” vinyl also due for release in August.

Reared on a combination of Jazz, Folk, Reggae, and the 2002 Ibiza soundtrack, Oxford producer and songwriter feeo developed a taste for storytelling, big beats and stacked vocal harmonies early on. Her first cuts channelling this blend of styles were quick to turn heads, leading to a feature on Loraine James’ acclaimed album ‘For You and I’ in 2019, providing the vocals for ’Sensual’. Lyricism is the driving force behind feeo’s work, which she sets against an experimental Neo-soul-inflected backdrop.

Her first two tracks, Yeti and Morning Glory, are treasures to behold. We feel very lucky to have feeo with us, and can’t wait to see how things unfold for her.

Finn is a Manchester DJ & producer mining a rich vein of emotive dance records, regional club music and off-kilter classics. He’s built a loyal following over the past 7 years, producing a run of breakout hits and underground classics.

His DJ sets and NTS radio show have both been growing in popularity over the past few years – full of dance-floor oddities, slept-on cuts and unearthed gems, Finn’s eclectic taste leans towards early 90s House, Garage & Hardcore records from the UK & US.

The Brainchild team have BIG LOVE for Finn and are super duper excited to welcome him to the very first time. We recommend listening to his tunes Sometimes the going gets a little tough and Givin’ it!! to get a sense of the boundless joy and Funn to be found with Finn.

Footshooter’s live band set incorporates his productions into a live setting, with instruments blending with programmed beats and vocals/rapping from Issy Risk and Natty Wylah.

Footshooter will be playing a mix of exclusive material coming out later this year coupled with a few tracks from past releases.

George Riley is a singer hailing from Shepherd’s Bush, West London. Her signature futuristic take on soul infuses the sonics that soundtrack her immediate surroundings, including jazz, R&B, trip hop and electronica. Fusing diverse sounds with her own unmistakable tone, she has woven subtle narratives from underrepresented perspectives throughout her output; steadily building an essential discography with a multitude of essential messages.

Check out her GURLS TALK Boiler Room vid to get a flavour …

Glows is the project of London-based audio-visual duo, GG Skips, of UK postpunk band Sorry, and audiovisual artist Felix Bayley-Higgins. Involved in the formation of the Slow Dance collective and label, they’ve experimented in all avenues of LondonArts and music scenes in recent years. From forming improvisational assemble EMU (Felix Raman, black midi, Cajm, Martha Skye Murphy) to creating and performing their works at the Royal Academy of Arts, they have been incubating at both ends of the spectrum. Glows was first the bedroom project of Skips who brought the show to Brainchild in 2020, driven by propulsive percussion and electronics, alongside translucent synths and soft vocals, the sound restlessly skits from orchestral to ambient to hardcore.

The current live performance is an entirely new audiovisual rave-tinged experience, echoing the live shows of Jon Hopkins, Bonobo and Fuck Buttons.

Since then the pair have performed at Brainchild’s most recent (online) Digs and it went OFF. The visuals and audio they put together, from crashing drum baselines, to flooding frenzied strobes, to vast introspective sonic landscapes, radiated pure NRG from start to finish. Expect nothing less from their set at the festival – this year closing out the live sets in the Kite Bar on Sunday night.

Goya Gumbani moved with his family from New York to London when he was a teenager, but he still sounds like an MC straight out of Brooklyn. His lax rap flows will win over any East Coast boom-bap fan, oozing a serene calm rather than adhering to toxic macho stereotypes. A decade of collaborations in his new UK home inspired a back-to-back stream of EPs in 2020 with South London beatmakers Rago Foot and Kiina. The result is an elegant crossover into SE1’s modern jazz community that takes musical inspiration from both sides of the pond. As featured in NME’s 100 tips for 2021.

Founded in East London by Sofia Grant, Higher Ground is a cosmic jam session and a safe space for performers to improvise, experiment and connect through music. From instrumentalists to poets, movers to singers, Higher Ground aims to be a nurturing environment for all performers to express themselves freely.

Higher Ground also aims to address the gender imbalance commonly seen in the music industry through its programming and house band. We see our gatherings as an aspirational space, a joyful re-imagining of what the creative industries could look like.

We kick off with a set from our house band, followed by an improvised jam session that’s open to all.

Backline is provided but please bring your instruments!! 🎺

From the glitzy gold sequinned jackets they sport onstage to the surreal, noodling, apocalyptic jazz they tout, Horsey are both Brainchild royalty…and intoxicatingly odd. Their tracks meander through chintzy piano, to shouty call and response heckles to – on occasion – something resembling a rock opera. The group have built up a firm cult following touring with friend & collaborator King Krule, and are releasing their debut album Debonair in July 2021.

Emerging as one of dance music’s most exciting producers and DJs, London-based India Jordan is a true disciple of high-energy, fast-paced dance music — capturing the attention of the scene’s top tier DJs and tastemakers across a series of perfectly-pitched, quietly personal singles and EPs.

After holding down DJ residencies and promoting parties across the UK for the best part of a decade, 2019 saw India take the plunge into releasing their own original music for the first time with an instant impact. By the end of the year, following three singles on Local Action Records and riotous live appearances on Boiler Room and Keep Hush, The Guardian named India as one of “50 Amazing Musicians to Watch in 2020” and Resident Advisor listed their track ‘DN4’ as one of the best of the decade.

Despite having their biggest shows to date cancelled due to Covid-19, in May 2020 India released ‘For You’ — a six-track EP that represents their “largest and most personal” body of work yet and has been praised almost unanimously as one of the best releases of the year. Inspired by growing up queer in the North of England, it documents India’s understanding and learning about their own identity, and being kind to themselves in the process (the “You” in the EP’s title is a reference to India).

‘For You‘ was an instant hit, receiving stellar reviews upon release from Pitchfork (8.0), NME (5/5), Clash (8/10), Resident Advisor, Mixmag, The Guardian, Bandcamp, Dazed and more. ‘For You’ has also swept the board in Best of 2020 Lists: Resident Advisor named it the #1 Track of 2020, Crack ranked it as their #2 Best Track of 2020, Pitchfork listed it as the 21st Best Song of 2020, and it also featured high in Best Tracks of 2020 lists from NME, The Vinyl Factory, Gorilla vs Bear, Clash Magazine, Beatportal and more. Capping off a flagship year, India also won ‘Best Breakthrough Producer’ at the annual DJ Mag Best of British Awards, and Pete Tong named them his ‘Breakout Star of the Year’ on his flagship BBC Radio 1 show.

Regular radio support in the UK has come from Annie Mac, Danny Howard, Pete Tong, Jaguar, Tom Ravenscroft and more, while high-profile artists and DJs such as Caribou, Four Tet, Romy xx, Prospa, Ben UFO and Bradley Zero have all shown public support for India’s music. With a new EP set for release in March, festival slots at Field Day, Eastern Electrics, Lost Village and more in the diary and India’s own headline show set to be announced, 2021 will see India’s star continue to rise.

Johanna Burnheart is a German jazz violinist, singer, composer and producer. Much of Johanna’s life has been spent absorbed in the Berlin sound of the techno & house scene resulting in this certain influence permeating her compositions. Johanna’s work exists at the point where modal jazz and techno meet. This is an ever-developing venture as technology allows the acoustic sound of the violin to come alive electronically with few compromises. Since forming her own band in 2018, Johanna released her debut album simply called “Burnheart” with Ropeadope Records on October 30th 2020. Besides the positive reviews in Jazzwise Magazine, MOJO and Backseatmafia among others, Johanna was chosen as one of 30 best new artists for 2021 by the Guardian.

Ask Lava La Rue about her influences today, and she’ll reel off a catalogue of reference points while scarcely drawing breath, from psychedelic, punk and Britpop, to the vibrant Soundsystem culture and banging rave music she was regularly exposed to throughout her youth. But for Lava, the real beauty lies in the blurring of these boundaries. We are damn psyched to have this West London icon take on our Brainstage this year!

On Summer.20′s website, Lava’s current project, Lava explains the concept: “Summer of Love 2.0 explores how an era of social distancing has allowed people to re-value human touch, platonic love, free party culture and a resurgence of the radicalisation of view… all leading to a second coming of the famous summer we signify with past free love movements. However in the 2020s this can resurge as a new breed – one that is inclusive to all intersections of sexuality and gender identity we celebrate today.”

To this we say: take us to Lava Land 🦋🎈🧡🌞🐛

Joining us as part of Touching Bass’ takeover in the Kite Bar is London-based, French-Caribbean musician and producer Léa Sen. Léa will bring to the stage her soft acoustic guitar songs and effortless vocals for her first solo show. After sharing a few bits of her self-produced music during the past year, she released a David Bowie cover on a tribute album alongside acts like Khruangbin, Meshell Ndegeocello and more.

Founded in 2018 by trumpet player Axel Kaner-Lidstrom (Where Pathways Meet, Cykada), Levitation Orchestra was formed with the shared goal to create original suites of music completely collectively, with each member contributing freely and equally. As such, the overall vision of each project is the total sum total of the participant’s influences and aspirations. 

A twelve-piece ensemble abundant in energy and focus, Levitation Orchestra’s captivating original compositions come to life in the band’s explosive live performances — as experienced by anyone who was there for their 2019 Kite Bar set! It felt only right to us that LO should take on the Brainstage this year.

Check out their ritualistic way of making music for yourself in their first EP, Inexpressible Infinity.

Born and raised in South London, DJ and broadcaster Lil C combines a potent mix of Bashment and a love of global pop music with classic R&B, Reggaeton, Afrobeats and contemporary UK rap, capturing the sound of the transatlantic diaspora. Quickly making a name for herself as a formidable selector, her skillset has taken her to the world and back and her name is now one of the first on the list of DJs spinning for the best parties around.

Brainchild are big big fans of her Pum Pum Power Hour NTS show, but Lil C’s accolades as an artist stretch far and wide. She is a founding member of the London-based collective Prestige Pak and cohort of the BBZ collective as well as a Resident DJ for gal-dem. Since making her Boiler Room debut in 2017, she has graced the stages of Red Bull’s soundsystem at Notting Hill Carnival, Hackney Carnival, Afropunk, Glastonbury, Lovebox, Parklife and more. Her ascent in the nightlife and festival circuit is the result of the endless work ethic displayed through her burgeoning broadcasting career, with her Prestige Pak show and solo slot on Reprezent Radio. Over the years she has also provided guest mixes for national and international radio stations including BBC Radio 1 & 1xtra, Kiss, Rinse France and Lot Radio.

Hailing from Enfield, North London, adventurous producer Loraine James is a rising voice in the electronic music community. Taking piano lessons as a child and growing up listening to a wide range of genres has instilled a voracious musical curiosity in her that resonates throughout her productions. While classes at college, and later on Westminster University’s Commercial Music course, facilitated her encounter with the basic tools for digital production, her approach is closer to DIY culture than formal training.

Often expressing her love for IDM, her intricate, highly intuitive and emotional tracks, composed used minimal, easily-available setup, and openly queer identity stand in direct opposition with the genre’s traditionally male, white and gear-fetishising intellectualism. James’s music is at once abrasive and vulnerable, a powerful dichotomy used to fuse together the many disparate elements from London’s sound universe which she integrates into her music, moulding grime, R&B, jazz and ambient into novel sonic creations with an instinct for improvisation. 

In 2017, her self-released debut album Detail caught the ear of many music aficionados, but 2019’s sophomore For You And I LP on Hyperdub would make her a breakthrough star, receiving unanimous acclaim from peers, fans and critics at the likes of Crack, DJ Mag, The Quietus, Mixmag and Pitchfork. On Nothing EP, her second Hyperdub release, she explores new directions with a diverse group of international collaborators including Uruguayan producer Lila Tirando a Violeta, Jonnine Standish of Australian duo HTRK and Iranian-British rapper Tardast.

Loucin is a London-based vocalist and songwriter with her influences rooted in jazz, neo-soul and RnB. Loucin was first able to express her love for jazz and swing when vocalist for Leeds University Union Big Band for three years. As part of several projects including lead vocalist for Tomorrow’s Warriors Female Frontline, backing vocalist for Poppy Adjuda and as part of The ‘Living’ Choir for Cherise’s EP, Loucin has performed at festivals and venues across the world.

Taken aback by the crowd’s hushed reaction at her first public performance at the age of 14, Loucin realised her voice could command an audience’s attention. Her original project has been a way for her to connect with her audiences and reflect on issues like marginalisation, identity and oppression. She is due to release her debut EP later this year.

Lynda Dawn is a vocalist, producer and songwriter from London. Exploring the sonic spectrum between soul, funk and jazz she draws upon her musically inclined upbringing to deliver a distinctive style of storytelling.

Dawn’s nostalgia-tinged tracks embody her early influences via captivating grooves and celestial vocals. She cites the crackling sounds of her parents’ records along with growing up in the Pentecostal church as her spiritual education in funk & gospel expression.

In 2018 Dawn caught the attention of Gilles Peterson and was featured on the 13th Brownswood Bubblers Compilation. Her debut single ‘Move’ introduced her as a definite ‘one to watch’.

Dawn has since enlisted the help of frequent collaborator Al Dobson Jr for her debut EP ‘At First Light‘. The highly anticipated project (released via Mndsgn’s record label Akashik Records), was met with critical acclaim and landed the number 1 spot on Jamz Supernova’s Top 5 EP’s in the world on BBC’s Radio 1Xtra. The Guardian and Clash Magazine also featured Dawn as one of the top new artists for 2020.

With more music on the horizon, this enigmatic songstress has quietly positioned herself as one of the UK’s brightest new soul artists.

Max is a DJ you’ll never forget and a friend you will treasure forever.

1/2 of Sîbin, a party (remember those?), collective and where Max released his most recent works – Come with The Ragga (Max & Phoebs) and Pastor, (Anja Ngozi & Max)

As a producer, his credits are seemingly endless. He’s at the electronic and spiritual heart of so many of London’s brilliant jazz and improvisation-based projects – from mixing Where Pathways Meet, to doing the mastering on the We Out Here film, to collaborating with Joe Armon-Jones in their outstanding record IDIOM.

Needing little to no introduction, Moses Boyd joins us as our Saturday night headliner. A double MOBO and Jazz FM Award winner, Moses’s live and studio collaborations have been as varied as they have been prolific, from touring with Sampha and Kelsey Lu, to drumming on Sons of Kemet’s Mercury-nominated album, to his recent collaboration with South African Gqom king DJ Lag, which made its way onto Beyonce’s official soundtrack for The Lion King. He produced Zara McFarlane ‘s 2017 full-length, Arise, in its entirety, for Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label, and released several acclaimed solo projects though his Exodus record label. Moses has produced original scores for major Paris fashion shows, and with saxophonist Binker Golding, he’s co-leader and co-producer of the ferocious semi-free group Binker and Moses.

His Mercury award-winning album of the year Dark Matter is ‘dancefloor-friendly kaleidoscopic jazz’.

A Tomorrow’s Warriors alumni, “a peer-to-peer youth initiative that brings people together through jazz”, at the age of 16, Moses was introduced to British jazz icon Gary Crosby OBE and his band Crosby would text him and say, ‘I’ve got a gig tomorrow, do you want to come and play? Bring your friends’ – and they’d hone their skills alongside each other, and jazz legends three times their age. Coming up through the thriving new London jazz scene, and its vibrant underground live circuit, was an experience that was “collaborative by nature,” he says. “You can’t really do it on your own, so it becomes a real community – it’s in the DNA of the music”. 

After her dazzling performance at our Digs gig (remember those?!) early last year, we are very happy to welcome pedal harp and synth player Nala Sinephro back to Brainchild 2021! You may have spotted her play alongside Alex Rita as part of Calm Roots during the 2019 festival, or even at a Steam Down jam once upon a time. For this festival set though, we are very lucky to have Nala accompanied by a full live band for one of the very first times. As heralded by the Guardian’s ones to watch list, Nala’s music is ‘gorgeously woozy and tidal – and not unworthy of comparison to Alice Coltrane‘.

Nala has new music on the way, with big things in the pipeline, but for now, keep in the loop via her Instagram page or tune into one of her eclectic NTS shows :)

With 4 records behind him on esteemed labels like Beat X Changers, S3A Records and 22a, French producer and DJ Fred Bwelle aka Neue Grafik has quickly risen as one of the most promising acts to come out of the new French and European electronic scene. His sound is best described as eclectic and versatile.

His latest project, Neue Grafik Ensemble is the result of an inspiring Total Refreshment Centre after-hours jam, featuring the likes of Emma-Jean Thackray and Vels Trio’s Dougal Taylor.

Sounds are sumptuous and energy levels are hiiigh with these guys 🔥 check out their debut EP Foulden Road (named after TRC’s address) to get an earful.

We’ve got legend OK Williams lighting up the Shack on Friday night — this isn’t one to miss! Setting dancefloors ablaze with all kinds, from deep house to techno to jungle to UK funky, catch her show monthly on NTS to get a feel of what’s to come 🤠 For those wanting to get to know her a little better, we love this interview she did with Gal Dem and this mix for LN-CC.

After attending Brainchild for the last few years, we are delighted to welcome otta and her band to the festival.

They’ll be playing music from both her first two EPs and some new material; “a variety of songs of self-contained chaos”.

Check out Songbook and After it all blew over.

We cannot spot dreaming of how incredible this will be – closing our Brainstage on the Friday night are Overmono! Their tunes have kept us dancing through lockdown, and we know we’re not alone in that – they are very widely respected by so many of hte producers in our community and we cannot wait for them to bring their live set to Brainchild. 

Under their respective artist names Truss and Tessela, brothers Tom and Ed Russell have forged formidable individual reputations as producers. Defining tracks such as Truss’ ‘Beacon’ and Tessela’s ‘Hackney Parrot’ have encapsulated so much of what is exciting and vital in UK underground, electronic music. Overmono, sees Tom and Ed come together on record for the very first time, with the duo releasing the Arla EP Trilogy (XL Recordings).

In their own words… 

“Despite doing some live shows together and the fact that we’re brothers, we hadn’t ever really written music together and wanted to start something new. We decided to head to a remote cottage in rural Wales, near to where we grew up. The trip ended up being the most creative stint either of us had ever had and after a week we had the foundations for Overmono.” 

London-based selector Papaoul has made a name for himself as a resident DJ on Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide FM, with sets unconfined by genre, spanning a range of sounds from across the global underground.

An eclectic selector, he does hold a special place in his heart for new dancefloor-ready sounds from Latin America, expect anything from Ecuadorian footwork and Andean digital cumbia to experimental reggaeton and dubbed out marimbas from Colombia’s Pacific coast.

Parasang started as an exploration of London’s diverse musical communities. The series invites guest musicians to improvise and interact with electronics. Parasang is led by Pouya Ehsaei on with an all hardware setup. Pouya’s musicianship is generous and flexible, making space for and responding to the musicians who accompany him. The series is co-curated by Pouya Ehsaei and Harry Follett of Manana//Records.

As an act of endurance and dedication to this exploration and sewing of sounds, Parasang was held in 2019 as a weekly series at Redon in London. Since the pandemic, the sessions have moved online and are now investigating similar possibilities on an international level.

Parasang’s takeover in the Kite Bar last year became a heady, dancy wonderland – we were transfixed and how it took people over and transformed the energy in the space. This year they are closing the Kite Bar on Saturday night, we can’t wait to see what they cook up …

Dublin-bred and London-based producer, musician & DJ Poison Zcora has totally immersed himself in the capital’s myriad of music scenes and communities since arriving in the city as a fresh faced eighteen year old.

As well as writing and producing his own music, Poison Zcora runs the label Tiff’s Joints, plays in Lunch Money Life and has been a member of the Touching Bass family since it’s inception.

2020 saw his first solo release as Poison Zcora on Astral Black with “Victory Over The British Museum”, followed by The Mainly Incompetent 5 EP on his own Tiff’s Joints label, which racked up support from the likes of Jamz Supernova, Anz, & Moxie on stations across stations like BBC Radio 1, 1Xtra, and NTS.

Playing a game of tag team on the Decks, we have Rohan Rakhit and Mera Bhai going vis a vis for the first time ever – a plan that’s been in the works for some time now. Both DJs are known for their eclectic genre-spanning tastes and rave-ready sets, so expect everything from Footwork and Jungle to Jazz, House, and Bhangra with blends that you could slick your hair back with.

Mera Bhai:
Born in London, with roots in India, alongside time spent growing up in Italy, Albania, Saudia Arabia, Dubai, and Nigeria, Mera Bhai’s worldly influence seeps into his unique take on dance music. Known as a founding member of tropical-psychedelia band Flamingods, the multi-instrumentalist has worked closely with Moshi Moshi Records, Soundway Records, and Total Refreshment Centre.

Rohan Rakhit:
Rohan Rakhit is an actor, DJ, and broadcaster based in North London who is part of the internal team behind the Daytimers collective. Previously a resident for various parties across Nottingham, since the pandemic hit Rohan has been featured on stations such as NTS, Boxout FM, Radio Quantica, and Subtle Radio. Utilising dance music from across the globe, expect high energies and blends that span across genres.

Raised in London, 21-year-old Sarah Meth has never been shy of expressing her opinions in song. With the release of her debut EP ‘Dead End World’ in 2020, her music illustrates being a firm subscriber to Nina Simone’s famous quote: “An artist’s duty is to reflect the times”. Taking influence from Radiohead, Nina Simone and Angel Olsen – her 2nd EP is due to be released in the fall of this year. She has supported the likes of Okay Kaya and Jordan Rakei and has played festivals such as Latitude and All Points East.

Tailor Jae is an East London native, that lives and breathes technicality, self taught, she is famed for quick mixes, and sets which are genreless at heart but heavy on the bass. After winning a Mixmag DJ competition in 2017 tailor has continued to reach new heights with features on BBC Radio 1, Kiss FM, Keep Hush and more and killer guest mixes for Inverted Audio and Resident Advisor which have helped solidify her as a unique tastemaker. Highlighted as one to watch at the start of 2021 by DJ Mag, she is set to continue to shake dance floors with her unique approach to djing.

We are buzzzzing to have Tailor Jae come play at Brainchild for the very first time! Closing the Shack on Saturday night, you’re not going to want to miss this 🌲🌳

The Sillhouettes Project is a new platform for up-and-coming Hip-Hop, Soul and Jazz artists from the UK. It is not a record label or management team, it is a community project. The Sillhouettes Project provides an open space – a recording studio and live venue (located within the Total Refreshment Centre in Hackney, London) – where MCs, singers, musicians and producers can connect and create.

The Sillhouettes Project was founded by community organisers / artists Asher Korner (aka Kosher) and Jaden Osei-Bonsu (Eerf Evil) in 2019. Here is the story of the Silhouettes Project as told by them:

We started The Silhouettes Project in February 2019, to shine a light on the new generation of underground Hip-Hop, Jazz, and Soul music in the UK. Community is everything to us, and we wanted to show that with a proper support network, access to professional facilities, and the encouragement of a family of artists, our community could produce something incredible.

We felt a joint frustration that the current music scene in the UK only had structures in place to support talent of a certain genre whilst overlooking a buzzing alternative Hip-Hop culture. We wanted to unify artists who are making ground-breaking music but who are in need of a solid structure to work within – artists who we felt deserved more recognition. This led us to the name ‘The Silhouettes Project’, as we wanted to shine a light on those artists in the shadows.

Taking over the Kite Bar to play tracks from their new album for one of the very first times, as well as host a jam open to all, (curated with some familiar Brainchild faces in the mix!) this is going to be a special time.

You’ve probably read lots about this organisation, and if you have, you will understand why we find it hard to communicate quite how significant and inspirational they are. We’re very excited to be handing over to young folks from Tomorrows Warriors for the Saturday night in our new space, the Minty Cabin, where they’ll be holding fort and hosting a jam session for all to take part in.

Centre to Tomorrow’s Warriors’ teaching is the principle that improvising and experimenting in a safe space is the best way for musicians to grow and learn, so we trust that this will be a beautiful session.

Hold tight to find out who’ll be taking part! With so many brilliant musicians on site, we’re very excited…

Touching Bass return to the Kite Bar this year with a full takeover! We’re so happy that this has finally happened as we’ve dreamed of it for some time; from their dances to their NTS show, or their releases as a label, this is an organisation that is pushing forward soulful and original music while also keeping an community ethos & authenticity at its core.

Not only are the crew DJing until the early hours, but beforehand they’ve lined up an evening of live music from Léa Sen, Demae  & Brother Portrait with Maxwell Owin (who are apparently working on material together that we’re very excited to see!).

Born and raised in London – via Stockholm, Spain and (briefly) New York – to a mixed musical family, singer TYSON had an unusual upbringing on the road. Her music draws from these experiences, the outcome a celestial, interplanetary R&B that is both reflective and soulful, yet futuristic.

Formerly one half of band Panes, whose self-titled 2014 EP marked a London sound of its time, TYSON has since collaborated with London-based artists such as Lord Tusk, CKTRL and Dean Blunt. She released her solo debut, the double single ‘White / Seven’ in 2019, succeeded by her 2020 ‘Moonlighting Mixtape’, produced by Oscar Scheller.

TYSON reveals her own sound for the first time with her debut solo EP, Pisces Problems out April 30th on LMP Recordings, an imprint that she co-founded as part of the ‘Ladies Music Pub’ collective for gender minorities in the music industry. The video for lead single ‘Tuesday’ was directed by the Bafta-nominated director Akinola Davies and features TYSON soaring over London, circling the iconic Trellick Tower on a pink fluffy luck dragon. With support from Annie Mac, Gilles Peterson and Benji B and a renewed vision for her artistry under her belt, her story is still unfolding.

First up as part of Daytimers’ takeover in the Kite Bar is Vindya!

Vindya is a Sri Lankan-British composer, producer and DJ; her mixes incorporate multiple underground dance music genres such as techno, break-beat, deep house and jungle, but also integrate sounds from her South Asian heritage with the Asian Underground scene. Her charming and totally morish track Auspicious Time from Daytimer’s first compilation album has been on repeat in the Brainchild office lately.

Xvngo is a force to be reckoned with! He fuses jazz, classical, electronic as well as hip-hop music with dirty drill beats, to produce an infectious sound that will surely get you moving your feet. In addition to feet moving and hip-shaking there will be some chin-scratching, as he takes you through a musical journey that is impregnated with philosophical and scientific investigation. His music is heavily informed by his training as a neuroscientist, and his interests range all the way from German idealism to modern theoretical neuroscience.

Xvngo will also be accompanied by the illustrious Marysia Osuchowska on the harp and the formidable Master Mac on the beat machine. Xvngo is a massive supporter of the ethos of his so this set will be especially tailored to (in his words: “the wonderful utopia that is Brainchild”. So be sure not to miss out on this existential musical excursion!

Zeena is a London-based DJ who balances the sounds of roots reggae, ska and dub with more uptempo jungle and kudro. Starting her journey with a family vinyl collection of old-school reggae, Zeena shares the sounds of the Caribbean and the African diaspora to celebrate black music from past and present. Expect good vibes and funky tracks that are sure to get you skanking.