Max HeyraudThis week’s entry to the Local Selection Mix is a long-overdue contribution from Irish stalwart, Kenny Hanlon. This 90-minute live recording from Galway’s fabled Deep Sea Dweller party sees the Apartment Records boss drenching dancers in a swirl of jerking bass-heavy half-steppers and menacing up-front acid cuts.
The 230th iteration of the Local Selection Mix comes from Apartment Records boss, Kenny Hanlon. A longtime fixture in Ireland’s dance music scene, the Dublin City native has made a name for himself as a renowned label boss, DJ, and promoter. When it comes to DJs and curators, Hanlon is in a league of his own as his sound has remained consistent and unadulterated, making him one of the few original purists left in the Irish capital.
Hanlon is best known for his work under Apartment Records, one of Dublin’s most illustrious imprints, operating since 2011. For over ten years, the label has offered intricate releases from artists such as TR One, Chase Smith, New Jackson, Belacqua, and countless more, positioning itself as a leader in forward-facing Irish dance music. Hanlon is also involved in one of Ireland’s most unique festivals, Open Ear. Kenny has tirelessly and passionately advocated for nonconformist Irish club sounds, always leaning towards the weird and wonderful corners of the electronic spectrum.
Hanlon blends the deep and cavernous tones of Detroit’s aquatic electro-sound with the screwface techno rhythms of Germany and Belgium in his live recording from Galway’s Deep Sea Dweller party. The Apartment Records boss pieces together contrasting yet functional club weapons while also weaving in and out of ambient interludes, spacey soundscapes, and nailbiting dramatic intersections. Hanlon presents a timeless mix, presented with an undeniable air of coolness.