False Witness, Jyoty, Mama Snake, Mixtress, and Peaky Beats are but a small handful of the the artists on the LOBSTERFEST 2021 lineup. Of the 50 artists, at least 50% are women or non-binary and 50% are musicians of color. Their sets will be spread across five separate stages.

Not long after their 2013 debut with the release of Palms Trax‘s Equation EP, Lobster Theremin began to offer distribution services to other underground dance music labels. The imprint itself has given a home to music by the likes of DJ Seinfeld, Manse, DJ Soch, and Ross From Friends. Distant Hawaii, Lobster Sleep Sequence and Cheeky Music Group are among its numerous sub labels.

LOBSTERFEST will not be the first time the brand has explored live events. It has previously hosted gatherings at Moth Club and Corsica Studios in London as well as ://about blank in Berlin.

Purchase tickets and find more information via Resident Advisor.

Mixmag notes that the imprint has hosted events at London’s Corsica Studios and Moth Club as well as ://about blank in Berlin, but never a full-fledged festival. LOBSTERFEST will consist of five stages playing music from noon to 10:00 PM.

Organizers have yet to announce any headliners at the time of writing. They have guaranteed, however, that at least half the lineup will comprise Black/POC artists, and at least half women/non-binary. In total, more than 30 artists will perform at the event.

Lobster Theremin’s Rise

Lobster Theremin inaugurated in 2013 with the release of Palms Trax‘s stripped-down Equation EP. Only a year later the label expanded to include distribution services, giving it an edge over other brands in the underground dance music space.

In the time since, the label has found another competitive advantage. Branching out from the lo-fi and minimal house sound for which they carved out a lane, Lobster Theremin have teased out a common thread tying together breakbeat, garage, drum and bass and ambient as well. Their newfound range is encapsulated on last year’s Music For Your Mind Vol. 1 – all proceeds of which were donated to Black Lives Matter.

Sign up for pre-sale tickets to LOBSTERFEST via Resident Advisor ahead of the April 30th general sale.

Lobster Theremin‘s versatility as a record label is on full display in their July 3rd, 2020 release. House, techno, hardcore and beyond are represented in Music For Your Mind Vol. 1. All proceeds from the 22-track compilation will be donated to Black Lives Matter.

Danceable minimal house gems abound on the effort, notably “Changes” by House of Drummond and “Blazing Orange” by Fire Escape. Songs like “This Way” by Route 8 & TRP and “The Fate Of Us All” by Mani Festo explore an R&S Records-esque realm of ambient breakbeat, whereas “Levels” by Warwick and “Pertinent Negative” cater to discerning techno enthusiasts. No matter the artist or their musings, quality remains consistent from one song to the next.

Lobster Theremin’s Coming of Age

The sonic diversity exhibited on Music For Your Mind Vol. 1 is a relatively new facet of the Lobster Theremin brand. As noted by Beatportal, the label have outgrown the lo-fi and minimal house niche they carved after their 2013 launch and expanded to include releases from an increasingly eclectic range of the electronic music spectrum.

To that end, Lobster Theremin also now comprises a number of sub labels. Lobster Black, Lobster White, Sleep Sequences and Distant Hawaii are but a few of the imprints under the London label’s umbrella.

Purchase Music For Your Mind Vol. 1 in digital format via Bandcamp.

Finding a home on Lobster Theremin‘s Distant Hawaii imprint is the latest release by DJ Soch. The Italian DJ and producer painted in sublime shades of deep house to deliver The Power Of Poetry EP. It released July 3rd, 2020.

A common thread tying together each of the singles comprising the EP is ambient synths reminiscent of classic Chicago deep house. The instrumental title track introduces these elements before “Underground Night” builds upon them with soulful piano chords.

“Peter Pan” raises the tempo for an upbeat iteration of the DJ Soch sound, and “Round The World,” the arguable standout of the effort, incorporates saxophone samples and a vocal refrain. Closing out The Power Of Poetry EP is “Magic Flute,” the most vocal-driven track of the lot.

About DJ Soch

DJ Soch (real name Marco Socci) has been involved with DJ and remix culture since the ’80s. He first dabbled in funk, rap and hip-house before honing in on the house and techno spectrum that continues to be his lane through the present day.

In 2014, Socci launched a label called Black Angus Records (BLKA) and inaugurated it with a 12-inch track record titled Kick Tom & Hi-Hat Vol. 1. He is also a resident of Italian nightclub Serendipity.

Purchase The Power Of Poetry EP in digital and vinyl formats via Bandcamp.