The creation of their first underground club, Night Owl Sanctuary, witnessed locations such as an abattoir and Carl Barat’s mum’s house but saw an early retirement due to the death of a Long Eared Barn Owl (RIP). Back when bedroom producers were bedroom producers before they knew bedroom producers were a legitimate title, French duo Justice remixed SMD’s ‘Never Be Alone’ which then became a club mainstay for years. Now, James and Jas are widely regarded as the pioneers of the acid-tech-house-rock crossover scene; analogue crackerjacks. Having fathered three studio albums, SMD are not known to remain stationary in one genre – their only rule being to try new things. With a live show forming the basis of their fourth album ‘Whorl’, this confidence and authority over a sea of controls forms the guarantee of an electrifying set.

Sat 12 Jul, Gorilla, 54-56 Whitworth Street West, Manchester, M1 5WW, Tel: 0161 407 0301, 11pm-4am, £12, www.skiddle.com

Sat 12 Jul - Sun 13 Jul
Words:
Edwina Chan
Published on:
Wed 9 Jul 2014