Digging through February with Ella

A lot of my time in Ankali is spent in the lighting booth. It’s okay if you never noticed it, it’s hidden out of sight in the back of the dance floor. From there you control the lights, which is a lot of fun when you are into the music. I often find myself in a trance when reacting to the music with light, the whole club comes alive when the music, the crowd, and the lighting is cohesive. It’s a concrete merging of sonic and visual elements, which is why I love Ankali so much; the music curation and visual atmosphere are always on point. 

For the past few weeks I have been enjoying some much needed sun and detox in Thailand. Everything here is perfect, but I must admit I do miss the flashing lights and powerful sound systems back home. My longing for my return hit its peak when I saw the program for February at Ankali. I’ll be ready to come back fully recharged, locked and loaded with vitamin D  for another month of sleepless nights and driving rhythms.

3–2–2023 Amphibian & Deviant

The first night on the roster for this month is Amphibian in Ankali, and Deviant in Planeta Za. Both collectives hold a special place in my heart, there are some really lovely people behind them. I won’t be back in Prague in time for this one, so I am quite envious of everyone who will be in the city on this day. I expect you all to go and show all the love that I cannot bring.

I learned a lot about music from the lighting booth during past Deviant and Amphibian nights. I must admit this “studying” continued to some after parties, and getting to know everyone sonically when they are just playing to have fun, I realized that Deviant and Amphibian have some similarities that make them a match made in heaven for a shared night in the club.

Amphibian is the one year old project of Ingel Illel, Atch22, A +++ and INTT. These guys have so much love and passion for the music they play, and it’s always a joy to work with them and attend their gatherings. On February 4th they are taking over the Ankali booth, and have invited Adam Pits to do the dirty work. It’s his debut in Prague, I am super excited that he will be playing. Listening to his Space Cadets show on my headphones with a joint on the beach made me feel like I was floating through time and space. He has quite a fantastic range, easily gliding between trance, techno, and breakbeat. Whether stoned on the beach or in a club, I think his sound can translate to any setting, so I can only imagine what realms he will take you to on the Ankali dance floor.

Supporting him is Inger Illel, one of Amphibian’s own, who tends to dive into the realms of techno, with a little taste of electro. Here’s his recent mix for AXXID.

Joining them is NCOL, who recently described her current sound as a desire to have fun, and you can always feel this energy when she is mixing. Her sound is groovy, it’s light hearted, and I soon realize I am having just as much fun as she is. This iconic Harmony x Nite Vibes set is living proof of this.

Meanwhile Planeta Za will be taken over by Deviant, which is a club series organized by Claudia, who I recently got to know better when we crossed paths in Barcelona this December. Over a bottle of wine we spoke about Deviant and her connection to Ankali. She told me that she started the club series because she wanted to create a space for the type of music she wanted to hear. And what a blessing, Deviant is a night in which I find myself exploring new sonic territory and often getting lost within it.

Claudia has invited Berlin/NYC based Dis Fig, who I find a bit dark, yet at the same time upbeat and fun. With sunglasses on, I couldn’t help but dance around on the street when I played her RA live set on my morning walk in Koh Lanta.

And a b2b with Claudia and phil in a maze, who just announced that he’s officially joining the Deviant team.

24–2–2023 Ankali x Herrensauna

Later in the month is a weekend that I already know will be absolutely feral. When I saw that Herrensauna was joining forces with Ankali, I couldn’t help but smile. Herrensauna is a series of queer club nights in Berlin that has been around since 2016. Although I never had the chance to attend one of their parties myself, I have heard that a Herrensauna party promotes a radically safe space with sexy and hard sets. It’s the old Berlin everyone keeps telling me about, rejecting the newer and more touristic commercialism that the city is now subject to. I had a plan to head to Berlin one of these days and attend a Herrensauna night, but it’s just my luck, I won’t have to leave Prague at all to experience this special queer and punk atmosphere that I keep hearing about.

Behind the Ankali booth is the Herrensauna co-founder CEM. I find his sets incredibly creative, with an admirable unwillingness to follow the rules. Here’s his recent mix for SPANDAU20.

Alongside CEM, Diamin has been invited to the Ankali booth. Her mixes explore the roots of techno, focusing on how these sounds intersect with bleep, breakbeat, electro and acid. Her Hor set from last year shows an incredible range, and I have a feeling that she will create quite a frenzy on the Ankali dance floor.

For sure the club will be packed that night, and it might be wise to wear a tank top (or maybe nothing at all) underneath your winter coat, because we all know it’s about to get steamy and sweaty.

Planeta Za will have a more spacy vibe, and I am personally really looking forward to getting lost with Herrensauna resident DJ Saliva. A bit eerie, and traveling through a range of emotions, the Planeta dance floor will be an escape from all things tangible.

Alongside him will be a b2b from Prague’s little sweethearts Hadri and Sanjin, as well as Martyyna. It’s a perfect night in Planeta, with lots of smoke and the little crystal ceiling lamps flickering to each beat <3

25–2–2023 Disco Církev

I’m afraid that the weekend of 24th and 25th will be an especially long one. I guess I’ll have to find a way to take a quick nap after Herrensauna (or maybe not sleep at all) because Disco Cirkev on that Saturday night simply cannot be missed.
It’s always an honor to be behind the light booth for this one. Katarína has been organizing these nights for five years now, and the parties always match her kind and bright energy.

I’m super excited to “discofy” Ankali, or in other words, I will be hanging some disco balls and other shiny things on the dance floor. Be sure to bring a shot of hruškovice to me in the lighting booth at some point throughout the night 😉 

For the first Disco Cirkev of 2023, Rotterdam’s Mowgli will be making his debut appearance in Prague. I can already picture the glittery and flashing  lights in tune with his uplifting synth pop and italo.

Supporting him will be Nill Garçon, who I heard play for the first time in our shipping container at hereandthere x pride. What a fantastic vibe she created, I can’t wait to hear her again in Ankali.

25–2–2023  Planeta Pravda

In Planeta Za that very same night is Planeta Pravda, a series of psychedelic club nights curated by none other than Marie Pravda. I remember she once described Planeta Pravda as “lots of incense sticks and hypnotized people”. If that’s your vibe then I highly suggest you stop by for André Pahl, whose psychedelic percussion and experimental disco send me on a trip without any added substance.

Marie Pravda and Epoché will be lighting the incense alongside André Pahl. Marie has had my heart since her b2b with Psj at Harmony x Nite Vibes this past May. Although I had to work that evening, it was impossible to leave the dance floor in the morning. Each time I would decide to finally go home to catch a nap, an even more thrilling track would convince me to stay for 10 more minutes, which of course turned into several hours. And how great it is that she’s curating such lovely and mind bending nights in Planeta Za! Her recent hereandthere podcast, which is a recording of a closing set from a recent Planeta Pravda party.

And check out Epoché’s mix for Refuge Worldwide.

So it appears that February will be quite an action-packed month! I will see you in two weeks, I can’t wait to dance with you all again.

 

Check the full programme of February here.