On November 17, the Laska V21 space will host an event dedicated to the 19th anniversary of the Riga music label Amber Muse. The founders of the company, Bogdan Taran and Max Lomov as Queer on Acid, as well as two local duos mOZ & Herren Ivo and Jazzy Marky & Nick Ustinov, will deliver their DJ sets there. The headliner will be musician, queer performer, and DJ Josh Caffé, a resident of the London club Fabric.
Josh Caffé has spent the last decade on a breathless trip through the fringes of London’s shifting house and techno continuum. As a DJ, singer/songwriter, producer, and activist of British-Ugandan descent, Caffé’s influence has been felt everywhere from institutions such as Panorama bar and Adonis to his own Love Child party, curated at Fabric, where Caffé holds an influential residency. Collaborating with international icons of dance music and fashion such as Honey Dijon, he has become an even more visible and respected presence in recent years.
Recently delivered his debut album “Poppa Zesque” on Erol Alkan’s label Phantasy Sound, Caffé has made his boldest statement yet. Two singles, ‘According To Jacqueline’ and ‘Do You Wanna Take Me Home?’ (remixed by Steffi & Virginia) effortlessly captured Caffé’s vision of queer liberation and sensuality. Working alongside both Quinn Whalley of Paranoid London, for whom Caffé has provided memorable vocal turns, and saxophonist Alex White of Fat White Family, Caffé’s solo material is charismatic, frenetic, and rich in inspiration, from classic Chicago house, UK acid culture, 00s rap and his twin heroes, Prince and Grace Jones.
All these influences, be they sensual, jackin’ or sexually playful, echo through Caffé’s selections as a DJ. Mixes for Honey Soundsystem, Beats In Space, Naive and Love International speak for Caffé’s standing in the queer and wider dance music communities.
Having forged an intimate connection with dancers across the sphere of underground house and-techno, whether on the dancefloor and record, on the mic or in the booth, in the grimiest of clubs or owning festival stages, Josh Caffé’s attitude and talent continue to inspire radical freedom.
Amber Muse is a record label that hosts parties, festivals and produces a weekly electronic music show on the national Radio NABA in Latvia and Raadio 2 in Estonia. It has over 50 music releases, more than a hundred events of various sizes and has invited international stars to Riga, including Pablo Bozzi, Phase Fatale, KiNK, Robert Owens, Funk D’Void among many others.
The 19th anniversary of Amber Muse will begin at 22:00 with a special vinyl session by Bogdan Taran in the Laska V21 (Vagonu str 21) bar space. For two hours, he will play and review several classic electronic records from his collection. The club’s dance floor will open at midnight, where Josh Caffé, Queer on Acid, mOZ & Herren Ivo and Jazzy Marky & Nick Ustinov will perform. Tickets for the party at https://ra.co/events/1798735.
