Kenya’s urban music wizard, the revolution is real. Regarded by many as one of the most refreshing names in avant-garde electronica, Slikback is synonymous with pure energy. The notions of footwork, grime or dubstep are distilled here into a kind of magic potion that will turbocharge anyone on the dance floor. He condenses several of these genres, without ever taking them completely, transforming them instead into a mashup of unique interpretations. Known for the fire of his performances, he has also played alongside the likes of MC Yella, Tzusing or Hyph11E – and has also participated in renowned festivals like Le Guess Who or Unsound.

Reportedly with hundreds of home recordings completed, the Tomo and Lasakaneku EPs have defined Slikback’s profile and, in turn, his present and future. There we find a cultural heritage of his region, made of polyrhythms and evocative voices. The way he processes this heritage is an art he has mastered, for he knows how to avoid commonplaces and stray from creative dead ends. On the other hand, the sense of disorientation provoked by the music is here, above all, an act of liberation – for oneself and for others. A feeling that only in the collective reaches its splendor. And in these times, there could hardly be a better premise for an evening. NA

Diogo would be a terrible pseudonym if he was looking to hide behind a name, but no.

Born in June 1988, Diogo Vasconcelos began by studying architecture, but he always knew that it was in music that he could easily combine comfort and pleasure. His first incursions into the world of DJing took place in 2011 until he joined the Extended Records team in 2016. He grew up listening to black music (jazz, soul, funk and afrobeat) and Brazilian music, something that still marks his sets sporadically, but it was in the more direct music for the dance floor that he found the warmth and individuality he was looking for. If there are two things that can characterize Diogo as a DJ it is an enormous musical curiosity, both for the novelty and the knowledge of history, and a will to keep the mix anchored to its basic elements, the records.

Having traveled from electro to techno and with several incursions into disco and breakbeat, it is between acid house and bass music that he finds his home. His sets are usually marked by breaks, broken beats and lots of energy in a celebratory tone.

In 2019, he started to edit music in his own name on labels such as Rave Tuga and Infinita, and also signs some remixes. December 2019 is marked by the physical edition of “Roçadas” the EP he produced in collaboration with Moreno Ácido, which had a limited edition of 300 copies by Holuzam.

2021 was a full year for Diogo, editing his first EP on Extended Records, Ruff Trax, several remixes and a tape, Sempre Para Diante, with a limited edition by Rave Tuga. In the end, styles aside, what matters is the dance floor and what it asks for, and this translates into unpretentious sets with the pure objective of having fun and triggering in everyone a contagious will to dance.

Diogo is also the founder and current director of the Portuguese printed magazine about electronic music and national club culture, PISTA!