After Ruf Dug kickstarted our Residents’ Hour series, we are back in Manchester, England – but this time with a very different sound. Party collective So Flute prides itself on the ability to get a current day dancefloor going without the usual go-to genres of house and techno. The residents (Danuka, Werkha, Bolts, Yadava and Baloo) bring a melting pot of sounds to the So Flute nights, focusing on worldwide music with a soulful undercurrent.
For their Residents’ Hour episode, Danuka talks us through how So Flute go about doing what they do. Read on to discover what he had to say, and dive into his hourlong set recorded last weekend at the So Flute party in Liverpool.
“So Flute was born from a desire to hear eclectic, lesser known soul- and jazz-influenced music played where it was always meant to be experienced – the dancefloor. There has always been a vast array of house and techno nights, but what Manchester seemed to be lacking was a representation of the broader spectrum of world, disco and funk rhythms that never seem to see the light of the dancefloor.
“The essence of So Flute is to provide this option for the dancers of Manchester in a natural, fun and uplifting atmosphere; and to prove you can make a dancefloor move without relying on four-to-the-floor. Whenever we play, it’s always refreshing to see how accessible and well received the rarer records are. The sheer dance-ability is all that matters, and it means the atmosphere is much more organic.”
“Over the years, So Flute has welcomed guests such as Gilles Peterson, Floating Points, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Alexander Nut and Andrew Ashong – selectors that both inspire and embrace our ethos, and have been an absolute delight to witness. One of the most exciting elements of the night and its range of rhythmic influences is the fact that you never know where the selectors are going to take the vibe. Everyone in the room – including DJs – is on their toes in the best possible way. I think it’s this chemistry that keeps people throwing shapes until we bring the lights up.
“The warm-up is everything. It’s often an unsung factor, but it’s so crucial to the success of a night. In essence, when someone pays an entry fee, they’re either consciously or subconsciously agreeing to commit their energy to your party. As the DJ selects records, they are in control of the energy to a large extent. The clientele are trusting you to guide and maintain this for the duration.”
“In a sense, it’s quite a responsibility. It really tests your ability to read a crowd, but the pay-off is huge. You’re trying to please all these individuals across a range of genres, tempos and intensities, until the room becomes this warm bundle of collective energy. It’s never the same twice at So Flute, but I always aim to make sure it builds to that nervy, impatient level of anticipation – and that’s when I’m ready to hand over to the next DJ.
“The dancefloor has such a tension to it. The tensions of our jobs, our personal lives, literally everything comes out to play when people are dancing. It ensures that the experience of that release will always be a thrilling, humbling one.”
Our next instalment of Residents’ Hour will see us hopping over St. George’s Channel to Cork, Ireland. Stay tuned.