Beatport Landed Drops Into Melbourne’s Clubs, Bush Doofs and DIY Raves

Melbourne is a long way from almost everywhere. That distance leaves a mark. Music arrives from overseas, but it rarely survives in its original form. Local artists pull it apart, fill in the blanks and send it back out sounding unmistakably their own.

The latest Beatport Landed gets into that process. Hosted by Beatport Next alum DJ Sarah of the Aussie duo IN2STELLAR, the episode brings together Melbourne's local underground experts Close Counters, C. FRIM, DJ JNETT, DJ PGZ, Laura King, Mabel and Moopie for a tour through the clubs, outdoor parties and small communities that keep their city moving.

Nobody here talks as if the city has one defining sound. It doesn’t. Melbourne is full of smaller scenes rubbing up against each other, sharing crowds and borrowing ideas. House, techno, progressive sounds and stranger combinations all get pulled into the mix. The crossover is where things become interesting.

Then there is the bush. Drive an hour beyond the city and you are out among the trees, where bush doofs have become a world of their own. The landscape has even worked its way into the music. Locals call it “bush techno”: proggy, organic, and squelchy – built for long nights and dancing under the bush telly. Those sounds eventually find their way back into Melbourne’s clubs, carrying some of the dust with them.

The line between club culture and DIY activity remains loose. Miscellania’s Sunday parties, Revolver’s marathon weekends, Sub Club and Fairfield Amphitheatre all get their flowers in the episode. So do warehouse raves, park parties and illegal gatherings, where the setup may be rougher but the barriers to entry are lower.

All of that has produced a crowd with unusual stamina. Melbourne dancers are wild, curious and prepared to stick around. Growing up with overnight festivals will do that to you.

Watch Beatport Landed: Melbourne in the player above and check out the tracks featured in the video below.