#Podcast - RA.702 Orla - 2019.11.11 ~ Lurid House Live

Breaks and bass from an exciting young DJ.

Orlagh Dooley's 2016 debut, UK Lonely, turned heads because it was a Hotflush record that sounded like an old Hotflush record. It had the hallmarks of post-dubstep—a garage shuffle, catchy vocals, a hint of dub—wrapped in the gleaming aesthetics of modern techno and electro, an irresistible combination that forms the backbone of almost everything she does. She first learned these sounds after moving to Liverpool from her native Ireland in 2012. In Liverpool, Dooley discovered a small but dedicated dance music scene that helped nurture her into the adventurous artist she is today.

After her first record came out, Dooley quickly set up a label—Deep Sea Frequency—to go with the party—Meine Nacht—that she ran with fellow Liverpudlian Breakwave. At Meine Nacht, Dooley fleshed out the style of music she plays now: bright, shiny, colourful and retro. Imagine electro and bass music touched with the technicolour of Copenhagen's fast techno scene. Her newer label, Céad, which she runs by herself, has featured equally hybridized, retrofuturist sounds from Lewski and Blu Terra. Dooley's mix for RA shows how deep and far back her tastes can go, folding in Florida breaks, vintage UK garage and modern deep house for a decade-spanning set that feels, as ever, familiar but tantalizingly fresh.

What have you been up to lately?

Right now I'm on a flight to Hong Kong for my first China tour. I will play at Shi Fu Miz festival, Zhao Dai in Beijing and Elevator in Shanghai. Aside from touring I've been spending a lot of time in studio mode, working on a remix which will come out on my label and also on my next EP.

How and where was the mix recorded?

I finally bought myself some CDJs to record this—up until now I had never owned a set. It was recorded on an Allen & Heath Xone 96 mixer, two CDJ-2000 NXS2s, a Pioneer XDJ, Neumann KH 120A monitors and a TC Hall Of Fame reverb pedal. I recorded it at my place in Berlin at the end of the summer, with the help of lots of tea and Haribo sweets.

Can you tell us about the idea behind the mix?

The mix is based around nostalgia. I also wanted to shed light on tracks that might get overlooked in a festival setting or during a headline slot. There's a lot of stuff from around '93-'96, a couple of bits from a compilation CD I found in Japan, some Florida breaks and a few of my own live edits and tweaks. I decided to bookend the narrative with a dreamlike, nonsensical soundscape with the aim to try and transport the listener's mind back to those hazy, nonsensical moments that sometimes surround a night out.

You recently started a new label, called Céad. How does it differ from your last label, Deep Sea Frequency?

With the previous label I was experimenting and finding my feet within the releasing music world. With Céad I have more of a clear vision, from the concept behind the art direction to the kind of music and artists I want to push. I'm enjoying working with Patrick Savile on the artwork, which features coded messages unique to each release on the back of the physical EPs.

You spent your formative musical years in Liverpool, a city whose scene we don't hear much about compared to places like Manchester and London. What makes it special, and how did it shape you?

There's something about the essence of Liverpool which reminds me of home. I was pretty heavily involved in the dance music scene there during my university years through attending events, running parties and holding the odd DJ workshop. I got into the scene through joining a dance music society organised by the university. We would meet up a couple of times a month and hold open deck nights where members would get a slot by writing their name down on a list, first come first served. A club called 24 Kitchen Street gave me my first proper residency, they really supported me from the beginning and the guys behind it are the hardest working promoters I know.

What are you up to next?

Gig-wise, I'm excited to play at De School again near the end of November. I am also going back to the US and Canada around that time. Beyond this and the new year I'm not entirely sure. I'm enjoying not thinking too far into the future.

Tracklist /
Scanner - Safety
The New London School Of Electronics - Voices Of The Rainforest (Blackout Mix)
??
Freaky Chakra vs. Single Cell Orchestra - I Want To Fall
Peter Tall vs. Xpando - Downtime
Fingers Project - Give Me A Wink (Thursday Club's Orlando Boom Mix)
DJ Icey - Low Down Good Girl
DJ Technics - Officer Breakdown
Dan Cough - B Jam
Soundmaster T - 2 Much Booty (Boom Shaka Mix)
Southside Allstars - Angel (4x4 Dub)
T99 - Anasthasia (Cave Edit)
Atjazz- Galaxy Bonus Beats
Friction & Spice - Dark Knight
Rebirth - Pure
DJ Snowman - Waves (DJ Baby Anne)
R2M - For So Many Reason
Scanner - Safety