- FutureEverything Festival in Manchester isn't really just about the music. From Wednesday to Saturday, the self-proclaimed "summit of ideas and digital invention" features workshops and talks on a massively diverse range of subjects, from coding to environmentalism, city planning to digital art. It focuses, as the name would suggest, on looking to the future and exploring the possibilities ahead. This same philosophy applies to the music programme, which spanned four nights and a huge range of acts, from Brainfeeder artist Lapalux to Throbbing Gristle alumni Carter Tutti.
Friday night's event explored the more experimental fringes of techno. Islington Mill was the perfect venue for an event like this, its exposed pipework and low arched ceilings creating a fantastic intimate atmosphere. Rashad Becker was the first to step up, playing a live set completely devoid of percussion, which some feared might set the tone for the evening (it was a Friday night after all). The crowd was divided—some eager to sit back and let his lush soundscapes wash over them, others desperate for something to move to.
This only made it more surprising when we were treated to about 200% more amen breaks than I would have ever expected. Sure, Lee Gamble's a reformed junglist, but it was Andy Stott's ten-minute live work-out of his jungle-techno hybird "Up The Box" that really tore the place up, stretching the tune out to the length it really deserves. He followed this with some straight up '90s hardcore that left me feeling sorry for Powell. How could his brand of organic noise follow something so undeniably rave?
The crowd seemed to agree at first, though the room was quickly rescued by a DJ set that touched on all of Powell's influences, while keeping its sights firmly on the dance floor. From acid-tinged techno to 4 Hero's terrifying classic "Mr Kirk's Nightmare" to Sonic Youth's "I'm Insane," it was a fantastic display of his musical breadth and ability. As Hieroglyphic Being approached the decks, the tension in the room was palpable: here was a crowd eager to worship at the altar of Mathematics. He showed an original approach to beat-matching, in that there wasn't any. It speaks to the power of his track selection and stage presence that the room was left wanting more, even well past the scheduled closing time.