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Music

MIXED BY Lakker

The Dublin-based techno duo deliver an all-Irish mix and give us the lowdown on hometown hot spots.

Island countries usually have oversized personalities compared to their modest geographical dimensions, and our latest MIXED BY set courtesy of Dublin-based duo Lakker (Ian McDonnell and Dara Smith) couldn't make that more obvious. The pair whipped up a collection of searing techno tunes, all of which were handmade by Irish artists. We knew Lumigraph and Boya from their contributions to the New York-based Mister Saturday Night label (and the Opal Tapes crew), but had no idea the talent in Ireland ran so deep.

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We weren't surprised to find that Lakker's mix wades into the weeds of scruffy techno and spaced-out, ambient-leaning sketches. As a solo producer, McDonnell recently offered an unsettling, grainy and noise-oriented record on Will Bankhead's avant-dance imprint The Trilogy Tapes, and as a duo, Lakker has put out records via ferocious techno outposts like Lucy's Stroboscopic Artefacts, Berlin's prolific KILLEKILL label and, as of a few weeks ago, the historic UK techno power R&S. Although Lakker is one of the most prominent contemporary producer's out of Ireland, this mix plainly states that there's more to the country's techno scene than meets the eye. We asked McDonnell and Smith to give us the low-down on the local hangouts in Dublin to go along with the incredible mix.

What are your favorite nightclubs or live music venues in Dublin?
1. Twisted Pepper
2. Button factory
3. Odessa
4. Whelans
5. The Pint
6. The Bernard Shaw
7. Block T

What record shops should we visit when we go to Dublin?
1. All City are great guys. Two great labels are based there: Earwiggle and All City.
2. Elastic Witch. Gib, who owns it, is a super nice lad and knows his stuff. He's be involved in the scene here for years.
3. Spindizzy

And what restaurants should we stop at for authentic Irish cuisine?
1. Gallaghers Boxty House
2. Anywhere that sells a spice burger
3. Temple Bar Market on Saturday
4. Lolly and Cooks (get the Savage Roll)
5. Go to O'Neills of Suffock St. for a carvery.
6. The Fumbally Cafe

What about late night munchies?
1. Iskanders
2. Leo Burdocks
3. Garlic cheese and chips from Rick's Burgers.
4. Zaytoon

How about your favorite bars or pubs?
1. Go to Temple Bar pubs if you want to hook up with other tourists and wear a leprechaun hat.
2. We'd usually go out in Camden or South William street to places like Grogans and Anseo.
3. If you want to feel cultured while drinking a quiet pint go to the Library Bar on Exchequer street.

Any more tips?
There are loads of great pop-up restaurants and bars in Dublin at the moment. Plus, BYOB events in venues like galleries and private clubs. See Le Cool or In Dublin or Nialler 9 or Dublin Event Guide for what's going on.

Tracklist:
01. Mail Order Messiahs "Genetic (Eomac Rmx)" (Unreleased)
02. Rory St John "Astroakoustic One" (Acroplane)
03. Sean Carpio & Mark Garry "Drift 2" (Unreleased)
04. Sunken Foal "Low Mountain Light Socket" (Acroplane)
05. K-O.I~3.2^6 "Choke It" (self-released)
06. OKO "Magnet Paste (Eomac Rmx)" (Diatribe)
07. Ordinate "OR12" (Unreleased)
08. Frank B "Jewelin Darlin" (Unreleased)
09. Boya "That's Us" (Mister Saturday Night)
10. Lumigraph "Tampa Awaits" (Opal Tapes)
11. Roger Doyle (Operating Theatre) "Spring Is Coming With A Strawberry In The Mouth" (Mother Records)
12. S_P_A_C_E_S "Outside In" (forthcoming on Bleep)
14. Dubh Thriain "Uut" (Unreleased)
15. Swarm Intelligence "Metal" (Unreleased)
16. Major Grave "Keep On" (Unreleased)
17. Automatic Tasty "Sentamentalist's Choice" (Central Processing Unit)
18. John Lambert "True Faith" (Chequerboard)