DJ Slow, savvy selector of hardware-based techno, African dance music, and dub.
DJ Slow, savvy selector of hardware-based techno, African dance music, and dub. Nathaniel Young

DJ SLOW (aka ANDREW LENCH; MOTOR Collective; Hollow Earth Radio)

Current Top 5 tracks:

"So, this is incredibly hard to pin down for a voracious consumer of many kinds of music, but I tried to select some current favorites in the styles I’ve been playing out most regularly. (Shout-out to L.I.E.S. and Bunker NY, whose releases are always in my bag for MOTOR. Another nod to the guys at Jungle Gym here in Seattle whose tapes and 12”s I’ve been snapping up regularly these days, as well as local heroes Medical/Transfusions and Further that I keep coming back to.)"

IVVY, "Royal Blue" (MOTOR)
"It’s been nothing short of phenomenal watching Madi [Levine] evolve as a producer since they got involved with MOTOR. Every time I experience their live set, I’m blown away as it continually notches up to the next level. Really excited about this upcoming tape [Sheet Pan]."

Karen Gwyer, "Lay Claim to My Grub" (No Pain in Pop)
"Been a big [Gwyer] fan for a while, intelligent and emotive techno. Really hope somebody brings her to Seattle soon."

William Onyeabor, "Love Is Blind" (Luaka Bop reissue)
"So many amazing funky synth tracks of his to choose from, but this one just makes me smile and move as soon as I hear it. Was thrilled when his catalog started getting reissued."

African Head Charge, "Off the Beaten Track" (On-U Sound)
"Really, anything off the first four albums is gold, but I’m pretty sure I said 'holy shit' out loud the first time I heard this. Weird dub magic."

Danse Musique Rhone-Alpes, "Et C’est Parti Pour Rebelote" (MMODEMM)
"This label was hipped to me via a track Minimal Violence put on their mix for MOTOR. Really cool aesthetic/packaging, but more importantly incredible curation of artists/tracks. As for this cut—just listen to it!"

Crew/label affiliations: "MOTOR Collective—resident and monthly mix series curator. MOTOR is a group of electronic-music producers and DJs, mostly residing in the PNW, which contribute to an event series and label, and I manage our monthly mix series. It’s a sublabel of Debacle Records helmed by the amazing curatorial visionary and Medici of the Bandcamp era known as Sam Melancon. Hollow Earth Radio—Slow Music Meltdown, Mondays 10am-12pm PST. Super-awesome local radio station in the Central District that is currently online only, but very soon will be on the FM dial [as KHUH]."

Styles played: "Most frequently these days it’s techno and related forms of electronic music, numerous styles (both indigenous and imported) from all over Africa, and reggae/dub. But my interest, collection, and styles I’ll play go much wider than that into soul/funk, post-punk, and no wave, indie/psych/classic/krautrock, metal, jazz, Latin and Brazilian, ambient music, hiphop…"

DJing philosophy: "The main thing I’ve always aimed to do is switch things up and try to blend various styles and genres while still maintaining a good flow and atmosphere, regardless of the event. This was the inspiration for mixtapes I used to make and the radio show I had in college, and subsequently the blog I occasionally post to when I have the time. I still try to employ that thinking with sets for MOTOR within the range of electronic music strains it encompasses, however since getting involved with that series and getting more immersed in techno, I have focused more time on improving my sets technically within that style.

"Other than that, I look at each event I play as an opportunity to do something new and share the music I am most excited about that is relevant to that event with the audience and try to engage them. I try not to repeat myself, but of course there are gems that always hit the spot and tend to find themselves in my bag on a regular basis."

Format: "Vinyl, although I’ve recently started using a Serato box + control vinyl at home for tracks I don’t have on wax, which should get more integrated into my sets in the near future. I still need to learn how to use CDJs."

Worst request: "I was DJing a party for a magazine in Seattle a few years back and this drunk guy just really wanted to talk to me about music. He was asking me if I had any Laid Back (which is cool), however when I said I didn’t have it on me, he proceeded to take out his phone to show me (or maybe even play?) the song he wished he could hear, and while showing me, HE DROPPED IT RIGHT ONTO THE RECORD THAT WAS PLAYING. I got him away from the turntables as fast as I could."

Upcoming events: "World Beat Sundays at Timbre Room, August 13. I’ve been excited about this all summer, stoked to play it and mix up sounds from Jamaica, Africa, Brazil. FOMOHOMO at Kremwerk, July 22. This one should be a lot of fun, both floors at Kremwerk/Timbre Room, and an old friend of mine from New York, Night Plane, will be in town to DJ with me. #frenchface Am I Normal? at Revolver Bar, August 2. Always fun to spin oddball Francophonic jams with DJ Emmanuelle at this weird and wonderful monthly. I also help to organize Juju Fuzz: African Psychedelic Dance Music and Dub Diaspora: Exploring the Roots and Reverberations Beyond Jamaica. MOTOR events this summer TBA."