january 2026
New Year, same old music taste. Oh, and a trip to China.
live events
where i've been
January 1: Sacha Mambo at Dim
I take the saying “Как Новый год встретишь, так его и проведешь” quite seriously. Last year, I spent New Year’s Eve at 20/44 club, listening to Vladimir Ivković’s set, and throughout 2025, I heard a lot of great tunes and attended various events that brought me plenty of feelings and happy memories. So not going to a club on the first day of 2026 wasn’t even an option for me. Being a rare guest at Dim, and this club was quite close to the place where we saw the old year out, it all felt nicely aligned.
I take the saying “Как Новый год встретишь, так его и проведешь” quite seriously. Last year, I spent New Year’s Eve at 20/44 club, listening to Vladimir Ivković’s set, and throughout 2025, I heard a lot of great tunes and attended various events that brought me plenty of feelings and happy memories. So not going to a club on the first day of 2026 wasn’t even an option for me. Being a rare guest at Dim, and this club was quite close to the place where we saw the old year out, it all felt nicely aligned.
January 17: INS Land, Shanghai / Ladybird at Dirty
This month, I visited China for the first time in my life – more specifically, Shanghai. Before going, I did a bit of research and found around four clubs I was curious to check out.
On our first night in the city, we spotted a local bar near our hotel. One of the staff spoke English, so we tried our luck and asked him for recommendations. He mentioned INS, and since it was already on my list, we went with it.
We ended up going on Sunday, when tickets were much cheaper. We were curious, just not 40 euros per person curious.
This month, I visited China for the first time in my life – more specifically, Shanghai. Before going, I did a bit of research and found around four clubs I was curious to check out.
On our first night in the city, we spotted a local bar near our hotel. One of the staff spoke English, so we tried our luck and asked him for recommendations. He mentioned INS, and since it was already on my list, we went with it.
We ended up going on Sunday, when tickets were much cheaper. We were curious, just not 40 euros per person curious.
When we entered the building, the first thing we saw was... an arcade area of sorts, where you could play a human slot machine, get your fortune told from a book (at least, that's what it seemed like), and try a few other activities. Honestly, it threw us off guard and for a moment we thought: so, this is it?
Some AI slop was also spotted, which left a bit of a bad aftertaste.
We wandered around for a while before finally figuring out how the whole system worked. If you’re holding an All Pass, all you need to do is show it to the bouncer. They’ll either give you a bracelet or a stamp on your wrist, hand you a token for a welcome drink, and let you in.
Some AI slop was also spotted, which left a bit of a bad aftertaste.
We wandered around for a while before finally figuring out how the whole system worked. If you’re holding an All Pass, all you need to do is show it to the bouncer. They’ll either give you a bracelet or a stamp on your wrist, hand you a token for a welcome drink, and let you in.
Our first club of the night was Oasis. Despite the name, it turned out to be a fairly standard basement bar, plus a go-go dancer with a lightsaber.
After that, we went on to explore the rest of the clubs in the building. We definitely entered Culture Club, Dirty, FRiENDS, La Fin and Freshman. As for the rest, I'm not quite sure: some of them only start to open closer to 11 p.m.
After that, we went on to explore the rest of the clubs in the building. We definitely entered Culture Club, Dirty, FRiENDS, La Fin and Freshman. As for the rest, I'm not quite sure: some of them only start to open closer to 11 p.m.
FRiENDS was by far the strangest place out of them all. The club leans heavily into a mad-hospital aesthetic, which is why the first thing you see upon entering is a man in a pigeon mask, wearing a lab coat, sitting on a toilet and reading a newspaper. Once you reach the main floor, another pigeon man approaches you and invites you to play a Crocodile Dentist game. The loser gets a shot.
Some clubs were playing IDM, others hip-hop, and in a few we heard pop music. Maybe it was the day and time we chose, but we didn't see a single DJ in any of these places – except Dirty, which ended up being our last stop before leaving the building.
Some clubs were playing IDM, others hip-hop, and in a few we heard pop music. Maybe it was the day and time we chose, but we didn't see a single DJ in any of these places – except Dirty, which ended up being our last stop before leaving the building.
Jet lag is a bitch, so I didn't last more than 30 minutes at Dirty before starting to fade, which means I can't really give a full review of Ladybird's set. Still, from what we experienced, it was the closest thing to the kind of vibe we're used to.
If you're going out as a big group – especially one with mixed tastes and expectations – INS is probably your safest bet for the night.
If you're going out as a big group – especially one with mixed tastes and expectations – INS is probably your safest bet for the night.
sets
what’s been catching my ear lately
Nono Gigsta. Freerotation 2024 : The House Of Crocodiles Part 2 (Live Recording)
My first thought when I hit play on this set was "what the fuck", and I mean it in the best possible way. Such a journey – be ready to get amused and taken to places you didn't even know you wanted to visit.
My first thought when I hit play on this set was "what the fuck", and I mean it in the best possible way. Such a journey – be ready to get amused and taken to places you didn't even know you wanted to visit.
Yanamaste - LIVE Set | 27/09/2020 @ KHIDI Club, Tbilisi
Still biting my elbows that I missed his set when I was at RSO, hope I’ll be able to catch him live one day. Happy to see him thriving.
Still biting my elbows that I missed his set when I was at RSO, hope I’ll be able to catch him live one day. Happy to see him thriving.
Dana Kuehr at Waking Life 2025
If you want to picture what it’s like chilling somewhere around Waking Life in the middle of the day, hit play.
If you want to picture what it’s like chilling somewhere around Waking Life in the middle of the day, hit play.
albums and EPs
what made it onto my radar this month
KIKOK – Iov
Favourite track: bi
Favourite track: bi
Detroit's Filthiest – Smoke Suggests Fire EP
Favourite track: Vena Amoris
Favourite track: Vena Amoris
Josef Tumari – Jannat Yurtim
Never been to Tashkent, but if this record accurately captures the city's atmosphere, it makes me want to go.
Favourite track: Trip210
Never been to Tashkent, but if this record accurately captures the city's atmosphere, it makes me want to go.
Favourite track: Trip210
tracks
new-to-me sounds
Keepsakes - Tyrannical Conga
Even though I barely open Instagram – 5 minutes a day tops – I was lucky enough to catch this track during that window.
Even though I barely open Instagram – 5 minutes a day tops – I was lucky enough to catch this track during that window.
Maceo Plex - Gravy Train (Nicolas Jaar Remix)
Heard this track while we were sitting at that bar in Shanghai I mentioned earlier. It was accompanied by a cute video clip of an umbrella drifting through the wind.
Heard this track while we were sitting at that bar in Shanghai I mentioned earlier. It was accompanied by a cute video clip of an umbrella drifting through the wind.
Muhammad Taha – Who Is The King Today
Eamon Harkin – Special Sympathy (Sobolik's Parasympathetic Dub)
ear worms
fall in love again and again
fall in love again and again
fall in love again and again
fall in love again and again
fall in love again and again
Scissor Sisters – Sex and Violence
I still remember the first time I heard this song. It was part of a theatre production based on "Flowers for Algernon" – a huge sensation when it premiered, or at least that's how I remember it. I attended it twice, the first time being the year it premiered.
During the chapter where the main character moves to the city (keeping things vague on purpose), two tracks from this album played – Night Life and Sex and Violence. The latter stuck in my head for a long time and has now made its appearance again.
I still remember the first time I heard this song. It was part of a theatre production based on "Flowers for Algernon" – a huge sensation when it premiered, or at least that's how I remember it. I attended it twice, the first time being the year it premiered.
During the chapter where the main character moves to the city (keeping things vague on purpose), two tracks from this album played – Night Life and Sex and Violence. The latter stuck in my head for a long time and has now made its appearance again.
L.P. Rhythm - Versatile
Once again, I fall victim to TikTok trends.
Once again, I fall victim to TikTok trends.
miscellaneous
honourable mentions that don't fit the topics above
MTV
On December 31, 2025, MTV shut down several music-only channels, putting an end to decades of 24-hour music broadcasting. It's hard for me to say what kind of influence the channel had on my childhood and musical taste, but one thing's for sure – it introduced an entirely new format for musicians and filmmakers to show off their talent to the world. For that, I'll always be thankful.
If nostalgia hits, I'd recommend watching I Want My MTV documentary. I saw it about seven years ago, so my memory's a bit fuzzy, but I remember it being solid.
You can also explore the massive video archive. It’s a great idea with solid execution, just don’t forget to scroll through all the available “channels” and pick your poison.
On December 31, 2025, MTV shut down several music-only channels, putting an end to decades of 24-hour music broadcasting. It's hard for me to say what kind of influence the channel had on my childhood and musical taste, but one thing's for sure – it introduced an entirely new format for musicians and filmmakers to show off their talent to the world. For that, I'll always be thankful.
If nostalgia hits, I'd recommend watching I Want My MTV documentary. I saw it about seven years ago, so my memory's a bit fuzzy, but I remember it being solid.
You can also explore the massive video archive. It’s a great idea with solid execution, just don’t forget to scroll through all the available “channels” and pick your poison.