Live Review: Sandro Dallarmi's top ten ultimate party tracks ahead of #PS12

Buy your tickets to Purple Sneakers Twelfth Birthday here!

Sydney DJ, radio host and dance music connoisseur SANDRO DALLARMI is equal parts passionate about discovering new dance music as he is about sharing it with those around him. His deep passion and love for not only his local scene, but the international community as well, is contagious and in a community that continues to overcome set backs thanks to restrictive laws and policies that hinder this scene perhaps a little more than others, it's this passion that becomes somewhat a symbol of hope.

Known for his high energy and intensity DJ sets as well as his eclectic and expertly put together radio shows both on FBi Radio on his show, 'Switch', and late night on triple J, Dallarmi strives to shine a spotlight on forward thinking, progressive and most importantly, exciting dance music from all across the world. We couldn't be more excited to have him join us once again for our birthday party this year as part of VIVID Sydney, so we decided to get to know him a little better and find out all about his ultimate party tunes.

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Before he joins us at The Lansdowne on June 16th alongside DRO CAREY, RAINBOW CHAN, ALTA, CLYPSO, THANDI PHOENIX and more, take a sneak peek at some of his favourite tunes below and nab your tickets to #PS12 right HERE!

Nina Las Vegas - Ezy

NLV Records has gotta be the most combustible dance label in Australia right now. Every release hits like nothing else on my USB, but Ezy is untouchable. Two years after its release, it’s still a thrilling surprise on the dancefloor, forcibly yanking the too-cool crowd’s hands in their air and boggling the minds of first-time clubbers. It’s deceptively simple, uniquely Australian, and a straight-up club anthem that I reckon we’ll be looking back on with affection and reverence in years to come.

DJ Sliink & Sinjin Hawke - Raw

DJ Sliink recently tweeted that he’s stepping away from Jersey club, a genre he spearheaded internationally for most of this decade, so I like to think of this team-up with Fractal Fantasy co-founder Sinjin Hawke as his thumping farewell gift to us all. It’s raw Jersey energy — all kicks, claps and stuttering raps — elevated by Sinjin’s sonic wizardry and tied to the culture’s roots via Sliink’s Brick Bandits shoutouts. Plus, it just goes hard. Try to resist cranking the volume when those monolithic horns roll in, I honestly can’t do it!

Quay Dash - Queen Of This Shit

Over the past few years there’s been a long-overdue push to reconnect house music with its queer, black roots, and this bossed-up banger from New York rapper Quay Dash is the perfect example of what’s been missing from the culture. Every lyric is puffed up and spat out with self-assured power, and the hefty beat from SOPHIE throws constant curveballs without ever losing sight of the dancefloor. It’s not gonna sound good mixed into a Frankie Knuckles record from 1989, but Queen Of This Shit projects empowerment in the club just as house music’s founders intended.

Virtual Self - Ghost Voices

From the underground to the mainstream, trance is starting to beam its way back into our consciousness right now. This new side-project from Porter Robinson celebrates euphoric synths and massive dancefloors in a way that’s as artful as it is grandiose (classic Porter, really). I personally just love a hands-in-the-air moment that doesn’t rely on a singalong, and Ghost Voices achieves that three times over.

Kaytranada - Track Uno

I have a huge soft spot for warm, soulful music, so I’m ever-grateful to Kaytranada for bringing that feeling to the dancefloor in so many different ways. As a DJ, I’ll never forget walking onstage at a sold-out Oxford Art Factory as Soulection founder Joe Kay played his last song, and opening my set with Track Uno. That signature Kaytra bassline did its work and the sweat kept dripping later than any other legal Sydney party in recent memory.

Riton & Kah-Lo - Fake ID

Dance music in 2018 doesn’t get more playful and catchy than a Riton & Kah-Lo collab. It feels like they’re jumping on the same wave that bloghaus did ten years ago, which is objectively a very good thing and I hope we hear more of it from others. It’ll be super fun to catch them at Splendour and they’re not leaving my USB in the meantime.

Tkay Maidza & Danny L Harle - Bom Bom

I love Tkay so much when she takes it to the club. Before Bom Bom it was a rare Wave Racer remix of Carry On that had me hooked, but this new one’s got some truly chaotic rave energy. PC Music’s dorky pop prince, Danny L Harle, is supernatural on the beat, dodging Tkay’s flow with clonking cowbells and thumping toms. Synths swirl, Tkay shouts, and it’s all a very good time.

Sharda - Nobody Else (feat. Gemma Dunleavy)

UKG-style vocals reach nightcore speeds over a feathery jumpstyle beat on this Sharda track. I dunno how a goofy concept like that actually resulted in good music but it bloody did. In fact, I’d really like to hire a jumping castle so I can properly enjoy the whole Sharda EP. Murlo’s Coil Records released it and they’ve got more clever twists on daggy genres up their sleeve if this one tickles your fancy.

Omar Souleyman - Khayen (Swick Remix)

Swick’s over-the-top rave drop in this remix was honestly way too much for me on first listen, and I’m not exactly squirmish about high-energy club weaponry. After listening on loop, I realised this isn’t Knife Party’s Destroy Them With Lazers feat. Omar Souleyman, but a genuinely beautiful rework of a dance music legend. There’s subtlety and depth to the production that’s easily missed at first glance because it’s not ashamed about bringing enough ecstatic energy to make your pupils look like soccer balls. Never doubt Swick!

Cupcakke - Quiz

I’ve been waiting for Cupcakke to make an explosive club track like this. Her raps are aggressive and cheeky, and the beat smacks at 160BPM as if one of my faves Big Dope P or Moonbase made it. I tried to play it for friends recently but it was way too intense for a casual backyard hang. Might have to save it for PS12!

Vivid Sydney and FBi Radio Present Purple Sneakers Twelfth Birthday

Date: Saturday 16th June 2017

Venue: The Lansdowne

Time: 6pm – 3am

Address: 2-6 City Road, Chippendale, Sydney

Price: $22.00 + BF. Tickets available here

FB event here

Lineup in alphabetical order:

ALL MY FRIENDS DJS

ALTA

ANNIE BASS

CLYPSO