EDINBURGH CLUB GUIDE: Fringe Special

A stand out on the opening weekend, Fringe By the Sea sees an enticing collaboration with the eternal Hacienda bringing together three of house music's OGs in Todd Terry, Marshall Jefferson, and Jon DaSilva.

Edinburgh's iconic community radio station EHFM returns to Sneaky's for their festival edition with three of their most intriguing residents. Electronic experimentalists both in their productions and as selectors, Naafi, Pelk, & Sweet Philly are set to drift through hot club, bass, breaks, ballroom and beyond in this 6 hour special.

Cabaret Voltaire presents a new Fringe special with Haven, a Sunday series throughout the festival that sees some of the city's most prominent female and LGBTQ+ collectives takeover the iconic Blair Street vaults. The opening edition sees Mind The Gap takeover the main room with local head turners Jodie Mooney, Mily B, and the thunderous Lucky Dip. The highly hyped Femmergy party take control of the Café with their inclusive blend of cabaret and queer bops making them one of the most unique party experiences the city has to offer at present.

Elysium returns to the Mash House for its second edition, this time gauging an extended lineup through to 5am with Berlin's DJ Hyperdive with support from some of Edinburgh and Glasgow finest speed-demons in DV60, Vandal, residents Geo & Kater, & more. A party that is standing out on its own in the city at present with its pulsating sounds of hard dance & psytrance, Elysium and a 5am license appears a just fit.

Local stalwart Franck invites one of Europe's most cutting edge producers in DJ MELL G to the capital as part of his local selectors Fringe takeover. Mell is no stranger to our archives with extensive coverage of her rough and ready Juicy Gang releases being featured on our Fresh Juice series over the last year or so. Her fresh take on ghetto tech, booty bass, and electro rightfully makes its debut in the city into the extended hours.

The International Festival invites a stellar collection of artists to Leith Theatre this August with techno pioneer Jeff Mills standing out as one of the most notable. The Detroit legend will be performing his Tomorrow Comes The Harvest set that was created with late great Tony Allen, alongside Jean-Phi Dary and Phrabu Edouard at the stunning Leith Theatre.

With its usual home of Bongo Club in Underbelly hibernation for the month, Edinburgh's party mainstay Headset ventures to Summerhall for the very first time with past guest DEBONAIR headlining the enthralling dissection room alongside Aaliyah Enyo, Capricorn One, and bossman Skillis.

One of the standout acts coming to the city this August, Squarepusher takes to the capital bringing with him his cutting edge intelligent breakbeat sounds. Made iconic by his 90s releases on labels like Warp, the Squarepusher moniker returns after a 5 year hiatus with his defining live set ready to rock the stunning surroundings of Leith Theatre.

Haven invites everyone's favourite Miss World to the vaults for its second Sunday party with trio Feena, Aphid, and Aaliyah Enyo all set to thump it out in the main room with their signature rave-ready sounds.

Drifting away from the club sounds momentarily as US native bossing vocalist Princess Nokia follows Jeff Mills and Squarepusher for a rare performance in the city's famous theatre. The New York born Puerto Rican MC spits it as it is and is one of the modern day defining figures in America's alternative hip-hop sound.

Shaping up to be one of the biggest nights of the festival on Cowgate, ghetto tech and booty bass pioneer DJ Assault lands in town as Overground celebrates 6 years of parties with the Detroit icon taking control of the tables for one of their biggest (if not the biggest) shows to date. Simply put, this is not to be missed!

One of the city's most honest and underground shindigs, Signal returns with founder Aidan Gibson going toe to toe alongside Tinnitus Williams, as well as selections from one of Scotland's most respected in Nina Stanger.

After having to postpone his previous date earlier in the year, Parris finally makes his highly anticipated appearance with Palidrone who have only gone and secured one biggest names in jungle right now to join him in Tim Reaper. Fresh after launching their label, the Palidrone team as always know how to shift their nights into all kinds of club sounds, and this will be no different with support from J Wax, sosi, & more to boot. One of the standout bookings of the festival for us.

The big names just keep on coming as First Edition invite Hessle Audio co-founder Pearson Sound to Mash House. One of the UK's most respected selectors and producers, his genre-bending, bass ridden sounds are sure to turn heads on one of the peak nights of the Fringe.

Spearheading Ireland's bass movement with her riveting Woozy label, EMA takes on the tight-knit surroundings of Sneaky Pete's alongside Feena and Mixed Feelings for a night dubbed out percussive magic. Club Sylkie once again land one of the best around in wubby and dubby club.

Edinburgh's definitive techno party Pulse takes on the Mash House festival closing party (as they have done so since 2015) with hypnotic groove master Rene Wise boasting as main act with a mouth watering 3 hour set alongside support from Darrell Pulse himself and residents.

Two of the great Scott sound systems go head to head at Summerhall on the festival's closing Saturday as roots meets rub-a-dub. Edinburgh's Messenger and their MC's Afrikan Simba & Ras Ista Lion combine with Glasgow's Hometown Rub-a-Dub rockers and MC Campeazi for a night of one love vibrations.

On what will be the grand finale of festival proceedings, Haven's Cab Vol Sunday residency closes out with Duality Trax founder Holly Lester. Her notable mixing sound of electro and deep groove is set to beautifully put the lid on what will no doubt be a breath-taking August on Cowgate and the city's beyond.