Founded in 2008, Make Me have come a long way in their nine years. Starting out at a time when attitudes towards nightlife began to shift, longevity was always going to be a difficult task. Anyone who has put on a party before can attest – there are many pitfalls to avoid; obstacles to overcome; and set-backs to deal with. With spaces becoming scarcer and legislation tougher, promotion in this day and age is almost a non-starter. However, in 2017, Make Me find themselves firmly established, with an unrivalled reputation, certainly in the UK.

Whilst other promoters have fallen for the lure of mass social-media engagement, big-fee headliners and expansive warehouse raves stacked with 1-hour sets, the Make Me crew have forged their own path through uncompromising curation, stripped-back effectiveness and a continued affiliation with more intimate venues such as Corsica Studios, Dance Tunnel (RIP) and the old Studio Spaces.

Their parties showcase an eclecticism in promotion that is rarely seen in London – evidenced by their roster of featured artists that reads like a who’s who in electronic music, from DJ Deep to Kassem Mosse; Ben UFO to Soundstream. They engage talented artists, allowing them the licence to create unforgettable experiences.

Regardless of the tempo or noise, there’s always an inimitable vibe and atmosphere that keep us coming back time and time again. With their 9th birthday – featuring the Italian grand master Donato Dozzy and astral traveller Blind Observatory – and another appearance at UK festival darling Gottwood on the horizon, we caught up with residents Rubin, Rupes and Nic Baird to give us the five tracks that they feel best encapsulates a typical Make Me party, from ambient openings to nosebleed finishers.

Tickets for Gottwood 2017 have now sold out – make your move quickly for one of the limited resale tickets available.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cj8WwUEWwdk&list=PLR6HFlepplFYlDtPd8gqEDcVg5uuXarfR
Råd Kjetil Senza Testa – Of The Augmented Living Dead (Northern Electronics)

We start every Make Me with some ambient music. It can be a much more physical form of music than people give it credit for and it can set a super nice tone with the right crowd. You can go anywhere from an ambient start, which is important with any opening set. This is one of our favourites to start with – an early Northern Electronics number, which actually sounds pretty great at 45 too. Its 25 minutes long so it normally gets played between 8 – 15 mins.

Leafar Legov – Cenote (Kann)

We never leave the house without at least 2 records on Kann. It’s such an amazing label out of Leipzig and their releases are generally perfect for setting the mood. There’s so many to choose from but recently I’ve been playing this one about 30 mins in as it brings a tiny bit more urgency to the slower, less percussive stuff that would have come before it. Its deep, dreamy and melancholic – a perfect early night record.

SW. – Reminder Part 3 B1 (Sued)

SW. is one of our favourite producers, with every release seeming to get better. His album on SUED last year is well worth checking out if you haven’t already heard it. And the 12’s he puts out are all exceptionally good. This one, B1 on SUED 012 is our number one. It’s wonderfully upbeat with these sweeping pads, hidden melodies and wonky drum patterns. It always goes down well.

Donato Dozzy & Giorgio Gigli – Chiki Disco (Electronica Romana)

Dozzy has a special place in our hearts. He’s played some of our favourite sets at Make Me over the years and is an artist whose personality can be heard very clearly in his music. His back catalogue contains some of the best techno you’ll hear, and this one in collaboration with Giorgio Gigli is a masterpiece that never leaves the bag.

Privacy – Apex Predator (Lobster Theremin)

There’s no two ways about it, this is an absolute monster of a record. As the name suggests, it’s a vicious beast and a peak time banger that brings some real menace to the floor. It’s one of those that’s extremely enjoyable to play and sounds incredible on a proper system – like Corsica Studios Room 1.