This Saturday (18^th April), I’ll be headlining a special bleep, bass and breaks inspired edition of regular party Groove Connection at Cosies, a legendary subterranean space in Portland Square here in my adopted home city of Bristol.

I was delighted when the West of England Combined Authority Space Agency crew, the collective behind the party, invited me to play. They’ve been doing great things in and around Bristol for some time, and a few years ago (probably more than a few, to be honest – time flies) they were responsible for a brilliant but short-lived basement space in Stokes Croft – the kind of ‘hush hush’ place where, if you knew the score and could get in, you were always guaranteed a great time.

Groove Connection, their latest endeavour, has a specific purpose, too. It’s not merely a semi-regular club night, but also a fundraising platform. Proceeds from door sales go directly towards supporting NHS charity Headlight. The basic aim of the Groove Connection/Headlight hook up is – in their words – ‘to create a regular space where those under Bristol’s mental health community teams can mix both their favourite beats and with likeminded others’.

In order to do this, they want to find and utilise a space that can be used, with room for support workers, for mental health patients who are under secondary care. The plan is to hire a local DJ studio space (or similar), complete with a soundsystem and equipment. Their aim is to raise £2500 to “ensure a suitable studio is accessible and equipment is sourced, along with the occasional guest DJ for inspiration and expert tuition.

It’s a cause I’m more than happy to support. Certainly, I know myself how important the ability to mix and get lost in music has been to my mental health over the years. I’m lucky that I can do this at home – and sometimes, when booked, in venues – but most don’t have that option.

To bump up fundraising potential, they’ll also be holding a raffle on the night. I’ve contributed two signed copies of the updated and expanded edition of Join The Future: Bleep Techno and the Birth of British Bass Music, as well as a copy of the now hard-to-find Join The Future: UK Bleep & Bass 1988-92 compilation. If you buy a ticket for the party in advance via this Headfirst Bristol link, you’ll automatically be entered into the raffle. Additional raffle tickets can also be bought on the night.

So what can you expect from the party? Well, I’ll be digging deep into the collection and delivering a set rooted in original bleep and bass and early breakbeat hardcore, with some newer stuff and sonically related jams thrown in. To get you in the mood, I’ve embedded a couple of my more bleep-focused/bass-focused mixes and set recordings below.

Aside from yours truly, the line-up also includes various WECASA DJs and friends, most notably fine local selector Spin Thief. I’ll be on around 11.30pm, with the party starting a couple of hours before – my advice is to get down early, because these guys have seriously impressive record collections and a deep knowledge of deep house, electro and techno.

Just a reminder that you can grab your tickets via this link. For more info on the West of England Combined Authority Space Agency crew, head over to their website by clicking here.