The Wu-Tang Clan of the DJ Set

While those of us on the West Coast were getting schooled in rave culture by purveyors of squishy, hug-friendly tunes by Hardkiss and Rabbit in the Moon, our East Coast counterparts were getting prepped Brooklyn-style by the Sonic Groove crew, including Adam X (headlining this week’s Phono), whose very moniker inspires fear. His beats, dripping in acid and razor sharp, are not for the timid. His co-headliner Mark Verbos is like the after-party to an Adam X set, all squiggly lines and hallucinatory reverb. They are joined by Ovum Records’ Levon Vincent. Sat @ 9, Avalon, 662 Sixth Ave, 212 807-7780, $15

Bugz in the Attic are the Wu-Tang Clan of the DJ set—a shifting combo of artists, DJs, and producers that is like a dance-music supergroup. The London-based collective has a production company, a label, and a studio, and a Life: Styles compilation. Orin “Afronaught” Walters spins a set of broken beat/nu-jazz and your basic good ol’ soul, kicking off a residency run at Cielo—giving clubbers relief from the air-dried techno, corny electro, and fluffy house currently permeating the scene. Thu @ 10, Cielo, 18 Little W 12th, 212-645-5700

Richie Hawtin and his multiplying breed of minions are back. The Detroit/Windsor-bred minimalist fled Williamsburg a few years ago for Berlin, where he’s been busy making Mini-Mes—three of them. Marc Houle, Magda, and Troy Pierce operate via Hawtin mind control as Run Stop Restore, making records for Hawtin’s label, M_nus, that recall the iconic sound sets of early-’80s computerdom, mixed with slick futurism.
Fri @ 10, Spirit, 530 W 27th, 212-268-9477