Crate Diggin': Ivan Smagghe Shares 10 Club Records That Mean A Lot To Him 'In A fabric Way'

You could almost spend the full length of the day just figuring out the best way to start explaining just why Ivan Smagghe is so deserving of the respect he’s garnered throughout his long and dense career. He’s done quite a lot in the decades he’s been alive - he established the first Rough Trade store in Paris, lit up electroclash with his Black Strobe project and is responsible for an extensive list Kill The DJ and Les Discques De La Mort releases and parties. While this list is a start on covering what he’s achieved, it’s still not at all an exhaustive run down by any means. When it comes to our relationship with Smagghe our own respect for him is built on the simple fact that he’s one of our favourite DJs - the expansive range of sounds he draws from when he plays for us is always punkish, synth heavy and tends to carry a playful driving force. He’s back in Farringdon this coming Friday night and ahead of his date to whet our appetite for his return we asked him to share an area of his collection for our latest Crate Diggin’ feature. Here he’s drawn from the club environment, pulling out records for a variety of moments of those moments we find themselves in and with our space in Farringdon close to his heart. To be clear, there are no absolute permanent favourites, the Discs De La Mort boss lays out in way of a personal introduction...

"Words of warning: those 10 record always change, these are not "my ten favourite records", they don't exist. As you move on, even your classic evolve, constantly shifting. There are also records you don't want to talk about, and I here kind of stuck to the electronic genre… call it "club music" if you want or if you need."

1. Prinz Ezo – Outside House

Ivan Smagghe: Post Vladimir M tripped out jackin to be played at minus 16. From the "never leaves the box, rarely played but when it is" section…

2. The Actors Pedantry – House

I could not find a Youtube link but this is one of the most important record of the IDEAL years. Those who know will know. From the "forgotten nonsense" section. Check the record on Discogs.

3. Rare People – Ocean

Ha! A little bit of cheese will go a very long way, especially later in the night. From the "nothing special are often the best" section.

4. Sequential – Saturn Cruises

At 33 rpm? Or may be at -16? Dig deeper, go deeper, longer, longer, longgggggggggger. Beats any nu-aid generic record hands down. One of many from the "Vladimir Ivkovic wrong speed trance" section.

5. Renegade Soundwave – The Phantom

Always and forever. The break, the bass and the ooooohs. From the "massively underrated band" section.

6. Chris & Cosey & Eurythmics – Sweet Surprise

A match made in heaven probably. I've always been fascinated by the cold soul of Lennox's voice. C&C, I don't even have to mention. It's normally all about "the walk" but… from the "last record" section.

7. Joe Jackson – Breakdown

The movie came back into my life recently. Proof being that it's not always about the records. Amazing soundtrack really. From the "you always need to slow things down at some point" action.

8. Boytronic –You (Benedikt Frey Edit)

The young Benedikt has turned something close to my nu-beat heart into a huge weapon. Probably the record I've played the most over the last few years. From the "belgica edits" section.

9. DJ Eilin – Geile Tehre

Jack is not very important to me. I can't deny it. But some of his children are. Kind of a Green Velvet record without the funk. From the "why am I playing records for the kids" section.

10. It’s Immaterial – Space (Disco Mix)

Too many words have been said about ‘the island’. I once proposed we ship it to the northern seas and kneel down for the frozen Balearic gods. This is all about the operatic/epic last 2 minutes. This is as warm as I'll get. From the "clouded sunshine/Ata" section.   Photo: Marc De Sant