Space disco direct from Amsterdam
Who they?
Figi is Vijay Auke Weemhoff, a Dutch DJ and producer whose stock is rising thanks to his brand of seriously funky, futuristic party music. He’s not one to hide his light under a bushel, either, stating that he’s “on a mission to bring boogie back to the 21st century”.
Why Figi?
His latest EP proves once and for all that disco is the high watermark of civilisation (in case you didn’t know that already). Featuring seven tracks – two ambient, four disco numbers and the synthpoppy ‘Out Of Touch’ – ‘2099’ is an optimistic slice of future fantasy projection that was entirely assembled by Figi in the studio by multi-layering separate takes laid down by session players, much in the way Rolf-Ulrich Kaiser created the krautrock anomaly ‘The Cosmic Jokers’. But the music emanating from his celestial speakers melds the bass of Bootsy Collins with the funky keyboard squelches of Herbie Hancock, and is suffused with the Didier Marouani-led space disco of 70s French proto-electronica outfit Space. Dr San Proper is on the mic for three songs, including ‘Gotta Make A Call’. It transpires that in 2099, telepathy will still not have replaced old-fashioned telecommunications.
Tell us more…
Back here in 2022, Weemhoff is firmly caught up in the melting pot of his home city, Amsterdam. As the latest Magnetron signing, he joins a roster of acts who’ve been flying the flag for progressive analogue dance music from the Netherlands for a while now, including Fatima Yamaha and De Witte Kunst. The label has got the BBC playing some Dutch-language bangers, which is goed, ja?
‘2099’ by Figi is out on Magnetron Music
