The newish local nonprofit S.A.F.E., dedicated to forward-thinking dance music events with no bullshit and no guest lists (omg!), continues to impress. There was that crazy Richie Hawtin one-off last December, a gig by Matthew Dear this summer, and the latest coup, M.A.N.D.Y. at tiny Circa 28 two weeks ago. Beyond those super-high-wattage events, though, the crew's weekly party at Circa continues to bring in impressive talent that rides the cutting edges of techno, electro, and pared-down house sounds.
This weekend's star is Davide Squillace, the Naples (Italy)-raised, Barcelona-based producer who broke out in Europe about a decade ago with pulsating tracks marked by distinct global influences. In the rhythms there was a Teutonic, electro-grind sparseness, but brushed atop were liberal dabs of American soul, and even a tiny bit of hip-hop.
But while he attended sound engineering school in the late Nineties, Squillace's production work dropped off sharply until he returned in 2001 with his Sketch project/record label (and, later, MiniSketch). His work since then has focused on bringing back techno's original funkiness, making his tracks DJ favorites. They're also frequently featured on compilations put out by labels like Cocoon, Freak n' Chic, and even Renaissance.
As a DJ, Squillace bounces back and forth between steady gigs in Barcelona and Naples, and in the summers, presides over Ibiza's circoloco. Saturday's gig brings him to Miami just after a date in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and right before another in Caracas. -- Arielle Castillo
Davide Squillace performs Saturday, November 8 at Circa 28, 2826 N. Miami Ave., Miami. Doors open at 10 p.m., and tickets cost $10 in advance from www.wantickets.com. Ages 21+ with ID. Visit www.safemusic.us.
