Warm Up, MoMA PS1, August 18, 2012. Photo: Loren Wohl

Last Saturday morning the clouds cleared just in time to make way for the summer rays that always take a Warm Up party to that bonus level of euphoria.

The event began with RVNG Intl.’s Mattheww, who bathed the dance floor with a meditative mix of celestial anti-bangers. The early crowd danced erratically and interpretatively, as those aged six to eight years are wont to do. It was perhaps the first and last time that Woo will ever be heard at a Warm Up event.

Warm Up, MoMA PS1, August 18, 2012. Photo: Loren Wohl

Chicago’s Jamal Moss, aka Hieroglyphic Being, picked up on Mattheww’s way-out lobby and continued along a cosmic crash course, pulling selections from pantheons as diverse as post-punk and sexploitation soundtracks. Dropping Fleetwood Mac’s “Tusk” near the end of his epic excursion, Hieroglyphic Being justified his reputation as one of the most uncompromising and inventive selectors on the leftfield circuit.

Warm Up, MoMA PS1, August 18, 2012. Photo: Loren Wohl

Speaking of circuits, Los Angeles–based audio and visual artist Eddie Ruscha followed up Moss’s set with a live performance of his one-man electronic band Secret Circuit. Performing tracks from his 12″ and forthcoming album on the NYC imprint Beats In Space Records, Ruscha created slow-growing analog house music that glowed all the more thanks to his blissfully effected vocal leads. It was one of the standout live performances of the year.

Jacques Greene’s Warm Up appearance stood out if for no other reason than his impressive black shorts/black leggings fashion combo. Slavishly working the CD-Js at center stage, Greene picked an infinitely funky loop of two step and house, and vocalist Ian Invincible contributed enthusiastic R&B stylings.

Warm Up, MoMA PS1, August 18, 2012. Photo: Loren Wohl

Sam Sheperd, aka Floating Points, finished the day on an impossibly high note. The young British producer studiously sourced from his bag o’ vinyl to ensure the frequencies reached the packed dance floor with tender love and care. Sheperd’s love for heartstring-pulling melodies, funky drumming, and boogie strumming naturally elevated the evening to a place of ecstasy that left no hangover the day after.

Warm Up, MoMA PS1, August 18, 2012. Photo: Loren Wohl

ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 25

Vampire Weekend bassist Chris Baio—who (as simply “Baio”) recently released his first solo effort, the Sunbrn EP, on Greco Roman records—opens the day with a DJ set. He’s followed by Stallions, the DJ and production team of Lovefingers and Lee Douglas. Detroit rapper Danny Brown, known for his charismatic stage presence and off-kilter delivery style and fashion sense, should deliver the most visually arresting set of the day. (Brown is one of contemporary’s hip-hop’s most sought after MCs, having guested recently with the Alchemist, Ab-Soul, A-Track, Araabmuzik, and others.) Jay-Z producer Just Blaze, aka Paterson, NJ’s Justin Smith (who also helmed Eminem’s 2010 collection Recovery) will offer a headlining DJ set following one of Brooklyn’s best DJs, Fool’s Gold cofounder Nick Catchdubs, who is known for club sets that mesh hip-hop, rock, house, and electronic curiosities.

Following this week’s rap/hip hop/disco spectacular, we have quite a diverse international lineup slammed together for Saturday, September 1.

Our headliner, James Holden, kicked off his DJ career at the tender age of 19 with a few trance tracks written while attending Oxford University. His breakout track, 2003’s “A Break in the Clouds,” was the first taste of his new sound, fusing genres seamlessly into a sound altogether his own. A decade later he has gained respect worldwide for his next-level DJing, trend-setting label, and visionary remixes. Mr. Holden draws records from all over the place—contemporary techno, krautrock, shoegaze, and disco—to draw up a crisp, sophisticated, and ebullient map of a mysterious and alluring new world. We’re proud to welcome James Holden for his debut Warm Up performance.

Preceding that is a set by Leipzig, Germany’s enigmatic Kassem Mosse, who’s also willing to dig deep into his crates to find and assemble sounds from all sides of the field into a hypnotic and and magical mix. Mosse has carved out his own sophisticated, deep techno sound—indebted as much to Detroit’s stark techno as it is to Germany’s minimal strain—that’s as readymade for the dancefloor as it is for a pair of nice headphones. His productions and limited-edition 12″s have made fans of some of techno’s heaviest hitters. He’s your favorite producer’s favorite producer, and after his set we’re confident he’ll be one of yours, too.

Before Mr. Mosse, London’s Om Unit delivers a set of his jittery and colorful bass music. Enjoying a recent boost in profile thanks to celebrated releases on Civil Music and on his own Cosmic Bridge imprint, this is his premiere NYC performance! His recent collaborative EP with PS1 Warm up alumnus Machinedrum introduced an awesome juke-inspired, housey vibe into his discography:

And starting off the day for us is a live set from Austin, TX’s Silent Diane. Aside from being the only performers of the day playing a stringed instrument (a bass), they will also bring a smoother, funkier vibe. While they share a few of the day’s artists’ love of analog synthesizers, their music approaches them from a softer, more delicate side. Singer Christine Aprile’s tender vocal lays an elegant, Sade-esque layer atop Silent Diane’s sryrupy sheen. A perfect entree for a day of mind-expanding, beautiful music.

As always, we strongly advise buying tickets in advance. Doing so allows you to skip the line and ensures your entry in the event that we reach capacity. You can buy tickets for any of the upcoming Warm Up events until noon on the day of.