Live Review: Sydney DJ and producer Mincy releases second Extra Spicy VA compilation

Sydney party collective Extra Spicy has launched their second compilation, XTR002, showcasing Australia’s rising underground bass music producers. After years of hosting parties throughout Sydney’s premier clubs, including a residency at the infamous Chinese Laundry and hosting major international artists such as Murder He Wrote and Slimzee, Extra Spicy’s attention has now been turned to pursuing a connection between the strong showing of Australian producers with that of the established scene in the UK.

Headed by a stalwart of the Sydney club circuit, Mincy, and influenced by her time spent living and networking in the UK, XTR002 espouses a wide variety of sounds alongside a conscious nod to representing female producers in the nine track compilation. There’s murky and mysterious footwork from Open-eye on ‘Mystic Shuffle’, hard hitting house from FOURA and 99 Nissan Patrol, rolling UK bass from Akul on ‘Keep On’ (recently featured on FBi Radio’s long-running Spin The Bottle), alongside a myriad of influences from jungle, footwork, UK funky and breakbeat emerging confidently and seamlessly throughout the rest of the release.

Despite the current inability for Extra Spicy to continue their long running standing in Sydney’s nightlife scene (read: COVID19), it’s no mean feat to be able to showcase Australia’s up-and-coming bass talent in such a cohesive and self-assured manner. To get to know more about the compilation, we got to chat to Mincy to dive deeper into XTR002. Check out our chat below, turn this one up loud in your car or bedroom - and thank us later.

Who are you?

I'm Mincy, I'm a Sydney based producer, DJ and label head.

You've got your own label called Extra Spicy. Who did this label come to be, and what is it you're trying to achieve with it?

The label came about after a couple of years toying with the idea. Extra Spicy originated as events that pushed UK underground sounds in Australia. While we were spending a lot of time promoting the bigger artists we were bringing to Aus, it was hard to miss all the local talented DJs and producers we are on board too, and the music they were making. The idea for the label was always there, but never any time. Obviously once COVID hit and ample free time came about the label was born. The label is a showcase of underground bass music, with a heavy push on Australian producers and a conscious nod to ensuring the entire gender spectrum will be represented.

One of the aims of Extra Spicy is to create a link between some of the great connections you made while in the UK with the music that is coming out of Australia. Why did you want to create this new link?

The feedback I always received from first time touring artists that played Extra Spicy was that they really had no idea we had such a pumping underground scene here. I guess the general knowledge overseas of Australian dance music can sometimes begin and end with the commercial Aussie festival circuit favourites, when really there's a hugely thriving and talented underground too. There's such diverse sounds being created, that sometimes aren't being played beyond a couple warehouse parties, when they should be globally recognised as its the sort of sounds that are dominating places like the UK. I wanted to give some of the music i was hearing a platform to do that.

Your next VA is out in October. Can you tell us a bit about who is on this compilation and the sounds featured?

Our next release, XTR002, is a 9 track compilation featuring 100% australian artists. The artists range from long time producers, to some who have never released musc before, and the sounds are super diverse. There's bits of grime, UK funky, breakbeat, grime, jungle, footwork, leftfield bass and DNB on there, coming from artists across Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Its available 1st October everywhere.

What else is on the horizon for Mincy and Extra Spicy?

On the horizon for me personally , I have a couple of upcoming releases of new tracks, one a remix for a UK label I adore, and another for a very loved Aussie label. Both will be out before the end of the year. For Extra Spicy we'll just be carrying on as we have been! Always looking for new artists to work with, once this compilation is out we will almost immediately start pulling together the next one, plus we have an ongoing free download series that we'll continue adding too as well. Oh, and of course we're patiently waiting to throw a huge label launch party once we're allowed back in clubs too.

Extra Spicy's XTR002 is out now. Buy/stream here.

Words by JESSICA NEGUS

Image via Bandcamp

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