Lady Blacktronika

The self-proclaimed "First Lady of Beatdown," Lady Blacktronika is a prolific producer, DJ, vocalist, and label owner who makes raw, sensual house music. Taking influence from the low-slung, hypnotic sound of Detroit beatdown producers like <a href="spotify:artist:3qMRvSHJpaRjGDkIeNMoGz">Theo Parrish</a> and <a href="spotify:artist:7oGwEiATTm4u71R2lQhbC4">Mike Huckaby</a>, as well as disco and harder-edged techno, she began producing tracks during the 2000s and soon had releases on international labels. Efforts like 2009's First Lady of Beatdown EP received positive press and established her as one of the most respected producers in the underground house scene. Her first full-length Future Blues, Vol. 1 appeared in 2011, and she continued releasing music at a rapid pace while running <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Sound+Black+Recordings%22">Sound Black Recordings</a>. After releasing A Lonely Space Program in 2017 she debuted her techno alias, Femanyst. Lady Blacktronika has continued to release boundary-pushing EPs like Drum Control (2020) and Trablonika Daly (2023).

Akua Marcelle Grant was born and raised in San Jose, California. As a young adult, she listened to dance music -- particularly house and disco but also gabber -- to escape the harsh realities of street life. In San Francisco, she met producer and DJ Mattski and began singing on house tracks. She felt a kinship with Detroit's beatdown scene, and began producing tracks in that style, calling herself Lady Blacktronika. Though it took a while for the Detroit scene to recognize her work, <a href="spotify:artist:7oGwEiATTm4u71R2lQhbC4">Mike Huckaby</a> played her track "It's All About Survival" on his radio show, which was broadcast online. Spanish producer <a href="spotify:artist:0YMWyTB1egzfgW1MEJU0ee">Dubbyman</a> heard the broadcast, and his label <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Deep+Explorer%22">Deep Explorer</a> released the song on a 2007 vinyl EP, where it was given the subtitle "I Heart Huckaby Mix." Grant and Mattski started a label called Cocaine Recordings, and Grant additionally began releasing disco re-edits on a netlabel called Lust 4 Dust. Lady Blacktronika and Mattski released Cocaine EP on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Deep+Explorer%22">Deep Explorer</a> in 2009, and the solo First Lady of Beatdown EP appeared on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Your+Only+Friend%22">Your Only Friend</a>. Soon after the EP was released, Resident Advisor ran a Breaking Through feature on Grant, delving into her background as well as her future plans.

Grant founded <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Sound+Black+Recordings%22">Sound Black Recordings</a> in 2010, and released a split EP with <a href="spotify:artist:1Uj6ufFIvozfi5RfsAr9i3">Jenifa Mayanja</a>, as well as additional releases on labels like <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Untitled+%26+After%22">Untitled & After</a> and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Kinda+Soul%22">Kinda Soul</a>. Leather & Lace, Black Girl, and the full-length Future Blues, Vol. 1 all appeared in 2011. Her second album, Pieces of My Puzzle, was digitally released on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Little+Angel+Records%22">Little Angel Records</a> in 2012. Several more EPs arrived on labels including <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Meda+Fury%22">Meda Fury</a> and <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Bass+Culture+Records%22">Bass Culture Records</a>, with the full-length A Million More appearing in 2015. A Lonely Space Program appeared on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Skylax%22">Skylax</a> in 2017, and was the first Lady Blacktronika album to appear on vinyl. While remaining very active under that moniker, Grant began exploring her hardcore and industrial techno influences under the name Femanyst, beginning with a series of EPs in 2018. Lady Blacktronika's Rave Rinse Repeat EP was released by <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Allergy+Season%22">Allergy Season</a> in 2019, and Drum Control appeared on the label in 2020. EPs on <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Pets+Recordings%22">Pets Recordings</a> and Beat X Changers followed, as well as a series of archival releases. Trablonika Daly, featuring a 12-minute <a href="spotify:artist:2GH8Mzo3Ur1AdOnGUUpt17">Octo Octa</a> remix, was issued by <a href="spotify:artist:2mLA48B366zkELXYx7hcDN">Peggy Gou</a>'s <a href="spotify:search:label%3A%22Gudu+Records%22">Gudu Records</a> in 2023. ~ Paul Simpson, Rovi