Detroit techno by way of Berlin: Magda

Comments (0) By Tamara Palmer Wednesday, May 30 2007

Brighton, England's Adam Freeland searches across genres to find big beats, gritty bass lines, and cheeky sentiments for his DJ sets and his own songs. He earned a surprise European pop hit in 2004 with "We Want Your Soul," which is either blasphemous and demonic or infectious fun, depending on who's doing the asking. Freeland will spin off-the-beaten-path techno, drum 'n' bass, and breakbeat, but he has a particular knack for bringing rock to the dancefloor, providing re-edits of groups like Silversun Pickups and Autolux that kick an insistent groove into familiar tracks. Freeland mixes it up on Friday, June 1, at Mezzanine at 9 p.m. Admission is $18 adv.; call 625-8880 or visit www.mezzaninesf.com for more info. — Tamara Palmer

Veronica Vasicka

Magda.

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Magda (née Magda Hojnacka) grew up in Hamtramck, a Polish suburb of Detroit, and now lives in Berlin alongside close friend and labelmate Richie Hawtin — one of the world's pre-eminent techno artists with whom she frequently tours. She likes her techno on the minimal side, favoring incisive beats and eschewing cluttered, gimmicky tracks. Her most recent mix CD She's a Dancing Machine also proved that she's quite the mixing machine, blending a high volume of songs into a short set. Magda and Richie Hawtin will DJ on Friday, June 1, at Mighty at 9 p.m. Admission is $22 adv.; call 762-0151 or visit www.mighty119.com for more info. — T.P.