Bangalter’s views on AI; Damian Lazarus’ Studio Destroyed

Written By Robert Pointer

Week of August 3 - August 9, 2026: The past week mixed personal setbacks, long-form creative statements, and practical industry notes across the dance music landscape, from a lightning strike that claimed Damian Lazarus’s Tuscany studio to Solomun releasing an extended concert film and AlphaTheta addressing a security issue affecting widely used DJ hardware and software.

CULTURE & CONTEXT

Conversations: Thomas Bangalter on Why AI Bypasses the Creative Process

In a conversation recorded at Art Basel with Chanel’s Yana Peel, Daft Punk co-founder Thomas Bangalter stated he is “not really interested in the creative usage of artificial intelligence.” He argued that AI focuses on output and results while his own process lives deeper, in feelings and unpredictability that cannot be reduced to prompts. Bangalter described AI assistance as a way to bypass the very journey of experimentation and surprise that he finds most valuable. For listeners who value the human texture in electronic music, the interview offers a rare and thoughtful pushback against the rush toward machine-generated tracks.

Damian Lazarus’ Tuscany Studio Destroyed by Lightning

A lightning strike set fire to Damian Lazarus’s Monastic Studios in a Tuscan forest, destroying the space where he recorded much of his work over the past decade, including the album Magickal. Fire-resistant soundproofing contained the blaze so that the structure’s frame survived and the fire eventually starved itself of oxygen. Lazarus shared the news with characteristic grace, writing that the barn had burned down and now he could see the moon. The loss is personal and practical for an artist whose mountain studio had become both workplace and retreat, yet new music already in progress is expected to arrive as planned.

Solomun Shares Long-Form Film from Alexandra Palace

Solomun released a nearly three-hour concert film capturing the final stretch of his second sold-out night at London’s Alexandra Palace in February 2026. Shot from multiple perspectives including the dancefloor, the film includes guest appearances from K.I.Z, Antony Szmierek and Inéz, and moves through ambient openings into his own material and the recent Skrillex collaboration “Rumpta.” Rather than a standard highlight reel, the piece lingers on atmosphere and the relationship between performer and crowd. It stands as one of the stronger recent documents of a major club-oriented artist treating a large hall as a living room.

ESSENTIALS

Recommended Reading

Top Ten Festivals 2026: September - Resident Advisor

Standouts from 50 Years of Electronic Jazz - Resident Advisor

Japan’s Rainbow Disco Club expands to Singapore - Resident Advisor

Worth Watching

I Was There When House Took Over the World - BBC: A foundational documentary tracing house music from its Chicago roots through its global spread. Recommended as the primary documentary entry this week.

Solomun – Live at Alexandra Palace, London (2026) (Official Film) - Solomun (Official)

Steve Rachmad: 14 Essential Tracks from the Dutch Techno Legend - Electronic Beats TV

DJ Gear & DJ Culture

AlphaTheta (Pioneer DJ) has disclosed a significant security vulnerability in PRO DJ LINK that affects many CDJ and XDJ models as well as Rekordbox across desktop and mobile platforms. The issue involves an NFS server that can allow unauthorized access to files under certain conditions. Firmware and software patches are being rolled out; in the meantime users are advised to limit Link Export use and avoid storing sensitive material on USB drives connected to players.

GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS

Skrillex Confirms Two Nights at Chicago’s Navy Pier

Skrillex will play two nights at Navy Pier’s Festival Hall on September 11 and 12. The first night features support from Dylan Brady, Frost Children, Knock2, slayr and Tiffany Day. The second night is an open-to-close set. The announcement continues a pattern of longer-form club and special shows that allow the producer more room than standard festival slots.

RÜFÜS DU SOL Tease Touring Hiatus After 2026 North American Run

During the opening of their multi-night Kia Forum residency in Los Angeles, RÜFÜS DU SOL told the crowd they planned to step back from touring for a solid stretch once the current North American dates finish, focusing instead on new music. The Australian trio has already set multiple venue records this year, including four consecutive sold-out nights at Madison Square Garden. The remaining summer and early autumn shows will serve as the closing chapter before the break.

Peggy Gou Brings Out Gala for “Freed From Desire” in London

During her headline day party at the Old Royal Naval College on August 2, Peggy Gou was joined onstage by Gala for a live performance of the 1996 classic “Freed From Desire.” The moment closed the set and quickly circulated online. Gou has spoken about the emotional weight of playing London, the city that has been her base in recent years.

GENRE FOCUS

Techno

Solomun’s new single “Raider on the Storm” with Inéz arrived alongside the Alexandra Palace film, continuing a run of collaborations that blend his club foundation with vocal and experimental elements. The track was previewed live during the London shows.

House

Peggy Gou’s London appearance and the ongoing activity around her Gudu Records roster kept house and related styles visible. The surprise Gala collaboration underscored how classic anthems still function as shared cultural touchstones on contemporary dancefloors.

Drum and Bass

Hospital Records marked its 30th anniversary with a large-scale block party takeover of multiple venues in Hackney Wick on August 1. The daytime event drew thousands and featured a strong roster including High Contrast, DJ Marky, London Elektricity and others across indoor and outdoor stages.

https://www.dailystar.co.uk/showbiz/drum--bass-icons-transform-37518983

EDM and Mainstage

Armin van Buuren’s A State of Trance brand continues building toward its first indoor UK festival at London’s Drumsheds on November 14, with additional lineup details and face-to-face sets still emerging. The event forms part of the wider 25-year celebrations for the long-running radio and event series.

REGIONAL FOCUS

UNITED STATES

Skrillex’s two-night Navy Pier announcement is the clearest major U.S. story this week and is covered above. Beyond that, Chicago’s ongoing house calendar remains active via regular listings and the upcoming Chicago House Music Festival later in the month.

INTERNATIONAL

United Kingdom

Sheffield’s Tank nightclub announced it will close after 12 years, citing rising costs and operational obstacles. The venue had been a consistent part of the northern electronic scene.

Several Birmingham venues including Club Colette, XOYO and Mama Roux’s face potential demolition under proposed railway expansion plans.

Spain

Ibiza’s Consell d’Eivissa advanced proposals that would freeze the issuing of new nightclub licenses island-wide, formalizing restrictions already in place in most municipalities. Officials framed the measure as a response to overtourism and residential pressures rather than an attack on existing venues.

Asia

Japan’s long-running Rainbow Disco Club festival confirmed its first event in Singapore, with DJ Nobu, Kuniyuki and Antal among the acts for the two-day October gathering.

LOOKING AHEAD

  • Skrillex’s Chicago Navy Pier nights (September 11-12) and the remaining RÜFÜS DU SOL North American dates through early September remain the most immediate large-scale U.S. draws.

  • In Europe, attention turns toward later-summer and early-autumn festivals plus the November A State of Trance indoor event at Drumsheds.

  • Keep an eye on firmware and software updates from AlphaTheta as patches for the recently disclosed PRO DJ LINK vulnerability continue to roll out.

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Thanks for reading. Keep it locked to Robtronik.FM.

Robert Pointer

Owner and founder of AccelerateRPM LLC.

http://acceleraterpm.com
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