Doc Martin on PowerTools Podcast - The Early Years
August 5 - 12, 2026: A week that mixed thoughtful culture pieces with unexpected real-world moments, from a strong crop of recent dance music books and a classic LA house and underground rave legend interview to a drum and bass producer turning a mid-flight confrontation into a live stage collaboration in Las Vegas.
CULTURE & CONTEXT
Doc Martin on Powertools Podcast
“A firsthand conversation about the records, clubs, and communities that helped shape Doc Martin's place in house music history.”
West Coast house veteran Doc Martin sits down with Richard Vission for a deep, firsthand conversation about the early years that shaped him. He talks about San Francisco in 1986, playing marathon eight- and nine-hour sets that moved from reggae and hip-hop into house, discovering the music through records from Chicago, Detroit and New York before the internet existed, promoting underground tracks with a boombox in gay clubs, becoming a tour DJ for Dee-Lite and Jomanda, the move to Los Angeles, Prime Cuts record store, and the early LA club scene. It is a rich oral history full of the kind of practical and cultural detail that rarely makes it into shorter interviews.
15 Recent Dance Music Books You Should Read This Summer
Mixmag has put together a timely and well-chosen roundup of books published over the past few years that dig into the history, politics, and personal stories of electronic music and club culture. The selection spans everything from DeForrest Brown Jr.'s examination of Black contributions to techno and the birth of entire genres to Ed Gillett's political history of UK dance music, Kirk Field's chaotic tales of club holidays, and Claire Manumission's account of 90s Ibiza excess. For anyone who wants more than just the next release or festival lineup, this list offers real perspective on how the scenes we love actually formed and evolved. It is exactly the kind of reading that rewards time spent away from the dancefloor.
ESSENTIALS
Recommended Reading
15 recent dance music books you should read this summer - Mixmag
The Best DJ Mixes Of The Year 2026 So Far - Mixmag
Worth Watching
A Journey Into Sound - The Rise of EDM (documentary series) - Fashion Industry Broadcast
Tiësto RA Exchange - Resident Advisor
DJ Gear & DJ Culture
AlphaTheta has identified security risks affecting certain CDJ and XDJ models. No confirmed damage has been reported, but the advisory is worth checking for anyone running current Pioneer DJ / AlphaTheta hardware.
GLOBAL HIGHLIGHTS
Bou Samples Flight Attendant and Brings Her On Stage in Las Vegas
UK drum and bass artist Bou was on a British Airways flight from London Heathrow to Las Vegas on 6 August when a disruptive passenger caused a confrontation. Flight attendant Sophie Turner repeatedly ordered the man to stay seated and warned she would restrain him if necessary. Bou recorded the moment, sampled Turner's voice on the plane, and produced a new track titled STAY SEATED. Turner, already a fan, messaged him after seeing the Instagram stories. They met, took a selfie, and she later joined him on stage at We All Scream in Las Vegas to perform the track live to a warm reception. The whole sequence - from mid-air incident to club stage - feels like pure, unscripted dance music folklore.
Anyma Launches ÆDEN Records
Anyma has officially launched his new label ÆDEN Records, opening with a collaboration single Other Dimension alongside Volkoder and a forthcoming compilation Digital Renaissance Vol. I. The project is framed as a space for artists, creatives and fans focused on experimentation, collaboration and a melodic core. The first vinyl and merch will accompany the compilation later this month. It marks a clear next chapter for the Afterlife founder as he expands beyond his existing platforms.
Street Parade Zurich Draws Hundreds of Thousands
The 33rd Street Parade in Zurich attracted an estimated 900,000 people, with organizers releasing a detailed cost breakdown of 4.8 million francs and reporting 906 medical treatments and 30 arrests. The long-running techno street event continues to stand as one of Europe's largest free public celebrations of electronic music culture.
GENRE FOCUS
Techno
Kenneth James Gibson (known as [a]pendics.shuffle and Reverse Commuter) has announced new music under both aliases along with the relaunch of his long-running Adjunct Audio label. The veteran Los Angeles producer and label head has been a consistent presence in deeper house and techno circles for years, and the return of Adjunct is welcome news for fans of that side of the spectrum.
Axel Boman has launched a new label called Blurry, beginning with a collaborative LP alongside Superpitcher. The Swedish producer's move adds another imprint focused on deeper, more personal electronic work.
House
Chicago's annual House Music Festival and Conference has released its full 2026 lineup and schedule for 27-30 August, with free events across the Cultural Center and Millennium Park featuring Roy Davis Jr., Chip E., DJ Heather, Maurice Joshua and many more. The expansion continues to strengthen the city's official celebration of its own musical heritage.
REGIONAL FOCUS
UNITED STATES
Still hummin' along - no daily news highlight as of today. Let's keep hope alive for tomorrow!
INTERNATIONAL
No news isn’t good news. Let’s see what tomorrow brings!
LOOKING AHEAD
Anyma's ÆDEN Records compilation Digital Renaissance Vol. I is due later this month alongside the Other Dimension single.
New [a]pendics.shuffle and Reverse Commuter material plus the Adjunct Audio relaunch are expected soon.
Chicago House Music Festival runs 27-30 August with free programming across multiple venues.
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