WKNC x NC State University Libraries Hopscotch Day Party 2021

It’s Hopscotch season in the Triangle! Hopscotch is returning to downtown Raleigh for its 11th year on Sept. 9-11.

WKNC has partnered with NC State University Libraries to present its 2021 official Hopscotch Day Party on Sept. 9, from noon to 3 p.m. Occurring outside of DH Hill, Jr. Library facing Hillsborough Street, this event is free and open to the public; you don’t need a ticket to Hopscotch to attend.

The party is not only a showcase of North Carolina electronic musicians, but also of WKNC alumni talent; every performer has been involved with WKNC in the past. We’re excited to welcome back former DJs and staff to the campus.

The event will be live-streamed via NC State University Libraries’ Twitch channel.

Read on to get a short bio of each of the musicians, written by WKNC General Manager Maddie Jennette.

The lineup is designed in a way to start on the more chill and ambient side of electronic, and slowly turn heavier by the end of the showcase.

Starting off the showcase is midcentury modular. As the name might suggest, midcentury modular makes modular synth music, exploring the various environments that can be created. Some of his work, like the release “snow,” is more sparse and desolate, while others, like the release “a weekend,” play around with beeps and boops to create a fun, uplifting atmosphere. I’ve always wanted to see a modular synth performance and I’m excited to watch his set.

Changing paces next is en-decay. en-decay makes glitchy, IDM-like music that also takes inspiration from various other electronic genres, such as industrial or ambient. For example, his release “highlights” consists of two tracks, “A” and “B,” both clocking in at over 20 minutes and changing mood and style throughout the duration. He’s been uploading releases since 2017 to his Bandcamp page, so have fun browsing for a bit.

Next is JOB, who creates super fun and fast-paced mixes, consisting of artists like Toro y Moi, Azealia Banks and Ariana Grande. His bio on mixcloud simply says “girls + gays only.” If you can’t already tell his musical vibe is based on the aforementioned artists. I am very much ready to dance to this set.

And lastly, we have Sand Pact. I discovered Sand Pact a few years ago when I was trying to discover more Triangle-based artists, and I really dug their sound and entire aesthetic. They have a pretty harsh sound, consisting of various strange noises layered over industrial beats. I’m super happy to have them play this set, as I’ve been wanting to see how their live show looks ever since I first discovered them.

I hope you discovered your new favorite North Carolinian electronic musician, and are able to come out to our showcase.

To start off our ambient section is midcentury modular, followed by en-decay, JOB and Sand Pact.