Berlin-based, New York-born DJ and producer RaushaanGlasgow (RJ), better known as LSDXOXO has been taking the music world by storm, from self-releasing his Spit or Swallow series of mixtapes on Tumblr to becoming a pivotal figure in the post-millennial NYC GHE20G0TH1K. RJ has demonstrated that rave, electroclash, and goth culture all have black origins and destinies, through taking vocal cuts hooks from mainstream pop hits to blasting underground Baltimore and hardcore styles he finds a way to get everyone craving his sounds, reclaiming black queer dancefloors and taking the crown of a genre-blending king who knows no boundaries of amalgamating music.
We have seen him make waves in the underground queer club scene for years, to now establishing his Berlin-based, fiery high-tempo, high-camp techno Floorgasum event, which is also been a huge success in the UK in one of our favourite club's FOLD, so it comes as no surprise that XL Records came calling for him… and so did we.
Luckily enough to join us for our 14th birthday celebrations, RJ gave us a hot, high-energy 2-hour set which did, in fact, destroy our dancefloors, and what better way to reflect on his explosive debut set than his 4 of his most pivotal musical moments…
1. ‘Black Widow’ Fuck Marry Kill (2014)
Since early 2010 we have seen LSDXOXO collaborate with Shygirl, Cakes da Killa, and Kelela but one collab that got us all excited for what he had to come was with Tennesee-born rapper BbyMutha which gave us an introduction us to Fuck Marry Kill, an LSDXOXO ghetto/gothic mixtape released on GHE20G0TH1K’s label. The track ‘Black Widow’ exhibits his mischievous ways in which he deconstructs and injects playfulness and vulgarity into pop music in a way that does not saccharine but takes you straight to the dancefloor. This sex-positive mixtape kickstarted his series of non-album singles, some of our favourites which include: "Creepy Clown Sighting (A Warning)" in 2017, to "I Still Loathe You" in 2018, "Burn the Witch" in 2019, and "Women Eat Their Men" in 2020, these singles were the accretion to his foursome of queer bangers released last year, his first EP under XL Records, Dedicated 2 Disrespect.
2. LSDOXO - Dedicated 2 Disrespect
Dedicated 2 Disrespect was released earlier in May last year, as a part of XL Records house bag series alongside other legends Overmono John FM. The EP showcases both his queer magic and raw talent within the musical world, a dancefloor destroying producer and DJ – now add vocalist and lyricist to the list – for the 1st time he puts his voice front and centre, with a bawdy presence I think we were all eagerly waiting for this one to drop. The opening track of the EP ‘The Devil’, titillation is in full glory, providing listeners with an infectious array of vigorously energetic grooves made for the dancefloor. The second track on the EP is ‘Baby’ which takes you from sweet to sour in a short four-minute dancefloor filler making you wish the fluttering acid claps could continue forever, this track is perfectly mastered, acting as foreplay for the two more powerhouse tracks featuring on the EP.
3. LSXOXO presents Floorgasam
In 2018 after his move from Newyork to Berlin RJ brought a series of Queer-centric techno parties to Berlin with the most appropriate name Floorgasam. The trademark blend of sex-positive, camera-free debauchery and otherworldly sensations is what everyone needed in their life and has quickly become a Berlin sensation and more recently a hit in east London club FOLD. Floorgasam utilizes both LSDXOXO’s production talents while adopting more theatrical components by reclaiming queer space on the dance floor, creating one-of-a-kind club sounds, and throwing unforgettable parties. A monthly Floorgasum remix series which you can find on Floorgasums Soundcloud – with the first in the series LSDXOXO’S break-filled edit of N*E*R*D’s Rockstargiving you an audio insight of the blissful madness that occurs in these insane parties (also a free download on Bandcamp!)
4. VTSS - Goin Nuts ft. LSDXOXO
LSDXOXO’S vocal talents continue into his collaboration with Polish DJ and producer VTSS, releasing their high tempo track Going Nuts. In recent years VTSS has established herself as one of the most exciting new wave, high-speed and industrial techno Dj’s, taking the music scene by storm (and WHQ next week!!) Goin Nuts features on VTSS recent record ‘Borderline Tenderness' centring queer people and POC to be at the forefront of their voyeurism, this message is carried through their music video by utilizing the bodies of many members of Berlin's queer community to reflect on how today's surveillance culture impacts how bodies, faces, clothing, and people are perceived. Hopefully, we will see more collaborations between these two talented artists as VTSS’s high-speed techno ‘No fucks given enthusiasm’ combined with LSDXOXO’s ribald musical poise may be brewing a legendary EP we are all gagging for.
It was a pleasure for RJ to help us celebrate our 14th birthday, and would be great to see him back in Newcastle for another energetic dancefloor-destroying set!
Words By Sammy Henderson