up/or with NEXUS (live), k means, SAMI, DJ Fred & zey

up/or is an event series that oscillates around political articulations, sonic experimentations and dynamic movements in relation to club music oriented settings and its surroundings. It is located within the broader social context and is influenced by current discourses. The dance floor, like every other space, holds the potential for encounters and dedications (in many different forms), therefore up/or wants to facilitate an atmosphere where music can create agency – a space where through movements and sounds new perceptions can emerge. “up” stands for any change of direction while “or” suggests that transformation is a state of being which broadens experiences. Moreover, 'upor' is a Slovenian word (an official, albeit marginalised, language in Austria) meaning 'resistance'. Thus, the event takes on an additional meaning in a Slavic language, symbolising the desire for new beginnings, changes and upheavals. The dance floor as a space for transitions, motions and political expressions. up/or with: NEXUS (live) k means (dj) SAMI (dj) DJ Fred (dj) zey (dj) NEXUS is a duo project between B4mba and Mooki6, drawing cultural and sonic inspirations from their ancestral heritage, fusing it with an incredibly wide palette of musical styles— from metal and punk to dubstep and trap — as well as some of the most experimental electronic club sounds informed by many years of playing as well as organising parties. The result is the hybridity that truly embodies who they are - raw but simultaneously sophisticated, and most importantly, real. The Bristol-based DJ,k means , finds themselves ebbing and flowing elegantly between the rush of the club and more experimental spirals, drawn deep into the amphibian ooze of the most lysergic and cacophonous corners of the musical spectrum - constantly keeping you at a simmer, burbling between unease & release, throbbing tension and low-slung sleaze, finding delicate balance between the dark, the disorientating, the steamy and the sweat-slicked. SAMI is a Berlin-based music producer and DJ born in Jish, Palestine with roots in kufr bir'em village. Known for his genre fluid sets rooted in bass heavy sounds, he weaves through grime, 140 dubstep, bass, and rap. Originally cutting his teeth in hip hop across its many forms, Sami’s sound has evolved into a dynamic blend that reflects his knowledge and love for music. Fred is an emancipatory project of expression that started with mixing tracks into each other and collecting music in all its formats. Moving from Berlin to Vienna, she joined Bestand and co-organized the event series „re_late “: monthly recordings and get-togethers as well as other events. Now in Brussels, she plays what she’s most passionate about, breaks and circles. zey is a Prague born DJ, interdisciplinary artist, sound designer, sound engineer and community organiser based in Vienna. Their creativity is a tool of liberation - their own and of others. They point to the deeper musical connections between diverse Black contemporary cultural landscapes while honoring their distinctive musical traditions. Genre is not as important to them as making people feel and dance.