BBC Introducing Xmas Party: Air Circus / Macedo / Darcey Hope + James Carter DJ Set
Alex West and Nicky Booty from BBC Introducing Berkshire highlight upcoming local artists, giving you the chance to see the hottest new music in Berkshire. This time out, Artists In Residence Air Circus are joined by Darcey Hope, Macedo, and international producer James Carter for an eclectic Christmas Party.
Opening the night is Fleet's Darcey Hope. Darcey's delicate vocals and soft tracks are the perfect welcome in from the Winter walk to our doors. She's a brilliant singer-songwriter, and her self-released debut EP “Try to Say Goodnight” showcased Darcey's potential to break through multiple genre markets and carve out her own space in the industry.
Next up is Macedo: Born in Lisbon to parents from Cape Verde, RG1's Patrick do Rosario Bettencourt Monteiro de Macedo has a distinctive musical style. He combines old school beats inspired by 90s hiphop from the likes of 2Pac, Nas, Ice Cube, with a flow patterned and made unique by the Portuguese language.
Then, BBC Radio Berkshire's Artist in Residence for December 2022, Air Circus, take to the stage. Less a duo, and more a collective: Air Circus are at the heart of the Reading music scene, collaborating with a new artist every few weeks. Their project began with back garden recordings in lockdown, and whilst this humble start is reflected in drummer Adam Adrian's DIY kit, their music now maturely sweeps together an eclectic collection of jazz, 80s Disco, electronica, psychedelic and indie rock to create a sound that is right at the cutting edge of Berkshire's music scene.
Finally, Mortimer's James Carter joins us for a special DJ Set, which will see the producer make a rare live performance. James has been churning out deep house heaters from his bedroom for years, slowly gathering momentum, and had amassed a monthly listenership of 2.5m on Spotify alone earlier this year. That was before he released Bad Memories, a collaboration with Italian dance trio Meduza, which went to No1 in three countries across Europe, secured 12 Top 10 chart places worldwide, and rocketed his listenership to over 10 million. You don't want to miss this set: if you're there, you'll forever be able to tell your friends that you saw James in a local venue, before his fame caught up with his evident skill.
