Selections: Byron Yeates

Like its namesake – a queer ‘90s NYC fanzine which provided creativity and community-building during the darkest years of the AIDS crisis – Byron Yeates’ debut LP, ‘Pansy Beat’, exquisitely balances light with shade. “With this album, my goal was to build more of a world,” the Galway-born, Berlin-based artist told DJ Mag. “Something that sits between home listening and a dance record, while reflecting a wider range of my musical influences.” Across ten cosmic cuts, Byron sidles between moments of gritty propulsion and melancholic ambience, folding everything from starry-eyed IDM and downtempo, to galloping drum and bass, new wave and synth-pop, into his signature palette of radiant house music. The result is an intimate journey to the end of the night, with plenty of chaotic diversions and euphoric peaks. “I wanted to show a broader side of my sound”, the artist shared, “slow things down a bit, experiment with different tempos, and create something that you’d want to listen to all the way through.”

Byron is also one of the masterminds behind Berlin party series and record label, Radiant Love. What started out as queer run late night sweat-fest has grown into one of the city’s defining community-oriented and inclusive parties, often extending up to eight hours and beyond with sounds spanning heady techno, celestial acid and deep house. “In some ways, it’s been a response to our interactions with nightlife in Berlin,” Yeates explained. “A lot of it didn’t really resonate with us or make us feel comfortable and we wanted to put our own tastes forward in all the mediums that we share at the party (art, performance and music) and create a space for us, our friends and family.” In 2019, that vision evolved in the shape of a Radiant Love label, which focuses on harnessing the queer lineage of electronic dance music, and celebrating love and inclusivity on the dancefloor. ‘Pansy Beat’ is the first long player to land on the imprint, following EP’s from Eoin DJ, Kasra V and Maara, and a trio of stunning annual International Women’s Day compilations. 

In case Byron wasn’t busy enough, the artist also recently became a resident at cult queer London party, Adonis. The Berliner joins an all-star cast featuring Hannah Holland, Marie Malarie, OK Williams, Paurro, Princess Julia and many more, lighting up London’s queer scene with hedonistic club sonics every month.

For this week’s Selections, Byron spotlights favourites from these recent DJ sets, including funked-up techno, dreamy shoegaze and “feel-good drum & bass to put a smile on your face”. Dive in below.

‘Pansy Beat’ is out now on Radiant Records. Listen and grab a copy via Bandcamp.