Junction 2 x Home Again with Octo Octa & Fafi Abdel Nour

Octo Octa

US DJ and producer (T4T LUV NRG) known for joyful, breakbeat-heavy, and emotionally raw house and rave sets.

Fafi Abdel Nour

Growing up as a first generation Syrian-born kid, the struggles of integrating into the Dutch society while balancing his Arabic heritage and burgeoning queerness proved to be a struggle - often finding himself in between worlds, caught amidst maintaining his inner pride and sense of self against a world that he strained to see himself in. Through the desire to find harmony within a lifetime of dissonance, Fafi found dance music in his young adulthood. While his connection to the music was powerful and provided a necessary level of personal reprieve, he soon realized there was a need for more participation from artists and DJs of color in the scene. Fafi’s queer clubnights at OOST in Groningen were born out of this resolve to create community empowerment for marginalized people to transcend beyond the oppressive dominant culture surrounding them. As a DJ, Fafi never fails to captivate dancers into a sense of timelessness & otherworldly joy. His sets distill the liberatory kinetics of house music down to its very essence, embodying an era of music unaffected by genre-constraints or rules. Dissolving boundaries between sound, movement and being, dancers can expect everything from spellbinding melodic passages, house-inflected body music and enchanted breakbeats melded into flourishes of ecstatic sensation. Oscillating between jubilance and insight with a distinctive sense of narrative and technical finesse, Fafi’s selections expand the universe of mystic, passionate and evocative strains of house - tapping into the source of music’s fundamental ability to transform lives, through a deeply personal level of expression transmuted directly from his soul through the speakers. Always encouraging us to connect with one another and celebrate the myriad of differences we share in our world, Fafi’s vibration has radiated simply by embodying his truth and encouraging others to do the same for themselves. Currently based in Amsterdam and with a slew of gigs only continuing to manifest throughout the world, his mantra remains the same no matter where the music is played - Love is the message

Thabo

Thabo, a stalwart of Berlin's underground circuit, has steadily ascended to a revered status as a promoter, accomplished DJ, and prolific producer in recent years. A true Berliner, he's synonymous with the soulful yet infectious strains of house that he passionately champions both behind the decks and in the studio. Thabo's roots lie in the sounds of hip hop and dancehall, a facet of his musical upbringing that continues to permeate his productions with a distinct flavor. His voyage into electronic music, circa the early 2000s, saw the German artist plunge headfirst into the city's pulsating dance music milieu. Before long, he was orchestrating his inaugural raves at esteemed Berlin venues like Cookies and Tape Club. After years dedicated to honing his craft and finding his groove, Thabo's DJ career took off, earning him slots at nearly every renowned Berlin club and eventually expanding his reach to international stages. Beyond his prowess behind the turntables, Thabo is a prolific studio wizard. Formerly operating under a different alias, he garnered accolades from heavyweights in the industry, including the likes of Carl Craig, Laurent Garnier, Cinthie, LTJ Bukem, and Jovonn. However, Thabo was always destined for more, driven by the vision of curating his own musical odyssey. In 2016, he unveiled "home again," an embodiment of a decade's worth of promoter experience crystallized into the quintessential house party. Featuring an eclectic roster of over 200 artists such as Gabrielle Kwarteng, Satoshi Tomiie, Leon Vynehall, Apollonia, and Palms Trax, this concept transcended mere party status, evolving into a multifaceted platform. It now encompasses a record label, fashion outlet, festival, and a dynamic creative hub dedicated to the house music community. Thabo's residencies at HÖR and Refuge Worldwide, along with his exclusive mix series on Apple Music, have cemented his role as a torchbearer of the Berlin 'House' sound. With an exciting array of releases on the horizon, Thabo remains steadfast in his mission to keep dance floors pulsating with his uplifting house sounds for years to come, solidifying his position as an indispensable figure within Berlin's electronic music landscape.

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