Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on June 2011

Like so many, Canadian Josh Child came to Tokyo in search of a bit of adventure. Also like many, he brought his interests with him. Once he was settled, he launched what was to become one of Tokyo’s premiere techno nights.

“I’d always been very passionate about music and wanted to create a platform to showcase Canadian and other artists I’m interested in,” he says about his event Real Grooves. The series celebrates is 50th event milestone this month with a banner edition featuring live sets from vaunted Canadian acts the Modern Deep Left Quartet and solo artist The Mole.

The start of Real Grooves coincided with the minimal techno wave, and Child has been instrumental in bringing the sound to Japan. He says the event has seen an increase in live sets as producers increasingly forego DJing for live laptop performances. Some of the live artists he’s championed in Japan include Mike Shannon, Cobblestone Jazz and John Tejada.

Child has also been among a coterie of pioneering foreign promoters spearheading the minimal techno boom in Japan along with people like American Russell Moench, whose Labyrinth rave has become a lynchpin of the outdoor party scene.

“When I first came to Japan, there was more of a trend of people wanting to DJ,” he says. “Now there are more expats interested in organizing events. Also, a lot of clubbers have retired over the last few years so we are seeing new faces in the crowds.”

After a decade in Japan and 50 volumes of Real Groove, Child made the decision to return to Canada. The 50th edition—Child says it’s not the end—offers something old and something new.

Something old comes in the form of the Modern Deep Left Quartet, whose member Matthew Johnson has been a familiar face at Real Grooves. Also including Tyger Dhula, Mathew Jonson, Danuel Tate and “The Mole,” the group employs early computers and analog synths to create a spartan techno sound that retains the quality of improvisational jazz. Some thing new comes in the shape of The Mole, aka Colin de la Plante, the turntablist and sampler of the quartet, who will for the first time present a solo set.

Child is looking forward to living close to friends and family back in Ontario, but he says he’ll be back for the occasional Real Grooves. For the last of his regular parties he’s bringing Argentines Guti and Ernesto Ferreyra in September and will again helm Eleven’s Halloween party with Pier Bucci in October…

Meanwhile, the latest quake aid compilation comes in the form of the techno compilation Our Heart Is With Japan. The project was conceived by Dutch DJ Shinedoe, who was slated to play Womb the night of the quake on March 11.

Shaken but inspired by the kindness of the Womb folks who took care of her, immediately on her return to Amsterdam she set to work on the project. Shinedoe roped in, among others, Intacto Records mates DJ Madskillz and Anton Pieete, with atmospheres on the disc ranging from Shinedoe’s foreboding “Kokorowatomoni” to Pieete’s dancefloor stormer. All proceeds go to the Red Cross effort in Japan.

July 2 @Eleven. 10pm, ¥4,000 w/1d. http://go-to-eleven.com Our Heart Is With Japan is available on Beatport.com

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