This year’s biggest breakout DJ is a 44-year-old car influencer in a dressing gown. Six months ago he pivoted his social media account, Fish56Octagon, away from automotive advice to playing his decades-old rave vinyl in jarringly domesticated scenarios: listening to happy hardcore in the family estate car, chivvying the kids along in the morning with underground speed garage, or eating breakfast to hallucinogenic psytrance.
But his videos aren’t just for lols: they’re part music journalism, part informed recommendation from a well-meaning record shop guy, as he enthuses about a rave obscurity then explains its place within its canon, covering a wide range of dance music genres. Now, with followings of more than 300,000 on TikTok and nearly half a million on Instagram, he’s being booked to DJ at some of the best clubs and festivals in Europe, including multiple visits to Ibiza over the summer and three sets at Glastonbury this week.
