In Lagos' rapidly growing electronic music scene, underground party collective Mainland House is carving out inclusive spaces and cultivating a community that gives local DJs, ravers and creatives a home of their own.
Mainland House is a music collective from Lagos' Mainland, hosting underground raves that champion emerging DJ talent and help push the city's rapidly evolving electronic music scene forward.
While so much of Lagos' party scene centres on the Island, across the bridge the Mainland is bursting with creative energy – and Mainland House is one of the key forces channeling it into a vibrant community around electronic dance music.
Mainland House team at Sixty by Lu's (Junior, King, Ebunoluwa, Bishop & Toby) | Photo @magdalenamoursy
From spotlighting hidden talent to forging global connections, Mainland House connects the dots of Lagos' underground through cultural exchange, events and workshops. Their raves have become essential gatherings on the Mainland, while their resident DJs and SEE DJs programme represent the distinctive electronic sound rising out of Lagos around Afrohouse and Afrotech.
Artist duo FāëM playing at SEE THE SOUND | Photo by @phalorey_studios
"Mainland House services a need that goes beyond the recent rise of electronic music in Lagos. This project is about creating a melting pot that connects the past, present and future of electronic dance music from Lagos" King Duke aka CODENAME:KND, Co-founder of Mainland House
In collaboration with Studio Monkey Shoulder, Mainland House organised SEE THE SOUND at KOGA Studios in Ikeja – an audio-visual showcase that expanded their vision for rave culture and deepened their community-driven ethos.
SEE THE SOUND | Photo by @phalorey_studios
The programme brought together multiple aspects to represent Lagos' underground culture. It featured a photography exhibition by Mainland House visual artist Stylish Sinner, whose distinctive style captures the energy of city's evolving rave scene and the communities shaping it.
Photographer & artist Stylish Sinner in front of his photos at SEE THE SOUND | Photo by @phalorey_studios
SEE THE SOUND | Photo by @stylish.sinner
Resident DJ Earthsurfing playing at SEE THE SOUND | Photo by @stylish.sinner
There was a curated panel discussion hosted by Mainland House co-founder King Duke, also known as DJ CODENAME:KND, with key voices from Lagos' music scene – including hFactor an Honeypot.FM's Dolapo Osunsina, Lucid Lemon's Tomisin Akins, Sweat it Out's Sons of Ubuntu, Spektrum Entertainment's Del Noi Jao & Onaleye Pelumi of Mainland House resident DJs, rising artist duo FāëM.
Panel Discussion at SEE THE SOUND | Photo by @phalorey_studios
The event culminated in a signature Mainland House rave, bringing their open, inclusive community together on the dance floor. The line up featured sets from resident DJs and alumni of SEE DJs initiative – including Ette, Earthsurfing, Marquay, FāëM, Abuja's Dxrty Fingers and CODENAME:KND, who delivered a set of entirely original work, accompanied by live percussion and guitar.
Mainland House's King aka CODENAME:KND playing at SEE THE SOUND | Photo by @phalorey_studios
“Love what Mainland House are building on Lagos’ Mainland – championing emerging DJs and pushing Nigeria’s electronic sound and rave culture forward.” Gilles Peterson, DJ & Founder of Worldwide FM
Watch this video to see how SEE THE SOUND marks the next chapter in Mainland House's journey – documenting the culture, empowering the next generation of DJs and creating meaningful space for raving and community on the often underrepresented Mainland of Lagos.
This project is part of Studio Monkey Shoulder – a music initiative by Worldwide FM and Monkey Shoulder Whisky dedicated to empowering and celebrating innovate grassroots music communities around the world.