From the new generation of UK DJs, house spinmeister Alan Thompson drops into town to headline a party at Luner' on Saturday, July 22. Luner's, which had been forced to close in a police crackdown soon after opening in the fall of '99, is recently back in business with a strong party lineup.

With a sound ranging from vocal garage to hard house, Alan Thompson emerged from the Trade party/record label apprenticeship system. Getting his first break in 1993, residencies at Trade and DTPM parties soon followed. Popular on the London gay scene, Thompson has also chalked up hugely successful tours in Australia, South Africa and the US. He has also been busy in the studio, remixing for artists like Blondie, and mixing compilations such as Trade Volume 2 and Trade Summer Holiday. Resident Universe DJs Taka and James S will provide back-ups on the decks.

Also on Saturday, DJ Takkyu Ishino of techno-pop duo Denki Groove and DJ Tasaka, who supported Denki Groove on tour for its latest and excellent Voxxx album, will be hosting Hong Kong group Technasia at Liquid Room. In a night exploring futuristic Asian tech sounds entitled Loopa, resident DJ Ishino uses the party to experiment with harder, more club-oriented sounds, as opposed to the fluffier, electropop approach of Denki Groove. Technasia, who wowed audiences at last year's Wire '99, the Yokohama techno fest produced by Ishino, are releasing their long-awaited first album, Future Mix, this summer. Touted as "a real life journey into the latest in cutting edge electronic dance music heard on Chinese airwaves," the album includes live mixes from their hit radio show, The Future Mix Radio Show broadcast throughout the Middle Kingdom.

Alan Thompson Japan Tour: Luner's, 7/22, 9pm, JY3500, JY3000 (w/flier or Tokyo Classified), w/2d. Tel: 03-3586-6383.

Loopa: Liquid Room, 7/22, 9pm, JY3500, JY3000 (w/flier). Tel: 03-3200-6831.