Holly Lester (IE)

Originally hailing from rural Northern Ireland, Holly Lester has been busy carving her niche in the world of house and techno since emerging from England’s north-west dance scene at the start of the last decade.

It was as a DJ where she first rose to prominence, regularly playing for institutions Shine, Chibuku Shake Shake and The Warehouse Project. She has since gone on to command dancefloors in cities as far as Australia and Indonesia, ticking off European destinations like Berlin, Amsterdam and Prague along the way. A permanent fixture for AVA festival, it was here that she recorded her Boiler Room in 2018 alongside Job Jobse and Mano le Tough. That moment would lead to DJ Mag and The Guardian citing her as a star on the rise, the latter likening her to fellow compatriots Bicep.

While it's a flattering comparison, Lester's sound is all her own. Raw analogue jams rub shoulders with dreamy trance tinged melodies and swirling breakbeats, constantly driven by the distinct percussive energy that has become her trademark. With a penchant for the sounds of yesteryear, expect to hear early French house slammers and forgotten Detroit classics interlaced with her unique approach to modern-day house music.

Her passion for sharing the music she loves has naturally lent itself well to radio, with appearances on BBC NI, Rinse FM, RTE 2fm and more. In 2017, she became one of the founding residents of Manchester station Limbo, where she curated a monthly show with a solid guest roster for over three years. Her evolution as music curator saw her begin her own record label in early 2020. Duality Trax is inspired by the idea of two contrasting energies or emotions existing simultaneously in the same space, bringing about a natural symbiosis and balance. This happy collision of opposing forces is the mission statement for the imprint, with a strong desire to represent balance and inclusivity across each release. 2022 saw the launch of her second record label ‘Terrazzo’ - a VA series co-founded with like minded artist and label runner Steffan Todorović.

Off the dancefloor, she has become heavily involved in campaigning for the Northern Irish night time economy; co-founding Free The Night in early 2021 with Boyd Sleator, the pair have been working tirelessly with a passionate team of individuals to try and change the landscape of NI nightlife for the better. This, along with Holly's various other accolades up until that point, saw her nominated for the DJ Mag Best of British awards in 2021 in the 'Underground Hero' category - a real credit to her commitment to the scene and humble demeanour, which remains central to her continued success.