Music is an intrinsic part of the culture of Cape Town. Made up of a vibrant, diverse, and highly artistic population, it was only a matter of time before the city’s demographics pushed it to join the ranks of the global electronic music scene. Despite this, the South African city lacked a truly defining venue until 2017, when this mantle was taken up by Mødular.
At the time of Mødular’s humble beginnings in the shell of a former basement disco club, the spaces in Cape Town mirrored the country’s troubled past, tending towards a focus on VIP areas and hierarchical clubbing experiences. Electronic music has long been a powerful means of furthering counterculture, and Mødular’s focus on egalitarianism in the shadow of apartheid is no exception. It has never mattered how you look, who you are, or how much money you have: you were coming to experience the music.
This laser focus shines through in the club’s no photos policy, a first in South Africa, and through the wide range of artists that have taken over the space in the last four years. From the UK talents of Rene Wise and Deepbass, to mainstays Ryan Elliot and Antigone, to the hypnotic rhythms of DVS1 and Evigt Morker, Mødular have taken it upon themselves to introduce their city to the sounds of the global scene. Its mission to put community and music above all else has led the intimate 350 capacity venue to become the nexus of an organic network of artists and dancers in Cape Town, far greater than the sum of its parts.
