TuneLab
A For Alpha
Keep Hush Live Bristol: Dr Dubplate's Birthday Bash
A For Alpha's performance at Keep Hush Live Bristol for Dr Dubplate's Birthday Bash is a time capsule of house music's funnier, more unabashedly cheesy side. We're all secretly thrilled to hear 'Bla Bla Bla' in a serious context, united in our shameful love for piano stabs and nonsense lyrics. The vibe is celebratory and slightly sweaty, a birthday party where the only rule is to dance. This is a tech house set with a strong nostalgic bent.
Locked into a tight BPM range averaging 133, and overwhelmingly in the key of 12A (sixteen appearances), the set maintains a consistent, four-to-the-floor drive. The energy balance—0.49 low, 0.39 mid, 0.11 high—creates a full-bodied sound where the bassline and rhythmic elements dominate, with just enough high-end for hats and vocal snippets. Mixing is energetic and crowd-pleasing, with quick cuts and long, anthemic blends. The crate digging here is a joy.
Housey Doingz's 'Brothers' is a peak-time, piano-led opener that sets the tone. Dj Mkay's 'Everyone dances' is a loopy, effective tool, while John Summit's 'Make Me Feel' represents the modern tech-house sound. Antoine Clamaran's 'Do the Funk' is a French-touch throwback, and Gigi D'Agostino's 'Bla Bla Bla' is the ultimate, guilty-pleasure closing anthem. The journey kicks off with the uplifting 'Brothers,' builds through driving, vocal-heavy house, and ends with the iconic, silly euphoria of 'Bla Bla Bla.'.