TuneLab
Above & Beyond - Anjunadeep:01
Nothing quite beats the sight of techno tourists dressed in mandatory matte-black harnesses, furiously nodding along to a House set while desperately trying to look like they’re on the Berghain guestlist. Meanwhile, the lad at the back won't stop screaming over the monitors about the patch cables on his new modular synth. A sweaty basement club pulses with red strobe lights as the crowd surrenders to a delightfully weird, low-slung groove. Checking the data on this anonymous DJ live set, the technical execution is a proper head-scratcher.
The selector staples themselves to the 12A Camelot key for a staggering 18 tracks, creating a hypnotic, almost stagnant tonal loop. Pushing an average of 129.2 BPM, the tempo aggressively jumps between 128 and 171 BPM, yet the energy stays stubbornly in the low range for 74% of the mix. You have to respect the completely unhinged track selection in this mystery venue tracklist. Throwing Dj Mustenmama - Jarumi-Dan-Adarawa next to Moby's Wait for Me (Jean Elan Remix) is pure chaos, and dropping Major Lazer's Pon De Floor (feat.
Vybz Kartel) ensures absolute scenes on the floor. The sonic arc is a massive trip, launching with the gritty opening track Komytea - Afghanistan to set a brooding tone. Navigating through the left-field oddity of Mother Mallard's Portable Masterpiece Company - Oleao Strut, the DJ keeps the crowd entranced before bowing out. The closing track, The Funeral Crasher - All the Things You Love, puts an emotional cap on this mad mess.