AFROJACK in The Lab LA
Afrojack in The Lab LA is a fascinating study in what happens when a festival headliner decides to play a proper, vinyl-digging house and techno set for the heads, leaving the big room drops at the door and instead opting to remind us all where his roots likely are. The vibe is one of surprised delight, a packed room exchanging 'wait, is this *Afrojack*?' glances as they're treated to a masterclass in jacking, classic house. This is a driving, sample-heavy session of tech house and straight-up house, locked into a punchy 127 BPM average, with frequent use of the energetic 3B key to keep the groove urgent and forward-moving.
The energy is firmly rooted in a fat, pulsating low-end (65% lows), with crisp mids and occasional vocal hooks cutting through, creating a sound that's physical and functional, designed for pure dancefloor propulsion. Over 42 tracks, the mixing is quick and energetic, showcasing a DJ's DJ mentality focused on groove continuity over theatrical breaks. The crate digging is seriously impressive: he opens with the chic, filtered disco-house of Le Knight Club's 'Rhumba', pays homage to house history with Steve 'Silk' Hurley's 'Jack Your Body', and drops underground weapons like Moon Boots' 'Juanita (Mark Broom Remix)'.
The inclusion of Madlib's 'Mystic Bounce' shows a hip-hop head's sensibility, while Riva Starr's 'Feel It' delivers pure, unadulterated tech-house funk. The full tracklist journey is a relentless ride: from the classy opener, building through the classic house peak of 'Jack Your Body', and ending on the raw, jacking finish of 'Body Jackin'', proving a point with every perfectly selected groove.