ARTBAT
at Bondinho Pão de Açúcar in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for Cercle
It's always a laugh watching lads named Tarquin experience a profound sunrise awakening, finding themselves at a rave while dressed head-to-toe in linen. The crowd for the ARTBAT Bondinho Pão de Açúcar tracklist is a masterclass in Instagram posers trying to look stoic on a mountain, completely missing the point of an ARTBAT live set. They've traded the Berghain queue cosplay for scenic Rominimal vibes, pretending they aren't absolutely freezing. Still, perched high above Rio, the venue is undeniably mad, with golden hour light bleeding over the Sugarloaf Mountain as the bass kicks in.
Technically, the duo delivers a flawless progressive masterclass, locking in at a steady 124.9 BPM. By working the 4A, 5A, and 6A key progressions, they craft a seamless emotional arc that feels massive yet meticulously controlled, utilizing long, sweeping blends. A proper crate digger will respect the track selection, slipping in absolute belters alongside their own massive anthems. Hearing the classic 'Tinlicker & Robert Miles - Children' mixed into modern deep cuts is a brilliant curveball that gets even the jaded heads moving.
The journey starts with a slow, atmospheric burn as the opening track 'Rampa & WhoMadeWho - Tell Me Are We' sets the mood. It builds into a euphoric, hands-in-the-air peak with 'Damian Lazarus & The Ancient Moons - All I Need to Get High' before dropping perfectly into the dramatic closing track 'ARTBAT - Closer (feat. WhoMadeWho)'. Sorted.