BLACK COFFEE and THEMBA in The Lab NYC
The Brooklyn hipsters have squeezed into the Mixmag office, desperately trying not to look like they're having too much fun while silently judging each other's vintage streetwear. It's a tough crowd of industry heads and chin-strokers, but they didn't stand a chance against this BLACK COFFEE and THEMBA The Lab NYC tracklist. The intimate, sweat-dripping office space transforms into a proper tribal basement, pulsating with heavy grooves and infectious energy. Operating in the sweet spot of 120.5 BPM, this BLACK COFFEE and THEMBA live set is a masterclass in back-to-back synergy.
Drifting seamlessly through 3B and 4A Camelot keys, the mix is incredibly tight. The energy is strictly low-end driven, letting the Rominimal and Afro-house percussion do the heavy lifting while keeping the transitions buttery smooth. The selections are absolutely massive. Dropping Justice & Tame Impala's "Neverender" in a house set is a stroke of genius, and Bedouin's "Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" adds a brilliant psychedelic edge to the room.
Launching with a mysterious "Unknown - Unknown" opening track, the boys patiently build the tension. The room hits absolute scenes during the Jonathan Kaspar remix of "Recall", before concluding with the ultimate 90s house anthem closing track, Ruffneck's "Everybody Be Somebody".