TuneLab
Carl Cox
Tomorrowland Belgium 2019 - W2
We gather here, as we always do, in the temple of techno presided over by the don himself. Carl Cox's 2019 Tomorrowland outing is not a trend-chasing sprint but a masterful, hypnotic marathon—a 76-track journey through the deeper, funkier corners of the genre. The vibe is one of curated warmth within the festival enormity, a steady-state thrum of bass and expertly layered percussion under those iconic, grinning visages.
The technical framework is pure Coxian science: a rock-solid 130 BPM average, with a profound reliance on the driving, hypnotic quality of key 12A, seamlessly modulating into the complementary 3B for emotional depth. This is mixing as architecture, building dense, percussive landscapes (notice the high average low-energy score) that gradually introduce soaring synths and vocal hooks, proving techno's soulful heart. His crate-digging genius is on full display.
Opening with Tiësto's timeless 'Traffic' is a history lesson, while dropping Anfisa Letyago's 'So Good' showcases razor-sharp contemporary production. The curveball is a sublime, vibey dub of Tanya Louise's 'Deep in You,' and the sheer audacity to weave Gigi D'Agostino's 'Bla Bla Bla' into a techno framework is the work of a true selector. The journey is masterfully paced: from the classic engine-start of 'Traffic,' through the driving peak of Belocca's 'All I Want To Do,' to the beautifully melancholic, cinematic descent of Chris Liebing's 'And All Went Dark' remix.