TuneLab
CRAZE scratch in The Lab
at #Smirnoffhouse
A CRAZE scratch DJ set is a reminder that turntablism isn't dead; it's just been waiting in the wings while we all got obsessed with sync buttons. This is for those who appreciate the physical art of DJing, where a well-placed cut can be as thrilling as any drop. At #Smirnoffhouse in The Lab, the energy is electric, with flashing lights and a crowd hyped for genre-hopping chaos. Technically, it's a wild ride averaging 133 BPM across a 90-176 range, with keys mostly in 12A, but let's be honest—here, rhythm and texture trump harmonic mixing.
Energy is more balanced, with 45% low, 37% mid, and 18% high, allowing for explosive peaks and intricate scratch routines that dominate the mid-range. The mixing is fast-paced and abrasive, a collage of breaks, bass, and hip-hop that keeps everyone on their toes. Standout moments include Major Lazer's 'Blaze Up the Fire' opening with its dancehall swagger, and SL2's 'On a Ragga Tip' for a dose of old-school hardcore nostalgia. RL Grime & What So Not's 'Tell Me' brings trap aggression, while T-Pain's 'The Champ' gets a frantic rework that shouldn't work but does.
M.I.A.'s 'Double Bubble Trouble' adds political punk energy, and Rustie's 'Slasherr' closes with its maximalist, neon-drenched synth chaos. Flux Pavilion's 'I Can't Stop' is a dubstep anthem thrown in for good measure, and TNGHT's 'Acrylics' offers minimal, percussive tension. The journey starts with reggae-inflected fire, spirals through breakbeat madness, and ends in glitchy, electronic frenzy—a breakbeat and bass music tour de force for the ADHD generation.