CULOE DE SONG in The Lab NYC
There is a very specific vibe at a premium Afro-house gig. The room is suddenly full of blokes in wildly expensive, intricate silk shirts, closing their eyes and swaying deeply as if a 16-bar shaker loop is actively cleansing their aura. It is peak Brooklyn pretension, but when the polyrhythms actually hit, you have to surrender your cynicism and just let your hips do the work. The Lab NYC is packed to the rafters, radiating a sweaty, intimate warmth.
Looking at the Culoe De Song The Lab NYC tracklist, you are treated to a masterclass in hypnotic, Rominimal-leaning Afro-house. Riding at a sultry 122.2 BPM, he maneuvers through the 12A and 8A keys, creating a deeply rooted, tribal tension. His mixing is incredibly patient, relying on massive, warm low-end frequencies and subtle percussive blends rather than flashy drops. The curation in this Culoe De Song live set is immaculate.
He layers in his own driving remix of "Won't Let You Down", but the real surprise is catching the crowd off guard with a cheeky drop of Kungs & Cookin' On 3 Burners' "This Girl". The journey begins with a rhythmic "Unknown" opening track, building steadily into an absolutely gargantuan 15-minute journey through Da Mike & Lazarusman's "The Thing". He leaves the room completely spellbound, wrapping up with Lemon & Herb's "Edge" as the closing track. Pure magic.