TuneLab
FABE in The Lab LDN [Caprices Festival Takeover]
The true test of a DJ is often in the mid-set grind, that period after the warm-up where you need to build a world, not just a rhythm. FABE's Caprices Festival takeover in The Lab LDN is a textbook example of building and sustaining a deeply hypnotic, tech-house atmosphere. The mental scene is a alpine festival stage at dusk, where the music needs to be both propulsive and enveloping. With a BPM averaging 127 and a clever harmonic path through 12A and 3B, FABE constructs a rolling, percussive narrative. The mixing is smooth and layered, creating a dense tapestry of rhythms where new elements drift in and out of focus.
The energy is masterfully balanced between low (59%) and mid (39%) frequencies, resulting in a sound that is physically grounding yet rich with melodic and textural detail. It's a set that feels both driving and deeply musical. The digging here is serious. The Arias remix of 'Touch Your Mind' opens with a perfect blend of soulful vocal and sleek groove. Giovanni Molinaro's 'Otoponoz' is a standout, a track of wiry, psychedelic minimalism that locks you in.
For a dose of classic muscle, Slam's remix of Paperclip People's 'Throw' is a relentless jacking tool, and the extended mix of 'Show Me Love' gets a darker, more tribal rework. The later inclusion of Dance Spirit's 'Portal From Mars' adds a cosmic, acid-tinged flourish. The journey is a seamless expedition: beginning with that touch of mind, journeying through deep, rolling valleys and percussive peaks, before concluding in the stark, minimalist headspace of James Dexter's '93'.