TuneLab
Holly Lester
KH Live Belfast: Plain Sailing Takeover
The quest for a proper, heads-down groove often leads us to sets like Holly Lester's for the KH Live Belfast Plain Sailing Takeover—a masterclass in no-nonsense, functional tech house that prioritizes the journey over the drop. Picture a late-night basement, red lights cutting through smoke, a crowd locked in a shared, hypnotic sway where the only currency is the next rolling bassline. At a steady 129 BPM, the set is anchored in the bright, major-leaning 12A key, with occasional dips into 6B and 7A for depth. The energy profile is tellingly rooted in the low end (64%), with mids handling melody and vocals, and highs kept to a whisper (3%).
This creates a dense, immersive sound where the kick and bass are the protagonists. Lester's mixing is seamless and linear, building tension through layered percussion and subtle filter modulation, never rushing the payoff, and the consistent BPM range of 128-130 ensures a hypnotic, unwavering pulse. The opener, 'Andrea Frisina & Irregular Synth - Dub City', establishes a deep, dubbed-out vibe. Twocolors' 'Lovefool' edit is a surprisingly effective dose of pop-inflected melancholy, while the inclusion of Gigi D'Agostino's 'Bla Bla Bla' is a cheeky, nostalgic curveball.
Krystal Klear's 'Piano Banana' offers a dose of piano-house euphoria, and the closing 'Primitive - Urges Three (A)' is a raw, driving tool that leaves no doubt about the set's underground credentials. From the atmospheric depths of 'Dub City', through the melodic release of tracks like 'Lovefool', to the uncompromising, loop-driven finale of 'Urges Three', Lester crafts a narrative that feels both timeless and precisely of the moment.