TuneLab
KELLY LEE OWENS techno set in The Lab LDN
Kelly Lee Owens in The Lab LDN is not a techno set in the traditional sense; it's a sprawling, emotive journey through breakbeat-inflected electronica, where atmosphere is king and every transition feels like turning a page in a novel. This is for the 4am contemplators, the ones staring at the lasers while processing the week's existential dread. The vibe is introspective yet physically compelling, with moody pads and skipping rhythms creating a cavernous, cerebral space.
With a BPM average of 134.7 that spans from deep house to breakbeat tempos, Owens uses the 12A key as a tonal home base, allowing for dramatic shifts in rhythm without losing melodic cohesion. The energy balance fascinatingly privileges the mid-range—where her signature ethereal textures and melodic motifs reside—over a more dominant low-end, resulting in a set that feels immersive rather than assaultive. Her mixing is patient and narrative-driven, letting epic tracks like 'Soulxa - Cafe Del Mar' unfold over ten minutes to build palpable tension.
The digger credentials are impeccable: opening with the dusty, hypnotic 'Allen & Filix - Dusty Palace', she then drops 'Bicep - Atlas' as a devastating emotional pivot, a track that somehow feels both massive and intimate. 'Ross from Friends - High Energy' lives up to its name with its warm, jazzy breaks, and 'D'Marc Cantu - Fright Night' introduces a welcome dose of analogue menace. The set begins in a haze of ambient percussion, climbs to a peak with the soaring synths of 'Atlas', and concludes with the raw, jacking funk of 'Guychu - Shake It', leaving us energized but thoughtfully so.