TuneLab
KEVIN SAUNDERSON DJ set in The Lab LDN
The sheer, giddy absurdity of watching a Detroit techno originator command a room with piano house anthems is a beautiful reminder that the best DJs are, above all, supreme party historians. Kevin Saunderson's Lab LDN set is not a trance odyssey, but a joyous, floor-focused masterclass in classic and contemporary house music, delivered with the authority of someone who helped write the rulebook. The vibe is pure, unadulterated celebration, a sweatbox where every familiar hook is met with a collective roar of recognition.
Saunderson operates with a surgeon's precision at an average BPM of 125.4, frequently anchoring the harmony in the uplifting 7A key to maintain a consistent, euphoric mood. His mixing is direct and powerful, using long blends to let the basslines lock and the vocals soar, expertly balancing the low-end thump with melodic mid-range elements. The track selection is a history lesson disguised as a rave: he opens with the unstoppable garage swing of Strike's 'U Sure Do' and later weaves in MK's perennial weapon 'Always' in both its Route 94 and iconic MK Club Mix forms.
Deeper cuts like Fade's 'All I Got' in the Chris Fortier dub offer a moment of driving, heads-down intensity, while the inclusion of Coca & Villa's 'La Noche' showcases his ear for timeless, percussive grooves. He builds to a climax with his own Inner City classic 'Good Life' in a pounding Pig & Dan remix, before offering the perfect, soulful comedown with Carl Hanaghan's heartfelt tribute, 'Strings of Life', as the closing track.