TuneLab
STEVE RACHMAD aka PARALLEL 9, BORIS WERNER & SAN PROPER Lab ADE Special
A Steve Rachmad, Boris Werner, and San Proper back-to-back during ADE is the electronic music equivalent of a three-chef tasting menu: technically brilliant, wildly varied, and likely to induce a state of blissful confusion. This Lab special is a marathon of house and techno wisdom, where the only rule is to keep the groove alive. The vibe is that of a packed, smoke-filled basement where the legends are just faces in the crowd, and the music is the only VIP.
Spanning 52 tracks with an average BPM of 126.4, this set is a masterwork in long-form programming, heavily anchored in the 12A key but not afraid to modulate for dramatic effect. The energy is masterfully curated, with a dominant, pulsating mid-range that carries the melodic and rhythmic complexity, while the low-end provides a steady, unshakable foundation. The mixing style is collaborative and fluid, with each DJ bringing their signature—Rachmad's Detroit-tinged precision, Werner's dubby depth, Proper's raw funk—seamlessly into the whole.
The tracklist is a historian's dream: 'Distant Sun - Machine lernt' is a cerebral, minimal opener, 'Bibi Tanga & The Selenites - Be Africa' is a stunning Afro-house excursion, and 'Alex Dolby & Santos - Raw Road' remix is a peak-time techno sledgehammer. 'Octo Octa - River' as the closer is a perfect choice, a modern classic of emotive, driving house. The journey winds from the mechanical learning of the opener, through the tribal euphoria of 'Be Africa', and finally washes ashore on the beautiful, cascading synths of 'River'.