Tagavaka at Splendor
Anjunadeep Explorations 2023
Tagavaka's Splendor set from Anjunadeep Explorations 2023 is the kind of marathon we aspire to survive, a fifty-track deep dive that separates the casual listeners from the completists with Shazam fatigue. We're here for the long haul, squinting at track IDs between sips of overpriced water, because the dig is just that good. The venue is a sunken, open-air cave of sound, where the music feels both massive and intimately detailed. Technically, it's a masterclass in progressive and melodic house, holding a firm 124.5 BPM average and spending significant time in the driving, open key of 12A.
The energy is relentlessly forward-moving, built on a foundation of deep, pulsing basslines with melodic elements rising in elegant waves. Mixing is tight and energetic, designed for a crowd ready to lose themselves in the rhythm. Highlights from the extensive tracklist include John Tejada's 'The Function and the Form' as a cerebral, precise opener, and the timeless groove of Sébastien Léger & Tim Green's 'Duel'. The Adam Port remix of 'Your Voice' by Caiiro & AWEN is a peak-time anthem, while PROFF's 'Nibbana' gets a beautiful, ethereal retouch from Volen Sentir.
It starts with the mechanistic beauty of John Tejada, peaks amidst the organic harmonies of 'Never Been', and winds down with the sophisticated deep house of Jonas Rathsman's 'Mystery Man'. A full tracklist that rewards every minute of attention.