Tash
MIxmag Lab Delhi
Of course we're here, squinting at a screen after that one track from Tash's Mixmag Lab Delhi set lodged itself in our brain and refused to leave. This is the precise, functional deep house we pretend to have on in the background while actually analyzing every transition. The Lab's boxy, neon-lit confines force a certain intimacy, a collective lean into the speakers. Technically, this is a masterclass in groove maintenance, cruising at a median 124.3 BPM and finding a home in the 7A Camelot key for large stretches, using it as a warm, dubby anchor.
The energy balance—58.4% low, 32.6% mid, a mere 8.9% high—tells the story: this is a set built on sub-bass pressure and textured percussion, with melodic elements serving the rhythm rather than dominating it. Tash's mixing is patient and linear, allowing tracks like the eight-minute opener 'BluePrint - Mind F**k (Extended Mix)' to fully unfold their narrative. The crate digging here is impeccable: 'SOD - Cold Ones' is a raw, jacking tool for the purists, while 'Alexey Romeo - Set Me Free (SKLV Remix)' offers a shot of airy, vocal-led euphoria. The inclusion of 'Todd Terry - Jumpin Original' is a cheeky, timeless crowd-pleaser, and 'LAAT - State of Play' provides a dose of modern, driving tech-house.
Don't sleep on 'Far From Home & Retoric - The Arrival (Paul Anthonee Remix)' for its progressive build, or 'Seven Moon - Back2back' for its loop-based efficiency. The journey is a textbook arc: from the deep, probing intro of 'BluePrint - Mind F**k', through the peak-time release of 'Todd Terry', and finally washing out on the serene, synth-laden shores of 'Hunzed vs Staves - Synesthesia (Staves Mix)'.