The Blaze
live at Aiguille du Midi in Chamonix, France for Cercle
Nothing says 'underground music' quite like freezing your bollocks off at 3,800 meters just to prove your musical palate is more refined than the Tomorrowland mainstage. The Blaze Aiguille du Midi tracklist reveals exactly what you'd expect from a The Blaze live set: cinematic melancholy for lads who think looking sad in a North Face jacket constitutes a personality. Yet, perched on the snowy peaks of Chamonix, the atmosphere is utterly transcendent, with glacial winds complementing the sweeping, emotional Rominimal chords. Technically, this is an exercise in restraint, cruising at a deliberate 120.5 BPM.
The duo leans into the 8B and 8A keys, crafting a melancholic but uplifting energy arc through smooth, patient mixing that lets every vocal chop breathe. A crate digger will appreciate the deeply emotional track selection here. They seamlessly blend atmospheric cuts like 'Snowflake Maker - Polar Ocean' with the unexpected but brilliant 'Oli Hannaford - If You Wanna (feat. Only Girl) [Adesse Versions Dub Remix]', keeping the heads guessing.
The journey of the set is a slow, majestic ascent. Starting the climb with the driving opening track 'Ned Rise - Der Specht', they weave through deeply emotive valleys and peaks, eventually reaching the summit with their own massive anthem, the closing track 'The Blaze - FACES'. It's a proper masterclass in emotional electronic music, leaving the frozen techno tourists completely spellbound.