TuneLab
The Geek x Vrv live
Flow in Paris, France for Cercle
The Geek x Vrv's live set in Paris for Cercle feels like stumbling into the coolest, most soulful house party where the DJs are also the band. This is music for feel-good vibes only, for when you want your electronics served with a hefty side of hip-hop swing and live instrumentation. The vibe at Flow is intimate and raw, a workshop of live loops, sampledelic beats, and undeniable positivity. Technically, this is a hybrid live/DJ performance that operates at a sprightly average of 138.7 BPM, though the range from 92 to 179 shows their willingness to switch gears from head-nodding boom-bap to four-on-the-floor house.
The keys, like 8B and 4A, provide a soulful, jazzy foundation that complements the live keys and vocals perfectly. The energy is pleasingly low-end focused at 0.67, giving the live bass and kick drums a warm, physical presence, while the mid-range at 0.30 allows for clear, funky guitar licks, Rhodes chords, and vocal snippets. The transitions are often live, with one track bleeding into the next through instrumental jams and loop-based improvisation. The crate digging—or rather, live re-interpretation—is a joy.
Their own tracks, like the jubilant opener 'Be Happy' and the smooth 'Love Is All Around You', are showcases for their tight musicianship and sunny disposition. Throwing in a classic like John Legend & The Roots' 'Our Generation' is a bold, soulful move that pays off, while Gang Starr's 'Full Clip' gets recontextualized into a live electronic framework with stunning ease. Their track 'LA 97'' is a nostalgic slice of West Coast G-funk revival. The journey is a warm, uplifting ride: it kicks off with the manifesto-like 'Be Happy', builds through live jams and classic hip-hop interpolations, and winds down with the heartfelt, slower groove of 'It's Because', proving that live electronic music can be as loose, funky, and human as anything else.