TuneLab
The Magician
Tomorrowland Belgium 2018
The Magician's Tomorrowland Belgium 2018 set is the disco house and indie dance sanctuary we seek when the mainstage drops become too predictable. We're here for the magic trick of making 127 BPM feel like 150 through pure groove and impeccable taste. The vibe is the happier, shinier cousin of the techno stage, all mirror balls and knowing smiles, where the dancefloor is a place for stylish shuffling rather than frantic jumping. Technically, this is a 127.4 BPM journey locked in the key of 12A, with generous use of 3B and 4B for soulful, harmonic warmth.
The energy is overwhelmingly low-end heavy at 0.74, proving that funk lives in the bassline, with mids and highs used sparingly for melodic accents and vocal hooks. His mixing is smooth and musical, often letting tracks like DJ Koze's 'Pick Up' play out in their extended disco glory, a bold move in a festival slot. The BPM range is tight from 125 to 128, a consistency that allows the nuances of each groove to be appreciated. Crate digging is a masterclass in selection: opening with Cassius's 'W18' is a statement of French house intent, while Purple Disco Machine's 'Dished (Male Stripper)' is a modern funk bomb.
Friend Within's 'Lonely' offers a deeper, techier moment, and his own 'Sunlight' with Years & Years is the undeniable, sun-drenched anthem. Silvano Del Gado's 'From Jamaica to Brasil' as the closer is a perfect, tropical comedown. Pablo Say's 'Crescendo' is a hidden gem for the diggers, a building, emotive piece. The journey starts with the chic groove of 'W18', peaks with the euphoric 'Sunlight', and gently winds down on the balmy notes of 'From Jamaica to Brasil', a set that feels like a holiday in an hour.