TuneLab
Tomorrowland Belgium 2017
Claptone
Claptone’s Tomorrowland Belgium 2017 set is a lesson in sophistication, a deep house and tech house journey that offers a sultry counterpoint to the mainstage’s bombast. We find ourselves in a slightly darker, more intimate corner of the festival, where the dance is a swaying, hip-swaying affair. The golden mask glints in the low light, adding to the enigmatic, timeless vibe. Locked at a steady 122.4 BPM and overwhelmingly in the 12A key, this is deep house with a techy, modern sheen, designed for extended, hypnotic grooves. The energy is lush and immersive: a dominant low-end (0.605) provides a warm, pulsing foundation, while the mids (0.277) are reserved for melodic snippets and rhythmic percussion, and the highs (0.117) add just enough sparkle and shuffle to keep things airy.
The mixing is smooth and soulful, favoring long, blended transitions that allow tracks to breathe and evolve, creating a continuous, flowing narrative that feels both classic and fresh. Harmonic mixing is key here, using the consistent key to create a seamless, jazzy progression that never jars the listener. The track selection is impeccable. The opener 'Agent! & Dompe - Sultan' sets a mystical, Eastern-tinged mood perfectly. 'CamelPhat & Elderbrook - Cola' is, of course, the undeniable weapon, its whispered vocal and bubbling bassline triggering a wave of recognition across the crowd.
'Gregory Porter - Liquid Spirit (Claptone Remix)' is a masterstroke, transforming a jazz standard into a deep house anthem that oozes class. And 'Eelke Kleijn - Transmission (Joris Voorn Remix)' provides a moment of driving, melodic tech house that bridges the gap between soul and sweat. The journey is a smooth cruise: it begins with the exotic allure of 'Sultan', builds to the iconic peak of 'Cola', and gently coasts to a close on the contemporary, vocal-driven pulse of 'Tony Romera, ASDEK & Karina Ramage - All I Know (Edit)'.