Leif and Peter Van Hoesen in Berlin

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  • At mid-afternoon on Sunday, August 2nd, the dance floor at ://about blank was still packed. It was a blisteringly hot day in Berlin, and the Blank Rotation party—an annual offshoot of UK music festival Freerotation—had been burning for nearly 15 hours. In the crowd, a couple were cutting wildfire shapes to the DJ, one with long grey dreadlocks, another with waist-length red hair. Steevio, Freerotation's founder, and his partner Suzybee, had already performed a set of live, snaking techno in the early hours of the morning, but now they were here to dance. A non-profit festival that takes place every summer in Wales, Freerotation is a unique event that manages to pull off the would-be pompous members-only approach in a way that's genuinely friendly and unassuming. The organisers carried over that attitude to the Berlin spin-off, which lent the marathon bash an intimate, family-like atmosphere. The festival's friends and residents made up the bulk of the lineup, with Leif, Grimes Adhesif, Tom and Joe Ellis all on board. Hessle Audio were repped by Pearson Sound, while ://about blank put forward Akmê, Barbara Hoffman and Carlos de Brito. Local favourite Peter Van Hoesen was also invited and given the closing set. The party moved between techno, experimental and UK-tinged house. As Saturday night bled into Sunday morning, the evening's heavier fare melted away into groovier morning numbers and unhurried afternoon acts. Joe Ellis and Leif's much-anticipated back-to-back lived up to expectations, a charismatic set that spoke of the pair's close personal and musical bond. To say they were in sync would be putting it lightly. Tom Ellis took over around midday, introducing his staple hints of funk and jazz to compliment the sunshine. By this point, the combination of the weather and Ellis's enthusiasm meant that staying indoors was out of the question. His set was energetic and fluid, repeatedly pulling the floor in tight before letting it loose with yet another jam. By the time Van Hoesen arrived for the final set, the sun was setting. As soon as he started, the atmosphere changed completely. All of a sudden, coloured lights were strobing, smoke machines were working overtime, and the afternoon's mellow groove had been abandoned in favour of Van Hoesen's classic, rolling techno. The party had come full circle, and this ending seemed to be just what the crowd was hoping for.
RA