- Tickets for The Hydra's Dekmantel party sold out almost a month in advance thanks to a talent-heavy lineup more suited to a small festival than a big rave. But sell-out shows and big name DJs aren't unusual in London. This was special because it lived up to the hype. The music was fantastic from start to finish, while the experience of being in the club was, in the context of a massive event, remarkably hassle-free. Of course this shouldn't come as a total surprise. Whatever the endeavour, Dekmantel is a name that stands for a certain level of quality.
The programming on the night was notably on-point. The dark, cosy back room at The Hydra's Studio Spaces HQ was helmed by Young Marco, Pender Street Steppers and Motor City Drum Ensemble. The vibe felt cohesive all night, with disco and party-starting house music the dominant sounds. Moments after entering the club I caught Young Marco mixing tropical obscurities into floor-fillers such as Roman Flügel's "Sliced Africa."
Over in the warehouse-like main room, the rest of the lineup flowed seamlessly, from Anthony Naples' pacey yet melodic warm-up—Roy Davis Jr and Peven Everett's "Watch Them Come" was an early stand-out—to Matrixxman's rollicking techno to close. In between, Prosumer played brilliantly, filling the space with burly, bass-heavy house. Palms Trax had the unenviable task of following him but pulled it off with some style. He kept energy levels high while still injecting his own personality into the performance, finding space for curveballs like Dego's boogie-infused "Don't Stop (Let It Go)." His set showed why he's currently considered one of the most diverse and consistent young DJs in Europe.
The logistics of a club night are the least interesting things to talk about, but it's worth saying how much The Hydra and Dekmantel got it right. It felt like attendance had been capped below full capacity, which was commendable considering the demand. The party was definitely busy but far from uncomfortable. Putting the headline act, especially one as hot as MCDE, in room two at peak time could have easily backfired, but instead it passed largely without incident.
MCDE's set was as good as any I've seen him play this year. His association with the Amsterdam promoter stretches back to 2009, though it's likely that most of the audience had his more recent Dekmantel X Boiler Room sets in their minds. He recreated a huge deal of the joyous, air-punching fun of those recordings, playing tracks spilling over with soul and melody, many of which shouldn't really work in a club setting. Jackie Stoudemire's "Invisible Wind," a roughly-mixed disco obscurity from 1981, would likely lack the oomph required for most DJs playing to a packed room at 5 AM, but here it sounded great. The best moment of the night came when MCDE smashed the growling bass of Daphni's "Yes, I Know" into the jazzy organ of Jimmy Smith's "Can't Hide Love," highlighting his incredible skill for creating sparks between contrasting records.
Also worthy of a shout-out were Dekmantel Soundsystem. Aside from running festivals and a label, the owners are also excellent DJs. They followed MCDE perfectly, so much so that it wasn't long before he was asking to jump back in for a back-to-back-to-back. The DJs traded off each other, keeping the vibe going despite a slowly dwindling crowd. Midway through, Dekmantel's Thomas Martojo dropped the bass out of a dusty disco track. As the high-frequencies crackled around the room, he raised a glass of champagne to his partner and MCDE. They toasted, took their first sip and then slammed the EQs back in to a huge cheer from the audience. This moment showed the Dekmantel guys for what they are: a bunch of record nerds doing this for the right reasons.
Photo credit: Ayden Whitfield