- I did something for the first time in years and years on Saturday night. I went clubbing fully sobre. The night in question was Technique@Mint Club in Leeds, a fortnightly dose of the finest underground electro, breaks and house. Since Technique started a few years back, it has gone from strength to strength, moving to a larger venue and attracting not bigger names (as this is not what Technique is about) but bigger music shall we say. With past visitors being James Lavelle, Radioactive Man, Plump DJs and Matthew Herbert to name but a few, the style is different yet the same, and this week was the turn of breakbeat pioneer Meat Katie and Anthony Rother, providing a live set, to take to the fastly becoming much sort after, Technique helm.
Firstly, the residents, as ever, provided some some of the dirtiest breaks which whipped the musically discerning technique crowd nicely. It was amazing to see and feel that this club's atmosphere was not soley reliant on other factors (notably drugs) to show people a good time, as i was free of any form of influence but yet found myself rocking to McQueen and Kid Blue as both residents blended individual style, then back to backing it playing the grooviest and dirtiest breakbeat and elecrto, which the residents here seem to do with ease. Mint's unique and personal layout allows for you to get closer than ever to see what the Dj is doing, and this was particularly useful upon the arrival of Bedrock newcomer, Meat Katie. The crowd didn't dissappoint, and as John Digweed will probably testify, neither does Meat Katie. The club absolutely rocked to his shattering basslines intermitted with dark yet fucky vocals. By this time Mint Club was absolutely pumping.
Although i recognised a lot of Meat Katies stuff, notably from W9y and his new Bedrock compilation, Anthony Rother i had only briefly heard his name before. However, what was to come i was not prepared for. Admittedly, i had not seen a live elecrto set before, but if Rother's was anything to go by, i have found my new love. For two hours solid he continually built up the crowd with progressive beats whilst providing his own sultry vocals. Then after a good while working the crowd up, hands were in the air and the atmosphere in the club was sheer electricity personified as Rother dropped a bassline that can only be described as lethal. I thougth i would be getting tired by 3am being totally sobre, yet i found myself absolutely rocking. Time after time, Rother caused a kicking off in a club i had never witnessed before. Although expensive to book i was told, Anthony Rother is worth every penny.
I had come to expect quality at Technique, as it is all i have had from the night, but it never ceases to amaze how the night fuses differing styles into what is quickly becoming, the 'Technique' sound itself. Electronic quality.