- Hometown of countless electronic music pioneers and more recently the meeting place of the four boys behind Visionquest, Detroit has little left to prove in its significance in electronic music. Visionquest have pushed a unique blend of upbeat deep house and eclectic techno in their DJ and live sets ever since they joined forces. Showcasing a side of tech house that does battle with any preconceptions of the genre's monotony, Seth Troxler, Ryan Crosson, Shaun Reeves and Lee Curtiss speak to crowds around the world with their unpretending and mischievous pop sensibility, much of which has been received with enthusiastic approval.
The palpable anticipation on the night of Visionquest's most recent fabric appearance signified just how far they have come. The first of the foursome to take to the decks, Shaun Reeves, following on from Footprintz, remained soulful and emotionally charged while playing on the formula that has proved Visionquest's specialty. Reeves instigated a soundscape to be continued by his team throughout the night, consisting of deep ambiances often with African and tribal sways, evident in tracks such as Osulade & Nadirah Shakoor's "Pride."
Lee Curtiss & Ryan Crosson's live show then forayed further into the darker side of their tastes, paying heed to the influence of their origin in solid bass, minimal melodies and grainy slurred vocals. Lee Curtiss' recent "I Can Make Your Body Twitch" received boisterous support from the gyrating pack at the foot of the Room 1 stage.
Across the exposed brickwork in Room 2, the music was equally experimental and alluring with Appleblim's tense crescendos and hammering drum notes all tangled in sci-fi lasers and fog. This was followed by Addison Groove, paying testament to his dubstep past with jungle thuds, grimey drops and enormous amounts of bass. Nearby, Clockwork was laying down a set of warm and percussive house in the narrow chamber of Room 3.
Seth Troxler's relatively late 5:30 AM didn't seem to matter much, with the crowd having been more than prepared by his comrades. Using horns and drums to establish a tribal rhythm, he melded a deep spiritualism using vibrant house, rousing percussion and soulful vocals with tracks like Cajmere & Walter Phillips' "Sometimes I Do" and Chateau Flight's sublime "Baroque" acting as firm highlights. Finally, the boys demonstrated their skill as a unit with an all-in back-to-back that closed the night perfectly.