- Every artist has a proper venue, and for the Edinburgh-based DJ/producer Hostage it's a big one. You can hear it in his best-known track "Gluttony" and recent release "Shake It"—a track that will carry him to a whole new level in 2009. Hostage trades in bass of the mobidly obese variety—with a touch of class.
Unfortunately, Hostage's New York date was at Le Royale, a venue that used to be called Luke & Leroy, and is probably most famous for housing the legendary but now-defunct MisShapes party. The downstairs area had been renovated, but the size was still surprisingly small. For a DJ who thrives on all-night raves either in the middle of fucking nowhere or densely hip locales, it was an odd setting. With a capacity that couldn't possibly have exceeded 100 people, there was an average of 50 people in the room throughout the night. It was off-putting, at first, but you and I and everyone all know that when you've got the right DJ, he or she will throw shit down in a bathroom stall if they have to. And that is exactly what Hostage did.
By the time he went on—following Oh Snap!!, Jen Lasher and the night's hosts from Palm Out Sounds— Hostage'd had enough Jager to put him in his happy place and take us all there with him. Well past 2:30 AM on a Thursday night, he managed to play an incredible set of bangers, with "Shake It" leading the march. You'd think that by this time, the sonic BROMP BROMP BROMP caned by mediocre electro DJs and bass-heavy wannabes would be retired. Luckily, Hostage is neither of these things.
Somewhere between the darkness of Motor, the weight of Drop The Lime's heavy bass and savvy crowdpleasers like Hot Chip or Justice is where his exceptional production lies. And much like his original tracks, his sets achieve that crafty balance between monotonous rhythms and excessive effort to play peak music at all times. Who throws the warehouse raves in your town? It's time to give them a call.