- Fresh off a triumphant New Years Eve party that featured the New York debut of techno grand master DJ Koze, Blkmarket Membership followed things up with an event that sported a cast of some of underground dance music's finest. The unusually warm winter night brought me out to a part of Brooklyn that I've been getting to know very well lately. Promoters have been putting on parties in Bushwick quite a bit, taking advantage of the ample industrial space and prime train access to throw more underground events.
Photo credit: Cheyenne Bosco
We arrived at 3 AM, which may seem late to some, but was nonetheless when the first billed DJ began their set. Will Saul took to the decks with the converted warehouse space nearly packed to the brim with people. Saul fed off the energy and wasted no time in dropping big tracks like Joris Voorn's remix of Steve Bug's "Swallowed too Much Bass" and Jamie Anderson & Content's "Body Jackin'." His set was a mixed bag, largely composed of soul-tinged techno and deep house.
On any other night, Will Saul playing into Matt Tolfrey may have posed a problem. But you got the sense that the open-minded crowd was eager to follow wherever Tolfrey might take things: We were rewarded with a deep and highly danceable take on tech-house, which peaked with one of the only identifiable tracks he played all night: The unreleased Djebali edit of the Blondie classic "Heart of Glass." In his final hour, he filled the room with rubbery bass lines and his mixing was airtight. He completely dominated his genre of choice.
After an oddly placed but inspired live set by local favorite Crazy Larry, it was Anthony Collins's turn. He played sultry tech-house, while throwing in tracks that were made for the mornings. Case in point: A sublime version of Villalobos's "What You Say Is More Than I Can Say," which made it very difficult to leave the dance floor.
Photo credit: Cheyenne Bosco
Towards the end of the early morning, while in line for the bathroom, I struck up a conversation with a clubber in from Washington D.C. He told me that he came to New York especially for this party because "there is nothing going on like this" anywhere near him. I can't speak to other scenes, but the recent resurgence of nightlife in Brooklyn has been remarkable. And, along with a few others, Blkmarket Membership is leading the way.