- Electric Minds have been running parties in London since as far back as 2005. Although their parties last year hosted established names like Marcus Worgull and Move D, they also booked one of the first house sets from drum & bass mainstays Commix and have never been afraid to experiment. For their most recent party, they invited Session Victim and Jay Shepheard to guest. Session Victim are relatively unknown outside their native Berlin, but releases on labels like Real Soon, Delusions of Grandeur, and Hairy Claw have shown great promise.
The venue for the party was the same loft space that Electric Minds have used regularly over the past two years, and over that time they have tweaked the set-up, getting the soundsystem right for the space and even adding an extra gentleman's toilet. Soon after the night had begun a decent-sized crowd had assembled and were swaying appreciatively to music from residents Namedrop and Benoit. The pair explored some familiar disco terrain before ending on a high note with the Art Department anthem "Without You."
Photo credit: Tamsin Isaacs
Next up were Session Victim. The pair's enthusiasm for DJing was immediately apparent, and you feel that their policy of playing off vinyl suits the out-and-out party spirit that they bring to the decks. The set climaxed with a pleasingly well-played copy of Justus Kohncke "Timecode," which crackled and popped excellently as only vinyl can over the generous Funktion 1 system. Jay Shepheard embarked on a different tone, taking the music deep into techno territory with a range of his own creations. His pumped up basslines have become a staple of his sets and were well received by the crowd.
Electric Minds is one of the few places in London where you get what some might call a European atmosphere, with a smart and well turned out crowd following the music intently and showing their appreciation. As venues on Kingsland Rd. struggle with pressure from the authorities, and with strong competition from new arrivals, it's welcome to see promoters like Electric Minds taking a DIY approach and pulling off a quality night.