- If you're familiar with London's clubbing map, you've probably noticed that Hackney has become what Shoreditch used to be ten years ago. I've lived in north Hackney for three years now, and during that time it has become a hub for quality new club nights, thick with artsy bars that have an unpretentious style. It didn't come as any surprise, then, that the guys behind London's Hypercolour label decided to throw their latest party at The Nest, a vital club right in the heart of the neighbourhood.
While the crowd was slowly starting to pack the place, Glimpse, Commix's George Levings, Maya Jane Coles and Alex Jones were already all behind the DJ booth, smiling and having a good time. The latter three were there celebrating the imminent release of the soon-to-be first N/A.3 single. The vibe was very much Hypercolour, with warm UK house grooves and the occasional dub tune thrown in for good measure. Maya Jane Coles, whose set in Milan in March had blown me away—despite battling with a poor sound system—delivered a solid set. She impressively sampled and looped on the CDJs, playing with strings and chord stabs.
Having previously listened to the upcoming N/A.3 release, I had expected a pure dub and deep house set from the three Hypercolour heroes. But, in a live setting, it turned to be a much more airy and upbeat session. Being a studio project mostly built with analog equipment and software, you could tell this was the group's chance to collectively watch the crowd's reactions to their tunes. One by one, each N/A.3 member reached for the decks, playing their trademark sound within the tech house spectrum. George Levings, in particular, added some heavier bass to the warm tech-house/dubby mood, keeping clubbers on their feet and contributing to the great atmosphere.
Later on in the night Glimpse reached for the decks, raising the BPM and opting for more techno-oriented grooves. He masterfully managed to squeeze one track into another, cutting frequencies, endlessly building up the rhythm, holding it and then opening it up again. As the early morning hours crept up, the crowd still filled the dance floor and remained scattered around the dark basement. While the promoters did a good job keeping the club full without making it uncomfortable, they should have made a better investment on the sound system. The speakers seemed to have some difficulties with bass frequencies and they were not ideally placed around the ceiling. Some corners were barely covered, others too much. Despite these issues, the night proved to be a success, leaving us sweaty and eager to check out the first round of N/A.3 music.