This weekend, the longstanding In:Motion series explored expert programming with the help of Bonobo who curated a lineup worthy of heartfelt applause and undivided attention.
Until midnight, the room felt uncomfortably empty, like an awkward birthday party where hundreds of people RSVP ‘attending’ on Facebook, and then 10% turn up. This was largely in part due to Alfresco Disco closing a road and hosting a day rave in a Tunnel. For this reason, one of the headline acts for the evening, Mount Kimbie had their set swapped with Welsh producer Dauwd. Keeping in similar thread to last month’s Jupiter George EP, Dauwd explored elements of dusty house cuts, and bass-laden grooves oscillating predominantly in the deeper origins of that effervescent Chicago sound. His set was nothing outstanding, and the room was lacking in energy – yet this can be credited mostly to the fact that Al Hilali was playing to a half empty room. But quite a few of the track selections felt rather solemn, and would have perhaps worked better as a closing set – as opposed to an opener.
By the time one half of Mount kimbie took to the stage, the room had packed out considerably more, and this felt like the turning point in the night. The first hour explored tribalistic percussion grooves, and rare zestful disco sounds and this transitioned into more contemporary house selections later on in. Whilst the main room was reaching full capacity and maximum pressure, Alexander Nut from Eglo Records was offering something slightly different in the Tunnel with heart warming disco anthems that for the selected few who offered their adulation to the DJ, were rewarded plentifully.
By 2am in the morning we were riveted by the music around us, and the DJ’s on roster were making the best of what little time they had to create a memorable experience. Bonobo was now taking helm at the turntables greeted with a wall of applause. His opening gambit Prelude from the hugely successful Black Sands album was certainly a fitting selection, met with a crowd that lauded Simon Green with glowing smartphones and waving arms. His DJ set was an expansive journey through his back catalogue of releases, traversed with a variation of exuberant tech house, and more invasive techno. The room was well and truly charged, and the drop of Seeline Woman had the crowd in full motion (get it). By the time Dan Shake took control for the closing set, the crowd of mature students and more seasoned ravers were losing their shit, and this really reflected the success of the night.