It’s Saturday and it’s midnight. Here I am in a taxi, crawling at a snail’s pace through a shabby industrial estate, shadowed by wasteland and abandoned buildings left vacant long before the recession session. Luckily for me I’m off to mono_cult’s secret warehouse party to catch Innervisions’ captain of the ship Ame, London’s rising star Wbeeza and local boy of the moment Miguel Campbell.
I can hear the music but I can’t see the venue…I’m beginning to wonder if I will ever find the party, despite having the address right in front of me. Up ahead I see a poster with an arrow guiding me to take a left, as we turn the corner I clasped my eyes on our destination.
I roll up to a huge ‘mono_cult’ projected across the side of a disused warehouse railway arch protected by huge industrial gates, holding back a more than eager queue of House Heads. I can hear bass and filtered Disco goodness rattling through the glass arches of the window. I’m here.
As I breeze through the door I’m faced with a closed white steel industrial door. A few knocks later and I’m in. Very Panorama Bar. The warehouse space inside does not disappoint. A small bar area with red drapes pinned over an archway confronts you before ducking under and entering the main room. It’s packed.
The French Disco vibes of Hot Creations’ new star signing Miguel Campbell is instantly recognisable. A surging crowd punches the air to Miguel’s ‘Bedroom Dancer’, a track Soul Clap, mono_cult’s previous NYD guests, have been championing across the globe in recent months. ‘Baby I got it’, forthcoming on Miguel’s new artist album, is slowly brought in and the Leeds boy has the crowd in his hands. This party is on.
Next up is Third Ear Recordings’ Wbeeza with his now infamous live set. He does not disappoint. The London groove cat carefully crafts and arranges his set with pulsating bass lines, piercing claps, rolls and hats. The roof nearly caves in. With a crisp sound system, mesmerising visuals and an energetic performance from a ‘too cool for school’ Wbeeza, the night was already shaping up to last in one’s memory.
Last but not least was returning guest and headliner Ame. The Innervisions head honcho was sublime. From Rocco’s remix of Cloudkickers ‘Bring on the Night’ to Carl Craig’s re-rub of Hot Chip’s – ‘One Life Stand’. Kristian gripped the dance floor producing sweeping melodies, chugging bass lines and dreamy vocals, dropping the tempo to the floor as the evening wound down with ‘Secret Love Edits’ sneaking from the Tiger and Wood’s bass-camp in recent weeks.
The atmosphere from start to finish was electric. A clued up crowd in a venue that did the party the justice it deserved. The only issue I found was the queue for the bar was deeper than the marina trench and the lack of adequate toilet facilities (poor girls) left a lot to be desired. Having said that, this is as raw as it gets when it comes to warehouse parties…Some things can be forgiven. Roll on the 4th Birthday!
Words by Archer Skips
