Since their 2012 inception, Brotherhood Sound System have become a staple in the calendar of dance music enthusiasts citywide. For their first event of 2018, Brotherhood brought Jayda G & Anu to Wire.
The anticipation for this showcase was undeniable; with the online scramble for tickets a testament for what was to come and also praise to Brotherhood’s proactive approach towards ticket scamming, in outing the suspected perpetrators over their Facebook event.
It was the sheer hedonistic energy of the crowded dancefloor that immediately stood out. Partly due to the stellar Brotherhood residents Tami and George, and also the excitement to witness two DJ’s known for their eclectic choice of grooves. Jayda G was quick to display the selections and style that has garnered her so much attention. Beginning her set with the timeless ‘Mr. Groove’ by One Way, the crowd were more than eager to embrace this low-tempo funk laden sound that’s reasonably unfamiliar to the basement of Wire.
Unfazed by the pretentiousness that can exhibit itself on nights of such expectation, Jayda G confidently switched between tempos and genres; laying down familiar disco classics such as Gino Soccio’s ‘Dancer’ and Gwen McCrae’s ‘Keep The Fire Burning’, with the tail end of her set consisting of African-inspired cuts such as Professor’s ‘Imoto’. Of which, all were met by an authentically joyful crowd that has come to characterise her DJ sets.
Jayda’s mixing wasn’t flawless, yet this is to be expected with a DJ so frivolous in music taste and mixing style. Rather, it seems Jayda G bases her selection on the quality of track and the enjoyment it brings to the dancefloor, instead of its perceived rarity or obscurity.
Anu immediately made her presence known with Schwefelgelb’s ‘Bis Zum Nächsten Tag (Phase Fatale Remix)’, a brooding piece of German techno that revitalized the 3am dancefloor. Off-kilter techno formed the basis of her set, maintained by Neil Landstrumm’s ‘Sahara’, a glitchy throwback to classic bleep techno that captivated the crowd with its unpredictability. And as the night came to its end, B12’s ‘Hall of Mirrors’ echoed through Wire – a soulful techno track that sounds as fresh today as it did in 1992.
Rhys Ellis
Image Credits: Brotherhood Sound System