Flux celebrated its 8th birthday in style last month, with the help of French disco heavyweights Folamour and Jeremy Underground.
‘Don’t believe the hype’, quotes Flux on Resident Advisor. This short biography defines the development of Leeds’ most recognised house and techno night. Within eight years Flux has established itself on the international scene, hosting parties at Dimensions Festival and Fabric, as well as welcoming an incredible repertoire of artists to Beaver Works.
It is safe to say Flux has an eye for upcoming talent, whereby booking artists with a bright future remains the core mantra of Flux events. Therefore, to its celebrate its 8th birthday, one of the hottest acts in underground disco was invited to make his Leeds debut. We are of course talking about Folamour.
Whilst donning headwear indicative of The Stone Roses’ Ian Brown, Folamour produced an excellent set far removed from the 90s alternative scene his outfit suggested. Despite his new album inheriting a more jazz-infused sound, for his 2-hour headline slot Folamour returned to the genre that heightened his success over-the-past year, dropping groove-entrenched disco beats with basslines so infectious that queues outside the basement stretched further as the set progressed.
Regardless of the mild claustrophobia experienced in the grimey basement, Folamour ensured the crowd felt continually uplifted – epitomised by the set-ending anthem, George Michael’s ‘Freedom’. Bringing smiles to everyone’s faces, this was a perfect way to end two hours of soulful music with disco undercurrents. There were of course inclusions of tracks that have been at the forefront of his popularity, with ‘Ivoire’ and ‘Devoted To U’ sparking synchronised ripples of groove across the dance-floor.
Thanks to the ridiculous amount of stages at Beaver Works, each room permitted a different sound, atmosphere and environment for revellers to enjoy their night, an aspect of the club night that is entirely unique.
It is this inclusive music ethos that makes Flux different to any event in Leeds, and it is unsurprising that after years Flux has gone from a singular charity event to having over 10,000 followers on SoundCloud. With talented residents like Reuben at their disposal and the ability to draw in acts like Folamour, Flux certainly has become the biggest hype in Leeds and will be for a very long time.
James Bate
(Main image: Joel Hirst Photography)