3 of Britain’s best DJ acts came together for a night of relentless sweat inducing bangers – hosted by 23 degrees and hot plate land.
Wire’s well known for hosting some of the best multi-genre bass nights in the whole of Leeds. Arguably, this was one of the most eclectic mixes of underground sonics the venue had hosted in a while; Wookie’s genre perplexing garage paved the way for grime to flourish in the early 2000s, whilst both L U C Y and Sicaria Sound continue to thrive in the dub scene with menacing mixes of bassy 140.
For garage heads, this was an unmissable event. It’s not often you see Wookie on the bill for a club night, and from the get go, you could feel that the audience knew this was a rare night. Cramming around the decs, with gun fingers flying in the air simultaneously to the drops, the energy of Jason Chue effortlessly permeated the bodies of two-stepping teens. Many of those there last Tuesday were only just born when Wookie’s seminal track ‘Battle’ was released, but the willingness to still indulge and appreciate his classics shows how the legacy of garage is ingrained in the DNA of UK dance music.
Following such a legend would be difficult for most DJs, but London based duo Sicaria Sound looked unfazed by the meticulous set Wookie had just laid down. With South Sudanese and Moroccan heritage, respectively, Sancha Ndeko and Imbratura are swiftly building a legacy of their own. Soundscaping their African ancestry through ferocious mixing, the Queen’s of U.K dubstep ripped through old-skool grime samples, and so many other sonics that have defined Britain’s clandestine club scene. They looked so calm behind the decs, championing an inherent swagger that no one can discredit them of.
” the willingness to still indulge and appreciate his classics shows how the legacy of garage is ingrained in the DNA of UK dance music. “
6 Figure Gang have been making waves in England’s lauded hardcore scene for a while now: Sherelle has found herself on Radio 1, and Fauzia on NTS, whilst L U C Y has been tearing through sets at Boileroom, Keep Hush and every city in the country. Her razor sharp cuts between footwork, jungle and even the occasional donk tune, makes the masked myserio one of the most versatile selectas in the U.K. Exploring the vast expanses of polarising drum sonics, meddling anywhere between 130-175 bpm, L U C Y rounded off the night in impeccable fashion. A delirious donk remix of Drake’s ‘God’s Plan’ signed off a rather unforgettable 6 hours, and exiled everyone to the nearest Kebab shop filled with energy.
Liam Cattermole