It’s been a while since a new producer has come to prominence at such a pace. Over the last year the young gun from Belgium – Netsky, has made a name for himself by releasing a succession of seductive liquid bangers. It was unsurprising when Hospital Records signed him up in November 2009, echoing the same excitement that was shown to High Contrast when he first burst onto the scene nearly a decade ago.
Tonight the line up’s big on both local and foreign talent. Riskotheque’s dubstep seems to warm Audio’s crowd but as soon as he moves from the decks they demand Sonic delivers “Drum and bass, drum and bass!” They’re thirsty and it’s only 160 bpm that can quench them. Not all the tunes on Netsky’s album are as strong as his breakthrough Memory Lane and the likes of Tomorrows Another Day, but the contrast between haunting soulful grooves such as Storm Clouds and uplifting vocal cuts like Escape ft Darrison, provides a mature depth to his music. This is also evident in his live set because tonight, he drops them all.
There is never a moment of clock watching, he keeps his audience locked in for the whole ride. All sorts of ravers are in attendance, from the lads with their tops off and chests puffed out rocking hard in the epicentre, to the shacking out of well-meaning hippies on the peripherals of the dancefloor.
From his Hospital ensemble tonight Jenna G outshines Stamina and Ruthless, her rich voice complimenting the warm basslines to irresistible effect. She’s loving it up there and represents for the whole set, not just the track Moving With You on which she features. The rolling whirr of Ironheart and the jazz funk of Secret Agent throw everyone into a rhythmic sway.
His mixing is a slow and steady blend because this is a ninety minute flight, and so we all settle in for the night. His tunes exude an unassuming innocence that translates perfectly into liquid drum and bass, making them both accessible and aspirational. On a few climactic occasions the MCs have to ask the over-eager crowd to ease up from the barriers as they keep jogging the decks. Netsky finally comes in to land with his raucous dubstep track I Cant Hold On bringing the crowd down with a deep skank. The audience seem replete and thank their European host for a night that brimmed with wonderful new soundscapes.
Netsky Album Launch
Audio
Fri 18th June
Words by Zac Colbert
