20th September
Joshua Brooks
8.5/10
Even with the best DJs, playing back-to-back can often be a hindrance rather than an improvement. The singular brilliance of the selector can be lost when sharing the decks in a mismatched set that doesn’t quite flow as well as one they would play alone. Selective Hearing certainly know what they’re doing bookings wise however, and tonight there are no such issues.
All three DJs are well versed in playing collaboratively: Pariah in Karenn; Kowton with Livity Sound; and Tessela alongside his brother Truss in TR\ER. This undoubtedly had an impact upon the effortlessness with which they rotated to produce an adeptly crafted set. Their cohesion is exemplified by Kowton introducing an African theme with the dropping of Delroy Edwards’s xylophone laden ‘Bells’, followed by Tessela and Pariah unleashing Midland’s Autonomous Africa Vol. 3 offering ‘Safi’ and Daphni’s afro-beat underpinned ‘Pairs’.
At around 2am there’s a noticeable shift to more intense sounds as the three DJs collectively up the ante. This bridge is expertly gapped with the dropping of Truss’s ‘Redbrook’, which builds and builds with atmospheric synths accented with acidic stabs.
Tessela then sends the room into a frenzy mixing his relentlessly percussive ‘Gateway’ into Gesloten Cirkel’s ‘Twisted Balloon’. Respite from the fierce heat generated in the Joshua Brooks basement is provided only by the dripping of condensed cold sweat from the ceiling. The night continues with no holds barred from this point; the airing of disorientatingly brilliant Night Slugs/Fade To Mind anthem ‘Icy Lake’ sounds especially intoxicating on the clubs’ newly installed Void sound system.
Despite the trio continuing well past their 4am curfew, the crowd are still desperate for more with chants of “One more tune!” ringing out after Kowton spins his Linear Mix of Peverelist’s ‘Roll With The Punches’ to close the night.
Tonight proves the Void sound system in Joshua Brooks was worth the hype, and that the club is a fine new home for all things Selective Hearing.
