- Bicep's aptitude for curating great lineups is no secret—years in the blogosphere and a steady rise as one of the UK's favourite club acts means they know what makes a good party. For their latest event, the pair again partnered with Tief and Troublevision, inviting Mathew Jonson and Robert Hood (as Floorplan) to one of London's premier clubbing spots, Oval Space. I've always been a fan of Oval Space's modular layout: it keeps the venue engaging and changes the dynamic of each party. And there's a certain focus that’s achieved within single-room venues that really consolidates the dance floor and keeps everyone locked into the same narrative.
After a confident warm-up from Hammer, Bicep latched onto the early dreamful atmosphere, opening with their new anthemic single "Just," before jumping into selections from Mr. G and Pépé Bradock. It wasn't until they dropped Leon Vynehall's "It's Just (House Of Dupree)" that things really got going, its fluttering hook eliciting smiles and cheers across the room. The latter half of their set consisted mainly of bland big-room house and predictable mixing, though was later recouped by an animated turn into weightier cuts of techno, eclectic but with an undeniable nod to Detroit.
Mathew Jonson was the artist I was most looking forward to seeing. The last time I saw him was at fabric's 15th birthday party and he absolutely melted my face off. This time was no different. All of the performances from the night were excellent, but Jonson's set came out on top. His live set was rooted through a mixing desk, which, as well as adding clarity, gave a real immediacy and intensity to his sound. Setting the tone with his own "Level 7," he then embarked on a flurry of jacking beats and playful loops, including a number of (frustratingly) still-unreleased tracks. The eager crowd lapped up the energy and aggression, loving the occasional departure into breakbeat and electro. Not many people can get away with using ghetto rap samples embedded in stomping techno beats.
Robert Hood, performing as Floorplan, brought things back to centre, opening with Frankie Knuckles's rework of "The Pressure," a poignant homage that really pulled the crowd together. Hood glided through disco basslines and a string of old Detroit classics before heading into an unrelenting final hour, along with a willingly compliant audience. You always know what you're going to get with a Floorplan set, but this doesn't make it any less enjoyable. If anything, it's testament to the longevity of his music—20 years on and M-Plant classics are still tearing up dance floors.
Photo credit: Fresh To Death