From the outside, Lot 613 looks like another unassuming warehouse in the heart of the Downtown Los Angeles, but when you walk in, it feels as if you transported to a club reminiscent of the warehouse rave scene of old. The dark, intimate room was lit only with minimal bichromatic lights flashing to the thumps from the kick, and the kick was constant in Boy Noize’s ten year anniversary party celebrating his eponymous label.
BNR started as the German DJ/Producer’s means to self publishing, but in ten years cultivating many talented artists and putting out myriad great EPs and full lengths, the indie label has become iconic in the Electronic music scene as much as Kompakt or Dim Mak. The label is well known for pushing forward thinking artists and incredible non-mainstream electronic music.
The year has scene many outings celebrating the label’s decade, including a stage featuring BNR artists and friends at this past weekend’s HARD Summer. But last night HARD’s reverence continued in the form of a late night party in the quiet commercial area hosted by the event company.
My night started with a hard hitting Techno set from Pilo playing back to back with Escor Krist, walking into this felt like I was at the Techno show I had always wished to go to. The kick drum put the twenty somethings crowd into a trance, surrendering themselves to every drop that came through the speakers.
Escor Krist is a newer BNR player who has impressed me a lot with his buzzsaw style sound, his track “Delirium” is a must listen. Pilo has been garnering a lot of attention recently, rightfully so, this guy puts on a great set and his sound is championing Underground Techno with contemporary ambition, listen to his banger “Street Related” if you need proof. The room filled more and more by the time British musician Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs took to the decks.
Widely known for his sleek, cerebral brand of House and Synth-pop topped by his delicate vocals, TEED gave the crowd another great hour of banging Techno. His mix was tight and offered great suspense in those intervals of build up, when the kick came back in, people went absolutely nuts.
Orlando Higginbottom, or Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, filled the dark room with his hypnotic Techno, with a throbbing beat punching through and squelching synths piercing the air. Having always wanting to catch one of his sets, I would expect to hear some of his bigger originals, like “Garden” or “Moon Hits the Mirrorball“, but his fiery DJ mix here completely blew me away. The man of the hour, Boys Noize came to greet everyone in the crowd and introduced a special guest no one expected, Bass wizard Hudson Mohawke.
The Scot played an exciting yet ephemeral set that showcased his eclectic, low end heavy sound, every track he played was out there and incredible, you may know him as one of the producers on Kanye West’s Yeezus or as half of the now disbanded Trap duo TNGHT, but if you haven’t heard his solo work, you’re missing out.
Whether it was his early work or his recent crossover hit record Lantern, HudMo is definitely becoming one of the top producers in demand while receiving many lauds for being added to the legendary Warp Records family. The bass was rattling the room and everyone was dancing as if they were just tased and convulsing, his set sounded like hip hop beats from outer space, very much like his output, this was my first time seeing him and I have to say his live performance is a must see.
After him came an incendiary set from rapper Spank Rock, his machine gun speed rhyming atop beats that ripple like a rubber band was incredible, both him and his partner in crime Amanda Blank joining him gave a brief, but awesome set. His genre blending sound showcases a perfect equipoise of Rap and club music, it is as much Electro as it Hip Hop, a long time friend of Boys Noize, fits in perfectly with the night of techno and house.
Then it was the set everyone was waiting for, Boys Noize, or Alex Ridha, brought hellfire in the form of his DJ set, easily one of the greatest DJs working, his mix was an amalgam of Techno, Acid House and Electro. Whether it was playing his classic Oi Oi Oi hit “Lava Lava” or his minimal party starter “1010”, his mix bounced around and never lost momentum.
Later on, Ridha was joined on stage by the long haired, thick rimmed glasses wearing Skrillex for an explosive Dog Blood set. As I said last week about their Dog Blood show at Red Rocks, this was mind blowing project that needs to come around more, but in the intimate setting of a warehouse, this set takes the cake. Dog Blood is more suited for a dark, dank room replete with heavy breathing, excited party animals.
They sped up and slowed down tempo without reproach, each transition flowed as well as the last and they were constantly bouncing between each other, taking turns at mixing. When a great drop finally comes, they would look at each other and smile, they know that when they work together, they can completely blow everyone away.
They played well over an hour and a half, showcasing the best tunes out there ranging from Acid to Trap, and even Acid Trap?! This an incredibly fun Tuesday night, the night was fraught with the terror of work the next day, but when you can spend your Tuesday at one of the greatest night club experiences, it’s not so bad.