Legowelt at Rhythm Factory

Legowelt at Rhythm Factory

02 April, 2012
by: Iamlawrence

Lawrence Rice on loving techno.

Friday afternoon finds me sitting in my friend’s back garden burning chicken in the most hastily prepared BBQ I’ve ever taken part in, having just been informed that summer may not arrive this year at all. We are discussing the fact that when we were fifteen we thought techno was a dirty word, something enjoyed only by Dutch skinheads and people with glow in the dark nipple studs which they probably purchased in Camden. I could do you an impression of a techno tune, it went “Dugga-dur dugga-dur dugga-dur dugga-dur...”

Skip to this evening, and I’m really glad I grew up.

Streets of Beige and 44 Productions are helping electronica label The Centrifuge to put on a 5th birthday bash, the main event being Legowelt performing a totally live techno set. While checking the timings for the evening I notice two things; Mike Dred (car trouble) has been replaced by Rephlex's multi-named techno protaganist Ed DMX, and Legowelt is playing in the middle of the night, not two hours before sunrise. Well done promoter.

To be frank, in the last couple of years I have been to some very hit and miss house and techno events. Tonight is making up for all of them. Tonight is pumping. Deep Space Orchestra are showing off a wide variety of melodies, high-pitched warbling synths that sound like a cassette tape being played too slowly and sweet vocal harmonies all sit on top of a truly bumping kick. Of course it wouldn’t be a techno night without some serious 303 action - those things must double in value every day on Ebay - and DSO are the first to get it bubbling into the soundsystem tonight.

Is it just me, or has dance music become more about the build up than the drop? Legowelt’s set feels like build upon build, just as one snare roll has finished more rides and claps fill the space. Wave upon wave of synths sound like phone lines linked directly to another universe. It really works.

In most sets the performer tends to pick up the pace for the finale. What I’m loving about tonight is that everyone is starting their set with bangers, and still upping the energy with the finish line in sight.

DMX Krew is as happy with techno as he is with breaks, and tonight we get a selection of both thudding rave and minimal breakbeat, the bass-lines bump and bounce like hidden morse code messages telling us all to keep dancing.

Tonight is reminding me that what techno stands for is just really good electronic music. If only I could go and tell my 15-year-old self that... and maybe to go and buy a TB 303 as well.

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Iamlawrence