Joj reports on Lifestyle's London debut.
Fledgling label Lifestyle Recordings have their sights set defiantly high for their first major London event. Between booking the likes of drum and bass veterans Survival and Zero T, as well as hotly tipped up-and-comer Eleven 8, the night – at famous underground venue The Rhythm Factory – is nothing if not ambitious.
Entering the East London club at something past 11pm it does look for a moment as if the year-old label have perhaps bitten off more than they can chew. Lifestyle’s own Freeloader and City Life are doing well to hold the attention of a rather sparse audience. But by midnight the crowd is looking much healthier - to the obvious relief of Lifestyle resident Impulse as he steps up to the decks.
From start to finish, the man is representing hard for his label. Opening with Icicle’s ‘Dreadnaught’ and churning through subsequent bangers like Chase and Status’ ‘No Problem’ and Logistics’ ‘Flashback’, the mood is decidedly upbeat and the crowd lap it up.
Eleven 8 offers something totally different. His set is deep, intelligent and technical. Dispensing altogether with double drops and more commercial tunes, he instead flits seamlessly between glitchy grooves and ambient soundscapes. Though this is a genuine treat to a certain breed of highbrow drum and bass connoisseur, to many it makes for too stark a contrast with Impulse’s party vibe, and the crowd thins a little.
The dancefloor returns to life, however, as Survival confidently ramps up the pace, spinning out moody, gritty rollers adorned with delicate radar bleeps and chirrups. Zero T, also characteristically true to form, plays a mixture of minimal and rolling beats – his set is subtle and detailed while still aggressive and pounding enough to keep the audience excited. Both headliners play expertly to the room and bring with them an air of authenticity and professionalism, raising the profile of the whole night.
At 4am head of Lifestyle Recordings, Felix Clemson (aka Catharsis) and the label’s own star DJ Sifi, arrive at the stage, eager to get at the turntables and play out the night. Unfortunately somewhere between the booming subs and improperly protected decks, their heaviest drops repeatedly fall victim to jumping needles. It's frustrating to watch as, uninterrupted, the pair are known for playing spectacular back-to-back sets. MCs Energise and Ryden help to style out the hiccups and get things back on track.
The Bristol pair deserves a special mention, as it’s refreshing to see skilled MCs without the kind of egos that threaten to eclipse the DJ's actual set. Between the two of them they host with undeniable groove and energy.
To take a grassroots record label beyond the status of ‘bedroom project’ requires more than a few good tunes and a bit of business nous. The whole Lifestyle team are out in force, unperturbed by a slow start or technical difficulties; they’re enthusiastic and visibly enjoying themselves all night. Upon reflection, Felix said “The main thing about putting on a party is keeping the crowd happy and we had no problems with that. For a launch night it was a success and we'll be bringing you more soon for our second year birthday”. Suffice to say, we’re looking forward to future incarnations of the ‘Lifestyle Presents’ night.
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