Rebuild Rave

Rebuild Rave

21 July, 2008
by: Paddy

Antique computer hardware is a reality. Most shun it for what it is: entirely redundant and a possible fire risk. The techno world, however, is an anomaly, the flipside of this situation. A bizarre conflict arises between separate, but inextricably linked factions within the genre. On the one hand producers are clamouring for the hottest, fastest and edgiest gear around with which to make their pulsating new tunes. On the other, artists will continue to sell out events playing live techno from retro analogue hardware.

The night Wang, hosted at Corsica Studios illustrated this paradox perfectly by hiring Rebuild and Simian Mobile Disco to entertain their revellers. The latter all will have heard of, excusing those who staunchly refuse to apply for their visa to the land of squeaks, bleeps and bowel-loosening beats. They are among the pioneers of the clashing, electro based nu rave sound which has sculpted a scene out of a few kids up for some ironic glowstick waving. As for the former outfit, their name was made up for the night. At some point between producing some of the greatest techno tracks our nation has to offer and getting a bit bored watching repeats of Killroy in their pyjamas,
A Guy Called Gerald and Graham Massey of 808 State decided to dust off some old sound gear wrapped in a copy of the Sun dated 1989.

The result was one of the most hyped nights of the past few months. When techno heads lay their head on the pillow each night reunions like Rebuild float into their minds as unattainable dreams. When they wake up and learn that for the princely sum of a tenner they can hear an outdated, overheated synthesiser push out a regular four-four beat for a few hours, well, you should have been there.

Simian Mobile Disco played the smaller room to a wonderfully over excited crowd; its sound was harder, crunchier and generally well suited to the part geek, part fashionista crowd. There's a reason Simian signed up to support the darlings of the nu-rave indie scene and Mercury winners The Klaxons; they can rock out solid party tunes time after time.

Toward the end of said set, your humble reviewer started out on reconnaissance missions to the main room for the long awaited appearance from Rebuild. Now, as far as main rooms go, the Studio's is something else; what it lacks in area, it makes up for in pure weight of sound. It’s a proper beat-em-up system and intimate enough to avoid the feelings of isolation and loneliness that bring about superclub-style panic attacks.

Acolytes were standing on benches, chairs, and whatever else came to hand to see, yes, see, the antique hardware in action. Cheers filled the room, hands were raised and '89 style love was spreading like wildfire as the duo kicked out some solid beats and basslines to match. Tweaking was done. And little more. And just another bit more. And… fast forward an hour or so. Dancing was all but reduced to a shuffle, the legends of dance looked a touch sheepish and the previously discussed furniture was being used for its designed purpose.

There is a moral to the story. All music forms have their obsessives, their purists and their geeks. These people we shall ignore, because ultimately for music to be successful it must be populist, if only for the benefit of the audience listening to it while it is performed over a certain period of time. Turning your back on available technology that can produce required sounds is a fools game in the cut throat world of electronic dance.

There is so much choice in 2007 that to expect the driving force of the 1989 underground to remain successful is but fantastical golden age thinking. Unfortunately for Rebuild, there is no place for nostalgia in techno, or for that matter, any other dance. Embrace the future, and vive le revolution!

Click here to see all London DJ music.
Click here to see all London electro.
Click here for things to do in Elephant and Castle.

Paddy