EVENT REVIEW : YOU ARE WE @ VILLAGE UNDERGROUND

After another successful summer of Sunday partying on Brick Lane, 2011 saw You Are We spreading its wings, from Favela funkin' in Glastonbury's Shangri-la to bringing the Burn to the Man in Black Rock City. Last Saturday saw their first event since the summer season and a chance to showcase how they've been influenced by their summer antics.

Entering the club at approximately 10.45pm my immediate impressions were of the fitting choice of venue, reminiscent of the large open space and exposed brickwork of Corbert Place.  Ron Basejam's  characteristic set of disco infused deep house made for a busy dance floor early doors. After grabbing a drink and mixing with a few familiar faces Max Chapman took things up a gear dropping deep, bass-heavy beats from a selection of his peers coming through on Hot Creations. His selection sat well with the deep groove I associate with YAW, showcasing the depth of talent amongst the Hot Waves crew, warming the crowd up perfectly for some of the heavy hitters to come later on.

After filling the floor and with a big grin on his face Chapman signed off, releasing Adam Shelton to begin his frenetic journey upwards. Opening with Jamie Jones' "Tourist Trap" Remix, Shelton made his intentions clear from the off, segueing masterfully from Chapman's hot and deep sound into techier territory. Pulling out tracks from his own One Records as well as his productions with fellow Below resident Subb-An, Shelton set about building both the bpm and the energy levels masterfully with the crowd clinging to his every move.  Having made his name warming up for his Below nights in Birmingham, Shelton proved his versatility, rocking the peak time into a frenzy and justifying his growing reputation as one of the most talented DJs in the UK.

Riding the wave of energy from Shelton's set, Laura Jones stepped up, reading the fever pitch of the crowd and responding accordingly with melodic grooves that kept the feet moving and the hips shaking.  By now the night was pumping, as the static visuals swam into lysergic patterns while new lighting combinations flooded the floor.  With Laura bringing flashbacks of her appearance at Corbet place over the summer, the YAW groove was now in full flow. Maintaining the energy levels set by Shelton before her, Jones acquitted her headline status, demonstrating the deep sound that has made her one of the most exciting artists to come through in 2011.

To finish off proceedings Ashley Wild (one half of residents Playset) made his first solo appearance for YAW, leading the crowd on a descent into the depths of his slower, disco-infused sound. As after party flyers were handed out,  Wild showcased a host of his own deep and sultry productions, bringing the pace down while turning the mood up.  With the lights turned low, one of the biggest crowd reactions of the night came as Wild dropped his debut release on Hot Waves, "Riding In The Red", giving the dance floor one final bout of delirium before bringing the night to a close with a pleasing edit of "Lost in Music".While the absence of YAW's other residents (Sandeman & Mr Dickie from Wildkats and Playset's Tom Roberts) gave the night a slightly different vibe to normal, the sophistication of the production showed the effects of a summer of hard work, leaving me considering the possibilities for their next event. After one of the best nights I've had in a long time, I left feeling excited for YAW's future. The message? WE ARE MOVING FORWARD & YOU ARE ALL COMING WITH US!

Written By : Tom Mitchell, You Are We