Ibiza – Mid August – 9pm – It sizzled
Even in the Garden of DC10, there was a sense of a slow cooking- even as the sun set, casting a final silhouette of a departing aeroplane. Perhaps it was the mass of ravers, built up on each other like a tin of sardines.
Yet, who can blame these brave men and women, who had come to CIRCOLOCO – with the hopes and dreams that today and tonight would be the time of their lives.
At this point Apolonia were rolling out the House, it’s infectious funk driving the crowd into a rhythmic wave. Occasionally, a bouncer would ripple through- the shark to these waters. In good spirits, the crowd danced, the house played and the sun set.
The Garden at DC10
They say that good things come to those that wait- well, here I was in the main room at DC10 waiting for none other than Nicole Moudaber to take to the stage.
I could see her up the back, smoking under the Circoloco sign that hung in the style of a Red Light District shopfront.
In full air conditioned bliss I waited an hour over the start time- things don’t always work out in the DJ world, with artists flying around the world like some 4D game of Pong.
With a round of applause Negru came to the end of their set, and all of a sudden things changed…
There were many on the roster that day at Circoloco. The fantastic Maceo Plex, Job Jobse and Kollektiv Turmstrasse, amongst others. Yet none stood out like the queen of proper techno – Moudaber.
With a rambunctious opening, the stage was set. Techno. Pure. Unadulterated. Staggered drum patterns, the sound, at least 20% higher than the last act- Moudaber came in guns blazing.
With mammoth drops and tracks of pure inventiveness, it was a set that made the hairs on your neck stand straight up. I had never heard such darkness in a set at 11pm– especially not with all the House on show. The entire room swelled and stomped- asking for ‘more.. more!’
The pure ferocity of her set, alongside the huge amount of unreleased and unknown tracks gave Moudaber the stand-out set of Circoloco. My ears would ring for days after- but hell was it worth it.
Circoloco is an incredibly busy event, with three rooms and a million lasers. There are almost too many acts to see in such a short space of time. The raw, minimal aesthetic of the club provide a unique environment to see some of the best house and techno available.
When a set like Nicole Moudaber’s is thrown on you out of nowhere- you hit the ground running.
