There’s pricks in the main room getting it on, and they ain’t leaving til 4 in the morning

So, Saturday was the big Soulwax party in London. For me, and the 4,000 other people in attendance, this was the big night that was set to kick off the summer (a tad premature perhaps, but all it takes for the English to dust their sandals off, and sit on a damp pub-bench all day is the mere suggestion of sunlight). From the rugby scrum of getting in, to the ankle-deep piss puddles in the toilets, the event was an organisational nightmare. I only survived ten minutes of sweat and elbows during the Nite Versions, before I finally Kracked and sought relief elsewhere.

When all else fails, you can always rely on Simian Mobile Disco to get the party going. London has gone rave crazy recently (I suspect Altern-8’s jubilant return to live performance at Tiga’s Bugged Out show might have had a little to do with it). The Simian boys delighted the glowstick wavers with “Everybody In The Place”, and were kind enough to give the hip-hoppers a nod with Ludacris’ “What’s Your Fantasy”, which sounded amazing for “some” reason, and Activ-8ed muscles I had forgotten I had.

You discerning rave-monkeys should have had your fill of Altern-8 by now, so how about a hidden gem that was brought back into the public consciousness by Tiga with his last song of the night at Bugged Out. The tune is perhaps all the more fitting, as it wasn’t until 4am on Saturday night when most of the beer-boys had left, the chaos had calmed down and we were able to watch our heroes in peace.

Orca- 4am

Tiga played a fantastic set by the way, I used to think his DJing ability was quite average, but every time I see him he seems to get better and better and more serenely composed every time. At one point I thought I heard this next track coming in, which would have made the night absolutely perfect. Digitalism introduced me to Kickschool79 last month, and they tell me it’s one of the hottest around right now. When I heard them play it out, with an a-cappella of Annie’s “Greatest Hit” over the top, it was love at first listen. It’s a simple tune, but a sparkling one to pull out of the box at 4am.

Thomas Schumacher- Kickschool79

Ok, it came out a few months ago, but I would be devastated if you guys were to miss out on this little small hours sparkler. You don’t find many finer cut Detroit diamonds than this one. Whether you normally find yourself on a bustling dancefloor, or tucked underneath your duvet at 4am, this song will suit your mood, and set you adrift on memory bliss.

And while I’m here, I might as well throw in another enduring Carl Craig classic to complete the bedazzling pair. It has become a backbone of Laurent Garnier’s legendary all-night sets, and you would be hard-pushed to receive higher praise than that for a record.

Carl Craig- Sparkle

Theo Parrish- Falling Up (Carl Craig remix)


It’s getting close to 4am now (or at least, it feels that way), and it’s about time I drew this post to a close, but I won’t be able to sleep at night with the thought that there are people on this planet that haven’t been introduced to ‘Eurodans’. When Todd Terje released this tune last year, the furore around cosmic media darlings Lindstrom and Prins Thomas might have left a few hard-drives unable to accommodate another Norwegian disco doyen. But as the glitterball keeps turning, Lindstromania dies down, and the dry-ice clears, Eurodans will plod on and on and will go down as a truly defining disco moment for many 4ams to come.

Todd Terje- Eurodans

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