Nestled 200m away from Isolatorweg metro station lay Warehouse Elementenstraat. A red glow attracted thousands and drew them into HYTE.
The metro station was full of tired party goers reluctantly awaiting their last dance of ADE 2016. Excited squeals and eager laughs emanated whilst the queue wound round the neighbouring warehouse. Greeting each party goer were delightful looking women with slightly dead-pan faces. Each of which were embellished with slicked back, grey-sprayed hair, dark eye make-up and skin tight outfits made from mesh. The whole concept reminded me somewhat of the ideology you’d expect from Berghain.
Once entering the venue, the smell of pizza filled the air and instantly pulled my hungry and empty stomach towards it. Having eaten bare minimum all weekend, I’d have offered them a Michelin star if I could. The up-beat and happy personas of the staff were slightly juxtaposed to that of the stern bar maids, but added a nice dimension to the vibe. After all, everyone was there to have a nice time.
Welcoming me first was room two. Within the club scene, the distinction between rooms is something that grates me. In particular I often dislike the fact that there is usually a substantial size difference in the rooms, which often suggests a difference in ability of the artists playing, which is by no means true. This was at first evident from the amount of space you had to dance. I was, however, very grateful of this. First up was Ingi Visions, and what a delightful set that was. Having prepared myself for a rather up-beat house night, it was a pleasant surprise to engage in a variety of experimental sounds and darker techno. As the night progressed the room did fill and their musical ability definitely deserved a bigger audience.
Robert Hood was calling, so I eagerly barged my way through the crowd which was disappointedly full of sunglasses and posers. Having watched a variation in sets over the weekend I was taken back by the fact Floorplan was able to produce such a seamless performance, encompassing a multitude of different genres. Within the first 20 minutes of his set he had already played a selection of songs off of his new album Victorious, which was co-produced with his daughter. There is something so satisfying about an artist that stays true to their roots and isn’t too modest about showcasing their own achievements.
Nearing the end of his soul warming, booty shaking set I found it only fair that I should go and check out Boris Werner, and I was definitely not disappointed. By this point the room was absolutely heaving and the mood was in full swing. The room had a certain feel to it that I couldn’t quite put my finger on. There was something about his rhythmic ability that had everybody two-stepping like they’d all been tuned in to the same programming system.
About to indulge in 4 hours of a b2b set from Loco Dice and the ultimate New York duo, The Martinez Brothers. I was actually quite nervous for them as I was unsure how they could compete with such an unforgettable set from Robert Hood. How silly of me. The set was the epitome of what all tech-house fans dream of. The perfect balance between winy synths and alternating hi-hat progressions. After attending many events over the last few years there is definitely no other artist combo that has a better stage presence than these guys (other than when good pal Troxler is in the loop). Everything looks so fun, it makes you want to be a part of it, and you’re welcomed with open arms.
I’m sad that I didn’t get chance to see Bambounou or Caleb Calloway, however I am almost certain their sets were something to be proud of. Overall the event was that enjoyable I found it harder to force myself to leave for 7AM than it was to pick my feet up off of the sticky floor. A part of me died inside when I witnessed the removal of the ADE flags as I exhaustedly left my registration appointment at the Gementee at 12pm the same day.
Photo credit: Pablo Bustos Photography
