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Adam Beyer's Drumcode imprint has been going strong for many years. Recently however, you only need to look at Beatport's techno charts to see it has blossomed into one of the biggest labels out there. The Drumcode sound has evolved into one of the most prevalent in the underground house and techno scene, and in line with the ever-increasing popularity, the parties that showcase this dark, stomping techno have grown in size to accommodate. His annual Halloween parties have become someting of a pilgramige for fans of the brand, and this Halloween saw their biggest event in London to date, as Beyer and his compadres joined forces with Amsterdam's finest, Awakenings, in a sell-out takeover with London Warehouse Events of one of the UK capital's most new and exciting venues on offer: Tobacco Dock.
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The building itself is spectacular, almost like a historic shopping centre. But instead of shops it's bars, chill out areas, lockers and clubs. In its entirety, the venue had become a graveyard of freakish techno loving monsters dressed as all sorts of deathly characters; the perfect clientele for a dark techno rave. After a regroup in the open-air centre of the first floor, which served as the perfect smoking area, the tour began, the first stop being Room One.
The huge square room was heaving as Hotflush's Dense & Pika laid down a ravaging set of pounding techno treats like Egbert's ‘Straktrekken’ to a very appreciative crowd. Simple yet effective LED lighting lit up the back of the room; moody colours fitting the sound like a treat. The duo never faltered and was more than happy to keep smashing out top quality tracks as their set became extended to accommodate for the late arrival of Joris Voorn. Spontaneity was key and it was safe to say, they nailed it.
The tour continued as we headed down to the Vault and into Room Two, the sheer size of which was truly breath taking. The long, rectangular warehouse, also packed to the rafters, stretched in an almost never-ending fashion. Lines of light tunnelled down the roof towards the DJ booth at the end, where Hotflush label head Scuba was delivering his own masterpiece. Fist pumping techno complimented with euphoric piano breakdowns combined with the colossal dancing space meant for a highly excitable crowd.
One of the leading ladies of techno, Nina Kraviz, was next. As she began building her signature hypnotic, acid sound, it was a race to the front to catch her in action. Those who have had the pleasure can see just how connected she is to her tracks, making it all the more enjoyable for the fans. Tonight was no different. Upstairs however, man of the moment, Joseph Capriati, had taken over Room One. And after a short time it was back to the Drumcode room.
Capriati laced stomping techno with groove-laden rhythms, and even the odd vocal courtesy of Alan Fitzpatrick's remix of Trus'me's 'I Want You'. It's clear why Capriati is Beyer's warm up and often DJ partner on occasion, as he showcases the sounds of Drumcode better than almost anyone. He continued to keep the crowd energised until the boss himself Adam Beyer took the controls.
For those of us that had travelled across the country, disturbingly it was time to dash for the train and head back to our hometowns. There's no doubt however, that the day party was closed in spectacular fashion, before continuing deep into the night at the afterparty. Having joined forces with the mighty Awakenings and Tobacco Dock, it had been Drumcode's biggest London Halloween party to date. In keeping with the label's consistent upward progression, it will be very interesting to see where Beyer takes it next; excited is an understatement.
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