“The euphoric chords of Octave One, the pulsating rhythm of Dax J and a plethora of other acts across techno uniting under one roof at a special venue.”
Richie Hawtin is an institution in techno. Having been a stalwart of the scene since the 90s, the British Canadian DJ has been at the forefront of electronic music, continuing to evolve and showcase electronic music. Always experimenting and pushing forward, his recent From Our Minds event at Printworks was set to be a guaranteed hit. The line-up was one of the most interesting I had seen in London for some time. The euphoric chords of Octave One, the pulsating rhythm of Dax J and a plethora of other acts across Techno uniting under one roof at a special venue.
The club is one of the most impressive spaces in the city and since its opening has hosted the whole spectrum of dance and more in its obscure corner of London. By water, the industrial atmosphere merges perfectly to create a remarkable space to get lost in. The visual effects and festival like capacity, truly make it one of a kind.
Kicking off proceedings early on was a pulsing DJ Stingray set. Spinning his signature electronica, the Drexciya affiliate filled the press halls with zapping synths and piercing hi hats, and his dynamic blend of west coast electro and bass driven house music had partygoers suitably ready for the sounds to come.
Next up, Kobosil brought his fast paced aggressive and unforgiving style that makes for a devilishly fun time raving. This was a great billing to inject some energy to the crowd at the mid stage of the event. The German DJ brought a raw sounding set that meshed perfectly with the steel and cavernous space to create an atmosphere much closer to that of a berlin party, with the press halls on fire.
Octave One was a stellar bit of programming and came next, rebalancing the crowd and providing welcome moments of euphoria in an otherwise unrelenting line-up. As the classic melodies of “Blackwater” serenaded partygoers it was clear that Richie had put together a considered and impactful bill of diverse artists for the event debut.
Following a stint in the main-room we moved across back to the close knit corridor of the inkwells and floated through the tunnel to see Sama Abdul Hadi play an impeccable set. The Palestinian DJ filled the long corridor of Printwork’s second space with blistering pace and was a true highlight.
A Dax J set just has to be experienced, and as the Monnom black boss took the decks the crowd erupted with energy, as they were treated to tracks such as D Shake’s Techno Trance and he moved forward with vigorous and unrivalled energy. As the event drew to a close it was time for Richie to add in his sound to this eclectic mix of some of techno’s best. Under Richie the main room took on the quality of intergalactic terminal and his set flowed through syncopating styles and grooves that were met from the crowd with elation and was the perfect ending to a day of incredible music.
Congratulations to all the artists for such an outstanding event and to Richie and Printworks for showcasing these line-ups in such a great space. The venue has evolved massively since its inception and creates an unrivalled experience for parties of this scale with many exciting plans for the future.
Check out the Printworks website here.
