Having thoroughly enjoyed ourselves at last year’s Anjunabeats WMC gig, we made sure to mark our calendars for the sequel. Their sister label, Anjunadeep, has just released it’s second annual collection and has realized it’s own identity in the last 18 months all the while being backed by the seemingly unstoppable Above & Beyond, who are actually in talks with Richard Branson to DJ a flight to the moon. (I am both impressed and rolling my eyes.)
The venue had just changed names from Karu & Y to Ice Palace apparently on the week of the event and besides a little evidence of the transition, it looked business as usual. We came in to Martin Roth working it out in the Anjunabeats Room. Roth has reinvented himself in the last year, producing pacier tracks pitched down from his usual tempo yet keeping his signature style intact. He played out his version of BoomJinx & Andrew Beyer’s ‘To The Six’ that also appears on the compilation. The crowd was amped for Josh Gabriel who, although had a rough start, built the rest of his set carefully and evenly and allotted copious amounts of crowd interaction.
Label head James Grant (who mixes Disc 1) opened up the Anjunadeep Room playing some cuts from the label to a four foot wide disco ball and an up-for-it group. A group that had the highest per capita incidence of Anjunabeats t-shirts in the world. We arrived shortly before the torch was passed to Jody Wisternoff who proceeded to break out new Way Out West jams, his new Anjunadeep track ‘Lassoo’ and tear the roof off with three brand new versions of WOW classics ‘The Fall’, ‘Ajare’ and ‘The Gift’ – the last of which was just released on the newly revived Deconstruction label. It was a total hands in the air affair.
Back in the main room, Andy Moor hit the decks and commanded the attention of the dancefloor which by now was packed out. We agreed that Andy Moor’s trademark rolling style is much more preferable to period tracks like ‘Ballerina’. Moor was bringing it and I see why he gets rated as high as he does in the DJ Mag poll. It really was an ace set. Cheers to him for coming so far in the last decade.
Tonight’s ‘Mystery Guest’ was (you guessed it!) and when I witnessed girls at the venue crying, surprised even, that “OMG! its Above & Beyond” were the guests, I hoped to be blown away. Instead I got two-thirds of the group and a mini Best Of show. Hey, I love Oceanlab’s ‘Lonely Girl’ as much as the next metrosexual, but it was a favorite, like, last summer. Though judging by the main room temperature at the so-called Ice Palace, maybe it WAS last summer. (And who the fuck forgot the lasers this year?)
Jaytech and BoomJinx kept it runnin’ in the ‘Deep Room which was the best area of the night. The former, who hails from Australia, mixes Disc Two of Anjunadeep02 and he played his solo entries, ‘Ozone’ and the chunky-as-hell ‘In The Jungle’. It was a treat that the room loosened up a bit so we could enjoy why this guy’s one of the most popular producers on the label. Along with BoomJinx and everyone who played in this room, an excellent job was done showcasing the label. Friendly bar staff and totally professional security – the Made events are always done right. Well played.

Reviews:

Various Artists
Anjunadeep02
Anjunadeep [UK]
2xCD / MP3
Release Date: 02 15 10
A dreamy ride with an incredible vibe and better than the first one. 9/10

Nitrous Oxide
Dreamcatcher
Anjunabeats [UK]
CD / MP3
Release Date: 03 22 10
Nitrous Oxide is Polish artist Krzysztof PrÄ™tkiewicz. Since Anjunabeats does about one artist album a year I always expect a lot, and like all the others, this record’s dynamic as hell. Why bother using the same cliched adjectives to describe the music when I can assure you that the most sonic shit out this Spring is right here. New single ‘Far Away’ is soaring and doesn’t disappoint, there’s some breaks action in there, three downtempo cuts and many tracks are edited to the five-minute mark which was the right choice for his style and the habits of trance selectors in 2010. Some of the strings are plucky and almost classical which was also a welcome twist – it brought me back to Nylon Moon-era dream trance. Every listen begets a new favorite. 8/10 – Eden Alison

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