Review: Percolate Open Air was a turning point for the London-based party planners

Krywald & Farrer, The Unit

Every night needs its residents - they play a key role in defining the musical direction of an event and, let’s face it, are the beating heart and soul of a party. Most residents stick to the warm-up or warm-down slot, using records to ready the crowd for an expensive headliner or to keep punters on the floor into the early hours. Krywald & Farrer have filled this role at Percolate since 2012. Unsurprisingly, they know how to work a room. But even more than that they are reputable DJs in their own right, being booked across the UK as headliners. Whilst their name is irreversibly connected to the Percolate brand, their blend of party-starting, afro-influenced house and disco is a force in its own right. There set, which bore the brunt of the worst rain of the day, was a masterclass in feel-good grooves and deeper than deep soul music.

Saoirse, The Unit

Taking over from Krywald & Farrer, Irish selector Saoirse took five minutes to reset the tone. Some punters scuttled away to catch Scuba on the The Face but those who stayed behind were rewarded with potentially the day’s best set. Taking her time to reconstruct the atmosphere and make the stage her own, Saoirse moved through a number of deep, soulful techno tracks like this classic from Underground Resistance.

Saoirse, The Unit

Joining the dots between house, techno, soul, dub and jungle, Saoirse took the crowd on a trip through the mind of a DJ who sees ways to connect tracks that no other selector would. Jacking house led into glitchy electro whilst techno morphed into multi-layered jungle. Just when it was all about to get too much she dropped this, a disco-tinged house roller which felt like a sudden, cathartic release of tension. The last year has seen Saoirse’s public profile skyrocket and for good reason, her set was an indicator that this ascension isn’t going to stop any time soon.

Scuba, The Face

On the main stage Scuba played to the festival's largest crowd, a throng of bodies that rivalled Koze’s crowd later. The Hotflush boss drew for a unique blend of house and techno featuring big synths and rousing, euphoric drops. Many of his choices were mined from the vaults of his own label, home to the likes of Or:la, Paul Woolford, Recondite and the late, great Trevino. However, the track that made the greatest mark on the crowd’s collective memory and left internet forums abuzz in the days after the event was this: a throwback to the days when Scuba produced what was liberally described at the time as deep house.

Sonja Moonear, The Unit

At many other events, putting this Swiss selector on at the same time as DJ Koze would guarantee a huge imbalance in the number of bodies at each stage. Moonear would not come out on top. However, Percolate know their audience; they’re a discerning bunch. In reality the rising selector drew a strong, headsy crowd who lapped up each left turn and odd-ball techno cut.

Sonja Moonear, The Unit

Moonear may be best known as one of the leading players in the contemporary minimal vanguard - read Rhadoo, Raresh and Margaret Dygas - but there’s one thing that sets her apart: a screwball sense of humour. Layering Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s ‘Relax’ over Green Velvet & Harvard Bass’ ‘Lazer Beams’ was just that; an inspired, irreverent move.

DJ Koze, The Face

Everyone needs to see Stephan Kozalla once before they die. A wizard on the decks, DJ Koze led the assembled crowd through two hours of emotional left turns with an musical eloquence that belied his near-30 years in the game. Aside from issues with sound towards the beginning of his set (a break between Scuba and him left the crowd distracted whilst the volume sat too low for the first 10 minutes) his set had it all; pounding techno, moments of tender melody and the king of all singalongs: a 12-minute reconstruction of his remix of Låpsley’s ‘Operator’. Most importantly, he kept the crowd engaged at all times as he vied between furiously intense tracks like Josh Wink’s ‘Higher State Of Consciousness (Tweekin Acid Funk Mix)’ and gentle ballads like this track by Playmodul, a gorgeous cut made for both the Miami sunrise and sunset.

DJ Koze, The Face

If Open Air was Percolate stating their claim as one London’s leading promoters, then Koze was their secret weapon poised to help them onto the podium. Koze is accustomed to playing to larger audiences and it seems unlikely any of the crowd will ever see the German wizard again in such an intimate locale. This only added to the feeling that this was a moment. For those in attendance it was the peak of an excellent evening. For the Percolate team it must have felt like a triumph. Despite the rain Percolate’s committed fans came out in force and brought the kind of energy the elevates a day out dancing to a day that will stick in the memory for years to come.

[Photos: Michael Njunge and Gemma Bell for Here & Now]