- Despite the city's magnetism, it's somewhat rare to catch Zip in London. For someone so admired, the Perlon co-founder cuts an elusive figure. His sets across Europe are relatively few and far between, especially compared to some of his closest accomplices, such as Ricardo Villalobos. The rarity of his appearances only enhances their magic, though, and his gig at Corsica Studios with DJ Sprinkles made it clear that he's worth waiting for.
Both DJs have enigmatic reputations, which made this month's Tender Hooks party that much more appealing. Corsica Studios is an interesting venue, hidden away in one of South London's gritty side streets, beneath the brick archways of the area's tangled network of railway lines. The facilities inside are first-rate, with a perfectly EQ'd soundsystem allowing both headliners to do their thing without issue. DJ Sprinkles was up first, after a stirring warm-up from Patrice Scott.
For three hours, Sprinkles commanded Corsica's main room—a relatively intimate space that never overfilled. Unfortunately, his selections were disappointingly pragmatic. Terre Thaemlitz may be famous for his subtle and intellectual style of deep house, but his intentions here were far more functional. This was one of those sets that did everything almost too well: every record was harmless, and the mixing so flawless that it was barely noticeable, which isn't always a good thing. It felt almost like another warm-up set, when in truth we were expecting something a little more engrossing.
Zip followed for two utterly blissful hours. Shuffling mischievously between his decks and his record crate, he never lost that familiar grin of his—the one that makes him look like a DJ who just landed his first gig and is beginning to quite enjoy it. Recognising tracks was a fairly hopeless mission, which was something I fully expected considering Zip's reputation as one of the most educated selectors around. Style-wise, he rapidly stitched together a truly unique soundscape that loosely belonged somewhere between the more eccentric flavours of minimal techno and pared-back classic house. Without over-thinking it though, what Zip brings to the table is nothing but a treat, and one that meets all the physical and aural demands of a dance floor. Transitions are concise but fluid, tracks are thoughtfully selected and somehow seem to carry something extra coming from him. In short, Zip was worth two headliners here.