- Trudging up a dimly lit path on a bitterly cold night felt calming yet faintly ominous. One of the attractions of East London's Hackney Wick as a nightlife hub is the tranquility: it's uncommon to be outside a club in London and not be confronted with noisy traffic and drunken revellers. The area is well known to partygoers for its hedonistic afterparties and occasional illegal raves, but it's also home to a handful of good venues, like The Yard. With Shapes gone, the converted warehouse is arguably Hackney Wick's current go-to spot.
The space was two-thirds full when I got in on Friday night, bustling with a happy crowd. Smiles were broad as Jeff Samuel's "Digital Self" morphed into Move D's "Untitled 12," causing people to dance harder and holler their appreciation. This kind of moment was typical of the residents' well-received, three-hour warm-up, which also featured off-kilter Playhouse cuts and vintage Isolée.
This was promoter AM Trips' first party since August, when they hosted Toi Toi's revered resident Junki Inoue. For this edition they flew in Workshop boss Lowtec, AKA Jens Kuhn, who began his headline set with what sounded like Game Boy-era grime but with electro-style drums and tempo. Later, he moved seamlessly through lo-fi minimal house, grubby disco and harder techno. The crowd responded gleefully, even though the soundsystem struggled through bits of his set. While he played, Kuhn's expression remained deadpan, his movements mechanical.
Though I'd have liked to see Kuhn play for longer, the party was otherwise enjoyable, with most people spending their night on the dance floor. (Freezing temperatures meant you had to think twice before going outside.) As the night reached its end, chants for more began circulating around the room. Behind the decks, Kuhn struck a coy, grateful smile and set down his headphones.