Motor City Drum Ensemble at XOYO

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  • A few years ago, Motor City Drum Ensemble halted his hectic touring schedule due to acute anxiety and insomnia. Since then, he's vowed to play fewer shows to retain a sense of normalcy in his daily routine. When he returned, it was only a matter of time before he was back at the top of his game as one of dance music's most sought-after digger DJs. His XOYO residency, which launched in October, is a marker of his continued success, with almost every night selling out of advance tickets. I went to the only party that so far hadn't sold out. Not that you could tell, though. Shortly after midnight, the high-ceilinged basement was packed to the rafters, with punters spilling onto the stage and the dance floor podiums. The second room upstairs was quieter, with Mafalda—who runs Melodies International with Floating Points and a couple others—controlling proceedings, bringing bright, melodic jazz and disco to the fore. Sometimes on Fridays, it can feel like lots of suits have accidentally stumbled into XOYO after their work drinks. But this time, the "I Feel Love" slogan, lit in red neon on the back wall downstairs, felt especially appropriate. Dancers—mostly in their mid-20s—repeatedly threw their hands in the air for MCDE's selections, an expertly crafted blend of disco and house with vibrant vocals and brass riffs, like Masters At Work's "Gonna Get Back To You feat. Xaviera Gold" and Lonnie Liston Smith's "Give Peace A Chance (Make Love Not War)." The soundsystem excelled, and swivelling lights bathed the crowd in blues, purples and silvers. MCDE appeared happy and composed, bopping his head and occasionally closing his eyes. As his set drew to a close, the spotlights turned golden, twisting horizontally over our heads. The lights behind the booth flashed brightly, illuminating the crowd as they cheered. Kyle Hall closed. Though you could tell that a few people had left, the dance floor remained busy and engaged. He picked up where MCDE left off, carrying the vibe with a steady groove and blissed-out synths, like those on DJ Kemit's "Like This." In the final hour, the strobes intensified as he took things deeper and more percussive with tracks like "Arild" by Ricardo Villalobos. The breezy top lines made way for hi-hats and harder drums, repping the tougher side of Detroit. But as the lights came up, the applause—while substantial—didn't match up to the cheers and whistles that had followed MCDE's last track. It was clear who everyone had come to see. Photo credit / Hungry Visuals
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