Photo credits /
Chris Cooper (Shotaway) - Daniel Avery, The Warehouse, The Woods
Lawrence Jones (First Light Media) - Sign, Glitter
Luke Dyson - Bicep, Drumcode, Caribou
Dan Reid - Tale Of Us & Maceo Plex
Five mixes from Junction 2 2019
- PublishedJul 26, 2019
- WordsResident Advisor
- Listen to sets by Richie Hawtin, Daniel Avery, Apollonia and more recorded at this year's edition of the London festival.
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- Running a good dance music festival in London is famously difficult, but LWE has nailed it with Junction 2. The lineup is huge and eye-catching. The venue, Boston Manor Park, is beautiful and imposing. Crucially, there are none of the draconian sound restrictions that have plagued similar events in the past. In 2019, the festival ran across two days for the first time, inviting thousands of ravers to dance in the glorious sunshine to many of the best and biggest house and techno artists in the world.
Here are five mixes from the weekend.
Fort Romeau Opening the main stage at any festival is a tricky task. Do you go big to draw in the punters? Or just do your thing and hope for the best? Fort Romeau, who got the ball rolling at midday on Friday, ended up somewhere in the middle, peppering his two-hour set of feel-good house and African tunes with the occasional classic. Any performance that starts with Letta Mbulu's "Nomalizo" is bound to be a winner.
Daniel Avery On Friday evening, Daniel Avery closed The Warehouse, a dark indoor stage with an industrial vibe. The space was suited to deeper sounds, so the UK DJ began with intense techno by the likes of Peter Van Hoesen, Wata Igarashi and Heiko Laux. Gradually, the energy and hi-hats ramped up, until, by the end of the two hours, he'd arrived at Michael Mayer's remix of "Yes Sir I Can Hardcore" by Ferenc.
Lauren Lo Sung Run in partnership with Sonus, The Stretch on Saturday was all about house and techno with heavy basslines and summery sounds. Before tINI, Apollonia and Loco Dice hit the decks, Lauren Lo Sung stepped up to dish out 90 minutes of restrained yet nicely pumping grooves, from Archie Hamilton and DJ Steaw to a cheeky remix of Cardi B's "Bodak Yellow."
Apollonia At around 5:30 PM on the second day of Junction 2, Dan Ghenacia, Shonky and Dyed Soundorom gathered at The Stretch to begin their set. Across nearly three hours, they glided through classic and contemporary house, mixing quickly and efficiently so as to never let the energy drop. Tracks by Gene On Earth (who warmed up the stage), Bicep and MD X-Spress were easy highlights.
Richie Hawtin Debuting at Junction 2 on Saturday, Richie Hawtin played before Adam Beyer at the Drumcode stage, The Bridge. Described by the festival as its "pièce de résistance," the arena is surrounded by water and trees, while the M4 motorway roars overhead. Hawtin delivered two hours of pummeling techno, tech house and acid, dropping tracks by Planetary Assault Systems, ANNA and, most notably, Tiger Stripes' 2019 hit "Sneaking Hotdogs Into People's Pockets."
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