- Around the time that Triptych Festival dispersed a multitude of international talent throughout Scotland for a four city music extravaganza, the furthermost North destination for this now sadly defunct event—Aberdeen—had a strong foothold in the national electronic music scene. Ever since its demise, however, the spread and level of quality bookings in the city seemed to simmer down, leaving just a few bastions of hope for local punters and visitors. Of the nights that continue to showcase the same level of acts seen week in/week out in Glasgow and Edinburgh, Hush Hush boasts names like Bok Bok & Manara, Joker, Hudson Mohawke and James Blake as previous guests.
The latest addition to Hush Hush's CV is Jamie XX, who docked into the North East of Scotland recently on a rainy and unenticing night. Picking up on the eclectic output of their special guest, residents Giles Walker and Djamba laid on anything from classic Jimmy Edgar to current London-centric dubstep mutations in their warm-up set, providing a classy and more eclectic selection than the usual lowend-heavy tracks favored at a club renowned for all things bassy. Taking over when the crowd reached peak attendance—around 2/3 full—Jamie XX stuttered into gear for some 30 minutes with little complaint from the youthful dance floor onlookers. Before long, he offered up an array of colourful house classics, turning back the clock to the delight of the minority older audience and loosening up with an unapologetically sped-up version of Crystal Waters' "Gypsy Woman."
Some of XX's own Gil Scott Heron remixes in particular drew an excited reaction from the crowd. And mid-set, he hit a peak with a loose garage groove and vibrant house spirit. Later on, he tailored off with some more of his own remixes and productions with tropical drums galore. Indeed, the overall vibe was one of a hedonistic magazine party rather than a deep and dark club. Maybe that's why there was an almost equal amount of girls to guys at this traditionally male-heavy bass music night.