This isn’t the first time we’ve mentioned Studio 338; nor is it the first time we’ve talked about Fuse. But last Saturday, on the 28th of July, both institutions came together to form a party that laid host to some irrevocable talent, from the more minimal end of the house and techno spectrum. From Enzo to Archie, or Ben Rau to Rossko, the wealth of quality DJs on the roster meant we were in for a real treat right from the get go. And what a treat Fuse presents: Level was.
Our night began just after six pm, as we walked hurriedly through to The Garden. East End Dubs had already been on for an hour or so, serving up the perfect soundtrack for the early evening weather. With the sun still high in the sky, the sense of excitement was palpable, as the sound of ‘Hope’ begun to ring through the Void sound system. Released at the start of the new year as the B side of the Hope/Haze 12″, the rolling bass gets helped along by the sound of someone plucking a guitar string. It certainly has a foreign feel, Spanish perhaps, but at a time where England is experiencing a mini heatwave, that’s just what the doctor ordered.
Having arrived an hour into his set, we were unsure whether a certain record had already been played by the Eastenderz boss. It had sat unreleased for more than a few months, cropping up in various sets up and down the country. We’d seen videos, countless videos, but we were yet to hear it live in the rave. Until around seven pm, when the ever-so-familiar vocal began to diffuse right around the garden. “La la, la la, la… want it all” went the speakers, and, this time, the boys really were waiting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iv7kx7Bj5M8
We stayed in the garden, eagerly anticipating the arrival of Ben Rau. It was just after seven thirty pm that he came on, smoothly taking the reigns off East End Dubs. By eight pm he was in full flow, providing the perfect outdoor soundtrack to the waning sun. There was one moment that we won’t be forgetting anytime soon; one of those moments that’s encapsulated by a single record. It sampled Womack and Womack’s ‘Concious of my conscience believe‘, a classic released on Island Records all the way back in 1988. The edit retains that soft, soothing feel of the original, with a faint whisper calling us to “fly a little higher.” What an absolutely lovely beat. It begins five minutes in to Enzo’s most recent Fuse show on Rinse FM, link for you guys below.
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Time flies when you’re having fun. And before we knew it, ten pm had come round, signalling the end of the music in the garden. We quickly made our way into the terrace, to catch the start of Seb Zito‘s performance. The Fuse resident crafted a set that was built around roller after roller, whipping the ravers into a proper frenzy. This was the set where the dance floor went the hardest. The Londoner threw in the occasional breakbeat-style-garage beat, one of which really did level the floor. If you were there then you’ll know the one we’re talking about. The pace slowed down, before a whomping synth ripped through the sound system, and a recognisable old school garage vocal echoed over the top. We’ve got no idea what tune it was, but it caught every head in there by surprise.
Onward and upwards. It was early in the grand scheme of things, as the Moscow Records runner soon appeared behind the decks. We’d seen Archie Hamilton at Tobacco Dock back in March, though this set was a far cry from the daytime showcase we’d seen before. Stripped back, yet retaining that signature upbeat Fuse vibe, the standout moment had to be hearing Ben Rau’s remix of a Roy Ayers classic. Still unreleased, it was only yesterday that we saw Rau’s video of himself in the studio, smile from cheek to cheek, bobbing his head along to this wonderfully reworked beat. Piano stabs and goosebumps-invoking vocals come together perfectly, to form a track that’s makes you relax and dance one and the same. For the release date, keep your eyes peeled on mid September, and your ears on BBE Music. We can’t seem to embed the video we’re talking about, so here’s a twenty minute clip of Ayers doing exactly what he does best. Even at the ripe old of age of 77!
It’s four am now, Archie has just finished, and on comes the Governor. It’s always a special time when Enzo Siragusa takes control of the floor, we don’t know why, but he seems to be the one that forms the deepest connection with the ravers. At least, that’s how it’s always been in our experience. Turntables, vinyl, and that notorious bop of the head, there was no way we were leaving early. Four till six was full to the brim with those chunky, almost aggressive sounding, bass laden grooves. The type that catch you off guard with a breakdown that reels you in, before you’re smacked by a kick that goes right through your body. If only we could recognise some of those beats, but remembering them’s a different matter.
We weren’t sure whether to cry or dance at points. The beauty of the day, the music, the venue, and the craftsmanship of the DJs very nearly became too much at points. It was about something more than music; more than the raving experience, for the Fuse sound resonates on a deeper level. We’re not being dramatic here, but between six and seven, as the sun cast an overwhelming light on the floor of the terrace, and Mandar’s ‘String Theory’ took us to places we’d never been before, looking up at the roof was akin to seeing the light that shines through the stain glass windows in a church. Everything had come together in harmony: a perfect venue, a perfect sound system and an ever so perfect soundtrack.
To all the team at Fuse, as well as Studio 338, that was something very special indeed.
Infuse will be returning on the August Bank Holiday for a takeover of Shoredicth venue Village Underground. On the roster are Seb Zito, Rossko, Mennie and Shonky. Tickets available here.
Photo Credit: Wisdom Makubile for Here and Now